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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clue (someone) in
What does clue (someone) in mean? | to inform someone about something | We tried to clue the principal in about why the students were absent.
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Some Random Idioms
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Not worth a tinker's dam
What does "Not worth a tinker's dam" mean? | This means that something is worthless and dates back to when someone would travel around the countryside repairing things such as a kitchen pot with a hole in it. He was called a 'tinker'. His dam was used to stop the flow of soldering material being used to close the hole. Of course his 'trade' is passé, thus his dam is worth nothing. |
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come to terms
What does "come to terms" mean? | to reach an agreement | After negotiating all night the government and the company came to terms on an arrangement for the new water system.
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say "I do"
What does "say "I do"" mean? | get married (during a wedding ceremony it is common to say "I
do" when you agree to marry your partner) | get married (during a wedding ceremony it is common to say "I do" when you agree to marry your partner)He loved the woman very much and was hoping that she would say "I do" as soon as they could make the wedding arrangements.
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pay one's last respects
What does "pay one's last respects" mean? | to attend the funeral of someone | Our family gathered to pay their last respects to our grandmother.
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no shit
What does "no shit" mean? | an expression of disbelief or dismissal. | No shit! Did that really happen?
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lie in state
What does "lie in state" mean? | after death a famous person (usually a political leader) sometimes lies in a state of honor in an open coffin so the public can see his or her body | The President lay in state for three days after his death.
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hickey
What does "hickey" mean? | love bit; mark on skin from biting or sucking | My girlfriend gave me a huge hickey the other night...but it was worth it!
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Parrot fashion
What does "Parrot fashion" mean? | If you learn something parrot fashion, you learn it word for word. A parrot is a bird from South America that can talk. |
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red herring
What does "red herring" mean? | something that draws attention away from the matter that is under consideration | The issue of salary is a red herring and is not related to the main issues of the negotiations.
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lose ground
What does "lose ground" mean? | go backward, become weaker, not improve | The government has been losing ground in their fight against inflation.
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