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.
scrape the bottom of the barrel
to select from among the worst; to choose from what is left over.
You’ve bought a dreadful old car. You really scraped the bottom of the barrel to get that one.
screw up one’s courage
to get one’s courage together; to force oneself to be brave.
I suppose I have to screw up my courage and go to the dentist.
second to none
better than anyone or anything else.
This is an excellent car—second to none.
see double
to see two of everything instead of one.
When I was driving, I saw two people on the road instead of one. I’m seeing double. There’s something wrong with my eyes.
see someone home
to accompany someone home.
Bill agreed to see his aunt home after the film.
set foot somewhere
to go or enter somewhere. (Often in the negative.)
If I were you, I wouldn’t set foot in that town.
set up shop somewhere
to establish one’s place of work somewhere. (Informal.)
Mary set up shop in a small office building in Oak Street.
shaggy-dog story
a kind of funny story which relies for its humour on its length and its sudden ridiculous ending.
Don’t let John tell a shaggy-dog story. It’ll go on for hours.
shake in one’s shoes and quake in one’s shoes
to be afraid; to shake from fear.
I was shaking in my shoes because I had to go and see the manager.
shipshape (and Bristol fashion)
in good order; neat and tidy. (A nautical term. Bristol was a major British port.)
You had better get this room shipshape before your mother gets home.
show the flag
to be present at a gathering just so that the organization to which one belongs will be represented, or just to show others that one has attended. (From a ship flying its country’s flag.)
The firm wants all the salesmen to attend the international conference in order to show the flag.
sixth sense
a supposed power to know or feel things that are not perceptible by the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
My sixth sense told me to avoid going home by my usual route. Later I discovered there had been a fatal accident on it.
spend a penny
to urinate. (Informal. From the former cost of admission to the cubicles in public lavatories.)
Stop the car. The little girl needs to spend a penny.
splash out on something
to spend a lot of money on something in an extravagant way. (Informal.)
Jack splashed out on a new car that he couldn’t afford.
spoil the ship for a ha’porth of tar
to risk ruining something valuable by not buying something relatively inexpensive but essential for it. ( Ha’porth is a halfpenny’s worth. From the use of tar to make boats watertight.)
Meg spent a lot of money on a new dress but refused to buy shoes. She certainly spoilt the ship for a ha’porth of tar.
standing joke
a subject that regularly and over a period of time causes amusement whenever it is mentioned.
Uncle Jim’s driving was a standing joke. He used to drive incredibly slowly.
step in(to the breach)
to move into a space or vacancy; to fulfil a needed role or function that has been left vacant.
When Ann resigned as president, I stepped into the breach.
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.
step on someone’s toes and tread on someone’s toes
to interfere with or offend someone. (Also used literally. Note example with anyone. )
When you’re in public office, you have to avoid stepping on anyone’s toes.
stew in one’s own juice
to be left alone to suffer one’s anger or disappointment. (Informal.)
John has such a terrible temper. When he got angry with us, we just let him go away and stew in his own juice.
straight away
right away; immediately, without thinking or considering.
We’ll have to go straight away.
stretch one’s legs
to walk around after sitting down or lying down for a time. (Informal.)
We wanted to stretch our legs during the theatre interval.
stuff and nonsense
nonsense. (Informal.)
Come on! Don’t give me all that stuff and nonsense!
sugar the pill and sweeten the pill
to make something unpleasant more pleasant. (From the sugar coating on some pills to disguise the bitter taste of the medicine.)
Mary’s parents wouldn’t let her go out and tried to sugar the pill by inviting some of her friends around.
swan around
to go around in an idle and irresponsible way. (Informal.)
Mrs. Smith’s swanning around abroad while her husband’s in hospital here.
swim against the tide
to do the opposite of what everyone else does; to go against the trend.
Bob tends to do what everybody else does. He isn’t likely to swim against the tide.
throw good money after bad
to waste additional money after wasting money once.
I bought a used car and then had to spend £300 on repairs. That was throwing good money after bad.
throw the book at someone
to charge someone with, or convict someone of, as many crimes as possible; to reprimand or punish someone severely.
I made the police officer angry, so he took me to the station and threw the book at me.
thumb a lift and hitch a lift
to get a lift from a passing motorist; to make a sign with one’s thumb that indicates to passing drivers that one is asking for a lift.
My car broke down on the motorway, and I had to thumb a lift to get back to town.
tick over
to move along at a quiet, even pace, without either stopping or going quickly. (Informal. From an engine ticking over.)
The firm didn’t make large profits, but it’s ticking over.
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.
