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.
put one’s best foot forward
to prepare to do one’s best; to make the best attempt possible to make a good impression.
When you apply for a position, you should always put your best foot forward.
put one’s shoulder to the wheel
to take up a task; to get busy.
You won’t accomplish anything unless you put your shoulder to the wheel.
rally round someone or something
to come together to support someone or something.
The family rallied round Jack when he lost his job.
rat race
a fierce struggle for success, especially in one’s career or business.
Bob’s got tired of the rat race. He’s retired and gone to live in the country.
rest on one’s laurels
to enjoy one’s success and not try to achieve more.
Don’t rest on your laurels. Try to continue to do great things!
riding for a fall
risking failure or an accident, usually owing to overconfidence.
Tom drives too fast, and he seems too sure of himself. He’s riding for a fall.
rise to the occasion
to meet the challenge of an event; to try extra hard to do a task.
John was able to rise to the occasion and make the conference a success.
romp home
to win a race or competition easily. (Informal.)
Our team romped home in the relay race.
rub along with someone
to get along fairly well with someone. (Informal.)
Jack and Fred manage to rub along with each other, although they’re not best friends.
rub salt in the wound
deliberately to make someone’s unhappiness, shame, or misfortune worse.
Don’t rub salt in the wound by telling me how enjoyable the party was.
rub someone’s nose in it
to remind one of something one has done wrong; to remind one of something bad or unfortunate that has happened. (From a method of house-training animals.)
When Bob failed his exam, his brother rubbed his nose in it.
run against the clock
to be in a race with time; to be in a great hurry to get something done before a particular time.
This morning, Bill set a new track record running against the clock. He lost the actual race this afternoon, however.
run someone or something to earth
to find something after a search. (From a fox-hunt chasing a fox into its hole.)
Jean finally ran her long-lost cousin to earth in Paris.
sacred cow
something that is regarded by some people with such respect and veneration that they don’t like it being criticized by anyone in any way. (From the fact that the cow is regarded as sacred in India.)
University education is a sacred cow in the Smith family. Fred is regarded as a failure because he left school at sixteen.
sell someone or something short
to underestimate someone or something; to fail to see the good qualities of someone or something.
This is a very good restaurant. Don’t sell it short.
show oneself in one’s true colours
to show what one is really like or what one is really thinking.
Jane always pretends to be sweet and gentle, but she showed herself in her true colours when she lost the match.
sink or swim
fail or succeed.
After I’ve studied and learned all I can, I have to take the test and sink or swim.
sit on one’s hands
to do nothing; to fail to help.
When we needed help from Mary, she just sat on her hands.
stack the cards (against someone or something)
to arrange things against someone or something; to make it difficult for someone to succeed. (Informal. Originally from card-playing. Usually in the passive.)
I can’t make any progress at my office. The cards are stacked against me.
steal someone’s thunder
to prevent someone from receiving the public recognition expected upon the announcement of an achievement, by making the announcement in public before the intended receiver of the recognition can do so.
I stole Mary’s thunder by telling her friends about Mary’s engagement to Tom before she could do so herself.
steal the show
to give the best or most popular performance in a show, play, or some other event; to get attention for oneself.
The lead in the play was very good, but the butler stole the show.
step into dead men’s shoes and fill dead men’s shoes
to take over the job or position of someone who has died; to gain an advantage by someone’s death.
The only hope of promotion in that firm is to step into dead men’s shoes.
strike while the iron is hot
to do something at the best possible time; to do something when the time is ripe.
He was in a good mood, so I asked for a loan of £200. I thought I’d better strike while the iron was hot.
take a stab at something
to make a try at something, sometimes without much hope of success. (Informal. Also with have. )
I don’t know if I can do it, but I’ll take a stab at it.
take one’s medicine
to accept the punishment or the bad fortune which one deserves.
I know I did wrong, and I know I have to take my medicine.
take up the cudgels on behalf of someone or something
to support or defend someone or something.
We’ll have to take up the cudgels on behalf of Jim or he’ll lose the debate.
thick-skinned
not easily upset or hurt; insensitive.
Tom won’t worry about your insults. He’s completely thick-skinned.
through thick and thin
through good times and bad times. (Informal.)
We’ve been together through thick and thin and we won’t desert each other now.
try someone’s patience
to do something annoying which may cause someone to lose patience; to cause someone to be annoyed.
Stop whistling. You’re trying my patience. Very soon I’m going to lose my temper.
turn the tide
to cause a reversal in the direction of events; to cause a reversal in public opinion.
It looked as though the team was going to lose, but near the end of the game, our star player turned the tide by scoring a goal.
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.
