This authoritative reference offers thousands of American English idioms, common phrases, and colloquialisms. Entries include definitions and examples of idioms used in context. With help from McGraw-Hill's Essential American Idioms Dictionary, you will become familiar with English as it is used in the media, at work, around the house, and in everyday conversations. This knowledge will help you comprehend English as it is spoken in the United States and add variety to your word usage. Inside you will find: 2,000 entries with examples of everyday usage The latest idioms used in the American lexicon Fun illustrations that show the humor of taking expressions too literally
[...]... cracking down on ambulance chasers *American as apple pie Cliché quintessentially American (*Also: as ϳ.) ᮀ A small house with a white picket fence is supposed to be as American as apple pie the American dream Fig financial stability as well as physical and emotional comfort (From the notion that Americans are preoccupied with obtaining certain materialistic goals.) ᮀ The American dream of home ownership... ambitious person; a go-getter ᮀ I was a real ball of fire until my heart attack a ballpark figure Fig an estimate; an off-the-cuff guess ᮀ I don’t need an exact number A ballpark figure will do baptism of fire Fig a first experience of something, usually something difficult or unpleasant ᮀ My son’s just had his first visit to the dentist He stood up to this baptism of fire very well bare-bones Cliché limited;... aristocratic or wealthy ancestry ᮀ Because his great-grandparents made millions, he is regarded as one of the city’s blue bloods blue-collar Fig of the lower class or working class; of a job or a worker, having to do with manual labor (Compare this with white-collar Refers to the typical color of work shirts worn by mechanics, laborers, etc.) ᮀ His parents were both blue-collar workers He was the first person... number of times before she finally sought help from a doctor a bird’s-eye view 1 Fig a view seen from high above ᮀ From the top of the church tower you get a splendid bird’s-eye view of the village 2 Fig a brief survey of something; a hasty look at something (Fig on ! Alludes to the smallness of a bird’s eye.) ᮀ The course provides a bird’s-eye view of the works of Mozart, but it doesn’t deal with them... a yard wide *an all-out effort Fig a very good and thorough effort (*Typically: begin ϳ; have ϳ; make ϳ; start ϳ.) ᮀ We need to make an all-out effort to get this job done on time the almighty dollar Fig the U.S dollar, or the acquisition of money, when viewed as more important than anything else ᮀ It’s the almighty dollar that drives Wall Street thinking alpha and omega Fig the essentials, from the... have broken down, and it’s back to square one back to the drawing board Fig time to start from the start; it is time to plan something over again (Plans or schematics are 13 Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw- Hill Companies, Inc Click here for terms of use back to the salt mines drawn on a drawing board.) ᮀ It didn’t work Back to the drawing board back to the salt mines Cliché time to return to work, school,... couldn’t keep out of things, no matter how nasty they got above the law Fig not subject to the law; immune to the law ᮀ None of us is above the law We have to obey all of them 1 Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw- Hill Companies, Inc Click here for terms of use according to Hoyle according to Hoyle Fig according to the rules; in keeping with the way something is normally done (Refers to the rules for playing... traffic violation the apple of so’s eye Fig someone’s favorite person or thing; a boyfriend or a girlfriend ᮀ Tom is the apple of Mary’s eye She thinks he’s the greatest apple-polisher Fig a flatterer ᮀ Doesn’t that wimpy apple-polisher know how stupid he looks? *an arm and a leg Fig a great amount of money; more money than the value of the purchase warrants (*Typically: charge ϳ; cost ϳ; pay ϳ.) ᮀ... Fig strife; acrimony ᮀ There is a lot of blood and guts around here, but we get our work done anyway 21 blood, sweat, and tears 2 Inf Fig acrimonious (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) ᮀ Old blood-and-guts Albert is making his threats again blood, sweat, and tears Fig the signs of great personal effort ᮀ After years of blood, sweat, and tears, Timmy finally earned a college degree blow so a kiss... Fig very near; in close proximity (Usually used in regard to shooting.) ᮀ The powder burns tell us that the gun was fired at close range at cross-purposes Fig with opposing viewpoints; with goals that interfere with each other ᮀ Bill and Tom are working at cross-purposes They’ll never get the job done right at death’s door Fig very near the end of one’s life (Often an exaggeration.) ᮀ I was so ill that . Variable Idioms Although idioms are usually described as “fixed phrases,” most of them exhibit some type of variation. A much larger number of idioms present. chasers. *American as apple pie Cliché quintessentially American. (*Also: as ϳ.) ᮀ A small house with a white picket fence is supposed to be as American