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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grease
What does grease mean? | protection money paid to organized crime groups |
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Some Random Idioms
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bad-mouth (someone or something)
What does "bad-mouth (someone or something)" mean? | to say bad things about someone or something |
The supervisor has the habit of bad-mouthing her boss.
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play one's cards close to one's chest
What does "play one's cards close to one's chest" mean? | to negotiate in a careful and private manner |
I played my cards close to my chest when I went to talk to my supervisor about changing jobs.
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keyed up
What does "keyed up" mean? | excited, nervous | I was keyed up after we won the game and I couldn`t go to sleep.
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word of mouth
What does "word of mouth" mean? | passing information orally from one person to another | I heard about the new restaurant by word of mouth.
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in line
What does "in line" mean? | doing or being what people expect or accept, within ordinary limits | It was difficult to keep the children in line at the picnic but somehow we managed.
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hot under the collar
What does "hot under the collar" mean? | very angry | Our boss is hot under the collar today because three of the staff came late.
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good on ya, mate
What does "good on ya, mate" mean? |
idiom. well done; nicely done |
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Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
What does "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." mean? | Our feeling for those we love increases when we are
apart from them. | "Cheer up Dude, everybody knows that absence makes the heart grow fonder."
In 1604, Shakespeare echoed this sentiment in "Othello" (Act 1, scene ii), when Desdemona confessed, "I dote upon his very absence." James Howell, in "Familiar Letters" (1650) says that, "Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it."
There are other references to this proverb in literature, but it was originally the first line of an anonymous poem which appeared in Davison's "Poetical Rhapsody" in 1602. |
hunk of ass
What does "hunk of ass" mean? | potential partner for sex (usually a woman) |
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