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!

• ain't just whistling Dixie - CYF 2001-12-10
• Did you just fall off the pumpkin truck? - cyf 2001-12-10
• I was born in the morning, but not THIS morning - cyf 2001-12-10 (1)
• snatch you bald headed - cyf 2001-12-10 (1)
• adding salt to the wound - CYF 2001-12-10
• lower the boom - CYF 2001-12-10
• The lights are on but nobody's home - cyf 2001-12-10
• Like a duck on a junebug - CYF 2001-12-10
• Having bones in the nose - Alyssa R. from Butte Central School in Butte, MT 2001-12-09
• monkey business - bryan nipmuc h/s upton mass 2001-12-05
• Whatever cranks your twine. - Anna Paulson, Crestwood 2nd Grade, Covington, WA. 2001-12-04
• fiddlesticks - Grand Pooh 2001-12-04
• Your elevator does not go all the way to the top. - Breezy from Corpus Christi, South Bend, Indiana 2001-12-04 (1)
• Slower than molasses in January! - Allison T. from Grant Elementary, Tacoma, Washington 2001-12-04
• Made from scratch - Gayle Haack Winona, MN 2001-12-02
• Charley horse - Gayle Haack Winona,MN 2001-12-02
• Killed two birds with one stone - Denise P. 2001-12-02
• If the walls had ears...... - John T. from PS 42, Staten Island, NY 2001-12-01
• like squeezing blood from a turnip - Anon 2001-12-01
• "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" - ~*ViViAn C.*~ FrOm Los Angeles, CA 2001-11-29 (2)
• I know enough to know that I don't know enough! - Rev. John B. Haan 2001-11-29 (2)
• It's a piece of cake! - Ray S. from Shaw Butte School, Phoenix, AZ 2001-11-29 (15)
• A penny for your thoughts - Barbara Owen 2001-11-28 (1)
• My eyes were bigger than my stomach on Thanksgiving. - Jessi H. from South Elementary, Hingham, MA 2001-11-28 (2)
• All that glitters is not gold - Heather M. 2001-11-28 (1)
• To have a heart of gold - Heather M. 2001-11-28 (4)
• As good as gold - Heather M. 2001-11-28 (2)
• To be worth its weight in gold - Heather M. 2001-11-28
• There are more pebbles in the sea - Roberta Herrera 2001-11-28 (2)
• Hay is for horses - Barbara Owen 2001-11-28 (1)
• Slicker 'en snought - Chandra T. from Sinclair Community College Dayton, Ohio 2001-11-26 (1)
• It's raining cats and dogs - Stephanie C from RTS middle school 2001-11-26 (8)
• beggers can't be choosers - Zack A. from Susquehanna Valley Middle School, Conklin, New York 2001-11-26 (3)
• black sheep of the family - catie deehan from HSA columbus ohio 2001-11-25 (1)
• Living a dog's life - HSA OH 2001-11-25 (3)
• If the shoe fits wear it - HSA OH 2001-11-25 (3)
• Reads you like a book - HSA OH 2001-11-25 (2)
• Keep it under your hat - HSA OH 2001-11-25 (2)
• You're just spinin' your wheels - HSA OH 2001-11-25
• Blind in one eye and can't see out the other - catie HSA OH 2001-11-25 (1)
• He's a tall drink of water - catie deehan from HSA columbus ohio 2001-11-25 (1)
• She's on cloud nine - catie deehan from HSA Columbus, Ohio 2001-11-25 (1)
• She aint whistle and dixie - Catie Deehan from HSA Columbus, Ohio 2001-11-25 (3)
• raining cats and dogs - Eric Beinhorn from Oak Creek Elementary , Lake Oswego, Oregon 2001-11-25 (5)
• He cleaned your clock - Catie Deehan HSA OH 2001-11-25 (1)
• You're a BB brain - Catie Deehan from HSA Columbus, Ohio 2001-11-25 (3)
• straight arrow - Catie Deehan from HSA Columbus, Ohio 2001-11-25 (1)
• pigheaded - Catie Deehan HSA OH 2001-11-25 (2)
• Bats in the belfry - Catie Deehan HSA OH 2001-11-25
• Chicken Hearted - hsa OH 2001-11-25 (1)
• Home is where the heart is. - Alison Stearns, Russel Sage Junior High, JHS 190, Forest Hills, NY 2001-11-21 (1)
• There are no two ways about it - Joe 2001-11-19
• To have a finger in too many pies - Dania Meraj. from The City School 2001-11-17 (1)
• Break a Leg - Lori D.; Holy Angels School; Ohio 2001-11-16 (3)
• He lost his marbles! - Katie Brown 2001-11-15 (4)
• Don't let them walk all over you - Nick M. Papillion Jr. high 8th grade 2001-11-15
• Running up a bill! - Kaitlyn from Divine Redeemer Catholic School, Colorado Springs, Colorado 2001-11-14 (1)
• He kicked the bucket - Lauren B. from GroveCrest School, Pleasant Grove, Utah 2001-11-12 (5)
• Going to h*** in a handbasket - John R. 2001-11-11 (2)
• silver-tongued - Megan A. from Harahan, Louisiana 2001-11-11
• The cat died for being curious - Daniel Lee From Mountain Veiw School, Arizona 2001-11-08 (9)
• 1. What does carry the ball 2. can't hold a candle to 3. carry coals to newcastles 4. cheek by jowl mean - Heather Yule PGRH 2001-11-08
• A can of corn - Walter from Green River CC in Auburn, WA 2001-11-08 (2)
• Pushing me to the edge - Kevin Chavez, from Cruickshnk MiddleSchool 2001-11-08 (1)
• It's time to slow down and catch up! - Dave Flint from Columbia English School, Taiwan 2001-11-08 (1)
• Up a creek without a paddle - Anne from Carlisle, MA 2001-11-07 (3)
• Let's paint the town red! - Sidney Anderson from Cruickshank Middle School, Merced, Ca 2001-11-06
• A man's work is from sun to sun, a woman's work is never done - Alex from Q of A, Pewaukee, Wi 2001-11-06 (4)
• You can't have your cake and eat it too! - Stacy Anderson from Hoover Middle School, Merced, CA 2001-11-06 (4)
• Paint the town red! - Meghan 2001-11-06 (1)
• You need to get off your high horse. - April J. from Ridgemoor Elementary, Sun City, California 2001-11-06 (1)
• Let's make like dough and roll. - Cori Rose from Winslow School, Vineland, NJ 2001-11-06 (1)
• crocodile tears - Shristi 2001-11-04 (3)
• People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones - Kaila from Drischool M.S, San Antonio Texas 2001-11-03 (1)
• "a bed of roses","bone of contention","a man of letters" - Arslan Tahir FROM (BSS)ISLAMABAD,PAKISTAN 2001-11-03 (1)
• 2 Donkeys - BryanS. Stonewall Jackson Middle Charleston WV 2001-11-01
• Airing your dirty laundry in public. - Marlee M. from LBJ Ms 2001-11-01
• clean as a whistle - Jim A. from Indianapolis 2001-10-30 (1)
• dead as a doornail - Jim A. from Indianapolis 2001-10-30 (1)
• neat as a pin - Jim A. from Indianapolis 2001-10-30 (1)
• fit as a fiddle - Jim A. from Indianapolis 2001-10-30 (2)
• He is educated above his level of intelligence - Rodney Kelley 2001-10-30 (4)
• Bite your tongue - Sonja Eide from Victoria Elem., Riverside, California 2001-10-29 (2)
• He is in a pickle - 2001-10-28 (1)
• Give someone a cold shoulder. - Tony D from N.J. 2001-10-26 (1)
• knock the pins out from under us - Sasha M. from erin mills senior school, mississauga, ontario 2001-10-24
• "Curiosity killed the cat...and satisfaction brought him back" - Douglas B. From: Mount Royal College 2001-10-23 (1)
• Doesn't know come here from sicum! - Keith Wellman 2001-10-23
• Go jump the fence - Chris Wellman, from School Of The Plains, OKC,OK 2001-10-23
• Don't cry over spilt milk - Kate from Des Moines, IA 2001-10-21 (2)
• You're pulling my leg! - Kay S. Rockford, MI 2001-10-21 (3)
• Light at the end of the tunnel - Sally Adler from Virginia Tech 2001-10-19 (1)
• Don't rock the boat - Shaniqua G. from L.M.B. Middle Richmond, VA. 2001-10-16
• The fox is at the larder. - Tony C. from Maple Point Middle School, Langhorne, PA 2001-10-16 (1)
• a dime a dozen - Wally S from Chester Newton Montessori School 2001-10-16
• Cat got your tongue? - Katie S. from BCMS,Edwards,CO 2001-10-15 (2)
• Don't look a gift horse in the mouth! - Sarah G. , From Goodrich Middle School, Goodrich, Michigan 2001-10-15
• If your horse dies, dismount! - Matt S. 2001-10-15 (1)
• Near dead never filled the kirk yard (cemetary) - Myra, Nairn, Scotland 2001-10-13
• back to the drawing board - Cassie from Wilson MS, Appleton, Wisconsin 2001-10-12

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.