OAU Idiom American Expressions and American Idioms

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. .

OAU What does OAU mean?	Organization of African Unity	Organization of African UnityThe OAU is working very hard to promote free trade between its various countries.
	Some Random Idioms
in the pink (of condition) What does "in the pink (of condition)" mean?	in very good health	My grandmother was in the pink of condition when I saw her.

neither fish nor fowl What does "neither fish nor fowl" mean?	something that does not belong to a definite group	The man's opinions were neither fish nor fowl and nobody could put them into an identifiable category.
off the rack What does "off the rack" mean?	(an article of clothing that is) available for immediate purchase, ready-made	Our boss always buys his suits off the rack.
on the contrary What does "on the contrary" mean?	as the opposite	I thought that the speech would be boring but on the contrary it was quite interesting.
Grey area What does "Grey area" mean?	A grey/gray area is one where there is no clear right or wrong.
Put or get someone's back up What does "Put or get someone's back up" mean?	If you put or get someone's back up, you annoy them.
bitch What does "bitch" mean?	unpleasant, rude, or irritating woman.	She is such a bitch, always whining and insulting my friends.
Go down like a lead balloon What does "Go down like a lead balloon" mean?	(UK) If something goes down like a lead balloon, it fails or is extremely badly received.

Gather pace What does "Gather pace" mean?	If events gather pace, they move faster.
good sport What does "good sport" mean?	a person who loses a competition/game without complaining	My friend is a good sport and he never complains about losing.
a past master at (something) What does "a past master at (something)" mean?	someone who is extremely good or skillful at something	The chef is a past master at cooking with various kinds of sauces.
Foul play What does "Foul play" mean?	If the police suspect foul play, they think a crime was committed.
throw (something) back in (someone's) face What does "throw (something) back in (someone's) face" mean?	to use something that someone has said previously to harm or upset him or her	I immediately threw the question back in the lawyer's face.

American Idioms and Expressions

OAU Idiom