At The Coalface Idiom American Expressions and American Idioms

This database is a comprehensive collection of all the American idioms and slang available. American Idioms are many and varied. We hope you enjoy our collection. We are adding more all the time. .

At the coalface What does At the coalface mean?	If you work at the coalface, you deal with the real problems and issues, rather than sitting in a office discussing things in a detached way.
	Some Random Idioms
dead letter What does "dead letter" mean?	a piece of mail that cannot be delivered or returned to the sender	The letter with no return address went back to the post office as a dead letter.

at the top of one's lungs What does "at the top of one's lungs" mean?	with a very loud voice	I cried out for my friend at the top of my lungs.
(can/could) do with (something) What does "(can/could) do with (something)" mean?	to benefit from (something)	I have been working hard all day so now I could do with a cold drink.
go home in a box What does "go home in a box" mean?	be transported back home in a coffin (i.e.: dead)
as nervous as a cat What does "as nervous as a cat" mean?	very nervous	The man was as nervous as a cat when he talked to the woman.
to (someone's) way of thinking What does "to (someone's) way of thinking" mean?	in someone's opinion	To my way of thinking we should not spend any more money on the new project.
heart bleeds for (someone) What does "heart bleeds for (someone)" mean?	to feel sympathy for someone	My heart bleeds for the family who lost their father in the accident.
no spring chicken What does "no spring chicken" mean?	a young person (used with a negative)	My aunt is no spring chicken. She is almost 96-years old.

at the drop of a hat What does "at the drop of a hat" mean?	immediately and without any pressure	My friends are willing to help me at the drop of a hat.
eager beaver What does "eager beaver" mean?	a person who is always eager to work hard or do extra work	My colleague is an eager beaver and is always ready to work hard when we need him.
what goes around comes around What does "what goes around comes around" mean?	justice will be served and you will get what you deserve	What goes around comes around and it is wise to maintain good relations with the people who you work with.
about to (do something) What does "about to (do something)" mean?	to be on the point of doing something	She was about to leave when the phone rang.
jolt to a stop What does "jolt to a stop" mean?	stop moving suddenly which causes a jolt	The train jolted to a stop when the engineer put the brakes on.

American Idioms and Expressions

At The Coalface Idiom