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.
pie in the sky
a supposed future reward which one is not likely to get. (From “You’ll get pie in the sky when you die,” a line from a song by U.S. radical labour organizer Joe Hill.)
The firm have promised him a large reward, but I think it’s just pie in the sky.
piece of cake
something very easy. (Informal.)
No, it won’t be any trouble. It’s a piece of cake.
pig(gy)-in-the-middle
a person who is in a position between two opposing groups.
Jack and Tom share a secretary who is always pigin-the-middle because they are always disagreeing with each other.
pigs might fly
a saying indicating that something is extremely unlikely to happen.
Pam might marry Tom, but there again, pigs might fly.
pile in(to something)
to climb in or get in roughly. (Informal.)
Okay, children, pile in!
pin one’s faith on someone or something
to put one’s hope, trust, or faith in someone or something.
I’m pinning my faith on your efforts.
pinch and scrape
to live on very little money, sometimes to save money.
Bob has to pinch and scrape all the time because of his low wages.
pins and needles
a tingling feeling in some part of one’s body.
I’ve got pins and needles in my legs.
pipe down
to be quiet; to get quiet. (Informal.)
Okay, you lot, pipe down!
pipe-dream
a wish or an idea which is impossible to achieve or carry out. (From the dreams or visions induced by the smoking of an opium pipe.)
Going to the West Indies is a pipe-dream. We’ll never have enough money.
pipped at the post
beaten in the final stages of a race or competition; defeated in some activity at the last minute. (Informal. From horse-racing.)
Tom led the race for most of the time, but he was pipped at the post by his rival.
pit someone or something against someone or something
to set someone or something in opposition to someone or something.
The rules of the tournament pit their team against ours.
pitch in (and help)
to get busy and help (with something). (Informal.)
Pick up a paintbrush and pitch in and help.
plain sailing
progress made without any difficulty; an easy situation.
Once you’ve passed that exam, it will be plain sailing.
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 cat and mouse (with someone)
to capture and release someone over and over; to treat a person in one’s control in such a way that the person does not know what is going to happen next.
The police played cat and mouse with the suspect until they had sufficient evidence to make an arrest.
play devil’s advocate
to put forward arguments against or objections to a proposition—which one may actually agree with—purely to test the validity of the proposition. (The devil’s advocate was given the role of opposing the canonization of a saint in the mediaeval Church to prove that the grounds for canonization were sound.)
I agree with your plan. I’m just playing devil’s advocate so you’ll know what the opposition will say.
play fair
to do something by the rules or in a fair and just manner.
John won’t do business with Bill any more because Bill doesn’t play fair.
play fast and loose (with someone or something)
to act carelessly, thoughtlessly, and irresponsibly. (Informal.)
I’m tired of your playing fast and loose with me. Leave me alone.
play gooseberry
to be with two lovers who wish to be alone. (Informal.)
I’m not going to the cinema with Tom and Jean. I hate playing gooseberry.
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.
play into someone’s hands
to do exactly what an opponent wants one to do, without one realizing it; to assist someone in a scheme without realizing it.
John is doing exactly what I hoped he would. He’s playing into my hands.
play on something
to make use of something for one’s own ends; to exploit something; to manage something for a desired effect. (The on can be replaced by upon. )
The shop assistant played on my sense of responsibility in trying to get me to buy the book.
play one’s cards close to one’s chest and keep one’s cards close to one’s chest
to work or negotiate in a careful and private manner.
It’s hard to figure out what John is up to because he plays his cards close to his chest.
play one’s cards right
to work or negotiate correctly and skilfully. (Informal.)
If you play your cards right, you can get whatever you want.
play one’s trump card
to use one’s most powerful or effective strategy or device.
I won’t play my trump card until I have tried everything else.
play politics
to allow political concerns to dominate in matters where principles should prevail.
Look, I came here to discuss this trial, not play politics.
play possum
to pretend to be inactive, unobserved, asleep, or dead. (Informal. The possum is an opossum. )
I knew that Bob wasn’t asleep. He was just playing possum.
play safe
not to take risks; to act in a safe manner.
You should play safe and take your umbrella.
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.
