Idiom alphabetical list-A

English idioms & idiomatic expressions

Lists of idioms with their meaning and an example of use.

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Alphabetical list of idioms - A

Abbreviated piece of nothing

This slang expression refers to someone who is considered to be insignificant or

worthless.

Bob doesn't think much of his new colleague. He calls him an 'abbreviated piece

of nothing'!

Above and beyond the call of duty

If a person does something which is above and beyond the call of duty, they show a

greater degree of courage or effort than is usually required or expected in their job.

The fire-fighter received a medal for his action which went above and beyond the

call of duty.

More by accident than by design

Something which happens more by accident than (by) design is done without deliberate

intention.

I became an interpreter more by accident than design; nobody else could speak the

language of the refugees.

Accidentally on purpose

If you do something intentionally, but pretend it was an accident, you do it 'accidentally

on purpose'.

I accidentally-on-purpose erased his email address so I couldn't contact him again.

An accomplished fact

(also: 'fait accompli')

Something that has been done or completed, before those affected by it can intervene

or change it, is called an accomplished fact.

Have an ace up your sleeve

If you have an ace up your sleeve, it means that you have something in reserve with

which you can gain an advantage.

I'm well prepared for the negotiations. I've got an ace up my sleeve.

Hold all the aces

A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position because they have more

advantages than anyone else.

Given the high unemployment figures in some countries, employers hold all the aces.

Acid test

To refer to something as the acid test means that it will prove how effective or

useful something is.

The training course was very interesting but the acid test will come when I start

my new job.

Act of God

This term refers to a natural event or accident, for which no person is responsible

(such as an earthquake, lightning and similar acts of nature).

The insurance company refused to pay for the damage because it was caused by an

act of God.

Get your act together!

If you tell someone to get their act together, you mean that they need to organize

their affairs more effectively in order to be more successful.

You'd better get your act together if you want to find a job!

Add fuel to the flames

If you add fuel to the flames, you say something that makes a difficult situation

worse.

He forgot their wedding anniversary, and his apologies only added fuel to the flames.

Much ado about nothing

If people make much ado about nothing, they make a lot of fuss about something

which is not important.

There was a long debate about the colour of the school door- much ado about

nothing!

Afraid of one's own shadow

A person who is afraid of their own shadow is very nervous or easily frightened.

I've never seen anyone so easily scared - she's afraid of her own shadow.

All brawn and no brain

Someone who is physically very strong but not very intelligent is said to be all brawn

and no brain.

He's an impressive player to watch, but he's all brawn and no brain.

All clear

If you are allowed to do something after a check-up to make sure that everything

is all right, you get the all clear.

Dad says he's going to play golf as soon as he gets the all clear from his doctor.

All ears

To say that you are all ears means that you are listening very attentively.

Of course I want to know - I'm all ears!

All hell broke loose

To say that all hell broke loose means that there was a sudden angry, noisy reaction

to something.

All hell broke loose when it was announced that the plant was going to close down.

All in your head

If something is all in your head, it is not real. It is in your imagination.

Don't be silly. Nobody is trying to harm you. It's all in hour head!

Of all people

To use the term 'of all people' emphasizes that the person you mention, more than

anyone else, is the one you would expect to do something.

As an artist, you, of all people, should support the new art gallery.

(You can't be) all things to all people

If you are all things to all people, you please or satisfy everyone.

She's exhausted trying to be a good wife, a good mother and a good teacher, but

she can't be all things to all people.

All (other) things being equal

This expression refers to a probable situation if in all other ways the conditions

remain unchanged or equal.

All (other) things being equal, a reduction in the cost of transport should enable us

to lower our prices.

All the rage

When something is all the rage, it has become very popular or trendy.

Twittering text messages is all the rage these days, both among individuals and

companies.

All thumbs/all fingers and thumbs

If you are all fingers and thumbs, you are awkward and clumsy and do things

incorrectly.

Would you mind wrapping this for me? I'm all fingers and thumbs!

All told

All told means the final number when everything has been counted.

The number of visitors to the exhibition, all told, was 2543.

All sizzle and no steak

Someone or something that turns out to be disappointing, after a promotional

campaign or marketing operation which led us to expect something better, is called

all sizzle and no steak.

"Because of all the electoral promises he made, which so far he has failed

to keep, many people call the new president "all sizzle and no steak".

Also-ran

This term refers to an unsuccessful competitor whose performance is so much

poorer than the winner's that it appears insignificant.

"He entered the contest hoping that he wouldn't end up as an 'also-ran'."

Alter ego

The term alter ego, which in Latin means 'other self', refers to a very close

and trusted friend who is very like yourself.

Ambulance chaser

This terms refers to a lawyer who finds work by persuading people injured in

accidents to claim money from the person who caused the accident.

Peterson & Scott are well-known ambulance chasers - that's how they make their

money!

Answer for

If someone has to answer for something, they have to accept responsibility for

their actions.

He will have to answer for his dishonesty.

Answer the call of nature/nature's call

When a person answers the call of nature, they go to the toilet.

I had to get up in the middle of the night to answer the call of nature

Ants in one's pants

People who have ants in their pants are very restless or excited about something

I wish he'd relax. He's got ants in his pants about something today!

Any port in a storm

When you have no choice, any port in a storm refers to a solution you accept,

which in normal circumstances you would find unacceptable.

The hotel was substandard, but it was a case of any port in a storm; all the others

were full.

The apple of your eye

If somebody is the apple of your eye, this means that you like them very much.

My grandson is the apple of my eye.

Upset the applecart

To upset (or to overturn) the applecart means to spoil a satisfactory plan or situation

I hope Julie doesn't attend the meeting; she could upset the applecart!

Apple-pie order

If something is in apple-pie order, it is very well organized or in perfect order.

They made sure the house was in apple-pie order before their parents arrived

back home.

Apron strings

If one person is tied to another's apron strings, they remain dependent at an age when

they should be independent.

All his decisions are influenced by his mother. He's still tied to her apron strings.

Argue the toss

If you argue the toss, you dispute a decision or choice which has already been made.

The final choice was made yesterday, so don't argue the toss now!

Arm of the law

This expression refers to the extent to which the authority or power of the law

extends.

He fled to South America hoping to escape the arm of the law.

Give your right arm

If you say I'd give my right arm for that, you mean that you want it a lot and would

do almost anything to obtain it.

I'd give my right arm to have an apartment on Central Park.

Cost an arm and a leg

If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive!

The house cost us an arm and a leg, but we have no regrets.

Up in arms

If you are up in arms about something, you are very angry.

The population was up in arms over the demolition of the old theatre.

Keep someone at arm's length

If you keep someone at arm's length, you do not allow yourself to become too

friendly with them.

It's not easy to become friends with Sophie; she tends to keep everyone at arm's length.

Armchair critic

An armchair critic is someone who gives advice based on theory rather than practice.

That guy is such an armchair critic, no experience but plenty of advice!

Armchair traveller

Someone who reads books or watches TV programmes about other places and countries

but doesn't actually travel anywhere is called an armchair traveller.

A surprising number of adventure books are bought by armchair travellers.

Asking for trouble

Someone who is asking for trouble is behaving stupidly and is likely to have problems.

Driving fast on these roads is really asking for trouble!

Asleep at the wheel

If you say that someone is asleep at the wheel you mean that they are not sufficiently

attentive, especially at a critical moment when vigilance is required.

When the firemen arrived too late at the scene, the night watchman was accused of

being asleep at the wheel.

At all costs

If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all costs, you want it

regardless of the expense, effort or sacrifice involved.

The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from the war zone.

At stake

Someone who has a lot at stake is in a risky situation, with a lot to be won or lost.

He was nervous about signing the agreement because there was a lot at stake.

At this stage of the game

This expression refers to the current point reached in a process, activity or

developing situation.

At this stage of the game I think any further intervention would be unwise.

Let's wait and see how things develop.

Of no avail

Something which is of no avail is not at all helpful or useful.

The coffee machine wouldn't work and the instruction leaflet was of no avail.

Avowed intent

When someone makes a public declaration of their objective or goal, this is their

avowed intent.

The avowed intent of the new Government is to reduce unemployment.

A rude awakening

If you get a rude awakening, you are forced to accept the unpleasant reality.

Bob thinks everything is OK so he's in for a rude awakening when he discovers that

Mary has left him!

Away with the fairies

To say that someone is away with the fairies means that they are in such a dreamy state

that they are not totally in touch with reality and give the impression of being slightly mad.

It's no use trying to explain the problem to her - she's away with the fairies!

Have an axe to grind

If you have an axe to grind, you have personal reasons for becoming involved in

something or adopting a particular attitude.

It was decided that the best candidates would be selected by a recruitment agency

who had no axe to grind within the company.

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