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Common Idioms
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235
Speech-Language Pathology
9th Grade
01/05/2015
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Term
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
 Definition
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.
Term
A blessing in disguise
 Definition
Something good that isn't recognized at first.
Term
A chip on your shoulder
 Definition
Being upset for something that happened in the past.
Term
A dime a dozen
 Definition
Anything that is common and easy to get.
Term
A doubting Thomas
 Definition
A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something.
Term
A drop in the bucket
 Definition
A very small part of something big or whole.
Term
A fool and his monet are easily parted
 Definition
It's easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money.
Term
A house divided against itself cannot stand
 Definition
Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.
Term
A leopard can't change his spots
 Definition
You cannot change who you are.
Term
A penny saved is a penny earned
 Definition
By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).
Term
A picture paints a thousand words
 Definition
A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
Term
A piece of cake
 Definition
A task that can be accomplished very easily.
Term
A slap on the wrist
 Definition
A very mild punishment.
Term
A taste of your own medicine
 Definition
When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.
Term
A toss-up
 Definition
A result that is still unclear and can go either way.
Term
Actions speak louder than words
 Definition
It's better to actually do something than just talk about it.
Term
Add fuel to the fire
 Definition
Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is.
Term
Against the clock
 Definition
Rushed and short on time.
Term
All bark and no bite
 Definition
When someone is threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight.
Term
All Greek to me
 Definition
Meaningless and incomprehendsible like someone who cannot read, speak, or understand any of the Greek language would be.
Term
All in the same boat
 Definition
When everyone is facing the same challenges.
Term
An arm and a leg
 Definition
Very expensive. A large amount of money.
Term
An axe to grind
 Definition
To have a dispute with someone.
Term
Apple of my eye
 Definition
Someone who is cherished above all others.
Term
As high as a kite
 Definition
Anything that is high up in the sky.
Term
At the drop of a hat
 Definition
Willing to do something immediately.
Term
Back seat driver
 Definition
People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice from the back seat of a vehicle to the driver.
Term
Back to square one
 Definition
Having to start all over again.
Term
Back to the drawing board
 Definition
When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.
Term
Baker's dozen
 Definition
Thirteen.
Term
Barking up the wrong tree
 Definition
A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.
Term
Beat a dead horse
 Definition
To force an issue that has already ended.
Term
Beating around the bush
 Definition
Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.
Term
Bend over backwards
 Definition
Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything.
Term
Between a rock and a hard place
 Definition
Stuck between two very bad options.
Term
Bite off more than you can chew
 Definition
To take on a task that is way too big.
Term
Bite your tongue
 Definition
To avoid talking.
Term
Blood is thicker than water
 Definition
The family bond is closer than anything else.
Term
Blue moon
 Definition
A rare event or occurance.
Term
Break a leg
 Definition
A superstitious way to say 'good luck', but rather the opposite.
Term
Buy a lemon
 Definition
To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it away.
Term
Can't cut the mustard
 Definition
Some who isn't adequate enough to compete or participate.
Term
Cast iron stomach
 Definition
Someone who has no problems, complications, or ill effects with eating anything or drinking anything.
Term
Charley horse
 Definition
Stiffness in the leg / A leg cramp.
Term
Chew someone out
 Definition
Verbally scold someone.
Term
Chip on his shoulder
 Definition
Angry today about something in the past.
Term
Chow down
 Definition
To eat.
Term
Close but no cigar
 Definition
To be cert near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short.
Term
Cock and bull story
 Definition
An unbelievable tale.
Term
Come hell or high water
 Definition
Any difficult situation or obstacle.
Term
Crack someone up
 Definition
To make someone laugh.
Term
Cross your fingers
 Definition
To hope that something happens the way you want it to.
Term
Cry over spilt milk
 Definition
When you complain about a loss from the past.
Term
Cry wolf
 Definition
Intentionally raise a false alarm.
Term
Cup of Joe
 Definition
A cup of coffee.
Term
Curiously killed the cat
 Definition
Being inquisitive can lead you to a dangerous situation.
Term
Cut to the chase
 Definition
Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point.
Term
Dark horse
 Definition
One who was previously known and is now prominent.
Term
Dead Ringer
 Definition
100% identical. A duplicate.
Term
Devil's advocate
 Definition
Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the arguement. It can also mean one who presents a counter arguements for a position they do believe in, to another debater.
Term
Dog days of summer
 Definition
The hottest days of the summer season.
Term
Don't count your chickens before they hatch
 Definition
Don't rely on it until you're sure of it.
Term
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
 Definition
When someone gives you a gift, don't be ungrateful.
Term
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
 Definition
Do not put all your resources in one possibility.
Term
Doozy
 Definition
Something outstanding.
Term
Down to the wire
 Definition
Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.
Term
Drastic times call for drastic measures
 Definition
When you are extremely desperate, you need to take extreme desperate actions.
Term
Drink like a fish
 Definition
To drink very heavily.
Term
Drive someone up the wall
 Definition
To irritate and/or annoy very much.
Term
Dropping like flies
 Definition
A large number of people either falling ill or dying.
Term
Dry run
 Definition
Rehearsal
Term
Eighty six
 Definition
A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away.
Term
Everything but the kitchen stinks
 Definition
Almost everything and anything has been included.
Term
Excuse me French
 Definition
Please forgive me for cussing
Term
Feeding frenzy
 Definition
An aggressive attack on someone by a group.
Term
Field day
 Definition
An enjoyable day or circumstance.
Term
Finding your feet
 Definition
To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing something.
Term
Finger lickin' good
 Definition
A very tasty food or meal.
Term
Fixed in your ways
 Definition
Not willing or wanting to change form your normal way of doing something.
Term
Flash in the pan
 Definition
Something that shows potential or look promising are made of. or it can refer to someone's family.
Term
Flea market
 Definition
A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end.
Term
Flip the bird
 Definition
To raise your middle finger at someone.
Term
Foam at the mouth
 Definition
To be enraged and show it.
Term
Fools' gold
 Definition
Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold.
Term
French kiss
 Definition
An open mouth kiss where tongues touch.
Term
From rags to riches
 Definition
To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.
Term
Fuddy-duddy
 Definition
An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
Term
Full monty
 Definition
This idiom can mean either, "the whole thing" or "completely nude".
Term
Funny farm
 Definition
A mental institutional facility.
Term
Get down to brass tacks
 Definition
To become serious about something
Term
Get over it
 Definition
To move beyond something that is bothering you.
Term
Get up on the wrong side of the bed
 Definition
Someone who is having a horrible day.
Term
Get your walking papers
 Definition
Get fired from a job.
Term
Give him the sip
 Definition
To get away from. To escape.
Term
Go down like a lead balloon
 Definition
To be received badly by an audience.
Term
Go for broke
 Definition
To gamble everything you have.
Term
Go out on a limb
 Definition
Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.
Term
Go the extra mile
 Definition
Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.
Term
Good Samaritan
 Definition
Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation. and no thought of a reward.
Term
Graveyard shift
 Definition
Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of day when most other people are sleeping.
Term
Great minds think alike
 Definition
Intelligent people think lieke each other.
Term
Green room
 Definition
The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radio show.
Term
Gut feeling
 Definition
A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right.
Term
Haste makes waste
 Definition
Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.
Term
Hat trick
 Definition
When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sports, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.
Term
Have an axe to grind
 Definition
To have a dispute with someone.
Term
He lost his head
 Definition
Angry and overcome by emotions.
Term
Head over heels
 Definition
Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love.
Term
Hell in a handbasket
 Definition
Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster.
Term
High five
 Definition
Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture.
Term
High on the hog
 Definition
Living in Luxury.
Term
Hit the books
 Definition
To study, especially for a test or exam.
Term
Hit the hay
 Definition
Go to bed or go to sleep.
Term
Hit the nail on the head
 Definition
Do something exactly right or say something exactly right.
Term
Hit the sacks
 Definition
Go to bed or go to sleep.
Term
Hocus pocus
 Definition
In general, a term used in magic or trickery.
Term
Hold your horses
 Definition
Be patient.
Term
Icing on the cake
 Definition
When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have.
Term
Idle hands are the devil's tools
 Definition
You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.
Term
If it's not one thing, it's another
 Definition
When one thing goes wrong, then another, and another...
Term
In like flynn
 Definition
To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic.
Term
In the bag
 Definition
To have something secure.
Term
In the buff
 Definition
Nude.
Term
In the heat of the moment
 Definition
Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.
Term
In your face
 Definition
An aggressive and bold confrontation.
Term
It takes two to tango
 Definition
A two person conflict where both people are at fault.
Term
It's a small world
 Definition
You frequently see the same people in different places.
Term
Its anyone's call
 Definition

A competition where the overcome is difficult

to judge or predict.
Term
Ivy League
 Definition
Since 1954 the Ivy League has been the following universities: Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard.
Term
Jaywalk
 Definition
Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk.
Term
Joshing me
 Definition
Tricking me.
Term
Keep an eye on him
 Definition
You should carefully watch him.
Term
Keep body and souls together
 Definition
To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive.
Term
Keep your chin up
 Definition
To remain joyful in a tough situation.
Term
Kick the bucket
 Definition
Die.
Term
Kitty-corner
 Definition
Diagonally across. Sometimes called Catty-Corners as well.
Term
Knee Jerk Reaction
 Definition
A quick and automatic response.
Term
Knock on wood
 Definition
Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.
Term
Know the ropes
 Definition
To understand the details.
Term
Last but not least
 Definition
An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is no less important than those introduced before him/her.
Term
Lend me your ear
 Definition
To politely ask for someone's full attention.
Term
Let bygones be bygones
 Definition
To forget about a disagreement or arguement.
Term
Let sleeping dogs lie
 Definition
To avoid restarting a conflict.
Term
Let the cat out of the bag
 Definition
To share a secret that wasn't suppose to be shared.
Term
Level playing field
 Definition
A fair competition where no side has an advantage.
Term
Like a chicken with its head cut off
 Definition
To act in a frenzied manner.
Term
Liquor someone up
 Definition
To get someone drunk.
Term
Long in the tooth
 Definition
Old people (or horses)
Term
Loose cannon
 Definition
Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check.
Term
Make no bones about
 Definition
To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections.
Term
Method to my madness
 Definition
Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in teh end are done for a good reason.
Term
Mumbo Jumbo
 Definition
Nonsense or meaningless speech.
Term
Mum's the word
 Definition
To keep quiet. To say nothing.
Term
Nest egg
 Definition
Savings set aside for future use.
Term
Never bite the hand that feeds you
 Definition
Don't hurt anyone that helps you.
Term
New kid on the block
 Definition
Someone new to the group or area.
Term
New York minute
 Definition
A minute that seems to go by quickly, especially in a fast paced environment.
Term
No dice
 Definition
To not agree. To not accept a proposition.
Term
No room to swing a cat
 Definition
An unusually small or confined space.
Term
Not playing with a full deck
 Definition
Someone who lacks intelligence.
Term
Off the wrong foot
 Definition
Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.
Term
Off the hook
 Definition
No longer have to deal with a tough situation.
Term
Off the record
 Definition
Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed to him/her.
Term
On pins and needles
 Definition

Anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation

of something.
Term
On the fence
 Definition
Undecided.
Term
On the same page
 Definition
When multiple all agree on the same.
Term
Out of the blue
 Definition
Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.
Term
Out on a limb
 Definition
When someone puts themself in a risky situation.
Term
Out on the town
 Definition
To enjoy yourself by going out.
Term
Over my dead body
 Definition
When you absolutely will not allow something to happen.
Term
Over the top
 Definition
Very excessive.
Term
Pass the buck
 Definition
Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.
Term
Pedal to the medal
 Definition
To go full speed, especially while driving a vehicle.
Term
Peeping Tom
 Definition
Someone who observes people in the nude or sexually active people, mainly for his own gratification.
Term
Pick up your ears
 Definition
To listen very carefully.
Term
Pig in a poke
 Definition
A deal that is made without first examining it.
Term
Pig out
 Definition
To eat alot and eat it quickly.
Term
Pig down
 Definition
To shut-up or be quiet.
Term
Practice makes perfect
 Definition
By constantly practicing, you will become better.
Term
Pull the plug
 Definition
To stop something. To bring something to an end.
Term
Pulling your leg
 Definition
Tricking someone as a joke.
Term
Put a sock on it
 Definition
To tell noisy person or a group to be quiet.
Term
Queer the pitch
 Definition
Destroy or ruin a plan.
Term
Raincheck
 Definition
An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.
Term
Raining cats and dogs
 Definition
A very loud and noisy rain storm.
Term
Ring fencing
 Definition
Seperated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially project funds.
Term
Rise and shine
 Definition
Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.
Term
Rome was not built in one day
 Definition
If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time.
Term
Rule of thumb
 Definition
A rough estimate.
Term
Run out of steam
 Definition
To be completely out of energy.
Term
Saved by the bell
 Definition
Saved at the last possible moment.
Term
Scapegoat
 Definition
Someone else who takes the blame.
Term
Scot-free
 Definition
To escape and not have to pay.
Term
Sick as a dog
 Definition
To be very sick (with the flu or a cold).
Term
Sitting shotgun
 Definition
Riding on the front passenger seat of a car.
Term
Sixth sense
 Definition
A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead.
Term
Skid row
 Definition
The rundown area of a city where teh homeless and drug users live.
Term
Smell a rat
 Definition
To detect someone in the group is betraying the others.
Term
Smell something fishy
 Definition
Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.
Term
Son of a gun
 Definition
A scamp.
Term
Southpaw
 Definition
Someone who is left-handed.
Term
Splitting image
 Definition
The exact likeness or kind.
Term
Start from scratch
 Definition
To do it all over again from the beginning.
Term
The ball is in your court
 Definition
It is your decision this time.
Term
The best of both worlds
 Definition
There are two choices and you have them both.
Term
The bigger they are the harder they fall
 Definition
While the bigger and stronger opponent might be alot more difficult to beat, when you do they suffer a much bigger loss.
Term
The last straw
 Definition
When one small burden after another creates an unbearable situation, the last straw is the last small burden that one can take.
Term
The whole nine yards
 Definition
Everything. All of it.
Term
Third times a charm
 Definition
After no success the first two times, the third try is a lucky one.
Term
Tie the knot
 Definition
To get married.
Term
Til the cows come home
 Definition
A long time.
Term
To make a long story short
 Definition
Something someone would say during a long and boring in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn't shortened.
Term
To steal someone's thunder
 Definition
To take the credit for something someone else did.
Term
Tongue and cheek
 Definition
Humor, not to be taken serious.
Term
Turn a blind eye
 Definition
Refuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit.
Term
Twenty three skiddoo
 Definition
To be turned away.
Term
Under the weather
 Definition
Feeling ill or sick.
Term
Up a blind alley
 Definition
Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome.
Term
Use your loaf
 Definition
Use your head. Think smart.
Term
Van Gogh's ear for music
 Definition
Tone deaf.
Term
Variety is the spice of life
 Definition
The more experiences you try the more exciting life can be.
Term
Wag the dog
 Definition
A division away from something of greater importance.
Term
Water under the bridge
 Definition
Anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore.
Term
Wear your heart on your sleeve
 Definition
To openly and freely express your emotions.
Term
When it rains, it pours
 Definition
Since it rarely rains, when it does it will be a huge storm.
Term
When pigs fly
 Definition
Something that will never ever happen.
Term
Wild and woolly
 Definition
Uncultured and without laws.
Term
Wine and dine
 Definition
When somebody is treated to an expensive meal.
Term
Without a doubt
 Definition
For certain.
Term
X marks the spot
 Definition
A phrase that is said when someone finds something he/she has been looking for.
Term
You are what you eat
 Definition
In order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods.
Term
You can't judge a book by it's cover
 Definition
Decisions shouldn't be made primarely on appearance.
Term
You can't take it with you
 Definition
Enjoy what you have and not what you don't have, since when you die you cannot take things (such as money) with you.
Term
Your guess is as good as mine
 Definition
I have no idea.
Term
Zero tolerance
 Definition
No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked.
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