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.
play second fiddle (to someone)
to be in a subordinate position to someone.
I’m tired of playing second fiddle to John.
play someone up
to annoy someone.
That child played me up. He was naughty all day.
play the field
to date many different people rather than going steady with just one. (Informal.)
Tom wanted to play the field, so he said goodbye to Ann.
play the fool
to act in a silly manner play safe to amuse other people.
The teacher told Tom to stop playing the fool and sit down.
play the game
to behave or act in a fair and honest way.
You shouldn’t try to disturb your opponent’s concentration. That’s not playing the game.
play the market
to invest in the shares market. (As if it were a game or as if it were gambling.)
Would you rather put your money in the bank or play the market?
play to the gallery
to perform in a manner that will get the strong approval of the audience; to perform in a manner that will get the approval of the less sophisticated members of the audience.
John is a competent actor, but he has a tendency to play to the gallery.
play tricks (on someone)
to trick or confuse someone.
I thought I saw a camel over there. I think that my eyes are playing tricks on me.
play up
to cause trouble; to be a nuisance. (Informal.)
My leg is playing up. It really aches.
play up to someone
to try to gain someone’s favour; to curry someone’s favour; to flatter someone or to pretend to admire someone to gain favour.
Bill is always playing up to the teacher.
play with fire
to do something very risky or dangerous.
The teacher was playing with fire by threatening a pupil.
played out
no longer of interest or influence. (Informal.)
Jane’s political ideas are all played out.
pluck up (one’s) courage
to increase one’s courage a bit; to become brave enough to do something.
Come on, Ann, make the dive. Pluck up your courage and do it.
poetic justice
the appropriate but chance receiving of rewards or punishments by those deserving them.
It was poetic justice that Jane won the race after Mary tried to get her banned.
point the finger at someone
to blame someone; to identify someone as the guilty person.
Don’t point the finger at me! I didn’t take the money.
poke fun (at someone or something)
to make fun of someone; to ridicule someone. (Informal.)
Stop poking fun at me! It’s not nice.
pot calling the kettle black
[the instance of] someone with a fault accusing someone else of having the same fault.
Ann is always late, but she was rude enough to tell everyone when I was late. Now that’s the pot calling the kettle black!
pound for pound
considering the amount of money involved; considering the cost. (Often seen in advertising.)
Pound for pound, you cannot buy a better car.
pound the streets
to walk through the streets looking for a job. (Informal.)
I spent two months pounding the streets after the factory I worked for closed.
pour cold water on something and throw cold water on some-thing
to discourage doing something; to reduce enthusiasm for something.
When my father said I couldn’t have the car, he poured cold water on my plans.
pour money down the drain
to waste money; to throw money away.
What a waste! You’re just pouring money down the drain.
pour oil on troubled waters
to calm things down. (If oil is poured on to rough seas during a storm, the water will become more calm.)
That was a good thing to say to John. It helped to pour oil on troubled waters. Now he looks happy.
power behind the throne
the person who controls the one who is apparently in charge.
Mr. Smith appears to run the shop, but his brother is the power behind the throne.
powers that be
the people who are in authority.
The powers that be have decided to send back the immigrants.
practise what you preach
to do what you advise other people to do.
If you’d practise what you preach, you’d be better off.
praise someone or something to the skies
to give someone much praise.
He wasn’t very good, but his friends praised him to the skies.
preach to the converted
to praise or recommend something to someone who is already in favour of it.
Mary was preaching to the converted when she tried to persuade Jean to become a feminist. She’s been one for years.
presence of mind
calmness and the ability to act sensibly in an emergency or difficult situation.
Jane had the presence of mind to phone the police when the child disappeared.
press-gang someone into doing something
to force someone into doing something. (From the noun press-gang, a group of sailors employed to seize men and force them to join the navy.)
Aunt Jane press-ganged me into helping with the church fête.
prick up one’s ears
to listen more closely.
At the sound of my voice, my dog pricked up her ears.
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.
