| Up
the ante |
|
If you
up the ante, you increase the importance or value of something,
especially where there's an element of risk as the term comes
from gambling, where it means to increase the stake (the amount
of money bet). |
| Up
the creek |
|
If
someone or something is up the creek, they are in real trouble.
'Up the creek without a paddle' is an alternative, and 'up shit
creek (without a paddle)' is a ruder form. |
| Up
the duff |
|
(UK)
If a woman is up the duff, she's pregnant. |
| Up
the spout |
|
(UK)
If something has gone up the spout, it has gone wrong or been
ruined. |
| Up
the stick |
|
(UK)
If a woman is up the stick, she's pregnant. |
| Up
the wall |
|
If
someone goes up the wall, they get very angry. |
| Up
the wooden hill |
|
When
you go up the wooden hill, you go up the stairs to bed. |
| Up
to scratch |
|
If
something doesn't come up to scratch, it doesn't meet the
standard required or expected. |
| Up
to snuff |
|
If
something isn't up to snuff, it doesn't meet the standard
expected. |
| Up
to speed |
|
If you
bring someone up to speed, you update them on something. |
| Up
to the eyes |
|
You are up to your eyes in something, you are deeply involved or
to have too much of something like work. ('Up the neck', 'up to
the eyeballs' and 'up to the ears' are also used.) |
| Up
to the neck |
|
If
someone's in something up to the neck, they are very involved in
it, especially when it's something wrong. |
| Up
to your eyes |
|
When
you've got too much work to do, you're up to your eyes in it. |
| Up
to your neck |
|
If
someone is very involved in something, they are up to their neck
in it, especially if it is something bad or immoral. |
| Up
with the lark |
|
If you
get up very early, you're up with the lark. |
| Upper
crust |
|
The
upper crust are the upper classes and the establishment. |
| Upper
hand |
|
If you
have the upper hand, you have the advantage. |
| Upset
the apple cart |
|
If you
upset the apple cart, you cause trouble and upset people. |
| Vale
of tears |
|
This
vale of tears is the world and the suffering that life brings. |
| Velvet
glove |
|
This
idiom is used to describe a person who appears gentle, but is
determined and inflexible underneath. ('Iron fist in a velvet
glove' is the full form.) |
| Vent
your spleen |
|
If
someone vents their spleen, they release all their anger about
something. |
| Vicar
of Bray |
|
(UK) A
person who changes their beliefs and principles to stay popular
with people above them is a Vicar of Bray |
| Vicious
circle |
|
A
vicious circle is a sequence of events that make each other
worse- someone drinks because they are unhappy at work, then
loses their job... 'Vicious cycle' is also used. |
| Virgin
territory |
|
If
something is virgin territory, it hasn't been explored before. |
| Volte-face |
|
If you
do a volte-face on something, you make a sudden and complete
change in your stance or position over an issue. |
| Wag
the dog |
|
To
'wag the dog' means to purposely divert attention from what
would otherwise be of greater importance, to something else of
lesser significance. By doing so, the lesser-significant event
is catapulted into the limelight, drowning proper attention to
what was originally the more important issue.The expression
comes from the saying that 'a dog is smarter than its tail', but
if the tail were smarter, then the tail would 'wag the dog'. The
expression 'wag the dog' was elaborately used as theme of the
movie. 'Wag the Dog', a 1997 film starring Robert de Niro and
Dustin Hoffman, produced and directed by Barry Levinson. |
| Wait
for a raindrop in the drought |
|
When
someone is waiting for a raindrop in the drought, they are
waiting or hoping for something that is extremely unlikely to
happen. |
| Waiting
in the wings |
|
If
someone is waiting in the wings, or in the wings, they are in
the background, but nearby, ready to act on short notice. |
| Wake
up and smell the coffee |
|
When
someone doesn't realize what is really happening or is not
paying enough attention to events around them, you can tell them
to wake up and smell the coffee. |
| Wake-up
call |
|
A
wake-up call is a warning of a threat or a challenge, especially
when it means that people will have to change their behavior to
meet it. |
| Walk
a fine line |
|
If you
have to walk a fine line, you have to be very careful not to
annoy or anger people or groups that are competing. ('Walk a
thin line' is an alternative.) |
| Walk
a mile in my shoes |
|
This
idiom means that you should try to understand someone before criticizing
them. |
| Walk
a tightrope |
|
If you
walk a tightrope, you have to be very careful not to annoy or
anger people who could become enemies. |
| Walk
in the park |
|
An
undertaking that is easy is a walk in the park. The opposite is
also true - "no walk in the park". |
| Walk
on eggshells |
|
If you
have to walk on eggshells when with someone, you have to be very
careful because they get angry or offended very easily.('Walk on
eggs' is also used.) |
| Walk
the green mile |
|
Someone
or something that is walking the green mile is heading towards
the inevitable. |
| Walk
the plank |
|
If
someone walks the plank, they are going toward their own
destruction or downfall |
| Walking
encyclopedia |
|
A very
knowledgeable person is a walking encyclopedia. |
| Walking
on air |
|
If you
are walking on air,
you are so happy that you feel as if you could float. |
| Walking
on broken glass |
|
When a
person is punished for something. e.g. 'She had me walking on
broken glass.' |
| Walking
time-bomb |
|
A
person whose behavior is erratic and totally unpredictable is a
walking time-bomb. |
| Wallflower |
|
(UK) A
woman politician given an unimportant government position so
that the government can pretend it takes women seriously is a
wallflower. |
| War
chest |
|
A war
chest is a fund that can be used to finance a campaign like and
election or for use in emergencies or unexpected times of
difficulty. |
| War
of words |
|
A war
of words is a bitter argument between people or organizations,
etc. |
| Warm
and fuzzy |
|
Meaning
the feeling evoked as though you were enclosed in a warm and
fuzzy blanket. |
| Warm
the cockles of your heart |
|
If
something warms the cockles of your heart, it makes you feel
happy. |
| Warpath |
|
If
someone is on the warpath, they are very angry about something
and will do anything to get things sorted the way they want. |
| Warts
and all |
|
If you
like someone warts and all, you like them with all their faults. |
| Wash
your hands of something |
|
If you
wash your hands of something, you disassociate yourself and
accept no responsibility for what will happen. |
| Waste
not, want not |
|
If you
don't waste things, you are less likely to end up lacking. |
| Waste
of skin |
|
If a
person is referred to as a 'waste of skin', it means he is not
worth very much. |
| Watch
grass grow |
|
If
something is like watching grass grow, it is really boring. |
| Watch
your six |
|
(USA)
This idiom means that you should look behind you for dangers
coming that you can't see. |
| Watching
paint dry |
|
If
something is like watching paint dry, it is really boring. |
| Water
off a duck's back |
|
If
criticism or something similar is like water off a duck's back
to somebody, they aren't affected by it in the slightest. |
| Water
over the dam |
|
(USA)
If something has happened and cannot be changed, it is water
over the dam. |
| Water
under the bridge |
|
If
something belongs to the past and isn't important or troubling
any more, it is water under the bridge. |
| Watering
hole |
|
(UK) A
watering hole is a pub. |
| Watery
grave |
|
If
someone has gone to a watery grave, they have drowned. |
| Weak
at the knees |
|
If
people go weak at the knees, they have a powerful emotional
reaction to something and feel that they might fall over. |
| Wear
sackcloth and ashes |
|
If
someone displays their grief or contrition publicly, they wear
sackcloth and ashes. |
| Wear
your heart on your sleeve |
|
Someone
who wears their heart on their sleeve shows their emotions and
feelings publicly. |
| Weather
a storm |
|
If you
weather a storm, you get through a crisis or hard times. |
| Wedge
politics |
|
(USA)
In wedge politics, one party uses an issue that they hope will
divide members of a different party to create conflict and
weaken it. |
| Weight
off your shoulders |
|
If
something is a weight off your shoulders, you have relieved
yourself of a burden, normally a something that has been
troubling you or worrying you. |
| Well-heeled |
|
Someone
who is well-heeled is rich. |
| Well-oiled |
|
If
someone is well-oiled, they have drunk a lot. |
| Well-oiled
machine |
|
Something
that functions very well is a well-oiled machine. |
| Were
you born in a barn? |
|
If
someone asks you this, it means that you forgot to close the
door when you came in. |
| Wet
behind the ears |
|
Someone
who is wet behind the ears is either very young or
inexperienced. |
| Wet
blanket |
|
A wet
blanket is someone who tries to spoil other people's fun. |
| Wet
your whistle |
|
If you
are thirsty and have an alcoholic drink, you wet your whistle.
"Whet your whistle" is also used. |
| Whale
of a time |
|
If you
have a whale of a time, you really enjoy yourself. |
| What
can sorry do? |
|
This
means that it is not enough to apologize. |
| What
can you expect from a hog but a grunt? |
|
(USA)
This means that you can't expect people to behave in a way that
is not in their character- a 'hog' is a 'pig', so an unrefined
person can't be expected to behave in a refined way. |
| What
does that have to do with the price of tea in China? |
|
This
idiom is often used when someone says something irrelevant to
the topic being discussed. |
| What
goes around comes around |
|
This
saying means that of people do bad things to other people, bad
things will happen to them. |
| What
goes around, comes around |
|
The
good or bad you do to others is requited. |
| What
will be will be |
|
The
expression what will be will be is used to describe the notion
that fate will decide the outcome of a course of events, even if
action is taken to try to alter it. |
| What's
cooking? |
|
When
you ask what's cooking it means you want to know what's
happening. |
| What's
good for the goose is good for the gander |
|
This
idiom means that the sexes should be treated the same way and
not be subjected to different standards. |
| What's
up? |
|
This
can be used to ask 'What's wrong?' or 'How are you?'. |
| What's
your poison? |
|
This
is a way of asking someone what they would like to drink,
especially alcohol. |
| What's
your take on that? |
|
This
idiom is way of asking someone for their opinion and ideas. |
| Whatever
floats your boat |
|
When
people say this, they mean that you should do whatever makes you
happy. |
| Wheels
fall off |
|
When
the wheels fall off something, it goes wrong or fails. ('Wheels
come off' is an alternative.) |
| When
hell freezes over |
|
An
impossible or very unlikely situation or event |
| When
in Rome, do as the Romans do |
|
This
idiom means that when you are visiting a different place or
culture, you should try to follow their customs and practices. |
| When
it rains, it pours |
|
This
idiom means that when things go wrong, a lot of things go wrong
at the same time. |
| When
pigs fly |
|
Meaning
you will not get something when you want it or someone doesn't
want something for you. say you are selling an item and some one
doesn't want it. they might say 'I'll buy it when pigs fly'. it
just means you will never get someone to say yes to you when you
ask for something. |
| When
the chickens come home to roost |
|
When a
person pays dearly for something bad he or she did in the past,
the chickens come home to roost. |
| Where
the rubber meets the road |
|
(USA)
Where the rubber meets the road is the most important point for
something, the moment of truth. An athlete can train all day,
but the race is where the rubber meets the road and they'll know
how good they really are. |
| Where
there's a will, there's a way |
|
This
idiom means that if people really want to do something, they
will manage to find a way of doing it. |
| Where
there's muck, there's brass |
|
You
can make money doing dirty jobs nobody else wants to do.
"Where there's muck, there's money" is also used. |
| Where
there's smoke, there's fire |
|
When
there is an indication or sign of something bad, usually the
indication is correct. |
| Whet
your appetite |
|
If
something whets your appetite, it interests you and makes you
want more of it. |
| Which
came first the chicken or the egg? |
|
This
idiomatic expression is used when it is not clear who or what
caused something. |
| While
the cat's away, the mouse will play |
|
People
whose behavior is strictly controlled go over the top when the
authority is not around, which is why most teenagers have
parties when their parents have gone on holiday. The parents are
the scary authority figures, but the cat's away and the kids are
the mice partying and enjoying their freedom. |
| Whistle
for it |
|
If
someone says that you can whistle for something, they are
determined to ensure that you don't get it. |
| Whistle-stop
tour |
|
A
whistle-stop tour is when someone visits a number of places
quickly, not stopping for long. |
| Whistling
Dixie |
|
(USA)
If someone is whistling Dixie, they talk about things in a more
positive way than the reality. |
| Whistling
in the dark |
|
If
someone is whistling in the dark, they believe in a positive
result, even though everybody else is sure it will not happen. |
| Whistling
past the graveyard |
|
(USA)
If someone is whistling past the graveyard, they are trying to
remain cheerful in difficult circumstances. ('Whistling past the
cemetery' is also used.) |
| White
as a sheet |
|
A bad
shock can make somebody go as white as a sheet. |
| White
as snow |
|
If
something or someone is as white as snow, they are perfect or
completely uncorrupted and honest. |
| White
elephant |
|
A
white elephant is an expensive burden; something that costs far
too much money to run, like the Millennium Dome in the UK. |
| White
feather |
|
If
someone shows a white feather, they are cowards. |
| White
lie |
|
If you
tell a white lie, you lie in order not to hurt someone's
feelings. |
| White-bread |
|
If
something is white-bread, it is very ordinary, safe and boring. |
| Who
wears the pants? |
|
(USA)
The person who wears the pants in a relationship is the dominant
person who controls things. |
| Who
wears the trousers? |
|
(UK)
The person who wears the trousers in a relationship is the
dominant person who controls things. |
| Who
will ring the bell? |
|
'Who
will ring the bell?' asks who will assume the responsibility to
help us out of a difficult situation. |
| Whole
ball of wax |
|
(USA)
The whole ball of wax is everything. |
| Whole
kit and caboodle |
|
The
whole kit and caboodle means 'everything' required or involved
in something. ('Kaboodle' is an alternative spelling.) |
| Whole
new ball game |
|
If
something's a whole new ball game, it is completely new or
different. |
| Whole
nine yards |
|
The
whole nine yards means everything that is necessary or
required for something. |
| Whole
shebang |
|
The
whole shebang includes every aspect of something. |
| Why
buy the cow when you can get the milk for free |
|
This
idiom is usually used to refer to men who don't want to get
married, when they can get all the benefits of marriage without
getting married. |
| Why
keep a dog and bark yourself? |
|
There's
no need to do something yourself when you have somebody to do it
for you, usually trivial matters. |
| Wide
berth |
|
If you
give someone a wide berth, you keep yourself well away from them
because they are dangerous. |
| Wide
of the mark |
|
If
something is wide of the mark, it is inaccurate or incorrect. |
| Wild
goose chase |
|
A wild
goose chase is a waste of time- time spent trying to do
something unsuccessfully. |
| Will
never fly |
|
If an
idea or project, etc, will never fly, it has no chance of
succeeding. |
| Will-o'-the-wisp |
|
Something
that deceives by its appearance is a will-o’-the-wisp; it
looks good, but turns out to be a disappointment. |
| Win
by a nose |
|
If
somebody wins by a nose, they only just beat the others. |
| Window
dressing |
|
If
something is done to pretend to be dealing with an issue or
problem, rather than actually dealing with it, it is window
dressing. |
| Window
to the soul |
|
Eyes
are sometimes referred to as the window to the soul. |
| Wing
and a prayer |
|
If you
do something on a wing and a prayer, you try to do something and
hope you'll succeed even though you have very little chance of
success. |
| Winner
takes all |
|
If
everything goes to the winner, as in an election, the winner
takes all. |
| Wipe
the floor with |
|
(UK)
If you wipe the floor with someone, you destroy the arguments or
defeat them easily. |
| Wipe
the smile of someone's face |
|
If you
wipe the smile of someone's face, you do something to make
someone feel less pleased with themselves. |
| With
a heavy hand |
|
If
someone does something with a heavy hand, they do it in a strict
way, exerting a lot of control. |
| With
child |
|
(UK)
If a woman's with child, she's pregnant. |
| With
flying colors (colors) |
|
If you
pass something with flying colors (colors), you pass easily,
with a very high mark or grade. |
| With
friends like that, who needs enemies? |
|
This
expression is used when people behave badly or treat someone
badly that they are supposed to be friends with. |
| Wither
on the vine |
|
If
something withers on the vine, it fails to get the intended
result, doesn't come to fruition. |
| Within
a whisker |
|
If you
come within a whisker of doing something, you very nearly manage
to do it but don't succeed. |
| Without
a hitch |
|
If
something happens without a hitch, nothing at all goes wrong. |
| Woe
betide you |
|
This
is used to wish that bad things will happen to someone, usually
because of their bad behavior. |
| Woe
is me |
|
This
means that you are sad or in a difficult situation. It's
archaic, but still used. |
| Wolf
in sheep's clothing |
|
A wolf
in sheep's clothing is something dangerous that looks quite safe
and innocent. |
| Wood
for the trees |
|
(UK)
If someone can't see the wood for the trees, they get so caught
up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger
picture. |
| Word
of mouth |
|
If
something becomes known by word of mouth, it is because people
are talking about it, not through publicity, etc. |
| Word
of the law |
|
The
word of the law means that the law is interpreted in an
absolutely literal way which goes against the ideas that the
lawmakers had wished to implement. |
| Words
fail me |
|
If
words fail you, you can't find the words to express what you are
trying to say. |
| Work
like a charm |
|
If
something works like a charm, it works perfectly. |
| Work
like a dog |
|
If you
work like a dog, you work very hard. |
| Work
the system |
|
If
people work the system, they exploit the state or similar setup
to their advantage. |
| Work
your fingers to the bone |
|
If you
work your fingers to the bone, you work extremely hard on
something. |
| Work
your socks off |
|
If you
work your socks off, you work very hard. |
| Work
your tail off |
|
If you
work your tail off, you work extremely hard. |
| World
at your feet |
|
If
everything is going well and the future looks full of
opportunity, you have the world at your feet. |
| World
is your oyster |
|
When
the world is your oyster, you are getting everything you want
from life. |
| Worm
information |
|
If you
worm information out of somebody, you persuade them to tell you
something they wanted to keep from you. |
| Worm's
eye view |
|
A
worm's eye view of something is the view from below, either
physically or socially. |
| Worse
for wear |
|
If
something's worse for wear, it has been used for a long time
and, consequently, isn't in very good condition. A person who's
worse for wear is drunk or high on drugs and looking rough. |
| Worse
things happen at sea |
|
This
idiomatic expression is used as a way of telling someone not to
worry so much about their problems. |
| Worth
a shot |
|
If
something is worth a shot, it is worth trying as there is some
chance of success. |
| Worth
your salt |
|
Someone
who is worth their salt deserves respect. |
| Wouldn't
touch it with a bargepole |
|
(UK)
If you wouldn't touch something with a bargepole, you would not
consider being involved under any circumstances. (In American
English, people say they wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole) |
| Wouldn't
touch it with a ten-foot pole |
|
(USA)
If you wouldn't touch something with a ten-foot pole, you would
not consider being involved under any circumstances. (In British
English, people say they wouldn't touch it with a bargepole) |
| Wrap
yourself in the flag |
|
If
someone wraps themselves in the flag, they pretend to be doing
something for patriotic reasons or out of loyalty, but their
real motives are selfish. ('Drape yourself in the flag' is an
alternative form of this idiom) |
| Wrench
in the works |
|
(USA)
If someone puts or throws a wrench, or monkey wrench, in the
works, they ruin a plan. In British English, 'spanner' is used
instead of 'wrench'. |
| Writ
large |
|
If
something is writ large, it is emphasized or highlighted. |
| Write
your own ticket |
|
If you
write your own ticket, you control the terms and conditions for
something and have them exactly the way you want. |
| Writing
on the wall |
|
If the
writing's on the wall for something, it is doomed to fail. |
| Written
all over your face |
|
If
someone has done something wrong or secret, but cannot hide it
in their expression, it is written all over their face. |
| Written
in stone |
|
If
something is written in stone, it is permanent and cannot be
changed. |
| Wrong
end of the stick |
|
If
someone has got the wrong end of the stick, they have
misunderstood what someone has said to them. |
| Wrong
foot |
|
If you
start something on the wrong foot, you start badly. |
| X
factor |
|
The
dangers for people in the military that civilians do not face,
for which they receive payment, are known as the X factor. |
| X
marks the spot |
|
This
is used to say where something is located or hidden. |
| X-rated |
|
If
something is x-rated, it is not suitable for children. |
| Yah
boo sucks |
|
Yah
boo & yah boo sucks can be used to show that you have no
sympathy with someone. |
| Yank
my chain |
|
If
some one says this to another person (i.e. stop yanking my
chain) it means for the other person to leave the person who
said it alone and to stop bothering them. |
| Yellow
press |
|
The
yellow press is a term for the popular and sensationalist
newspapers. |
| Yellow
streak |
|
If
someone has a yellow streak, they are cowardly about something. |
| Yellow-bellied |
|
A
yellow-bellied person is a coward. |
| Yen |
|
If you
have a yen to do something, you have a desire to do it. |
| Yeoman's
service |
|
(UK)
To do yeoman's service is to serve in an exemplary manner. |
| Yes-man |
|
Someone
who always agrees with people in authority is a yes-man. |
| Yesterday's
man or Yesterday's woman |
|
Someone,
especially a politician or celebrity, whose career is over or on
the decline is yesterday's man or woman. |
| You
are what you eat |
|
This
is used to emphasize the importance of a good diet as a key to
good health. |
| You
can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar |
|
This
means that it is easier to persuade people if you use polite
arguments and flattery than if you are confrontational. |
| You
can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family |
|
Some
things you can choose, but others you cannot, so you have to try
to make the best of what you have where you have no choice. |
| You
can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink |
|
This
idiom means you can offer something to someone, like good
advice, but you cannot make them take it. |
| You
can say that again |
|
If you
want to agree strongly with what someone has said, you can say
'You can say that again' as a way of doing so. |
| You
can't fight City Hall |
|
This
phrase is used when one is so cynical that one doesn't think one
can change their Representatives. The phrase must have started
with frustration towards a local body of government. |
| You
can't have cake and the topping, too |
|
(USA)
This idiom means that you can't have everything the way you want
it, especially if your desires are contradictory. |
| You
can't have your cake and eat it |
|
This
idiom means that you can't have things both ways. For example,
you can't have very low taxes and a high standard of state care. |
| You
can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear |
|
If
something isn't very good to start with, you can't do much to
improve it. |
| You
can't make an omelette without breaking eggs |
|
This
idiom means that in order to achieve something or make progress,
there are often losers in the process. |
| You
can't take it with you |
|
Enjoy
life, enjoy what you have and don't worry about not having a
lot, especially money...because once you're dead, 'you can't
take it with you.' For some, it means to use up all you have
before you die because it's no use to you afterwards. |
| You
can't unring a bell |
|
This
means that once something has been done, you have to live with
the consequences as it can't be undone. |
| You
could have knocked me down with a feather |
|
This
idiom is used to mean that the person was very shocked or
surprised. |
| You
do not get a dog and bark yourself |
|
(UK)
If there is someone in a lower position who can or should do a
task, then you shouldn't do it. |
| You
get what you pay for |
|
Something
that is very low in price is not usually of very good quality. |
| You
reap what you sow |
|
This
means that if you do bad things to people, bad things will
happen to you, or good things if you do good things.
It is normally used when someone has done something bad. |
| You
said it! |
|
Used
to say you agree completely with something just said. |
| You
scratch my back and I'll scratch yours |
|
This
idiom means that if you do something for me, I'll return the favor. |
| You
what? |
|
This
is a very colloquial way of expressing surprise or disbelief at
something you have heard. It can also be used to ask someone to
say something again. |
| You're
toast |
|
If
someone tells you that you are toast, you are in a lot of
trouble. |
| You've
got rocks in your head |
|
(USA)
Someone who has acted with a lack of intelligence has rocks in
their head. |
| You've
made your bed- you'll have to lie in it |
|
This
means that someone will have to live with the consequences of
their own actions. |
| Young
blood |
|
Young
people with new ideas and fresh approaches are young blood. |
| Young
Turk |
|
A
Young Turk is a young person who is rebellious and difficult to
control in a company, team or organization. |
| Your
belly button is bigger than your stomach |
|
If
your belly button is bigger than your stomach, you take on more
responsibilities than you can handle. |
| Your
call |
|
If
something is your call, it is up to you to make a decision on
the matter. |
| Your
name is mud |
|
If
someone's name is mud, then they have a bad reputation. |
| Your
sins will find you out |
|
This
idiom means that things you do wrong will become known. |
| Zero
hour |
|
The
time when something important is to begin is zero hour. |
| Zero
tolerance |
|
If the
police have a zero tolerance policy, they will not overlook any
crime, no matter how small or trivial. |
| Zigged
before you zagged |
|
If you
did things in the wrong order, you zigged before you zagged. |
| Zip
it |
|
This
is used to tell someone to be quiet. |
| Zip
your lip |
|
If
someone tells you to zip your lip, they want to shut up or
keep quiet about something. ('Zip it' is also used.) |
