English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

Fly the coop

When children leave home to live away from their parents, they fly the coop.

Fly the flag

If someone flies the flag, they represent or support their country. ('Wave the flag' and 'show the flag' are alternative forms of this idiom)

Foam at the mouth

If you foam at the mouth, you are very, very angry.

Follow your nose

When giving directions, telling someone to follow their nose means that they should go straight ahead.

Food for thought

If something is food for thought, it is worth thinking about or considering seriously.

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me

This means that you should learn from your mistakes and not allow people to take advantage of you repeatedly.

Fool's paradise

A fool's paradise is a false sense of happiness or success.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

This idiom is used where people who are inexperienced or lack knowledge do something that more informed people would avoid.

Foot in mouth

This is used to describe someone who has just said something embarrassing, inappropriate, wrong or stupid.

Foot in the door

If you have or get your foot in the door, you start working in a company or organisation at a low level, hoping that you will be able to progress from there.

Foot the bill

The person who foots the bill pays the bill for everybody.

Football's a game of two halves

(UK) If something's a game of two halves, it means that it's possible for someone's fortunes or luck to change and the person who's winning could end up a loser.

For a song

If you buy or sell something for a song, it is very cheap.

For donkey's years

(UK) If people have done something, usually without much if any change, for an awfully long time, they can be said to have done it for donkey's years.

For England

(UK) A person who talks for England, talks a lot- if you do something for England, you do it a lot or to the limit.

For kicks

If you do something for kicks, or just for kicks, you do it purely for fun or thrills.

For my money

This idiom means 'in my opinion'.

For Pete's sake

This is used as an exclamation to show exasperation or irritation.

For the birds

If something is worthless or ridiculous, it is for the birds.

For the love of Pete

Usually used in exasperation, as in 'Oh, for the love of Pete!'

For the time being

For the time being indicates that an action or state will continue into the future, but is temporary. I'm sharing an office for the time being.

Forbidden fruit

Something enjoyable that is illegal or immoral is forbidden fruit.

Foregone conclusion

If the result of, say, a football match is a foregone conclusion, then the result is obvious before the game has even begun.

Forest for the trees

(USA) If someone can't see the forest for the trees, they get so caught up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger picture.

Forewarned is forearmed

If you have been warned about something to happen, you will be at an advantage.

Fortune knocks once at every man's door

Everyone gets one good chance in a lifetime.

Foul play

If the police suspect foul play, they think a crime was committed.

Four corners of the earth

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

Four-eyes

A person who wears glasses

Four-square behind

If someone stands four-square behind someone, they give that person their full support.

Fourth estate

This is an idiomatic way of describing the media, especially the newspapers.

Free rein

If someone has a free rein, they have the authority to make the decisions they want without any restrictions. ('Free reign' is a common mistake.)

Free-for-all

A free-for-all is a fight or contest in which everyone gets involved and rules are not respected.

French leave

To take French leave is to leave a gathering without saying goodbye or without permission.

French letter

A French letter is a condom.

Fresh from the oven

If something is fresh from the oven, it is very new.

Freudian Slip

If someone makes a Freudian slip, they accidentally use the wrong word, but in doing so reveal what they are really thinking rather than what they think the other person wants to hear.

Friendly footing

When relationships are on a friendly footing, they are going well.

Frog in my throat

If you have a frog in your throat, you can't speak or you are losing your voice because you have a problem with your throat.

From a different angle

If you look at something from a different angle, you look at it from a different point of view.

From A to Z

If you know something from A to Z, you know everything about it.

From Missouri

(USA) If someone is from Missouri, then they require clear proof before they will believe something.

From pillar to post

If something is going from pillar to post, it is moving around in a meaningless way, from one disaster to another.

From rags to riches

Someone who starts life very poor and makes a fortune goes from rags to riches.

From scratch

This idiom means 'from the beginning'.

From soup to nuts

If you do something from soup to nuts, you do it from the beginning right to the very end.

From the bottom of your heart

If someone does something from the bottom of their heart, then they do it with genuine emotion and feeling.

From the get go

If you are familiar with something from the get go, you are familiar with it from the beginning

From the get-go

(USA) If something happens from the get-go, it happens from the very beginning.

From the horse's mouth

If you hear something from the horse's mouth, you hear it directly from the person concerned or responsible.

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