Idiom alphabetical list

English idioms & idiomatic expressions

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

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Alphabetical list of idioms - R

a race against time

If someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly in order to do

or finish something before a certain time.

It was a race against time to get the boat back to safety before the storm broke out.

rack one's brains

If you rack your brains, you try very hard to think of something or to remember

something.

Christmas is always a hassle for me. I have to rack my brains every year to find ideas

for presents.

go to rack and ruin

If something goes to rack and ruin, it falls into very bad condition because of lack

of care.

After the children emigrated, the family home went to rack and ruin.

on the rack

If you are in a stressful situation, having to answer a lot of questions or wait for a

decision, you are on the rack.

The suspect was put on the rack by the police but he did not confess to anything.

racked with pain

When someone is suffering from severe pain, they are racked with pain.

The soldier was so badly injured that he was racked with pain.

from rags to riches

If you go from rags to riches, you start off being very poor and become very rich

and successful

By renovating old houses in the right places, he went from rags to riches.

take a rain check

To say that you will take a rain check means that you cannot accept an invitation

or offer now, but you will be happy to accept it at a later date.

Do you mind if I take a rain check on that lunch invitation? I'm going to be away all

week.

it never rains but it pours!

This expression is used to comment on the fact that when something bad happens,

other bad things often happen too, and make the situation even worse.

First he forgot his briefcase, then he lost his wallet, and when he reached the car

park, his car had been stolen. "It never rains but it pours!" he said.

raining cats and dogs

If it's raining cats and dogs, it's raining very heavily.

We'll have to cancel the picnic I'm afraid. It's raining cats and dogs.

raise eyebrows

If you raise your eyebrows at something, you show surprise or disapproval by the

expression on your face.

When the boss arrived in jeans, there were a lot of raised eyebrows.

raise the roof

When people raise the roof, they make a lot of noise by cheering, shouting, whistling

or clapping their hands.

The concert was such a success, the audience raised the roof.

raise/lower one's sights

If you raise or lower your sights, you raise or lower your expectations, or you are

more or less ambitious..

He had to lower his sights and accept a less well-paid job than what he had hoped for.

rake over the ashes

When people rake over the ashes, they discuss an unpleasant event which took place

in the past.

My grandfather's business went bankrupt years ago but he still rakes over the ashes

from time to time.

rake in the money

If you rake in the money, you make money in large quantities.

Bob's business is so successful, he's raking in the money.

rant and rave

If you rant and rave about something, you protest noisily and forcefully.

The old man ranted and raved about the new waste collection system, but he had

to accept it.

rap on the knuckles

If someone gets a rap on/across the knuckles, they are punished or reprimanded,

not very severely, but as a reminder not to do that again.

Andy got a rap on the knuckles for coming home late.

take the rap

If you take the rap for something, you accept blame or punishment for something,

even if you have not done it.

The whole class had to the take the rap for the disorder.

in raptures

If you are in raptures about something, you are delighted or very enthusiastic.

Julie is in raptures about her new apartment.

rather you than me

This expression is used to express sympathy with a person who has to do something

that you consider unpleasant or difficult, and you would not like to be in their

situation.

I have to announce the bad news to the child's parents." "Oh dear, rather you

than me."

reach for the moon

If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious and try to achieve something

even if it's difficult.

His parents were hardworking people who encouraged their children to reach

for the moon.

reach saturation point

When something reaches saturation point, it is so full that nothing more can

be added

That's enough revision for today. My brain has reached saturation point!

ready and waiting

If something or someone is ready and waiting, they are prepared and available for

a particular task or occasion.

There wad a vast amount of food ready and waiting for the guests.

ready to drop

Someone who is ready to drop, is nearly too exhausted to stay standing.

I've been shopping all day with Judy. I'm ready to drop!

reap the harvest

If you reap the harvest, you benefit or suffer as a direct result of past actions.

When he won his first match, he began to reap the harvest of all the hard training.

rear its ugly head

If something unpleasant reappears after lying dormant for some time, it rears its

ugly head.

It is a sad fact that fascism is rearing its ugly head again in some countries.

recharge your batteries

When you recharge your batteries, you take a break from a tiring or stressful

activity in order to relax and recover your energy.

Sam is completely over-worked. He needs a holiday to recha

a recipe for disaster

If you refer to a plan or an idea as a recipe for disaster, you think it is likely to

produce bad results.

Our two families together for Christmas? Sounds like a recipe for disaster!

red carpet

To roll out the red carpet means to give special treatment to an important

or honoured visitor.

The management is going to roll out the red carpet for the visit of the Nobel

prize winner.

red-handed

If a person is caught red-handed, they are caught while they are doing

something wrong or illegal.

The boy was caught red-handed stealing chocolate in the supermarket.

red herring

A red herring refers to a fact or argument introduced into a discussion which draws

attention away from the main point.

Look, bureaucracy is a red herring. How to deal with the oil crisis is the important

issue today.

red light district

This term refers to an area of a town or city where there is a concentration of

sex shops, prostitution, strip clubs, etc.

A photograph of the politician taken in a red-light district caused a scandal.

red tape

The term red tape refers to official rules and bureaucratic paperwork that prevent

things from being done quickly.

If there wasn't so much red tape, the company would be up and running already.

in the red

If a person or organization is in the red, they owe money or have a negative

account.

I'm afraid I can't lend you any money. I'm in the red myself.

see red

If someone sees red, they suddenly become very angry or annoyed

about something.

Discrimination of any kind makes me see red!

redress the balance

An effort to redress the balance is an attempt to make things equal.

With too few girls entering university, the authorities declared that steps would

be taken to redress the balance.

reduce to tears

If your behaviour or attitude makes someone cry, you reduce them to tears.

The teacher criticized her presentation so harshly that she was reduced to tears.

refresh someone's memory

If you refresh someone's memory, you remind them of facts they seem to have

forgotten.

Let me refresh your memory - you've already missed three classes this term.

the rest is history

This is a way of saying that there is no need to finish a story because everyone

knows what happened next.

Facebook was launched in 2004, was initially restricted to students from Harvard,

and the rest is history ...

ride roughshod over something

If you ride roughshod over something, you behave in a harsh or thoughtless manner,

or you treat a situation with contempt.

The government rode roughshod over all opposition to the new measures.

ride (something) out

If you manage to survive a dangerous or very unpleasant situation, you ride it out.

His business was hit by the recession but he managed to ride it out.

take someone for a ride

To take someone for a ride means to cheat or deceive them.

I discovered he had charged me double the normal fee. He really took me for a ride!

riding high

Someone who is riding high is enjoying a period of success or popularity.

He's been riding high since the success of his last film.

right as rain

If someone is (as) right as rain, they are in excellent health or condition.

I called to see my grandmother, thinking she was ill, but she was (as) right as rain!

ring out the old year and ring in the new

This expression means to announce and celebrate the end of one year and the

beginning of the next.

A party was held to ring out the old year and ring in the new. Happy New Year!

rip-off

To say that something is a rip-off means that it costs much more than it should.

$10 for a hamburger? That's a rip-off!

ripple effect

When an action has an effect on something, which in turn effects something else,

it is said to have a ripple effect.

An increase in the price of oil will have a ripple effect on the economy as a whole.

rise to the occasion

If you rise to the occasion, you manage to do something successfully in difficult

circumstances.

When her boss broke his leg, Julie had to represent the company at the congress,

and she rose to the occasion extremely well.

risk life and limb

If you risk life and limb, you are in danger of death or serious injury.

The roads are icy today; you'll risk life and limb if you go by car.

road rage

Aggressive driving habits sometimes resulting in violence against other drivers.

A number of car accidents today are a result of road rage.

hit the road

If you hit the road, you start a journey.

It's getting late. It's time to hit the road.

roaring trade

If you do a roaring trade, your business is very successful.

Cosmetic surgeons are doing a roaring trade these days.

rob Peter to pay Paul

If a person robs Peter to pay Paul, they pay one debt with money borrowed from

somewhere else, thus creating another debt.

David borrowed money from a friend to cover his overdraft; a typical case of robbing

Peter to pay Paul!

rock the boat

If you tell someone not to rock the boat, you are asking them to do nothing that

might cause trouble or upset a stable situation.

After the recent riots, it was decided not to rock the boat by introducing strict

measures.

it's not rocket science/You don't need to be a rocket scientist

This expression is used to emphasize that something presents no particular difficulty.

Bob will explain how it works. Don't worry - it's not rocket science!

roll out the red carpet

To roll out the red carpet means to give special treatment to an

important or honoured visitor.

The management is going to roll out the red carpet for the visit of the Nobel

prize winner.

roll up your sleeves

When you roll up your sleeves, you get ready for hard work.

The living-room was in a mess after the party, so we had to roll up our sleeves and

start cleaning.

roll with the punches

When someone has to roll with the punches, they have to deal with a difficult

situation by being flexible.

The atmosphere has become very aggressive. We'll just have to roll with the punches.

when in Rome, do as the Romans do

This expression means that you should adopt the customs of thenpeople or country

you are visiting, and behave in the same way.

go through the roof

If someone goes through the roof, they become very angry.

His father went through the roof when Paul damaged his new car.

root and branch

If an action is performed thoroughly or completely, it is done 'root and branch'.

The causes of the disease must be eliminated root and branch.

rooted to the spot

If you are so shocked, surprised or scared that you are rooted to the spot, your

reaction is so strong that you are unable to move.

Joe stood rooted to the spot as the plane landed on the water.

a rotten apple

This term refers to a person who is considered to be dishonest or immoral and has

a bad influence on others in a group.

It is said that in any profession there's always a rotten apple.

rough and ready

Something which is rough and ready is adequate but rather rudimentary or

unrefined.

The accommodation is rough and ready but the scenery is fantastic!

take the rough with the smooth

If you take the rough with the smooth, you accept what is unpleasant or difficult

as well as what is pleasant or easy.

Life isn't always easy; you have to learn to take the rough with the smooth.

a rough diamond

This expression refers to a person who is good-natured but who lacks polished

manners and/or education.

He's a great guy, but a bit of a rough diamond!

rough justice

Treatment or punishment that does not seem fair, or is too severe, is called

rough justice, especially if it is not legal.

The way the player was treated by the media was very rough justice.

rub shoulders (with someone)

If you rub shoulders with someone, you have an opportunity to meet and talk to

a person who is wealthy, famous or distinguished.

In her job in public relations, she sometimes rubs shoulders with famous people.

when the rubber hits the road

This expression refers to the moment when you put a theory into practice or

actually apply what you have learned.

The plan sounds good. I'd like to be there when the rubber hits the road.

rue the day

If you rue the day you did something, you bitterly regret what you did that day.

Her father disapproved of Tony. He said she would rue the day she married him.

rule the roost

If you rule the roost, you are the most important and powerful person in a group

or community.

Officially David runs the company, but it's his father who really rules the roost.

bend the rules

If a person bends the rules, they change the rules in order to help somebody.

An hour is an hour" said the car park employee who refused to bend the rules.

run the gamut

If you run the gamut of something, you cover the entire range of what is possible.

He enjoys reading. His taste runs the gamut from popular novels to poetry.

run with the hare and hunt with the hounds

This expression refers to someone who wants to stay on friendly terms with both

sides in a quarrel

Bob always wants to keep everyone happy, but I'm afraid he can't run with the hare

and hunt with the hounds this time - the issue is too important.

run a mile

This expression is used by someone who is anxious to avoid something.

She said she'd run a mile if she saw reporters in the area.

run riot

If people run riot, they behave in a frenzied, uncontrolled manner, running around

in all directions.

I dread the arrival of my sister with her kids - she always lets them run riot.

run a taut ship (also: run a tight ship)

This expression means that a group or an organization is run in a well-ordered and

disciplined manner.

The director of the scout camp runs a taut ship.

run in the family

This refers to a physical or moral characteristic that is common to many members

of a family

Black hair and blue eyes - the combination runs in the family.

run rings/circles around somebody

If you do something much better than your opponent, by showing more skill or

ability, you run rings (or circles) around them.

In a quiz show on TV yesterday, a teenage girl ran rings around the other contestants.

run round in a circles

People who run round in a circles have difficulty in achieving things

because of lack of organization.

Running round in circles will get us nowhere - we need to se

run-of-the-mill

Something described as run-of-the-mill is considered ordinary or uneventful.

I've got nothing extraordinary to tell; it was a run-of-the-mill sales meeting.

run out of steam

If you say that a person, a process or an organized event is running out of steam,

you mean that there is a loss of impetus, energy or enthusiasm

The anti-immigrant movement seems to be running out of steam.

a running battle

If two people or groups have a running battle with each other, they argue or

disagree about something over a long period of time.

There's been a running battle between the local authorities and the population

over the school bus route.

in a rut

If you are in a rut, you have a monotonous and boring way of life.

If you feel you're in a rut, why don't you look for a new job?

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