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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bingo
What does bingo mean? | minimum amount of fuel needed to safely return to base. | Bingo fuel. We're heading back, now.
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Some Random Idioms
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come in high
What does "come in high" mean? | to charge too much for your services, to ask for a price that is too high |
The salesman came in high during the negotiations and could not sell his product.
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hard-nosed
What does "hard-nosed" mean? | to be very strict, to be stubborn, to be uncompromising | The negotiatiors were hard-nosed during the talks for a new contract.
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Bee's Knees
What does "Bee's Knees" mean? | If something is the bee's knees, it's outstanding or the best in its class. |
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layaway plan
What does "layaway plan" mean? | a plan in which someone pays part of some money that is owed and then pays the rest later and the store keeps the item until the full price has been paid | I decided to buy the television set on the department store`s layaway plan.
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Wag the dog
What does "Wag the dog" mean? | To 'wag the dog' means to purposely divert attention from what would otherwise be of greater importance, to something else of lesser significance. By doing so, the lesser-significant event is catapulted into the limelight, drowning proper attention to what was originally the more important issue.The expression comes from the saying that 'a dog is smarter than its tail', but if the tail were smarter, then the tail would 'wag the dog'. The expression 'wag the dog' was elaborately used as theme of |
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a left-handed compliment
What does "a left-handed compliment" mean? | an ambiguous compliment interpreted as offensive | He gave her a left-handed compliment when he said that her dyed hair looked nice.
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specs
What does "specs" mean? | eyesglasses |
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by leaps and bounds
What does "by leaps and bounds" mean? | rapidly, by large movements forward |
The construction of the new airport is progressing by leaps and bounds.
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(no) skin off (someone`s) nose/teeth
What does "(no) skin off (someone`s) nose/teeth" mean? | of no interest or concern or trouble to someone |
It is no skin off my nose if I go to the party or not.
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A for effort
What does "A for effort" mean? | the recognition that someone has tried hard to do something even though he or she may not be successful |
The students received an A for effort for their work on the class project.
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toss one's hat into the ring
What does "toss one's hat into the ring" mean? | to announce that one is running for an elected office |
My friend tossed his hat into the ring and will try and become the school president.
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pay one's own way
What does "pay one's own way" mean? | to pay the costs for something by oneself | The young man was forced to pay his own way during college.
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