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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Clean bill of health
What does Clean bill of health mean? | To be found healthy. | I visited the doctor today and was given a clean bill of health.
This widely used term has its origins in the "Bill of Health", a document issued to a ship showing that the port it sailed from suffered from no epidemic or infection at the time of departure. |
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Some Random Idioms
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explain (oneself)
What does "explain (oneself)" mean? | to give an explanation for something wrong that you may have done | The director was forced to explain himself after the accounting problems were discovered.
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for good
What does "for good" mean? | permanently | We have decided to move to Los Angeles for good.
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inch along
What does "inch along" mean? | move along slowly | The road was very bad this morning and the traffic was only inching along.
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call a spade a spade
What does "call a spade a spade" mean? | call a person or thing a name that is true, speak in plain
language | call a person or thing a name that is true, speak in plain languageI decided to call a spade a spade and tell our supervisor what was wrong with our workplace.
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beat off
What does "beat off" mean? | masturbate (men only) |
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S.O.S.
What does "S.O.S." mean? | shit on a shingle (i.e.: creamed chipped beef on toast) |
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turn (something) to good account
What does "turn (something) to good account" mean? | to make good use of a situation/experience | We were able to turn our experience with the income tax office to good account when we began to look at our business practices.
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BCGs
What does "BCGs" mean? | birth-control glasses (so called because they were deemed so ugly that women would be scared off) |
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off one`s hands
What does "off one`s hands" mean? | no longer in one's care or possession | I would like to get my old refridgerator off my hands so that I can buy a new one.
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let out (clothes/a rope)
What does "let out (clothes/a rope)" mean? | make clothes longer or looser, allow a rope to slip out little by little | I had to go to the tailors to have them let out my sports jacket.
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in a nutshell
What does "in a nutshell" mean? | briefly, in a few words | We went to the meeting and they told us in a nutshell about the plans for our company.
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do
What does "do" mean? | serve a particular purpose well |
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fart
What does "fart" mean? | sound or smell or a release of intestinal gas |
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boat
What does "boat" mean? | very large car (e.g.: Oldsmobile). | Those boats use too much gas.
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