jump the gun

jump the gun

Definition: to do something too soon, without thinking carefully enough about it

Example: I told her to wait until the January sales but she jumped the gun and bought the dress the next day.

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a foregone conclusion

a foregone conclusion

Definition: a result that can be predicted

Example: It's a foregone conclusion that they'll win the championship again.

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blot one's copybook

blot one's copybook

Definition: to spoil one's reputation

Example: The prime minister blotted his copybook by being involved in the scandal.

Usage note: informal idiom

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make sense

make sense

Definitions: 1. to have a meaning 2. to be sensible or reasonable

Examples: 1. The words are jumbled up and make no sense/don't make (any) sense. 2. It doesn't make (any) sense to spend so much money on a second-hand car.

Usage note: often used with words such as some, much, any and no

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(as) blind as a bat

(as) blind as a bat

Definition: unable to see anything; completely blind

Example: He's as blind as a bat without his glasses.

Usage note: humorous idiom

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by degrees

by degrees

Definition: in small stages; gradually

Example: By degrees the small country expanded its territory to become an empire.

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first and foremost

first and foremost

Definition: more than anything else

Example: Although my brother is involved in politics, he is first and foremost a lawyer.

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be (dead) set against

be (dead) set against something/doing something

Definition: to be completely opposed to something/doing something

Example: She's dead set against (the idea of) working overseas.

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at a (single) glance

at a (single) glance

Definition: with one look; almost immediately

Example: The cashier can tell at a glance if a banknote is counterfeit.

Usage note: often used in titles of lists of facts: The European Union at a glance

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doubting Thomas

doubting Thomas

Definition: a person who refuses to believe something until they are given clear proof

Example: My friend Jack is a real doubting Thomas - he wouldn't believe I'd stayed in that resort until I showed him my photo.

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feel/go hot and cold (all over)

feel/go hot and cold (all over)

Definition: to experience a sudden feeling of shock

Example: I went hot and cold all over when I suddenly remembered I had forgotten to lock the door.

Usage note: informal idiom

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Idioms Containing Special Keywords

Idioms Containing Special Keywords

Animals

(as) blind as a bat | let the cat out of the bag | smell a rat

Clothes

hot under the collar | tighten one's belt

Colors

out of the blue | see red

Numbers

forty winks | in twos and threes | number one | on cloud nine

Parts of the Body

by the skin of one's teeth | eyeball to eyeball (with) | grease somebody's palm | pay through the nose (for) | straight from the shoulder

Proper Names

doubting Thomas | keep up with the Joneses

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Idioms Related to Special Themes

Idioms Related to Special Themes

Anger

eyeball to eyeball (with) | fly off the handle | hot under the collar | look daggers at somebody | see red

Fear

feel/go hot and cold (all over)

Happiness

on cloud nine

Health

(as) fit as a fiddle | hale and hearty | under the weather

Power

lay down the law

Thrift

tighten one's belt

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Idioms Used in Special Fields

Idioms Used in Special Fields

Business

at your earliest convenience | break even

Law

prefer/press charges (of) (against)

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Idiomatic Pairs

Idiomatic Pairs

Pairs of Nouns

rhyme or reason | ups and downs

Pairs of Verbs

toss and turn

Pairs of Adjectives

hale and hearty

Pairs of Adverbs

first and foremost

Identical Pairs

eyeball to eyeball (with) | word for word | year after year

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Idioms Used as Adverbs

Idioms Used as Adverbs

at a (single) glance | at your earliest convenience | behind bars | by degrees | by the skin of one's teeth | eyeball to eyeball (with) | first and foremost | for keeps | for kicks | in a row | in a word | in twos and threes | not in the least | off the beaten track | on balance | out of the blue | straight from the shoulder | word for word | year after year

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Idioms Used as Adjectives

Idioms Used as Adjectives

(as) blind as a bat | (as) fit as a fiddle | hale and hearty | hot under the collar | number one | on cloud nine | out of the blue | under the weather

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Idioms Used as Nouns

Idioms Used as Nouns

a blessing in disguise | a flash in the pan | a foregone conclusion | doubting Thomas | easy money | forty winks | rhyme or reason | the gift of the gab | ups and downs | vicious circle

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Verbal Idioms

Verbal Idioms

be (dead) set against | blot one's copybook | break even | burn the midnight oil | come out of the closet | compare notes (with) (on) | do/perform/work miracles/wonders (for/with) | feel/go hot and cold (all over) | fly off the handle | go downhill | go/sell like hot cakes | grease somebody's palm | jump the gun | keep house | keep up with the Joneses | lay down the law | let the cat out of the bag | look daggers at somebody | make sense | pay through the nose (for) | play (it) safe | prefer/press charges (of) (against) | see red | smell a rat | tighten one's belt | toss and turn | turn over a new leaf | wave a magic wand

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Formal Idioms

Formal Idioms

at your earliest convenience

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Informal Idioms

Informal Idioms

(as) fit as a fiddle | behind bars | blot one's copybook | by the skin of one's teeth | do/perform/work miracles/wonders (for/with) | feel/go hot and cold (all over) | fly off the handle | for keeps | for kicks | forty winks | grease somebody's palm | hot under the collar | keep up with the Joneses | number one | on balance | on cloud nine | pay through the nose (for) | play (it) safe | see red | smell a rat | under the weather

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Idioms - A

Idioms - A

a blessing in disguise | a flash in the pan | a foregone conclusion | (as) blind as a bat | (as) fit as a fiddle | at a (single) glance | at your earliest convenience

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Idioms - B

Idioms - B

be (dead) set against | behind bars | blot one's copybook | break even | burn the midnight oil | by degrees | by the skin of one's teeth

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Idioms - C

Idioms - C

come out of the closet | compare notes (with) (on)

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Idioms - D

Idioms - D

do/perform/work miracles/wonders (for/with) | doubting Thomas

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Idioms - E

Idioms - E

easy money | eyeball to eyeball (with)

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Idioms - F

Idioms - F

feel/go hot and cold (all over) | first and foremost | fly off the handle | for keeps | for kicks | forty winks

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Idioms - G

Idioms - G

go downhill | go/sell like hot cakes | grease somebody's palm

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Idioms - H

Idioms - H

hale and hearty | hot under the collar

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Idioms - I

Idioms - I

in a row | in a word | in twos and threes

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Idioms - J

Idioms - J

jump the gun

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Idioms - K

Idioms - K

keep house | keep up with the Joneses

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Idioms - L

Idioms - L

lay down the law | let the cat out of the bag | look daggers at somebody

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Idioms - M

Idioms - M

make sense

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Idioms - N

Idioms - N

not in the least | number one

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Idioms - O

Idioms - O

off the beaten track | on balance | on cloud nine | out of the blue

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Idioms - P

Idioms - P

pay through the nose (for) | play (it) safe | prefer/press charges (of) (against)

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Idioms - Q

Idioms - Q

quite a few

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Idioms - R

Idioms - R

rhyme or reason

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Idioms - S

Idioms - S

see red | smell a rat | straight from the shoulder

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Idioms - T

Idioms - T

the gift of the gab | tighten one's belt | toss and turn | turn over a new leaf

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Idioms - U

Idioms - U

under the weather | ups and downs

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Idioms - V

Idioms - V

vicious circle

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Idioms - W

Idioms - W

wave a magic wand | word for word

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Idioms - X

Idioms - X

No idioms yet.

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Idioms - Y

Idioms - Y

year after year

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Idioms - Z

Idioms - Z

No idioms yet.

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Idioms - All

Idioms - All

A

a blessing in disguise | a flash in the pan | a foregone conclusion | (as) blind as a bat | (as) fit as a fiddle | at a (single) glance | at your earliest convenience

B

be (dead) set against | behind bars | blot one's copybook | break even | burn the midnight oil | by degrees | by the skin of one's teeth

C

come out of the closet | compare notes (with) (on)

D

do/perform/work miracles/wonders (for/with) | doubting Thomas

E

easy money | eyeball to eyeball (with)

F

feel/go hot and cold (all over) | first and foremost | fly off the handle | for keeps | for kicks | forty winks

G

go downhill | go/sell like hot cakes | grease somebody's palm

H

hale and hearty | hot under the collar

I

in a row | in a word | in twos and threes

J

jump the gun

K

keep house | keep up with the Joneses

L

lay down the law | let the cat out of the bag | look daggers at somebody

M

make sense

N

not in the least | number one

O

off the beaten track | on balance | on cloud nine | out of the blue

P

pay through the nose (for) | play (it) safe | prefer/press charges (of) (against)

Q

quite a few

R

rhyme or reason

S

see red | smell a rat | straight from the shoulder

T

the gift of the gab | tighten one's belt | toss and turn | turn over a new leaf

U

under the weather | ups and downs

V

vicious circle

W

wave a magic wand | word for word

Y

year after year

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A-Z Lists of Idioms

Categories of Idioms

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