English Idioms

tighten your belt

Meaning: If you tighten your belt, you try to spend less money.

face to face

Meaning: If people meet face to face, they meet in person in the real world.

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning: If someone jumps on the bandwagon, they join a movement or follow a fashion that has recently become popular.

go over your head

Meaning: If someone goes over your head, they go to someone with more authority than you in order to get something that you would normally grant, possibly because they think you won't give it to them.

upset the applecart

Meaning: If you upset the applecart, you do something that causes trouble or upsets someone's plans.

just the ticket

Meaning: You can say something is just the ticket if it's the perfect thing or if it's exactly what's needed.

another string to your bow

Meaning: If you have another string to your bow, you have another way of making a living.

the tip of the iceberg

Meaning: You can say something is the tip of the iceberg when it's just a small part of something much bigger.

cover your tracks

Meaning: If you cover your tracks, you make sure no-one can find evidence of what you've done.

have a heart-to-heart

Meaning: If you have a heart-to-heart with someone, you have an honest talk and share your feelings with each other.

vote with your feet

Meaning: If you vote with your feet, you show your opinion of something by acting in a certain way, such as by buying something if you like it, or by not buying it if you don't like it.

vim and vigor

Meaning: If you have vim and vigor, you have lots of energy and enthusiasm for life.

You are what you eat.

Meaning: You can say "you are what you eat" when you want to point out the connection between food and health.

make a killing

Meaning: If you make a killing, you make a lot of money from a sale or a deal of some sort. 

up to your neck | up to your eyeballs

Meaning: If you're up to your neck in something, or up to your eyeballs in something, you've got too much of it and it's become a problem.

dirt cheap

Meaning: You can say something is dirt cheap if it costs very little money.

rub it in

Meaning: If you rub it in, you keep talking about something that embarrasses or upsets someone.

a fair-weather friend

Meaning: A fair-weather friend is a person who will only be your friend when things are going well for you.

esprit de corps

Meaning: A feeling of pride and comradeship shared by members of a group such as a military unit or a sports team

make hay while the sun shines

Meaning: If you make hay while the sun shines, you make good use of the chance to do something while it lasts.

a night owl

Meaning: You're a night owl if you like to stay up and do things late at night.

feather your own nest

Meaning: If you feather your own nest, you use your position or your job illegally for personal gain.

lose face

Meaning: If you lose face, your status falls and you aren't respected as much as you were.

the upper crust

Meaning: If you are one of the upper crust, you are a member of society's highest class.

vanish into thin air

Meaning: If something vanishes into thin air, it disappears completely.