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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to hand out (something)
What does to hand out (something) mean? | to give something of the same kind to several people | The teacher decided not to hand out the tests until everybody in the class stopped talking.
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Some Random Idioms
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waste one's breath
What does "waste one's breath" mean? | waste one's time talking, talk in vain | I think that I will be wasting my breath to try and ask my parents to use the car this weekend.
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on the alert (for someone or something)
What does "on the alert (for someone or something)" mean? | to be watchful and attentive for someone or something | The police are on the alert for the man who robbed the small store.
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in character
What does "in character" mean? | as usual, typical, in the way that a person usually behaves | Supporting the members of her staff is in character with the way our manager does business.
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Monday morning blues
What does "Monday morning blues" mean? | depressed feeling associated with the return to work on Monday after the weekend |
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brew a plot
What does "brew a plot" mean? | to make a plot | The generals in the small country were brewing a plot to take control of the government.
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play one's trump card
What does "play one's trump card" mean? | to use one's most powerful or effective strategy or device | I played my trump card when I told my boss that I would quit if I did not get an increase in salary.
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clip joint
What does "clip joint" mean? | a low-class business where people are cheated | The men went into a clip joint near the bus station and had to pay a lot of money.
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make believe
What does "make believe" mean? | act as if something is true although one knows that it is not, pretend | The children were playing make believe and pretended that they lived in a castle.
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Knock the pins from under someone
What does "Knock the pins from under someone" mean? | If someone knocks the pins from under you, they let you down. |
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put (someone) through
What does "put (someone) through" mean? | to transfer someone to someone else's telephone | I phoned the credit card company and they quickly put me through to a supervisor.
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pooped
What does "pooped" mean? | tired; fatigued; exhausted |
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have one's hand in the till
What does "have one's hand in the till" mean? | to be stealing money from a company or organization | The sales clerk has had her hand in the till since she first started her job.
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pissed off
What does "pissed off" mean? | upset; angry |
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