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.
jack-of-all-trades
someone who can do several different jobs instead of specializing in one.
John can do plumbing, joinery, and roofing—a real jack-of-all-trades. He isn’t very good at any of them.
jam tomorrow
good things in the future. (It is suggested that the future never comes. From Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, in which the White Queen offers Alice “jam every other day... jam tomorrow and jam yesterday but never jam today.”)
The politicians promised the people jam tomorrow during the hard times.
Jekyll and Hyde
someone with both an evil and a good personality. (From The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.)
Bill thinks Mary is so soft and gentle, but she can be very cruel—she is a real Jekyll and Hyde.
job lot
a mixed collection of varying quality. (Informal.)
Mike found a valuable vase in that job lot he bought at the auction.
Job’s comforter
someone who makes matters worse when trying to comfort or console someone. (Biblical.)
Jane is a Job’s comforter. She told me how many other people were looking for jobs when I lost mine.
jockey for position
to try to push or manoeuvre one’s way into an advantageous position at the expense of others.
All the staff in that firm are jockeying for position. They all want the manager’s job.
johnny-come-lately
someone who joins in (something) after it is under way.
Don’t pay any attention to Sally. She’s just a johnnycome-lately and doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
joking apart
being serious for a moment; in all seriousness.
I know I laugh at him but, joking apart, he’s a very clever scientist.
jolly someone along
to keep someone happy and satisfied in order to obtain compliance with one’s wishes.
If you jolly Jim along, he will help you with the garden.
jump at the chance (to do something) and leap at the chance (to do something); jump at the opportunity (to do some-thing); leap at the opportunity (to do something)
to take advantage of a chance to do something. ( To do something can be replaced with of doing something.)
John jumped at the chance to go to England.
jump down someone’s throat and jump on someone
to scold someone severely. (Informal.)
If I disagree with them, my parents will jump down my throat.
jump out of one’s skin
to react strongly to shock or surprise. (Informal. Usually with nearly, almost, etc.)
Oh! You really scared me. I nearly jumped out of my skin.
jump the gun
to start before the starting signal, as in a race. (Informal. Originally used in sports contests which are started by firing a gun.)
We all had to start the race again because Jane jumped the gun.
jumping-off point
a point or place from which to begin a venture.
The local library is a good jumping-off point for your research.
just the job
exactly what is required. (Informal.)
Those pills were just the job for Jean’s headache.
just what the doctor ordered
exactly what is required, especially for health or comfort.
That meal was delicious, Bob. Just what the doctor ordered.
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.
