Phrases and Idioms List 901-1000 (state – world)

  • State of the art: It refers to the highest level of development in a field, typically one involving technology or science.
  • Stay in your lane: An advice for someone to stick to what they're familiar or skilled with and not interfere with what others are doing.
  • Steal someone's thunder: It means to take credit for something that someone else did.
  • Step up to the plate: To take on a responsibility, typically one that has been abandoned by someone else.
  • Stick to your guns: To refuse to compromise or change, despite opposition.
  • Stop on a dime: It means to stop very quickly or suddenly.
  • Storm in a teacup: A situation where people are upset or angry about something that is not important.
  • Straight from the horse's mouth: Hearing information directly from the most reliable source.
  • Strike while the iron is hot: It means to take advantage of an opportunity immediately.
  • Stuck in a rut: It describes being stuck or trapped in a situation or lifestyle that you can't escape from.
  • Sugar coat: Making something unpleasant seem more pleasant and acceptable.
  • Take it with a grain of salt: It means to view something with skepticism, or to not take it literally.
  • Take the bull by the horns: It implies tackling a problem or task head on, without avoiding it.
  • Take the cake: If something takes the cake, it wins, excels or stands out above all others.
  • That's the way the cookie crumbles: Used to underline the fact that things don't always turn out as we plan, and we should just accept it.
  • The ball is in your court: It's your decision, responsibility or move to make next.
  • The last straw: The latest problem in a series of problems, that makes a situation impossible to accept.
  • The whole nine yards: Everything or all inclusive.
  • Tie the knot: To get married.
  • To each their own: It implies that everyone is entitled to their own personal preferences and choices.
  • Turn a blind eye: To ignore something that you know is wrong.
  • Twist someone's arm: It means to persuade someone to do something.
  • Under the weather: Feeling sick, poor health.
  • Up in the air: Something that is uncertain or unresolved.
  • Walking on eggshells: To tread carefully around certain people or situations.
  • Water under the bridge: Difficult events or situations in the past that are now over and done with and hence, should be forgotten.
  • Weigh your options: It means to consider which choice is the best for a given situation.
  • When it rains, it pours: When trouble, bad luck, or hardship are compounded and seem to come all at once.
  • Wild goose chase: A pointless, senseless pursuit or search.
  • With a grain of salt: If you should take something with a grain of salt, you shouldn't necessarily believe it all.
  • Wolf in sheep's clothing: Someone who is dangerous but pretends to be friendly and harmless.
  • You can't judge a book by its cover: It means you shouldn't prejudge the worth of someone or something, by its outward appearance alone.
  • Zip your lip: To stop talking or to keep quiet.
  • Zonked out: Extremely tired, to the point of passing out or falling asleep.
  • Hit two birds with one stone: To accomplish two tasks with one action.
  • Bite the bullet: To face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely.
  • Bark up the wrong tree: To ask the wrong person or to accuse the wrong person.
  • Beat around the bush: Avoid talking about the main topic.
  • At the drop of a hat: Willing to do something immediately.
  • All in the same boat: In the same situation.
  • Back to square one: To start something over again because your first attempt was unsuccessful.
  • Blow off steam: To do or say something that helps you get rid of your anger or frustration.
  • Burn the midnight oil: To work late into the night.
  • Chip off the old block: A child whose character is similar to one of its parents.
  • Don't count your chickens before they're hatched: Do not plan anything that depends on something good happening before you know it has actually happened.
  • In a nutshell: To summarize.
  • Jump on the bandwagon: Join a popular trend or activity.
  • Let sleeping dogs lie: Avoid reawakening old disputes.
  • On top of the world: Feeling wonderful, ecstatic, on cloud nine.