Under The Hammer Idiom American Expressions and American Idioms

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. .

under the hammer What does under the hammer mean?	up for sale at an auction	The painting went under the hammer and sold for a very high price.
under the hammer What does under the hammer mean?	for sale at an auction	The painting went under the hammer and it sold for a very high price.
	Some Random Idioms
on credit What does "on credit" mean?	without paying cash	We usually buy most of our furniture on credit.
eating someone What does "eating someone" mean?	to be bothering or worrying someone	I do not know what is eating my friend but she is not in a good mood today.
be broke What does "be broke" mean?	be without money.	"No, I can't lend you ten dollars. I'mcompletely broke until payday."
tap out What does "tap out" mean?	lose all one's money (often through gambling)
carry the day What does "carry the day" mean?	to win complete support	The manager's new idea carried the day and everyone supported him with enthusiasm.
a tin ear for (something) What does "a tin ear for (something)" mean?	the inability to judge the value of music, an insensitivity to music	The woman has a tin ear for music and she is not a good singer at all.
be dealt a bad hand/deal someone a bad hand What does "be dealt a bad hand/deal someone a bad hand" mean?	receive or give someone bad cards in a card game, receive disadvantages in something	receive or give someone bad cards in a card game, receive disadvantages in something The boy was dealt a bad hand when he was a child and always was at a disadvantage in his life.

ride herd on (someone) What does "ride herd on (someone)" mean?	to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a herd of cattle)	The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that they can finish the job quickly.
break the bank What does "break the bank" mean?	to win all the money at a casino gambling table, to use all of one's money	The man broke the bank at the casino and walked away with a lot of money.
player What does "player" mean?	person who is sexually active or promiscuous
lay one's hands on (someone or something) What does "lay one's hands on (someone or something)" mean?	to find someone or something (that may be difficult to find)	If I can lay my hands on a screwdriver I will fix the broken table.
draw up an agreement/contract What does "draw up an agreement/contract" mean?	put something into writing, prepare a written statement	I spent several hours with my lawyer trying to draw up an agreement to buy the small business.

American Idioms and Expressions

Under The Hammer Idiom