Idiom Category: Nature, Page 1

A rising tide lifts all boats

This idiom, coined by John F Kennedy, describes the idea that when an economy is performing well, all people will benefit from it.

A shallow brook babbles the loudest

People who are loud and talk a lot usually have nothing of substance to say. This contrasts with "Still waters run deep." Other versions are "Shallow brooks babble loudest" and "Shallow brooks are noisy."

Across the pond

(UK) This idiom means on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, used to refer to the US or the UK depending on the speaker's location.

As cold as stone

If something is as cold as stone, it is very cold. If a person is as cold as stone, they are unemotional.

At sea

If things are at sea, or all at sea, they are disorganized and chaotic.

Beat the daylights out of someone

If someone beats the daylights out of another person, they hit them repeatedly. ('Knock' can also be used and it can be made even stronger by saying 'the living daylights'.)

Between a rock and a hard place

If you are caught between a rock and a hard place, you are in a position where you have to choose between unpleasant alternatives, and your choice might cause you problems; you will not be able to satisfy everyone.

Break the ice

When you break the ice, you get over any initial embarrassment or shyness when you meet someone for the first time and start conversing.

Clear as mud

If something is as clear as mud, then it is very confusing and unclear.

Cliffhanger

If something like a sports match or an election is a cliffhanger, then the result is so close that it cannot be predicted and will only be known at the very end.

Cuts no ice

If something cuts no ice, it doesn't have any effect or influence.

Dead air

When there is a period of total silence, there is dead air.

Down-to-earth

Someone who's down-to-earth is practical and realistic. It can also be used for things like ideas.

Drop in the ocean

A drop in the ocean implies that something will have little effect because it is small and mostly insignificant.

Four corners of the earth

If something goes to, or comes from, the four corners of the earth, it goes or comes absolutely everywhere.

Full of hot air

Someone who is full of hot air talks a lot of rubbish.

Grass may be greener on the other side but it's just as hard to mow

'The grass may be greener on the other side but it's just as hard to mow' is an expression used to mean a person's desire to have that which another person has in the belief it will make their life easieris false as all situations come with their own set of problems.

Head for the hills

If people head for the hills, they run away from trouble.

Hung the moon

If you refer to someone as having hung the moon, you think they are extremely wonderful, or amazing, or good.

In broad daylight

If a crime or problem happens in broad daylight, it happens during the day and should have been seen and stopped.

It takes all kinds to make a world

Diversity is essential- the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike.('It takes all sorts to make a world' is also used.)

It's an ill wind that blows no good

This is said when things have gone wrong; the idea being that when bad things happen, there can also be some positive results.

Lay of the land

The lay of the land is the way something is organised, runs, is arranged, etc. ('The lie of the land' is also used.)

Let the dust settle

If you let the dust settle, or wait till the dust settles, you wait until things have become calmer or have returned to normality after conflict or a problem.

Light a fire under

If you light a fire under somebody, you strongly motivate them to work faster.

Make a mountain out of a molehill

If somebody makes a mountain out of a molehill, they exaggerate the importance or seriousness of a problem.

Make waves

If someone makes waves, they cause a lot of trouble.

Many moons ago

A very long time ago.

Moral high ground

If people have/take/claim/seize, etc, the moral high ground, they claim that their arguments, beliefs, etc, are morally superior to those being put forward by other people.

Mountain to climb

If you have a mountain to climb, you have to work hard or make a lot of progress to achieve something.

Move mountains

If you would move mountains to do something, you would make any effort to achieve your aim. When people say that faith can move mountains, they mean that it can achieve a lot.

Mud in the fire

The things that cannot be changed in the past that we usually forget about are mud in the fire.

Nature abhors a vacuum

This idiom is used to express the idea that empty or unfilled spaces are unnatural as they go against the laws of nature and physics.

No smoke without fire

This idiom means that when people suspect something, there is normally a good reason for the suspicion, even if there is no concrete evidence.  ('Where's there's smoke, there's fire' is also used.)

Not the only pebble on the beach

If something is not the only pebble on the beach, there are other possibilities or alternatives.

Old flames die hard

It's very difficult to forget old things, especially the first love.

Older than dirt

Something or someone's that's older than the dirt is extremely old.

Older than dirt

Something or someone that's older than dirt is very old indeed.

Older than the hills

Something or someone's that's older than the hills is extremely old.

On ice

If plans are put on ice, they are delayed and no action will be taken for the foreseeable future.

On the rocks

If something, like a relationship, is on the rocks, it is in trouble and may come to an end.

Place in the sun

If you have your place in the sun, you find wealth, happiness or whatever you are looking for in life.

Pull out of the fire

(USA) If you pull something out of the fire, you save or rescue it.

Ride with the tide

If you ride with the tide, you accept the majority decision.

Run into the sand

If something runs into the sand, it fails to achieve a result.

Scare the daylights out of someone

If you scare the daylights out of someone, you terrify them. (This can be made even stronger by saying 'the living daylights'.)

Scattered to the four winds

If something's scattered to the four winds, it goes out in all directions.

Sea change

An expression that connotes big change; a significant change in comparison to a minor, trivial or insignificant change.

Sell down the river

If you sell someone down the river, you betray their trust.

Shed light

If you shed light on something, you make it clearer and easier to understand.

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