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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curl up and die
What does curl up and die mean? | to retreat and die | I wanted to curl up and die when I saw my old boyfriend at the party.
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curl up and die
What does curl up and die mean? | to retreat and die |
I wanted to curl up and die when I saw my old boyfriend at the party.
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Some Random Idioms
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white-tie event/affair
What does "white-tie event/affair" mean? | an event that requires guests to wear formal dress such as men wearing white bow ties with formal evening dress |
I attended a white-tie dinner in honor of the president of our university.
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downer
What does "downer" mean? | a disappointing, depressing event or situation |
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deem it to be necessary
What does "deem it to be necessary" mean? | to believe that something is necessary | The judge deemed it to be necessary to postpone the trial for a week.
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Cooking with gas
What does "Cooking with gas" mean? | To be working fast, proceeding rapidly. | After working with those old hand tools, power tools will make you feel like you are really cooking with gas.
Although common place today, gas stoves have not always been the norm. Gas stoves started to be available in the 1800's, and until that time wood stoves were the standard.
Now you're "cooking with gas" comes from an old advertisement for gas stoves. The phrase suggests that gas is faster, easier, cleaner, better than cooking with wood. |
cry out for (someone or something)
What does "cry out for (someone or something)" mean? | to need someone or something badly, to lack something |
The new room that we built cries out for new furniture.
The baby cried out for her mother.
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a fine how-do-you-do
What does "a fine how-do-you-do" mean? | a predicament |
We were in a fine how-do-you-do when our car stopped working.
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Off the chart
What does "Off the chart" mean? | If something goes off the chart, it far exceeds the normal standards, good or bad, for something. |
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done for
What does "done for" mean? | to be ruined/defeated/dying | I think that our team is done for this season.
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go against the grain
What does "go against the grain" mean? | to go against the natural direction or inclination of something | The man's unfriendly attitude goes against the grain of the usually friendly company.
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