English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

Hail Mary pass

In American football, a Hail Mary pass is a long, desperate pass at the end of the game that is hoped may gain some points, so it is used for a desperate attempt to resolve a serious problem at the last minute.

Hail-fellow-well-met

Someone whose behavior is hearty, friendly and congenial.

Hair of the dog

If someone has a hair of the dog, they have an alcoholic drink as a way of getting rid of a hangover, the unpleasant effects of having drunk too much alcohol the night before. It is commonly used as a way of excusing having a drink early on in the day.

Hair on fire

If something sets your hair on fire, it excites you or catches your attention urgently.

Hairy at the heel

(UK) Someone who is hairy at the heel is dangerous or untrustworthy.

Hale and hearty

Someone who is hale and hearty is in very good health.

Half a loaf is better than no bread

It means that getting part of what you want is better than getting nothing at all.

Half a mind

If you have half a mind to do something, you haven't decided to do it, but are thinking seriously about doing it.

Half-baked

A half-baked idea or scheme hasn't not been thought through or planned very well.

Hammer and tongs

If people are going at it hammer and tongs, they are arguing fiercely. The idiom can also be used hen people are doing something energetically.

Hand in glove

If people are hand in glove, they have an extremely close relationship.

Hand in hand

Hand in hand= work together closely When people in a group, say in an office or in a project, work together with mutual understanding to achieve the target, we say they work hand in hand. There is no lack of co-operation and each synchoranises the activity with that of the other.

Hand that rocks the cradle

Women have a great power and influence because they have the greatest influence over the development of children- the hand that rocks the cradle. ('The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world' is the full form.)

Hand to mouth

Someone who's living from hand to mouth, is very poor and needs the little money they have coming in to cover their expenses.

Hands down

If someone is better hands down than everyone else, they are much better.

Handwriting like chicken scratch

If your handwriting is very hard to read, it is like chicken scratch.

Hang by a thread

If something hangs by a thread, there is a very small chance indeed of it being successful or surviving.

Hang in the balance

If an outcome is hanging in the balance, there are at least two possibilities and it is impossible to predict which will win out.

Hang out to dry

If you hang someone out to dry, you abandon them when they are in trouble.

Hang your hat on (something)

To depend on OR believe in something.

Hangdog expression

A hangdog expression is one where the person's showing their emotions very clearly, maybe a little too clearly for your liking. It's that mixture of misery and self-pity that is similar to a dog when it's trying to get something it wants but daren't take without permission.

Hanged for a sheep as a lamb

This is an expression meaning that if you are going to get into trouble for doing something, then you ought to stop worrying and should try to get everything you can before you get caught.

Happy as Larry

When you're as happy as Larry, you're very happy indeed.

Happy medium

If you reach a happy medium, you are making a compromise; reaching a conclusion or decision.

Happy-go-lucky

If someone is happy-go-lucky, they don't worry or plan and accept things as they happen.

Hard act to follow

If something or something is exceptionally good, it is difficult to replace them or take their place.

Hard as nails

A person who is as hard as nails is either physically tough or has little or no respect for other people's feelings.

Hard by

"Hard by" means mean "close to" or "near".

Hard cheese

(UK) Hard cheese means hard luck.

Hard miles

If you have done the hard miles, you have done the hard difficult work and that makes you eligible to comment or participate in something.

Hard of hearing

Someone who's hard of hearing is a bit deaf.

Hard on someone's heels

If you are hard on someone's heels, you are close to them and trying to catch or overtake them.  ('Hot on someone's heels' is also used.)

Hard sell

If someone puts a lot of pressure on you to do or buy something, they are hard selling it.

Hard to come by

If something is hard to come by, it is difficult to find.

Hard up

If you are hard up, you have very little money.

Haste makes waste

This idiom means that if you try to do something quickly, without planning it, you're likely to end up spending more time, money, etc, doing it.

Hat trick

Three successes one after the other is a hat trick.

Hatchet job

A piece of criticism that destroys someone's reputation is a hatchet job.

Hate someone's guts

If you hate someone's guts, you really hate them, hate everything about them.

Haul someone over the coals

If you haul someone over the coals, you reprimand them severely.

Have a ball

If you have a ball, you have a great time, a lot of fun.

Have a bash

If you have a bash at something, you try to do it, especially when there isn't much chance of success.

Have a blast

It means "to have a lot of fun".

Have a crack

If you have a crack at something, you try to do it. If someone is attempting to do something and they are unsuccessful, you might say, "Let me have a crack at it" suggesting that you might be successful at performing the task. ('Take a crack' is also used.)

Have a foot in both camps

Someone who plays a part or who is involved in two different groups of people, opinions, ways of thinking or living, etc, has a foot in both camps.

Have a go

If you have a go, you try to do something, often when you don't think you have much chance of succeeding.

Have a heart

If someone has a heart, they arekind and sympathetic.  If you say, 'Have a heart' to someone, you are asking them to be understanding and sympathetic.

Have a riot

(UK) If you have a riot, you enjoy yourself and have a good time.

Have a ripper

If you have a ripper of a time, you enjoy yourself.

Have a trick up your sleeve

If you have a trick up your sleeve, you have a secret strategy to use when the time is right.

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