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.
have a heart-to-heart (talk)
to have a sincere and intimate talk.
I had a heart-to-heart talk with my father before I went off to college.
have someone on a string
to have someone waiting for one’s decision or actions. (Informal.)
Sally has John on a string. He has asked her to marry him, but she hasn’t replied yet.
have someone under one’s thumb
to have control over someone; to dominate someone.
His wife has him under her thumb.
hit (someone) below the belt
to do something unfair or unsporting to someone. (Informal. From boxing, where a blow below the belt line is not permitted. Also used literally.)
You really hit me below the belt when you told my sister about my health problems.
hit it off (with someone)
to quickly become good friends with someone. (Informal.)
Look how John hit it off with Mary.
hole-and-corner and hole-in-the-corner
secretive; secret and dishonourable.
Jane is tired of the hole-and-corner affair with Tom. She wants him to marry her.
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.
in deep water
in a dangerous or vulnerable situation; in a serious situation; in trouble. (As if one were swimming in or had fallen into water which is over one’s head. In can be replaced with into. See comment at in a jam and the examples below.)
John is having trouble with his wife. He’s in deep water.
in one’s second childhood
being interested in things or people which normally interest children.
My father bought himself a toy train, and my mother said he was in his second childhood.
in the family
restricted to one’s own family, as with private or embarrassing information. (Especially with keep. )
Don’t tell anyone else about the bankruptcy. Please keep it in the family.
in the family way
pregnant. (Informal.)
I’ve heard that Mrs. Smith is in the family way.
in the lap of luxury
in luxurious surroundings.
John lives in the lap of luxury because his family is very wealthy.
iron hand in a velvet glove
a strong, ruthless type of control that gives the appearance of being gentle and liberal.
In that family, it is a case of the iron hand in a velvet glove. The father looks gentle and loving, but he is a tyrant.
jump down someone’s throat and jump on someone
to scold someone severely. (Informal.)
If I disagree with them, my parents will jump down my throat.
keep something under one’s hat
to keep something a secret; to keep something in one’s mind (only). (Informal. If the secret stays under your hat, it stays in your mind.)
Keep this under your hat, but I’m getting married.
keep the home fires burning
to keep things going at one’s home or other central location.
My uncle kept the home fires burning when my sister and I went to school.
kill the fatted calf
to prepare an elaborate banquet (in someone’s honour). (From the biblical story recounting the return of the prodigal son.)
When Bob got back from college, his parents killed the fatted calf and threw a great party.
knock people’s heads together
to scold some people; to get some people to do what they are supposed to be doing. (Informal.)
If you children don’t quieten down and go to sleep, I’m going to come up there and knock your heads together.
labour of love
a task which is either unpaid or poorly paid and which one does simply for one’s own satisfaction or pleasure or to please someone whom one likes or loves.
Jane made no money out of the biography she wrote. She was writing about the life of a friend, and the book was a labour of love.
lame duck
someone or something that is helpless, useless, or inefficient.
Jack is always having to help his brother, who is a lame duck.
lick one’s lips
to show eagerness or pleasure about a future event. (Informal. From the habit of people licking their lips when they are about to enjoy eating something.)
The children licked their lips at the sight of the cake.
like one of the family
as if someone (or a pet) were a member of one’s family. (Informal.)
We treat our dog like one of the family.
lion’s share (of something)
the larger share of something.
The elder boy always takes the lion’s share of the food.
live from hand to mouth
to live in poor circumstances; to be able to get only what one needs for the present and not save for the future. (Informal.)
When both my parents were out of work, we lived from hand to mouth.
load off one’s mind
relief from something which has been worrying one. (Informal.)
It will be a load off Jane’s mind when her mother leaves hospital.
look as if butter wouldn’t melt in one’s mouth
to appear to be very innocent, respectable, honest, etc.
Sally looks as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she is going out with a married man.
look up to someone
to view someone with respect and admiration.
Bill really looks up to his father.
lord it over someone
to dominate someone; to direct and control someone.
Mr. Smith seems to lord it over his wife.
lucky dip
a situation in which one is given no choice in what one is given, what happens, etc. (From the name of a fairground sideshow in which children choose a parcel at random from a tub of bran.)
The allocation of jobs is a lucky dip. You can’t choose.
make a pitch for someone or something
to say something in support of someone or something; to attempt to promote or advance someone or something. (Informal.)
Bill is making a pitch for his friend’s new product again.
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.
