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.
.
pluck up one's courage
What does pluck up one's courage mean? | to make oneself have courage | He plucked up his courage and went over to ask the woman for a date.
|
|
Some Random Idioms
| |
to pieces
What does "to pieces" mean? | very much, greatly | The man loves his little girl to pieces.
|
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. |
Wide berth
What does "Wide berth" mean? | If you give someone a wide berth, you keep yourself well away from them because they are dangerous. |
|
pay attention to (someone or something)
What does "pay attention to (someone or something)" mean? | to look at something with full attention, to listen to someone with full attention | The man never pays attention to what his supervisor tells him.
|
in the right
What does "in the right" mean? | on the legal or moral side of an issue, not guilty | I believed that I was in the right so I decided to take the case to court.
|
as well as
What does "as well as" mean? | in addition to | "Please bring your swimming suit as well as your towel."
|
|
| |
go bananas
What does "go bananas" mean? | to become highly excited, to behave in a crazy way | The boy's girlfriend went bananas when he forgot to buy her a birthday present.
|
smile on (someone or something)
What does "smile on (someone or something)" mean? | to be favorable to someone or something | I think that the sky is smiling on the farmers in our area.
|
touch up (something)
What does "touch up (something)" mean? | to paint over small imperfections of something | I asked the repair shop to touch up several places on my car where the paint was scratched.
|