American Idioms

Front 1

Odd man out

Back 1

An unusual or atypical person (or thing). ex. "In a high school where everyone was tough, I was the odd man out."

Front 2

Off-color

Back 2

Rude. Vulgar.

Front 3

Off-duty

Back 3

Not working at one's job. ex. "the policeman couldn't help me because he was off-duty."

Front 4

Off the air

Back 4

No longer on TV (or the radio). ex. "They took that show off the air in November because nobody watched it."

Front 5

Off the hook

Back 5

No longer having to do something, no longer blamed or under suspicion. ex. "Ok, you're off the hook. Your brother says he'll clean the bathroom."

Front 6

Off the record

Back 6

Unofficially.

Front 7

About time

Back 7

Nearly time, high time. "It's about time you bought a new car!"

Front 8

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Back 8

Proverb that means that our feeling for those we love increases when we are apart from them.

Front 9

(To) act high and mighty

Back 9

To act proudly and arrogantly.

Front 10

Actions speak louder than words

Back 10

Proverb meaning that's it's better to do something about a problem than to talk about it.

Front 11

(To) act one's age

Back 11

To behave in a more mature way. Frequently said to a child or teen. ex. "Bill, stop throwing rocks! Act your age!"

Front 12

(To) add fuel to the fire

Back 12

To make a bad problem even worse.

Front 13

(To) add insult to injury

Back 13

To make a bad situation even worse.

Front 14

Against the clock

Back 14

To attempt to do something "against the clock" is to attempt to do something as fast as possible usually before a deadline.

Front 15

All-out

Back 15

Complete. Very strong. "They did an all-out search for the missing boy and they found him."

Front 16

All set

Back 16

Ready (to go). "All set?"

Front 17

All thumbs

Back 17

Awkward. Clumsy.

Front 18

A little bird told me

Back 18

When someone says "a little bird told me" it means they don't want you to know who told them.

Front 19

All in a day's work

Back 19

Typical. Normal. Expected. ex. "Talking to famous celebrities is all in a day's work for some Hollywood reporters."

Front 20

(From) all walks of life

Back 20

(From) all social, economic, and ethnic groups. ex. "People from all walks of life voted for him, but he still lost the presidential election."

Front 21

Apple of someone's eye

Back 21

Someone's favorite person (and sometimes thing). ex. "Sarah was the apple of Tom's eye for quite a long time. He was very much in love with her."

Front 22

Armed to the teeth

Back 22

Heavily armed. ex. "The rebels were armed to the teeth."

Front 23

At all hours (of the night)

Back 23

Very late at night, throughout the night. ex. "Her boyfriend would call her at all hours of the night."

Front 24

At each other's throats

Back 24

Fighting or arguing heavily. ex. "They were at each other's throats. The arguments never stopped."

Front 25

At this stage

Back 25

At this point. ex. "At this stage, it's difficult to say who will win the election."

Front 26

(a) ball-park figure

Back 26

A rough estimate. "Can you give me a ball-park figure of what this project will cost?"

Front 27

(To get on the) bandwagon

Back 27

To begin to like something/start doing something because it's popular, "hip", or everyone else is doing it.

Front 28

(To) bank on something

Back 28

To count or rely on something.

Front 29

(To) bark up the wrong tree

Back 29

To ask the wrong person. To make the wrong choice. ex. "The gangster told the cops they were barking up the wrong tree in thinking he was responsible for the robbery."

Front 30

(A) basket-case

Back 30

A very nervous person, someone at the verge of being neurotic. ex. "All the stress from the divorce turned John into a basket case."

Front 31

(To) be a fan of someone/ something

Back 31

To like, idolize, admire someone/ or something. ex. "I'm not a big fan of heavy metal music."

Front 32

(To) be in one's element

Back 32

To be completely comfortable doing something; To do something that comes very naturally to someone. ex. "When it comes to speaking in public, the Senator is in his element."

Front 33

(To) be up to no good

Back 33

To be planning something bad, mischievous, etc. ex. "I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was up to no good."

Front 34

(To) beat around the bush

Back 34

To avoid getting to the point. ex. "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think."

Front 35

(To) beg to differ

Back 35

A polite way of saying "to disagree", most often heard in the phrase "I beg to differ!"

Front 36

Behind (someone)

Back 36

In the past. "I used to smoke, drink, and take drugs, but all that is behind me now."

Front 37

Believe it or not

Back 37

Used at the beginning sentence to state that something is true whether one chooses to believe it or not. ex. "Believe it or not, I still care for her."

Front 38

Big fish in a little sea

Back 38

A person who's famous/ well-known but only in an unimportant place (city or area).

Front 39

(To have a) big mouth

Back 39

To not be able to keep a secret. ex. "Don't tell her anything. She's got a really big mouth."

Front 40

Big-shot (noun/adjective)

Back 40

An important person. ex. "All the big-shots at headquarters never listen to what we have to say."; "A big-shot reporter."

Front 41

(A) Bimbo

Back 41

A foolish/empty girl. The term "male bimbo" is also used. ex. "John only talks about his car and his clothes - he's a real male bimbo."

Front 42

(The) birds and the bees

Back 42

Sex. Human reproduction. ex. "It's about time I talked to my son about the birds and the bees."

Front 43

(A) bite to eat

Back 43

A snack, some food. ex. "Let's go grab a bite to eat before we go to the game."

Front 44

(To) bite the hand that feeds you

Back 44

To do harm to someone who helps you.

Front 45

(To) bite one's tongue

Back 45

To struggle not to say something that you want to say. ex. "I wanted to tell her everything, but I had to bite my tongue because I had promised Bill I would not (tell her)."

Front 46

Black sheep (of the family)

Back 46

The worst, least accepted member of a family.

Front 47

(A) Blast

Back 47

A great time. A fun time. "We had a blast at the party last night."

Front 48

(To) blow someone's cover

Back 48

To reveal someone's secret, or true identity. ex. "The spy was very careful not to blow her cover."

Front 49

(To) break even

Back 49

To neither win nor lose. ex. "Michael thought he would lose $200, but he ended up breaking even."

Front 50

(To) break new ground

Back 50

To do something that hasn't been done before. To innovate. ex. "Dr. Davis was breaking new ground in cancer research."

Front 51

(To) break someone's heart

Back 51

To cause someone (strong) emotional pain. ex. "Fiona broke James' heart when she refused to marry him."

Front 52

(To) break the news to someone/ to break "it" to someone

Back 52

To tell someone some important news, usually bad news. ex. "I hate to be the one to break it to you, but your wife has been cheating on you."

Front 53

(To) burst into tears

Back 53

To start crying suddenly.