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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Strike while the iron is hot
What does Strike while the iron is hot mean? | Act quickly while the opportunity is still available. | If you want the job, you need to strike while the iron is hot.
Blacksmiths working iron by hand heat the iron in a fire to red-hot making it malleable. The Smith removes the iron from the fire and shapes it with blows from a hammer. They need to work quickly before the iron cools. Once the iron is cool, it becomes brittle and the opportunity to hammer it into shape has passed. |
strike while the iron is hot
What does strike while the iron is hot mean? | to take advantage of an opportunity | I wanted to strike while the iron was hot so I quickly applied for the job.
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strike while the iron is hot
What does strike while the iron is hot mean? | to take advantage of an opportunity | I decided to strike while the iron was hot and apply for the job as soon as I heard about it.
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strike while the iron is hot
What does strike while the iron is hot mean? | to take action quickly and at a good opportunity | to take action quickly and at a good opportunityWhen I heard about the new job I quickly sent in my application in order to strike while the iron was hot.
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strike while the iron is hot
What does strike while the iron is hot mean? | to take advantage of an opportunity |
I plan to strike while the iron is hot and apply for the job quickly.
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strike while the iron is hot
What does strike while the iron is hot mean? | to take advantage of an opportunity |
I wanted to strike while the iron was hot so I quickly applied for the job.
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Some Random Idioms
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screw
What does "screw" mean? | person available for sex |
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carve out a niche
What does "carve out a niche" mean? | to create a speciality or product or market that nobody else has |
The company was able to carve out a niche for their product among university students.
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foul one's own nest
What does "foul one's own nest" mean? | to harm one's own interests, to bring discredit to one's family | I do not want to foul my own nest so I try to be very honest in all of my dealings with others.
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dough
What does "dough" mean? | money; cash. | Where'd you get the dough to pay for that TV?
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sweet nothings
What does "sweet nothings" mean? | affectionate but unimportant words that you say to a loved one | The boy in the movie whispered sweet nothings into the ear of his girlfriend.
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white sale
What does "white sale" mean? | the selling of towels or sheets at a reduced price | We went to the white sale at the department store to buy some new sheets.
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come away empty-handed
What does "come away empty-handed" mean? | to return without anything | Nobody came away empty-handed at the end of the birthday party.
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as dull as dishwater
What does "as dull as dishwater" mean? | very uninteresting |
The speaker at the conference was as dull as dishwater.
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have a (good) head on one`s shoulders
What does "have a (good) head on one`s shoulders" mean? | be smart or sensible | That new salesman really has a head on his shoulders.
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dog in the manger
What does "dog in the manger" mean? | someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do (in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents the other animals from eating the hay) | My friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from enjoying ourselves.
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bouncer
What does "bouncer" mean? | person in a club or bar who maintains order |
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out of tune
What does "out of tune" mean? | to be not in agreement, to be not going well together | We are out of tune with what the other members of the group think.
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