Up Against 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. .

up against What does up against mean?	having trouble with	He came up against many problems when he went to university.
	Some Random Idioms
get out from under (someone or something) What does "get out from under (someone or something)" mean?	to escape from a situation that one does not like	I would like to get out from under my boss who is always watching my work.

move to (do something) What does "move to (do something)" mean?	to propose to do something (usually at a meeting)	I moved to have another meeting next week when we can discuss the problem.
stay put What does "stay put" mean?	to stay in one place, to not leave	We decided to stay put for our holidays rather than go away.
all set What does "all set" mean?	to be ready to begin, to be okay	We were all set so we began the meeting.
dump (something) on (someone) What does "dump (something) on (someone)" mean?	to give a large or excessive amount of something to someone	Our teacher dumped much homework on us yesterday.
against one's will What does "against one's will" mean?	to be without a person's consent or agreement	The police took the man to jail against his will.

earn one's keep What does "earn one's keep" mean?	to earn one's pay or a place to live by doing some work	I work hard in my uncle's garden in order to earn my keep when I stay with him.
a dark horse What does "a dark horse" mean?	a candidate who is little known to the general public	The candidate for mayor was a dark horse until he gave some good speeches on TV.
be the death of (someone) What does "be the death of (someone)" mean?	to be the ruin or downfall or death of someone (often used for some kind of problem)	The woman said that her young son's bad behavior would be the death of her.
a peeping Tom What does "a peeping Tom" mean?	someone who looks into someone's window (usually a woman) and watches them	There were several reports of a peeping Tom near our apartment building.
cook the books What does "cook the books" mean?	to cheat in bookkeeping	The accountant was fired when someone discovered that he was cooking the books.

American Idioms and Expressions

Up Against Idiom