دیکشینری آنلاین اصطلاحات انگلیسی

Complate list Dictionary of English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

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Number of Idioms:		3148
1	A bit much	If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
2	A chain is no stronger than its weakest link	This means that processes, organisations, etc, are vulnerable because the weakest person or part can always damage or break them.
3	A day late and a dollar short	(USA) If something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too little, too late.
4	A fool and his money are soon parted	This idiom means that people who aren't careful with their money spend it quickly. 'A fool and his money are easily parted' is an alternative form of the idiom.
5	A fool at 40 is a fool forever	If someone hasn't matured by the time they reach forty, they never will.
6	A hitch in your giddy-up	If you have a hitch in your giddy-up, you're not feeling well. ('A hitch in your gittie-up' is also used.)
7	A lick and a promise	If you give something a lick and a promise, you do it hurriedly, most often incompletely, intending to return to it later.
8	A little bird told me	If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.
9	A little learning is a dangerous thing	A small amount of knowledge can cause people to think they are more expert than they really are.eg. he said he'd done a course on home electrics, but when he tried to mend my table lamp, he fused all the lights! I think a little learning is a dangerous thing
10	A long row to hoe	Something that is a long row to hoe is a difficult task that takes a long time.
11	A lost ball in the high weeds	A lost ball in the high weeds is someone who does not know what they are doing, where they are or how to do something.
12	A OK	If things are A OK, they are absolutely fine.
13	A penny for your thoughts	This idiom is used as a way of asking someone what they are thinking about.
14	A penny saved is a penny earned	This means that we shouldn't spend or waste money, but try to save it.
15	A picture is worth a thousand words	A picture can often get a message across much better than the best verbal description.
16	A poor man's something	Something or someone that can be compared to something or someone else, but is not as good is a poor man's version; a writer who uses lots of puns but isn't very funny would be a poor man's Oscar Wilde.
17	A pretty penny	If something costs a pretty penny, it is very expensive.
18	A problem shared is a problem halved	If you talk about your problems, it will make you feel better.
19	A rising tide lifts all boats	This idiom, coined by John F Kennedy, describes the idea that when an economy is performing well, all people will benefit from it.
20	A rolling stone gathers no moss	People say this to mean that that an ambitious person is more successful than a person not trying to achieve anything. Originally it meant the opposite and was critical of people trying to get ahead.
21	A slice off a cut loaf is never missed	Used colloquially to describe having sexual intercourse with someone who is not a virgin, especially when they are in a relationship. The analogy refers to a loaf of bread; it is not readily apparent, once the end has been removed, exactly how many slices have been taken.('You never miss a slice from a cut loaf' is also used.)
22	A steal	If something is a steal, it costs much less than it is really worth.
23	A still tongue keeps a wise head	Wise people don't talk much.
24	A watched pot never boils	Some things work out in their own time, so being impatient and constantly checking will just make things seem longer.
25	A1	If something is A1, it is the very best or finest.
26	Abide by a decision	If you abide by a decision, you accept it and comply with it, even though you might disagree with it.
27	Abject lesson	(India) An abject lesson serves as a warning to others. (In some varieties of English 'object lesson' is used.)
28	About as useful as a chocolate teapot	Someone or something that is of no practical use is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
29	About face	If someone changes their mind completely, this is an about face. It can be used when companies, governments, etc, change their position on an issue.
30	Above board	If things are done above board, they are carried out in a legal and proper manner.
31	Above par	Better than average or normal
32	Absence makes the heart grow fonder	This idiom means that when people are apart, their love grows stronger.
33	Accident waiting to happen	If something is an accident waiting to happen, there's definitely going to be an accident or it's bound to go wrong. ('Disaster waiting to happen' is also used.)
34	Ace in the hole	An ace in the hole is something other people are not aware of that can be used to your advantage when the time is right.
35	Ace up your sleeve	If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have something that will give you an advantage that other people don't know about.
36	Achilles' heel	A person's weak spot is their Achilles' heel.
37	Acid test	An acid test is something that proves whether something is good, effective, etc, or not.
38	Across the board	If something applies to everybody, it applies across the board.
39	Across the ditch	(NZ) This idiom means on the other side of the Tasman Sea, used to refer to Australia or New Zealand depending on the speaker's location.
40	Across the pond	(UK) This idiom means on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, used to refer to the US or the UK depending on the speaker's location.
41	Act of God	An act of God is something like an earthquake or floods that human beings cannot prevent or control.
42	Act of war	An act of war is a action that is either intended to start a war or that is interpreted as being sufficient cause for a war.
43	Actions speak louder than words	This idiom means that what people actually do is more important than what they say- people can promise things but then fail to deliver.
44	Adam's apple	The Adam's apple is a bulge in the throat, mostly seen in men.
45	Add fuel to the fire	If people add fuel to the fire, they make a bad situation worse.
46	Add insult to injury	When people add insult to injury, they make a bad situation even worse.
47	After your own heart	A person after your own heart thinks the same way as you.
48	Against the clock	If you do something against the clock, you are rushed and have very little time to do it.
49	Against the grain	If doing something goes against the grain, you're unwilling to do it because it contradicts what you believe in, but you have no real choice.
50	Age before beauty	When this idiom is used, it is a way of allowing an older person to do something first, though often in a slightly sarcastic way.
51	Agony aunt	An agony aunt is a newspaper columnist who gives advice to people having problems, especially personal ones.
52	Ahead of the pack	If you are ahead of the pack, you have made more progress than your rivals.
53	Ahead of time	If something happens ahead of time, it happens early or before the set time.
54	Air your dirty laundry in public	If you air your dirty laundry in public, you reveal aspects of your private life that should really remain private, by telling a secret, arguing in public, etc.
55	Albatross around your neck	An albatross around, or round, your neck is a problem resulting from something you did that stops you from being successful.
56	Alike as two peas	If people or things are as alike as two peas, they are identical.
57	Alive and kicking	If something is active and doing well, it is alive and kicking. (It can be used for people too.)
58	All along	If you have known or suspected something all along, then you have felt this from the beginning.
59	All and sundry	This idiom is a way of emphasising 'all', like saying 'each and every one'.
60	All bark and no bite	When someone talks tough but really isn't, they are all bark and no bite.
61	All bets are off	(USA) If all bets are off, then agreements that have been made no longer apply.
62	All dressed up and nowhere to go	You're prepared for something that isn't going to happen.
63	All ears	If someone says they're all ears, they are very interested in hearing about something.
64	All eyes on me	If all eyes are on someone, then everyone is paying attention to them.
65	All fingers and thumbs	If you're all fingers and thumbs, you are too excited or clumsy to do something properly that requires manual dexterity. 'All thumbs' is an alternative form of the idiom.
66	All hat, no cattle	(USA) When someone talks big, but cannot back it up, they are all hat, no cattle.('Big hat, no cattle' is also used.)
67	All heart	Someone who is all heart is very kind and generous.
68	All hell broke loose	When all hell breaks loose, there is chaos, confusion and trouble.
69	All in a day's work	If something is all in a day's work, it is nothing special.
70	All in your head	If something is all in your head, you have imagined it and it is not real.
71	All mod cons	If something has all mod cons, it has all the best and most desirable features. It is an abbreviation of 'modern convenience' that was used in house adverts.
72	All mouth and trousers	(UK) Someone who's all mouth and trousers talks or boasts a lot but doesn't deliver. 'All mouth and no trousers' is also used, though this is a corruption of the original.
73	All my eye and Peggy Martin	(UK) An idiom that appears to have gone out of use but was prevalent in the English north Midlands of Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire from at least the turn of the 20th century until the early 1950s or so. The idiom's meaning is literally something said or written that is unbelievable, rumor, over embellished, the result of malicious village gossip etc.
74	All of the above	This idiom can be used to mean everything that has been said or written, especially all the choices or possibilities.
75	All over bar the shouting	When something is all over bar the shouting, the outcome is absolutely certain.('All over but the shouting' is also used.)
76	All over the map	(USA) If something like a discussion is all over the map, it doesn't stick to the main topic and goes off on tangents.
77	All over the place	If something is completely disorganised or confused, it is all over the place.
78	All over the shop	If something is completely disorganised or confused, it is all over the shop.
79	All over the show	If something is all over the show, it's in a complete mess.An alternative to 'All over the shop'.
80	All roads lead to Rome	This means that there can be many different ways of doing something.
81	All set	If you're all set, you are ready for something.
82	All sixes	If something is all sixes, it doesn't matter how it's done; it's the same as 'six of one and half a dozen of the other'.
83	All skin and bone	If a person is very underweight, they are all skin and bone, or bones.
84	All square	If something is all square, nobody has an advantage or is ahead of the others.
85	All talk and no trousers	(UK) Someone who is all talk and no trousers, talks about doing big, important things, but doesn't take any action.
86	All that glitters is not gold	This means that appearances can be deceptive and things that look or sound valuable can be worthless. ('All that glistens is not gold' is an alternative.)
87	All the rage	If something's all the rage, it is very popular or fashionable at the moment.
88	All the tea in China	If someone won't do something for all the tea in China, they won't do it no matter how much money they are offered.
89	All your eggs in one basket	If you put all your eggs in one basket, you risk everything at once, instead of trying to spread the risk. (This is often used as a negative imperative- 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket'. 'Have your eggs in one basket' is also used.)
90	All's fair in love and war	This idiom is used to say that where there is conflict, people can be expected to behave in a more vicious way.
91	All's well that ends well	If the end result is good, then everything is good.
92	All-singing, all-dancing	If something's all-singing, all-dancing, it is the latest version with the most up-to-date features.
93	Alter ego	An alter ego is a very close and intimate friend. It is a Latin phrase that literally means 'other self'.
94	Always a bridesmaid, never a bride	If someone is always a bridesmaid, never a bride, they never manage to fulfill their ambition- they get close, but never manage the recognition, etc, they crave.
95	Ambulance chaser	A lawyer who encourages people who have been in accidents or become ill to sue for compensation is an ambulance chaser.
96	Amen	Some use 'Amen' or 'Amen to that' as a way of agreeing with something that has just been said.
97	An apple a day keeps the doctor away	Eating healthy food keeps you healthy.
98	An old flame	An old flame is a person that somebody has had an emotional, usually passionate, relationship with, who is still looked on fondly and with affection.
99	An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure	This expression means that is is better to try to avoid problems in the first place, rather than trying to fix them once they arise.
100	And all that jazz	This idiom means that everything related or similar is included.
101	Angry as a bear	If someone is as angry as a bear, they are very angry.('Angry as a bear with a sore foot' is also used.)
102	Angry as a bull	If someone is as angry as a bull, they are very angry.
103	Answers on a postcard	This idiom can be used to suggest that the answer to something is very obvious or that the person would really like to hear what people think.
104	Ants in your pants	If someone has ants in their pants, they are agitated or excited about something and can't keep still.
105	Any port in a storm	This means that in an emergency any solution will do, even one that would normally be unacceptable.
106	Any Tom, Dick or Harry	If something could be done by any Tom, Dick or Harry, it could be done by absolutely anyone.
107	Apple of your eye	Something or, more often, someone that is very special to you is the 'apple of your' eye.
108	Apple pie order	Everything is in perfect order and tidy if it is in apple pie order.
109	Apples and oranges	Tis used when people compare or describe two totally different things. ('Apples to oranges' is also used.)
110	Apples for apples	An apples for apples comparison is a comparison between related or simialr things. ('Apples to apples' is also used.)
111	Apron strings	A man who is tied to a woman's apron strings is excessively dependent on her, especially when it is his mother's apron strings.
112	Argue the toss	(UK) If you argue the toss, you refuse to accept a decision and argue about it.
113	Arm and a leg	If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive.
114	Armchair critic	An armchair critic is someone who offers advice but never shows that they could actually do any better.
115	Armed to the teeth	If people are armed to the teeth, they have lots of weapons.
116	Around the clock	If something is open around the clock, it is open 24 hours a day. For example, an airport is open around the clock.
117	Arrow in the quiver	An arrow in the quiver is a strategy or option that could be used to achieve your objective.
118	As a rule	If you do something as a rule, then you usually do it.
119	As cold as ice	This idiom can be used to describe a person who does not show any emotion.
120	As cold as stone	If something is as cold as stone, it is very cold. If a person is as cold as stone, they are unemotional.
121	As cool as a cucumber	If someone is as cool as a cucumber, they don't get worried by anything.
122	As good as new	If something has been used but is still in extremely good condition, it is as good as new.
123	As mad as a hatter	This simile means that someone is crazy or behaves very strangely. In the past many people who made hats went insane because they had a lot of contact with mercury.
124	As mad as a wrongly shot hog	(USA) If someone is as mad as a wrongly shot hog, they are very angry. (Same as, Angry as a bear or Angry as a bull).
125	As much use as a chocolate fire-guard	A fire-guard is used in front of a fireplace for safety. A chocolate fire-guard is of no use. An alternative to 'As much use as a chocolate teapot'.
126	As much use as a chocolate teapot	Something that is as much use as a chocolate teapot is not useful at all.
127	As much use as a handbrake on a canoe	This idiom is used to describe someone or something as worthless or pointless.
128	As neat as a new pin	This idiom means tidy and clean.
129	As one man	If people do something as one man, then they do it at exactly the same time or in complete agreement.
130	As the actress said to the bishop	(UK) This idiom is used to highlight a sexual reference, deliberate or accidental.
131	As the crow flies	This idiom is used to describe the shortest possible distance between two places.
132	As you sow, so shall you reap	This means that if you do bad things to people, bad things will happen to you, or good things if you do good things.
133	Asleep at the switch	If someone is asleep at the switch, they are not doing their job or taking their responsibilities very carefully. 'Asleep at the wheel' is an alternative.
134	Asleep at the wheel	If someone is asleep at the wheel, they are not doing their job or taking their responsibilities very carefully. 'Asleep at the switch' is an alternative.
135	At a drop of a dime	(USA) If someone will do something at the drop of a dime, they will do it instantly, without hesitation.
136	At a loose end	(UK) If you are at a loose end, you have spare time but don't know what to do with it.
137	At a loss	If you are at a loss, you are unable to understand or comply.
138	At a snail's pace	If something moves at a snail's pace, it moves very slowly.
139	At arm's length	If something is at arm's length, it is a safe distance waway from you.
140	At cross purposes	When people are at cross purposes, they misunderstand each other or have different or opposing objectives.
141	At daggers drawn	If people are at daggers drawn, they are very angry and close to violence.
142	At death's door	If someone looks as if they are at death's door, they look seriously unwell and might actually be dying.
143	At each other's throats	If people are at each other's throats, they are fighting, arguing or competing ruthlessly.
144	At full tilt	If something is at full tilt, it is going or happening as fast or as hard as possible.
145	At large	If a criminal is at large, they have not been found or caught.
146	At loggerheads	If people are at loggerheads, they are arguing and can't agree on anything.
147	At loose ends	(USA) If you are at a loose end, you have spare time but don't know what to do with it.
148	At odds	If you are at odds with someone, you cannot agree with them and argue.
149	At sea	If things are at sea, or all at sea, they are disorganized and chaotic.
150	At the bottom of the totem pole	(USA) If someone is at the bottom of the totem pole, they are unimportant. Opposite is at the top of the totem pole.
151	At the coalface	If you work at the coalface, you deal with the real problems and issues, rather than sitting in a office discussing things in a detached way.
152	At the drop of a hat	If you would do something at the drop of a hat, you'd do it immediately.
153	At the end of the day	This is used to mean 'in conclusion' or 'when all is said and done'.
154	At the end of your rope	(USA) If you are at the end of your rope, you are at the limit of your patience or endurance.
155	At the end of your tether	(UK) If you are at the end of your tether, you are at the limit of your patience or endurance.
156	At the fore	In a leading position
157	At the top of my lungs	If you shout at the top of your lungs, you shout as loudly as you possibly can.
158	At the top of the list	If something is at the top of the list, it is of highest priority, most important, most urgent, or the next in one's line of attention.
159	At the top of your lungs	If you shout at the top of your lungs, you shout as loudly as you possibly can.
160	At the top of your voice	If you talk, shout or sing at the top of your voice, you do it as loudly as you can.
161	At your wit's end	If you're at your wit's end, you really don't know what you should do about something, no matter how hard you think about it.
162	At your wits' end	If you are at your wits' end, you have no idea what to do next and are very frustrated.
163	Average Joe	An average Joe is an ordinary person without anything exceptional about them.
164	Avowed intent	If someone makes a solemn or serious promise publicly to attempt to reach a certain goal, this is their avowed intent.
165	Away with the fairies	If someone is away with the fairies, they don't face reality and have unrealistic expectations of life.
166	Awe inspiring	Something or someone that is awe inspiring amazes people in a slightly frightening but positive way.
167	AWOL	AWOL stands for "Absent Without Leave", or "Absent Without Official Leave". Orignially a military term, it is used when someone has gone missing without telling anyone or asking for permission.
168	Axe to grind	If you have an axe to grind with someone or about something, you have a grievance, a resentment and you want to get revenge or sort it out. In American English, it is 'ax'.
169	Babe in arms	A babe in arms is a very young child, or a person who is very young to be holding a position.
170	Babe in the woods	A babe in the woods is a naive, defenceless, young person.
171	Baby boomer	(USA) A baby boomer is someone born in the years after the end of the Second World War, a period when the population was growing very fast.
172	Back burner	If an issue is on the back burner, it is being given low priority.
173	Back foot	(UK) If you are on your back foot, you are at a disadvantage and forced to be defensive of your position.
174	Back number	Something that's a back number is dated or out of fashion.
175	Back the wrong horse	If you back the wrong horse, you give your support to the losing side in something.
176	Back to back	If things happen back to back, they are directly one after another.
177	Back to square one	If you are back to square one, you have to start from the beginning again.
178	Back to the drawing board	If you have to go back to the drawing board, you have to go back to the beginning and start something again.
179	Back to the salt mine	If someone says they have to go back to the salt mine, they have to return to work.
180	Back to the wall	If you have your back to the wall, you are in a difficult situation with very little room for manoeuvre.
181	Backseat driver	A backseat driver is an annoying person who is fond of giving advice to the person performing a task or doing something, especially when the advice is either wrong or unwelcome.
182	Bad Apple	A person who is bad and makes other bad is a bad apple.
183	Bad blood	If people feel hate because of things that happened in the past, there is bad blood between them.
184	Bad egg	A person who cannot be trusted is a bad egg. Good egg is the opposite.
185	Bad hair day	If you're having a bad hair day, things are not going the way you would like or had planned.
186	Bad mouth	(UK) When you are bad mouthing,you are saying negative things about someone or something.('Bad-mouth' and 'badmouth' are also used.)
187	Bad shape	If something's in bad shape, it's in bad condition. If a person's in bad shape, they are unfit or unhealthy.
188	Bad taste in your mouth	If something leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth, you feel there is something wrong or bad about it.
189	Bad workers always blame their tools	"A bad worker always blames their tools" - If somebody does a job badly or loses in a game and claims that they were let down by their equipment, you can use this to imply that this was not the case.
190	Bag of bones	If someone is a bag of bones, they are very underweight.
191	Bag of nerves	If someone is a bag of nerves, they are very worried or nervous.
192	Baker's dozen	A Baker's dozen is 13 rather than 12.
193	Bald as a coot	A person who is completely bald is as bald as a coot.
194	Ball is in your court	If the ball is in your court, it is up to you to make the next decision or step.
195	Ballpark figure	A ballpark figure is a rough or approximate number (guesstimate) to give a general idea of something, like a rough estimate for a cost, etc.
196	Banana republic	Banana republic is a term used for small countries that are dependent on a single crop or resource and governed badly by a corrupt elite.
197	Banana skin	(UK) A banana skin is something that is an embarrassment or causes problems.
198	Bandit territory	An area or an industry, profession, etc, where rules and laws are ignored or flouted is bandit territory.
199	Baptism of fire	A baptism of fire was a soldier's first experience of shooting. Any unpleasant experience undergone, usually where it is also a learning experience, is a baptism of fire.
200	Bar fly	A bar fly is a person who spends a lot of time drinking in different bars and pubs.
201	Bare your heart	If you bare your heart to someone, you tell them you personal and private feelings. ('Bare your soul' is an alternative form of the idiom.)
202	Barefaced liar	A barefaced liar is one who displays no shame about lying even if they are exposed.
203	Bark is worse than their bite	Someone who's bark is worse than their bite may well get angry and shout, but doesn't take action.
204	Barking up the wrong tree	If you are barking up the wrong tree, it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally wrong.
205	Barkus is willing	This idiom means that someone is willing to get married.
206	Barrack-room lawyer	(UK) A barrack-room lawyer is a person who gives opinions on things they are not qualified to speak about.
207	Barrel of laughs	If someone's a barrel of laughs, they are always joking and you find them funny.
208	Basket case	If something is a basket case, it is so bad that it cannot be helped.
209	Bat an eyelid	If someone doesn't bat an eyelid, they don't react or show any emotion when surprised, shocked, etc.
210	Bated breath	If someone says they're waiting with bated breath, they're very excited and find it difficult to be patient.('Baited breath' is a common mistake.)
211	Batten down the hatches	If you batten down the hatches, you prepare for the worst that could happen to you.
212	Battle of nerves	A battle of nerves is a situation where neither side in a conflict or dispute is willing to back down and is waiting for the other side to weaken. ('A war of nerves' is an alternative form.)
213	Be all ears	If you are all ears, you are very eager to hear what someone has to say.
214	Be careful what you wish for	If you get things that you desire, there may be unforeseen and unpleasant consequences.('Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true.' and 'Be careful what you wish for; you may receive it.' are also used.)
215	Be on the pig's back	If you're on the pig's back, you're happy / content / in fine form.
216	Be out in force	If people are out in force, they are present somewhere in large numbers.
217	Be out in left field	(USA) To be out in left field is not to know what's going on. Taken from baseball, when youngsters assign less capable players to the outfield where the ball is less likely to be hit by a young player. In business, one might say, 'Don't ask the new manager; he's out in left field and doesn't know any answers yet.'
218	Be that as it may	Be that as it may is an expression which means that, while you are prepared to accept that there is some truth in what the other person has just said, it's not going to change your opinions in any significant manner.
219	Be true blue	If a person/object/situation is considered to be 'true blue', it is considered genuine.
220	Be up the spout	(UK) If a woman is up the spout, she is pregnant.
221	Bean counter	A bean counter is an accountant.
222	Bear fruit	If something bears fruit, it produces positive results.
223	Bear market	A bear market is a period when investors are pessimistic and expect financial losses so are more likely to sell than to buy shares.
224	Bear the brunt	People who bear the brunt of something endure the worst of something bad.
225	Beard the lion in his own den	If you confront a powerful or dangerous rival on their territory, you are bearding the lion in his own den.
226	Beat about the bush	If someone doesn't say clearly what they mean and try to make it hard to understand, they are beating about (around) the bush.
227	Beat someone to the draw	(USA) If you beat someone to the draw, you do something before they do.
228	Beat swords into ploughshares	If people beat swords into ploughshares, they spend money on humanitarian purposes rather than weapons. (The American English spelling is 'plowshares')
229	Beat the daylights out of someone	If someone beats the daylights out of another person, they hit them repeatedly. ('Knock' can also be used and it can be made even stronger by saying 'the living daylights'.)
230	Beat the rap	If you beat the rap, you escape conviction and punishment for a crime or something you have done wrong.
231	Beat to the punch	If you beat someone to the punch, you act before them and gain an advantage.
232	Beat your brains out	If you beat your brains out, you think hard about something but cannot solve, understand or remember it.
233	Beating a dead horse	(USA) If someone is trying to convince people to do or feel something without any hope of succeeding, they're beating a dead horse. This is used when someone is trying to raise interest in an issue that no-one supports anymore; beating a dead horse will not make it do any more work.
234	Beauty is in the eye of the beholder	Beauty is in the eye of the beholder means that different people will find different things beautiful and that the differences of opinion don't matter greatly.
235	Beauty is only skin deep	This idiom means that appearances can be deceptive and something that seems or looks good may turn out to be bad.
236	Beck and call	Someone who does everything for you, no matter when you ask, is at your beck and call.
237	Bedroom eyes	Someone with bedroom eyes has a sexy look in their eyes.
238	Bee in your bonnet	If someone is very excited about something, they have a bee in their bonnet.
239	Bee's Knees	If something is the bee's knees, it's outstanding or the best in its class.
240	Beeline for	If you make a beeline for a place, you head there directly.
241	Been in the wars	(UK) If someone has been in the wars, they have been hurt or look as if they have been in a struggle.
242	Been there, done that	People say this when they have already experienced what is being discussed.
243	Beer and skittles	(UK) People say that life is not all beer and skittles, meaning that it is not about self-indulgence and pleasure.
244	Before the ink is dry	If people make an agreement or contract and then the situation changes very quickly, it changes before the ink is dry.
245	Before you can say Jack Robinson	The term Jack Robinson represents 'a short amount of time'. When you do something before you can say Jack Robinson, you do it very quickly.
246	Beg the question	In philosophy "to beg the question" is to assume something to be true that has not yet been proved. I have seen the idiom also to mean that a question is crying out to be asked.
247	Beggars can't be choosers	This idiom means that people who are in great need must accept any help that is offered, even if it is not a complete solution to their problems.
248	Behind bars	When someone is behind bars, they are in prison.
249	Behind closed doors	If something happens away from the public eye, it happens behind closed doors.
250	Behind someone's back	If you do something behind someone's back, you do it without telling them.
251	Behind the eight ball	A difficult position from which it is unlikely one can escape.
252	Behind the times	Someone that is behind the times is old-fashioned and has ideas that are regarded as out-dated.
253	Believe in the hereafter	A belief in the hereafter is a belief in the afterlife, or life after death. It is, therefore, associated with religions and the soul's journey to heaven or to hell, whichever way being just deserts for the person based on how they led their life.
254	Bells and whistles	Bells and whistles are attractive features that things like computer programs have, though often a bit unnecessary.
255	Bells on	(USA) To be somewhere with bells on means to arrive there happy and delighted to attend.
256	Belly up	If things go belly up, they go badly wrong.
257	Below par	If something isn't up to standard, or someone isn't feeling or doing very well, they are below par.
258	Below the belt	If someone says something that is cruel or unfair, it is below the belt, like the illegal punches in boxing.
259	Belt and braces	(UK) Someone who wears belt and braces is very cautious and takes no risks.
260	Belt and suspenders	(USA) Someone who wears belt and suspenders is very cautious and takes no risks.
261	Bend over backwards	If someone bends over backwards, they do everything they can to help someone.
262	Bend someone's ear	To bend someone's ear is to talk to someone about something for a long-enough period that it becomes tiresome for the listener.
263	Benjamin of the family	The Benjamin of the family is the youngest child.
264	Beside the point	If something is beside the point, it's not relevant to the matter being discussed or considered.
265	Beside themselves	If people are beside themselves, they are very worried or emotional about something.
266	Beside yourself	If you are beside yourself, you are extremely angry.
267	Best of a bad bunch	The best that could be obtained from a list of options that were not exactly what was required.
268	Best of both worlds	If you have the best of both worlds, you benefit from different things that do not normally go together.
269	Best thing since sliced bread	If something is the best thing since sliced bread, it is excellent. ('The greatest thing since sliced bread' is also used.)
270	Bet your bottom dollar	(USA) If you can bet your bottom dollar on something, you can be absolutely sure about it.
271	Better half	Your better half is your husband or wife.
272	Better late than never	This idiom suggests that doing something late is better than not doing it at all.
273	Better safe than sorry	This idiom is used to recommend being cautious rather than taking a risk.
274	Better than a kick in the teeth	If something is better than a kick in the teeth, it isn't very good, but it is better than nothing.
275	Better than a stick in the eye	If something is better than a stick in the eye, it isn't very good, but it is better than nothing.
276	Better the devil you know	This is the shortened form of the full idiom, 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't', and means that it is often better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if they are not ideal, than take a risk with an unknown person or thing.
277	Between a rock and a hard place	If you are caught between a rock and a hard place, you are in a position where you have to choose between unpleasant alternatives, and your choice might cause you problems; you will not be able to satisfy everyone.
278	Between the devil and the deep blue sea	If you are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, you are in a dilemma; a difficult choice.
279	Between you and me and the cat's whiskers	This idiom is used when telling someone something that you want them to keep secret.
280	Beyond a shadow of a doubt	If something's beyond a shadow of a doubt, then absolutely no doubts remain about it.
281	Beyond belief	If people behave in such a way that you find it almost impossible to accept that they actually did it, then you can say that their behaviour was beyond belief.
282	Beyond our ken	If something's beyond your ken, it is beyond your understanding.
283	Beyond the black stump	(AU) An Australian idiom idicating that even if you go as far as you can, the black stump is still a little further.
284	Beyond the pale	If something's beyond the pale, it is too extreme to be acceptable morally or socially.
285	Big Apple	(USA) The Big Apple is New York.
286	Big bucks	If someone is making big bucks, they are making a lot of money.
287	Big cheese	The big cheese is the boss.
288	Big Easy	(USA) The Big Easy is New Orleans, Louisiana
289	Big fish	An important person in a company or an organisation is a big fish.
290	Big fish in a small pond	A big fish in a small pond is an important person in a small place or organisation.
291	Big girl's blouse	A person who is very weak or fussy is a big girl's blouse.
292	Big hitter	A big hitter is someone who commands a lot of respect and is very important in their field.
293	Big nose	If someone has a big nose, it means they are excessively interested in everyone else's business.
294	Big picture	The big picture of something is the overall perspective or objective, not the fine detail.
295	Big time	This can be used to with the meaning 'very much'- if you like something big time, you like it a lot.
296	Bigger fish to fry	If you aren't interested in something because it isn't important to you and there are more important things for you to do, you have bigger fish to fry.
297	Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' is a proverb meaning that it is better to have something that is certain than take a risk to get more, where you might lose everything.
298	Bird's eye view	If you have a bird's eye view of something, you can see it perfectly clearly.
299	Bird-brain	Someone who has a bird-brain, or is bird-brained, is stupid.
300	Birds and the bees	If a child is taught about the birds and the bees, they are taught about sex.
301	Birds of a feather flock together	This idiom means that people with similar interests will stick together.
302	Birthday suit	If you are in your birthday suit, you are naked.
303	Bit between your teeth	If you take or have the bit between your teeth, you take or have control of a situation. (Bit = piece of metal in a horse's mouth)
304	Bit part	If someone has a small or unimportant role in something, they have a bit part.
305	Bit player	A bit player has a small or unimportant role in something.
306	Bite off more than you can chew	If you bite off more than you can chew, you take on more responsibilities than you can manage. 'Don't bite off more than you can chew' is often used to advise people against agreeing to more than they can handle.
307	Bite someone's head off	If you bite someone's head off, you criticise them angrily.
308	Bite the bullet	If you have to bite the bullet, you have to accept or face something unpleasant because it cannot be avoided.
309	Bite the dust	This is a way of saying that somebody has died, especially if they are killed violently like a soldier in battle.
310	Bite your lip	If you have to bite your lip, you have to make a conscious effort not to react or to keep quiet about something that displeases you.
311	Bite your tongue	If you bite your tongue, you refrain from speaking because it is socially or otherwise better not to.
312	Bits and bobs	Bits and bobs are small, remnant articles and things- the same as 'odds and ends'.
313	Bitter end	If you do something to the bitter end, you do it to the very end, no matter how unsuccessful you are.
314	Bitter pill to swallow	A bitter pill to swallow is something that is hard to accept.
315	Black and blue	This means bruised, either physically or metaphorically.
316	Black and white	When it is very clear who or what is right and wrong, then the situation is black and white.
317	Black as Newgate's knocker	(UK) If things are as black as Newgate's knocker, they are very bad. Newgate was an infamous prison in England, so its door knocker meant trouble.
318	Black hole	If there is a black hole in financial accounts, money has disappeared.
319	Black sheep	Someone who is the black sheep doesn't fit into a group or family because their behaviour or character is not good enough.
320	Blackball	If you vote against allowing someone to be a member of an organisation or group, you are blackballing him or her.
321	Blank cheque	If you are given a blank cheque, you are allowed to use as much money as you need for a project.
322	Bleeding edge	Similar to 'cutting edge', this implies a technology or process that is at the forefront or beyond current practices. However, because it is unproven, it is often dangerous to use (hence the 'bleeding').
323	Bleeding heart	A bleeding heart is a person who is excessively sympathetic towards other people.
324	Bless your pointy little head	This expression is used as to patronise someone, especially when they don't realise that they're not very clever.('Bless your pointes little head' is also used.)
325	Blessing in disguise	If some bad luck or misfortune ultimately results in something positive, it's a blessing in disguise.
326	Blind acceptance	If people accept thing blindly, they accept them without questioning them at all.
327	Blind as a bat	If you are in total darkness and can't see anything at all, you are as blind as a bat.
328	Blind leading the blind	When the blind are leading the blind, the people in charge of something don't know anything more than the people they are in charge of, when they should have greater knowledge.
329	Blink of an eye	If something happens in the blink of an eye, it happens so fast it is almost impossible to notice it.
330	Blood and thunder	An emotional speech or performance is full of blood and thunder.
331	Blood from a turnip	It is impossible to get something from someone if they don't have it, just as you cannot get blood from a turnip.
332	Blood is thicker than water	This idiom means that family relationships are stronger than others.
333	Blood is worth bottling	(AU) If an Australian says to you "Your blood is worth bottling", he/she is complimenting or praising you for doing something or being someone very special.
334	Blood out of a stone	If something is like getting blood out of a stone, it is very difficult indeed.
335	Blood, sweat and tears	If something will take blood, sweat and tears, it will be very difficult and will require a lot of effort and sacrifice.
336	Blow a gasket	If you blow a gasket, you get very angry.
337	Blow by blow	A blow-by-blow description gives every detail in sequence.
338	Blow hot and cold	If you blow hot and cold on an idea, your attitude and opinion keeps changing; one minute you are for it, the next you are against.
339	Blow me down	People say '(well,) blow me down' when you have just told them something surprising, shocking or unexpected. ('Blow me down with a feather' is also used.)
340	Blow off steam	(USA) If you blow off steam, you express your anger or frustration.
341	Blow out of the water	If something, like an idea, is blown out of the water, it is destroyed or defeated comprehensively.
342	Blow smoke	(USA) If people blow smoke, they exaggerate or say things that are not true, usually to make themselves look better.
343	Blow the cobwebs away	If you blow the cobwebs away, you make sweeping changes to something to bring fresh views and ideas in.
344	Blow the whistle	If somebody blows the whistle on a plan, they report it to the authorities.
345	Blow your mind	Something that will blow your mind is something extraordinary that will amaze you beyond explanation.
346	Blow your own horn	If you blow your own horn, you boast about your achievements and abilities. ('Blow your own trumpet' is an alternative form.)
347	Blow your own trumpet	If someone blows their own trumpet, they boast about their talents and achievements. ('Blow your own horn' is an alternative form.)
348	Blow your stack	If you blow your stack, you lose your temper.
349	Blow your top	If someone blows their top, they lose their temper.
350	Blue blood	Someone with blue blood is royalty.
351	Blue-eyed boy	Someone's blue-eyed boy is their favourite person.
352	Bob's your uncle	(UK) This idiom means that something will be successful: Just tell him that I gave you his name and Bob's your uncle- he'll help you.
353	Body politic	A group of people organised under a single government or authority (national or regional) is a body politic.
354	Bold as brass	Someone who is as bold as brass is very confident and not worried about how other people will respond or about being caught.
355	Bolt from the blue	If something happens unexpectedly and suddenly, it is a bolt from the blue.
356	Bone of contention	If there is an issue that always causes tension and arguments, it is a bone of contention.
357	Bone to pick	If you have a bone to pick with someone, you are annoyed about something they have done and want to tell them how you feel.
358	Boot is on the other foot	When the boot's on the other foot, a person who was in a position of weakness is now in a position of strength.
359	Born to the purple	Someone who is born to the purple is born in a royal or aristocratic family. ("Born in the purple" is also used.)
360	Born with a silver spoon in your mouth	If you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you are born into a rich family.
361	Both ends meet	If you make both ends meet, you live off the money you earn and don't go into debt.
362	Bottom line	In accountancy, the bottom line is net income, and is used idiomatically to mean the conclusion.
363	Bounce ideas	If you bounce ideas off someone, you share your ideas with them to know whether they think they would work.
364	Bounce off the walls	If someone's bouncing off the walls, they are very excited about something.
365	Bouquet of orchids	Id someone deserves a bouquet of orchids, they have done something worthy of praise.
366	Box and dice	Box and dice means everything.
367	Box clever	(UK) If you box clever, you use your intelligence to get what you want, even if you have to cheat a bit.
368	Boxing and coxing	If people are boxing and coxing, they are sharing responsibilities so that one of them is working while the other isn't. It can also be used when couples are sharing a house, but their relationship has broken down and when one is at home, the other stays out.
369	Boys in blue	The boys in blue are the police.
370	Brain surgery	If something is not brain surgery, it isn't very complicated or difficult to understand or master.
371	Brass monkey	If it's brass monkey weather, or cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey, it is extremely cold.
372	Brass neck	(UK) Someone who has the brass neck to do something has no sense of shame about what they do.
373	Brass tacks	If you get down to brass tacks, you get down to the real business.
374	Bread and butter	Bread and butter issues are ones that affect people directly and in a very important way.
375	Breadwinner	Used to describe the person that earns the most money. For example - She's the breadwinner in the family.
376	Break a leg	This idiom is a way of wishing someone good luck.
377	Break even	If you break even, you don't make any money, but you don't lose any either.
378	Break ground	If you break ground, or break new ground, you make progress, taking things into a new area or going further than anyone has gone before. 'Ground-breaking' is used an adjective.
379	Break the back of the beast	If you break the back of the beast, you accomplish a challenge.
380	Break the ice	When you break the ice, you get over any initial embarrassment or shyness when you meet someone for the first time and start conversing.
381	Break your duck	(UK) If you break your duck, you do something for the first time.
382	Break your heart	If someone upsets you greatly, they break your heart, especially if they end a relationship.
383	Breathe down your neck	If someone follows you or examines what you're doing very closely, they are breathing down your neck.
384	Breathe life into	If you breathe life into something, you give people involved more energy and enthusiasm again. ('Breathe new life' is also used.)
385	Breathe your last	When you breathe your last, you die.
386	Bridge the gap	If you bridge the gap, you make a connection where there is a great difference.
387	Bright and breezy	When someone is cheerful and full of energy, they are bright and breezy.
388	Bright as a button	A person who is as bright as a button is very intelligent or smart.
389	Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed	If someone's bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, they are full of energy and enthusiasm.
390	Brighten up the day	If something brightens up your day, something happens that makes you feel positive and happy all day long.
391	Bring a knife to a gunfight	If someone brings a knife to a gunfight, they are very badly prepared for something.
392	Bring home the bacon	A person who brings home the bacon earns the money that a family live on.
393	Bring on board	To make people embrace the ideas intended by the leader or agree to join a team or project is to bring them on board.
394	Bring someone to book	If somebody is brought to book, they are punished or made to account for something they have done wrong.
395	Bring someone to heel	If you bring someone to heel, you make them obey you.('Call someone to heel' is also used.)
396	Bring the house down	Something that brings the house down is acclaimed and praised vigorously.
397	Bring to the table	If you bring something to the table, you make a contribution or an offer in a discussion or negotiation..
398	Broad church	If an organisation is described as broad church, it is tolerant and accepting of different opinions and ideas.
399	Broad strokes	If something is described or defined with broad stokes, then only an outline is given, without fine details.
400	Broke as a joke and it ain't funny	This idiom in my opinion describes how it's not funny to be without a cent and just uses broke and joke as rhyming words that help explain this idiom a lot better.
401	Broken record	When someone sounds like a broken record, they keep on repeating the same things. ('Stuck record' is also used.)
402	Brown nose	When someone tries to make themselves popular with somebody, usually in a position of authority, especially by flattering them, they are brown nosing.
403	Browned off	To be tired of or fed up with
404	Brownie points	If you try to earn Brownie points with someone, you do things you know will please them.
405	Brush under the carpet	If you brush something under the carpet, you are making an attempt to ignore it, or hide it from others.
406	Buggles' turn	(UK) If it Buggles' turn, someone gets promotion through length of service rather than ability, especially in the British civil service.
407	Bull in a China shop	If someone behaves like a bull in a China shop, they are clumsy when they should be careful.
408	Bull market	A bull market is a period when investors are optimistic and there are expectations that good financial results will continue.
409	Bull session	If you have a bull session, you have an informal group discussion about something.
410	Bull-headed	If you're a bull-headed, you're stubborn or inflexible.
411	Bums on seats	The people who have paid to watch a performance are bums on seats.
412	Bun in the oven	If a woman has a bun in the oven, she is pregnant.
413	Bundle of nerves	Someone who is a bundle of nerves is very worried or nervous.
414	Bur under my saddle	A bur under your saddle is something that annoys you or spurs you into action.('Burr' is an alternative spelling.)
415	Burn rubber	If you burn rubber, you drive very fast to get somewhere.
416	Burn the candle at both ends	Someone who burns the candle at both ends lives life at a hectic pace, doing things which are likely to affect their health badly.
417	Burn the midnight oil	If you stay up very late working or studying, you burn the midnight oil.
418	Burn your bridges	If you burn your bridges, you do something that makes it impossible to go back from the position you have taken.
419	Burn your fingers	If you burn your fingers, you suffer a loss or something unpleasant as the result of something you did, making you less likely to do it again.
420	Burning question	A burning question is something we all want to know about.
421	Burst at the seams	To be filled to or beyond normal capacity: This room will be bursting at the seams when all the guests arrive.
422	Bury the hatchet	If you bury the hatchet, you make peace with someone and stop arguing or fighting.
423	Bury your head in the sand	If someone buries their head in the sand, they ignore something that is obviously wrong.
424	Busman's holiday	A busman's holiday is when you spend your free time doing the same sort of work as you do in your job.
425	Bust my chops	When someone says that they're not going to bust their chops, it means they are not going to work that hard or make much effort.
426	Busted flush	Someone or something that had great potential but ended up a useless failure is a busted flush.
427	Busy as a beaver	If you're as busy as a beaver, you're very busy indeed.
428	Busy as a bee	If you are as busy as a bee, you are very busy indeed.
429	Butt naked	If someone is butt naked, they have no clothes on at all, often when they can be seen.
430	Butt of a joke	If something or someone becomes the butt of a joke it or they are not taken seriously anymore.
431	Butter wouldn't melt in their mouth	If someone looks as if butter wouldn't melt in their mouth, they look very innocent.
432	Butterfingers	Someone who has butterfingers is clumsy and drops things.
433	Butterflies in your stomach	The nervous feeling before something important or stressful is known as butterflies in your stomach.
434	Button your lip	If you button your lip, you keep quiet and don't speak. It is also used as a way of telling someone to shut up.
435	Buy the farm	When somebody has bought the farm, they have died.
436	By a hair's breadth	If a person escapes from some danger by a hair's breadth, they only just managed to avoid it. The breadth is the thickness of a hair, so they probably feel somewhat lucky because the margin between success and what could easily have been failure was so close.
437	By a long chalk	(UK) If you beat somebody by a long chalk, you win easily and comfortably.
438	By a whisker	If you do something by a whisker, you only just manage to do it and come very near indeed to failing.
439	By and large	By and large means usually or generally.
440	By cracky	A term used by rural folks in years past to emphasize a matter of importance or urgency. An example: 'By cracky, you need to get out there in the field with that mule and plow and finish the sod-busting before dark.'
441	By dint of	This means 'as a result of' or 'because of': It would be good to think he'd risen to position of Chief Executive by dint of hard work.
442	By heart	If you learn something by heart, you learn it word for word.
443	By hook or by crook	If you are prepared to do something by hook or by crook, you are willing to do anything, good or bad, to reach your goal.
444	By leaps and bounds	Something that happens by leaps and bounds happens very quickly in big steps.
445	By the back door	If something is started or introduced by the back door, then it is not done openly or by following the proper procedures.
446	By the book	If you do something by the book, you do it exactly as you are supposed to.
447	By the by	This is used as a way of introducing an incidental topic in a conversation or to say that something is irrelevant. ('By the bye' is also used.)
448	By the numbers	If something is done by the numbers, it is done in a mechanical manner without room for creativity.
449	By the same token	If someone applies the same rule to different situations, they judge them by the same token: If things go well, he's full of praise, but, by the same token, when things go wrong he gets furious.
450	By the seat of your pants	If you do something by the seat of your pants, you achieve something, but only by a narrow margin or do something without advance preparation.
451	By the skin of your teeth	If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage to do it and come very near indeed to failing.
452	By word of mouth	If something becomes known by word of mouth, it gets known by being talked about rather than through publicity or advertising, etc.
453	Cake's not worth the candle	If someone says that the cake's not worth the candle, they mean that the result will not be worth the effort put in to achieve it.
454	Calf lick	A calf lick is the weird parting in your fringe where your hair grows in a different direction, usually to one side.
455	Call a spade a spade	A person who calls a spade a spade is one speaks frankly and makes little or no attempt to conceal their opinions or to spare the feelings of their audience.
456	Call it a day	If you call it a day, you stop doing something for a while, normally at least until the following day.
457	Call on the carpet	If you are called on the carpet, you are summoned for a reprimand by superiors or others in power.
458	Call the dogs off	If someone calls off their dogs, they stop attacking or criticising someone.
459	Call the shots	If you call the shots, you are in charge and tell people what to do.
460	Call the tune	The person who calls the tune makes the important decisions about something.
461	Calm before the storm	A calm time immediately before period of violent activity or argument is the calm before the storm.
462	Can of worms	If an action can create serious problems, it is opening a can of worms.
463	Can't dance and it's too wet to plow	(USA) When you can't dance and it's too wet to plow, you may as well do something because you can't or don't have the opportunity to do anything else.
464	Can't do it for toffee	If you can't so something for toffee, you are incapable of doing something properly or to any sort of standard.
465	Can't hack it	Unable to perform an act, duty, job etc. (example: I have to quit my job as a computer technician; I just can't hack it.)
466	Can't hold a candle	If something can't hold a candle to something else, it is much worse.
467	Can't see the forest for its trees	If someone can't see the forest for its trees, they are too focused on specific details to see the picture as a whole.
468	Canary in a coal mine	(UK) A canary in a coal mine is an early warning of danger.
469	Card up your sleeve	If you have a card up your sleeve, you have a surprise plan or idea that you are keeping back until the time is right.
470	Carpetbagger	A carpetbagger is an opportunist without any scruples or ethics, or a politican who wants to represent a place they have no connection with.
471	Carrot and stick	If someone offers a carrot and stick, they offer an incentive to do something combined with the threat of punishment.
472	Carry the can	If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even though you didn't do it or are only partly at fault.
473	Carry the day	If something carries the day, it wins a battle (the sense is that the battle has been long and could have gone either way) or competition for supremacy.
474	Case by case	If things are done case by case, each situation or issue is handled separately on its own merits and demerits.
475	Case in point	Meaning an instance of something has just occurred that was previously discussed. For instance, a person may have told another that something always happens. Later that day, they see it happening, and the informer might say, 'case in point'.
476	Cash cow	A product, business, etc, that generates a continuous flow of money or a high proportion of overall profits is a cash cow.
477	Cash in your chips	If you cash in your chips, you sell something to get what profit you can because you think its value is going to fall. It can also mean 'to die'.
478	Cast a long shadow	Something or someone that casts a long shadow has considerable influence on other people or events.
479	Cast aspersion	If you cast aspersion, you try to blacken someone's name and make people think badly of them.
480	Cast doubt on	If you make other people not sure about a matter, then you have cast doubt on it.
481	Cast iron stomach	A person with a cast iron stomach can eat or drink anything without any ill effects.
482	Cast pearls before swine	If you cast pearls before swine, you offer something of value to someone who doesn't appreciate it- 'swine' are 'pigs'.
483	Cast sheep's eyes at	If you cast sheep's eyes at at someone, you look lovingly or with longing at them.
484	Cast your mind back	If somebody tells you to cast your mind back on something, they want you to think about something that happened in the past, but which you might not remember very well, and to try to remember as much as possible.
485	Cast your net widely	If you cast your net widely, you use a wide range of sources when trying to find something.
486	Casting vote	The casting vote is a vote given to a chairman or president that is used when there is a deadlock.
487	Castles in the air	Plans that are impractical and will never work out are castles in the air.
488	Cat among the pigeons	If something or someone puts, or sets or lets, the cat among the pigeons, they create a disturbance and cause trouble.
489	Cat and dog life	If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing.
490	Cat burglar	A cat burglar is a skillful thief who breaks into places without disturbing people or setting off alarms.
491	Cat fur and kitty britches	(USA) When I used to ask my grandma what was for dinner, she would say 'cat fur and kitty britches'. This was her Ozark way of telling me that I would get what she cooked. (Ozark is a region in the center of the United States)
492	Cat got your tongue?	If someone asks if the cat has got your tongue, they want to know why you are not speaking when they think you should.
493	Cat nap	If you have a short sleep during the day, you are cat napping.
494	Cat's lick	(Scot) A cat's lick is a very quick wash.
495	Cat's pajamas	(USA) Something that is the cat's pajamas is excellent.
496	Cat's whiskers	Something excellent is the cat's whiskers.
497	Catch as catch can	This means that people should try to get something any way they can.
498	Catch hell	If you catch hell, you get into trouble or get scolded. ('Catch heck' is also used.)
499	Catch some z's	If you catch some z's, you get some sleep.
500	Catch someone red-handed	If someone is caught red-handed, they are found doing something wrong or illegal.
501	Catch-22	Catch-22 is a situation where conflicting rules make the desired outcome impossible. It comes from a novel by the American author Joseph Heller, in which pilots would not have to fly missions if they were mentally ill, but not wanting to fly dangerous missions was held to be proof of sanity, so they had to fly anyway. ('Catch 22', without the hyphen, is also used.)
502	Caught with your hand in the cookie jar	(USA) If someone is caught with his or her hand in the cookie jar, he or she is caught doing something wrong.
503	Chalk and cheese	Things, or people, that are like chalk and cheese are very different and have nothing in common.
504	Champ at the bit	If someone is champing at the bit, they are very eager to accomplish something. ('Chomping at the bit' is also used.)
505	Champagne taste on a beer budget	Someone who lives above their means and likes things they cannot afford has champagne taste on a beer budget.
506	Change horses in midstream	If people change horses in midstream, they change plans or leaders when they are in the middle of something, even though it may be very risky to do so.
507	Change of heart	If you change the way you think or feel about something, you have a change of heart.
508	Change tack	If you change tack, you use a different method for dealing with something.
509	Change your tune	If someone changes their ideas or the way they talk about them, they change their tune.
510	Chaps my ass	When something/someone really annoys you, it chaps your ass.
511	Chapter and verse	When you know something very well, and can quote it, you know it chapter and verse.
512	Charity begins at home	This idiom means that family members are more important than anyone else, and should be the focus of a person's efforts.
513	Chase rainbows	If someone chases rainbows, they try to do something that they will never achieve.
514	Chase your tail	If you are chasing your tail, you are very busy but not being very productive.