American Idioms and Expressions

Shot Across The Bow Idiom

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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Shot across the bow
What does Shot across the bow mean?
A shot across the bow is a warning to tell someone to stop doing something or face very serious consequences.

Some Random Idioms
learn (something) by rote
What does "learn (something) by rote" mean?
memorize something without thinking about what is being learnedThe children learned the material by rote but they didn't really understand it.
fast and furious
What does "fast and furious" mean?
very rapidly The questions were coming fast and furious during the job interview.

take a beating
What does "take a beating" mean?
to lose moneyMy father took a beating when he sold his car.
touch/hit/strike a raw nerve
What does "touch/hit/strike a raw nerve" mean?
upset someone by talking about a subject that upsets or embarrasses themThe criticism from the supervisor touched a raw nerve in the woman at our office.
speak out on/about (something)
What does "speak out on/about (something)" mean?
to speak in favor of or in support of somethingMy boss spoke out in favor of giving me a promotion.
GMTA
What does "GMTA" mean?
great minds think alike
after all
What does "after all" mean?
considering the fact that something happened or is usually assumed"You don't need to phone him. After all, he never phones you."
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."
have a run-in with (the law/someone)
What does "have a run-in with (the law/someone)" mean?
have a bad or unpleasant encounter with the law/someoneThe couple had a run-in with the law when they were on their holiday.
check that
What does "check that" mean?
ignore that; cancel that (last remark or item)
catch (someone) off guard
What does "catch (someone) off guard" mean?
to catch a person at a time of carelessnessI was caught off guard when the teacher asked me about my homework.

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