Database

Idioms

1,235Total

Showing 50 of 1,235 (page 10).

dawn on

To become apparent to someone

“It DAWNED ON ME that we'd been forgotten.”

dawn on someone

To suddenly realize something

“IT DAWNED ON ME that I was wrong.”

day in the sun

A period of success or recognition

“He had HIS DAY IN THE SUN in the eighties.”

day late and a dollar short

Too delayed and insignificant to have much effect

“You're A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT”

dead as a doornail

Completely lifeless; unusable

“It's DEAD AS A DOORNAIL”

dead heat

A tie in a race

“The race ended in A DEAD HEAT”

dead ringer

Very similar in appearance

“She's A DEAD RINGER for her sister”

dead set against

Strongly opposed to something

“I'M DEAD SET AGAINST this plan”

dead to the world

Fast asleep

“He was DEAD TO THE WORLD”

dead wood

Useless people or things in an organization

“We need to clear out THE DEAD WOOD.”

deafening silence

A meaningful lack of response

“Her question was met with DEAFENING SILENCE”

devil's advocate

To present a counter argument; to argue against a view for the sake of testing it

“Let me play DEVIL'S ADVOCATE for a moment”

diamond in the rough

Someone or something that is good but not yet refined or developed

“He's A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH”

die is cast

A decision has been made and it cannot be changed

“THE DIE IS CAST, I'm afraid.”

dig your heels in

To refuse to change your position

“She DUG HER HEELS IN and refused to compromise.”

dig your own grave

To cause your own failure or ruin

“You're DIGGING YOUR OWN GRAVE”

dinosaur

An old person or thing that is no longer important or useful

“He's A DINOSAUR”

dip your toes in

To try something cautiously

“I'm just DIPPING MY TOES IN”

dirty dog

A contemptible or untrustworthy person

“That DIRTY DOG betrayed me”

dirty look

A facial manner that signifies disapproval

“She gave me A DIRTY LOOK”

dish it out

To give criticism, punishment, or comments

“He can DISH IT OUT but can't take it”

ditch someone

To leave or abandon someone

“He DITCHED ME at the party.”

do a double take

To look twice because you're surprised

“I DID A DOUBLE TAKE when I saw the price.”

do a number on someone

To hurt or damage someone emotionally

“The redundancy process DID A NUMBER ON him.”

do a runner

To leave quickly, often to avoid paying

“He DID A RUNNER from the restaurant”

do one's bit

To contribute one's share

“Everyone needs to DO THEIR BIT for the environment”

do time

To serve a prison sentence

“He DID TIME for fraud in the nineties.”

dodge a bullet

To narrowly escape disaster

“We DODGED A BULLET”

dog and pony show

An elaborate presentation or display

“The meeting was just A DOG AND PONY SHOW”

dog days

Very hot days

“It's THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER”

dog eat dog

Ruthless competition

“It's DOG EAT DOG in this industry”

dog eat dog world

Intensely competitive situation

“It's A DOG EAT DOG WORLD”

dog tired

Extremely tired

“I'm DOG TIRED after that workout”

don't bug me

Don't bother or annoy me

“I'm busy - DON'T BUG ME”

don't count your chickens

Don't make plans for something that may not happen

“DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS”

don't count your chickens before they hatch

Don't assume that something will happen or be successful before it actually occurs

“DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH”

don't give up the day job

You are not very good at something; you could definitely not do it professionally

“After that performance, I'd say DON'T GIVE UP THE DAY JOB”

don't hold your breath

Don't expect something to happen soon

“The project may start soon, but DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH”

don't judge a book by its cover

Don't be deceived by looks; don't rely on looks when judging someone or something

“DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER”

don't put all your eggs in one basket

Do not put all your resources in one possibility

“DON'T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET”

done and dusted

Completely finished; completed

“It's DONE AND DUSTED”

done to a T

Perfectly; exactly right

“Your suit fits YOU TO A T”

donkey's years

A very long time

“I haven't seen him in DONKEY'S YEARS”

doubting thomas

A skeptic who needs proof

“Don't be SUCH A DOUBTING THOMAS”

down and out

Penniless; without success

“He was DOWN AND OUT for years”

down in the dumps

Feeling sad or depressed

“She's been DOWN IN THE DUMPS lately”

down the drain

Wasted; lost

“All our efforts went DOWN THE DRAIN”

down the road

In the future (in your lifetime)

“DOWN THE ROAD”

down to earth

Practical and realistic

“She's very DOWN TO EARTH”

down to the wire

Until the very last moment

“It went DOWN TO THE WIRE”

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