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.
Cat got your tongue?
Why don’t you speak?; Speak up and answer my question! (Informal.)
Answer me! What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?
catch one’s breath
to resume one’s normal breathing after exertion; to return to normal after being busy or very active.
I ran so fast that it took me ten minutes to catch my breath.
catch someone on the hop
to find someone unprepared or defenceless. (Informal.)
The unexpected exam caught some of the pupils on the hop.
catch someone’s eye
to establish eye contact with someone; to attract someone’s attention.
Try and catch the barman’s eye.
catch the sun
to become sunburnt. (Informal.)
The baby’s face is red—she’s caught the sun.
caught over a barrel
at the mercy of someone; under the control of someone. (Informal.)
I’m caught over a barrel, and I have to do what he says.
cause tongues to wag
to cause people to gossip; to give people something to gossip about.
The way John was looking at Mary will surely cause tongues to wag.
champ at the bit
to be ready and anxious to do something; to be impatient. (Originally said about horses.)
The children were champing at the bit to get into the swimming-pool.
chance one’s arm
to do something risky or dangerous.
He certainly chanced his arm when he was rude to the boss’s wife.
change hands
[for something] to be sold. (Refers to the changing of owners.)
How many times has this house changed hands in the last ten years?
change horses in mid-stream
to make major changes in an activity which has already begun; to choose someone or something else after it is too late.
I’m already baking a cherry pie. I can’t bake an apple pie. It’s too late to change horses in mid-stream.
change someone’s tune
to change the manner, attitude, or behaviour of a person, usually from bad to good, or from rude to pleasant.
The cashier was most unpleasant until she learned that I’m a bank director. Then she changed her tune.
chapter and verse
detailed sources of information. (A reference to the method of referring to biblical texts.)
He gave chapter and verse for his reasons for disputing that Shakespeare had written the play.
chapter of accidents
a series of misfortunes.
Yesterday was just a chapter of accidents—nothing went right.
cheek by jowl
side by side; close together.
The walkers had to walk cheek by jowl along the narrow streets.
cheese-paring
mean; niggardly.
He was too cheese-paring to eat properly.
cheesed off
bored; depressed; annoyed.
He was cheesed off with his job.
chew the cud
to think deeply. (Informal. From the cow’s habit of bringing food back from the first stomach into the mouth to chew it, called chewing the cud.)
I can’t decide where to go on holiday. I’ll have to chew the cud.
chilled to the marrow and chilled to the bone
very cold.
I was chilled to the marrow in that snowstorm.
chink in one’s armour
a weakness or vulnerable point that provides an opportunity for attacking or impressing someone who is otherwise invulnerable.
His love for his child is the chink in his armour.
chip off the old block
a person (usually a male) who behaves in the same way as his father or resembles his father. (Usually informal.)
John looks like his father—a real chip off the old block.
chop and change
to keep changing or altering something.
The shop is always chopping and changing staff.
clap eyes on someone or something
to see someone or something, perhaps for the first time; to set eyes on someone or something. (Informal.)
I wish she had never clapped eyes on her fiancé.
clear the air
to get rid of doubts or hostile feelings. (Sometimes this is said about an argument or other unpleasantness. The literal meaning is also used.)
All right, let’s discuss this frankly. It’ll be better if we clear the air.
climb down
to admit that one is wrong; to admit defeat.
They were sure they were in the right, but they climbed down when we proved them wrong.
clip someone’s wings
to restrain someone; to reduce or put an end to someone’s privileges or freedom.
You had better learn to get home on time, or your father will clip your wings.
cloak-and-dagger
involving secrecy and plotting.
A great deal of cloak-and-dagger stuff goes on in political circles.
close one’s eyes to something
to ignore something; to pretend that something is not really happening.
You can’t close your eyes to the hunger in the world.
cloud-cuckoo-land
an imaginary perfect world.
He thinks that he will be able to buy a house easily, but he is living in cloud-cuckooland.
clutch at straws
to seek something which is useless or unattainable; to make a futile attempt at something.
I really didn’t think that I would get the job. I was clutching at straws.
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.
