Query any phrase you want.

Selected phrases

1 spin off To create as a by-product or a secondary derived work.
2 one more time for the sweet souvenir for old times' sake
3 go astray To develop bad habits; to behave improperly or illegally.
4 open mouth, insert foot said when someone just said something they shouldn't have said
5 bring down- To make something flying fall to the ground. Usually by firing a weapon of some kind.
6 night soil What's the meaning of the phrase 'Night soil'? Euphemism for human faeces. What's the origin of the ...
7 lead A roof covered with lead sheets or terne plates.
8 shoot the moon To take a risk which may result in great rewards; to succeed after taking such a risk.
9 now that's a great question With few exceptions...
10 don't be penny wise and pound foolish Don't be careful when it comes to spending small amounts of money, but careless when spending much l...
11 Make a Federal Case Out of Something To give something more importance than it deserves
12 there’s a bathroom on the right What's the meaning of the phrase 'There's a bathroom on the right'? Misheard lyric. What's the origi...
13 play by ear What's the meaning of the phrase 'Play by ear'? Initially, this referred to the playing of music wit...
14 dough-faced- obsequious; fawning; pliable
15 messing around Playing
16 smack of To seem like; to appear or give an impression or feeling of; to arouse suspicion of.
17 find out- learn
18 on one's own account- At one's own risk.
19 noughts and crosses What's the meaning of the phrase 'Tic-tac-toe'? Other phrases with American originReduplicated phras...
20 fire up- To start, to launch, to ignite.
21 Walking on Air Delighted, feeling exhilarated, elated, ecstatic
22 turkeys voting for christmas What's the meaning of the phrase 'Turkeys voting for Christmas'? ‘Turkeys voting for Christmas’ is u...
23 please say that again Used as request for the interlocutor to repeat what he or she said previously.
24 put your best foot forward What's the meaning of the phrase 'Put your best foot forward'? Embark on a journey or task with purp...
25 knuckle up Balls drop, don't be a pussy
26 cook the books To manipulate accounting information, esp. illegally, by a corporation.
27 wonders never cease Expresses surprise at an unusual action.
28 alls well that ends well What's the meaning of the phrase 'All's well that ends well'? The problems and pitfalls of an enterp...
29 thinking cap What's the meaning of the phrase 'Put on your thinking cap'? Take time for consideration of some que...
30 brownie points What's the meaning of the phrase 'Brownie points'? A notional mark of achievement or kudos for perfo...
31 have a good time To enjoy oneself.
32 scream one's head off To scream out to one's full capacity
33 out of sight- The notice was out of sight behind the door.
34 end up To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.
35 look around- To inspect a building or area.
36 a sea change What's the meaning of the phrase 'A sea change'? A ‘sea change’ is a radical change or transformatio...
37 center field A central role in some activity that requires speed.
38 honesty is the best policy Honesty is the most honorable and fulfilling way to live one's life.
39 go up for- Of the fielding side, to appeal for the batsman or batswoman to be out.
40 hive off- To segregate; to remove from a parent entity.
41 knock down- To demolish.
42 ghetto bird A police helicopter, specifically in the context of patrolling or searching impoverished, high-crime...
43 plug up To put a plug or bung into something to prevent leakage.
44 get out- To come out of a situation ; to escape a fate
45 cast on To start the first row of knitting by putting stitches on a needle.
46 not a dicky-bird What's the meaning of the phrase 'Not a dicky-bird'? Not a sound; not an utterance. What's the origi...
47 three skips of a louse Said about some trifling or insignificant matter.
48 mr. charlie Your boss man.
49 thorn in someone's side A persistent annoyance.
50 cock a snook What's the meaning of the phrase 'Cock a snook'? A derisive gesture formed by holding one’s thumb to...
51 tomato, tomato This expression is pronounced like toe-may-toe, toe-mat-toe. Saying tomato two different ways like ...
52 Give Someone the Shirt off Your Back To have a big heart, to give generously
53 flower not but flowers petal. Get a good small bit of big thing, matter, incidence.
54 close shave- A shave that is very short or near the skin.
55 go astray- To come to believe an untruth.
56 bottom edge Used other than as an idiom: see bottom, edge.
57 Loose Cannon Who easily loses his or her temper and gets out of control
58 third time's the charm Alternative form of third time's a charm.
59 i haven’t got a clue What's the meaning of the phrase 'I haven't got a clue'? Without any knowledge or understanding. Wha...
60 Heart's in the Right Place To have a kind heart and good intentions even in an unpleasant situation
61 beg the question What's the meaning of the phrase 'Beg the question'? This is one of those rare phrases in which the ...
62 lion's den Any dangerous or frightening place.
63 red admiral butterfly
64 hoist by your own petard What's the meaning of the phrase 'Hoist by your own petard'? Injured by the device that you intended...
65 I was born in ... I was born in....
66 double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble What's the origin of the phrase 'Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble'? F...
67 timeserver- A person who conforms to current opinions, especially for reasons of personal advantage; an opportun...
68 flesh out To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.
69 pen is mightier than the sword What's the meaning of the phrase 'The pen is mightier than the sword'?Literal meaning. What's the or...
70 bell the cat To undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group.
71 find another gear To suddenly achieve an extra burst of athletic performance, especially after a sustained period of c...
72 get away escape
73 red mist Anger sufficient to cloud judgement, to stop clear thinking.
74 pack of lies Total lies, complete untruth
75 he will give the devil his due What's the meaning of the phrase 'He will give the Devil his due'?Literally, pay the devil what you ...
76 if wishes were horses, beggars would ride What's the origin of the phrase 'If wishes were horses, beggers would ride'? This proverb is recorde...
77 swift retreat To back off quickly/A place you can go to quickly to recover or escape from stress.
78 run off- To chase someone away.
79 a king’s ransom What's the meaning of the phrase 'A king's ransom'?A king’s ransom is an unspecified but exceedingly...
80 pitch a fit To become angry, enraged, or upset; to act or react with an outburst, as by shouting, swearing, etc.
81 cat that ate the canary- A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, proh...
82 from my standpoint From my standppint, smoking hookah is more detrimental than cigarette.
83 if you can't take it, don't dish it out don't say or do something you wouldn't want said or done to you
84 rush off To leave in a hurry.
85 that’ll do Cut it out, that’s enough, behave
86 clutch artist A person who drives a motor vehicle, especially one equipped with a manual transmission, in a partic...
87 if the mountain won't come to muhammad if the mountain won't come to muhammad
88 at home- In one's place of residence.
89 in the red What's the meaning of the phrase 'In the red'? To be ‘in the red’ is to be in debt. What's the origi...
90 a problem shared is a problem halved What's the meaning of the phrase 'A problem shared is a problem halved'? The proverbial saying ‘A pr...
91 kangaroo piss- Beer, especially of inferior quality.
92 see the point To understand someone's argument.
93 want out To want to leave something.
94 shaking in my boots scared (satirical)
95 gone for a burton What's the meaning of the phrase 'Gone for a burton'? Something which has ‘gone for a burton’ is no ...
96 kid around To engage in playful fun.
97 green hand An inexperienced crew member of a 19th-century whaler on his first voyage.
98 take offline Discuss a sensitive or highly specific topic individually or in a small group away from a larger gro...
99 honey do list a collection of requests, usually by a spouse for a partner to perform a series of tasks, assignment...
100 in the act In the process of doing something; used to emphasize the eye-witness evidence.