500+ Most Commonly Used American Idioms

English American Idioms Commonly Used Eduhyme

An idiom is a widely used saying or expression that contains a figurative meaning that is different from the phrase’s literal meaning.

Also Read:

1	She is a peach.	She’s sweet and helpful.
2	He’s full of beans. He’s not telling the truth.	He’s not telling the truth.
3	It’s not my cup of tea.	I don’t care for that.
4	He’s full of baloney.	He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
5	It’s just sour grapes.	They have resentment.
6	That’s corny.	It’s sentimental, old, and not funny anymore.
7	I’m in a pickle.	I’m in a dilemma.
8	He brings home the bacon	He brings home the family money.
9	She’s in a stew	She’s upset.
10	He’s the top banana	He’s the headman.
11	He’s the salt of the earth	He’s Avery good person.
12	She’s worth her salt	She’s a valuable employee.
13	They’re two peas in a pod	If you see one you see the other.
14	I’m nuts about you	I’m in love with you.
15	It’s a piece of cake.	It’s quite simple.
16	You can’t have your cake and eat it too.	You can’t use it and save it.
17	He’s a real ham.	He’s just an actor (a bad actor.)
18	It’s a hard nut to crack.	It’s a difficult problem to solve.
19	Let’s talk turkey.	Let’s talk seriously.
20	He’s a bad egg.	He cannot be trusted.
21	We need to break the ice	Everyone’s a little tense – lets be friendly.
22	We’ll get a baker’s dozen.	We’ll get 13 items (one extra.)
23	He’s got a finger in every pie.	He has many deals going.
24	You’ll have to take potluck	Be happy with what we have on hand.
25	She’s hard-boiled.	She makes tough deals.
26	He’s the apple of my eye	He’s my favorite person.
27	He’s a rotten egg.	He is a thoroughly evil person.
28	It’s for the birds	It’s a crazy idea.
29	She eats like a bird.	She eats little or nothing.
30	He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing	He’s a bad guy pretending to be good.
31	I smell a rat.	Someone has betrayed us.
32	He’s chicken-hearted	He has no courage.
33	I could eat a horse.	I’m extremely hungry.
34	Please don’t monkey around.	Get serious and stop playing
35	We’ll kill two birds with one stone.	One solution solves two problems.
36	Its three miles as the crow flies.	It’s three miles going straight.
37	Don’t cry wolf.	Don’t give a false alarm.
38	It has dog-eared pages.	It’s a well-used popular book.
39	He’s the underdog.	He’s not the favorite to win.
40	She’s like a fish out of water.	She is not in her area of expertise.
41	You’ll stir up a hornet’s nest.	You’ll cause a great deal of new problems.
42	Don’t let him get your goat.	Don’t let him get you upset.
43	Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.	Don’t make big of something insignificant.
44	They are packed like sardines.	There is absolutely no room for even one more.
45	Roy We got a bird’s eye view	We had a very good viewpoint from on high.
46	We’re on a wild-goose chase.	We were chasing something that didn’t exist.
47	It’s raining cats and dogs.	It is the heaviest rain I have ever seen.
48	It’s just monkey business.	The business is either his own business or fake.
49	He’ll weasel out.	He’ll back out of all agreements.
50	She’ll go ape.	She’ll become very upset.
51	Let’s talk turkey.	Let’s begin to talk seriously.
52	Don’t let the cat out of the bag.	Don’t tell our secret.
53	Those are crocodile tears.	Those are false tears.
54	He’s a card shark.	He is a professional card player.
55	We had a whale of a time.	We had a great time.
56	He drinks like a fish.	He is a heavy alcohol drinker.
57	I’ve got a frog in my throat.	I need to clear my throat in order to talk right.
58	He rolled snake eyes.	His dice had two ones.
59	It sounds fishy.	She is very stubborn.
60	It sounds fishy.	It doesn’t sound like it’s true.
61	Don’t make a hog of yourself.	Don’t take more than your share.
62	Quit horsing around.	Stop being silly and get serious.
63	He ratted on me.	He informed others about my secrets.
64	She is a stool pigeon.	She informs on everybody.
65	I Can’t make heads or tails of it.	I can’t understand what you are talking about.
66	She’s no spring chicken.	She is a tough old lady.
67	She’s no spring chicken.	She is a tough old lady.
68	She lost her head.	She did something crazy.
69	He can’t keep his head above water.	He’s too busy with many things.
70	That’s just off the top of my head	Here’s an idea without too much thought.
71	She’s got her head in the clouds.	Her ideas are not practical.
72	She’s levelheaded.	She’s always has good practical ideas.
73	I’ve got a lump in my throat.	Tam emotionally involved and distressed.
74	You’d better save your neck.	You must survive this situation.
75	You better turn the other cheek.	Don’t let what they say bother you!
76	Just swallow your pride.	Forget your pride and solve the problem.
77	My lips are sealed.	I will never reveal the secret.
78	It’s a slap in the face.	That is an insult.
79	You can talk until you’re blue in the face.	They aren’t listening to you.
80	She’s got a big mouth	Admit your error – solve it and go on.
81	She’s got a big mouth.	She talks too much and says the wrong things.
82	It’s just hand to mouth.	It is a very low cost project.
83	Keep a stiff upper lip.	Keep trying and you can succeed.
84	It makes my mouth water.	I think that is a very attractive idea.
85	It was by word of mouth.	I was told in person.
86	It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.	I don’t feel comfortable with that idea.
87	It will melt in your mouth.	You will like this idea.
88	You can save your breath.	They don’t listen – they’re not open to anything.
89	She takes my breath away.	She’s the most wonderful creature I’ve ever seen.
90	I did it by the skin of my teeth.	I just barely got the job done.
91	It’s on the tip of my tongue.	I know it – I just can’t say it now.
92	You’ll eat your words.	Anything you say may come back to haunt: you.
93	She’s got a sharp tongue.	Her words are like a sword – they can hurt.
94	It’s my mother tongue.	It is my native language.
95	It was a slip of the tongue.	I didn’t intend to say that.
96	He said it tongue in cheek	He was kidding when he said that.
97	She’s tongue-tied.	She’s so excited she can’t speak.
98	I only have eyes for you.	You are the object of my affection.
99	I never want to lay eyes on you.	Go! I never want to see you again.
100	I’ve got my eye on you.	I’m watching you – one mistake and you’re gone.
101	He’s making eyes at her.	He is flirting with her.
102	That’ll make your eyes pop.	You will be really surprised when this happens.
103	I can’t believe my eyes.	What I am seeing is hard to believe.
104	There’s more than meets the eye.	You are not telling me all the facts.
105	She’s a sight for sore eyes.	We’re very happy to see her – we need her.
106	You need to catch his eye.	You must get his attention
107	His eyes are bigger than his stomach.	He takes more food than he can eat.
108	Feast your eyes on that.	Isn’t that a wonderful thing we have here?
109	She will pull the wool over his eyes.	She will fool him every time.
110	It’s a highbrow place.	It is Avery high-class place.
111	You’ll pay through the nose.	It’s extremely costly to do that.
112	Don’t turn up your nose at me.	Don’t think you are better than I am.
113	She’s got a nose for news.	She can get a story from almost nothing.
114	She won by a nose.	It was a very close race.
115	You need to lead them by the nose.	You have to tell them every single detail.
116	Keep your nose clean.	Be honest and ethical.
117	It’s nothing to sneeze at.	It is a good offer.
118	It’s under your nose.	It’s right there in front of you.
119	She won by a hair.	She won by just a tiny bit.
120	I’m all ears.	Tam listening with great interest.
121	It was an ear-splitting sound.	The noise hurt my ears.
122	It goes in one ear and out the other.	He doesn’t listen to anyone
123	Keep your ear to the ground.	Listen everywhere to find what is going on.
124	You’d better prick up your ears.	Pay attention to what is happening.
125	She can wind him around her little finger.	She can manipulate him to do what she wants.
126	He’s got a finger in every pie.	He is trying every possible way.
127	My hands are tied.	There is nothing I can do because of regulations.
128	Please lend me a hand.	Help me with this.
129	Give him a hand	Clap your hand in appreciation.
130	Give him a hand.	Help him.
131	He’s got a green thumb.	He is good at gardening.
132	I’m all thumbs.	Tam very clumsy.
133	I’ve got it all at my fingertips	I have all the right information.
134	He’s an old hand.	He has lots of experience at that.
135	She’s got her hands full.	She has more things to do than she can handle.
136	I wash my hands of it all.	I want no part of this thing
137	He was caught red-handed.	He was caught in the act of a crime.
138	Don’t let it slip through your fingers	Don’t let this good customer get away.
139	You must get the upper hand	Get an advantage on your competitor.
140	He’s up in arms about it.	He has gotten upset about something.
141	I only got hand-me-downs.	What I got was all second-hand stuff.
142	I’ve got to hand it to you.	I admire what you have done.
143	It’s hands off to you	You are not to do any work on this item.
144	Try to thumb a ride	Beg for a ride.
145	We are short-handed	I need your help.
146	You must toe the line.	Everyone must follow all the rules.
147	He’s got cold feet,	He’s frightened and doesn’t think he can do it.
148	He’s a heel	He does not act like a gentleman with ladies.
149	You better shake a leg	You need to work faster.
150	She’s pulling my leg.	She is trying to trick or fool me.
151	You’ll foot the bill.	You will have to pay the entire cost.
152	You’ll have to put your foot down	You’ll need to assert yourself – be more forceful.
153	You don’t have a leg to stand on	You are not secure in your position.
154	You’ve got to put your best foot forward	Go with the best idea that you have.
155	Don’t drag your feet	Don’t delay – get to work
156	You’ve got to get a foot in the door	You must get the customers attention.
157	The shoe is on the other foot now	Now they have the problem, not us.
158	You’ll step on her toes	You’ll be moving in on her territory.
159	He’s got a chip on his shoulder.	He is looking for an excuse to fight.
160	She gave him the cold shoulder	She is trying to get him to leave her alone.
161	Get off my back	Leave me alone and let me get to work.
162	Get it off your chest	Tell me exactly what is bothering you.
163	I need some elbowroom	We are too crowded in this office.
164	He’s a thorn in my side.	Everything he does irritates me.
165	He turns my stomach	He totally disgusts me.
166	I’ve got butterflies in my stomach.	I’m very nervous about this deal.
167	She can’t stomach it.	She thinks this deal is too rotten to do.
168	He’s lily-livered.	He too much a coward to do it.
169	She makes my flesh creep.	She is extremely revolting in her attitude.
170	She’s a busybody.	She pays attention to everybody else’s business.
171	We need a heart to heart talk	We need to talk confidentially
172	You need to learn this by heart.	You need to know this stuff well.
173	Please! Have a heart	Get some feelings about being nice.
174	My heart is in my mouth.	I’m extremely nervous about this deal.
175	Don’t take it to heart	Don’t take this personally – it’s just business.
176	She’s a hard-hearted woman.	She has no compassion for anyone
177	She’s got a heart of stone.	She makes decisions without regard to people
178	Eat your heart out.	You are envious of my success.
179	You’ll break my heart.	I’ll be disappointed about this.
180	He’s our ace in the hole.	When all else fails – he will save us.
181	He’s a stuffed shirt.	He is very pretentious.
182	We are ahead of the game.	Right now we are in advantage
183	They’re all shook up.	They are upset that we are winning.
184	They’re all washed up.	They have been defeated.
185	He’s asleep at the switch.	He’s not alert to what is going on.
186	He’ll do after a fashion	He’ll learn to do better but not well.
187	She’s a back seat driver	She always will criticize any idea.
188	He’s a ball of fire.	He’s one of best workers.
189	You’re barking up the wrong tree	You have totally the wrong approach.
190	His bark is worse than his bite.	He yells but he doesn’t mean anything by it.
191	You’ve got bats in your belfry	You are crazy and have ridiculous ideas
192	She will bail him out.	She will verbally discipline him
193	Don’t beat around the bush.	Stop talking in circles – speak directly.
194	Beat it	Go away!
195	I need my beauty sleep	I need to sleep.
196	It’s no bed of roses.	This will not be easy.
197	I’m behind the eight ball.	Tam in trouble with the boss.
198	He’s beside himself with misery.	He is extremely miserable
199	It’s better late than never.	Being late is bad but it’s better than never.
200	He’s the big cheese.	He is the headman.
201	He’s the big wheel.	He’s the big boss.
202	He’s the big shot	He is an important man.
203	Don’t bite off more than you can chew.	Don’t try to do more than you can accomplish.
204	Don’t bite the hand than feeds you	Be loyal to your company that pays you
205	He’ll soon bite the dust.	He soon will be found out and lose.
206	Don’t blow your top.	Stay calm
207	Don’t blow your cool.	Remain calm and collected.
208	I’ve got a bone to pick with you.	You’ve something that is a problem to me.
209	You should brush up on it.	You need to study and learn this.
210	You need to build a fire under them	They need to be motivated.
211	You’ll need to burn the midnight oil	You will have to work overtime
212	Don’t break your word.	Do what you have promised.
213	We need to break the news	We need to tell them the bad news.
214	Let’s bury the hatchet	Let’s forget our old fights and hatreds.
215	We won by a hair	We won a very close victory.
216	By hook or crook we’ll do it.	We’ll do it whatever it takes.
217	Let’s call it a day.	That’s enough work for today.
218	Let’s call it quits.	Let’s stop for now.
219	You call the shots.	You make the decisions.
220	It’s a can of worms.	That is a big bunch of problems
221	I ride in a car pool	A group of us ride to work together
222	Don’t chicken out on us	Don’t get scared and leave.
223	He’s a chip off the old block	He is just like his dad.
224	We need to cut our losses.	We must withdraw form a losing situation.
225	You’ve cooked your own goose	You are in a problem of your own making.
226	You make me crack up.	I find you extremely funny.
227	You need to crack a book.	Open up a book and learn something
228	You need to crack a joke.	Don’t be so serious all the time.
229	It cramps my style.	You have put too many limits on me.
230	He’s the cream of the crop.	He is the best there is.
231	Don’t cut corners	Follow all of the rules.
232	It’s a cut and dried situation.	There are no changes or discussions – just do it.
233	We’re at a dead stop	We can’t do anything right now.
234	He’s dead to the world	He is so tired he can’t function.
235	It will soon die out.	That problem will be gone soon.
236	They’re a dime a dozen.	They aren’t worth anything.
237	Watch him do a double take.	He will gasp when he sees this.
238	She’s down in the dumps	She is very depressed.
239	She got a dose of her own medicine.	She is very depressed.
240	Well, that’s down the drain	We have completely lost everything on this.
241	That’s all down the tubes	We have totally lost everything on this.
242	Don’t drag your feet on this.	Get working and stop the delaying.
243	I’m drawing a blank.	I don’t have any idea on this.
244	We need to draw the line here	We make no more concessions.
245	He drives a hard bargain.	He makes it tough to make much of a profit.
246	It’s just a drop in the bucket.	That is just the beginning of the problems.
247	She eats like a bird.	She just picks at her food.
248	She eats like a horse.	She eats like a hungry man.
249	He’s at the end of his rope.	He is just about out of ideas and energy.
250	I feel like a million dollars	I feel wonderful.
251	Finders keepers – losers weepers	The finders are happy – the losers unhappy.
252	It will fit like a glove.	The two situations work well together
253	They’re going to flip their lid.	They are going to be extremely unhappy. .
254	He will fly off the handle	He will be very upset.
255	Don’t fool around with that.	Leave that situation alone.
256	It’s a foolproof scheme	This idea is sure to succeed.
257	This is for keeps	This is it – no changes – no getting out.
258	You’ll need to fork out some dough	You will have to pay some cash.
259	He’s out getting forty winks	He is taking a quick nap.
260	Can they get away with that?	Will they be able to do that without trouble
261	Let’s get down to brass tacks	Let’s do some serious talking.
262	Tell get even.	Twill return the bad you did to me.
263	Get off my back	Stop bothering me and let me do my work.
264	Let’s get the ball rolling	Let’s start the work on this
265	We’ll get to the bottom of it.	We will find out exactly what is the problem
266	He got out of the bed on the wrong side	the day started bad and hasn’t gotten any better
267	He doesn’t have a ghost of a chance.	There is no way he can succeed.
268	He’s giving me a hard time.	He is teasing me about that.
269	Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile.	Give a little and he takes a lot.
270	Don’t give yourself away.	Don’t let them know what your plan is
272	They’ll have to give up the ghost	They will have to give up trying.
273	He’s a real globetrotter	He travels all over the world.
274	They just go around in circles.	They go in all directions without any success.
275	They will go into orbit.	They will be very upset
276	They can just go jump in a lake	If they don’t like it – too bad.
777	Don’t go off the deep end	Don’t go to extremes on this.
278	Just grin and bear it.	Forget the problems – keep working.
279	They often just ham it up	They like to get very dramatic.
280	He’s got one foot in the grave	He is too old.
281	We had a high time.	We had a good time.
282	You hit the nail on the head.	That is exactly the situation.
283	They will hit the ceiling	They will be extremely upset.
284	That is a hit below the belt.	That is not playing fair or honest.
285	I’m going to hit the sack.	I’m going to bed.
286	She’s going to hit the hay.	She is going to bed.
287	That just won’t hold water.	That idea just won’t work.
288	He can’t hold down a job.	He has lost every job he ever had.
289	Don’t horse around.	Don’t play around – be serious.
290	Keep them in the dark.	Don’t let them know what is going on.
291	You must hang in there	Keep trying.
292	She has a lot of hang-ups	She has a lot of irrational objections.
293	I can see the handwriting on the wall	I can sense the mood of people.
294	Go and have a ball	Go and enjoy yourself.
295	We will have the last laugh	They are winning now but in the end we will win.
296	Hold on to your hat.	Be patient
297	Hold on to your horses.	(Hold your horses) \|Don’t get too excited.
298	Have your own way.	OK! Do what you want.
299	You’ve got two strikes against you	One more mistake and you are out!
300	That’s it in a nutshell.	That is a short summary of the situation
301	She’s often in my hair.	She is often in my way.
302	We’ve got one thing in the hole.	One thing is on our side.
303	They are in the same boat.	We both have the same problem
304	We are in full swing now.	We are all working full time on this.
305	We have more irons in the fire.	We have many other things to do
306	He’s a jack-of-all-trades	He has many talents.
307	Don’t jump down my throat	Don’t criticize me so severely.
308	It’s just what the doctor ordered	That is an excellent solution.
309	You keep the ball rolling.	Keep up your good efforts.
310	Now keep that under your hat	Don’t tell this to anyone.
311	You keep plugging away.	Keep working to solve this.
312	That’s a kick in the pants	That is a good encouragement
313	Knock it off!	Stop doing that!
314	He’s about to kick the bucket	He is about to die.
315	He knows the ropes	He knows what he is doing.
326	That is the last straw	He has made one error too many.
317	You need to let off some steam.	Don’t contain all your anger.
318	Don’t lie down on the job.	Keep working – don’t slow down.
319	She is a long shot to win	She is not the most likely winner.
320	He’s a long-winded talker.	He talks and talks.
321	She looked daggers at him.	She gave him a look of disapproval.
322	Don’t look down on them	Don’t think you are better than they are.
323	You’ll lose your shirt doing that.	You will lose everything.
324	That is a lost cause	You cannot succeed.
325	We’ll lower the boom on them.	We will soundly defeat them.
326	That’ll make the fur fly.	That will get their attention.
327	She can’t make ends meet.	She spends more than she makes.
328	Make yourself at home.	She spends more than she makes.
329	He’s a man of his word	He always keeps promises.
330	It’s a matter of life and death	This is a very serious situation.
331	Your name is mud.	You will be thought of as a loser.
332	It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.	It is a difficult thing to find.
333	She’s an old flame	She’s a past girlfriend.
334	It happens once in a blue moon	. It will never happen.
335	It’s on the house.	You do not need to pay for it.
336	Be on the lookout for her.	Watch for her.
337	He’s on the bandwagon.	He has joined our side of the argument.
338	She’s on the ball.	She is very perceptive.
339	He’s out of date	He is living in the past
340	That is out of the question	That idea is not acceptable.
341	Don’t go out on a limb.	Don’t make any commitments on that.
342	We’ll paint the town red	We will go out to party
343	He’ll just pass the buck.	He will blame someone else.
344	He passed out at the party.	He was so drunk he lost consciousness
345	A penny for your thoughts.	What were you thinking just now?
346	He’ll just pick a fight	He will provoke you into a fight.
347	I’m on pins and needles waiting.	I’m anxious to find out something.
348	We won’t play second fiddle to them.	We will not be in second place.
349	You’ve got to pull yourself together	Get organized and not so emotional.
350	He’d pinch pennies.	He is too careful with money.
351	It’s just a play on words	The meaning is not what the words say.
352	Everybody must pitch in	All must help.
353	We’ll polish them off.	We will defeat them all.
354	Will you pop the question?	Will you ask her to marry you?
355	He’s an apple polisher	He tries to hard to please the boss.
356	I can pull strings	I have some connections with the right people
357	It’s just puppy love	It is just infatuation
358	Put on your thinking cap.	Give this some serious thought.
359	Let’s put our cards on the table	Let’s be honest with each other
360	You put the cart before the horse	Put first things first
361	That will put a feather in his cap	This will be a credit to him
362	Don’t put all your eggs in one basket	Don’t depend on just one thing
363	It’s raining cats and dogs	It is a heavy rain
364	You’ve got to read between the lines	Look at what they mean not what they say
365	That rings the bell	Now I remember
366	Don’t rob the cradle	She’s too young for you
367	He’ll just rock the boat	He will get everyone upset
368	We’ve got lots of red tape	All the government regulations are difficult
369	It’s just a rip off	They will cheat you
370	He rubs me the wrong way	I do not like his attitude
371	As arule of thumb I refuse	Generally I refuse
372	It’s pretty run down	It is in bad condition
373	He needs a security blanket	He always needs reassurance
374	Seeing is believing	I only believe what I can see
375	That’ll separate the men from the boys	We will find out who is serious
376	You’ve got them shaking in their boots	They are afraid now.
377	You’ll have to sink or swim	It will be win all or lose all now
378	We are sitting pretty	We are sitting pretty
379	She slays me with that nonsense	She disgusts me with those silly ideas
380	Everything is ship shape	Everything is in good order
381	Why don’t you sleep on it?	Think about it tonight – let me know tomorrow
382	We just made small talk	We didn’t talk about anything serious
383	Go ahead and sound off	Say what you think
384	He’s spaced out	He is on drugs
385	It will spread like wildfire	This idea will be very popular
386	They have stacked the deck	We are not playing under even conditions
387	They have stacked the cards	They have cheated us to their advantage
388	We will need to start from scratch	We need to start at the beginning
389	I don’t want to steal his thunder	Twill let him break the good news
390	She tried to steal the spotlight	She wants undeserved attention
391	You must stick to your guns on that	Your idea is good – stay with it
392	He’s just a stick-in-the-mud	He is too old fashioned
393	You won’t strike it rich	This idea won’t make you rich
394	You need to strike while the iron is hot	Do it while the opportunity is right
395	We won’t take a back seat to them	We won’t be in second place to them
396	We’re in the driving seat	We control the situation
397	Our new project will soon take off	It will be a great success
398	You have to take your medicine	If you did wrong you must pay
399	You can take the floor	It is your turn – speak
400	You run with it	The project is yours to make it a success
401	Take your hat off to no one	You are a good as anyone else
402	We won’t take sides	We will be neutral on this
403	That is a tall story	I don’t believe your explanation
404	We’ll throw the book at them	If they did wrong they must pay
405	We will throw in the towel	We give up
406	We’ll throw in the sponge	We give up
407	We’ll throw a party	We will have a party
408	She’ll throw a fit.	She will be extremely upset.
409	We’ll hold them to the letter	They will have to follow all the rules
410	Remember that time marches on	You are wasting time
411	I think they will tie the knot	They will get married
412	We’re tickled to death about it	We are very pleased
413	We had the time of our life	We had a good time
414	It will be touch and go for a while	We won’t know if we succeed or fail
415	We will need to touch up things	We need to solve some little problems
416	It will be to the tune of a million	It will cost about a million dollars
417	It’s part of the tricks of the trade.	It is one of my secret solutions.
418	It’s time to turn in.	It’s time to go sleep.
419	We will turn the tables on them	We will reverse the situation
420	She had better turn over a new leaf	She needs to change her ways
421	He’s got me turned on	He has me excited about that
422	Don’t just twiddle your thumbs	Get to work
423	I put her under your wings	She will report to you
424	He is up to something	He is doing something secretly
425	Don’t get up in arms	There is no need to get excited or upset
426	He’ll upstage us	He’ll do better than us
427	We won’t wait on them	We are going ahead and not wait for them
428	They’ll walk all over you	They will take advantage of you
429	He’s walking on air	He is really excited
430	You’re walking on thin ice	You may fail at any moment
431	He will just warm the bench	He will sit by while we work
432	Don’t wash your dirty linen in public	Don’t tell your bad points to others
433	You’ll just be wasting your breath	Don’t bother, they won’t listen
434	The wear and tear will defeat us	The effort is not worth the rewards
435	You’ll wear out your welcome	Don’t stay too long
436	I’ll pay you when my ship comes in	When I get rich I’ll pay you
437	We just have to weather the storm	Keep working in rough times
438	I can see the writing on the wall	I can sense that thing may be bad
439	Let’s wind up this problem	We need to finish this
440	We will agree word for word	We agree exactly
441	Just a word to the wise-Shut up!	Listen to me!
442	You just zip your lip	Stop talking so much
443	Keep your shirt on	Don’t get so impatient
444	They are pulling your leg	They are playing a trick on you
445	She is rolling in the dough	She has lots of money
446	He’s stinking rich	He’s very wealthy
447	We’ll make him the fall guy	We will put the blame on him
448	He will take the rap	He will be the guilty one
449	It’s a bum rap	He is innocent
450	You need to bend over backwards	You need to try very hard
451	You need to bite the bullet	You need to endure a difficult situation
452	Stick it out!	Endure a difficult situation
453	They will bite the dust	They will go down to defeat
454	Has the cat got your tongue?	Can’t you talk?
455	They will have to cough up the money	They will have to willingly come up with money
456	It’s different strokes for different folks	Everyone has different interests and tastes
457	She’s dressed to kill	She’s wearing her finest clothes
458	He’s driving me up the wall	He is annoying me greatly
459	That’s duck soup	That is very easy
460	What is eating you?	What is annoying you?
461	Someone is feeding you a line	Someone is deceiving you
462	We can get it for a song	We can get it for very little money
463	We can get away clean	We can escape punishment
464	Don’t get in her hair	Don’t bother her
465	She will get the ax	She will be fired
466	We need to get the jump on them	We need to get an advantage on them
467	You should give it your best shot	You should try your hardest
468	We will give them the slip	We will escape
469	He will go to bat for you	He will support you all the way
470	She is going to the dogs	She is becoming rundown
471	She’s got the world by the tail	She’s happy and successful
472	That’s a horse of a different color	That’s an entirely different situation
473	If the shoe fits – wear it	If you are wrong admit it
474	Don’t jump the gun.	Don’t be hasty.
475	Let’s kick up our heels.	Let’s celebrate.
476	This will knock their socks off.	This will enthuse and excite them.
477	We won’t leave them high and dry.	We won’t abandon them.
478	It is defective.	It is defective
479	We need to make a splash	We need to be successful and get their attention
480	Money talks.	Money can influence people.
481	They don’t have a leg to stand on.	They have no defense for their actions.
482	We’ll put that on ice	We’ll save that one for the future.
483	We are not out of the woods	We are not out of danger.
484	He is on his last legs.	He is sick and failing fast.
485	We will play this one by ear.	We will improvise as we go along.
486	Put your money where your mouth is.	You must follow through with what you say.
487	They will raise a stink.	They will protest strongly.
488	We will have to scratch their back.	We will have to do them a favor.
489	They will sell you down the river	They will betray you.
490	Don’’t sells them short.	Don’t underestimate them.
491	You must shape up or ship out	You must behave or leave.
492	Let’s just shoot the breeze.	Let’s just chat informally.
493	We are sitting pretty.	We are in a fortunate position.
494	They gave us a snow job.	It was insincere talk.
495	Don’t spill the beans.	Don’t reveal our secret.
496	Don’t spread yourself too thin.	Don’t become involved in too many things.
497	Don’t stick you neck out on this.	Don’t take too much risk.
498	This is straight from the horse’s mouth.	It is from a reliable source.
499	You must take the bull by the horns.	You must take decisive action
500	You are talking through your hat.	You are making foolish statements.
501	I said it tongue in cheek.	She is a wet blanket.
502	What do they have up their sleeve?	What facts have they concealed?
503	She is a wet blanket.	She’s boring and spoils everyone’s fun.
504	She is tooting her own horn	She is boasting.
505	Above all to thy own self be true.	First be honest to yourself.
506	Mer all’s said and done,	more is said than In the end there’s more talk than action.
507	He has fallen afoul of the law.	He is in conflict with the law.
508	It is all up in the air.	It is not been decided.
509	Be on the alert for danger.	Watch for danger.
510	That is up his alley.	It is compatible with his ability.
511	In that she stands alone.	She is unequaled.
512	They will be along soon.	She is unequaled.
513	I will be able to get along.	T will be able to manage successfully
514	All along I knew they would fail.	From the beginning I knew they would fail.
515	That will cost you and arm and a leg.	It will cost an extravagant amount.
516	They welcomed us with open arms.	It will cost an extravagant amount.
517	I will get around to it soon.	T will be able to deal with it.
518	It is sold as is.	It’s sold with no guarantees.
519	Don’t turn your back on them.	Don’t reject them.
520	Don’t turn your back to her.	She can’t be trusted.
521	Don’t go back on your word.	Don’t fail to keep your promise.
522	It is in the bag.	We are assured of a successful outcome.
523	They arrived bag and baggage.	They arrived with all their belongings.
524	Keep on the ball.	Be alert, competent and efficient.
525	He is off base.	He is badly mistaken
526	Right off the bat they fought	Immediately they fought
527	We will go to bat for them	We will assist them
528	Bear in mind their finances	Remember their finances
529	Please, bear with me	Please, understand my situation
530	We will need to tighten our belt	We must become thriftier
531	You bet we will go	Certainly we will go
532	Between you and me they won’t do it	In strictest confidence, they won’t do it
533	He is big on meat and potatoes	He likes meat and potatoes
534	We expect to make it big	We expect to be very successful
535	It will fill the bill	It will meet all our requirements
536	We did it bit by bit	We did it little by little
537	They will try to put the bite on us	They will try to borrow money from us
538	We are now in the black	We are now profitable
539	The company is on the block	The company is for sale
540	They are blowing hot and cold	They are changing their minds
541	He is just blowing off steam	He is just venting his anger
542	It came from out of the blue	It was totally unexpected
543	The new changes are across the board	It will affect all divisions and groups
544	I feel it in my bones	i have a premonition about this
545	That is one for the books	That is something entirely new
546	He has been hitting the bottle	He has begun to drink (alcohol) to excess
547	That is out of bounds	That is beyond your limits
548	Don’t burn the bridges behind you	Keep the possibility of retreat
549	He had money to burn	He had lots of money
550	We will go by and by	We will go in a little while
551	By and large they are honest	For the most part they are honest
552	That was a close call	It was a narrow escape
553	He burns the candle at both ends	He spends too much energy in all directions
554	She can’t hold a candle to her friend	She is not nearly as good as her friend
555	Put your cards on the table	Be frank about your motives and intentions
556	He’s got a card up his sleeve	He has a secret plan in reserve
557	It is just not in the cards	It is not likely to occur
558	Try to catch your breath	Rest so you can continue
559	We will chalk up that one to experience	We will credit that to experience
560	We chewed the fat for a short while	We talked casually for a while
561	Next week we will clean house	Next week we will get rid of anyone undesirable
562	You must come clean	You must confess your error
563	She is in the clear	She is free from danger or suspicion
564	We need to clear the air.	Let’s ignore emotional tensions and differences.
565	She has her head in the clouds.	She is not in the real world.
566	He killed her in cold blood	He killed her without any feeling, or remorse
567	He was left out in the cold	He got nothing
568	They were acting in concert	They were acting together
569	They left him to cool his heels	He was left waiting
570	They asked her to cool it	She was asked to calm down and relax
571	He tried to cut corners	He tried to bypass some rules
572	It’s as easy as pie	It is very simple
573	You need to cut that out	Stop doing that
574	I’m beat	I am very tired
575	Give it some elbow grease	You need to go to work
576	It will cost you a bundle	it will be quite expensive
577	We are antsy about that	We are not confident about it
578	She is a blabbermouth	She talks all the time
579	I’m flat broke	I’m flat broke
580	I’m fed up with him	I have no patience with him
581	She is bent out of shape	She is upset about something
582	We are up a creek (without a paddle)	We are in a difficult or unfortunate position.

You may also like:

500+ Most Commonly Used American Idioms

Sarcastic Writer

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Related Posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply