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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rock the boat
What does rock the boat mean? | to upset the way things are | The woman is a very quiet worker and never likes to rock the boat at work.
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rock the boat
What does rock the boat mean? | to upset the way things are |
The woman is a very quiet worker and never likes to rock the boat.
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Some Random Idioms
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be over
What does "be over" mean? | be finished; end. | "I can't see you until around 4 o'clock. My meetingswon't be over until then."
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going rate
What does "going rate" mean? | the current rate | The going rate for used bicycles is not very much.
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put one's mind to (something)
What does "put one's mind to (something)" mean? | to give one's complete attention to something | I put my mind to making the party as successful as possible.
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hit (someone) below the belt
What does "hit (someone) below the belt" mean? | to do something in an unfair or cowardly way |
My friend was hitting below the belt when he criticized me after I told him my true feelings.
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bite one's nails
What does "bite one's nails" mean? | to be nervous or anxious about something |
The children were biting their nails as they waited for the test results.
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a bundle
What does "a bundle" mean? | : a lot of money. | A: "Your new car is really nice."B: "It should be. It cost me a bundle!"
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TIA
What does "TIA" mean? | thanks in advance |
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smoke and mirrors
What does "smoke and mirrors" mean? | deception and confusion | The accounting department used a system of smoke and mirrors to hide their illegal activities.
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a matter of record
What does "a matter of record" mean? | a fact or event that is kept officially as a legal record | It was a matter of record how much the mayor had spent on the foreign trip.
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Rings a Bell
What does "Rings a Bell" mean? | To sound familiar, to spark a memory. | I don't remember meeting him, but the name John Smith rings a bell.
Bells such as the type used in churches are large and loud. Their sound can be heard from a great distance. Bells sound a single, clear note so their sound is distinctive and not easily confused.
Before electric sirens and amplification systems, bells were a valuable means of signaling people and alerting of important events.
Further, accurate timepieces were not always as available as they are today. Bells were used to signal people of the start of events such as a church session, the start of school, or a celebration. The bells acted as a reminder of the start of the event for people who had an out of synch timepiece or no timepiece.
Someone would literally ring a bell as a reminder.
As an aside bells were later used on clocks to mark the hour. A large clock usually in the town square could be heard throughout the town. This clock acted as a master time reference for the town. The hourly bell ringing gave people an opportunity to synchronize their respective timepieces, and early watches required frequent adjustment. |
Could eat a horse
What does "Could eat a horse" mean? | If you are very hungry, you could eat a horse. |
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