Idioms
English fixed expressions — phrases whose meaning isn't obvious from the individual words. Each entry shows the meaning, an example sentence, and its register.
200 idioms
herding cats
Informal · CEFR C1
trying to coordinate or control a group of highly independent people
hold all the cards
Neutral · CEFR C1
to be in a position of complete control in a negotiation
home and dry
Neutral · CEFR C1
successfully completed or achieved, with the main risks safely past
in cold blood
Neutral · CEFR C1
deliberately and without compassion, especially when committing violence or cruelty
in the final analysis
Formal · CEFR C1
after weighing all the relevant facts; ultimately
in the offing
Neutral · CEFR C1
expected to happen or become available soon
in the trenches
Informal · CEFR C1
doing the difficult, unglamorous, hands-on work at the front line of a problem or project
jockey for position
Neutral · CEFR C1
to maneuver competitively in order to gain the most advantageous position
joe public
Informal · CEFR C1
the ordinary, average member of the public
jump the shark
Informal · CEFR C1
to reach the point of absurd decline, past which a product or franchise loses credibility
keep your nose to the grindstone
Informal · CEFR C1
to work hard and steadily without distraction
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
Neutral · CEFR C1
to destroy a reliable source of future profit through greed or short-term thinking
kiss of life
Neutral · CEFR C1
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation given to revive someone who is not breathing
last man standing
Neutral · CEFR C1
the only survivor of a fight, consolidation, or market shakeout
lay your cards on the table
Neutral · CEFR C1
to be completely honest about your intentions or position
let bygones be bygones
Neutral · CEFR C1
To forgive and forget past disagreements.
let the cat among the pigeons
Informal · CEFR C1
To say or do something that causes sudden trouble or excitement.
live in sin
Neutral · CEFR C1
to cohabit romantically without having married
long in the tooth
Neutral · CEFR C1
old or growing old, especially when age affects suitability for something
mission creep
Neutral · CEFR C1
the gradual expansion of a project's goals beyond its original scope
moat
Neutral · CEFR C1
a durable competitive advantage that protects a business from rivals
monkey's paw
Neutral · CEFR C1
something that grants what you asked for while exacting a terrible, unforeseen price; a wish fulfilled in the worst possible way
moot point
Neutral · CEFR C1
a question that is debatable or no longer relevant because it has been settled or made irrelevant
move fast and break things
Informal · CEFR C1
a philosophy of shipping quickly and accepting breakage in order to learn faster
not cricket
Informal · CEFR C1
unfair, dishonorable, or contrary to accepted standards of behavior
not to mince one's words
Neutral · CEFR C1
to speak directly and honestly, even if it is unpleasant
not to put too fine a point on it
Formal · CEFR C1
used before saying something directly and bluntly
on tenterhooks
Neutral · CEFR C1
anxiously waiting in suspense because the outcome is uncertain
on the trot
Neutral · CEFR C1
continually busy or active, with no real break
out of kilter
Neutral · CEFR C1
misaligned, unsettled, or operating abnormally
out of the frying pan into the fire
Neutral · CEFR C1
To escape one bad situation only to land in a worse one.
paradigm shift
Neutral · CEFR C1
a fundamental change in the assumptions, models, or approach of a field
pass muster
Neutral · CEFR C1
to be judged good enough after an examination or review
pay the piper
Neutral · CEFR C1
to deal with the price or consequences created by your earlier choices
pay your dues
Neutral · CEFR C1
to endure hard, unglamorous work early on as the price of later success
pecking order
Neutral · CEFR C1
an informal ranking that determines status and authority within a group
penny wise, pound foolish
Neutral · CEFR C1
being careful with small amounts of money while wasting large amounts
perfect storm
Neutral · CEFR C1
a rare combination of bad circumstances that produces a disaster
perish the thought
Neutral · CEFR C1
used as an emphatic rejection of an idea considered intolerable
play hardball
Neutral · CEFR C1
to negotiate or compete aggressively, without compromise
poison pill
Neutral · CEFR C1
a defensive tactic a company uses to make a hostile takeover unattractive
pull out all the stops
Informal · CEFR C1
to make the maximum possible effort, holding nothing back
put one's head above the parapet
Neutral · CEFR C1
to risk criticism by stating an opinion publicly
put paid to
Neutral · CEFR C1
to bring something, especially a plan or hope, to a definite end
put someone in mind of
Formal · CEFR C1
to remind someone of a particular person, place, or experience
put the boot in
Informal · CEFR C1
to attack harshly, especially when the target is already vulnerable or beaten
race to the bottom
Neutral · CEFR C1
a competitive spiral that drives prices, quality, or standards lower and lower
raison d'être
Formal · CEFR C1
the most important reason for something or someone's existence
rank and file
Neutral · CEFR C1
the ordinary members of an organization rather than its leaders
red herring
Neutral · CEFR C1
a misleading clue or distraction that draws attention away from the real issue
red ocean
Neutral · CEFR C1
a crowded, hyper-competitive market where rivals fight over existing demand
ride roughshod over
Formal · CEFR C1
to impose your will harshly while ignoring other people's rights or feelings
rob Peter to pay Paul
Informal · CEFR C1
to pay one debt by creating another
rough and ready
Neutral · CEFR C1
basic and unpolished but practical enough to do the job
round robin
Neutral · CEFR C1
an arrangement in which everyone takes a turn or competes against everyone else; or a letter sent to many people
rubber duck debugging
Informal · CEFR C1
to debug or solve a problem by explaining it line by line, out loud, to an inanimate object such as a rubber duck
run amok
Neutral · CEFR C1
to behave wildly and without restraint, causing disorder or damage
run the gamut
Neutral · CEFR C1
to cover the entire range of possible types, reactions, or conditions
run the gauntlet
Neutral · CEFR C1
to endure a succession of ordeals, attacks, or severe criticism
run-of-the-mill
Neutral · CEFR C1
ordinary, average, unremarkable
sacred cow
Neutral · CEFR C1
something protected from criticism or change, often irrationally
short shrift
Formal · CEFR C1
very little attention or consideration, usually given dismissively
siren song
Neutral · CEFR C1
a seductive attraction that draws someone toward danger or an unwise action
skin in the game
Neutral · CEFR C1
personal risk or investment in a venture, aligning your interests with its outcome
sleeping giant
Neutral · CEFR C1
a large, powerful player that has not yet fully engaged in a market
sleight of hand
Neutral · CEFR C1
clever and subtle trickery used to mislead people
smoke and mirrors
Informal · CEFR C1
a deceptive or illusory presentation that hides what is really going on
sour grapes
Neutral · CEFR C1
disparaging something desirable after failing to obtain it
sow seeds of thought
Neutral · CEFR C1
to introduce ideas that may grow and develop in people's minds later
spread yourself too thin
Neutral · CEFR C1
to try to do so many things that you do none of them well
square the circle
Neutral · CEFR C1
to try to resolve a problem widely regarded as extremely difficult or impossible
steal someone's thunder
Neutral · CEFR C1
to take attention away from someone's achievement by doing or announcing the same thing first
straw man
Neutral · CEFR C1
a weak, exaggerated version of an opponent's argument set up to be easily knocked down
streets ahead
Informal · CEFR C1
much further advanced or clearly superior to the competition
swimming naked
Informal · CEFR C1
being exposed as unprepared or over-leveraged once market conditions turn
swings and roundabouts
Informal · CEFR C1
a situation where advantages and disadvantages balance out (British)
tail end Charlie
Informal · CEFR C1
the last person or thing in a group or sequence (British, informal)
technical debt
Neutral · CEFR C1
the long-term cost of choosing quick, messy solutions over careful ones
teething troubles
Neutral · CEFR C1
small, temporary problems that arise while a new system or activity is getting started
term sheet
Neutral · CEFR C1
a non-binding summary of the key terms of a proposed investment
the buck stops here
Informal · CEFR C1
responsibility rests with the speaker, not to be passed on
the die is cast
Formal · CEFR C1
an irreversible decision has fixed the course of what happens next
the powers that be
Neutral · CEFR C1
the people who hold authority and make important decisions
the proof of the pudding is in the eating
Formal · CEFR C1
You can only judge something's value by trying or experiencing it.
the whole nine yards
Informal · CEFR C1
Everything possible; the full extent.
the world is your oyster
Neutral · CEFR C1
You are free to enjoy all the opportunities life has to offer.
throw a wobbly
Informal · CEFR C1
to have a sudden angry or distressed outburst and lose self-control
throw down the gauntlet
Formal · CEFR C1
to challenge an opponent openly and defiantly
tighten the purse strings
Neutral · CEFR C1
To become more careful and strict about spending money.
to all intents and purposes
Formal · CEFR C1
in every way that matters in practice; effectively
touchy-feely
Informal · CEFR C1
showing emotions or physical affection openly, sometimes in a way that seems excessive
tread the boards
Neutral · CEFR C1
to pursue a career performing on the theater stage
trial balloon
Neutral · CEFR C1
a tentative announcement or test designed to gauge reaction before committing to a decision
turn the other cheek
Neutral · CEFR C1
to respond to harm without retaliation, showing restraint or forgiveness
unicorn
Neutral · CEFR C1
a privately held startup valued at over one billion dollars
valuation gap
Neutral · CEFR C1
the difference between the price a seller believes something is worth and what a buyer will pay