English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

Donkey work

Donkey work is any hard, boring work or task.

Donkey's years

This idiom means 'a very long time'.

Doormat

A person who doesn't stand up for themselves and gets treated badly is a doormat.

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.

Double Dutch

(UK) If something is double Dutch, it is completely incomprehensible.

Double take

If someone does a double take, they react very slowly to something to show how shocked or surprised they are.

Double whammy

A double whammy is when something causes two problems at the same time, or when two setbacks occur at the same time.

Double-edged sword

If someone uses an argument that could both help them and harm them, then they are using a double-edged sword sword; it cuts both ways.

Doubting Thomas

A Doubting Thomas is someone who only believes what they see themselves, not what they are told.

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 at heel

Someone who is down at heel is short of money. ('Down in heel' is used in American English)

Down for the count

If someone is down for the count, they have lost a struggle, like a boxer who has been knocked out.

Down in the doldrums

If somebody's down in the doldrums, they are depressed and lacking energy.

Down in the dumps

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

Down in the mouth

If someone is down in the mouth, they look unhappy or depressed.

Down the drain

If something goes down the drain, especially money or work, it is wasted or produces no results.

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 Swanee

If a plan or scheme, etc, goes down the Swanee, it goes wrong or fails.

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.

Down-to-earth

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

Drag your feet

If someone is dragging their feet, they are taking too long to do or finish something, usually because they don't want to do it.

Drag your heels

If you drag your heels, you either delay doing something or do it as slowly as possible because you don't want to do it.

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.

Draw the shortest straw

If someone draws the shortest straw, they lose or are chosen to do something unpleasant.

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.

Dress to kill

When someone is dressed to kill, they are dressed very smartly.

Dressed to the nines

If you are in your very best clothes, you're dressed to the nines.

Drink like a fish

If someone drinks like a fish, they drink far too much alcohol.

Drive a wedge

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

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.

Drive you spare

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

Driven by a motor

This is used to describe people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder when they talk excessively: 'they act as if driven by a motor.'

Drop a bombshell

If someone drops a bombshell, they announce something that changes a situation drastically and unexpectedly.

Drop a dime

(USA) If you drop a dime, you inform the police about someone's illegal activities.

Drop in the bucket

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

Drop in the ocean

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

Drop into your lap

If something drops into your lap, you receive it suddenly, without any warning. ('Fall into your lap' is also used.)

Drop like flies

This means that something is disappearing very quickly. For example, if you said people were dropping like flies, it would mean that they were dying off, quitting or giving up something rapidly.

Drop someone a line

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

Drop the ball

If someone drops the ball, they are not doing their job or taking their responsibilities seriously enough and let something go wrong.

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