American Idioms

Idiom of the day :- Up a blind alley

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome.

Idiom of the day :- Ask for someone’s hand

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

In a thousand instances of marriage, I would guess that in nine hundred and ninety-nine of them it is the man who asks for someone’s hand. I say that because this expression means to ask a person to get married. It’s a marriage proposal. ‘Angela, I am here on bended knee to ask for your hand,’ Tim joked.

Idiom of the day :- Level playing field

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

A fair competition where no side has an advantage.

Idiom of the day :- kill time / (To) kill time

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

To waste time. ex. “I’m just killing time until my brother arrives.” 

Idiom of the day :- jump on the bandwagon / (To get/jump on the) bandwagon

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

To begin to like something/start doing something because it’s popular, “hip”, or everyone else is doing it.ex. “Everyone’s jumping on the tablet bandwagon.” 

Idiom of the day :- A bundle of laughs

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

‘Lester’s latest book is terribly funny,’ Winnie smiled. ‘It ‘s a bundle of laughs. I guess that’s because Lester is such a bundle of laughs,’ she continued. ‘He has everyone laughing at parties. I wonder where he gets all his jokes ?’ What Winnie is saying is that Lester and his book are very, very amusing.

Idiom of the day :- bite one’s tongue / (To) bite one’s tongue

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

To struggle not to say something that you want to say. ex. “I wanted to tell her everything, but I had to bite my tongue because I had promised Bill I would not (tell her).” 

Idiom of the day :- Diss (v.)

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

A very informal way of saying “to disrespect”, originally stemming from hip-hop culture. ex. “It is common for rival rappers to diss each other in songs.” 

Idiom of the day :- Top off / up

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Bob and Tim are celebrating. With a bottle in one hand, Tim asks: ‘May I top your glass up!’. ‘Certainly, old pal, top it off,’ Bob said. Glug, glug, glug went the bottle as his glass was topped up, for this expression means to fill a partly full container – a glass, a tank, etc. – to the very top with liquid. ‘Thanks,’ Bob smiled. ‘My pleasure,’ Tim replied.

Idiom of the day :- Up One’s Sleeve

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

All right, Sara. We know that you’re planning something big for Jean’s birthday. Mind telling us just what you have up your sleeve ? I wanted to make his birthday a very special event. Jean has a sister living in France, and I sent her an airplane ticket so that she could be here for his birthday. Boy! That is something special. We kind of guessed that you had some concealed plan and were waiting for the right time to reveal it. Well, I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure she could come. Top