Used To ( V) 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. .

	Some Random Idioms
bread and butter What does "bread and butter" mean?	one's income/job to buy the basic needs of life like food/shelter/clothing	The voters are worried about bread-and-butter issues like jobs and taxes.

blood, sweat and tears What does "blood, sweat and tears" mean?	signs of great personal effort	We put much blood, sweat and tears into building the small cabin.
fall from grace What does "fall from grace" mean?	to lose approval	The politician fell from grace with the public during the money scandal.
back to basics What does "back to basics" mean?	an approach in education which uses traditional ideas or methods that have been successful in the past	The teacher believed that back to basics was important in her classroom and the parents were happy with the results.
bad rap What does "bad rap" mean?	a false criminal accusation or conviction.	He's got a bad rap as a drug dealer, but it's not true.
swelled head What does "swelled head" mean?	a feeling that one is very important or more important than one really is	My sister has had a swelled head since she got her new job.

one heck/hell of a (someone or something) What does "one heck/hell of a (someone or something)" mean?	the emphasis that someone or something is very good or very bad	The man is one heck of a runner and he has won many races.
a brush with the law What does "a brush with the law" mean?	a brief encounter or experience with the police because of a crime	The man had a brush with the law when he was young but now he is totally honest.
Sell like hot cakes What does "Sell like hot cakes" mean?	If a product is selling very well, it is selling like hot cakes.
hammer What does "hammer" mean?	accelerator pedal in a vehicle
a game that two can play What does "a game that two can play" mean?	a good or bad strategy that two competing sides can both use	The insults from my friend are a game that two can play and if she wants to continue then I will too.

American Idioms and Expressions

Used To ( V) Idiom