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.
.
take the Fifth
What does take the Fifth mean? | to hide behind the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution which guarantees any witness the right not to incriminate himself or herself while testifying at a trial | The man decided to take the Fifth rather than tell all of the facts at the trial.
|
take the Fifth
What does take the Fifth mean? | in the United States a witness at a trial has the right to refuse to incriminate him or herself because of the protection of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States | The business executive decided to take the Fifth rather than give testimony at the trial.
|
take the Fifth
What does take the Fifth mean? | to refuse to incriminate oneself because of the protection of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States (in the U.S. a witness at a trial has this right) |
The business executive decided to take the Fifth rather than give testimony at the trial.
|
take the Fifth
What does take the Fifth mean? | to hide behind the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution which guarantees any witness the right not to incriminate himself or herself while testifying at a trial |
The man decided to take the Fifth rather than tell all of the facts at the trial.
|
|
Some Random Idioms
| |
a hand-out
What does "a hand-out" mean? | a gift (usually from the government) | The government stopped giving hand-outs to the university students because they had no money.
|
|
| |
burst into tears
What does "burst into tears" mean? | to begin to cry suddenly |
The parents burst into tears of happiness when their daughter graduated.
|
Abject lesson
What does "Abject lesson" mean? | (India) An abject lesson serves as a warning to others.
(In some varieties of English 'object lesson' is used.) |
|
(I/you/he) for one
What does "(I/you/he) for one" mean? | as one example, even if the only one | I for one do not believe that our boss will change the company policy related to new staff.
|
Cut off your nose to spite your face
What does "Cut off your nose to spite your face" mean? | If you cut off your nose to spite your face, you do something rash or silly that ends up making things worse for you, often because you are angry or upset. |
|
a rolling stone gathers no moss
What does "a rolling stone gathers no moss" mean? | someone who often changes jobs or where they live does not build roots/wealth/success | The musician proves that a rolling stone gathers no moss. He moves from town to town and has lived in almost fifty different places during his lifetime.
|
one's goose is cooked
What does "one's goose is cooked" mean? | one has been discovered to have done something wrong and he or she is now in trouble | My goose is cooked. Soon my friend will discover that I lost her bicycle.
|
all day long
What does "all day long" mean? | the whole day |
The girl was happy to wait all day long for the mail to arrive.
|
keep one`s head
What does "keep one`s head" mean? | to stay calm when there is trouble or danger | Everyone tried to keep their head during the fire at the hotel.
|
mope around
What does "mope around" mean? | go about in a depressed state | The boy was forced to stay home and spent the morning moping around the house.
|