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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tongue-in-cheek
What does tongue-in-cheek mean? | insincere, joking | The speaker made several tongue-in-cheek remarks about the politician.
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tongue in cheek
What does tongue in cheek mean? | jokingly, insincerely, mockingly, not really meaning something | The remark was made tongue in cheek and the man did not mean it.
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tongue in cheek
What does tongue in cheek mean? | jokingly, insincerely, mockingly, not really meaning something | The comment by our teacher was tongue in cheek and she did not mean it.
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tongue in cheek
What does tongue in cheek mean? | jokingly, insincerely, mockingly, not really meaning something |
The remark was made tongue in cheek and the man did not mean it.
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tongue in cheek
What does tongue in cheek mean? | jokingly, insincerely, mockingly, not really meaning something |
The comment by our teacher was tongue in cheek and she did not mean it.
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tongue-in-cheek
What does tongue-in-cheek mean? | insincere, joking |
The speaker made several tongue-in-cheek remarks about the politician.
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Some Random Idioms
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Take for granted
What does "Take for granted" mean? | If you take something for granted, you don't worry or think about it because you assume you will always have it. If you take someone for granted, you don't show your appreciation to them. |
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school of thought
What does "school of thought" mean? | a particular way or a philosophy of thinking about something | There are many schools of thought related to the different ways to learn a foreign language.
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have one's eye on (someone or something)
What does "have one's eye on (someone or something)" mean? | to watch someone or something carefully, to take care of someone or something |
The woman had her eye on her baby as she talked on the telephone.
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as red as a cherry
What does "as red as a cherry" mean? | bright red |
My new sweater is as red as a cherry.
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one's flesh and blood
What does "one's flesh and blood" mean? | a close relative |
The girl is my flesh and blood so I felt terrible when she got into trouble.
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dirty one`s hands
What does "dirty one`s hands" mean? | to hurt one's character or reputation, to do a bad or shameful thing |
The politician dirtied his hands when he became involved in the land scandal.
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go to bat for someone
What does "go to bat for someone" mean? | support or help someone (in baseball you sometines substitute
one batter for another) | support or help someone (in baseball you sometines substitute one batter for another)The young woman's teacher went to bat for her when she was having problems with the school administration.
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take (someone) for (someone or something)
What does "take (someone) for (someone or something)" mean? | to mistake someone for someone or something | The man took the boy for a robber and called the police.
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above and beyond
What does "above and beyond" mean? | to be more than is required |
The work that the man did on our house was above and beyond what was required.
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Sky is the limit
What does "Sky is the limit" mean? | When people say that the sky is the limit, they think that there are no limits to the possibilities something could have. |
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bird colonel
What does "bird colonel" mean? | full colonel, as opposed to a lieutenant colonel, which is one rank lower (in the U.S. Army) |
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a hung jury
What does "a hung jury" mean? | a jury that is divided and unable to agree on a verdict |
The trial ended in a hung jury which made another trial necessary.
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filled to the brim
What does "filled to the brim" mean? | to be filled up to the top edge (brim) of something |
The coffee cup was filled to the brim.
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