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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all thumbs
What does all thumbs mean? | to have difficulty fixing things or working with one`s hands, to be clumsy | My friend is all thumbs when fixing things around his house.
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all thumbs
What does all thumbs mean? | to be awkward and clumsy, a difficulty in fixing things or working with one's hands | The janitor is all thumbs and he can never fix something without making it worse.
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all thumbs
What does all thumbs mean? | to have difficulty fixing things or working with one`s hands, to be clumsy |
My friend is all thumbs when he fixes things around his house.
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all thumbs
What does all thumbs mean? | to be awkward and clumsy, a difficulty in fixing things or working with one's hands |
The man is all thumbs and he can never fix something without making it worse.
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Some Random Idioms
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take the Fifth
What does "take the Fifth" mean? | in the United States a witness at a trial has the right to refuse to incriminate him or herself because of the protection of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States | The business executive decided to take the Fifth rather than give testimony at the trial.
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sell (something) out
What does "sell (something) out" mean? | to sell all of something | They sold the concert out in every city that it went to.
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iron
What does "iron" mean? | gun |
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tie down (someone or something)
What does "tie down (someone or something)" mean? | to keep someone or something from going somewhere or doing something, to have family or job responsibilities which keep you busy | The project tied my father down for over three months.
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play one's cards right
What does "play one's cards right" mean? | make the best use of your opportunities or what you
have | make the best use of your opportunities or what you haveI told my friend that if he plays his cards right he will be able to go on the business trip to Europe.
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fit to be tied
What does "fit to be tied" mean? | to be very angry or upset |
My boss was fit to be tied when he heard that I was going to take a month off from work this summer.
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one by one
What does "one by one" mean? | one at a time, each in turn | One by one the contestants walked onto the stage.
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come in handy
What does "come in handy" mean? | to be useful or convenient | I think that the small hammer will come in handy to fix the desk.
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Carry the can
What does "Carry the can" mean? | If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even though you didn't do it or are only partly at fault. |
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boondoggle
What does "boondoggle" mean? | government activity that wastes taxes |
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Ninth circle of hell
What does "Ninth circle of hell" mean? | In Dante's Inferno, the ninth circle of hell is the centre where the worst punishments are found, so it is used idiomatically for something that couldn't get worse. |
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