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Wikipedia: List of idioms
List of idioms
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A list of idioms can be useful, since the meaning of idioms are not able to be deduced by knowing the meaning of the individual words that make them up. For example, someone could know what a bucket is and also know what to kick something means, but they might not know that to "kick the bucket" means to die. Here is a list of idioms with their meanings:
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
It is better to have a small accomplishment, already performed, instead of a larger, hoped for, but still unattained, achievement.
A black look
The meaning of this idiom has not yet been provided. If you know what this means, please add it.
A rolling stone gathers no moss
A person who does not settle in any place for long enough to develop roots or meaningful connections.
To bear fruit
To come to profitable conclusion or to produce some worthwhile thing.
Black-hearted
Someone who has no compassion.
Black sheep of the family
To be the an ostracized or ill-fitting member of a family or group.
Boot out
The meaning of this idiom has not yet been provided. If you know what this means, please add it.
Break a leg
Good luck, especially used to wish luck to stage performers before an opening.
Burning the candle at both ends
Working long and hard with little rest.
Buy the farm
To die.
Can of worms
A situation that is hard to deal with, especially one that comes about unexpectedly and intractably.
Can't see the forest for the trees
Losing sight of the big picture by getting mired down in details.
Can't see your nose in front of your face
Being oblivious to something in plain view.
Cat got your tongue
Asked of someone rendered speechless to emphasize their inabilty to speak.
Cut off your nose to spite your face
To take rash or single-minded action that hurts your own cause in the end.
Dark horse
To be unfavored to win or succeed.
Have their cake and eat it too
To attempt to get all the positive aspects of something while avoiding any negative but usually occuring aspects.
Feel blue
Feeling sad, down, or depressed.
Five finger discount
To take without paying, to steal.
He who pays the piper calls the tune
To be able to contol the details of a situation by virtue of being the one who bears the cost or provides for others.
Juggling picked onions
carrying out a hazardous/difficult task.
Kick the bucket
To die.
Killing two birds with one stone
completing two tasks with one process or action.
Loan shark
A predatory lender, usually one that charges inordinately high interest.
Not playing with a full deck
Someone who is eccentric, mad or wildly unconventional, bordering on crazy.
Nuts on
The meaning of this idiom has not yet been provided. If you know what this means, please add it.
Over the hill
To be past one's prime, old, a senior citizen.
Push up daisies
To die.
Reading between the lines
Inferring information not explicitly stated.
Red light district
An area of town where sex industry workers ply their trade.
Red tape
Beuracratic paperwork, usually in large amounts and being dificult to finish yet seemingly pointless in nature.
Right under your nose
Something so obvious that it is easily overlooked.
Rooted to the spot
The meaning of this idiom has not yet been provided. If you know what this means, please add it.
Six of one, half-a-dozen of another
Two things that are essentially the same and so there is no real choice to be made.
Sour grapes
To decide that the attainment of something you have been thwarted from getting is not worth it after all and probably inferior in quality anyway.
Still waters run deep
Quiet people are often thoughtful.
Swim with the fishes
To die, especially to be murdered and have your body disposed of, often in a body of water.
The cat's out of the bag
A secret or hidden thing has been discovered.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fenceSomeone else's situation appears better than your own because you see the positive in theirs and the negative in yours most clearly.
To be catty
To be antagonistic, usually applied to women.
To pocket
To attempt to steal by slipping something unnoticed into a concealed place (pocket, purse, jacket, etc.).
To turn turtle
The meaning of this idiom has not yet been provided. If you know what this means, please add it.
Toe the line
To follow rules and regulations faithfully. To be careful to never commit any transgressions.
Up a creek without a paddle
To be in an untennable position. To have no recourse.
Water under the bridge
The meaning of this idiom has not yet been provided. If you know what this means, please add it.
What goes around comes around
You will eventually have to face the consequences of your actions towards others as people tend to behave toward you as you have behaved toward others.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander
If something is good for one person, it is good for everyone
Why have a dog and bark yourself
The meaning of this idiom has not yet been provided. If you know what this means, please add it.
Why pay for the cow when the milk is free
Don't provide people with something sought after without requiring of them the commitment or responsibility that should go along with getting said benefit, usually said to women who provide sexual favors in a relationship without being married or requiring commitment.
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