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.
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At the eleventh hour
What does At the eleventh hour mean? | At the very last moment. | The union negotiator went right down to the eleventh hour before accepting the company's final offer.
On a 12-hour clock (rather than the 24-hour clock used by scientists, the military, et al) the hours of 12 noon and 12 midnight seem to hold special significance. De-marking the transition from morning to afternoon and the end of the day, they are often used as deadlines (high noon, the stroke of midnight).
To come at "the eleventh hour" implies that it comes in the last hour before the deadline. The choice of "the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" as the time to end W.W.I was quite apt. |
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Some Random Idioms
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run through (something)
What does "run through (something)" mean? | to read or practice something from the beginning to the end without stopping | I usually try to run through my speech a couple of times before I have to give it.
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in the right
What does "in the right" mean? | on the legal or moral side of an issue, not guilty | I believed that I was in the right so I decided to take the case to court.
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to perk up
What does "to perk up" mean? | to become energetic or happy after being sad or tired | My sister began to perk up after she had a chance to rest after her long drive.
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drive a hard bargain
What does "drive a hard bargain" mean? | to conclude a bargain without making any concessions | Although the man drives a hard bargain, I like doing business with him.
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by a whisker/hair
What does "by a whisker/hair" mean? | just barely, by a very small amount | The marathon runner won the race by a whisker.
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one's lucky number comes up
What does "one's lucky number comes up" mean? | someone is lucky or has good fortune | My lucky number finally came up and I was chosen to go to Los Angeles to represent our company at the conference.
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cry wolf
What does "cry wolf" mean? | to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there | The man is crying wolf. There is no danger that the electrical system will cause a fire.
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get married
What does "get married" mean? | to marry someone | We got married in June of last year.
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cast doubts on (someone or something)
What does "cast doubts on (someone or something)" mean? | to cause someone or something to be doubted | The first witness at the trial cast doubts on the testimony of the main witness.
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jump out of the frying pan and into the fire
What does "jump out of the frying pan and into the fire" mean? | to leave one dangerous or bad situation for a situation that is worse | My friend jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. He changed jobs and had more problems in his new job than in his old one.
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rear its ugly head
What does "rear its ugly head" mean? | something unpleasant appears or becomes obvious after being hidden | The problem of mold has reared its ugly head in our house again.
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truth is stranger than fiction
What does "truth is stranger than fiction" mean? | real life is sometimes stranger than fiction | Truth is stranger than fiction and the man survived in the mountains for several months after his airplane crashed.
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mark up (something)
What does "mark up (something)" mean? | mess something up with marks | The child marked up the new table that her parents had just bought.
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