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.
return ticket
a ticket (for a plane, train, bus, etc.) which allows one to go to a destination and return.
A return ticket will usually save you some money.
ride roughshod over someone or something
to treat someone or something with disdain or scorn.
Tom seems to ride roughshod over his friends.
riding for a fall
risking failure or an accident, usually owing to overconfidence.
Tom drives too fast, and he seems too sure of himself. He’s riding for a fall.
right up someone’s street
ideally suited to one’s interests or abilities. (Informal.)
Skiing is right up my street. I love it.
ring a bell
[for something] to cause someone to remember something or to seem familiar. (Informal.)
I’ve never met John Franklin, but his name rings a bell.
ring down the curtain (on something) and bring down the curtain (on something)
to bring something to an end; to declare something to be at an end.
It’s time to ring down the curtain on our relationship. We have nothing in common any more.
ring in the New Year
to celebrate the beginning of the New Year at midnight on December 31.
We are planning a big affair to ring in the New Year.
ring off
to end a telephone call.
I must ring off now and get back to work.
ring someone or something up and ring up someone or some-thing
[with something ] to record the cost of an item on a cash register.
The cashier rang up each item and told me how much money I owed.
ring the changes
to do or arrange things in different ways to achieve variety. (From bell-ringing.)
Jane doesn’t have many clothes, but she rings the changes by adding different-coloured scarves to her basic outfits.
ring true
to sound or seem true or likely. (From testing the quality of metal or glass by striking it and listening to the noise made.)
The pupil’s excuse for being late doesn’t ring true.
ripe old age
a very old age.
Mr. Smith died last night, but he was a ripe old age—ninety-nine.
rise and shine
to get out of bed and be lively and energetic. (Informal. Often a command.)
Come on, children! Rise and shine! We’re going to the seaside.
rise to the occasion
to meet the challenge of an event; to try extra hard to do a task.
John was able to rise to the occasion and make the conference a success.
risk one’s neck (to do something)
to risk physical harm play safe to accomplish something. (Informal.)
Look at that traffic! I refuse to risk my neck just to cross the street to buy a paper.
road-hog
someone who drives carelessly and selfishly. (Informal.)
Look at that road-hog driving in the middle of the road and stopping other drivers getting past him.
rob Peter to pay Paul
to take from one person in order to give to another.
Why borrow money to pay your bills? That’s just robbing Peter to pay Paul.
rock the boat
to cause trouble; to disturb a situation which is otherwise stable and satisfactory. (Often negative.)
Look, Tom, everything is going fine here. Don’t rock the boat!
roll on something
[for something, such as a time or a day] to approach rapidly. (Said by someone who wants the time or the day to arrive sooner than is possible. Usually a command.)
Roll on Saturday! I get the day off.
romp home
to win a race or competition easily. (Informal.)
Our team romped home in the relay race.
rooted to the spot
unable to move because of fear or surprise.
Joan stood rooted to the spot when she saw the ghostly figure.
rough it
to live in discomfort; to live in uncomfortable conditions without the usual amenities. (Informal.)
The students are roughing it in a shack with no running water.
round on someone
to attack someone verbally.
Jane suddenly rounded on Tom for arriving late.
rub along with someone
to get along fairly well with someone. (Informal.)
Jack and Fred manage to rub along with each other, although they’re not best friends.
rub salt in the wound
deliberately to make someone’s unhappiness, shame, or misfortune worse.
Don’t rub salt in the wound by telling me how enjoyable the party was.
rub shoulders (with someone)
to associate with someone; to work closely with someone.
I don’t care to rub shoulders with someone who acts like that!
rub someone up the wrong way
to irritate someone. (Informal.)
I’m sorry I rubbed you up the wrong way. I didn’t mean to upset you.
rub someone’s nose in it
to remind one of something one has done wrong; to remind one of something bad or unfortunate that has happened. (From a method of house-training animals.)
When Bob failed his exam, his brother rubbed his nose in it.
ruffle someone’s feathers
to upset or annoy someone. (A bird’s feathers become ruffled if it is angry or afraid.)
You certainly ruffled Mrs. Smith’s feathers by criticizing her garden.
rule the roost
to be the boss or manager, especially at home. (Informal.)
Who rules the roost at your house?
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.
