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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keep up appearances
What does keep up appearances mean? | keep an outward show of prosperity or good behavior | He is trying to keep up appearances even though he has lost his job.
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keep up appearances
What does keep up appearances mean? | to keep an outward show of prosperity or good behavior |
The man is trying to keep up appearances even though he has lost his job.
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Some Random Idioms
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Saigon moment
What does "Saigon moment" mean? | A Saigon moment is when people realise that something has gone wrong and that they will lose or fail. |
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bail out (someone or something) or bail (someone or something) out
What does "bail out (someone or something) or bail (someone or something) out" mean? | to help or rescue someone or something |
The government decided to bail out the troubled bank.
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pay one's last respects
What does "pay one's last respects" mean? | to attend the funeral of someone | Our family gathered to pay their last respects to our grandmother.
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fly in the ointment
What does "fly in the ointment" mean? | a small thing that spoils one's enjoyment of something | The problem with the music was a fly in the ointment during the wedding ceremony.
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jump through a hoop
What does "jump through a hoop" mean? | do whatever one is told to do, obey any order | He is always ready to jump through a hoop for his boss so he is not very popular with the other employees.
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name (someone) after (someone or something)
What does "name (someone) after (someone or something)" mean? | to give someone the name of another person/place/thing | My cousin was named after his mother`s grandfather.
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Many a True Word is spoken in Jest.
What does "Many a True Word is spoken in Jest." mean? | A humorous, joking remark may hide a profound
insight or a serious criticism. An unintended comment may turn out to be true. | "You know Shirley, you might as well rub those cinnamon rolls directly on to your hips. That is where they're going to end up anyway." "Well Fred, many a true word is spoken in jest, but my hips are really none of your business."
In trying to be funny many people will relay on sarcasm. The most poignant (and often cutting, or hurtful) sarcasm is founded in truth. It is often determental to a relationship to pick on someone in front of others even if you are basically telling the truth. Conversely, if you are being picked on in jest, you can often get a true picture of how others view you and know then what to work on. The meaning behind this saying was used as early as in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," in which the cook says, "A man may seye full soothe in game and pley." Later, at the end of the sixteenth century, a Scottish saying was, "There are many sooth words spoken in bourding," and both French and Italian have equivalent sayings. |
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best bud
What does "best bud" mean? | a close friend |
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be laid up
What does "be laid up" mean? | be confined to bed or unfit for work | He has been laid up for a few days because of a cold.
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what with
What does "what with" mean? | because, as a result of | We wanted to go away for a holiday but what with moving to a new house we are too busy to go anywhere.
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bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
What does "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed" mean? | to be very cheerful and eager (like a squirrel with bright eyes and a bushy tail) | The children were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they got up in the morning.
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clip (someone`s) wings
What does "clip (someone`s) wings" mean? | to limit or hold someone back, to bring someone under control | We plan to clip the supervisor's wings as he is becoming too aggressive when dealing with other people.
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