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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Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while
What does Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while mean? | This expression means that even if people are ineffective or misguided, sometimes they can still be correct just by being lucky. |
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Some Random Idioms
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get a toehold (somewhere)
What does "get a toehold (somewhere)" mean? | to find a starting point somewhere |
The new political party is beginning to get a toehold in rural areas.
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cop an attitude
What does "cop an attitude" mean? | be oppositional or defiant. | Don't cop an attitude with me, it won't work.
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get to the bottom of (something)
What does "get to the bottom of (something)" mean? | to find out the real cause/answer of something | The government wants to get to the bottom of the financial problems in the company.
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in the mood for (something)
What does "in the mood for (something)" mean? | feel like doing something | I am not in the mood for pizza this evening.
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cut the mustard
What does "cut the mustard" mean? | to succeed, to do adequately what needs to be done | The young man was not able to cut the mustard and he had to leave the army after only one year.
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Wag the dog
What does "Wag the dog" mean? | To 'wag the dog' means to purposely divert attention from what would otherwise be of greater importance, to something else of lesser significance. By doing so, the lesser-significant event is catapulted into the limelight, drowning proper attention to what was originally the more important issue.The expression comes from the saying that 'a dog is smarter than its tail', but if the tail were smarter, then the tail would 'wag the dog'. The expression 'wag the dog' was elaborately used as theme of |
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at one's fingertips
What does "at one's fingertips" mean? | something is within one's reach | I always have my address book at my fingertips.
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boss (someone) around or boss around (someone)
What does "boss (someone) around or boss around (someone)" mean? | to keep telling someone what to do, to be bossy toward someone |
The little girl always wants to boss her friends around.
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all to the good
What does "all to the good" mean? | for the best, for one's benefit |
It was all to the good that my sister quit her job.
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