Idiom Collection

An idiom is an accepted phrase having a meaning other than the literal. "Skating on thin ice" and "a blind alley" are two common examples. Idioms are a fun, playful part of language.

Don't break my heart by leaving without adding one to our collection! When you're done here, learn the Idiom of the Day from across the pond. For the new school year, now you can search and add comments to idioms!

• Laughter is the best medicine - Erica Bull 2005-01-06
• To be hung from your own petard; eating off both sides of the mushroom; like nailing Jello to a wall; the whole enchilada - Ben Kusmin, a student at Boston University School of Law 2004-12-10
• Took the wind out of his sails - John G. from Grand Junction, CO 2004-12-03
• Like a cat on a hot tin roof. - Christina C. from Yu-Tsai Elementary Schoo, Taiwan, ROC 2004-11-30
• Royal road - Amal.A from Lahore Grammer School 2004-11-21
• tip of the iceburg - Chelsea Smart from Helen S. Dunn School Olamon Maine 2004-11-16
• Heel to Birds within one stone - Nina Bringas,Lone Hill Middle School 2004-11-15
• A watched pot never boils - Nick Carton from Pioneer Middle School in Yorshire New York 2004-11-14
• Can't see the forest for the trees. - Nick Carton, from Pioneer Middle School, Yorkshire New York 2004-11-14
• Phoenician despair - idrissi nizar 2004-11-12
• the shirt of Nessus - idrissi nizar 2004-11-12
• itsy bitsy - Denis from Pearson College, Canada 2004-11-08
• When you are handed lemons, make lemonade! - anon 2004-11-03
• what's crackin - Ny'Nika Ozan from Attucks Middle School, Houston,Texas 2004-10-20
• break down - Jacklyn 2004-10-07
• The bubble gum doesn't stick! - Rachel Royce From Malboro Intermediate school in marlboro,MA 2004-09-22
• Like two cents waiting for change - A. McKenney from Simsboro High School, Simsboro, LA 2004-09-13
• Blood is thicker than water - Petra, Belgium 2004-09-02
• life is a bowl of cherries - Faya N. from MSLU, Moscow, Russia 2004-09-02
• To play a second fiddle to someone - nizar idrissi 2004-08-13
• Like a bear with a sore head - nizar idrissi 2004-08-13
• The pen is mightier than the sword - Casey Tan Chinese High 2004-08-11
• Scraping the bottom of the barrel - Paul McGrath, St James's Hospital LEEDS, UK 2004-07-05
• Even a blind pig will find an acorn - Noreen Litchfield, Rhode Island 2004-07-01 (1)
• Scarcer than hen's teeth - Hank Allers, Houston, TX Class of '58 2004-06-12
• Thick as a Brick - Mike Nelson from Florida 2004-06-08
• He or she has a kangaroo loose in the top paddock. - Jane Churchland 2004-06-06
• to have a skeleton in the cupboard - sadia 2004-05-25
• a pot calling a kettle black - anon 2004-05-10
• Bling Bling - Franklin School Room 308 2004-04-21
• A feather in one's cap - Jenny from Minneapolis, Minnesota 2004-04-20
• To heap coals in one's head - Sabrina A.Haque from Dhanmondi Tutorial 2004-04-19
• knee high to a grasshopper - Modern Daedalus 2004-04-15
• He's on top of the world - Vielka S. from I.S.131, Bronx, New. York. 2004-03-30
• Clip your wings - Artin Aidun from RCMS 2004-03-30
• Don't put all of your eggs in one basket - Shannon T from Carson Middle 2004-03-29
• You are too big for your britches - Alex K. from Rachel Carson Middle School, Herndon, Va 2004-03-27
• soup to nuts - anon 2004-03-11
• If more people knew the cat was out of the bag, then someone would have found the cat by now - Kelsie D, Carterville Intermediate School, Herrin Illinois 2004-02-28
• As thick as thieves - Kelsie D. from Herrin, Illinois 2004-02-28
• All's fair in love and war. - Styx 2004-02-12
• They're from Missouri - Dilesh Bansal, Dallas 2003-12-09
• Being empty does not ensure transparency - Benzi Farbstein 2003-12-04
• Read between the lines - Paul Heath from St Mary's CE, Manchester 2003-12-02
• Accidents will happen. - Amber Lin, from Aletheia University, Taiwan 2003-11-29 (1)
• in your face! - Erica 2003-11-26 (1)
• don't get "grumpy-frumpy" - Erica 2003-11-26
• what goes around comes around - Erica 2003-11-26 (1)
• knocked the wind out of me - Erica 2003-11-26
• Two hairs shorter than Blackbeard's beard - John De Young 2003-11-21
• Off the beaten path - Andy Johnson 2003-11-18
• scared to pieces - Karen - FSU 2003-11-10
• Your goose is cooked. - Valerie G., Cincinnati, OH 2003-11-10
• mm...awesome - Ross E 2003-11-09
• Make no bones about it - Anon 2003-10-30
• Busy as a beaver - Danielle G. from Pine Crest School, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 2003-10-27 (1)
• Birds of a feather flock together - Anne Brown, Kaplan College, Davenport, IA 2003-10-26 (1)
• Take the bull by the horns - Alex Kortman from Eagle Crest Charter School, Holland, MI 2003-10-24
• Attacking a straw man - Adam from Kwantlen University College, Vancouver BC, Canada 2003-10-23
• Break a leg - kaley W. from Eel river Middle/charter school 2003-10-23 (1)
• a few fries short of a happy meal - morgan 2003-10-23
• Snakes and adders - St Paul Catholic School 2003-10-21
• My life is in your hands! - Akkila T. from Claude Watson School for the Arts, Toronto, ON 2003-10-20
• Yo don't trip choclate chip! - melissa inez, houston, texas 2003-10-09 (1)
• to bet your marbles on it - Olivia K. from the Marlborough Intermediate School, Marlborough, MA 2003-10-07
• had a hard time - Melissa B. 2003-09-29
• Don't tread on me. - Jessica from Air Academy, Colorado 2003-09-24
• Tread softly and carry a big stick. - Jessica from Air Academy, Colorado 2003-09-24
• traffic was heavy - Janelle Mulvaney 2003-09-17
• Cat got your tongue? - Shellie from Alabama 2003-09-15 (1)
• like a fish without a bicycle - Justin T. 2003-09-01 (1)
• as daft as a brush - arnie from california 2003-08-29
• two sandwiches short of a picinic - Jessica K. '93 Mankato, MN 2003-08-21
• rode hard and put away wet - Jessica K. '93 Mankato, MN 2003-08-21
• To make no bones about it - Daisy Z. from Cherrybrook primary school year4 2003-07-23
• Like taking candy from a baby - Daisy Z. from Cherrybrook primary school year4 2003-07-23 (3)
• Bone-idle - Daisy Z. from Cherrybrook primary school year4 2003-07-23
• Hard head soft behind - marta 2003-07-08
• Whatever makes your feather fly! - Courtney O. Escambia, Pensacola Florida 2003-07-07
• Don't you look at me in that tone of voice. - Catie's Mom, Columbus, OH 2003-05-30
• French suggestion - Mary from Royal School, Darien, Connecticut 2003-05-20
• Eat my cake - Kyle H. From Stonybrook Middle school, Indianapolis Indiana 2003-05-14
• You look like the cat that ate the canary. - Anna from Glasgow, MO 2003-05-12
• Throw in the towel - William Poh from Christian Alliance, P.C. Lau Memorial, International School 2003-05-03
• It's a horse a piece. - Jennifer R from Butte des Morts School, Menasha WI 2003-04-28 (4)
• "Johnny on the rathole" - Kathy--Sidney, NE 2003-04-24
• Don't notice the speck in my eye, but notice the log in yours - Joey Battern 2003-04-21
• Curiousity killed the cat - Hi 2003-04-14
• All that glitters is not gold - Genevieve Pimenta from India 2003-04-14
• Any bird can build a nest, but it isn't everyone who can lay an egg! - Mike from San Diego 2003-04-13
• No matter what you feed a dog, a bulldog will never look like a grayhound. - Stanley S. 2003-04-04
• Hold your horses - Jenn Barnes from JLES 2003-03-30
• Hog-tied and branded - Melanie M. Fort Worth, TX USA 2003-03-30
• Hitting the nail on the head - anon 2003-03-29
• Old flame - Kiva McFetridge, from Oliveria Middle School, Brownsville,TX 2003-03-27
• If that isn't the man, I will eat my hat. - Yaodong Chen from Guangxi College of Technology, China 2003-03-26
• Dog eat Dog World - Akshay M. from Crone Middle School, Naperville, Illinois 2003-03-26
• Shake a leg. - Michael Leyba 2003-03-25
• Kentucky Windage - Karen, ESL tutor, PA 2003-03-21 (1)
• Keep your fingers crossed - Medic 2003-03-20

Special thanks to early supporters Woodbury Heights Elementary and Yahooligans, and, from Pine Crest School, teacher Mrs. Carol Sasadu and librarian supreme Mrs. Arlene McDace.