Idioms
- add fuel to the fire
- To inflame or worsen a bad situation.
Max was already upset. Your teasing him just added fuel to the fire.
- add up
- To make sense; to be consistent (usually negative)
John's excuse for not completing his homework just doesn't add up.
- against the grain
- Contrary to what is expected or preferred.
Mary has a difficult time getting along with others as she is inclined to go against the grain in everything she does.
- ahead of one's time
- In advance of current ideas and trends.
Some people describe Albert Einstein was a physicist ahead of his time.
- all ears
- Listening intently; eager to hear something.
So, you have some new gossip about Mary. I'm all ears.
- all fired up
- Excited; highly enthusiastic
I?m really fired up about the party next week.
- arm and a leg
- A very high cost; a large amount of money.
Many people are complaining that gas costs an arm and a leg nowadays.
- at the top of one's lungs
- In an extremely loud voice.
Max called out to Mary at the top of his lungs, but she didn?t hear him.
- ballpark figure
- A rough estimate within acceptable bounds.
Two months after the fire, the construction company gave us a ballpark figure on how much it would cost to rebuild our home.
- bang for the buck
- Value; efficiency; return on investment.
I?m not sure which car to buy. I?m trying to figure out which gives the greatest bang for the buck.
- bark up the wrong tree
- Pursue the wrong thing; to take the wrong approach.
Don?t ask me for a pay raise. You?re barking up the wrong tree. I have no authority to give anybody a pay raise.
- add up
- To make sense; to be consistent (usually negative)
John's excuse for not completing his homework just doesn't add up.
- bear in mind
- Remember; consider; note.
Bear in mind that money is not the most important thing in life.
- beat a dead horse
- To continue or persist talking about a topic or issue beyond normal interest.
I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but could we go over the plan just once more?
- beat around the bush
- To talk about a topic too indirectly or cautiously; to take a long time getting to the main point or idea.
Please stop beating around the bush and get to the point!
- beats me
- I don't know; this puzzles me.
Do you have any idea why Mary was upset? Beats me!
- bend over backwards
- To make a great effort; to go to great lengths.
Max bent over backwards to make sure that his boss was happy.
- beside the point
- Irrelevant, off the topic.
The color of the car is beside the point. What kind of gas mileage does it get?
- between a rock and a hard place
- Having the choice between two difficult or unacceptable options.
Max was between a rock and a hard place. He could fight in the war, which he didn?t believe in, or go to prison.
- bite one's tongue
- To stop oneself from speaking out.
Max quit his job because he was tired of biting his tongue every time his boss announced one of his stupid ideas.