American Idioms

[Vega]

Hi everybody,
I've got an idea. I will post here 20 American idiom per week.

[Arale]

Good idea! Let's write down the idioms and explain them if we don't understand. I will start with five idioms.

1.Still water runs deep.
2.Honesty is the best policy.
3.A black hen lays a white egg.
4.Once a whore and ever a whore.
5.To reap as one has sow.

Do you understand all?

_Arale_

[Dixie]

I don't completely understand #3, Arale

[MissLT]

And I don't understand #4. Did you translate it? :?

[Dixie]

I think #4 means that people never change

[Hardi]

I think 4) means that once blacken your good name, it will be very difficult to clean it again up.

3) means, that also the worst person can do good deed.

[InLove]

I dont understand all.

[Vega]

1.[abide by] {v.} To accept and obey; be willing to follow. * /A
basketball player may know he did not foul, but he must abide by the
referee's decision./ * /The members agree to abide by the rules of the
club./

2.[a bit] {n., informal} A small amount; some. * /There's no sugar in
the sugar bowl, but you may find a bit in the bag./ * /If the ball had
hit the window a bit harder, it would have broken it./ - Often used
like an adverb. * /This sweater scratches a bit./ - Also used like an
adjective before "less", "more". * /Janet thought she could lose
weight by eating a bit less./ * /"Have some more cake?" "Thanks. A bit
more won't hurt me."/ - Often used adverbially after verbs in
negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences, sometimes in the
form "one bit". * /"Won't your father be angry?" "No, he won't care a
bit."/ * /Helen feels like crying, but I'll be surprised if she shows
it one bit./ - Sometimes used with "little" for emphasis, also in the
emphatic form "the least bit". * /"Wasn't Bob even a little bit sorry
he forgot his date?" "No, Bob wasn't the least bit sorry."/ Syn.: A
LITTLE. Compare: A FEW. Contrast: A LOT.

3.[about face] {n.} A sudden change of course or a decision opposite
to what was decided earlier. * /Her decision to become an actress
instead of a dentist was an about face from her original plans./

4. [about one's ears] or [around one's ears] {adv. phr.} To or into
complete collapse, defeat, or ruin; to the destruction of a person's
plans, hopes, or happiness. * /They planned to have factories all over
the world but the war brought their plans down about their ears./ *
/John hoped to go to college and become a great scientist some day,
but when his father died he had to get a job, and John's dreams came
crashing around his ears./ Compare: ON ONE'S HEAD.

5. [about time] {n. phr.} Finally, but later than it should have been;
at last. * /Mother said, "It's about time you got up, Mary."/ * /The
basketball team won last night. About time./

6. [about to] 1. Close to; ready to. - Used with an infinitive. * /We
were about to leave when the snow began./ * /I haven't gone yet, but
I'm about to./ Compare: GOING TO, ON THE POINT OF. 2. {informal}
Having a wish or plan to. - Used with an infinitive in negative
sentences. * /Freddy wasn't about to give me any of his ice-cream
cone./ * /"Will she come with us?" asked Bill. "She's not about to,"
answered Mary./

7.[above all] {adv. phr.} Of first or highest importance; most
especially. * /Children need many things, but above all they need
love./ Syn.: FIRST AND LAST.

8.[above suspicion] {adj. phr.} Too good to be suspected; not likely
to do wrong. * /The umpire in the game must be above suspicion of
supporting one side over the other./

9.[absent without leave (AWOL)] {adj.} Absent without permission;
used mostly in the military. * /Jack left Fort Sheridan without asking
his commanding officer, and was punished for going AWOL./

10.[Acapulco gold] {n., slang} Marijuana of an exceptionally high
quality. * /Jack doesn't just smoke pot, he smokes Acapulco gold./

11.[according as] {conj.} 1. Depending on which; whichever. * /You may
take an oral or written exam according as you prefer./ 1. Depending on
whether; if. * /We will play golf or stay home according as the
weather is good or bad./

12.[according to] {prep.} 1. So as to match or agree with; so as to be
alike in. * /Many words are pronounced according to the spelling but
some are not./ * /The boys were placed in three groups according to
height./ 2. On the word or authority of. * /According to the Bible,
Adam was the first man./

13.[according to one's own lights] {adv. phr.} In accordance with
one's conscience or inclinations. * /Citizens should vote according to
their own lights./

14.[ace in the hole] {n. phr.} 1. An ace given to a player face down
so that other players in a card game cannot see it. * /When the cowboy
bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler
had an ace in the hole and would win it from him./ 2. {informal}
Someone or something important that is kept as a surprise until the
right time so as to bring victory or success. * /The football team has
a new play that they are keeping as an ace in the hole for the big
game./ * /The lawyer's ace in the hole was a secret witness who saw
the accident./ Compare: CARD UP ONE'S SLEEVE.

15.[Achilles' heel] {n. phr.}, {literary} A physical or psychological
weakness named after the Greek hero Achilles who was invulnerable
except for a spot on his heel. * /John's Achilles' heel is his lack of
talent with numbers and math./

16.[acid head] {n.}, {slang} A regular user of LSD on whom the
hallucinogenic drug has left a visible effect. * /The reason John acts
so funny is that he is a regular acid head./

17.[acid rock] {n.}, {slang} A characteristic kind of rock in which
loudness and beat predominate over melody; especially such music as
influenced by drug experiences. * /John is a regular acid rock freak./

18.[acoustic perfume] {n.}, {slang} Sound for covering up unwanted
noise, such as music over loudspeakers in a noisy construction area. *
/Let's get out of here - this acoustic perfume is too much for my
ears./

19 [acquire a taste for] {v. phr.} To become fond of something; get to
like something. * /Jack acquired a taste for ripe cheeses when he went
to France./

20.[across the board] {adv. phr.} 1. So that equal amounts of money
are bet on the same horse to win a race, to place second, or third. *
/I bet $6 on the white horse across the board./ - Often used with
hyphens as an adjective. * /I made an across-the-board bet on the
white horse./ 2. {informal} Including everyone or all, so that all are
included. * /Thе President wanted taxes lowered across the board./ -
Often used with hyphens as an adjective. * /Thе workers at the store
got an across-the-board pay raise./

[Arale]

I don't completely understand #3, Arale

3.A black hen lays a white egg.

It means that we shouldn't look at the appearance to assess a person/thing. A hen that looks ugly ('black') may lay a golden ('white') egg.

_Arale_

[Arale]

And I don't understand #4. Did you translate it? :?

I think #4 means that people never change

4.Once a whore and ever a whore.

That's right. It's hard to change a person's personality.

_Arale_

[MissLT]

I think #4 means that people never change

What I mean is I've never heard of it in English, you know. That's why I'm asking if she translated it or not since it seems like it's not a global idiom. :?

[Arale]

I think #4 means that people never change

What I mean is I've never heard of it in English, you know. That's why I'm asking if she translated it or not since it seems like it's not a global idiom. :?

Have you ever heard about 'Ngua quen duong cu'? You think it's Vietnamese only?

(Apologize those who don't know Vietnamese)

_Arale_

[MissLT]

Yeah, I've heard of it in Vietnamese, but I haven't heard of once a whore and ever a whore in English. That's why I said I haven't heard it in American English, or it must not be global English idiom. It's probably UK, CAN, AUS.

I remember there's an idiom called you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I think this one is similar to yours.

[MissLT]

1. The devil is in the details.
2. Skeletons in the closet.
3. As sick as a dog.
4. People Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones.
5. Squaring the circle.

[vince90]

1. The devil is in the details.
2. Skeletons in the closet.
3. As sick as a dog.
4. People Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones.
5. Squaring the circle.

I do hardly understand that's meaning.

Would anyone explain that to me?

and to somebody who don't know that?

1. The devil is in the details.
- Even the grandest project depends on the success of the smallest components.

2. Skeletons in the closet.
- A potentially embarrassing secret: “Before nominating the new judge, the committee
asked him if he had any skeletons in the closet.”

3. As sick as a dog.
- I don’t know


4. People Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones.
- Those who are vulnerable should not attack others

5. Squaring the circle.
- To find a good solution to a problem when that seems impossible, especially because the people involved have very different needs or opinions about it

[Vega]

21.[act high and mighty] {v. phr.} To wield power; act overbearingly;
order others around; look down on others. * /Paul is an inexperienced
teacher and he acts high and mighty with his students./

22.[actions speak louder than words] What you do shows your character
better and is more important than what you say. - A proverb. * /John
promised to help me, but he didn't. Actions speak louder than words./
* /Joe is very quiet, but actions speak louder than words. He is the
best player on the team./

23.[act of faith] {n. phr.} An act or a deed that shows unquestioning
belief in someone or something. * /It was a real act of faith on
Mary's part to entrust her jewelry to her younger sister's care./

24.[act of God] {n.} An occurrence (usually some sort of catastrophe)
for which the people affected are not responsible; said of
earthquakes, floods, etc. * /Hurricane Andrew destroyed many houses in
Florida, but some types of insurance did not compensate the victims,
claiming that the hurricane was an act of God./ See: FICKLE FINGER OF
FATE.

25.[act one's age] or [be one's age] {v. phr.} To do the things that
people expect someone of your age to do, not act as if you were much
younger than you are. * /Mr. O'Brien was playing tag with the children
at the party. Then Mrs. O'Brien said, "Henry! Act your age!" and he
stopped./

26.[act up] {v.}, {informal} 1. To behave badly; act rudely or
impolitely. * /The dog acted up as the postman came to the door./ 2.
To work or run poorly (as a after all machine); skip; miss. * /Thе car
acted up because the spark plugs were dirty./

27.[add fuel to the flame] {v. phr.} To make a bad matter worse by
adding to its cause; spread trouble, increase anger or other strong
feelings by talk or action. * /By criticizing his son's girl, the
father added fuel to the flame of his son's love./ * /Bob was angry
with Ted and Ted added fuel to the flame by laughing at him./

28.[add insult to injury] {v. phr.} 1. To hurt someone's feelings
after doing him harm. * /He added insult to injury when he called the
man a rat after he had already beaten him up./ 2. To make bad trouble
worse. * /We started on a picnic, and first it rained, then to add
insult to injury, the car broke down./

29.[add the finishing touches] {v. phr.} To complete; finish. *
/Mary's first novel promised to be excellent; however, her editor
suggested that she should add some finishing touches before accepting
it./

30.[afraid of one's shadow] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Scared of small or
imaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. * /Mrs.
Smith won't stay alone in her house at night; she is afraid of her own
shadow./ * /Johnny cries whenever he must say hello to an adult; he is
afraid of his own shadow./

31.[a friend in need is a friend indeed] A genuine friend on whom one
can always depend. - A proverb; often shortened to "a friend in
need..." * /When John's house burned down, his neighbor Jim helped him
and his family with shelter, food and clothing. John said, "Jim, a
friend in need is a friend indeed - this describes you."/

32.[after a fashion] {adv. phr.} Not very well or properly; poorly. *
/He played tennis after a fashion./ * /The roof kept the rain out
after a fashion./Compare: IN A WAY.

33.[after one's own heart] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Well liked because
of agreeing with your own feelings, interests, and ideas; to your
liking-agreeable. Used after "man" or some similar word. * /He likes
baseball and good food; he is a man after my own heart./ * /Thanks for
agreeing with me about the class party; you're a girl after my own
heart./ Compare: SEE EYE TO EYE.

34.[after the dust clears] or [when the dust settles] {adv. phr.} When
a troubling, confusing, or disastrous event is finally over. * /John
invited Tim for dinner, but since Tim's father had just died, he
replied, "Thanks. I'd like to come after the dust settles."/

35.[against the grain] {adv. phr.} 1. Across rather than with the
direction of the fibers (as of wood or meat). * /He sandpapered the
wood against the grain./ 2. So as to annoy or trouble, or to cause
anger or dislike. - Usually follows "go". * /His coarse and rude ways
went against the grain with me./ * /It went against the grain with him
to have to listen to her gossip./ Compare: RUB THE WRONG WAY.

36.[against time] or [against the clock] {adv. phr.} 1. As a test of
speed or time; in order to beat a speed record or time limit. * /John
ran around the track against time, because there was no one else to
race against./ 2. As fast as possible; so as to do or finish something
before a certain time. * /It was a race against the clock whether the
doctor would get to the accident soon enough to save the injured man./
3. So as to cause delay by using up time. * /The outlaw talked against
time with the sheriff, hoping that his gang would come and rescue
him./

37.[agree with] {v.} To have a good effect on, suit. * /The meat loaf
did not agree with him./ * /The warm, sunny climate agreed with him,
and he soon grew strong and healthy./

38.[a hell of] a [or one hell of a] {adj. or adv. phr.}, {informal}
Extraordinary; very. * /He made a hell of a shot during the basketball
game./ * /Max said seven months was a hell of a time to have to wait
for a simple visa./ * /The fall Max took left one hell of a bruise on
his knee./

39.[air one's dirty linen in public] or [wash one's dirty linen in
public] {v. phr.} To talk about your private quarrels or disgraces
where others can hear; make public something embarrassing that should
be kept secret. * /Everyone in the school knew that the superintendent
and the principal were angry with each other because they aired their
dirty linen in public./ * /No one knew that the boys' mother was a
drug addict, because the family did not wash its dirty linen in
public./

40.[a la] {prep.} In the same way as; like. * /Billy played ball like
a champion today, a la the professional ball players./ * /Joe wanted
to shoot an apple off my head a la William Tell./ (From French "a la",
in the manner of.)

[YayuRahayu]

thaaannkkksss for posted english idioms. it's useful

[Vega]

thaaannkkksss for posted english idioms. it's useful

Thanks to you, I'm very glad to know that it will be useful
for someone, especially for you... :D

[MissLT]

1. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
2. All that glitters is not gold.
3. Burning the candle at both ends.
4. Can't cut the mustard.
5. Everything but the kitchen sink.

[Vega]

2. All that glitters is not gold.

there's exactly the same idiom in russian language,
I like your expressions :D

[Vega]

41.[a little bird told me] To have learned something from a
mysterious, unknown, or secret source. * /"Who told you that Dean
Smith was resigning?" Peter asked. "A little bird told me," Jim
answered./

42. [a little knowledge is a dangerous thing] {literary} A person who
knows a little about something may think he knows it all and make bad
mistakes. - A proverb. * /John has read a book on driving a car and
now he thinks he can drive. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing./

43. [alive and kicking] {adj. phr.} Very active; vigorous; full of
energy. * /Grandpa was taken to the hospital with pneumonia, but he
was discharged yesterday and is alive and kicking./

44 [alive with] {prep.}, {informal} Crowded with; filled with. * /The
lake was alive with fish./ * /The stores were alive with people the
Saturday before Christmas./

45.[all along] or ({informal}) [right along] {adv. phr.} All the time;
during the whole time. */I knew all along that we would win./ * /I
knew right along that Jane would come./

46.[all at once] {adv. phr.} 1. At the same time; together. * /The
teacher told the children to talk one at a time; if they all talked at
one time, she could not understand them./ * /Bill can play the piano,
sing, and lead his orchestra all at once./ 2. or [all of a sudden]
Without warning; abruptly; suddenly; unexpectedly. * /All at once we
heard a shot and the soldier fell to the ground./ * /All of a sudden
the ship struck a rock./ Compare: AT ONCE.

47.[all but] {adv. phr.} Very nearly; almost. * /Crows all but
destroyed a farmer's field of corn./ * /The hikers were exhausted and
all but frozen when they were found./

48.[all ears] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Very eager to hear; very
attentive. - Used in the predicate. * /Go ahead with your story; we
are all ears./ * /When John told about the circus, the boys were all
ears./

49.[alley cat] {n.}, {slang} 1. A stray cat. 2. A person (usually a
female) of rather easy-going, or actually loose sexual morals; a
promiscuous person. * /You'll have no problem dating her; she's a
regular alley cat./

50.[all eyes] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Wide-eyed with surprise or
curiosity; watching very closely. - Used in the predicate. * /At the
circus the children were all eyes./

51.[all gone] {adj. phr.} Used up; exhausted (said of supplies); done
with; over with. * /We used to travel a lot, but, alas, those days are
all gone./

52.[all in all(1)] {n. phr.}, {literary} The person or thing that you
love most. * /She was all in all to him./ * /Music was his all in
all./

53.[all in all(2)] or [in all] {adv. phr.} When everything is thought
about; in summary; altogether. * /All in all, it was a pleasant day's
cruise./ * /All in all, the pilot of an airplane must have many
abilities and years of experience before he can he appointed./
Compare: ON THE WHOLE 1. * /Counting the balls on the green, we have
six golf balls in all./

54.[all in good time] {adv. phr.} Some time soon, when the time is
ripe for an event to take place. * /"I want to get married, Dad," Mike
said. "All in good time, Son," answered his father./

55.[all in one piece] {adv. phr.} Safely; without damage or harm. *
/John's father was terribly concerned when his son was sent to war as
a pilot, but he came home all in one piece./

56.[all kinds of] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Plenty of. * /People say
that Mr. Fox has all kinds of money./ * /When Kathy was sick, she had
all kinds of company./ Compare: GREAT DEAL.

57.[all of] {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. At least the amount or number
of; fully; no less than. * /It was all of ten o'clock before they
finally started./ * /She must have paid all of $50 for that hat./ 2.
Showing all the signs of; completely in. - Used with "a". * /The girls
were all of a twitter before the dance./ * /Mother is all of a flutter
because of the thunder and lightning./ * /The dog was all of a tremble
with cold./

58.[all out] {adv. phr.}, {informal} With all your strength, power, or
determination; to the best of your ability; without holding back. -
Usually used in the phrase "go all out". * /We went all out to win the
game./ * /John went all out to finish the job and was very tired
afterwards./ Compare: ALL THE WAY 2, FULL TILT, GO THE WHOLE HOG, GO
TO ANY LENGTH, LEAVE A STONE UNTURNED, WITH MIGHT AND MAIN.

60.[all over] {adv. phr.} 1. In every part; everywhere. * /He has a
fever and aches all over./ * /I have looked all over for my glasses./
Compare: FAR AND WIDE. 2. {informal} In every way; completely. * /She
is her mother all over./ 3. {informal} Coming into very close physical
contact, as during a violent fight; wrestling. * /Before I noticed
what happened, he was all over me./

61.[allow for] {v.} To provide for; leave room for; give a chance to;
permit. * /She cut the skirt four inches longer to allow for a wide
hem./ * /Democracy allows for many differences of opinion./


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[MissLT]

Xkalibur, in my opinion, you should post less idioms at once time instead of 10. Too overwhelming, you know!!!

[Vega]

Xkalibur, in my opinion, you should post less idioms at once time instead of 10. Too overwhelming, you know!!!

Yes, you're right. I think there's no necessity in it, there are a lot of books of idioms. It's useless
post them here.