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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of one mind
What does of one mind mean? | to have the same opinion about something, to agree on something with someone else | The finance committee was of one mind when they made this year's budget.
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of one mind
What does of one mind mean? | to have the same opinion about something, to agree on something with someone else |
The finance committee was of one mind when they made this year's budget.
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Some Random Idioms
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every so often
What does "every so often" mean? | occasionally |
You should stand up every so often when you are on a long plane trip.
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at the end of one`s rope
What does "at the end of one`s rope" mean? | to be at the limit of one`s ability to cope | I am at the end of my rope about what to do about my current situation at work.
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talk (something) over
What does "talk (something) over" mean? | to discuss something | "You had better talk over your plans with your parents before you decide what to do."
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Clean bill of health
What does "Clean bill of health" mean? | To be found healthy. | I visited the doctor today and was given a clean bill of health.
This widely used term has its origins in the "Bill of Health", a document issued to a ship showing that the port it sailed from suffered from no epidemic or infection at the time of departure. |
tuck into (something)
What does "tuck into (something)" mean? | to eat something with hunger and enjoyment | I tucked into the meal as soon as I sat down at the table.
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button one's lip
What does "button one's lip" mean? | to become quiet | I decided to button my lip rather than give my opinion of our supervisor.
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Reading the riot act
What does "Reading the riot act" mean? | To complain or lecture loudly and with angry emotion.
| Upset about his neighbors load music at 3:00 am, Davis knocked on the door and proceeded to read the riot act.
"Reading the riot act" used to be a literal event. Bobbies in Britain used to read a prescribed proclamation, known as the Riot Act, before they could break up or arrest a crowd. The Riot Act is used in a fashion similar to the Miranda Rights in the US.
The Bobbies would approach the crowd, read the Riot Act aloud, and then disperse or arrest them. |
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iron fist in a velvet glove
What does "iron fist in a velvet glove" mean? | kind and gentle on the outside but determined and ruthless on the inside | The government committee used an iron fist in a velvet glove to get the information that they wanted.
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rip-off
What does "rip-off" mean? | con; deception |
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beyond measure
What does "beyond measure" mean? | to be more than can be measured | The man's love for his city was beyond measure.
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dog-eat-dog
What does "dog-eat-dog" mean? | to be ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what you want |
It is a dog-eat-dog world in the advertising and public relations business.
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Dead as a door nail
What does "Dead as a door nail" mean? | To be dead, with no chance for recovery. | You might as well junk that car, the engine is dead as a door nail.
Nails were once hand tooled and costly. When an aging cabin or barn was torn down the valuable nails would be salvaged so they could be reused in later construction.
When building a door however, carpenters often drove the nail through then bent it over the other end so it couldn't work its way out during the repeated opening and closing of the door. When it came time to salvage the building, these door nails were considered useless, or "dead" because of the way they were bent. |