Learning english

D

Dark Horse: 
One who was previously unknown and is now prominent.

Dead Ringer: 
100% identical. A duplicate.

Devil"s Advocate: 
Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the arguement. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to another debater.

Dog Days of Summer: 
The hottest days of the summer season.

Don"t count your chickens before they hatch: 
Don"t rely on it until your sure of it.

Don"t Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth: 
When someone gives you a gift, don"t be ungrateful.

Don"t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: 
Do not put all your resources in one possibility.

Doozy: 
Something outstanding.

Down To The Wire: 
Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.

Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures: 
When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions.

Drink like a fish: 
To drink very heavily.

Drive someone up the wall: 
To irritate and/or annoy very much.

Dropping Like Flies: 
A large number of people either falling ill or dying.

Dry Run: 
Rehearsal.



E

Eighty Six: 
A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away.

Elvis has left the building: 
The show has come to an end. It"s all over.

Ethnic Cleansing: 
Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale.

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining: 
Be optomistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink: 
Almost everything and anything has been included.

Excuse my French: 
Please forgive me for cussing.

Cock and Bull Story: 
An unbelievable tale.

Cock and Bull Story: 
An unbelievable tale.



F

Feeding Frenzy: 
An aggressive attack on someone by a group. 

Field Day: 
An enjoyable day or circumstance. 

Finding Your Feet: 
To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing. 

Finger lickin" good: 
A very tasty food or meal. 

Fixed In Your Ways: 
Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something. 

Flash In The Pan: 
Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver anything in the end. 

Flea Market: 
A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods. 

Flesh and Blood: 
This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone"s family. 

Flip The Bird: 
To raise your middle finger at someone. 

Foam at the Mouth: 
To be enraged and show it. 

Fools" Gold: 
Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold. 

French Kiss: 
An open mouth kiss where tongues touch. 

From Rags To Riches: 
To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.

Fuddy-duddy: 
An old-fashioned and foolish type of person. 

Full Monty: 
This idiom can mean either, "the whole thing" or "completely nude".

Funny Farm: 
A mental institutional facility.



G

Get Down to Brass Tacks: 
To become serious about something.

Get Over It: 
To move beyond something that is bothering you.

Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed: 
Someone who is having a horrible day. 

Get Your Walking Papers: 
Get fired from a job.

Give Him The Slip: 
To get away from. To escape. 

Go Down Like A Lead Balloon: 
To be received badly by an audience.

Go For Broke: 
To gamble everything you have.

Go Out On A Limb: 
Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.

Go The Extra Mile: 
Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.

Good Samaritan: 
Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward.

Graveyard Shift: 
Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are sleeping.

Great Minds Think Alike: 
Intelligent people think like each other.

Green Room: 
The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a tv or radio show.

Gut Feeling: 
A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right. 



H

Haste Makes Waste: 
Quickly doing things results in a poor ending. 

Hat Trick: 
When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc. 

Have an Axe to Grind: 
To have a dispute with someone. 

He Lost His Head: 
Angry and overcome by emotions. 

Head Over Heels: 
Very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love. 

Hell in a Handbasket: 
Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster. 

High Five: 
Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture. 

High on the Hog: 
Living in Luxury.

Hit The Books: 
To study, especially for a test or exam. 

Hit The Hay: 
Go to bed or go to sleep. 

Hit The Nail on the Head: 
Do something exactly right or say something exactly right. 

Hit The Sack: 
Go to bed or go to sleep.

Hocus Pocus: 
In general, a term used in magic or trickery.

Hold Your Horses: 
Be patient.