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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Close, but no cigar
What does Close, but no cigar mean? | Nearly achieving success, but not quite. | That free throw was close, but no cigar.
Carnival games of skill, particularly shooting games, once gave out cigars as a prize. A contestant that did not quite hit the target was close, but did not get a cigar. |
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Some Random Idioms
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as dead as a dodo
What does "as dead as a dodo" mean? | dead, no longer in existence | The dog was as dead as a dodo after the accident.
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give birth
What does "give birth" mean? | to have a baby | The woman gave birth to a baby boy last night.
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get one's nose out of (someone's) business
What does "get one's nose out of (someone's) business" mean? | to stop interfering in someone else's business | The school secretary was told to get her nose out of the teacher's business.
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max out
What does "max out" mean? | use up completely. | She maxed out her credit cards shopping last weekend.
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Back handed compliment
What does "Back handed compliment" mean? | A compliment that also insults or puts down at the
same time. | They gave me a backhanded compliment when they said I was smart for a girl.
Back-handed is synonymous with left-handed. For example in tennis, a backhand stroke is a strike by a right-handed player from the left side of the body.
The left side of the body has always been deemed sinister. The Latin word for left is sinister. Hence, back-handed means round-about, indirect, or devious. |
win out (over someone or something)
What does "win out (over someone or something)" mean? | be victorious or successful after hard work or difficulty | We finally won out over our boss and he agreed to listen to our complaints.
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out of sight, out of mind
What does "out of sight, out of mind" mean? | something that is no longer visible will be easily forgotten | The little boy was out of sight and out of mind until his mother discovered that he had emptied all of the shampoo containers into the toilet.
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bound and determined
What does "bound and determined" mean? | to be determined | The man's wife is bound and determined to visit her sister this summer.
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blow (someone) away
What does "blow (someone) away" mean? | to overcome someone emotionally | The performance was so wonderful that it blew me away.
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over the short run/haul
What does "over the short run/haul" mean? | for the immediate future | Over the short run using the old computer should be adequate to do our job.
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sit bolt upright
What does "sit bolt upright" mean? | to sit up straight | I sat bolt upright when I heard the news about my cousin.
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for the heck/hell of it
What does "for the heck/hell of it" mean? | just for fun | We went down to the river to throw stones just for the heck of it.
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dead loss
What does "dead loss" mean? | a total loss | The money that I gave to my friend is a dead loss and none of it will be returned.
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