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.
do the trick
to do exactly what needs to be done; to be satisfactory for a purpose. (Informal.)
Push the car just a little more to the left. There, that does the trick.
dog in the manger
one who prevents others from enjoying a privilege that one does not make use of or enjoy oneself. (From one of Aesop’s fables in which a dog—which cannot eat hay—lay in the hay-rack [manger] and prevented the other animals from eating the hay.)
Jane is a real dog in the manger. She cannot drive, but she will not lend anyone her car.
down at heel
shabby; run-down; [of a person] poorly dressed.
The tramp was really down at heel.
dream come true
a wish or a dream which has become a reality.
Going to Hawaii is like having a dream come true.
drive a hard bargain
to work hard to negotiate prices or agreements in one’s own favour.
All right, sir, you drive a hard bargain. I’ll sell you this car for £12,450.
drive someone up the wall
to annoy or irritate someone. (Informal.)
Stop whistling that tune. You’re driving me up the wall.
drop back
to go back or remain back; to fall behind.
As the crowd moved forward, the weaker ones dropped back.
dry run
an attempt; a rehearsal.
We had better have a dry run for the official ceremony tomorrow.
eat someone out of house and home
to eat a lot of food (in someone’s home); to bring someone to the point of financial ruin by eating all the food in the person’s house. (Informal.)
Billy has a huge appetite. He almost eats us out of house and home.
elbow-grease
physical exertion; hard work. (The “grease” may be the sweat that exertion produces.)
It’ll take some elbow-grease to clean this car.
escape someone’s notice
to go unnoticed; not to have been noticed. (Usually a way to point out that someone has failed to see or respond to something.)
I suppose my earlier request escaped your notice, so I’m writing again.
face the music
to receive punishment; to accept the unpleasant results of one’s actions. (Informal.)
Mary broke a dining-room window and had to face the music when her father got home.
Fair do’s!
Be fair!; Be reasonable!
Fair do’s! You said you would lend me your bike if I took your books home.
fall apart at the seams
to break into pieces; to fall apart.
This old car is about ready to fall apart at the seams.
fall between two stools
to come somewhere between two possibilities and so fail to meet the requirements of either.
The material is not suitable for an academic book, and it is not suitable for a popular one either. It falls between two stools.
fancy someone’s chances
to have confidence in someone’s [including one’s own] ability to be successful. (Informal.)
We all think she will refuse to go out with him, but he certainly fancies his chances.
feel something in one’s bones
to sense something; to have an intuition about something. (Informal.)
The train will be late. I feel it in my bones.
find it in one’s heart to do something
to have the courage or compassion to do something; to persuade oneself to do something.
She couldn’t find it in her heart to refuse to come home to him.
find one’s feet
to become used to a new situation or experience.
She was lonely at first when she left home, but she is finding her feet now.
fly a kite
to spread rumours or suggestions about something, such as a new project, in order to find out people’s attitudes to it.
The government is flying a kite with these stories of a new airport.
fly in the ointment
a small, unpleasant matter which spoils something; a drawback.
We enjoyed the play, but the fly in the ointment was not being able to find our car afterwards.
follow one’s nose
to go straight ahead, the direction in which one’s nose is pointing. (Informal.)
The town that you want is straight ahead on this motorway. Just follow your nose.
foot the bill
to pay the bill; to pay (for something).
Let’s go out and eat. I’ll foot the bill.
from stem to stern
from one end to another. (Refers to the front and back ends of a ship. Also used literally in reference to ships.)
Now, I have to clean the house from stem to stern.
from the word go
from the beginning. (Informal.)
I knew about the problem from the word go.
get a good run for one’s money
to receive what one deserves, expects, or wants; to be well compensated for effort, money, etc., spent. (Informal. Also with have.)
If Bill gets a good run for his money, he will be satisfied.
get a tongue-lashing
to receive a severe scolding.
I really got a tongue-lashing when I got home.
get away (from it all)
to get away from one’s work or daily routine; to go on a holiday.
I just love the summer when I can take time off and get away from it all.
get back on one’s feet
to become independent again; to become able to move around again. (Note the variations with own and two in the examples.)
He was sick for a while, but now he’s getting back on his feet.
get butterflies in one’s stomach
to get a nervous feeling in one’s stomach. (Informal. Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
Whenever I have to go on stage, I get butterflies in my stomach.
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.
