Call Someone Names 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. .

call (someone) names What does call (someone) names mean?	to call a person unpleasant names	The children began to call the new student names.
	Some Random Idioms
hoi polloi What does "hoi polloi" mean?	common people; everyday people

pay off a debt What does "pay off a debt" mean?	to finish paying back the money that one has borrowed from a bank or business or person	I am working hard to pay off my debt to the store.
build castles in the air/in Spain What does "build castles in the air/in Spain" mean?	to make plans that are impossible	The girl is always building castles in the air and none of her plans have any chance to succeed.
come to a standstill What does "come to a standstill" mean?	to stop	The circus came to a standstill when the elephant escaped from his cage.
turn on a dime What does "turn on a dime" mean?	to change one's plans or orientation	I did not take the job in the other city because my life cannot turn on a dime.
rat out on (someone) What does "rat out on (someone)" mean?	to desert or betray someone, to leave someone at a critical time	The boy's friend ratted out on him and refused to support him in his fight with the neighborhood bully.
heavy What does "heavy" mean?	serious; important; significant

straight What does "straight" mean?	heterosexual as opposed to homosexual or bisexual
give (someone) a run for their money What does "give (someone) a run for their money" mean?	to give someone a challenge, to give someone what they deserve	The young candidate for the city park board gave the more experienced candidates a run for their money during the election.
a fly in the ointment What does "a fly in the ointment" mean?	a small thing that spoils one's enjoyment of something	The problem with the music was a fly in the ointment during the wedding ceremony.
Bandit territory What does "Bandit territory" mean?	An area or an industry, profession, etc, where rules and laws are ignored or flouted is bandit territory.

American Idioms and Expressions

Call Someone Names Idiom