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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Break a leg
What does Break a leg mean? | A wish of good luck, do well. | Break a leg in your game today.
"Break a leg" is sourced in superstition. It is a wish of good luck, but the words wish just the opposite.
It was once common for people to believe in Sprites. Sprites are actually spirits or ghosts that were believed to enjoy wreaking havoc and causing trouble.
If the Sprites heard you ask for something, they were reputed to try to make the opposite happen. Telling someone to "break a leg" is an attempt to outsmart the Sprites and in fact make something good happen. Sort of a medieval reverse psychology. |
break a leg
What does break a leg mean? | good luck; hope all goes well (from theatrical slang, where "good luck" is a jinx) |
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Some Random Idioms
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meet one's Waterloo
What does "meet one's Waterloo" mean? | meet one's final and most insurmountable challenge (Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo) | The team met their Waterloo when they went to the tournament to meet the best teams in the country.
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Make a request
What does "Make a request" mean? | If you request something, or make a request, you are asking for something you want or need. |
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breathe down (someone's) neck
What does "breathe down (someone's) neck" mean? | to watch someone closely, to try to make someone hurry |
The supervisor is always breathing down the necks of the employees.
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take a beating
What does "take a beating" mean? | to lose money | My father took a beating when he sold his car.
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eat like a bird
What does "eat like a bird" mean? | to eat very little |
The boy eats like a bird. That is why he cannot gain enough weight to join the football team.
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Cold day in hell
What does "Cold day in hell" mean? | This is used as a prediction there is no chance some event or condition will ever happen.'There will be a cold day in hell before he manages it.' |
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hop to it
What does "hop to it" mean? | get started, start a job | We must hop to it and try to finish this job before dinner.
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a one-track mind
What does "a one-track mind" mean? | thinking about only one thing | He has a one-track mind. All he thinks about is money.
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catch on
What does " catch on" mean? | to become popular | Recently ballroom dancing has begun to catch on with many people.catch one`s breath- to stop to rest and regain one`s normal breathingAfter running from the station it took a moment to catch my breath.
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walk the floor
What does "walk the floor" mean? | walk back and forth across the floor | He spent the night walking the hospital floor while waiting for his wife to have a baby.
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stand up (someone)
What does "stand up (someone)" mean? | to fail to keep an appointment or date with someone (usually used for a date with a boyfriend or girlfriend) | The boy stood the girl up on a date last Saturday and now she will not talk to him.
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