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.
hail from somewhere
[for someone] to come originally from somewhere. (Informal.)
I’m from Edinburgh. Where do you hail from?
hail-fellow-well-met
friendly to everyone; falsely friendly to everyone. (Usually said of males.)
Yes, he’s friendly, sort of hail-fellowwell-met.
hair of the dog (that bit one)
an alcoholic drink taken when one has a hangover. (Informal.)
Oh, I have a terrible hangover. I need a hair of the dog.
hale and hearty
well and healthy.
Doesn’t Ann look hale and hearty after the baby’s birth?
hand in glove (with someone)
very close to someone.
John is really hand in glove with Sally, although they pretend to be on different sides.
hand it to someone
give credit to someone, often with some reluctance. (Informal. Often with have to or must. )
I must hand it to you. You did a fine job.
hand over fist
[for money and merchandise to be exchanged] very rapidly.
What a busy day. We took in money hand over fist.
hand over hand
[moving] one hand after the other (again and again).
Sally pulled in the rope hand over hand.
hand-me-down
something, such as an article of used clothing, which has been “handed down,” or given, to someone because another person no longer needs it. (Informal.)
Why do I always have to wear my brother’s hand-me-downs? I want some new clothes.
handle someone with kid gloves
to be very careful with a sensitive or touchy person.
Bill has become so sensitive. You really have to handle him with kid gloves.
hang by a hair and hang by a thread
to be in an uncertain position; to depend on something very insubstantial. (Informal.)
Your whole argument is hanging by a thread.
hang fire
to delay or wait; to be delayed.
I think we should hang fire and wait for other information.
hang in the balance
to be in an undecided state; to be between two equal possibilities.
The prisoner stood before the judge, his life hanging in the balance.
hang on by an eyebrow and hang on by one’s eyebrows
to be just hanging on or just surviving.
He hasn’t yet failed, but he is just hanging on by an eyebrow.
hang on someone’s every word
to listen carefully and obsequiously to everything someone says.
He gave a great lecture. We hung on his every word.
hang on to someone’s coat-tails
to gain good fortune or success through another person’s success, rather than through one’s own efforts.
Bill isn’t very creative, so he hangs on to John’s coat-tails.
Hang on to your hat! and Hold on to your hat!
Prepare for a sudden surprise or shock. (Informal.)
Are you ready to hear the final score? Hang on to your hat! We won ten–nil!
hang one’s hat up somewhere
to take up residence somewhere. (Informal.)
George loves London. He’s decided to buy a flat and hang his hat up there.
hard cash
cash, not cheques or credit. (Informal.)
I want to be paid in hard cash, and I want to be paid now!
hard on someone’s heels
following someone very closely. (Informal.)
I ran as fast as I could, but the dog was still hard on my heels.
hard on the heels of something
soon after something. (Informal.)
There was a rainstorm hard on the heels of the high winds.
hard-and-fast rule
a strict rule.
It’s a hard-and-fast rule that you must be home by midnight.
hardly have time to breathe
to be very busy.
This was such a busy day. I hardly had time to breathe.
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.
hate someone’s guts
to hate someone very much. (Informal.)
Oh, Bob is terrible. I hate his guts!
haul someone over the coals
to give someone a severe scolding.
My mother hauled me over the coals for coming in late last night.
have (high) hopes of something
to be expecting something.
I have hopes of getting there early.
have a bee in one’s bonnet
to have an idea or a thought remain in one’s mind; to have an obsession.
She has a bee in her bonnet about table manners.
have a big mouth
to be a gossiper; to be a person who tells secrets. (Informal.)
Mary has a big mouth. She told Bob what I was getting him for his birthday.
have a bone to pick (with someone)
to have a matter to discuss with someone; to have something to argue about with someone.
Look, Bill. I’ve got a bone to pick with you. Where is the money you owe me?
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.
