American Idioms

Idiom of the day :- regular guy / (A) regular guy

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

A normal, average man (said in a fairly positive way). ex. “John? I don’t know, I guess he’s just a regular guy.” 

Idiom of the day :- A backhanded compliment

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Ronald has lost his title as the strongest man in the world. He’s now congratulating the man who won … but as you can see he’s giving him a backhanded compliment. This is a remark that sounds like a compliment but its’ said sarcastically. ‘Well done. I should have done better,’ The ex-champion said, offering a backhanded compliment.

Idiom of the day :- Heads roll

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Alves is realistic. ‘To live together in harmony we can’t tolerate any nonsense,’ he said. while most of Alves’s neighbors understand that, now and then one of them gets awfully silly. That’s when Alves displays his anger and that’s when heads roll ! The expression heads roll means that someone is being punished, in particular because he or she has failed in the performance of a duty. In a job situation, the person can be dismissed or demoted !

Idiom of the day :- Feel the pinch

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

It hurts to be pinched. It also hurts to be without money. I guess that’s why be pinched is a colloquialism for having little or no money, and to feel the pinch is toexperience hardship because of a shortage of money. ‘If we have a recession everyone is going to feel the pinch,’ Andre said.

Idiom of the day :- lose touch (with someone) / (To) lose touch (with someone)

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

To no longer communicate (with someone), not because of a fight/argument, but rather because of circumstances. ex. “We used to be best friends, but we lost touch after she moved to Houston.” 

Idiom of the day :- Poison-pen letter

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Poisonous things can injure or kill. While a person writing a poison-pen letter to someone doesn’t kill, he or she often succeeds in causing injury for such letters contain evil and untrue things about that person. They might even contain threats. Writers of poison-pen letters are usually too cowardly to sign their names on them.

Idiom of the day :- Worth one’s/its weight in gold

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Winnie is so proud ! She says her new baby ( it’s her first ! ) is such a wonderful little fellow that he’s worth his weight in gold. What Winnie means is that her child isexceedingly valuable. ‘A little silence in the house world be worth its weight in gold to me,’ her husband sighed.

Idiom of the day :- Give the willies

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Simon has never been fond of camping out. The sounds he hears in the night give him the willies. The willies are uncomfortable, nervous or fearful feelings. ‘I have the willies,’ Simon shivered. ‘I always get the willies when I’m alone in the forest.’

Idiom of the day :- fine tooth comb / (To go through something with a) fine tooth comb

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

To review something very carefully. ex. “The legal team went through the contract with a fine-tooth comb.” 

Idiom of the day :- Just what the doctor ordered

Usage, examples and definition of the Idiom :-

Exactly what is needed. ex. “This vacation is just what the doctor ordered.”