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.
set the table and lay the table
to place plates, glasses, napkins, etc., on the table before a meal.
Jane, would you please lay the table?
set the world on fire
to do exciting things that bring fame and glory. (Frequently negative.)
I’m not very ambitious. I don’t want to set the world on fire.
set up shop somewhere
to establish one’s place of work somewhere. (Informal.)
Mary set up shop in a small office building in Oak Street.
set upon someone or something
to attack someone or something violently.
The dogs set upon the bear and chased it up a tree.
shades of someone or something
reminders of someone or something; reminiscent of someone or something.
When I met Jim’s mother, I thought “shades of Aunt Mary.”
shaggy-dog story
a kind of funny story which relies for its humour on its length and its sudden ridiculous ending.
Don’t let John tell a shaggy-dog story. It’ll go on for hours.
shake in one’s shoes and quake in one’s shoes
to be afraid; to shake from fear.
I was shaking in my shoes because I had to go and see the manager.
share and share alike
with equal shares.
I kept five and gave the other five to Mary—share and share alike.
sharp practice
dishonest or illegal methods or behaviour.
I’m sure that Jim’s firm was guilty of sharp practice in getting that export order.
shift one’s ground
to change one’s opinions or arguments, often without being challenged or opposed.
At first Jack and I were on opposite sides, but he suddenly shifted his ground and started agreeing with me.
ships that pass in the night
people who meet each other briefly by chance and are unlikely to meet again.
Mary would have liked to see Jim again, but to him, they were ships that passed in the night.
shipshape (and Bristol fashion)
in good order; neat and tidy. (A nautical term. Bristol was a major British port.)
You had better get this room shipshape before your mother gets home.
shirk one’s duty
to neglect one’s job or task.
The guard was sacked for shirking his duty.
short and sweet
brief (and pleasant because of briefness).
That was a good sermon—short and sweet.
shot across the bows
something acting as a warning. (A naval term.)
The student was sent a letter warning him to attend lectures, but he ignored the shot across the bows.
shot in the arm
a boost; something that gives someone energy. (Informal.)
Thank you for cheering me up. Your visit was a real shot in the arm.
shot in the dark
a random or wild guess or try. (Informal.)
I don’t know how I guessed the right answer. It was just a shot in the dark.
shot-gun wedding
a forced wedding. (Informal. From the bride’s father having threatened the bridegroom with a shot-gun to force him to marry.)
Mary was six months pregnant when she married Bill. It was a real shot-gun wedding.
show of hands
a vote expressed by people raising their hands.
We were asked to vote for the candidates for captain by a show of hands.
show one’s hand
to reveal one’s intentions to someone. (From card-games.)
I don’t know whether Jim’s intending to marry Jane or not. He’s not one to show his hand.
show one’s paces
to show what one can do; to demonstrate one’s abilities. (From horses demonstrating their skill and speed.)
The runners had to show their paces for a place in the relay team.
show one’s teeth
to act in an angry or threatening manner.
We thought Bob was meek and mild, but he really showed his teeth when Jack insulted his girlfriend.
show oneself in one’s true colours
to show what one is really like or what one is really thinking.
Jane always pretends to be sweet and gentle, but she showed herself in her true colours when she lost the match.
show someone the ropes
to tell or show someone how something is to be done.
Since this was my first day on the job, the manager spent a lot of time showing me the ropes. L
show the flag
to be present at a gathering just so that the organization to which one belongs will be represented, or just to show others that one has attended. (From a ship flying its country’s flag.)
The firm wants all the salesmen to attend the international conference in order to show the flag.
show the white feather
to reveal fear or cowardice. (From the fact that a white tail-feather was a sign of inferior breeding in a fighting cock.)
Jim showed the white feather by refusing to fight with Jack.
shut up shop
to stop working or operating, for the day or forever. (Informal.)
It’s five o’clock. Time to shut up shop.
sign one’s own death-warrant
to do something that will lead to one’s ruin, downfall, or death. (As if one were signing a paper which called for one’s own death.)
I wouldn’t ever gamble a large sum of money. That would be signing my own death-warrant.
signed, sealed, and delivered
formally and officially signed; [for a formal document to be] executed. (Informal.)
Here is the deed to the property—signed, sealed, and delivered.
silly season
the time of year, usually in the summer, when there is a lack of important news, and newspapers contain articles about unimportant or trivial things instead.
It must be the silly season. There’s a story here about peculiarly shaped potatoes.
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.
