Photo Finish 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. .

Photo finish What does Photo finish mean?	A photo finish is when two contestants (usually in a race) finish at almost exactly the same time, making it difficult to determine the winner. (The saying stems from the practice of taking a photograph when the winners cross the finish line to determine who was ahead at the time.)
	Some Random Idioms
dressed to kill What does "dressed to kill" mean?	to wear one`s finest clothes	The woman was dressed to kill when I saw her at the sales convention.

Glass ceiling What does "Glass ceiling" mean?	The glass ceiling is the discrimination that prevents women and minorities from getting promoted to the highest levels of companies and organisations.
Across the ditch What does "Across the ditch" mean?	(NZ) This idiom means on the other side of the Tasman Sea, used to refer to Australia or New Zealand depending on the speaker's location.
Stem the tide What does "Stem the tide" mean?	If people try to stem the tide, they are trying to stop something unpleasant from getting worse, usually when they don't succeed.
first and foremost What does "first and foremost" mean?	the first and most important	First and foremost, we need a new computer for our office.

in labor What does "in labor" mean?	a woman going through childbirth	The man's wife was in labor for three hours.
greasy spoon What does "greasy spoon" mean?	restaurant with poor quality food and hygeine
a dark horse What does "a dark horse" mean?	a candidate who is little known to the general public	The candidate was a dark horse in the race to be the next mayor until he gave some good speeches on TV.
cat burglar What does "cat burglar" mean?	a burglar who enters a building by climbing a wall etc.	A cat burglar entered our apartment and stole our television.
force (someone) to the wall What does "force (someone) to the wall" mean?	to push someone to an extreme position	We were forced to the wall during the negotiations for the new contract.

American Idioms and Expressions

Photo Finish Idiom