English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words, which can make idioms hard for ESL students and learners to understand. Here, we provide a dictionary of 3,843 English idiomatic expressions with definitions.

If you have a question about idioms, ask us about it in our Idioms Discussion Forum. If you know of an idiom that you would like to be listed here, please use our online form to suggest an idiom.

Recently Added

Below are listed the latest 30 entries that have been added to our database of English idioms & idiomatic expressions. Subscribe to our idioms feed to keep up-to-date:

Je ne sais quoi

Added on 15-Jun-2016

Left and right

Added on 9-Jun-2016

Bust a move

Added on 25-Apr-2016

Like a bump on a log

Added on 25-Apr-2016

Act your age, not your shoe size

Added on 25-Apr-2016

Jump a queue

Added on 20-Apr-2016

A barking dog seldom bites

Added on 9-Apr-2016

Half a shake

Added on 29-Mar-2016

Spoon-fed

Added on 14-Mar-2016

Go mental

Added on 7-Mar-2016

Wax poetic

Added on 1-Mar-2016

Silly goose

Added on 18-Feb-2016

In like a dirty shirt

Added on 14-Feb-2016

Off like a dirty shirt

Added on 12-Feb-2016

The grass is greener on the other side of the fence

Added on 6-Feb-2016

Have the ear of someone

Added on 28-Jan-2016

On edge

Added on 28-Jan-2016

Go-getter

Added on 22-Jan-2016

Hang fire

Added on 19-Jan-2016

In the can

Added on 18-Jan-2016

In the can

Added on 12-Jan-2016

Have the edge

Added on 12-Jan-2016

Hold fire

Added on 10-Jan-2016

Jump out of one's skin

Added on 29-Dec-2015

Life left in something

Added on 15-Dec-2015

Cop a plea

Added on 10-Dec-2015

Give someone the boot

Added on 10-Dec-2015

Firm grasp

Added on 6-Dec-2015

I don't give a pin!

Added on 28-Nov-2015

Frog strangler

Added on 28-Nov-2015