American Idioms and Expressions

At The Mercy Of (the Court/someone) 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. .

at the mercy of (the court/someone) What does at the mercy of (the court/someone) mean?	having no defense against the court/someone	My friend was at the mercy of the court when he went before the judge.
	Some Random Idioms
make (someone's) hair curl What does "make (someone's) hair curl" mean?	to surprise or shock someone (used for a story or experience)	The horror movie made my hair curl.

turn tail What does "turn tail" mean?	to run away from trouble or danger	We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.
hit (someone) below the belt What does "hit (someone) below the belt" mean?	do something unfair or unsporting to someone	The lawyer was hitting below the belt when he asked the woman very personal questions.
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.
arrive on the scene What does "arrive on the scene" mean?	to appear in a certain place	When the fire department arrived on the scene the fire was very large. as Idioms
contradiction in terms What does "contradiction in terms" mean?	a statement that seems to have a contradiction	It was a contradiction in terms for the woman to pretend that she had no money while living in a mansion.
draw a blank What does "draw a blank" mean?	get no response from someone when you ask them a question	The teacher drew a blank when she asked about the boy's plans for the weekend.
take the wind out of one's sails What does "take the wind out of one's sails" mean?	become discouraged and lose one's enthusiasm	become discouraged and lose one's enthusiasmIt took the wind out of his sails when he was told that he was not doing a good job.
in good conscience What does "in good conscience" mean?	having good motives	I wrote the letter and complained to the woman in good conscience.

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