Gray Area 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. .

gray area What does gray area mean?	something difficult to define or put into a particular category, something that is not clear	Some of the legal issues were in a gray area.
gray area What does gray area mean?	an area of a subject that is not clearly defined	Smoking outside of public buildings is a gray area that the smoking law does not deal with.
gray area What does gray area mean?	something difficult to define or put into a particular category, something that is not clear	Some of the legal issues were in a gray area.
gray area What does gray area mean?	an area of a subject that is not clearly defined	Smoking near public buildings is a gray area that the smoking law does not deal with.
	Some Random Idioms
make a clean breast of (something) What does "make a clean breast of (something)" mean?	confess something bad that you have done in order not to feel guilty/bad	The woman made a clean breast of things and worked hard to start over.
Wouldn't touch it with a bargepole What does "Wouldn't touch it with a bargepole" mean?	(UK) If you wouldn't touch something with a bargepole, you would not consider being involved under any circumstances. (In American English, people say they wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole)
put on one`s thinking cap What does "put on one`s thinking cap" mean?	to think hard and long about something	I will put on my thinking cap and try to find a solution to the problem by next week.
in some/many respects What does "in some/many respects" mean?	with regard to some or many details	In many respects our new house is much more convenient than our previous one.
figure out (someone or something) What does "figure out (someone or something)" mean?	to try to understand someone or something, to solve something	I finally figured out how to use the new DVD recorder.
do an about-face What does "do an about-face" mean?	to suddenly reverse one's opinion	We did an about-face on our decision to permit drinking coffee in the library.
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 the car stopped working.

try (out) one's wings What does "try (out) one's wings" mean?	to try to do something that one has recently become qualified to do	I am planning to try out my wings with my roller blades on Saturday.
a pay-off What does "a pay-off" mean?	the results of one`s work, a bribe	The young man expects to get a big pay-off from his university education when he begins to look for a job.
Fall off the turnip truck What does "Fall off the turnip truck" mean?	If someone has just fallen off the turnip truck, they are uninformed, naive and gullible. (Often used in the negative)
GI What does "GI" mean?	Government Issue - stamped on US military equipment and often means US soldier	Government Issue - stamped on US military equipment and often means US soldierThe man went to the store and bought a GI Joe doll for his son.
cannot see one's hand in front of one's face What does "cannot see one's hand in front of one's face" mean?	to be unable to see very far (usually because of darkness or fog)	I could not see my hands in front of my face because of the heavy rain.

American Idioms and Expressions

Gray Area Idiom