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.
on the eve of something
just before something, possibly the evening before something.
John decided to leave college on the eve of his graduation.
once upon a time
once in the past. (A formula used to begin a fairy-tale.)
Once upon a time, there were three bears.
one’s old stamping-ground
the place where one was raised or where one has spent a lot of time. (Informal.)
Ann should know about that place. It’s near her old stamping-ground.
order of the day
something necessary or usual at a certain time.
Warm clothes are the order of the day when camping in the winter.
out of sorts
not feeling well; cross and irritable.
I’ve been out of sorts for a day or two. I think I’m coming down with flu.
out of the question
not possible; not permitted.
I’m sorry, but leaving early is out of the question.
out of turn
not at the proper time; not in the proper order.
We were permitted to be served out of turn, because we had to leave early.
out on a limb
[in or into a situation of] doing something differently from the way others do it, and thus taking a chance or a risk. (Often with go.)
She really went out on a limb when she gave him permission to leave early.
out on parole
out of jail but still under police supervision.
Bob got out on parole after serving only a few years of his sentence.
over the hill
over age; too old to do something. (Informal.)
Now that Mary’s forty, she thinks she’s over the hill.
pack someone off (to somewhere)
to send someone away to somewhere, often with the suggestion that one is glad to do so.
His parents packed him off to boarding-school as soon as possible.
pack them in
to draw a lot of people. (Informal.)
It was a good night at the theatre. The play really packed them in.
pass the time of day (with someone)
to chat or talk informally with someone. (Informal.)
I saw Mr. Brown in town yesterday. I stopped and passed the time of day with him.
pay the earth
to pay a great deal of money for something. (Informal. Compare with cost the earth.)
Bob paid the earth for that ugly old sideboard.
pinch and scrape
to live on very little money, sometimes to save money.
Bob has to pinch and scrape all the time because of his low wages.
pipped at the post
beaten in the final stages of a race or competition; defeated in some activity at the last minute. (Informal. From horse-racing.)
Tom led the race for most of the time, but he was pipped at the post by his rival.
play someone up
to annoy someone.
That child played me up. He was naughty all day.
pot calling the kettle black
[the instance of] someone with a fault accusing someone else of having the same fault.
Ann is always late, but she was rude enough to tell everyone when I was late. Now that’s the pot calling the kettle black!
preach to the converted
to praise or recommend something to someone who is already in favour of it.
Mary was preaching to the converted when she tried to persuade Jean to become a feminist. She’s been one for years.
put one across someone
to deceive or trick someone. (Informal.)
He tried to put one across the old lady by pretending to be her longlost nephew.
put someone in mind of someone or something
to remind someone of someone or something.
Mary puts me in mind of her mother when she was that age.
put someone or something out to pasture
to retire someone or something. (Informal. Originally said of a horse which was too old to work.)
Please don’t put me out to pasture. I have lots of good years left.
put someone through the wringer
to give someone a difficult or exhausting time. (Informal.)
They are really putting me through the wringer at school.
quick on the draw
(Informal.) 1. quick to draw a gun and shoot.
Some of the old cowboys were known to be quick on the draw.
race against time
to hurry to beat a deadline; to hurry to achieve something by a certain time.
We had to race against time to finish the work before the deadline.
read someone the Riot Act
to give someone a severe scolding. (Under the Riot Act of 1715, an assembly of people could be dispersed by magistrates reading the act to them.)
The manager read me the Riot Act for coming in late.
redbrick university
one of the universities built in England in the late nineteenth century, contrasted with Oxford and Cambridge Universities. (Derogatory.)
John’s tutor ridicules the redbrick universities.
ring down the curtain (on something) and bring down the curtain (on something)
to bring something to an end; to declare something to be at an end.
It’s time to ring down the curtain on our relationship. We have nothing in common any more.
ring in the New Year
to celebrate the beginning of the New Year at midnight on December 31.
We are planning a big affair to ring in the New Year.
ring true
to sound or seem true or likely. (From testing the quality of metal or glass by striking it and listening to the noise made.)
The pupil’s excuse for being late doesn’t ring true.
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.
