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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play down (someone or something)
What does play down (someone or something) mean? | to give less emphasis to someone or something, to make someone or something seem less important | The politician played down the survey that showed that he was becoming less popular.
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Some Random Idioms
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smash hit
What does "smash hit" mean? | a very successful performance/song/play/movie | Many of the Star War movies were smash hits.
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have a heart
What does "have a heart" mean? | be generous and forgiving | The woman doesn't have a heart and everybody dislikes her.
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crack a book
What does "crack a book" mean? | to open a book to study |
I did not crack a book until the last week of classes.
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He'll rue the day
What does "He'll rue the day" mean? | He'll rue the day that he crossed me. This means that the person will one day bitterly regret what they have done. |
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A Burnt Child Dreads the Fire
What does "A Burnt Child Dreads the Fire" mean? | One does not repeat a painful lesson twice. | I've tried to get little Johnny to quit running and jumping on the furniture before he hurts himself, but only a burnt child dreads the fire.
Very similar in meaning to another proverb, "Once bitten, twice shy," today's proverb is an old one. It appeared in English literature as early as 1320, in "The Proverbs of Hendyng." Another proverb, which is similar, comes from the French: "A scalded dog fears cold water" carries an even stronger message; that those who have experienced a great deal of difficulty or pain will not only avoid it in the future, but will be afraid even where there is no cause.
Other languages also have like proverbs, such as, "One bitten by a serpent is afraid of a rope's end" (Jewish), "A man who has received a beating with a firebrand runs away at the sight of a firefly" (Singhalese), and "A dog which has been beaten with a stick fears its own shadow" (Italian). |
run up (something)
What does "run up (something)" mean? | to pull something up on a rope | We ran up the flag early this morning before the parade began.
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pokey
What does "pokey" mean? | slow; very slow |
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hard-pressed
What does "hard-pressed" mean? | burdened with urgent business | "I am hard-pressed for time. Can we meet later?"
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touch base with (someone)
What does "touch base with (someone)" mean? | to talk to someone, to meet someone briefly | I plan to touch base with my cousin before I go to the wedding next week.
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green
What does "green" mean? | inexperienced; without know-how |
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bog down
What does "bog down" mean? | to slow down and make no progress, to become stuck (a bog is an area of land that is wet and muddy - like a swamp) |
I quickly became bogged down with all of the work that I had to do.
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have money to burn
What does "have money to burn" mean? | to have very much money, to have more money than is needed | My aunt has money to burn and she is always travelling somewhere.
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