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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Horse of a different color
What does Horse of a different color mean? | Unlike the subject at hand. | Bush and Reagan are both credible, but Clinton is a horse of a different color.
Horses are registered at birth and the registration includes a record of their color. When a horse trades hands due to sale, the registration is also transferred. Sometimes the color recorded on the registration may not match the actual color of the horse leading one to suspect the horse is not the one in the registration.
Horses sometimes change color as they age, just as some people's hair changes color. More likely the horse is not the one represented on the registration but is actually an entirely different horse. |
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Some Random Idioms
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piggyback
What does "piggyback" mean? | sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders | The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.
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give credit where credit is due
What does "give credit where credit is due" mean? | to acknowledge or thank someone who deserves it | We gave credit where credit is due and thanked the cook for her hard work.
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snake in the grass
What does "snake in the grass" mean? | a low and dishonest person | The man is a snake in the grass and nobody likes him.
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keep one's wits about one
What does "keep one's wits about one" mean? | to keep one's mind operating clearly in a time of stress | Firefighters must always keep their wits about them when they are fighting a large fire.
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carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders
What does "carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders" mean? | to appear to be burdened by all the problems of the world | My aunt feels that she is working too hard and that she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
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in the groove
What does "in the groove" mean? | at one`s best, doing something very well | We are finally in the groove and should be able to finish this job by early next week.
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rub salt in (someone's) wound
What does "rub salt in (someone's) wound" mean? | to deliberately make someone's unhappiness/shame/misfortune worse | My supervisor rubbed salt in my wound when he continued to criticize me for my mistake.
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breakthrough
What does "breakthrough" mean? | a success that comes after overcoming a difficulty | There was a breakthrough in the talks aimed at ending the teacher's strike.
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proof of the pudding is in the eating
What does "proof of the pudding is in the eating" mean? | the real value of something can be judged only by practical experience and not from appearance | The company created a new website that they thought many people would visit but the proof of the pudding is in the eating and nobody liked the website.
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equal to (something)
What does "equal to (something)" mean? | to be able to deal with something | The apartment manager was more than equal to the task of managing the building.
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use every trick in the book
What does "use every trick in the book" mean? | use every method possible | The apartment manager used every trick in the book to try and make the young family leave.
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under (someone`s) nose
What does "under (someone`s) nose" mean? | easily found by someone, right in front of someone | I thought that I had lost my house keys but I found them right under my nose.
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have money to burn
What does "have money to burn" mean? | have lots of money | The man has money to burn and is always buying something new.
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