American Idioms

Idiom of the day :- Cry Over Spilt Milk

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

When you complain about a loss from the past.

Idiom of the day :- run in the family / (To) run in the family

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

To happen/ occur often in the family (through generations). ex. “P1: Frank is always so angry. P2: Yeah, his bad temper runs in the family.” 

Idiom of the day :- Yes man

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Murdoch is a happy boss, especially when he’s talking to Howard. Howard, you see, is a yes man and a yes man is someone who agrees with everything a person says — especially when that person is his superior. ‘Being a yes man keeps me out of trouble,’ Howard said, ‘ and it might even lead to a promotion !’

Idiom of the day :- Hang up one’s boots

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Miss Betty has worked at the same desk at the GG Company for thirty-two years. ‘It’s time I hung up my boots,’ she said, and with that she marched up to the boss and turned in her resignation. To hang up one’s boots is a colloquialism that means toquit doing something or, in particular, to retire.

Idiom of the day :- Behind the times

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Some people think that Mr. Potts is behind the times. That is, they believe his way of thinking and doing things is old-fashioned. It is not fresh or modern. ‘I’m not behind the times,’ Mr. Potts exclaimed. ‘I’m just not interested in updating my business. And I have no wish to get into one of those awful-looking modern suits !’

Idiom of the day :- Right off the bat

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Right away; immediately. ex. “I knew there was something wrong with him right off the bat.” 

Idiom of the day :- Marry money

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Thanks to Henry, Sylvia will never again have to wonder how to pay her bills. Henry, you see, is a very rich man so she is about to marry money. This does not mean Sylvia doesn’t love Henry; it simply means she is marrying someone who is very, very wealthy.

Idiom of the day :- Turn night into day

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Robert certainly has strange working habits! But being a genius isn’t easy, so when he is in a creative mood he turns night into day. You don’t really have to be a genius to turn night into day, though, for this idiom means to stay up at night working or playing, and sleeping during the day. ‘You just reverse the order of doing things, ‘Robert explained. ‘I work all night and sleep until noon.’

Idiom of the day :- Fairy tale

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

In one sense, a fairy story or fairy tale is a children’s story about goblins, spirits, and other imaginary things. ‘Sybil is telling a fairy story to her little friends.’ In another sense, it’s an inaccurate — even false — account of something. ‘Martin said he’s going to be promoted soon. I suspect he’s telling another of his fairy tales.’

Idiom of the day :- On tenterhooks

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Wait anxiously for something A : I heard that you went to a haunted house and took photos of ghost. B: Yes, I took them straight to the chemist and was on tenterhooks all week waiting for them to be developed. A : How exciting ! So now you have proof that ghosts exist. B : No. Unfortunately the chemist threw them away. He said that every one had a strange white shape on it and so he thought I wouldn’t want them. This expression comes from the traditional method of cloth-making. Part of the process involved drying the cloth by stretching it over a wooden frame and securing it with hooks which were called tenterhooks. The cloth was stretched as much as possible so that it was under very great tension. The expression used today compares the tension of the cloth to the tension felt when one is very anxious.