List 16 - Phrases and Idioms
Phrases and Idioms 401-500 (hammer - kick)
|
Phrases and Idioms |
Meaning |
401. |
hammer - hammer something home |
To convey one’s message across effectively by speaking intelligibly. |
402. |
hammer - under the hammer |
Be for sale at an auction. |
403. |
hand - hand and hand |
Be involved with |
404. |
hand - hand in glove |
In close cooperation with someone in an illegal activity. |
405. |
hand - hand to mouth |
With just enough money and food to survive on. |
406. |
hand - hand-and-glove |
Inseparable or on intimate terms. |
407. |
hand – lend a hand |
To help someone in doing something. |
408. |
hand – out of hand |
Out of control. Immediately; without thinking. |
409. |
hang – hang your head |
To look ashamed and guilty. |
410. |
hard – be hard hit |
Adversely affected by something. |
411. |
hard - be hard on |
To be too strict or harsh on someone. |
412. |
hard – be hard put |
To have difficulty doing something. |
413. |
hard - hard done by |
To be treated in an unfair or harsh manner. |
414. |
hard - hard luck story |
A story told to gain sympathy. |
415. |
hard - hard of hearing |
Having difficulty in hearing. |
416. |
hard – hard to take |
Difficult to accept or believe. |
417. |
hard - no hard feelings |
No feelings of resentment. |
418. |
hard – take something hard |
Feel very unhappy or disappointed about something. |
419. |
hard - the hard stuff |
Strong alcoholic drink |
420. |
hard – times are hard |
Time when one has problems and difficulties. |
421. |
head - a clear head |
Being able to think clearly in a difficult situation. |
422. |
head - a head for |
An ability to tolerate something. |
423. |
head - come to a head |
Reach a crisis. |
424. |
head – head over heels |
Madly in love with something. |
425. |
head – head will roll |
Some people will be punished or dismissed. |
426. |
head – keep one’s head |
Remain calm. |
427. |
head – lose one’s head |
Lose self-control. |
428. |
heart – break someone’s heart |
To make someone feel very sad. |
429. |
heart – change of heart |
Change in one’s thinking. |
430. |
heart – cross one’s heart |
Used to make a promise. |
431. |
heart – from the heart |
With the sincerest feeling. |
432. |
heart – have the heart |
Show pity; be merciful. |
433. |
heart – heart and soul |
With all one’s affections. |
434. |
heart – heart of gold |
A kind or generous nature. |
435. |
heart – heart-to-heart |
Frank, sincere (talk) |
436. |
heart – learn by heart |
Learn by memorizing. |
437. |
heart – one’s heart’s desire |
Someone’s greatest wish for something. |
438. |
heart – open one’s heart |
To make known one’s feelings or thoughts. |
439. |
heart – take to heart |
Take something seriously. |
440. |
hearth – hearth and home |
One’s home and family. |
441. |
hedge – hedge your bets |
Avoid total loss by placing similar bets on the other side. |
442. |
heel - take to (one’s) heels |
Run away quickly. |
443. |
hell – hell for leather |
At great speed. |
444. |
hell – hell on earth |
A place that is extremely unpleasant. |
445. |
high – have high hopes |
Confident of successful outcome. |
446. |
high - high and dry |
Left with nothing. |
447. |
high – high and mighty |
Feeling self-important; arrogant. |
448. |
history – history repeats itself |
There’s a tendency for events to happen again in a similar way. |
449. |
hit – hit rock bottom |
To descend to the lowest level. |
450. |
hit – hit it off |
To become friends in a natural way. |
451. |
hit – hit the bottle |
To start to drink to excess. |
452. |
hit – hit the jackpot |
To win a huge amount of money. |
453. |
hit – hit the road |
Set forth on a journey |
454. |
hold – hold a conversation |
To get engaged in a conversation with someone. |
455. |
hold – hold one’s horses |
To stop for some reason. |
456. |
hold – hold one’s own |
To do something or succeed without help from anyone. |
457. |
hold – hold the fort |
To take over someone’s responsibility while they are away. |
458. |
hold – hold the line |
To not yield; to wait until the other person is ready to answer one’s telephone call. |
459. |
hold – hold your fire |
Used to order soldiers to cease firing. |
460. |
hold – no holds barred |
Without any restrictions or rules. |
461. |
holier – holier than-thou |
Self-righteous. |
462. |
home – home and dry |
Having succeeded in getting something done. |
463. |
honour - do the honours |
To do things such as serve food or drink at a social occasion. |
464. |
honour – in honour of |
Used to show respect and admiration of someone. |
465. |
honour – man of honour |
A man of high moral standards. |
466. |
honour – on one’s honour |
Under a moral duty to do something. |
467. |
honour – on/upon my honour |
Used to express one’s sincerity. |
468. |
hook - off the hook |
No longer in a difficult situation. |
469. |
hop – on the hop |
Unprepared; busy. |
470. |
hope – hope against hope |
Hope for something that probably will not happen. |
471. |
house – house of God |
A church, a temple. |
472. |
house – on the house |
A drink or meal paid for by the bar, restaurant, etc. management. |
473. |
human - the human touch |
A close relationship of communication or understanding. |
474. |
ice – on thin ice |
In a risky situation. |
475. |
idea - get the idea |
To start to understand something |
476. |
idea - have no idea |
Have no knowledge of |
477. |
idea - that’s the idea |
That’s exactly right |
478. |
ill – ill at ease |
Feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed. |
479. |
ill – speak ill of |
Say something bad about someone. |
480. |
immemorial – since/from time immemorial |
Starting from a time in the distant past which people cannot now recall. |
481. |
influence - under the influence |
Affected by an effect or an imperceptible power exerted by someone or something that causes changes in conduct or the character. |
482. |
ins – ins and outs |
The details of a system, workings, etc. |
483. |
inside – on the inside |
Being able to provide internal information. |
484. |
issue – die without issue |
To die without having any children. |
485. |
issue – take issue with |
To dispute the truth or validity of. |
486. |
itchy – have itchy feet |
Have the desire to travel or go somewhere. |
487. |
Jekyll – Jekyll and Hyde |
A person having dual personalities, one good and one evil. |
488. |
job – just the job |
The very job that is wanted. |
489. |
job – on the job |
While doing work; being part of the work. |
490. |
join – join forces |
Combine efforts for a common purpose. |
491. |
jump – jump a light |
To drive past a red traffic light. |
492. |
jump – jump for joy |
To be very excited and happy. |
493. |
jump – jump the gun |
To begin something without proper planning. |
494. |
jump – jump the queue |
Move ahead of other people in a queue. |
495. |
jump – jump to conclusions |
To form a quick opinion without considering the facts. |
496. |
key – in/out of key |
In/not in agreement or harmony with. |
497. |
kick – kick a habit |
Stop doing something which one does habitually. |
498. |
kick – kick one’s heels |
To be kept waiting for a long time. |
499. |
kick – kick someone upstairs |
Promote someone to an ostensibly higher and more influential position in a business. |
500. |
kick – kick the bucket |
Die. |
Phrases and Idioms 501-600 (killing - mind)
|
Phrases and Idioms |
Meaning |
501. |
killing - make a killing |
To make a large profit in a short time. |
502. |
kind – of a kind |
Scarcely worthy of what is specified or described. |
503. |
kiss – kiss of death |
A kindly act which produces negative outcome |
504. |
kiss – kiss of life |
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. |
505. |
kiss – kiss someone’s arse |
To be excessively slavish or obedient to someone. |
506. |
knife - under the knife |
Having a surgery. |
507. |
knock – knock it off |
Used to tell someone to stop doing something. |
508. |
know – know by heart |
Have learned something by rote and now able to repeat it from memory. |
509. |
know – know no bounds |
Have no limits. |
510. |
know – know one’s onions |
Be experienced in or knowledgeable about something. |
511. |
know – know one’s stuff |
Be fully acquainted with something. |
512. |
know – know the ropes |
To have experience in or familiar with something. |
513. |
know – know what’s what |
Have the necessary experience, ability or knowledge to do something successfully. |
514. |
large - in large part/measure |
Mostly; to a great extent. |
515. |
latest - at the latest |
No later than the time referred to. |
516. |
law – law and order |
A situation in which people are abiding by the law. |
517. |
lead – lead someone astray |
To influence someone to act or behave in a wrong way. |
518. |
least – at the very least |
At the minimum; adopting the most negative stance. |
519. |
least – least of all |
Not less than; if nothing else; |
520. |
least – not in the least |
Not at all. |
521. |
lend – lend an/one’s ear |
listen sympathetically to someone. |
522. |
lend – lend weight to |
To put more value on something. |
523. |
letter - to the letter |
Pay close attention to every detail. |
524. |
liberty – take liberties with |
To conduct oneself in an improper manner towards; to deal with rules, writing, etc. without due consideration to facts. |
525. |
liberty – take the liberty |
To do something without permission. |
526. |
lick – at a lick |
Very fast. |
527. |
lick – lick one’s wounds |
To think carefully and seriously about one’s defeat or disappointment that has just happened. |
528. |
lick – lick someone’s boots |
More than willing to serve or please others. |
529. |
lie – lie in state |
Display of an important deceased person’s body in a public place for people to pay their last respect. |
530. |
life – come to life |
To become exciting, or lively; to start working again. |
531. |
life – for dear life |
Do whatever one can to escape death. |
532. |
life – full of life |
Very lively and happy. |
533. |
life – larger than life |
Someone who attracts a lot of attention due to an exceptional personal attribute they possess. |
534. |
life - way of life |
The way people choose to live their lives. |
535. |
light – bring/come to light |
To make or become known. |
536. |
light – throw light on |
To clarify things by providing more or new information. |
537. |
line - along party line |
Acting in accordance to the party one belongs to. |
538. |
line - bring into line |
To make to conform |
539. |
line - fall into line |
To conform to the way in which something is done. |
540. |
line - in line with |
In accordance with |
541. |
line - line of vision |
The direction in which an observer looks. |
542. |
line - on the line |
at serious risk, (job, etc.) likely to be lost. |
543. |
line - out of line |
Behaving unacceptably or inappropriately. |
544. |
lip - pay lip service |
express support without action to show it. |
545. |
lip - read one’s lips |
To listen carefully so as to understand what is said. |
546. |
living - in living memory |
That can still be remembered by people. |
547. |
loiter – loiter with intent |
Hang around a place with criminal intent. |
548. |
long - at long last |
Finally; after a long time |
549. |
loose - on the loose |
Having escaped from prison or cage. |
550. |
lose – lose one’s mind |
To become insane. |
551. |
lose – lose sight of |
No longer able to see someone or something; to forget something. |
552. |
lost – a lost cause |
Something that is not likely to be achieved. |
553. |
lost - be lost on |
Refuse to appreciate or accept. |
554. |
luck – just my luck |
Used to express disappointment that something bad has happened to one. |
555. |
luck – out of luck |
Suffering misfortune; having bad luck. |
556. |
luck – press one’s luck |
Take unnecessary risks. |
557. |
luck – try one’s luck |
To attempt something difficult and hope it will succeed. |
558. |
make – make away with |
carry away secretly or illegally. |
559. |
make – make or break |
To be a decisive factor in the success or failure of something or someone. |
560. |
man – a man’s man |
A man who moves around and engages with other men at social functions and in manly activities. |
561. |
man – be man enough |
be strong or brave enough |
562. |
man – be someone’s man |
A man who satisfies fully someone’s requirement. |
563. |
man - man about town |
A man who is socially active. |
564. |
man - man and wife (be) |
To be married. |
565. |
man - man of God |
A deeply religious man or a priest. |
566. |
man - man of letters |
A male writer. |
567. |
man - man to man |
In direct and frank engagement between two men. |
568. |
man - man’s best friend |
A dog. |
569. |
man - to a man |
Without exception. |
570. |
manner – all manner of |
Many different kinds of. |
571. |
many - a good many |
Quite a lot |
572. |
many – a great many |
A fairly large number of. |
573. |
many – one too many |
To be drunk. |
574. |
mark – leave/make its/a mark |
Leave a permanent or significant impression. |
575. |
mark – make one’s mark |
Attain fame or distinction. |
576. |
mark – mark my words |
Used to tell someone to be attentive to what one is saying. |
577. |
mark – near/close to the mark |
Almost accurate; almost on target. |
578. |
mark – off/wide off the mark |
Not correct or inaccurate. |
579. |
mark – on your marks |
Instruction to competitors to correctly position themselves to start a race. |
580. |
marked - a marked man |
Someone who is in danger of being harmed by his enemy. |
581. |
marriage – marriage of convenience |
Marriage for other reasons and not for love. |
582. |
marry – marry a fortune |
Marry a rich heiress. |
583. |
marry – marry into money |
Marry a wealthy person or someone from a wealthy family. |
584. |
matter - matter of fact (a) |
In reality; in fact. |
585. |
matter - no matter what |
One will do something regardless of what happens. |
586. |
means – beyond one’s means |
More than one can afford. |
587. |
means - by all means |
Of course. |
588. |
means – by any means |
At all. |
589. |
means – by means of |
By using something |
590. |
means – by no means |
Not at all. |
591. |
means – man/woman of means |
Man/woman who is rich. |
592. |
means – within one’s means |
Not more than one can afford. |
593. |
measure - for good measure |
Additional input to what is already enough or required. |
594. |
mend – mend one’s fences |
Make peace with someone whom one has offended. |
595. |
mend – on the mend |
Improving in one’s health or a situation. |
596. |
middle – the middle ground |
Something which provides a basis for a discussion, negotiation, meeting, etc. to be carried out. |
597. |
might – might is right |
Used to say powerful people/countries are free from prosecution/retaliation and so can do what they like |
598. |
mincemeat - make mincemeat of |
To defeat someone totally. |
599. |
mind – a close mind (have) |
Not willing to consider new ideas. |
600. |
mind – have in mind |
Plan, intend |
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