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.
not to darken someone’s door and never darken my door again
to go away and not come back.
The heroine of the drama told the villain not to darken her door again.
nothing to it
it is easy; no difficulty involved.
Driving a car is easy. There’s nothing to it.
nothing to write home about
nothing exciting or interesting. (Informal.)
I’ve been busy, but nothing to write home about.
off colour
not very well; slightly ill.
Mary is a bit off colour after the long journey.
off the beaten track
in an unfamiliar place; on a route which is not often travelled.
Their home is in a quiet neighbourhood, off the beaten track.
old enough to be someone’s mother and old enough to be someone’s father
as old as someone’s parents. (Usually a way of saying that one person is much older than the other, especially when the difference in age is considered inappropriate.)
You can’t go out with Bill. He’s old enough to be your father!
on a fool’s errand
involved in a useless journey or task.
Bill went for an interview, but he was on a fool’s errand. The job had already been filled.
on active duty
in battle or ready to go into battle. (Military.)
The soldier was on active duty for ten months.
on order
ordered with delivery expected.
Your car is on order. It’ll be here in a few weeks.
on second thoughts
having given something more thought; having reconsidered something.
On second thoughts, maybe you should sell your house and move into a flat.
on the air
broadcasting (a radio or television programme).
The radio station came back on the air shortly after the storm.
on the spur of the moment
suddenly; spontaneously.
We decided to go on the spur of the moment.
on tiptoe
standing or walking on the front part of the feet (the balls of the feet) with no weight put on the heels. (This is done to gain height or to walk quietly.)
I had to stand on tiptoe to see over the fence.
once in a blue moon
very rarely.
I seldom go to the cinema— maybe once in a blue moon.
once in a while
occasionally.
I go to see a film once in a while.
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.
parting of the ways
a point at which people separate and go their own ways. (Often with come to a, arrive at a, reach a, etc.)
Jane and Bob finally came to a parting of the ways and divorced.
pay one’s dues
to pay the fees required to belong to an organization.
If you haven’t paid your dues, you can’t come to the club picnic.
pay the piper
to provide the money for something and so have some control over how the money is spent. (From the expression “He who pays the piper calls the tune.”)
The parents at a fee-paying school pay the piper and so should have a say in how the school is run.
play both ends (against the middle)
[for one] to scheme in a way that pits two sides against each other (for one’s own gain). (Informal.)
I told my brother that Mary doesn’t like him. Then I told Mary that my brother doesn’t like her. They broke up, so now I can have the car this week-end. I succeeded in playing both ends against the middle.
play hard to get
to be coy and excessively shy; to make it difficult for someone to talk to one or be friendly.
Why can’t we go out? Why do you play hard to get?
play havoc with someone or something
to cause a lot of damage to something; to ruin something; to create disorder in something.
The road-works played havoc with the traffic.
pluck up (one’s) courage
to increase one’s courage a bit; to become brave enough to do something.
Come on, Ann, make the dive. Pluck up your courage and do it.
pound for pound
considering the amount of money involved; considering the cost. (Often seen in advertising.)
Pound for pound, you cannot buy a better car.
pound the streets
to walk through the streets looking for a job. (Informal.)
I spent two months pounding the streets after the factory I worked for closed.
pour cold water on something and throw cold water on some-thing
to discourage doing something; to reduce enthusiasm for something.
When my father said I couldn’t have the car, he poured cold water on my plans.
power behind the throne
the person who controls the one who is apparently in charge.
Mr. Smith appears to run the shop, but his brother is the power behind the throne.
pull a fast one
to succeed in an act of deception. (Informal.)
She was pulling a fast one when she said she had a headache and had to go home.
put on one’s thinking-cap
to start thinking in a serious manner.
Let’s put on our thinking-caps and decide where to go on holiday.
put on weight
to gain weight; to grow fatter.
I have to go on a diet because I’ve been putting on a little weight lately.
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.
