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.
stand on ceremony
to hold rigidly to formal manners. (Often in the negative.)
Please help yourself to more. Don’t stand on ceremony.
stand someone in good stead
to be useful or beneficial to someone.
This is a fine overcoat. I’m sure it’ll stand you in good stead for many years.
stand to reason
to seem reasonable; [for a fact or conclusion] to survive careful or logical evaluation.
It stands to reason that it’ll be colder in January than it is in June.
standing joke
a subject that regularly and over a period of time causes amusement whenever it is mentioned.
Uncle Jim’s driving was a standing joke. He used to drive incredibly slowly.
start (off) with a clean slate
to start out again afresh; to ignore the past and start over again.
James started off with a clean slate when he went to a new school.
start the ball rolling and get the ball rolling; set the ball rolling
to start something; to get some process going; to get a discussion started.
If I could just get the ball rolling, then other people would help.
steal a march on someone
to get some sort of an advantage over someone without being noticed.
I got the contract because I was able to steal a march on my competitor.
steal someone’s thunder
to prevent someone from receiving the public recognition expected upon the announcement of an achievement, by making the announcement in public before the intended receiver of the recognition can do so.
I stole Mary’s thunder by telling her friends about Mary’s engagement to Tom before she could do so herself.
steal the show
to give the best or most popular performance in a show, play, or some other event; to get attention for oneself.
The lead in the play was very good, but the butler stole the show.
step in(to the breach)
to move into a space or vacancy; to fulfil a needed role or function that has been left vacant.
When Ann resigned as president, I stepped into the breach.
step into dead men’s shoes and fill dead men’s shoes
to take over the job or position of someone who has died; to gain an advantage by someone’s death.
The only hope of promotion in that firm is to step into dead men’s shoes.
step on someone’s toes and tread on someone’s toes
to interfere with or offend someone. (Also used literally. Note example with anyone. )
When you’re in public office, you have to avoid stepping on anyone’s toes.
stew in one’s own juice
to be left alone to suffer one’s anger or disappointment. (Informal.)
John has such a terrible temper. When he got angry with us, we just let him go away and stew in his own juice.
stick it out
to put up with or endure a situation, however difficult. (Informal.)
This job’s boring, but we’re sticking it out until we find something more interesting.
stick one’s neck out
to take a risk. (Informal.)
Why should I stick my neck out to do something for her? What’s she ever done for me?
stick out like a sore thumb
to be very prominent or unsightly; to be very obvious. (Informal.)
Bob is so tall that he sticks out like a sore thumb in a crowd.
stick to one’s guns
to remain firm in one’s opinions and convictions; to stand up for one’s rights. (Informal.)
I’ll stick to my guns on this matter. I’m sure I’m right.
stir up a hornets’ nest
to create trouble or difficulties.
By finding pupils copying from each other, you’ve really stirred up a hornets’ nest.
storm in a teacup
an uproar about something trivial or unimportant.
This isn’t a serious problem—just a storm in a teacup.
straight away
right away; immediately, without thinking or considering.
We’ll have to go straight away.
straight from the shoulder
sincerely; frankly; holding nothing back.
Sally always speaks straight from the shoulder. You never have to guess what she really means.
straw in the wind
an indication or sign of what might happen in the future.
The student’s argument with the lecturer was a straw in the wind in terms of student-teacher relations. The students are planning a strike.
stretch one’s legs
to walk around after sitting down or lying down for a time. (Informal.)
We wanted to stretch our legs during the theatre interval.
strike a bargain
to reach an agreement on a price (for something).
They argued for a while and finally struck a bargain.
strike a chord
to cause someone to remember [someone or something]; to remind someone of [someone or something]; to be familiar.
The woman in the portrait struck a chord, and I realized that she was my grandmother.
strike a happy medium
to find a compromise position; to arrive at a position half-way between two unacceptable extremes.
Ann likes very spicy food, but Bob doesn’t care for spicy food at all. We are trying to find a restaurant which strikes a happy medium.
strike the right note
to achieve the desired effect; to do something suitable or pleasing. (A musical reference.)
Meg struck the right note when she wore a dark suit to the interview.
strike while the iron is hot
to do something at the best possible time; to do something when the time is ripe.
He was in a good mood, so I asked for a loan of £200. I thought I’d better strike while the iron was hot.
stuff and nonsense
nonsense. (Informal.)
Come on! Don’t give me all that stuff and nonsense!
stumbling-block
something that prevents or obstructs progress.
We’d like to buy that house, but the high price is the stumbling-block.
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.
