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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go away empty-handed
What does go away empty-handed mean? | to depart with nothing | The boy went away empty-handed after he asked his father for more money.
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go away empty-handed
What does go away empty-handed mean? | to depart with nothing | The woman went away empty-handed from the job interview.
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go away empty-handed
What does go away empty-handed mean? | to depart with nothing |
The woman went away empty-handed from the job interview.
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go away empty-handed
What does go away empty-handed mean? | to depart with nothing |
The boy went away empty-handed after he asked his father for money.
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Some Random Idioms
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big stink
What does "big stink" mean? | a scandal; a major issue. | Don't make a big stink out of such a small problem.
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wine and dine (someone)
What does "wine and dine (someone)" mean? | to treat someone to an expensive meal, to entertain someone in a lavish manner |
My uncle often has to wine and dine his important business clients.
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get a bang out of (someone or something)
What does "get a bang out of (someone or something)" mean? | to receive special pleasure from someone or something | My father gets a bang out of the funny birthday cards that we send him.
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boku
What does "boku" mean? | a lot; many (from the French beaucoup) |
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throw oneself at/on the mercy of the court
What does "throw oneself at/on the mercy of the court" mean? | to plead for mercy from a judge in a courtroom | The man who robbed the bank decided to throw himself at the mercy of the court.
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Jobs for the boys
What does "Jobs for the boys" mean? | Where people give jobs, contracts, etc, to their friends and associates, these are jobs for the boys. |
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honor a check
What does "honor a check" mean? | accept someone's personal check | The store refused to honor the check that I tried to give them.
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Back handed compliment
What does "Back handed compliment" mean? | A compliment that also insults or puts down at the
same time. | They gave me a backhanded compliment when they said I was smart for a girl.
Back-handed is synonymous with left-handed. For example in tennis, a backhand stroke is a strike by a right-handed player from the left side of the body.
The left side of the body has always been deemed sinister. The Latin word for left is sinister. Hence, back-handed means round-about, indirect, or devious. |
break down
What does "break down" mean? | to fail, to stop | The negotiations broke down last night when both sides refused to compromise.
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