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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out of luck
What does out of luck mean? | without good luck | I was out of luck and could not find the part for my computer printer at any local store.
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out of luck
What does out of luck mean? | without good luck |
I was out of luck and could not find the part for my computer printer at the store.
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Some Random Idioms
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teach one's grandmother to suck eggs
What does "teach one's grandmother to suck eggs" mean? | to try to tell someone with more knowledge than yourself how to do something | Showing the computer expert how to solve the computer problem was like teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.
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blow the lid off (something)
What does "blow the lid off (something)" mean? | to reveal something (often a wrongdoing) |
The government investigation blew the lid off the illegal activities.
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Man's man
What does "Man's man" mean? | A man's man is a man who does things enjoyed by men and is respected by other men. |
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nix
What does "nix" mean? | nothing; nothing at all |
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fall on hard times
What does "fall on hard times" mean? | to meet many troubles |
The town fell on hard times after the computer company moved to another town.
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as mad as a hornet
What does "as mad as a hornet" mean? | very angry, in a fighting mood |
Our boss was as mad as a hornet when he came to work this morning.
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until the cows come home
What does "until the cows come home" mean? | until very late, for a long time |
We can talk until the cows come home this evening.
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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. |
Each to their own
What does "Each to their own" mean? | Different people have different preferences.
In American English, 'Each to his own' is more common. |
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