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.
(as) cold as charity
very cold; icy.
The room was as cold as charity.
(come) rain or shine
no matter whether it rains or the sun shines. (Informal.)
Don’t worry. I’ll be there come rain or shine.
(skating) on thin ice
in a risky situation.
If you try that you’ll really be on thin ice. That’s too risky.
any port in a storm
a phrase indicating that when one is in difficulties one must accept any way out, whether one likes the solution or not.
I don’t want to live with my parents, but it’s a case of any port in a storm. I can’t find a flat.
beat a (hasty) retreat
to retreat or withdraw very quickly.
We went out into the cold weather, but beat a retreat to the warmth of our fire.
blow hot and cold
to be changeable or uncertain (about something). (Informal.)
He keeps blowing hot and cold on the question of moving to the country.
break the ice
to start social communication and conversation.
Tom is so outgoing. He’s always the first one to break the ice at parties.
can’t see one’s hand in front of one’s face
unable to see very far, usually owing to darkness or fog. (Also with cannot. )
It was so dark that I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.
chilled to the marrow and chilled to the bone
very cold.
I was chilled to the marrow in that snowstorm.
cloud-cuckoo-land
an imaginary perfect world.
He thinks that he will be able to buy a house easily, but he is living in cloud-cuckooland.
cold comfort
no comfort or consolation at all.
She knows there are others worse off than her, but that’s cold comfort.
come down with something
to become ill with some disease.
I’m afraid I’m coming down with a cold.
cut no ice
to have no effect; to make no sense; to have no influence.
That idea cuts no ice. It won’t help at all.
either feast or famine
either too much (of something) or not enough (of something). (Also without either. )
This month is very dry, and last month it rained almost every day. Our weather is either feast or famine.
flesh and blood
a living human body, especially with reference to its natural limitations; a human being.
This cold weather is more than flesh and blood can stand.
get cold feet
to become timid or frightened. (Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. )
I usually get cold feet when I have to speak in public.
get one’s second wind
(Also with have. See the note at get a black eye. ) 1. for one’s breathing to become stabilized after exerting oneself for a short time.
John was having a hard time running until he got his second wind.
get wind of something
to hear about something; to receive information about something. (Informal.)
I just got wind of the job vacancy and have applied.
go to Davy Jones’s locker
to go to the bottom of the sea; to drown. (Thought of as a nautical expression.)
My uncle was a sailor. He went to Davy Jones’s locker during a terrible storm.
going great guns
going energetically or fast. (Informal.)
I’m over my cold and going great guns.
hark(en) back to something
( Harken is an old form of hark, which is an old word meaning “listen.”) 1. to have originated as something; to have started out as something.
The word icebox harks back to the old-fashioned refrigerators which were cooled by ice.
have a heart of stone
to be cold and unfriendly.
Sally has a heart of stone. She never even smiles.
in a split second
in an instant.
The lightning struck, and in a split second the house burst into flames.
in the wind
about to happen. (Also used literally.)
There are some major changes in the wind. Expect these changes to happen soon.
keep a weather eye open
to watch for something (to happen); to be on the alert (for something); to be on guard.
Some trouble is brewing. Keep a weather eye open.
knock someone cold
to knock someone out. (Informal.)
The blow knocked the boxer cold.
like a bolt out of the blue
suddenly and without warning. (Refers to a bolt of lightning coming out of a clear blue sky.)
The news came to us like a bolt out of the blue.
like looking for a needle in a haystack
engaged in a hopeless search.
Trying to find a white dog in the snow is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
lovely weather for ducks
rainy weather.
It’s raining and it’s lovely weather for ducks.
make someone’s blood run cold
to shock or horrify someone.
The terrible story in the newspaper made my blood run cold.
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.
