Idiom Category: General, Page 6

Do's and don't's

The do's and don't's are what is acceptable or allowed or not within an area or issue, etc.

Don't hold your breath

If you are told not to hold your breath, it means that you shouldn't have high expectations about something.

Don't judge a book by the cover

This idiom means that you should not judge something or someone by appearances, but should look deeper at what is inside and more important.

Don't mention it

This is used as a response to being thanked, suggesting that the help given was no trouble.

Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you

Don't go looking for trouble or problems- let them come to you.

Don't upset the applecart

If you are advised not to upset the applecart, you are being told not to disturb the way things are done because it might ruin things.

Don't wash your dirty laundry in public

(UK) People, especially couples, who argue in front of others or involve others in their personal problems and crises, are said to be washing their dirty laundry in public; making public things that are best left private. (In American English, 'don't air your dirty laundry in public' is used.)

Dot all the i's and cross all the t's

If you dot all the i's and cross all the t's, you do something very carefully and thoroughly.

Down and dirty

Down and dirty means unscrupulous and very competitive.

Down and out

If someone is down and out, they are desperately poor and need help.

Down in the dumps

If someone's down in the dumps, they are depressed.

Down the hatch

This idiom can be said before drinking alcohol in company.

Down the pan

If something has gone down the pan, it has failed or been ruined.

Down the pike

Something that is down the pike it is in the future.

Down the tubes

If something has gone down the tubes, it has failed or been ruined.

Down to the wire

(USA) If something goes down to the wire, like a competition, then it goes to the very last moment before it is clear who has won.

Draw a bead on

To draw a bead on is to aim a gun at something and can be used to mean to focus on or aim at someting as a goal..

Draw a blank

If you try to find something out and draw a blank, you don't get any useful information.

Draw a line in the sand

If you draw a line in the sand, you establish a limit beyond which things will be unacceptable.

Draw a long bow

If someone draws a long bow, they lie or exaggerate.

Draw the line

When you draw the line, you set out limits of what you find acceptable, beyond which you will not go.

Drawing card

(USA) A famous person who attracts people to attend an event is a drawing card.

Dress someone down

If you dress someone down, you scold them.

Drive a wedge

If you drive a wedge between people, you exploit an issue so that people start to disagree.

Drive you spare

If someone or something drives you spare, it is extremely annoying.

Drop in the bucket

(USA) A drop in the bucket is something so small that it won't make any noticeable difference.

Drop someone a line

If you drop someone a line, you send a letter to them.

Dry as dust

Very dry. Often used metaphorically: a boring, literal person or an unexciting speech. "She knows her stuff but she's dry as dust."

Dry run

A dry run is a full rehearsal or trial exercise of something to see how it will work before it is launched.

Dull as ditchwater

(UK) If something is as dull as ditchwater, it is incredibly boring. A ditch is a long narrow hole or trench dug to contain water, which is normally a dark, dirty colour and stagnant (when water turns a funny colour and starts to smell bad). (In American English,'things are 'dull as dishwater'.)

Dumb as a post

Someone's who's as dumb as a post is very stupid, like a fencepost.

Each to their own

Different people have different preferences. In American English, 'Each to his own' is more common.

Easier said than done

If something is easier said than done, it is much more difficult than it sounds. It is often used when someone advises you to do something difficult and tries to make it sound easy.

Easy as ABC

Something that is as easy as ABC is very easy or simple.

Easy come, easy go

This idiom means that money or other material gains that come without much effort tend to get spent or consumed as easily.

Easy does it

'Easy does it' is used to advise someone to approach a task carefully and slowly, especially in spoken English.

Eat your words

If you eat your words, you accept publicly that you were wrong about something you said.

End in smoke

If something ends in smoke, it produces no concrete or positive result. This expression refers to the boasting by a person, of having put in a lot of efforts by him, for a particular cause or to attain a result which is very difficult to be done by any person. (This mainly refers to an investigation of a crime or solving a serious offence or a mystery). But at the end, when the desired result is not obtained, his claims are found to be false and not worth mentioning. So, he looses his credibility.

Etched in stone

Something, especially rules and customs,  that cannot be changed at all is said to be etched in stone.

Even keel

If something is on an even keel, it is balanced.

Every nook and cranny

If you search every nook and cranny, you look everywhere for something.

Every trick in the book

If you try every trick in the book, you try every possible way, including dishonesty and deceit, to get what you want.

Explore all avenues

If all avenues are being explored, then every conceivable approach is being tried that could possibly get the desired result.

Eye-opener

Something surprising, unexpected which reveals the truth about something or someone.

Faintest idea

If you don`t have the faintest idea, about something you don`t know anything at all about it.

Fair and square

If someone does something fair and square, they do it correctly, following any rules or laws.

Fair crack of the whip

(UK) If everybody has a fair crack of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.

Fair shake of the whip

(USA) If everybody has a fair shake of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.

Fair thee well

Meaning completely and fully: I am tied up today to a fair-thee-well.

Fall by the wayside

To fall by the wayside is to give up or fail before completion.

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