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.
(as) safe as houses
completely safe.
The children will be as safe as houses on holiday with your parents.
(every) Tom, Dick, and Harry
everyone without discrimination; ordinary people. (Not necessarily males.)
The golf club is very exclusive. They don’t let any Tom, Dick, or Harry join.
according to one’s (own) lights
according to the way one believes; according to the way one’s conscience or inclinations lead one.
People must act on this matter according to their own lights.
at the bottom of the ladder
at the lowest level of pay and status.
Most people start work at the bottom of the ladder.
baptism of fire
a first experience of something, usually something difficult or unpleasant.
My son’s just had his first visit to the dentist. He stood up to the baptism of fire very well.
beg off
to ask to be released from something; to refuse an invitation.
I have an important meeting, so I’ll have to beg off.
beyond the pale
unacceptable; outlawed. (The Pale historically was the area of English government around Dublin. The people who lived outside this area were regarded as uncivilized.)
Your behaviour is simply beyond the pale.
blow the lid off (something)
to reveal something, especially wrongdoing; to make wrongdoing public. (Informal.)
The police blew the lid off the smuggling ring.
blue blood
the blood [heredity] of a noble family; aristocratic ancestry.
The earl refuses to allow anyone who is not of blue blood to marry his son.
break one’s word
not to do what one said one would; not to keep one’s promise.
Don’t say you’ll visit your grandmother if you can’t go. She hates for people to break their word.
break the ice
to start social communication and conversation.
Tom is so outgoing. He’s always the first one to break the ice at parties.
busman’s holiday
leisure time spent doing something similar to what one does at work.
Tutoring pupils in the evening is too much of a busman’s holiday for our English teacher.
cause tongues to wag
to cause people to gossip; to give people something to gossip about.
The way John was looking at Mary will surely cause tongues to wag.
cock of the walk
someone who acts in a more important manner than others in a group.
The deputy manager was cock of the walk until the new manager arrived.
come down in the world
to lose one’s social position or financial standing.
Mr. Jones has really come down in the world since he lost his job.
come full circle
to return to the original position or state of affairs.
The family sold the house generations ago, but the wheel has come full circle and one of their descendants lives there now.
come out of one’s shell
to become more friendly; to be more sociable.
Ann, you should come out of your shell and spend more time with your friends.
come to a pretty pass
to develop into a bad, unfortunate, or difficult situation.
Things have come to a pretty pass when people have to beg in the streets.
count heads
to count people.
I’ll tell you how many people are here after I count heads.
cramp someone’s style
to limit someone in some way.
Having her young sister with her rather cramped her style on the dance floor.
cut a fine figure
to look good; to look elegant.
Tom really cuts a fine figure on the dance-floor.
cut corners
to reduce efforts or expenditures; to do things poorly or incompletely. (From the phrase cut the corner, meaning to avoid going to an intersection to turn.)
You cannot cut corners when you are dealing with public safety.
dance attendance on someone
to be always ready to tend to someone’s wishes or needs.
That young woman has three men dancing attendance on her.
dine out on something
to be asked to social gatherings because of the information one has.
She’s been dining out on the story of her promotion for months.
dose of one’s own medicine
the same kind of, usually bad, treatment which one gives to other people. (Often with get or have. )
Sally is never very friendly. Someone is going to give her a dose of her own medicine someday and ignore her.
down in the mouth
sad-faced; depressed and unsmiling.
Ever since the party was cancelled, Barbara has been looking down in the mouth.
draw a line between something and something else
to separate two things; to distinguish or differentiate between two things. (The a can be replaced with the. )
It’s necessary to draw a line between bumping into people and striking them.
draw a red herring
to introduce information which diverts attention from the main issue. (See also red herring. )
The accountant drew several red herrings to prevent people from discovering that he had embezzled the money.
drop someone
to stop being friends with someone, especially with one’s boyfriend or girlfriend. (Informal.)
Bob finally dropped Jane. I don’t know what he saw in her.
fair game
someone or something that it is quite permissible to attack.
I don’t like seeing articles exposing people’s private lives, but politicians are fair game.
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.
