Idiom Category: Buildings & construction, Page 1

A bridge too far

A bridge too far is an act of overreaching- going too far and getting into trouble or failing.

Back to the wall

If you have your back to the wall, you are in a difficult situation with very little room for manoeuvre.

Behind closed doors

If something happens away from the public eye, it happens behind closed doors.

Bet the farm

If you bet the farm, you risk everything on something you think will succeed.

Bet the ranch

(USA) If you bet the ranch, you risk everything on something you think will succeed.

Bounce off the walls

If someone's bouncing off the walls, they are very excited about something.

Bridge the gap

If you bridge the gap, you make a connection where there is a great difference.

Bring home

If you bring something home, you explain it or make it very clear.

Bring the house down

Something that brings the house down is acclaimed and praised vigorously.

Burn your bridges

If you burn your bridges, you do something that makes it impossible to go back from the position you have taken.

Buy the farm

When somebody has bought the farm, they have died.

By the back door

If something is started or introduced by the back door, then it is not done openly or by following the proper procedures.

Castles in the air

Plans that are impractical and will never work out are castles in the air.

Charity begins at home

This idiom means that family members are more important than anyone else, and should be the focus of a person's efforts.

Circle the drain

If someone is circling the drain, they are spiraling downward to a usually inevitable death.

Circling the drain

If someone is circling the drain, they are very near death and have little time to live. The phrase can also describe a project or plan or campaign that that is on the brink of failure.

Cross that bridge when you come to it

If you will cross that bridge when you come to it, you will deal with a problem when it arises, but not until that point

Don't throw bricks when you live in a glass house

Don't call others out on actions that you, yourself do. Don't be a hypocrite.

Drive home

The idiomatic expression 'drive home' means 'reinforce' as in 'The company offered unlimited technical support as a way to drive home the message that customer satisfaction was its highest priority.'

Drive someone up the wall

If something or someone drives you up the wall, they do something that irritates you greatly.

Feel at home

If you feel relaxed and comfortable somewhere or with someone, you feel at home.

Fence sitter

Someone that try to support both side of an argument without committing to either is a fence sitter.

Flutter the dovecotes

(UK) Something that flutters the dovecots causes alarm or excitement.

Get in on the ground floor

If you get in on the ground floor, you enter a project or venture at the start before people know how successful it might be.

Get on like a house on fire

If people get on like a house on fire, they have a very close and good relationship.

Go to the wall

If a company goes to the wall, it goes bust or fails.

Good fences make good neighbours

This means that it is better for people to mind their own business and to respect the privacy of others.  ('Good fences make good neighbors' is the American English spelling.)

Good walls make good neighbours

Your relationship with your neighbours depends, among other things, on respecting one another's privacy.

Grist for the mill

Something that you can use to your advantage is grist for the mill. ('Grist to the mill' is also used.)

Have the floor

If someone has the floor, it is their turn to speak at a meeting.

Hit home

If something hits home, it is understood completely and has a strong effect as people accept it even though it is negative.

Hit the ceiling

If someone hits the ceiling, they lose their temper and become very angry.

Hit the roof

If you lose your temper and get very angry, you hit the roof.

Hold the fort

If you hold the fort, you look after something or assume someone's responsibilities while they are away.

Home and hearth

'Home and hearth' is an idiom evoking warmth and security.

Home sweet home

This is said when one is pleased to be back at one's own home.

House of cards

Something that is poorly thought out and can easily collapse or fail is a house of cards.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen

Originally a Harry S. Truman quote, this means that if you can't take the pressure, then you should remove yourself from the situation.

Ivory tower

People who live in ivory towers are detached from the world around them.

Light at the end of the tunnel

If you can see light at the end of the tunnel, then you can see some signs of hope in the future, though things are difficult at the moment.

Mend fences

When people mend fences, they try to improve or restore relations that have been damaged by disputes or arguments.

My way or the highway

This idiom is used to say that if people don't do what you say, they will have to leave or quit the project, etc.

Nothing to write home about

Something that is not special or good is nothing to write home about.

Off the wall

Something that is off the wall is unconventional.

On the factory floor

On the factory floor means the place where things are actually produced.

On the house

If you get something for free that would normally have to be bought, especially in a bar or restaurant, it is on the house.

Paper over the cracks

If you paper over the cracks, you try to make something look or work better but only deal with superficial issues, not the real underlying problems.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones

People should not criticize other people for faults that they have themselves.

Proclaim it from the rooftops

If something is proclaimed from the rooftops, it is made as widely known and as public as possible.

Round the houses

If you go round the houses, you do something in an inefficient way when there is a quicker, more convenient way.

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