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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sting
What does sting mean? | operation to ensnare criminals. | In a brilliant sting operation, the police shut down a major drug smuggling operation.
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sting
What does sting mean? | capture and/or arrest somebody |
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sting
What does sting mean? | cheat; deceive; swindle |
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Some Random Idioms
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shoot oneself in the foot
What does "shoot oneself in the foot" mean? | to make a mistake or a stupid decision that makes a situation worse | The man shot himself in the foot when he refused to work the extra hours that his boss wanted him too.
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an open-and-shut case
What does "an open-and-shut case" mean? | a legal matter that is simple and uncomplicated |
It was an open-and-shut case after the lawyer presented the evidence to the judge.
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back out (of something)
What does "back out (of something)" mean? | to withdraw from an agreement or promise, to fail to fulfill a promise or obligation |
Our company backed out of the agreement with the foreign firm.
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cut short (something) or cut (something) short
What does "cut short (something) or cut (something) short" mean? | to make something shorter, to interrupt something |
The man had to cut short his speech.
We decided to cut short our holidays and come home early.
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Like no one's business
What does "Like no one's business" mean? | If I say my children are growing like no one's business, it means they're growing very quickly. See also 'Like the clappers' and 'Like there's no tomorrow'. |
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off the record
What does "off the record" mean? | to be not published or revealed, to be a secret | I told my boss off the record that I would probably not return after the summer holiday.
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on hand
What does "on hand" mean? | to be nearby, to be within reach | "Please keep your dictionary on hand in case you need to use it."
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never mind
What does "never mind" mean? | don`t worry, don`t bother | "If you don`t have time to pick up my laundry today, never mind, I will get it tomorrow."
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square away (something)
What does "square away (something)" mean? | to put something away or in order, to take care of something, to square the yards of a sailing vessel | "Have you squared away your plans for your holidays yet?"
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