HiCafe has gathered 300+ American idioms and phrases that are used by Americans on a daily basis. You can use these idioms to practice English conversation online with other global learners and boost your speaking confidence.
American Idioms and Phrases with Meanings
The following list of American idioms are sorted alphabetically. So click on a letter below to see all American idioms that are beginning with that letter.
Idioms Beginning with A
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about time = finally.
It’s about time they got married. They’ve been living together for five years.
(be) about to = almost, soon
He’s just about to blow out the candles on his birthday cake.
after all = after everything that happened / despite the facts
This was an expensive car, but I decided to buy it after all.
all of a sudden = something happens quickly.
All of a sudden, the boy slipped while riding on his skateboard.
as if = similar; something has a similar quality.
His headache was so bad it felt as if his head was in a vise.
as soon as = after something happens; immediately after
Tom started to eat his food as soon as it was served to him.
as well as = and
She’s strong as well as beautiful.
at least = to the smallest degree.
Jim forgot it was his wife’s birthday last week. At least he gave her some flowers the next day.
Idioms Beginning with B
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back and forth = to go between two places, again and again.
He bikes back and forth between his job and his apartment every day.
back up = to support, to help someone
Tom plans to back up his wife when she delivers her baby. (used as an infinitive)
also…
If he is unable to drive her to the hospital, they have a back up plan. His brother can drive her there. (used as an adjective)
be at it = to do something; to practice or learn how to do something.
A: They love to play with those blocks.
B: Yeah, they’ve been at it for the last hour.
(Note: This idiom is often used in the present perfect tense)
bend over backwards = to work hard at something; to try to help someone.
The government bent over backwards to get the I-35W bridge rebuilt.
better off = in a situation that is good–better than before.
Jen thinks she’s much better off with her new boyfriend. Her old boyfriend wasn’t very nice to her.
break down = a machine stops working, usually used for cars
Tom’s car breaks down all the time. He has to get a new one.
This is the third time it has broken down this week. (present perfect)
bring up = to say something; to introduce a topic for conversation.
If you have chest pains that don’t go away, you should probably bring that up with your doctor next time you see him.
break up = 1. to make something small; 2. to end a relationship.
She got a phone call from her boyfriend. He told her he wanted to break up with her. (definition Idioms Beginning with 2)
bump into = meet someone you know by chance or by accident.
On the way home from the store, Alice bumped into an old friend she hadn’t seen in years.
by the way = This idiom is used when you want to introduce something new in a conversation. It’s usually off topic.
“Juggling is easy for me. I’ve been juggling for years. By the way, I also know how to do backwards somersaults.”
Idioms Beginning with C
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carry out = to do something that is part of a plan; follow an order
These business managers are carrying out a plan for the expansion of their company.
catch on = start to understand.
At first, Tom and Dominique had trouble understanding how to learn English with this website, but then they quickly caught on.
check out = to look at, to examine carefully.
These kids are checking out a really interesting website.
come by = 1. to get; 2. to visit.
1. Good employees are hard to come be these days.
2. Come by my house later today.
come on = hurry; stop doing something. Sometimes used when asking or pleading for something.
“Come on! Please eat your food!”
come to terms (with) = to learn to accept. Used with difficult situations.
When there’s a war, many people have to come to terms with the sudden death of a family member.
come up = to happen quickly, suddenly, or soon.
Linda has an important meeting coming up next week and she has to prepare for it.
come up with = to have an idea or to create an idea
She’s trying to come up with some new ideas for teaching English.
cut down on = reduce; do less of something
If he doesn’t cut down on his smoking or quit completely, he’s going to suffer from illness later in life.
cut off = to stop someone; to be rude and get in front of someone; to interrupt.
He got really mad at the driver who cut him off at the intersection. arrow
I was talking on my cell phone when suddenly I got cut off.
Idioms Beginning with D
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deal with = manage a problem; take care of a situation.
In business, sometimes it’s very difficult to deal with the pressure of a deadline.
*deadline = the date or time when something must be finished.
Life is very difficult sometimes. You just have to deal with it!
do (food) = have food (usually lunch) and meet to discuss something important.
They do lunch every Friday.
do in = to kill or be killed
Although he tried to fight them off, the man was done in by his captors.
do over = do something again; repeat.
George got really angry when he forgot to save his work on his computer and then had to do it over.
draw attention to = to have other people look at something or someone
He enjoys drawing attention to himself by showing everyone how good he is at rollerblading.
drive (someone) crazy = to cause problems; to make someone angry or mad.
Her husband drives her crazy when he reads the morning newspaper and doesn’t talk to her.
due to – because of; for this reason
We had to find a new way of getting to work due to the collapse of the bridge.
Idioms Beginning with E
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early on = early; at the beginning of something.
Early on in their relationship, Donna and Bill ate lunch together every day.
easygoing = relaxed; not worried; calm
Rupert is such an easygoing boss. All the employees like to talk to him, and best of all, he never gets mad when we make mistakes.
eat away at = to cause trouble, create worries.
Problems at work are eating away at him so much, he can’t sleep at night.
Don’t let your daily worries eat away at you. Take one day at a time.
eat out = eat at a restaurant
eat in = eat at home
He eats out a lot because he works late at night. Eating in is healthier.
eat up = eat everything
This boy is going to eat up all these french fries before his brother has a chance to eat any.
end up = finish; final destination or result. Also, end up with
Originally, they had planned to go out to eat, but then they ended up watching TV.
He ended up with a good wife who always supported him.
every other = to skip one and go to the next.
Every other month, she has to see her doctor. (January, March, May, July, etc.)
Every other day, I have to work late. (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, etc. )
Idioms Beginning with F
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face = to experience a challenge or a problem. Also, face up to.
She faces many new responsibilities in her job as a manager. She’s ready to face up to the challenge.
fall apart = to lose control; to break; to fail.
His life started to fall apart when he began to drink again.
As a result, everything fell apart at his job, too, so he was fired.
fall through: something doesn’t happen. Often used for business relationships.
They were going to start a business together, but then their plans fell through.
figure out = to learn how to do something; think for oneself.
The boys didn’t know how to make a cake, but they figured out for themselves how to do it.
They figured it out.
fill in = to write information on a form; to talk and provide information. Fill me in.
She has to fill in the blanks on these forms.
find out = to get information from another person, a computer, a newspaper, etc.
To find out what kinds of jobs are available, you can go online and do a search.
for good = forever; something will or will not change.
He’s moving into a new house, but he probably won’t stay for good.
for sure = to know something is true; to be certain
He knows for sure that he’s in love with his girlfriend.
Does she love him for sure?
Idioms Beginning with G
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get along with = to have a good relationship with others.
Jeff gets along well with his coworkers.
get back to = 1. return; 2. to return a phone call or email.
Jeff got back to his boss as soon as he listened to his voicemail.
get into = 1. enter; 2. develop an interest, to like something
1. I had trouble this morning getting into my car.
2. This cat really gets into hip hop. right arrow
get out of = 1. leave; 2. to avoid responsibility.
1. She got out of work early today and went into the country. right arrow
2. Roger had a meeting this afternoon, but he was able to get out of it.
get rid of = to throw away; to put into the garbage; to give to someone else.
He has a lot of junk to get rid of.
get through = to finish
After I got through the examination with the doctor, she told me I was okay.
give up = quit; stop doing something.
Even though he’s past the age of 75, he hasn’t given up playing tennis.
give back = 1. return; 2. to volunteer, to help people
He gives back to his community by volunteering as a fire fighter. right arrow
go ahead = go; go forward; go before another person.
Ashton was very polite and told the man that he could go ahead of him.
go by = pass by; sometimes this means to stop at a place quickly.
The bus went by before he could catch it. right arrow
I have to go by the grocery store and get some milk.
go for = try to obtain; work hard to get. (often used in the expression, “go for it.”)
Bert wasn’t sure if Niki would go out with him, but I told him to go for it.
go in on = to share the cost of something.
My classmates and I went in on a pizza yesterday after class.
go on = 1. to continue; 2. to talk a long time–too long!
1. The baseball game went on for several hours. right arrow
2. The announcer kept going on and on about how great the game was.
go over = to look at important information; to review.
They had a lot of important documents to go over at the meeting.
go with = 1. to choose; to decide on one thing over another. 2. to form a long-term, romantic relationship. 3. match color and texture.
He decided to go with a nice new blue shirt for the party. (go with = make a decision to wear)
go out = 1. to leave the house and eat at a restaurant or go to a party. 2. to have a long term romantic relationship.
They’ve been going out for two years. He might marry her.
How did it go? = Was the experience good or bad?
This is a very popular question in the United States when asking about the outcome of something that you do. Watch this video and I’ll explain this idiomatic use of the word “go.”
Idioms Beginning with H
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hand in = to give information to someone, such as a government office; to give an assignment to someone, such as a teacher.
I got a perfect score on the assignment I handed in to my teacher.
hand out = 1. to give, usually information or assignments.
The teacher is handing out an assignment to her students.
handout = 2. (noun) charity, food, money.
The homeless man on the street accepts handouts from people who pass by.
hang out = spend time with friends; do nothing with other people.
Jason and Sandy like to hang out with each other.
Yesterday they hung out at a record store all afternoon.
hang up on = to end a phone conversation quickly, usually when angry or impatient.
She got tired of being put on hold, so she hung up on the person who was helping her.
have it out = to fight; argue
The people in the apartment next door really had it out last night. You could hear every word. (past tense)
have to do with = to have some connection; to be related.
When it was discovered that the president of the bank had something to do with the theft of some money, everyone was shocked.
have something / nothing against = to have bad feelings about someone or something.
I have nothing against people who smoke as long as they don’t do it too close to me.
hold on = wait for a short time; stop
“Can you hold on a minute. I have another call coming through.” right arrow
Also…hold off = wait for a longer period time.
We thought about getting a new car, but because the economy is so bad, we decided to hold off for now.
hold up = to be in good condition after a long period of time or physical challenge; to be okay after a sickness or a period of struggle.
After two hours of skiing, they’re holding up pretty well.
hung up on = to be in love with someone; to think about something or someone all the time.
They’re really hung up on each other. She’s hung up on him, and he’s hung up on her.right arrow
Don’t get so hung up on this. There’s nothing you can do about the situation.
Idioms Beginning with I
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(be) into = to like; to have a big interest in something.
He‘s very into rollerblading.
What are you into these days? (What are your interests now?)
in a way = a little bit; kind of; in a certain manner.
In a way, it’s a beautiful old house, but we would have to do a lot of work on it to make it look really nice.
in the way / in one’s way = to block or prevent someone from doing something.
Never get in the way of an elephant!
in case = if; to do something in preparation
He decided to wear a raincoat and a hat and bring an umbrella in case it rains.
In case it rains, he’s prepared.
in common = to have interests that are similar; to have the same ideas.
They have a lot in common. That’s why they like each other so much.
in fact = in truth; this is the truth.
Roberto says he’s not a very good soccer player. In fact, he’s quite good.
(quite = very)
in favor of = choosing one thing over another.
He reads the newspaper in favor of watching TV to know what’s happening in the world.
in general = generally; basically; a situation that is true for many or most.
Most children, in general, play well together.
in general, children are able to learn how to do things quickly.
in place = organized; in the right location or situation.
Yesterday her living room was a mess; now everything is clean and in place.
in time = just before, close to a time.
Tom hopes to be in time for the meeting.
He didn’t get there in time last week, and that made a few people angry.
Idioms Beginning with J
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jam up / jam = get stuck; a mechanical failure
The toilet got all jammed up so we had to call a plumber.
The highways were jammed with traffic during rush hour.
jerk / jerk around = to cause problems for someone; to be mean, not nice
Stanley got tired of being jerked around by his boss, so he quit his job.
His boss was a jerk.
join in = become a part of a group; invite
While her friends were talking, she wasn’t able to join in the conversation because she had to finish doing something on her laptop.
joke around = to say something funny, not serious.
A: It’s snowing outside?! Are you kidding me?
B: Yeah, I’m just joking around.
jump on = buy or get something quickly.
When we found out this house was for sale, we jumped on it and our offer was accepted.
just around the corner = very soon.
Her due date is just around the corner. She’ll probably have her baby within the next couple of weeks.
just in = new information suddenly available. Usually used on radio and TV news.
“Just in… a tornado has been sighted in our area. Take shelter immediately!”
Idioms Beginning with K
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keep in mind = think about something because it’s important.
Try to keep safety in mind when you go swimming. arrow
I’ll keep you in mind if I need help with anything.
keep in touch = communicate with someone by phone, by mail, or by the internet.
She keeps in touch with her mother through email. right arrow
We should keep in touch.
We stopped keeping in touch, and now I haven’t heard from her in years.
keep (one’s) cool = try not to get angry.
Roger wasn’t able to keep his cool when he found out that someone hit his car. right arrow
She couldn’t keep her cool and started to yell at her employees.
keep track = to check the progress of something; to watch carefully
It’s important to keep track of your kids. Do you know where they are right now?
You can keep track of your progress on this website by using checklists.
kick a habit = stop doing something that you like to do, usually something that is bad.
He was unable to kick a gambling habit and lost all his money. right arrow
He also couldn’t kick a smoking habit.
kick out = to tell someone to leave; to make someone leave a group.
He got kicked out of the office by his boss.
There are some people I’d like to kick out of class, but I’m too nice to do it.
kind of = sort of; a little; like; similar to.
She’s kind of angry at her boyfriend because he didn’t call her yesterday. right arrow
I’m kind of tired. I might go to bed soon.
kiss goodbye / goodnight = to kiss someone before going to sleep or leaving.
They kissed each other goodbye before he left on his trip.
I kiss my children goodnight every night before they go to sleep.
Idioms Beginning with L
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lay a hand on = hit someone
If you ever try to lay a hand on me, I’ll hurt you.
Never lay a hand on a child.
lay off / (be or get) laid off = to lose a job because business is slow.
Even though he was a good worker, he was laid off because the company wasn’t doing very well. (passive voice)
lend a hand = help
When Tom couldn’t fix the printing press, he asked Jose to lend him a hand.
“Could you lend me a hand with this?”
let (one) off = to allow to go without a consequence
The police officer pulled me over for speeding, but then he let me off without a ticket.
let up / let up on = to stop or begin to stop: VIDEO
look for = try to find; search
The pirates spent two years looking for treasure and finally they found it.
look forward to = to have a good feeling about a future event.
He‘s been looking forward to seeing the new Batman movie for weeks.
look (it) up = to find information
If you need to find a good price on a car, you can look it up on the internet.
You can also look up information in a book.
look through = read; read quickly and with a purpose.
Alicia is looking though the newspaper to find a new job.
Idioms Beginning with M
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make a difference = be different; be better or worse; to create a change.
I asked my friend which motor oil was the best, and he said it didn’t make a difference which one I used.
make do = to use what a person has available.
Ole doesn’t have very much money, but he’s able to make do with what he has.
make sense = be reasonable; smart action, smart idea
It makes sense to protect yourself from the sun.
It doesn’t make any sense to allow yourself to get burned.
make sure = check on something.
Make sure you get to the airport on time so you don’t miss your flight.
make up = create from your imagination; invent an idea
A little girl made up a story about some bears who got lost while walking in the forest.
make up (one’s) mind = decide; choose one thing or direction.
Donna and Brian can’t make up their minds on a name for their baby.
I can’t make up my mind.
You can’t make up your mind.
He can’t make up his mind.
She can’t make up her mind.
We can’t make up our minds.
might as well = okay to do something, even if you think it’s not a good idea.
We might as well let Reggie open his gifts now. He can’t wait.
more or less = similar to something; about the same as
This radio is so old it’s more or less an antique.
Idioms Beginning with N
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no can do = not possible
The owner was asked if the company could have a big picnic this year, and she said, “No can do.”
no laughing matter = something is serious. Something might look funny, but it’s not funny.
His boss actually kicked him out of his office, but it was no laughing matter to anyone who saw it happen because it was so cruel.
no matter what = nothing can stop something else from happening; this will happen.
They are determined to have a baby together–no matter what.
They will support each other, no matter what.
no question = something is true; something is obvious to everyone.
There’s no question about his talent as a soccer player. He’s very, very good.
no time to lose = it’s necessary to go fast; hurry.
There’s no time to lose. We must move very quickly or else we’ll be late.
not at all = completely not; very negative.
He’s not at all sorry that he gave up his car and now rides a bike to work.
A: Do you miss driving your car?
B: No. Not at all.
now and then = occasionally; sometimes
Now and then he misses the bus, and then he has to walk to school; however, it doesn’t happen that often.
now that = because (now)
Now that Theresa is 16 years old, she can drive a car.
Idioms Beginning with O
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of course = yes; a strong yes. Similar to “certainly.”
Woman: Do you love me?
Man: Of course, I do! Give me a kiss!
off and on = not a regular schedule; temporary; similar to “sometimes.”
He’s been sleeping off and on while trying to finish a big project.
He works off and on for a software company.
on the other hand = however; but. Used for showing contrast
Visiting China for the Olympics this year would be fun; on the other hand, it might be really expensive. We should wait until next year.
on the dot = exactly on time
Ms. Johnson expects her employees to arrive at work every morning on the dot–or earlier.
on time = not late; not too early.
Blake wasn’t on time for his date with Stephanie, so he brought her some flowers.
In fact, he’s never on time.
once again = another time; once more.
Once again, he’s hurt his back by trying to lift something heavy. His wife keeps telling him not to even try.
open to = ready to accept new ideas.
It’s a wise person who is open to new ideas.
Are you open to learning new things?
(“Open to” can be followed by a gerund. In the example above, “learning” is a gerund.)
Idioms Beginning with P
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pass by = to go past a place or to stop at a place for a short time.
If you pass by the store today, please get some bananas.
pass out = to give to many people; to distribute.
The woman is passing out flowers to everyone she meets today.
pass up = to decide not to do something.
She passed up an opportunity to work for a big company in order to stay home with her baby .
pick out = buy; choose from a group of things.
There were a lot of great guitars to choose from at the pawn shop. He picked out this telecaster.
pick up = get or buy
I’m going to pick up some Chinese food after work.
(the “going to” future tense)
point out = to explain something important; to show
The chef points out the need for having fresh vegetables at his restaurant every day.
Click here to see how many different ways you can use the word “pull.”
push around = to be mean to another person; to tell someone what to do. This is similar to “boss around.”
No one likes the boss. He constantly pushes his employees around.
push through = to try to change a rule or a law very quickly; to use one’s influence in order to change something.
The White House is trying to push an energy bill* through Congress.
*bill = a proposal for a law
put off: to do something later; to postpone.
Hang and her boyfriend didn’t want to put off getting married any longer, so they got married last year.
a. put out = to extinguish a fire or a cigarette; to stop a fire.
Please put your cigarette out in the ashtray.
b. put out = produce a product; make
This newspaper has been putting out a daily paper for over 70 years.
put up with: to tolerate; to permit something.
Harold could no longer put up with a boss who was always yelling at him, so he quit.
Idioms Beginning with Q
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quiet down = be quiet; reduce the volume of activity, usually talking.
We had to ask the people behind us to quiet down during the movie.
quite a few = many
He has quite a few apples for sale. right arrow
There were quite a few people at the party last night–almost 40.
quit it = stop
When the boys got into a fight, their mother told them to quit it.
“Quit it right now,” she said.
Idioms Beginning with R
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race against time = to hurry before a deadline; move quickly.
Racing against time, he got his coat and the newspaper and ran out to the train station to make the 10:15 train.
rain out = cancel because of rain or bad weather
Our canoe trip got rained out so we rescheduled it. (almost always used in the passive voice)
read (one’s) mind = to know what another person is thinking.
He knows her so well he can practically read her mind.
Can she read his mind?
right away = immediately; now
If he doesn’t get help right away, he’ll drown in the quicksand.
right on = an exclamation of happiness or approval; also means that something is correct or accurate.
“Oh yeah! Right on! I just found out that the stock investment I made yesterday doubled already!”
rule out = to say no; to determine that something isn’t true or factual.
Although he was jailed at first because of his suspicious activities, he was later ruled out as suspect in the crime.
The police ruled him out as a suspect.
run across = to find information; to meet someone or something suddenly.
Whenever my grandmother runs across an interesting passage in the Bible, she emails it to me.
run down = to review a list of things or read something quickly.
Let’s run down this list of candidates for the new sales position.
rundown = (adjective) a feeling of fatigue; tired.
Patricia has been feeling kind of rundown lately. It’s probably because she’s pregnant.
a. run into = meet or see someone after a long time away.
Fred ran into an old girlfriend at a birthday party last week. He hadn’t seen her in years.
b. run into = hit something, usually with a car.
When she ran into the other car, the windshield cracked in several areas.
Idioms Beginning with S
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save up = save; save money for a purpose
I’m trying to save up money for a new car.
scare away = scare; frighten
Many farmers think that a scarecrow can frighten away birds that will eat their crops.
set up = to create something, usually for a purpose.
They set their tent up outside of a wooded area.
show off = to present one’s skills or physical qualities in such a way that’s obvious; to flaunt.
He likes to show off in front of the girls when he plays soccer.
show up = arrive, go or come to a place; often used for appointments or work.
He always shows up late at meetings.
Sometimes he never shows up.
so far = up until now
They’ve only completed one wall on this house so far.
sort of = a little; in some small way
Those clouds look sort of like smoke.
I’m sort of tired. I think I’ll go to bed now.
stick with = to continue doing something; not to quit or give up
The fist bump is becoming popular in the U.S., but I think I’ll stick with the traditional handshake.
Idioms Beginning with T
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take advantage of = use; make use of an opportunity; use at the expense of another person.
Next summer I’ll take advantage of my big, sunny backyard and grow tomatoes.
take care of = manage; care for; keep in good condition.
The people who own this old house try to take good care of it.
take out = to move something from one place so that it can be used.
Rafael took his cell phone out of his pocket and started to talk.
When he was finished, he put it back in his pocket. (“put back” is the opposite of “take out.”)
take over = take responsibility from another person; take control
When Mehmet took over as the cook at the restaurant, the quality of the food really improved. The cook he replaced had quit.
take on = to hire.
Business at this restaurant has been really slow lately, so they aren’t taking on any new employees right now.
take turns = one person uses something, then another person uses it; to share time
They’re taking turns riding on the sled.
take place = to happen; occur in the past or the future
Unfortunately, wars have taken place throughout human history.
tell (one) so = to inform; to give a command or an order.
A: Did he clean his room yet?
B: No, but I told him so.
turn in = give to someone, usually to a teacher or to a government agency.
The teacher wasn’t very happy when his student said that his assignment wasn’t ready to be turned in. (passive voice-infinitive)
turn out = result
My wife made some stir-fried food last night and it turned out great!
Idioms Beginning with U
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a. update = to provide new information; to make something new or modern.
His girlfriend thinks he needs to update his look. His clothes and his glasses are really old.
b. up to date = almost the same as “update,” but used as an adjective.
I’m not up-to-date on the day’s news.
upside down = in the opposite direction of up
This monkey prefers hanging upside down to sitting on the branch.
a. up to = until some time
Up to now she hasn’t had anything to eat, so she’s really hungry.
b. up to = the responsibility of a decision belong to someone.
Most of the really important decisions to be made are left up to his boss.
a. used to = something is in the past–similar to “did.”
I used to eat a lot of candy, but now I don’t because it’s bad for my teeth.
b. used to = accustomed to something; in the habit of.
I’m used to eating healthy food, whether it tastes good or not. (a gerund often appears after “used to.”)
Are you used to your computer, or is it difficult to operate?
use up – use all of something; deplete food.
We’re going to use up all the milk and the eggs when we make lunch, so we need to get some more.
Idioms Beginning with V
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veg = to do nothing, usually used when watching TV; short form of vegetable.
Since he broke his leg, all he does is veg in front of the TV.
vent = to release anger; to express anger, sometimes unfairly or unreasonably.
The owner of the company often vents his anger onto his employees.
very last = the absolute last; not good.
The very last thing she wants to do today is clean up around the house.
very well = okay
A: It’s too late to catch a bus.
B: Very well. Let’s just take a taxi home.
vote no = to say no; to express a choice of no in a group.
Sarah wants to go to an expensive restaurant tonight, but I vote no.
Idioms Beginning with W
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wait on = to serve someone, usually used in restaurants.
Cindy waits on tables part time to help pay for college. right arrow
wait up = wait; wait until one person is at about the same place.
I told my kids to wait up before they got to the water.
walk off with = steal; take someone without permission.
He tried walking off with a bag full of money that he stole from a bank, but soon he was caught.
walk out on = leave a person; leave a movie because it’s bad or boring.
After fourteen years of marriage, Helen walked out on her husband because she met another man.
warm up = prepare for something, usually for a game other physical activity; get ready.
She usually warms up by stretching her legs before she runs. right arrow
In the winter, I need to warm my car up before I drive it.
watch out = be careful; look for something dangerous
This sign is telling drivers to watch out for road construction.right arrow
“Watch out! You might get hit!”
You have to watch out for other drivers when you’re on the highway.
wear out = to get old or to be used too much.
When the soles on your shoes wear out, you should think about buying a new pair.
wear out / wore out / worn out
what’s up = hi; How are you? What’s going on? What’s happening? (very popular)
A: Hey, Darrel! What’s up?
B: Not much. What’s up with you?
A: Nothing. What are doing?
wipe off = to clean; to clean tables, chalkboards, whiteboards
The teacher uses an eraser to wipe off the chalkboard.
work out = to be good; to be okay; to have success.
Brian got a new job last week and it’s working out for him and his family’s schedule very well. right arrow
I bought a Dell personal computer a couple years ago, but it never really worked out for me. In fact, it was a terrible purchase. Now I only use Apple computers. (Don’t buy a Dell!)
Idioms Beginning with X Y Z
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x-rated = for adults only; pictures, movies or language not good for children to see or hear.
Natalie starred in an X-rated movie last year, but it caused a lot of problems for her family and her friends because she was naked in the film.
She leads an x-rated life.
x marks the spot = this is the place to look for or find something.
X-marked the spot where the children hid something and later planned to dig it up again.
year after year = every year for many years.
She’s been teaching the same class year after year, but she never gets tired of helping her students learn.
year round = all year; every month of the year
One reason people like to live in Los Angeles is because it’s sunny and warm there year round.
you bet / you betcha = you’re welcome
A: Thanks for the water.
B: You bet.
you got me = I don’t know; I don’t have an answer.
A: Hey, Tom. Where did your ball go?
B: You got me. I can’t find it.
zero in on = focus on something; pay attention closely; concentrate.
He’s so zeroed in on winning that he forgets about everything else.