A Tough Break 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. .

a tough break What does a tough break mean?	an unlucky event, a misfortune	The musician received a tough break when he became sick immediately before the music contest.
a tough break What does a tough break mean?	an unlucky event, a misfortune	The singer received a tough break when he became sick immediately before the music contest.
	Some Random Idioms
touch up (something) What does "touch up (something)" mean?	to paint over small imperfections of something	I asked the repair shop to touch up several places on my car where the paint was scratched.

hard on (someone's) heels What does "hard on (someone's) heels" mean?	to be following someone very closely	The dog was hard on the young boy's heels.
monkey see, monkey do What does "monkey see, monkey do" mean?	someone copies something that someone else does	It is always monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend does.
rough-and-ready What does "rough-and-ready" mean?	to be rough or crude but to be ready for something	The boat was rough-and-ready so we decided to take it for a ride.
word up What does "word up" mean?	right; true; right on
bowl (someone) over What does "bowl (someone) over" mean?	to surprise or overwhelm someone	The salesman bowled me over with his energetic sales talk.
putz What does "putz" mean?	penis (from Yiddish)

Take the bull by its horns What does "Take the bull by its horns" mean?	Taking a bull by its horns would be the most direct but also the most dangerous way to try to compete with such an animal. When we use the phrase in everyday talk, we mean that the person we are talking about tackles their problems directly and is not worried about any risks involved.
yield the right-of-way What does "yield the right-of-way" mean?	give the right to turn or move to another vehicle	We were forced to yield the right-of-way to the fire engine at the intersection.
lose one's head over (someone or something) What does "lose one's head over (someone or something)" mean?	to become confused or obsessed over something	The woman lost her head during the investigation into the company problems.
look up (something) What does "look up (something)" mean?	to search for something in a dictionary or other book	I will look up my friend's name in the telephone book.
keep the wolf from the door What does "keep the wolf from the door" mean?	to maintain oneself at the most basic level	My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.

American Idioms and Expressions

A Tough Break Idiom