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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Dead as a door nail
What does Dead as a door nail mean? | To be dead, with no chance for recovery. | You might as well junk that car, the engine is dead as a door nail.
Nails were once hand tooled and costly. When an aging cabin or barn was torn down the valuable nails would be salvaged so they could be reused in later construction.
When building a door however, carpenters often drove the nail through then bent it over the other end so it couldn't work its way out during the repeated opening and closing of the door. When it came time to salvage the building, these door nails were considered useless, or "dead" because of the way they were bent. |
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Some Random Idioms
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Off colour
What does "Off colour" mean? | If someone looks off colour/color, they look ill. |
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work one's butt off
What does "work one's butt off" mean? | work very diligently. | I worked my butt off on that paper and all I got was a C+.
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train one's sights on (something)
What does "train one's sights on (something)" mean? | to have something as a goal, to direct something or oneself toward a goal | The young man is training his sights on joining the top team in the city.
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yank around
What does "yank around" mean? | annoy; harass; irritate |
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off-color
What does "off-color" mean? | in bad taste, rude | The man told an off-color joke at the party which made his wife very angry.
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reach an impasse
What does "reach an impasse" mean? | to get to a point where progress is impossible | The negotiations on where to build the new bridge have reached an impasse.
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a sitting target
What does "a sitting target" mean? | someone who is in a position that can be easily attacked | The manager was a sitting target for the criticism by the staff.
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Grey suits
What does "Grey suits" mean? | The men in grey suits are people who have a lot of power in business or politics, but aren't well-known or charismatic. |
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as awkward as a cow on roller skates
What does "as awkward as a cow on roller skates" mean? | very awkward | The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.
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con artist
What does "con artist" mean? | swindler; someone who deceives people out of money |
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tidy sum of money
What does "tidy sum of money" mean? | a rather large amount of money | I was able to get a tidy sum of money from the sale of my business.
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gnarly
What does "gnarly" mean? | dangerous; risky. | Gnarly waves today, you know.
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