Black And Blue 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. .

black and blue What does black and blue mean?	bruised	My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
black-and-blue What does black-and-blue mean?	bruised, showing signs of having been physically harmed	My arm was black-and-blue after falling down the stairs.
black and blue What does black and blue mean?	bruised	My shoulder was black and blue after I fell down the stairs.
	Some Random Idioms
eager beaver What does "eager beaver" mean?	someone who works very hard and is very enthusiastic	The young girl was an eager beaver and always came to class before the other students.

try one`s hand at (something) What does "try one`s hand at (something)" mean?	to make an inexperienced attempt at something, to try something	I tried my hand at golf last summer but I did not like it.
meal ticket What does "meal ticket" mean?	a thing or person that someone uses to get the money that they need to live	The woman's nursing degree is her meal ticket to a flexible and good life.
a dime a dozen What does "a dime a dozen" mean?	common, easy to get and of little value	Used books are a dime a dozen and it is dificult to sell them.
Bright as a button What does "Bright as a button" mean?	A person who is as bright as a button is very intelligent or smart.
rub out (someone or something) What does "rub out (someone or something)" mean?	to destroy something completely, to kill/eliminate someone	The government troops rubbed out the entire village.
keep one`s shirt on What does "keep one`s shirt on" mean?	to keep from losing one`s temper or from getting excited, to be calm or patient	"Keep your shirt on. You shouldn`t get so excited about such a small problem."

ugly duckling What does "ugly duckling" mean?	an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)	The girl was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is very beautiful.
in defiance of (someone or something) What does "in defiance of (someone or something)" mean?	in resistence to someone or someone's orders	The union was in defiance of the court order and was given a large fine.
party What does "party" mean?	throw or have a party; celebrate
bed-hop What does "bed-hop" mean?	have sexual relations with many people; sleep around
Room to swing a cat What does "Room to swing a cat" mean?	A confined space.	This bedroom doesn't even have enough room to swing a cat. This colorful phrase evokes strange images of feline cruelty. In fact it has nothing to do with cats, but the real story is at least as cruel. The "cat" is a cat-of-nine-tails, a type of whip used to discipline sailors on old sailing ships. The cat-of-nine-tails has one handle to which is attached nine thin strips of leather, each perhaps three feet long. The cat-of-nine-tails would be used to administer lashings that would sting and leave welts on the recipient. The whippings would take place on the deck, because below deck there was not enough ceiling height to swing a cat-of-nine-tails.

American Idioms and Expressions

Black And Blue Idiom