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.
make someone’s blood boil
to make someone very angry. (Informal.)
It just makes my blood boil to think of the amount of food that gets wasted in this house.
make someone’s blood run cold
to shock or horrify someone.
The terrible story in the newspaper made my blood run cold.
make someone’s hair stand on end
to cause someone to be very frightened. (Informal.)
The horrible scream made my hair stand on end.
make someone’s head swim and make someone’s head spin
to make someone dizzy or disoriented.
Riding in your car so fast makes my head spin.
make someone’s mouth water
to make someone hungry (for something); to make someone desirous of something. (Informal.)
That beautiful salad makes my mouth water.
make something from scratch
to make something by starting with the basic ingredients. (Informal.)
We made the cake from scratch, not using a cake mix.
make something to order
to put something together only when someone requests it. (Usually said about clothing.)
This shop only makes suits to order.
make the fur fly and make the feathers fly
to cause a fight or an argument. (Informal.)
When your mother gets home and sees what you’ve done, she’ll really make the fur fly.
make the grade
to be satisfactory; to be what is expected. (Informal.)
I’m sorry, but your work doesn’t exactly make the grade.
make up for lost time
to do much of something; to make up for not doing much before; to do something fast.
At the age of sixty, Bill learned to play golf. Now he plays it all the time. He’s making up for lost time.
mark my word(s)
remember what I’m telling you.
Mark my word, you’ll regret this.
matter of life and death
a matter of great urgency; an issue that will decide between living and dying. (Usually an exaggeration; sometimes humorous.)
We must find a doctor. It’s a matter of life and death.
matter of opinion
the question of how good or bad someone or something is.
It’s a matter of opinion how good the company is. John thinks it’s great and Fred thinks it’s poor.
matter-of-fact
businesslike; unfeeling.
Don’t expect a lot of sympathy from Ann. She’s very matter-of-fact.
mealy-mouthed
not frank or direct. (Informal.)
Jane’s too mealymouthed to tell Frank she dislikes him. She just avoids him.
meet one’s end
to die.
The dog met his end under the wheels of a car.
meet one’s match
to meet one’s equal.
John played tennis with Bill yesterday, and it looks as if John has finally met his match.
meet one’s Waterloo
to meet one’s final and insurmountable challenge. (Refers to Napoleon at Waterloo.)
This teacher is being very hard on Bill, unlike the previous one. It seems that Bill has met his Waterloo.
meet someone half-way
to offer to compromise with someone.
No, I won’t give in, but I’ll meet you half-way.
melt in one’s mouth
to taste very good. (Informal.)
This cake is so good it’ll melt in your mouth.
mend (one’s) fences
to restore good relations (with someone). (Also used literally.)
I think I had better get home and mend my fences. I had an argument with my daughter this morning.
mend one’s ways
to improve one’s behaviour.
John used to be very wild, but he’s mended his ways.
method in one’s madness
[for there to be] purpose in what one is doing. (From Shakespeare’s Hamlet.)
What I’m doing may look strange, but there is method in my madness.
middle-of-the-road
half-way between two extremes, especially political extremes.
Jane is very left-wing, but her husband is politically middle-of-the-road.
milk of human kindness
natural kindness and sympathy shown to others. (From Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. )
Mary is completely hard and selfish—she has no milk of human kindness in her.
millstone around one’s neck
a continual burden or handicap.
This huge and expensive house is a millstone around my neck.
mind one’s own business
to attend only to the things that personally concern one.
Leave me alone, Bill. Mind your own business.
mind one’s P’s and Q’s
to mind one’s manners.
When we go to the mayor’s reception, please mind your P’s and Q’s.
mind you
you must also take into consideration the fact that....
He’s very well dressed, but mind you he’s got plenty of money to buy clothes.
mine of information
someone or something that is full of information.
Grandfather is a mine of information about World War I.
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.
