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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Bust your balls
What does Bust your balls mean? | To harass with the intent to break one's spirit. | When I ask you if you settled that dispute with the IRS, I am not just trying to bust your balls. I am trying to help.
There is a way to castrate a calf, instead of cutting off the Testicles you break them. To "bust your balls" is to turn them from a bull into a steer. Properly directed harassment can have a similar effect on humans. |
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Some Random Idioms
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wanabe
What does "wanabe" mean? | somebody who aspires to greatness or to a particular position or achievement |
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high on (something)
What does "high on (something)" mean? | intoxicated with a drug, enthusuastic about something | The young man was high on something when the police arrested him.
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thrash (something) out
What does "thrash (something) out" mean? | to discuss something thoroughly and solve any problems | We spent most of the meeting thrashing the new plan out.
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stop-and-go
What does "stop-and-go" mean? | stopping and continuing repeatedly | The traffic is always stop-and-go during the morning rush hour.
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shlep
What does "shlep" mean? | carry or haul something or somebody from place to place |
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get one's shit together
What does "get one's shit together" mean? | become organized; gather one's possessions |
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pound the pavement
What does "pound the pavement" mean? | to look for a job | He has been pounding the pavement for a few months now but he still has not found a job.
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Irons in the fire
What does "Irons in the fire" mean? | Having or pursuing multiple opportunities
simultaneously. | I have been out of work for 6 months, but I have a number of irons in the fire.
Blacksmiths traditionally worked iron into shape by hammering. The iron being worked would be heated in the fire until it was red-hot and malleable. The Smith removes the iron from the fire and shapes it with repeated blows from a hammer. They need to work quickly before the iron cools. Once the iron is cool, it becomes brittle and cannot be hammered.
Once removed from the fire, the iron cools quickly. It takes longer to heat the iron to red-hot than it takes for it to cool. Blacksmiths work more efficiently by having multiple pieces of iron in the fire heating simultaneously. In that way, the Smith can always have a piece of iron red-hot and ready for hammering. The cooled piece would be returned to the fire if it needed more hammering. |
waltz off with (something)
What does "waltz off with (something)" mean? | to take, get or win easily | My favorite team waltzed off with the championship last night.
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boondocks
What does "boondocks" mean? | remote, isolated area (often a village or town) |
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there is more than one way to skin a cat
What does "there is more than one way to skin a cat" mean? | there is more than one way to do something | There is more than one way to skin a cat and my friend and I decided to solve the problem in two different ways.
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to peter out
What does "to peter out" mean? | to die down gradually, to grow less strong | The large crowd from the football game has begun to peter out and the streets around the stadium are quiet now.
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fall short of (one`s expectations)
What does "fall short of (one`s expectations)" mean? | to be not be as good as one expected | The new movie fell short of everyone`s expectations and attendance is very low.
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