For Ages 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. .

for ages What does for ages mean?	for a very long time.	"Where's Marie? I haven't seen her for ages."
	Some Random Idioms
dress up What does "dress up" mean?	to wear one`s best clothes	I decided to dress up to go to dinner on Saturday night.

above board What does "above board" mean?	honest, not secret (originally players showed their honesty by keeping their hands above the board when playing a game)	honest, not secret (originally players showed their honesty by keeping their hands above the board when playing a game)The real estate agent was always above board when dealing with people who were trying to buy a house.
I may be daft, but I'm not stupid What does "I may be daft, but I'm not stupid" mean?	I might do or say silly things occasionally, but in this instance I know what I am doing (Usually used when someone questions your application of common-sense).
on a first-name basis (with someone) What does "on a first-name basis (with someone)" mean?	to be good friends with someone	I am not on a first-name basis with my neighbor.
red ink What does "red ink" mean?	debt (the red ink on a financial statement)	The automobile company has much red ink because of the bad economic conditions.
lesser of the two What does "lesser of the two" mean?	the smaller of two things, the one with the least amount	I ordered the food and when the two plates arrived I took the lesser of the two.
gunner What does "gunner" mean?	medical student working hard for high grades or evaluations
eat dirt What does "eat dirt" mean?	to act humble, to accept another person's insults or bad treatment	We made the boy eat dirt after he accused us of lying.
let sleeping dogs lie What does "let sleeping dogs lie" mean?	to not make trouble if you do not have to	You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss any questions about the dispute.
you can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs What does "you can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs" mean?	you cannot do something without causing some problems or having some effects	"You can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs and if you want to change the work schedules, then you are going to cause problems."
a loudmouth What does "a loudmouth" mean?	a noisy, boastful or foolish talker	He is a loudmouth and nobody likes him.
put (lay) one's cards on the table What does "put (lay) one's cards on the table" mean?	be open and honest about one's intentions or resources	be open and honest about one's intentions or resourcesI put my cards on the table and told my boss about my plans to return to school and study economics.

American Idioms and Expressions

For Ages Idiom