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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Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
What does Don't look a gift horse in the mouth mean? | Do not be critical of a gift. | Okay, so the '72 Gremlin grandma gave you is not your idea of a babe magnet, but it was free - so don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Horses have gum lines that recede with age. Hence older horses have longer teeth than young horses.
To "look a horse in the mouth" is to examine the horse's mouth closely to determine its age (and therefore its usefulness and/or worth). To immediately judge a gift based on its worth or usefulness rather than the "thought" behind it considered rude, and ungrateful (it is a gift after all, and didn't cost the receiver anything).
The phrase is apparently quite old, a Latin version of it appeared in a work by St. Jerome in 420 AD, and it also exists in many languages. An Early english version (1510 AD) appears in John Standbridge's "Vulgari Standbrigi": "A gyuen hors may not (be) loked in the tethe." |
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Some Random Idioms
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Stone dead
What does "Stone dead" mean? | This idiom is a way of emphasizing that there were absolutely no signs of life or movement. |
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a great deal of (something)
What does "a great deal of (something)" mean? | much or a lot of something | There was a great deal of water in our house after the flood.
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jolt to a stop
What does "jolt to a stop" mean? | stop moving suddenly which causes a jolt | The train jolted to a stop when the engineer put the brakes on.
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swing
What does "swing" mean? | be current; modern; with it |
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Wide berth
What does "Wide berth" mean? | If you give someone a wide berth, you keep yourself well away from them because they are dangerous. |
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get gray hair
What does "get gray hair" mean? | to have one's hair turn gray from stress |
Our teacher is getting gray hair from stress.
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have stars in one`s eyes
What does "have stars in one`s eyes" mean? | to have an appearance or feeling of very great happiness, to be obsessed with show business |
The girl had stars in her eyes when she won the spelling contest.
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not have the heart to do (something)
What does "not have the heart to do (something)" mean? | to be unwilling to say or do something that may hurt or upset others | I did not have the heart to tell the woman that soon she may lose her job.
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go Dutch
What does "go Dutch" mean? | to each pay for themselves (used for two people) | We always go Dutch when we go on a date.
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