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- Act of God
- An act of God is something like an earthquake or floods that human beings cannot prevent or control.
- All hell broke loose
- When all hell breaks loose, there is chaos, confusion and trouble.
- Amen
- Some use 'Amen' or 'Amen to that' as a way of agreeing with something that has just been said.
- At the bottom of the totem pole
- (USA) If someone is at the bottom of the totem pole, they are unimportant. Opposite is at the top of the totem pole.
- Baptism of fire
- A baptism of fire was a soldier's first experience of shooting. Any unpleasant experience undergone, usually where it is also a learning experience, is a baptism of fire.
- Believe in the hereafter
- A belief in the hereafter is a belief in the afterlife, or life after death. It is, therefore, associated with religions and the soul's journey to heaven or to hell, whichever way being just deserts for the person based on how they led their life.
- Better the devil you know
- This is the shortened form of the full idiom, 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't', and means that it is often better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if they are not ideal, than take a risk with an unknown person or thing.
- Between the devil and the deep blue sea
- If you are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, you are in a dilemma; a difficult choice.
- Broad church
- If an organisation is described as broad church, it is tolerant and accepting of different opinions and ideas.
- Catch hell
- If you catch hell, you get into trouble or get scolded. ('Catch heck' is also used.)
- Chapter and verse
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When you know something very well, and can quote it, you know it chapter and verse.
- Cold day in hell
- This is used as a prediction there is no chance some event or condition will ever happen.
'There will be a cold day in hell before he manages it.'
- Come hell or high water
- If someone says they'll do something come hell or high water, they mean that nothing will stop them, no matter what happens.
- Cross to bear
- If someone has a cross to bear, they have a heavy burden of responsibility or a problem that they alone must cope with.
- Devil finds work for idle hands
- When people say that the devil finds work for idle hands, they mean that if people don't have anything to do with their time, they are more likely to get involved in trouble and criminality.
- Devil is in the detail
- When people say that the devil in the detail, they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on.
- Devil may care
- If you live a devil-may-care life it means you are willing to take more risks than most people.
- Devil's advocate
- If someone plays Devil's advocate in an argument, they adopt a position they don't believe in just for the sake of the argument
- Doubting Thomas
- A Doubting Thomas is someone who only believes what they see themselves, not what they are told.
- Face your demons
- If you face your demons, you confront your fears or something that you have been trying hard to avoid.
- Fall from grace
-
If a person falls from grace, they lose favor with someone.
- Heaven knows
- If you ask someone a question and they say this, they have no idea.
- Heavenly bodies
- The heavenly bodies are the stars.
- Hell for leather
- If you do something hell for leather, especially running, you do it as fast as you can.
- Hell in a handcart
- If something is going to hell in a handcart, it is getting worse and worse, with no hope of stopping the decline.
- Holier-than-thou
- Someone who is holier-than-thou believes that they are morally superior to other people.
- Holy smoke!
- This is a way of expressing surprise:
"Holy smoke! Look at all of those geese!"
- Hope in hell
- If something hasn't got a hope in hell, it stands absolutely no chance of succeeding.
- Hot as Hades
- If something's as hot as Hades, it's extremely hot.
- Idle hands are the devil's handiwork
- When someone is not busy, or being productive, trouble is bound to follow.
- If Mohammed won't come to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed
- If something cannot or will not happen the easy way, then sometimes it must be done the hard way.
- Lap of the gods
- If something is in the lap of the gods, it is beyond our control and fate will decide the outcome.
- Let the devil take the hindmost
- This idiom means that you should think of yourself and not be concerned about other people; look after yourself and let the devil take the hindmost.
- Man of the cloth
- A man of the cloth is a priest.
- Man proposes, God disposes
- Your fate lies in the hands of God.
- Move heaven and earth
- This expression indicates a person's determined intention of getting a work done in spite of all odds he may face. He will use all and every means to accomplish the target. Example: He moved heaven and earth to get his literary work recognised by the committee of experts.
- Ninth circle of hell
- In Dante's Inferno, the ninth circle of hell is the centre where the worst punishments are found, so it is used idiomatically for something that couldn't get worse.
- Not a snowball's chance in hell
- There is absolutely no possibility of something hapening if there's not a snowball's chance in hell.
- Pastoral care
-
This is used in education to describe the aspect of care offered to pupils that cover things besides learning.
- Poor as a church mouse
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If soemone is as poor as a church mouse, they are very poor indeed.
- Practise what you preach
- If you practise what you preach, you do what you say other people should do.
(In American English, the verb is 'practice')
- Preaching to the choir
- If someone preaches to the choir, they talking about a subject or issue with which their audience already agrees.
('Preaching to the converted' is an alternative form.)
- Prodigal son
- A prodigal son is a young man who wastes a lot on money on a lavish lifestyle. If the prodigal son returns, they return to a better way of living.
- Saving grace
- If someone has some character defects, but has a characteristic that compensate for their failings and shortcomings, this is their saving grace.
- Sell your soul
- If someone sells their soul, their betray the most precious beliefs.
- Seventh heaven
- If you are in seventh heaven, you are extremely happy.
- Sing from the same hymn sheet
- If people are singing from the same hymn sheet, they are expressing the same opinions in public.
- Slough of despond
- If someone is very depressed or in despair, they're in a slough of despond.
- Speak of the devil!
- If you are talking about someone and they happen to walk in, you can use this idiom as a way of letting them know you were talking about them.
- To err is human, to forgive divine
- This idiom is used when someone has done something wrong, suggesting that they should be forgiven.
- Vale of tears
- This vale of tears is the world and the suffering that life brings.
- When hell freezes over
- An impossible or very unlikely situation or event
- Wing and a prayer
- If you do something on a wing and a prayer, you try to do something and hope you'll succeed even though you have very little chance of success.
- Your sins will find you out
- This idiom means that things you do wrong will become known.
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