Idioms/F

Idioms beginning with F. Select an idiom for more details.

a fair-weather friend

A fair-weather friend is a person who will only be your friend when things are going well for you.

a fait accompli FORMAL

If something is a fait accompli, it is certain to happen.

a flash in the pan

You can say something or someone is a flash in the pan if they're popular or effective for a short time only.

a foregone conclusion

You can say the result of something is a foregone conclusion if everyone knows what it's going to be before it happens.

face the music

If someone has to face the music, they have to accept the consequences of doing something wrong.

face to face

If people meet face to face, they meet in person in the real world.

fair and square

If something was done fair and square, it was done in an honest and straightforward way, without cheating.

fall from grace

If you fall from grace, you do something that results in a loss of respect and support, especially among those who influence your life or career.

feather your own nest

If you feather your own nest, you use your position or your job illegally for personal gain.

feel the pinch

If you are feeling the pinch, you're finding it harder to survive on your income.

few and far between

You can say things are few and far between when there aren't many of them around.

fight a losing battle

If you fight a losing battle, you try to do something even though it can't be done.

fight fire with fire

If you fight fire with fire in a conflict or a contest, you use the same methods or "weapons" as your opponent.

fill somebody's shoes

If you can fill somebody's shoes, you can replace them and do what they do.

find your feet

If you're still finding your feet, you're still adjusting to a new place or a new situation.

firing on all cylinders

If you're firing on all cylinders, you're functioning as well as you possibly can.

fly off the handle INFORMAL

If you fly off the handle, you are so angry about something that you lose control of yourself and start screaming and shouting.

for a song

If you buy or sell something for a song, you buy or sell it at a very cheap price.

for my money

You can say "for my money" to mean the same as "in my opinion".

for the time being

If something will be the way it is "for the time being", it will be that way for a limited period of time only.

forty winks INFORMAL

If you have forty winks, you have a short sleep, or a nap.

fresh as a daisy

If you feel as fresh as a daisy, you feel energetic and lively.

friends in high places

If you have friends in high places, you know people in powerful positions in business or government.

from every walk of life | from all walks of life

If you meet people from every walk of life, or from all walks of life, you meet different types of people from different levels of society.

from now on

If you do something "from now on", you do it from now until some unknown time in the future.

from time to time

If you do something from time to time, you do it occasionally, but not very often.

full of yourself

If you are full of yourself you think you're better or more important than you really are.

Contributor: Matt Errey