English Idiom Flashcards
(164 cards)
1
Q
An axe to grind
A
Selfish reason
2
Q
Old head on young shoulder
A
Child thinks like experienced person
3
Q
Apple pie order
A
In good condition
4
Q
At a loss
A
Unable to decide
5
Q
At a pinch
A
In a trouble
6
Q
At arms length
A
Avoid becoming too friendly
7
Q
At daggers drawn
A
Bitter enmity
8
Q
At ones wits end
A
Puzzled and confused
9
Q
At sixes and seven
A
Disorder
10
Q
Cry for the moon
A
To desire the unattainable
11
Q
Cut a sorry figure
A
To give a poor show
12
Q
Cut both ways
A
Argue in favour of both sides
13
Q
Cut no ice
A
To fail to make an impression
14
Q
Dark horse
A
One who wins unexpectedly
15
Q
Dead letter
A
Law no longer enforced
16
Q
Democles Sword
A
Constant threat
17
Q
Die in harness
A
Die while in service
18
Q
Dog in manger
A
Person who prevents others from enjoying what he cannot
19
Q
Donkeys years
A
A long time
20
Q
Duck in thunderstorm
A
In painful condition
21
Q
Eagle eyed
A
With keen eyesight
22
Q
Eat humble pie
A
To apologize
23
Q
Elbow room
A
Sufficient scope to move
24
Q
Escape ones lips
A
Speak unintentionally
25
Fabian policy
Slow policy or delaying action
26
Fair sex
Women
27
Feather ones nest
Enrich oneself by taking advantage of ones position
28
Fight shy of
Attempt to avoid a thing or person
29
Fish in troubled waters
To take advantage of the problems of others
30
Fools paradise
Happy for foolish or unfounded reason
31
Forty winks
Nap
32
French leave
Leave without informing
33
Fringe benefits
Additional benefit from salary
34
Gala day
Celebration day
35
Get down to
To attend work seriously
36
Get on ones nerve
To annoy
37
Give a piece of mind
Rebuke
38
Go to dogs
Deteriorate
39
Grass widow
Divorced
40
Halcyon days
Peaceful
41
Hammer and sickle
Communism
42
Hammer and tongs
Great effort
43
Hand and glove with
Great cooperation
44
Haul over the coal
Reprimand
45
Have finger in pie
To be involved in something
46
Hen packed husband
Admirer to ones wife
47
High and dry
In deprived situation alone
48
Hobsons choice
No alternative
49
Hole and corner policy
Secret policy
50
Hue and cry
Loud public outcry
51
Hush money
Secret keeping money
52
In black and white
Printed form
53
In the blues
Depressed
54
In the nick of time
At last possible moment
55
In vogue
In the current fashions
56
Ins and outs
Intricacies or full detail
57
Itsy bitsy
Very small
58
Judas kiss
False love
59
Kangaroo court
Illegal court
60
Keep the wolf from door
Avert poverty
61
Left hand compliment
Insult disguised as compliment
62
Loaves and fishes
Material benefit
63
Look off colours
Look ill
64
Mad as March hare
Crazy and Insane
65
Lump in throat
Uncomfortable feeling due to emotions
66
Make a clean breast
Confess something illegal
67
Maiden speech
First speech
68
Maiden speech
First speech
69
Make a hash
Mess up
70
Man of straw
A weak person
71
Mares nest
False invention
72
Midas touch
Make business profitable
73
Midas touch
Make business profitable
74
Mince matters
Moderate or restrain language
75
Mind ones P and Q
Take care of behavior properly
76
Mind ones P and Q
Take care of behavior properly
77
Mother wit
Common sense
78
Mother wit
Common sense
79
Nig nag
Annoy with joke
80
Nig nag
Annoy with joke
81
Nine days wonder
Great interest for short time
82
Nine days wonder
Great interest for short time
83
Nip in the bud
Put an end to something in initial stage
84
Nurse a grudge
Resentment for long period
85
Nurse a grudge
Resentment for long period
86
Oily tongue
Flattering words
87
Oily tongue
Flattering words
88
Part and parcel
Inseparable part
89
Pay the piper
Bear the cost of something
90
Pay the piper
Bear the cost of something
91
Past master
Expert
92
Pay through his nose
Pay dearly
93
Penny wise pound foolish
Careful about trifles but wasteful in large ventures
94
Penny wise pound foolish
Careful about trifles but wasteful in large ventures
95
Play ducks and drakes
Waste money
96
Play ducks and drakes
Waste money
97
Play truant
Absent from duty
98
Pull the wool over somebody eyes
Mislead
99
Pull the wool over somebody eyes
Mislead
100
Put a spoke in wheel
Obstruct
101
Put a spoke in wheel
Obstruct
102
Put in cold storage
Keep work pending
103
Put in cold storage
Keep work pending
104
Put ones foot down
Act firmly
105
Put ones foot down
Act firmly
106
Put ones shoulder to the wheel
Work heavily
107
Put ones shoulder to the wheel
Work heavily
108
Rain cats and dogs
Rain heavily
109
Rain cats and dogs
Rain heavily
110
Rainy day
Financial need
111
Red letter day
Important happy occassion
112
Red tapism
Excessive paper work
113
Red tapism
Excessive paper work
114
Rest on ones laurel
Achievement from past
115
Rest on ones laurel
Achievement from past
116
Rock the boat
Disturb stable situation
117
Rock the boat
Disturb stable situation
118
Rolling stone
Restless person
119
Run in the same groove
Maintain sweet relationship
120
Run in the same groove
Maintain sweet relationship
121
Run of the mill
Common
122
Run the gauntlet
Go through unpleasant experience
123
See eye to eye
Agree
124
See eye to eye
Agree
125
See pink elephant
Hallucinations
126
Set at naught
To disregard or no importance
127
Set ones teeth on edge
Annoy irritate
128
Set ones teeth on edge
Annoy irritate
129
Set thames on fire
Achieve something amazing
130
Show white feather
Cowardice
131
Small fry
Insignificant person
132
Shake in the shoes
Tremble with fear
133
Sow the dragon teeth
Future trouble for others
134
Sow the dragon teeth
Future trouble for others
135
Spick and span
Neat and clean
136
Spick and span
Neat and clean
137
Steal a march
To obtain advantage by secret means
138
Steal a march
To obtain advantage by secret means
139
Stir a finger
Making effort
140
Stones throw
Very near
141
Stones throw
Very near
142
Street arabs
Very poor
143
Swan song
Farewell
144
Take away ones breath
Overwhelm with surprise
145
Take the bull by horns
Most dangerous ways of facing difficulty
146
Through thick and thin
In good and bad times
147
Through thick and thin
In good and bad times
148
Throw cold water upon
To discourage
149
Throw cold water upon
To discourage
150
Throw down the gauntlet
Challenge
151
Throw down the gauntlet
Challenge
152
Tooth and nail
Violent
153
Turn over new leaf
Entirely changed
154
Turn turtle
Overturn
155
Up ones sleeves
Item kept hidden
156
Wet blanket
One who spoils enjoyment
157
Wet blanket
One who spoils enjoyment
158
Wheels within wheel
Intricate connected events
159
Wheels within wheel
Intricate connected events
160
White elephant
Expensive no use
161
Will o wisp
Unreal
162
Will o wisp
Unreal
163
With a grain of salt
Accept with misgiving
164
Yeoman service
Excellent work
