Ultimate List of Phrases & Idioms

Health

pale as a ghost — extremely pale
My grandfather was as pale as a ghost when he entered the hospital.
at death’s door — very near death
The sales manager was at death’s door after his heart attack.
back on my feet — healthy again
I am back on my feet after being sick for two weeks.
on top of the world — feel very healthy
I have been feeling on top of the world since I quit my job.
going under the knife — undergo surgery
I’m going under the knife next month to try to solve my knee problems. Hope it helps!
green around the gills — sick
My colleague was looking a little green around the gills when he came to work today.
one foot in the grave — near death
My uncle is very sick and has one foot in the grave.
sick as a dog — extremely ill
Did you have a good vacation? – Not really. I was sick as a dog the whole time.
under the weather — not feeling well
My boss has been under the weather all week and has not come to work during that time.

Clothes

all the rage — very fashionable
A few years ago Uggs were all the rage, but now you don’t see them so much.
at the drop of a hat — suddenly
Jacob is unpredictable. He won’t leave the office for weeks, but then he’ll take off for New York at the drop of a hat.
knock your socks off — amaze you
Wait until you try the new Yamaha scooters. They’ll knock your socks off!
old hat — old-fashioned
The carmaker’s sales declined because many consumers found their designs old hat.

Sports

ballpark figure — a rough estimate
A ballpark figure for the cost of the new stadium would be $150,000,000.
hit it out of the park — succeed brilliantly
Francesca hit it out of the park with her speech today. It was fabulous.
kick ass — defeat badly
Madrid won most of our matches during the season, but we kicked ass in the playoffs.
on deck — next
I’ll call you back in an hour. The speaker is almost finished, and I’m on deck.
second wind — renewed energy
I thought I was totally exhausted after mile nine of the race. But then I got my second wind.
sink or swim — fail or succeed
I’ve helped him as much as I can in that class. Now he’s going to have to sink or swim.
take a hike — go away
Maybe you could take a hike while we discuss salaries.
throw in the towel — give up
After losing his queen, the chess player threw in the towel and resigned.
tough sledding — difficult progress
Our competitor’s model dominates the market, so ours is facing tough sledding.

Music

chin music — meaningless talk
Can you guys please be quiet? Your chin music is distracting me from my work.
music to my ears — good to hear
News of the new president was music to my ears – she’s terrific.
sing a different tune — change your opinion
You may say you’re in love with your boyfriend, but you’ll be singing a different tune when you find out what he’s been up to.
whistling Dixie — unrealistically optimistic
If you think you can get a ticket for under $200 at Christmastime, you’re whistling Dixie.

Time

around the clock — at all times
The restaurant is open around the clock.
behind the times — old-fashioned
Blackberry phones used to be extremely popular, but now many people think they’re behind the times.
call time — end
The boxer is ready to call time on his long career.
call it a day — stop working
You all look tired. Let’s call it a day.
carry the day — be successful
Teamwork and training will carry the day.
days are numbered — will die soon
Your days are numbered if you keep driving while drunk.
in a New York minute — very quickly
I’d buy that car in a New York minute if I had the money.
in the blink of an eye — instantaneously
I had a beautiful family, a nice home, and lots of money. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was all gone.
in the dark — unaware
Kevin says he was completely in the dark about the CEO’s plans to sell the company.
in the nick of time — just in time
We were going to leave without you, but you got here just in the nick of time.
month of Sundays — a long time
I’m glad you dropped by! It’s been a month of Sundays since I saw you last.
on the spot — immediately
When I said I would move to New York, she offered me the job on the spot.
once in a blue moon — very rarely
Once in a blue moon you see the Aurora here, but it’s not like farther north.
once in a while — occasionally
I don’t want to live in the city, but I enjoy visiting once in a while.
seize the day — take an opportunity
We should seize the day while prices are low. That won’t last forever.
take your time — don’t hurry
Take your time on the exam. You don’t get a bonus for finishing quickly.
twenty-four seven — at any time
If you have problems, call me twenty-four seven; it doesn’t matter if I’m sleeping.
year in, year out — annually without change
Our holiday party is such a bore. Year in, year out the owner makes the same dumb jokes.

Number

a million and one — many
I have a million and one ideas.
all in one piece — safely
He got home from the party all in one piece.
back to square one — back to the start
The project failed, we’re back to square one.
in seventh heaven — extremely happy
I’ve been in seventh heaven ever since I got engaged!
by the book — follow instructions exactly
You don’t have to do this totally by the book.
had one too many — drink too much alcohol
I can’t drive, I had one too many.
never in a million years — absolutely never
Never in a million years did I think that I would actually win the lottery!
nine times out of ten — almost always
Nine times out of ten your first choice turns out to be the right one.
nine-to-five job — a routine job
I wouldn’t want a nine-to-five job.
on cloud nine — very happy
When my mom bought me a computer, I was on cloud nine.
put in my two cents — say your opinion
I put in my two cents at the meeting.
ten to one — very likely
Ten to one I’m going to win.
a tall order — a difficult task
I can try, but completing the whole ad campaign by the end of the month is a tall order.
by a whisker — a very short distance
The runner was far ahead for most of the race, but at the end she won only by a whisker.

Travel & Transport

fifth wheel — a superfluous person
I’m not really part of your group. If I come to the party I’ll just be a fifth wheel.
hit the road — leave
We better hit the road before traffic gets even worse.
just around the corner — occurring soon
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. Have you made party plans yet?
off his trolley — insane
My brother just spent a lot of money on really questionable stocks. I think he’s off his trolley.
on the fly — while traveling
I’ll eat dinner on the fly and meet you at 8.
that ship has sailed — that opportunity has passed
It’s too late for you to ask her to marry you – she’s involved with someone else now. That ship has sailed.

Car & Driving

put the brakes on — slow down
Higher coal prices put the brakes on industrial activities in the second quarter.
put the pedal to the metal — drive as fast as possible
I’m late for my best friend’s wedding. Put the pedal to the metal!
hell for leather — very fast
After work I drove home hell for leather, but I still missed my daughter’s birthday party.
quick-and-dirty — approximate
It will take time to get the final cost, but a quick-and-dirty estimate would be $45,000.
quick as a flash — very fast
I’ll have the order done quick as a flash – probably by the time you get back to your office.

Technology

chop chop — quickly
Sure, come into the office, and we can get the documents you need chop chop.
pull the plug on — terminate
We’re going to pull the plug on our operation in Taiwan. It’s just not succeeding.
like shooting fish in a barrel — very easy
Passing this quiz will be like shooting fish in a barrel. I’ve studied a lot.
straight arrow — an honest, trustworthy person
Jim is a straight arrow.

Home

safe as houses — very safe
I’ve locked the door. They’re as safe as houses.
house of correction — prison
She said he’s out of the house of correction.
throw in the towel — give up
After struggling with my homework, I finally threw in the towel and went to bed.
throwing money down the drain — waste money
That’s a worthless investment. He’s throwing his money down the drain.
hit the roof — become very angry
When I found out Tom crashed my car, I hit the roof.
smokes like a chimney — smoke a lot
Jeff smokes like a chimney. I worry about his health.
went out the window — disappear
His diet went out the window during the holidays.
make yourself at home — make yourself comfortable
Please come in and make yourself at home.
cutting-edge — innovative
Cutting-edge musical styles often originate in Britain.
iron out — resolve
There are just a few difficulties to iron out, and then we’ll be ready to sign the contract.

Plant

out of your gourd — crazy
You’re going to jump down from that ledge? Are you out of your gourd?
bed of roses — comfortable situation
Life isn’t always going to be a bed of roses. You have to learn to deal with adversity.
don’t amount to a hill of beans — unimportant
There are a few problems with the new website, but they don’t amount to a hill of beans. We did it!
Mother Nature — the natural world
As anyone who has experienced a hurricane knows, Mother Nature can be a frightening force.
pushing up daisies — dead
I’ll be pushing up daisies before my daughter decides to get married.
through the grapevine — via gossip
I heard through the grapevine that Ivan and Amber are going out. Is it true?
too many to shake a stick at — a large number
Two years ago we had the field to ourselves with this project. Now there are too many competitors to shake a stick at.

Weather

a cold day in July — never happen
It’ll be a cold day in July when our team wins the championship. We’re terrible.
all wet — completely mistaken
If you think I’m going to climb that rickety ladder, you’re all wet!
be a breeze — very easy
I stayed up all night studying for that exam, and then it turned out to be a breeze!
come hell or high water — no matter what happens
Come hell or high water, we will be in New York for the meeting tomorrow morning.
come rain or shine — do regularly
I listen to the music every day, come rain or shine.
heavens open — start to rain heavily
Let’s come back soon before the heavens open!
in a fog — confused
I made a huge mistake. I stayed up all night studying, and I was in a fog when it came time to start the exam.
Old Man Winter — Winter
Old Man Winter is hanging around this year—it’s the middle of March, and we still have a lot of snow.
on cloud nine — extremely happy
Cindy was on cloud nine after her boyfriend proposed to her.
raining cats and dogs — rain heavily
It’s been raining cats and dogs all day. I’m afraid the roof is going to leak.
right as rain — absolutely correct
Once again, John is right as rain. We should sell the Chicago office building.
rain on your parade — spoil someone’s plans
I’m sorry to rain on your parade, but the park is closed tomorrow, so we can’t have our picnic there.
soak up some sun — enjoy the sun
Let’s go out and soak up some sun.
on thin ice — in a risky situation
If you keep asking him about his ex-girlfriend, you’ll be on thin ice.
when hell freezes over — never
Tom stole cameras when he worked here. I’ll hire him back when hell freezes over.

Appearance

no spring chicken — not young
She’s no spring chicken, but she’s still very good looking.
dead ringer — similar in appearance
She’s a dead ringer for her older sister.
knockout — an extremely beautiful woman
When Samantha was in her teens she looked ordinary, but in her early 20s she turned into a real knockout!
put my face on — apply cosmetics
Let me just put my face on, and I’ll meet you at the restaurant in 15 minutes.

People

to the best of my knowledge — as far as you know
He never made a will, to the best of my knowledge.
as far as I can throw — only slightly
Don’t lend her money. I trust her about as far as I can throw her.
sharp as a tack — mentally agile
My grandmother is 92 years old, but she’s still sharp as a tack.
around the bend — crazy
I’d tell you if you were going around the bend.

Daily Routines

hit the books — study
OK, I’ll come to the party Friday. But Saturday it’ll be time to hit the books.
hit the hay — go to bed
I have to get up at 5 tomorrow morning. It’s time to hit the hay.
in touch — in contact
I’ll be out of town this weekend, but I’ll be in touch when I get back Sunday night.
lost touch — fall out of contact
Social media are great for finding old friends with whom you’ve lost touch.
playing with fire — very risky
You’re playing with fire if you keep driving that car—the floor under the seat is almost completely rusted out.
rings a bell — sound familiar
The name Susan Thompson rings a bell. I think she worked here—let me look it up.

Social Life

get all bent out of shape — become angry
I was just making a suggestion. Don’t get all bent out of shape about it.
on the warpath — very angry
I’d better work late at the office – my husband is on the warpath because I put a big scratch in his new car.
stabbed me in the back — betray
Sophia acted like she was my friend. But then she stabbed me in the back and went out with my boyfriend.
110-proof — very strong
Bob is a 110-proof Conservative – I’ve never seen him vote for a Labor candidate.
amber nectar — beer
The beer market used to be controlled by large companies, but now many small firms are producing the amber nectar.
in his cups — drunk
Don’t bother Joseph when he’s in his cups – he’s very irritable.
one for the road — a final drink before leaving
Give me a beer. I’m having one for the road.
paint the town red — go out drinking and partying
I just finished my last exam. Let’s go out and paint the town red!
wet your whistle — drink something
You’ve been out in the sun for two hours. Come on in and wet your whistle!
ace in the hole — a hidden advantage
The new engine design is our ace in the hole – but we have to keep it secret from our competitors.
in the cards — likely
I don’t think a recession is in the cards this year. Consumer confidence is very strong.
roll the dice on — take a risk
I’m going to roll the dice on the plant renovation. If the market collapses we’ll be in trouble, but I think it’s needed.
babe magnet — a man to whom women are attracted
I like to go out to the bars with John—he’s a real babe magnet, so I get to meet lots of women too.

Happy

barrel of laughs — funny
I always have so much fun when Katie’s around—she’s a barrel of laughs!
full of the joys of spring — very happy, full of energy
You look full of the joys of spring this morning.
had a ball — have a very enjoyable time
The kids really had a ball at the birthday party—they won’t stop talking about it!
had a whale of a time — enjoy very much
We had a whale of a time on holiday.
let your hair down — relax and enjoy
Come on, Jim, this is a party! Let your hair down and go a little wild!
more fun than a barrel of monkeys — a very good time
The circus was more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
take it easy — relax
It’s nice to slow down at the week-end and take it easy.

Crazy

blow his top — lose his temper
I think he’ll blow his top when you give him the news.
blow up — explode
When I saw the look on Sarah’s face, I just know she’d blow up.
go ape — wild excitement or anger
July will go ape if she ever hears about it.
freak out — a wildly irrational reaction
Mom will freak out when she found out we broke her vase!
go ballistic — fly into a rage
My parents went totally ballistic when they found out I’d wrecked the car!
went berserk — go crazy
She went berserk and strangled her cat.
going bananas — irrational or crazy
I’ll end up going bananas if I have to work in this cubicle for one more day!
go mental — extremely angry
My parents are going to go mental if they find out we had a party here!
go nuts — become crazy
The noise caused all the neighbors to go nuts.
hit the roof — very angry
My parents are going to hit the roof if they find out we had a party here!
were an item — having a romantic relationship
I didn’t know Chris and Sue were an item. They didn’t even look at each other at dinner.
split up — end a relationship
Have you heard? Sophia and Joseph have split up.
falling in love — start feeling love
I think I’m falling in love with my best friend. What should I do?
main squeeze — committed romantic partner
Don’t be angry! Yes, I was talking to that other girl, but you know you’re my main squeeze!
old flame — a former boyfriend or girlfriend
An old flame has come back into my life. I’m seeing her tomorrow night.
tie the knot — get married
When are you and Jenny going to tie the knot? – This year, but we haven’t set a date yet.

Food

tough nut to crack — a difficult problem
The problem of how to motivate employees can be a tough nut to crack sometimes.
egg on his face — embarrassed
Fred had egg on his face after claiming he could climb the tree but then having to give up.
take it with a grain of salt — be skeptical
James will tell you all about his adventures in Africa, but take it with a grain of salt.
icing on the cake — a bonus
My new girlfriend is very intelligent. That she’s beautiful is just icing on the cake!
bigger fish to fry — have more important things to do
I can’t help you with your presentation right now. I have bigger fish to fry.
a lot on my plate — a lot to do
I just have a lot on my plate right now while I’m finishing up my degree and doing this huge project for work.
all the tea in China — great wealth
I wouldn’t go out with him for all the tea in China!
bad egg — not to be trusted
James is a bad egg. Don’t trust him.
greatest thing since sliced bread — an innovative development
Have you tried the new iPhone? It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.
brings home the bacon — earn money for the family
My husband may not be the world’s most glamorous guy, but he brings home the bacon.
from soup to nuts — everything
Amazon started out as a bookseller, but now they offer everything from soup to nuts.
hit the spot — very satisfying
We went to Mark’s Midtown for lunch. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, and it really hit the spot.
in a nutshell — to summarize
You should apply to the university now. There are lots of reasons, but in a nutshell, it will end up costing less.
in a pickle — in need of help
I’m really in a pickle. I spent all the money I had saved, and I have no way to pay next semester’s tuition bill.
nutty as fruitcakes — crazy
The kids are always nutty as fruitcakes when they’ve had something sugary to eat.
piece of cake — easily done
I’ve already done the difficult parts – finishing the presentation tonight will be a piece of cake.
piping hot — very hot
Nothing tastes better than fresh cinnamon rolls, served piping hot.
rotten to the core — entirely evil
Sam is rotten to the core. He steals, he lies, he’s violent. I’m glad he’s in prison.
sell like hotcakes — sold very quickly
The new Honda is expected to sell like hotcakes after it’s released.
small potatoes — unimportant
We’re wasting our time on small potatoes. Let’s get to the big news that made us have this meeting.
spilled the beans — reveal a secret
We had planned this to be a surprise party for you, but Jason spilled the beans.
tough cookie — a very determined person
Our principal was a little lady, but she was one tough cookie!

Fruit

a bite at the cherry — good opportunity
You only get a bite at the cherry in life.
as red as a cherry — very red
Her cheeks were as red as a cherry.
as American as apple pie — typically American
Baseball is as American as apple pie.
bad apple — a trouble making or dishonest person
Tom is really a bad apple.
top banana — boss, leader
Only the top banana can make a decision of that magnitude.
went pear-shaped — fail
Sarah’s surprise party went pear-shaped once she accidentally found out about it.
not give a fig — not care
Do whatever you want, I do not give a fig.

Dog

every man and his dog — many people
Every man and his dog wanted to interview me after I won the race.
fight like cat and dog — continually arguing with each other
Those two fight like cat and dog, so please don’t put them together on the project.
go see a man about a dog — go to the bathroom
I’ll be right back—I’ve got to go see a man about a dog.
going to the dogs — become disordered
This has always been a nice hotel, but it’s going to the dogs.
puppies and rainbows — perfect
At first my marriage was all puppies and rainbows, but then reality set in.
puppy dog eyes — a begging look
I try to be strict with my daughter, but when she looks at me with those puppy dog eyes, I buy her candy.

Cat

cat nap — short sleep during the day
I’m going to try to squeeze in a cat nap before my next shift starts, or else I’ll be feeling sluggish for the entire evening.
bell the cat — a difficult or impossible task
Who will bell the cat and take on the job of reducing corruption in this country?
cat on a hot tin roof — extremely nervous
She’s waiting for the doctor to call with her test results, so she’s been like a cat on a hot tin roof all day.
no room to swing a cat — very small
Inside, there is no room to swing a cat, and everything you see is the most basic junk.

Animal

big fish — important person
Talk to Jon. He’s the big fish in the organization. He can help you get things done.
like shooting fish in a barrel — very easy
Picking out this item or that for criticism seems unsportsmanlike, like shooting fish in a barrel.
fish story — a big lie
That’s just a fish story. Don’t try to fool me.
swan song — a final appearance
This game will be the quarterback’s swan song – he’s retiring after this season.
sick as a parrot — very disappointed
I was sick as a parrot after Man United lost last night.
butterflies in my stomach — nervous
I almost didn’t go on stage and perform tonight because I had butterflies in my stomach.
wild goose chase — an impossible task
I think this is a wild goose chase. This library doesn’t have the books we need.
lone wolf — not social
Glen is a lone wolf and seldom joins in the activities of the neighborhood.
poor as a church mouse — very poor
When we got married, we were both poor as a church mouse and we had to live with my husband’s parents.
crickets — silence
What happened when I asked for comments? Crickets. So I assume you’re all satisfied with the proposal.
eagle-eyed — sharp vision
My eagle-eyed sister spotted the car in the parking lot before anyone else did.
flew the coop — left
You’d better pay him more, or one day you’ll come to the office and find that he flew the coop.
go belly up — go bankrupt
I’m afraid that if we don’t reduce staff, we’ll go belly up within a year.
swim with sharks — take a major risk
If you want to reach the island with the treasure, you’ve got to swim with sharks for a while.
the world is your oyster — have many opportunities
You’re only 22—the world is your oyster. Don’t feel you have to get married now.
take a gander — take a look
It may be very crowded in there. I’ll go and take a gander, and then I’ll send you a text message.
till the cows come home — a long time
If you wait for Jeb to finish his part of the project, you’ll be waiting till the cows come home.
when pigs fly — never
Sure, I’ll go out with Cynthia again. When pigs fly.

Family

bun in the oven — pregnant
I have a bun in the oven again! Sophia will have a baby sister.
babes in arms — a baby being carried
Children will be admitted to the concert, but sorry, no babes in arms.
child’s play — a very easy task
After learning to drive a stick shift, driving with an automatic transmission is child’s play.
a face only a mother could love — a very ugly face
The poor baby has a face only a mother could love.
Big Brother — Government
Big Brother seems to grow more and more powerful as data about individuals is accumulated on social networks.
Bob’s your uncle — you’re almost finished
Just enter the update code, register the new software, and Bob’s your uncle.
kith and kin — family
When you go on a trip, it’s important to buy souvenirs for your kith and kin back home.
like taking candy from a baby — very easy
Just watch. Getting her to go out with me will be like taking candy from a baby.
pop the question — propose marriage
I bought a ring, and I’m ready to pop the question to Sophia.
up the duff — pregnant
They hadn’t planned to get married, but Sophia found out she was up the duff.

Body

use your head — think
You shouldn’t buy a new car until you’ve paid off the debt from your student loan. Use your head!
keep your chin up — cheer up
It’s too bad you didn’t get the job, but keep your chin up – another one will come along.
zip your lip — be quiet
OK, I’ll tell you the secret about Cynthia, but zip your lip about it!
on the nose — precisely
The presentation will begin at 8 on the nose. Don’t miss it.
all eyes and ears — attentive
The team was all eyes and ears as the coach explained the challenges ahead.
see eye to eye — agree
I don’t see eye to eye with Frances on the workflow, but she’s the boss.
baby blues — blue eyes
I know John is bad for me, but when I get a look at his baby blues I can’t resist him.
all ears — listening willingly
Why did you delete the file I was working on? I’m all ears.
lend an ear — listen
Lend an ear, and I’ll tell you what people said at the meeting yesterday.
in a heartbeat — immediately
This is especially used in hypothetical situations. If Joe asked me, I’d marry him in a heartbeat!
at hand — nearby
I like to keep my vocabulary at hand.
on hand — available
Are there enough people on hand to hold a meeting?
out of hand — out of control
Employee absenteeism has gotten out of hand.
like the back of her hand — very well
She’ll give you the name of a place to stay – she knows the area like the back of her hand.
lend me a hand — help
Could you lend me a hand with this piano?
hands-down — obviously
Tom was hands-down the best student at the university.
pointed the finger at — blame
Shareholders pointed the finger at the board of directors for the losses, and voted most of them out.
keep your fingers crossed — wish for good luck
The exam’s at two. Will you keep your fingers crossed for me?
cooling my heels — wait
We agreed we’d meet at the mall at 3. But you left me cooling my heels for two whole hours.
all thumbs — clumsy
Don’t trust Jack around your expensive glassware – he’s all thumbs.
thumbs-up — approval
It really pleased me that the boss gave me a thumbs-up on my presentation.
fire in the belly — strong ambition
I worry about my son. He’s smart enough to succeed, but he doesn’t have the fire in the belly.
birthday suit — nakedness
There I was, in my birthday suit, when the doorbell rang.
fit as a fiddle — in very good health
Three months ago Jack seemed to be at death’s door, but now he’s fit as a fiddle. What happened?
forty winks — a short nap
If you’re on a long drive, it’s helpful to stop and take forty winks every few hours if you can.

Business

drive a hard bargain — negotiate effectively
At first I wasn’t ready to accept your offer for the house. But you drive a hard bargain.
on point — well done
Jennifer’s presentation was on point – concise, relevant, and accurate.
up for grabs — available
The election is up for grabs. Everything is still very chancy.
up in the air — not yet decided
The salary increase is still up in the air – the boss favors it, but she hasn’t gotten approval from her superiors.
in hot water — in trouble
Sophia is in hot water with her department manager after she blew that sales presentation.
burning the midnight oil — working late
I’ll be burning the midnight oil tonight, but I guarantee I’ll finish the paper before class tomorrow at 9.
out of work — unemployed
I’ve been out of work since December. Hope I find a new job soon!

Ultimate List of Phrases & Idioms

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