A Number Of (things Or People) Idiom American Expressions and American Idioms - What does A Number Of (things Or People) Idiom mean?

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. .

a number of (things or people) What does a number of (things or people) mean?	some things, some people	A number of people complained about the food in the restaurant.
	Some Random Idioms
keep a civil tongue What does "keep a civil tongue" mean?	speak decently and politely	The angry customer was asked to keep a civil tongue when talking with the sales clerk.
learn (something) by rote What does "learn (something) by rote" mean?	memorize something without thinking about what is being learned	The children learned the material by rote but they didn't really understand it.
That is the way the cookie crumbles What does "That is the way the cookie crumbles" mean?	"That's the way the cookie crumbles" means that things don't always turn out the way we want.
as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth What does "as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth" mean?	very scarce or nonexistent	Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.
lose one's train of thought What does "lose one's train of thought" mean?	forget what one was talking or thinking about	I lost my train of thought when I was talking on the telephone to my friend.

It's not the size of the man in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the man What does "It's not the size of the man in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the man" mean?	This idiom means that determination is often more important than size, strength, or ability. ('It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.' is also used.)
pay up What does "pay up" mean?	to pay now	I had to pay up my parking tickets or I would lose my driving license.
on cloud nine What does "on cloud nine" mean?	to be very happy	She has been on cloud nine since she decided to get married last month.
Clutch at straws What does "Clutch at straws" mean?	If someone is in serious trouble and tries anything to help them, even though their chances of success are probably nil, they are clutching at straws.

American Idioms and Expressions

A Number Of (things Or People) Idiom