Idioms help you sound more natural in English. They make your speaking clear, strong, and confident. This dictionary is made for idioms learners. You can search any idiom easily. You can also learn idioms from A to Z. Topics are simple too, such as daily life, work, money, time, emotions, relationships, health, travel, nature, and weather.
Each idiom has a simple meaning. It also has a clear definition. You will also see an easy sentence for real conversation. The goal is not to memorize everything at once. Learn a few idioms daily. Read the sentence. Understand the meaning. Then try to use the idiom when you speak.
This dictionary helps you build better vocabulary. It also helps you understand English expressions faster. Use it daily and improve your idioms step by step.
hand over fist
[for money and merchandise to be exchanged] very rapidly.
What a busy day. We took in money hand over fist.
hang on to someone’s coat-tails
to gain good fortune or success through another person’s success, rather than through one’s own efforts.
Bill isn’t very creative, so he hangs on to John’s coat-tails.
hang one’s hat up somewhere
to take up residence somewhere. (Informal.)
George loves London. He’s decided to buy a flat and hang his hat up there.
hard cash
cash, not cheques or credit. (Informal.)
I want to be paid in hard cash, and I want to be paid now!
have a bone to pick (with someone)
to have a matter to discuss with someone; to have something to argue about with someone.
Look, Bill. I’ve got a bone to pick with you. Where is the money you owe me?
have a heart of gold
to be generous, sincere, and friendly.
Mary is such a lovely person. She has a heart of gold.
have a price on one’s head
to be wanted by the authorities, who have offered a reward for one’s capture. (Informal.)
We captured a thief who had a price on his head, and the police gave us the reward.
have a thin time (of it)
to experience a difficult or unfortunate time, especially because of a shortage of money.
Jack had a thin time of it when he was a student. He didn’t have enough to eat.
have an itchy palm and have an itching palm
to be in need of a tip; to tend to ask for tips. (Informal. As if placing money in the palm would stop its itching. Note the variations in the examples.)
All the waiters at that restaurant have itchy palms.
have bats in one’s belfry
to be slightly crazy.
Poor old Tom has bats in his belfry.
have money to burn
to have lots of money; to have more money than one needs. (Informal.)
Look at the way Tom buys things. You’d think he had money to burn.
have one’s hand in the till
to be stealing money from a company or an organization. (Informal. The till is a cash box or drawer.)
Mr. Jones had his hand in the till for years before he was caught.
have the Midas touch
to have the ability to be successful, especially the ability to make money easily. (From the name of a legendary king whose touch turned everything to gold.)
Bob is a merchant banker and really has the Midas touch.
have the wherewithal (to do something)
to have the means to do something, especially money.
He has good ideas, but he doesn’t have the wherewithal to carry them out.
hush-money
money paid as a bribe to persuade someone to remain silent and not reveal certain information. (Informal.)
Bob gave his younger sister hush-money so that she wouldn’t tell Jane that he had gone to the cinema with Sue.
How To Use Idioms Dictionary
- You can use this dictionary in different ways. Start with the idioms you hear often in movies, conversations, or online posts. Search them here and understand their real meaning. Then read the example sentence and try to speak your own sentence.
- You can also learn idioms by topic. Choose daily life idioms for normal conversation. Choose work and business idioms for office English. Choose money, time, emotion, relationship, health, travel, nature, and weather idioms to improve your topic-based vocabulary.
- A good way to learn is to save your favorite idioms in a notebook. Write the idiom, its meaning, and your own sentence. Review them after a few days. This will help you remember them better.
- Do not use idioms everywhere. Use them only when they fit the situation. The goal is to sound natural, not forced.
- Keep learning slowly. A few useful idioms daily can improve your English speaking a lot.
Here’s a separate section for kids: 100 Common Idioms for Kids
FAQs about Idioms Dictionary
An idiom is a group of words with a special meaning. You cannot always understand it by translating each word.
Type the full idiom or any main word in the search box. The dictionary will show matching idioms with meaning and sentence.
Start with a few idioms daily. Read the meaning, understand the sentence, and try to make your own sentence.
Yes. You can learn idioms by topics like daily life, work, money, time, emotions, relationships, health, travel, nature, and weather.
Yes. The meanings and sentences are written in simple English, so beginners can understand and practice easily.
Idioms help you sound more natural in English. Use them in the right situation to make your speaking more confident.
No. Use idioms only when they fit the situation. The goal is to sound natural, not forced.
