DAILY USE IDIOMS AND PHRASES TO MAKE YOUR ENGLISH SPEAKING & WRITING AMAZINGLY EFFECTIVE
Also Read : Commonly Used Idioms and Phrases
CLEAN UP - to obtain a lot of earnings, winnings, or desired goods (most often money) from a particular venture or action
MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF - to speak openly and honestly about (something that previously has been lied about or kept secret)
LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH - to have just enough money to live on and nothing extra
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUR - At or after half-past the hour (such as 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, etc.)
YEOMANS SERVICE - good, useful, or workmanlike service
BE NONE THE WISER - to still be confused about something even after it has been explained to you
TO HAVE YOUR DAY IN THE SUN - to have a period of time when a person or thing receives deserved attention, praise, accolades or success
BACK TEETH ARE FLOATING - have a strong need to urinate
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING - an overreaction to something that shouldn't have caused so much trouble
MAKE A KILLING - make a lot of money from a sale or a deal of some
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FAIRER SEX - the female sex : women in general
PANDER TO SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING - to do exactly what a person wants, usually in order to get some personal advantage
SKATE ON THIN ICE - do something risky, or a situation that could quickly become dangerous
THERE'S NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE - there's always some reason for a rumour
FACE THE MUSIC - to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done
DRAW PARALLELS BETWEEN - to indicate ways in which two distinct things are similar
IN LIMBO - in a forgotten or ignored place, state, or situation
A SHOT IN THE ARM - something that revitalizes, or encourages someone or something
WET DREAM - something that is considered to be very exciting
PUFF AND PANT - to breathe very heavily or laboriously
PICK SOMEBODY'S BRAINS - ask somebody for detailed information or ideas about something
DEAD AS A DOORNAIL - someone or something is no longer active or popular
COME/FOLLOW CLOSE/HARD/HOT ON THE HEELS OF (SOMETHING) : to happen very soon afterward
OLD HAT - old-fashioned and no longer seen as being modern and new
GET COLD FEET - to suddenly become too frightened to do something you had planned to do
LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE - don't try to improve or change something that's already good enough
DONKEY'S YEARS - If something has been happening for donkey's years, it has been happening for a very long time
BITS AND BOBS - small objects or parts of something
DOT THE I’S AND CROSS THE T’S - to finish the final details in something such as a plan or contract
UP IN ARMS - angry about something that you think is wrong
HIVE OFF - to break away from a group; become separate
A PAIN IN THE NECK - someone is a pain in the neck if they annoy you, or if you don't like doing something
KNOCKS YOUR SOCKS OFF - if something knocks your socks off, it amazes you and surprises you
AS CROSS AS TWO STICKS - very annoyed or irritated
NOT YOUR CUP OF TEA - it's not what you like or what you're interested in
GO OVERBOARD - do something too much or you do it with excessive enthusiasm
HAIR TRIGGER - denoting something that is quickly and easily activated or provoked
FORCE MAJEURE - unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract
SNAKE IN THE GRASS - they are false because they pretend to be your friend while actually harming you
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE - far from where most people live
DOG IN THE MANGER - someone who keeps something that they do not want in order to prevent someone else from getting it Source: theidioms.com
COULDN'T CARE LESS - don't give a crap about something or you really don't care about something and it's impossible to not care anymore
TO BOOT - used for emphasizing the last point in the list (Ex: He’s kind, wealthy and sexy to boot.)
A FAIT ACCOMPLI - something is certain to happen.
OFF YOUR OWN BAT - do it without being asked or told to
BEAR THE BRUNT - suffer the worst impact of something
HIT A PLATEAU - to reach a certain level of achievement but then stop progressing beyond it
STICK YOUR NECK OUT - bravely say or do something that might be criticized
AS DAFT AS A BRUSH - to be very stupid or foolish
IN A FIX - if someone is in a fix, they are in a difficult or dangerous situation
AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM - an obvious problem or difficult situation that people do not want to talk about
LONG BEFORE - in the near future; soon
IN DROVES - in large numbers
TALK SOMETHING OUT - to settle something by discussion
SETTLE A SCORE - to punish someone for something wrong that they did to you in the past and that you cannot forgive
WEIGH DOWN - to burden something by attaching additional weight or placing it on top
FILL SOMEBODY'S SHOES - replace them and do what they do
ZERO IN ON SOMETHING - to focus your attention on something
MAKE NO BONES ABOUT - Act or speak frankly about something, without hesitation or evasion
ON THE BALL - you're alert and you know what's going on around you
TO BE FULL OF BEANS – to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm
TALK TURKEY - discuss something seriously, usually to do with business or money
WATERED-DOWN - to reduce or weaken the force or effectiveness of something
CATCH SOMEONE FLAT-FOOTED - to catch someone who is unprepared; take by surprise
COME OF AGE - to reach an advanced stage of development and is accepted by a large number of people
LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE, or LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE - don't try to improve or change something that's already good enough
HEADS WILL ROLL - when people are going to lose their jobs after making a mistake
STRIKE GOLD - become very rich or successful by finding or doing something
LET OFF STEAM - do something to release pent-up (मन में दबा हुआ) emotion or energy
A ˈPIPE DREAM - a hope, belief, plan, etc. that will probably never come true
A RED-LETTER DAY - a day that is very important for some reason
HIT THE SACK / SHEETS / HAY - to go to bed
CAUGHT WITH (ONE'S) PANTS DOWN - taken by surprise. Caught in an embarrassing position or situation
CALL IT A DAY - to decide or agree to stop doing something/working for the day
X-FACTOR - to have a certain charismatic appeal and magnetic quality
ABOVE BOARD - honest and not trying to deceive anyone
CAN OF WORMS - to create a complicated situation in which doing something to correct a problem leads to many more problems
THEY BROKE THE MOULD WHEN THEY MADE YOU - you are one of a kind, unique, and an incredibly special kind of person
TRIP SOMEONE UP - to cause someone to make a mistake
PUT YOUR HEAD IN A NOOSE - to deliberately do something which will put you in danger or in a difficult situation
THROW A TANTRUM - suddenly become very angry and behave in an unreasonable way
SET YOUR SIGHTS ON - to identify, regard, or focus on someone or something as one's goal
TO NIP IN THE BUD - to stop (something) immediately so that it does not become a worse problem
PAINT THE TOWN RED - to visit bars, nightclubs and other night spots to have a good time
HAVE A HEART OF GOLD - to be very kind and generous
IN THE NICK OF TIME - at the last possible moment
ON THE SAME PAGE - two or more people, thinking in the same manner or having the same general outlook
IN DEEP WATER - in some sort of trouble or in a difficult situation
TAKE SOMETHING THE WRONG WAY - to misunderstand what someone says and think they're being critical when they aren't.
TO CHIP/PITCH IN - to join in and help someone with something
ODDS ARE IN (SOMEONE'S) FAVOR - (someone) is likely to win or succeed
DIG UP DIRT ON SOMEONE - try to find details from past to make someone look bad in the present
IN A FLASH - immediately; very quickly; at once.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT - to point out the connection between food and health
OFF THE RECORD - if you tell somebody something off the record, it is not yet official and you do not want it to be repeated publicly
DIFFERENT KETTLE OF FISH - entirely different in scope or description from someone or something that was just being discussed
PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS - do everything you can to make sure something is successful
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH - a time when the truth about something is revealed, or when an important decision is made
PAY THE PRICE - when you experience the unpleasant results of something done by you in the past
BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD - something which you have done has not been successful and that you will have to start again or try another idea
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Also Read : Commonly Used Idioms and Phrases
