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Idioms
Idiom meaning (mac_t13)
| Keyword | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| air | build castles in the air | day dream |
| bad | a bad egg | a bad person |
| ball | keep the ball rolling | keep things going on |
| beat | beat around(about) the bush | talk about a thing in an indirect manner |
| behind | talk behind one's back | talk about a person without him knowing |
| black | put it in black and white | put it in writing |
| book | a bookworm | a great reader |
| bucket | to kick the bucket | to die |
| carry | carry on | continue |
| cat | let the cat out of the bag | let out the secret |
| chicken | chicken-hearted | timid or cowardly |
| coat | cut your cat according to your cloth | spend only what you can afford |
| cock | a cock and bull story | an unbelievable story |
| colour | pass with flying colours | do very well in a test |
| crocodile | shed crocodile tears | insincere expression of sorrow |
| dead | dead broke | no money |
| down | ups and downs | good times and bad times |
| elephant | a white elephant | a useless object which is expensive to upkeep |
| eleven | at the eleventh hour | at the last moment |
| eye | an eye for an eye | to return evil for evil |
| eye | keep an eye on | watch or supervise carefully |
| eye | see eye to eye | agree entirely |
| feet | stand on one's own feet | be independent |
| fence | sit on the fence | take no sides in a debate or quarrel. |
| finger | at one's finger tips | know thoroughly |
| foot | foot the bill | pay the bill |
| foot | put one's foot down | put a stop to something |
| foot | put your foot in your mouth | say something without thinking |
| fire | play with fire | do a thing which may be dangerous |
| good | a good-for-nothing | a useless person |
| goat | be a scapegoat | get blamed for other people's mistakes |
| green | to have green eyes | to be jealous |
| hand | live from hand to mouth | with enough money to live from day to day only |
| hard | hard and fast rule | very strict rule |
| hard | hard of hearing | quite deaf |
| hat | pass the hat round | ask for donation from people around |
| heels | take to one's heels | flee or run away |
| ice | break the ice | to be the first to star a conversation |
| leaf | turn over a new leaf | change one's conduct or behaviour for the better |
| light | see the light | understand |
| line | read between the lines | find the hidden meaning |
| lion | the lion's share | the best or largest part |
| long | in the long run | over a long period of time |
| moon | once in a blue moon | very seldom |
| music | face the music | take the scolding or consequences |
| nose | pay through one's nose | pay too high a price |
| play | child's play | very easy to do |
| point | come to the point | speak briefly and directly |
| question | out of the question | not possible or not allowed |
| rain | rain cats and dogs | rain heavily |
| rat | smell a rat | suspect something |
| red | caught red handed | caught while committing a crime |
| roses | a bed of roses | a comfortable life |
| see | see red | be very angry |
| seed | sow the seed | plant the idea |
| shave | a close shave | a narrow escape |
| shoulder | give a person a cold shoulder | a deliberately ignore somesome |
| skin | save one's skin | to escape from a serious danger |
| socks | pull up one's socks | improve in what one is doing |
| time | in the nick of time | just in time |
| tongue | hold one's tongue | not to speak |
| tooth | have a sweet tooth | like sweet food |
| trumpet | blow one's trumpet | boast about oneself |
| water | get into hot water | get into trouble |
| arm | receive with open arms | to welcome heartily |