BrainCan - idiom

come to jesus moment and come to jesus meeting

near-to-Jesus moment and near-to-Jesus assembly are two idioms that began as literal exhortations...

pie in the sky

Pie in the sky describes something that is falsely optimistic,a promise of something good happening...

swanning around and swanning about

Swanning around and swanning about are idioms that occupy a fairly recent origin. We will look at...

penny wise and pound foolish

Penny wise and pound silly is an idiom that may be older than you contemplate. We will watch at the...

pie hole

Pie hole is an moving term that originated in the United States,though it is related to a British...

ride shotgun and call shotgun

Ride shotgun and call shotgun are two American terms that have historical roots,yet are still in use...

learn the ropes and know the ropes

Learn the ropes and know the ropes are related idioms that acquire been around at least since the...

have a cow and have kittens

Have a cow and have kittens are two idioms that mean the same thing. We’ll look at the definition...

across the board

Across the board means applies to all categories,members or classes without exception. Across the...

salt of the earth

When someone is referred to as salt of the earth that person is solid,dependable, unpretentious, and...

on one s high horse

To be on one’s high horse is an idiom that goes back to the 1780s. We will look at the meaning of...

go big or go home

recede huge or recede home is an American idiom that has a fairly recent origin. We will look at the...

the apple of one s eye

The apple of one’s eye is an extremely aged idiom,dating back over one thousand years. Originally,...

dog and pony show

A dog and pony exhibit is a presentation that is overly elaborate,consisting of many...

go to ground

Go to ground means to cover,to become inaccessible, to vanish from the scene, or often for a lengthy...

at the drop of a hat

To do something at the drop of a hat means to do it immediately,without delay and at the slightest...

second string

moment string is an idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that has a figurative meaning...

to harp on

The phrase to harp on is an abbreviation of a longer idiom that was once popular. An idiom is a...

curate s egg

A curate’s egg is an idiom that is not well-known outside of Britain. We will glance at the...

bold as brass

The idiom bold as brass dates back to the 1700s. We will glance at the meaning of the phrase bold as...

hell for leather and hell bent

The terms hell for leather and hell-bent are similar but bear different meanings. We will survey at...

crocodile tears

Crocodile tears are an insincere display of grief or sadness. The thought of crying crocodile tears...

ivory tower

Ivory tower means a location where one may exist,isolated from the cares of the genuine world and...

on the stump and stump speech

On the stump means to consume part in political campaigning. The idiom on the stump comes from the...

between a rock and a hard place

Caught between a rock and a hard space means being faced with a dilemma that only affords a choice...

as right as rain

The phrase as moral as rain is an idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that has a...

have a short fuse

hold a short fuse is an idiom that may not be as customary as you think. An idiom is a word,group of...

back to square one

Back to square one is an idiom that seems to have reach into utilize in the mid-twentieth century....

eager beaver

fervent beaver is an idiom that may not be as old as you believe. An idiom is a word,group of words...

make or break and make or mar

beget or break and beget or mar are idioms. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that has a...

show one s cards and tip one s hand

indicate one’s cards and tip one’s hand are two idioms that are derived from the same literal...

silver tongued

Silver-tongued is an involving idiom that dates back to the 1500s. An idiom is a word,group of words...

take a toll and take its toll

The phrases take a toll and take its tollare idioms. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase...

burn one s bridges and burn one s boats

The idioms burn one’s bridges andburn one’s boats are reputed to have their origins in ancient...

keep an ear to the ground

preserve an ear to the ground is an idiom that came into spend in the 1800s,though there was a rise...

get someone s goat

The idiom get someone’s goat has been traced back to the turn of the twentieth century. An idiom...

take the cake

The idiom purchase the cake has its roots in Ancient Greece,though it did not come into common...

the quick and the dead

The rapid/fast and the dead is a term that has been used as a title for various movies and...

knuckle under vs knuckle down

Knuckle under and knuckle down are two idioms that are similar but have very different meanings. An...

cold turkey

Cold turkey is a term that originated in North America with a slightly different meaning than the...

sacred cow

The idiom sacred cow comes from American English. We will peep at the meaning of the term sacred...

joined at the hip and attached at the hip

Joined at the hip is an American idiom of fairly recent origin. We will seek at the meaning of the...

rob peter to pay paul

The idiom rob Peter to pay Paul goes back at least 600 years,and possibly longer. We will peep at...

goody two shoes

Goody two shoes is an idiom with a very old origin. We will peep at the current meaning of the term...

word of mouth

Word of mouth is an idiom that is older than you may consider. We will peep at the meaning of the...

take with a grain of salt and take with a pinch of...

Take with a grain of salt and take with a pinch of salt are two idioms which mean the same thing. We...

the penny dropped

The penny dropped is a British English,New Zealand English and Australian English idiom that is...

bottom line

The phrase the bottom line,like many idioms, has its roots in a literal meaning. We will explore the...

it ain t over till the fat lady sings

It ain’t over till the burly lady sings is an idiom that became celebrated in the latter half of...

hair of the dog

Hair of the dog is the abbreviated term for the entire phrase,hair of the dog that bit you. This...

do the math

Do the math is a fairly recently coined slang phrase that has entered the mainstream rather rapidly....

steal someone s thunder

To steal someone’s thunder means to steal the attention from that person,usually by using that...

break a leg

Break a leg is an entertainment idiom that is used to wish someone good luck,particularly in a live...

play hardball

To play hardball means to employ ruthless methods and tactics in order to succeed,to expend any...

green around the gills and green about the gills

Green around the gills describes someone who looks ill,especially someone who looks nauseated....

double down vs buckle down

Double down means to increase one’s commitment in a risky situation,to increase one’s investment...

skid row vs skid road

Skid row is the seedy,escape-down area of a city or town where indigents, alcoholics and other...

hit pay dirt

To hit pay dirt means to strike it wealthy,to discover something valuable. In mining, pay dirt is...

cash cow

A cash cow is a trade or investment that brings in suitable,reliable income, often exceeding...

something smells fishy

The idiom something smells fishy means that something is not on the up and up,something...

laugh up one s sleeve

Laugh up one’s sleeve is an idiom. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of words, or phrase that...

hop, skip, and a jump

Hop,skip, and a jump is an idiom that is hundreds of years mature. An idiom is a commonly used word,...

you can t fight city hall

You can’t fight city hall is an American idiom. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of words,...

go pear shaped

disappear pear-shaped is primarily a British idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that...

it s curtains for you

The phrase it’s curtains for you comes from a source hundreds of years old,but the idiom itself...

fall through the cracks and slip through the...

tumble through the cracks and slip through the cracks are versions of an idiom that may not be as...

move the goalposts and shift the goalposts

Move the goalposts and shift the goalposts are idioms that may not be as used as you reflect. An...

read the fine print and read the small print

The phrases read the fine print and read the small print are often used in a literal sense,but they...

head someone off at the pass and cut someone off...

Head someone off at the pass and slash someone off at the pass are idioms that are not as obsolete...

call on the carpet

The phrase call on the carpet is primarily an American idiom that has its roots in an idiom popular...

one trick pony

The idiom one-trick pony is not as passe as you may think. An idiom is a word,group of words or...

turn over a new leaf

The idiom turn over a new leaf dates to the 1500s. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that...

out of whole cloth

Out of whole cloth is an American idiom that entered the English language in the early 1800s.An...

one s name is mud

The idiom one’s name is mud became celebrated during the 1900s. The most well-known origin memoir...

tell it to the marines

inform it to the marines is an though-provoking phrase that is not used as often as it once...

potter s field

Potter’s field is a term that has a rather ancient origin. We will glimpse at the meaning of the...

mum s the word

Mum’s the word is an idiom that dates back to the turn of the eighteenth century. We will explore...

country mile

A country mile is a term that dates back at least to the 1800s. We will eye at the definition of the...

fight tooth and nail

To fight tooth and nail is an idiom that is hundreds of years former. We will look at the definition...

warts and all

The phrase warts and all is attributed to a very specific historical figure,though it is tough to...

hang on like grim death and hang on for grim death

Hang on like grim death and hang on for grim death are idioms that occupy been around since the...

over a barrel

Over a barrel is an idiom that has uncertain origins. We will glimpse the meaning of the term over a...

ghost in the machine

Ghost in the machine is a phrase that arose in the field of philosophy,though it is slowly making...

bring home the bacon

Bring domestic the bacon is an idiom with an origin story that may surprise you. We will discuss the...

press the flesh

Press the flesh is an idiom that is often used in politics. We will glance at the meaning of the...

on the wrong foot and on the right foot

Starting off on the wrong foot and starting off on the right foot are two idioms that acquire...

grin like a cheshire cat

The idiom grin like a Cheshire cat was popularized by the children’s sage Alice’s Adventures in...

six ways from sunday

Six ways from Sunday is an idiom that has undergone many changes over the final several hundred...

throw in the towel

The idiom throw in the towel,like so many idioms, was first used in a literal sense. We’ll...

the whole megillah

The whole megillah means the entirety of something,particularly something that is an entanglement of...

dollars to doughnuts

Dollars to doughnuts means something that is certain. The phrase dollars to doughnuts is an American...

smoking gun

A smoking gun is a piece of evidence that is irrefutably proper,a fact or thing that proves...

an albatross around one s neck

An albatross around one’s neck describes a terrible burden that a person must carry. The phrase an...

pork barrel

Pork barrel refers to the utilization of government funds to benefit a politician’s local...

no two ways about it

No two ways about it is an idiom that is hundreds of years faded. An idiom is a commonly used...

friends with benefits

Friends with benefits is a fairly recent idiom. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of words, or...

i ll eat my hat

I’ll eat my hat is an idiom that is hundreds of years ancient. An idiom is a commonly used...

give yourself away

Give yourself absent is an idiom that originated in the United States. An idiom is a commonly used...

ask for the moon

seek information from for the moon is an idiom with two interesting predecessors. An idiom is a...

get the lead out

fetch the lead out is a twentieth century idiom. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of words, or...

put on ice

set aside on ice is an idiom with two very distinct definitions. An idiom is a commonly used...

junkyard dog

Junkyard dog is an idiom that came into utilize in the latter half of the twentieth century. An...

wrap one s head around

The idiom wrap one’s head around something has been in utilize since the twentieth century. An...

dead to rights

Dead to rights is an idiom that has been in exhaust at least since the mid-1800s. An idiom is a...

give someone the third degree

The expression to give someone the third degree is an American idiom. An idiom is a word,group of...

phone it in

Phone it in is a verbal phrase and an idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that has a...

johnny come lately

Johnny-advance-lately is an idiom that may be traced to the 1830s,though it is probably older. An...

sour grapes

Sour grapes is an idiom with ancient roots. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that has a...

go to the mat and take it to the mat

Go to the mat and engage it to the mat are different forms of the same idiom. An idiom is a...

lick one s wounds

Lick one’s wounds is an idiom that has been in exhaust at least since the 1600s. An idiom is a...

step up to the plate

Step up to the plate is an idiom that originated in America. An idiom is a word,group of words or...

like pulling teeth

Like pulling teeth is an idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that has a figurative...

bare bones

Bare bones is an idiom that came into spend in the 1700s,though its meaning has changed. An idiom is...

talk is cheap

Talk is cheap is an idiom that has been in consume since the 1800s,though its exact origin is not...

strike while the iron is hot

The phrase strike while the iron is hot is an idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase...

cut to the quick

The phrase prick to the quick is one of those English idioms with a long history,derived from a word...

rat race

The term rat race is an idiom that seems to enjoy originated in the 1930s,in the United States. An...

half baked

Half-baked is an idiom that has been in consume since the 1600s. An idiom is a figure of speech...

straw that broke the camel s back and the last...

The straw that broke the camel’s back and the final straw are two idioms that stem from the same...

cast aspersions

Cast aspersions is an idiom that dates back to the late 1500s. An idiom is a word,group of words or...

the handwriting on the wall or the writing on the...

The phrases the handwriting on the wall and the writing on the wall are idioms that contain their...

kick over the traces

Kick over the traces is an idiom that is primarily used in much Britain,the phrase is rarely seen in...

a piece of work

A piece of work is a phrase that dates back to Shakespeare’s time,however, it has taken on an...

have one s ears pinned back vs pin one s ears back

To have one’s ears pinned back and to pin one’s ears back are two phrases that are extremely...

from soup to nuts

From soup to nuts is an idiom from the United States. An idiom is a phrase that is usually meant...

ugly duckling

The term horrible duckling has been around since the mid-1800s,it is an idiom. An idiom is a phrase...

put a flea in someone s ear vs put a bug in...

To effect a flea in someone’s ear and effect a bug in someone’s ear are two idioms with very...

good samaritan

The term satisfactory Samaritan dates from the 1600s. We will glimpse at the meaning of the term...

get the ball rolling and start the ball rolling

win the ball rolling and start the ball rolling are two versions of the same idiom. There are two...

trip the light fantastic

Trip the light fantastic is an interesting idiom that has its roots in a poem written by John Milton...

going dutch and dutch treat

Going Dutch and Dutch treat are two related idioms that believe their origins in the 1600s. We will...

gild the lily

Gild the lily is an idiom that is a result of misquoting a famous literary passage. We will examine...

keep it under your hat

Keep it under your hat is an entertaining idiom that has a somewhat convoluted origin. We will...

sugar daddy

Sugar daddy is an American term that is approximately a hundred years primitive. We will perceive at...

fly in the ointment

A glide in the ointment is an idiom that has its origins in a text written thousands of years ago....

according to hoyle and according to cocker

According to Hoyle and according to Cocker are two idioms that mean the same thing but approach from...

living the life of riley

Living the life of Riley means living the easy life,an existence marked by luxury and a carefree...

brownie points

Brownie points are imaginary merit points awarded for the performance of obedient deeds or favors,it...

bell the cat

To bell the cat means to attempt or agree to attempt an impossibly difficult task that whether...

go off half cocked and go off at half cock

To fade off half-cocked means to act prematurely,to speak prematurely. To fade off half-cocked is...

salad days

Salad days means the period of time encompassing someone’s youth,the time in a persons life when...

in a pickle

In a pickle means in a difficult situation or in a quandary. The origin of the phrase in a pickle...

backseat driver

A backseat driver is someone who offers unsolicited advice concerning the actual driver’s methods...

variety is the spice of life

Variety is the spice of life is an expression that means life is more interesting when one tries...

do right by

To achieve right by means to treat someone in an ethical,moral, or honorable fashion. achieve right...

pass muster vs pass mustard

Pass muster means to be acceptable,to sufficiently meet expectations. Pass muster is an idiom that...

same difference

Same incompatibility is an informal phrase referring to two or more alternatives that while...

make no bones about it

gain no bones approximately it means 1.) to state something plainly, to speak frankly without...

whet one s appetite vs wet one s appetite

To whet one’s appetite means to arouse interest in something,generally food. The whet in whet...

bite the bullet

To bite the bullet means to face a hardship straight on,to bear something either physically or...

close but no cigar

Close but no cigar means to fall short of a goal and absorb nothing to note for the effort. Close...

caught in the crosshairs or cross hairs

Caught in the crosshairs or cross hairs is an idiom that is less than 100 years used. An idiom is a...

foaming at the mouth

Foaming at the mouth is an idiom that has been in consume for hundreds of years. An idiom is a...

knock one for six

Knock one for six is an idiom that soared in popularity at the close of the twentieth century. An...

no horse in the race and no dog in the fight

No horse in the race and no dog in the fight are idioms that may not be as archaic as you think. An...

rub someone s nose in it

Rub someone’s nose in it is an idiom that is less than 100 years former. An idiom is a commonly...

fly the coop

flee the coop is an idiom that originated in America. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of...

kiss someone s ring

Kiss someone’s ring is an idiom with an though-provoking history. An idiom is a commonly used...

buy a lemon

Buy a lemon is used as an idiom. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of words, or phrase that has...

cash in one s chips

Cash in one’s chips is an idiom. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of words, or phrase that...

like oil and water

Like oil and water is an idiom that is hundreds of years aged. An idiom is a commonly used...

wrong side of the tracks

incorrect side of the tracks is an idiom that originated in the United States. An idiom is a...

stave off

Stave off is an idiom that is hundreds of years weak. An idiom is a commonly used word,group of...

blessing in disguise

Blessing in disguise is an idiom that is hundreds of years archaic. An idiom is a commonly used...

see eye to eye

The phrase see eye to eye is an idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase that has a...

clam up

Clam up is a idiom that came into exercise in the twentieth century. An idiom is a word,group of...

call it a day and call it a night

Call it a day and call it a night are idioms that came into exercise in the twentieth century. An...

big league and bush league

Big league and bush league are idioms that came into exercise in the twentieth century. An idiom is...

broke the mold

Broke the mold is an idiom that may be older than you judge. An idiom is a word,group of words or...

raise one s hackles and get one s hackles up

Raise one’s hackles and catch one’s hackles up are two versions of an idiom. An idiom is a...

neat as a pin

clean as a pin is an idiom with several interesting possible sources of origin. An idiom is a...

a drop in the bucket

A drop in the bucket is an idiom that has been in exhaust for hundreds of years. An idiom is a...

dirty pool

Dirty pool is an idiom that came into exhaust in the mid-twentieth century. An idiom is a word,group...

full of beans

Full of beans is an idiom that became approved in the mid-1800s. An idiom is a word,group of words...

get up on the wrong side of the bed and wake up on...

Get up on the mistaken side of the bed and wake up on the mistaken side of the bed are idioms with...

get one s hands dirty

net one’s hands dirty is an idiom with an uncertain origin. An idiom is a word,group of words or...

take a knee

The idiom take a knee has been in expend since at least the 1960s,but the meaning of the phrase has...

close ranks

Close ranks is an idiom that has been in exhaust since the mid-1600s. An idiom is a word,group of...

go over with a fine tooth comb

The idiom move over with a fine-tooth comb came into use in the mid-1800s. An idiom is a word,group...

go into a tailspin and send someone into a...

The phrases proceed into a tailspin and send someone in to a tailspin are idioms dating from the...

keep under wraps

withhold under wraps is an idiom that was first used in an unlikely sport. An idiom is a word,group...

jump through hoops

Jump through hoops is an idiom that has been in exercise since around the turn of the twentieth...

when pigs fly and pigs might fly

When pigs wing and pigs might wing are two variations of an idiom. An idiom is a word,group of words...

spin a yarn

Spin a yarn is an idiom that may not be as old as you deem. An idiom is a word,group of words or...

smarty pants and smarty boots

Smarty-pants and smarty-boots are two idioms with their origins in the 1860s. An idiom is a...

in a nutshell

In a nutshell is an idiom with its roots in Greece,nearly two thousand years ago. An idiom is a...

rose colored glasses

The idiom rose-colored glasses has been in expend since at least the 1840s,though its exact origin...

rake over the coals and haul over the coals

Rake over the coals and haul over the coals are idioms. An idiom is a word,group of words or phrase...

green thumb and green fingers

Green thumb and green fingers possess been in use for an indeterminate amount of time,though the...

building castles in the air

The expression building castles in the air is an altered version of a French idiom,though it may be...

goose that lays the golden eggs

The phrase the goose that lays the golden eggs has its roots in a story that was told over 2500...

it takes two to tango

It takes two to tango is one of many American idioms that originated in celebrated culture,and is...

wing it

The term wing it is an idiom that has been in utilize at least since the mid-1800s,and maybe even...

nickle and dime

The term nickel-and-dime has been in use since the 1800s,and is an racy idiom. An idiom is a word,...

have an ax to grind

To believe an ax to grind is one of those rare idioms with a known origin. An idiom is a word,group...

head over heels

The phrase head over heels is an idiom with roots in the fourteenth century,but it has undergone...

bust one s chops and lick one s chops

Bust one’s chops and lick one’s chops are two idioms that are in common consume,and may be...

knock one s socks off

The idiom knock one’s socks off originated in the mid-1800s,though with a different meaning than...

buckle up vs buck up

Buckle up and buck up are two idioms that appear to be similar,but bear very different meanings. An...

low hanging fruit

Low-hanging fruit is an idiom that has been popularized in trade circles. An idiom is a word,group...

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