American Idioms

Idiom of the day :- Pulling Your Leg

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Tricking someone as a joke.

Idiom of the day :- Raincheck

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.

Idiom of the day :- Go over someone’s head

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Poor Penelope, Mathematics has never been one of her favorite subjects. she simply isn’t able to comprehend it. She often complains that most of what her teacher saysgoes over her head. As Penelope knows, things that are said to go over our heads are too difficult for us to understand.

Idiom of the day :- Run up an account

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Instead of paying cash each time he shops, Mr. Long finds it more convenient to run up an account at the stores where he makes his purchases. To run up an account is to increase the money you owe. You can also run up a bill or a debt, which means the same as run up an account. Mr. Long does this ( very easily, I might add!) by using credit cards.

Idiom of the day :- add fuel to the fire / (To) add fuel to the fire

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is. To make a bad problem even worse. ex. “He added fuel to the fire by bringing up old grudges while they were arguing.” 

Idiom of the day :- Bless someone’s little cotton socks

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Though this colloquial expression used to be addressed only to children, it’s now used — informally, of course — to wish someone well or to thank them. ‘How nice of you to do the dishes. Bless your little cotton socks,’ ‘Well, goodbye and bless your little cotton socks, Joe. i hope you enjoy your trip.

Idiom of the day :- Give the game/show away

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

‘No, no, no ! You’re not supposed to tell the audience who the murderer is ! You’regiving the game away, Foyle !’ To give the game/show away is to reveal a plan or information that is supposed to be kept secret. ‘OK, I won’t give the how away,’ Foyle shouted. ‘The butler had nothing to do with it !’

Idiom of the day :- As cool as a cucumber

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

If you say that someone is as cool as a cucumber, you are emphasizing that they are very calm and relaxed, especially when you would not expect them to be.

Idiom of the day :- feather in (someone’s) cap / (A) feather in (someone’s) cap

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

A great personal achievement. ex. “The new health care law is a feather in the cap of the current administration.” 

Idiom of the day :- Cliffhanger

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

A dramatic or frightening moment when one does not know what will happen next A : The captain announced the ship had hit something and was sinking. There was only one hour to get all the passengers and crew into the lifeboats. No one was sure if it could be done — it was a real cliffhanger. B : How terrifying. Who could have expected such a disaster ? A : Well I must admit I was a little suspicious when I first boarded the ship and found it was called The Titanic. The American actress Pearl White starred in a TV series called ‘The Perils of Pauline’. Each episode would end with Pauline in a dangerous situation so that the audience would want to watch the next one to see what happened. In one episode Pauline was hanging on the edge of a cliff and this inspired the expression. Cliffhangers and cliffhanger endings are still used in TV drama series today. the expression can also describe situations in real life which are dramatic and uncertain.