IDIOMS (B)
List of English idioms that start with B.
➡️Babe In Arms: A baby being carried
➡️Babe In The Wood s: An innocent, naive person
➡️Babe Magnet : A man to whom women are attracted
➡️Baby Blues : Blue eyes.
➡️Baby Boomer: A person born in the years following World War II, when there was a temporary marked increase in the birth rate
➡️Babysitter Test : An evaluation of the ease of use of household appliances, especially remote control devices
➡️Back And Forth : Dialogue, negotiations
➡️Back At You: Same to you (used to return a greeting or insult)
➡️Back Burner (On The) : Not urgent; set aside until later
➡️Back Forty : Remote, inaccessible land
➡️Back in the Day: Formerly, when I was younger, in earlier times
➡️Back Of Beyond : A remote location
➡️Back Office : Support services for a business
➡️Back on One’s Feet : Physically healthy again
➡️Back to Square One : Back to the start
➡️Back to Square One : Forced to begin something again
➡️Back to the Drawing Board : Forced to begin something again
➡️Back to the Salt Mine(s) : We have to go back to work.
➡️Back to the Salt Mines : It’s time for me (us) to go back to work
➡️Back the Wrong Horse : To support the losing side
➡️Backing and Filling : Delaying a decision by making small changes or arguing about small details
➡️Backseat Driver : A passenger in a car who gives unwanted advice to the driver is called a backseat driver.
➡️Backseat Driver : Someone who likes to give (often annoying) advice to the driver of a car, or the leader of some other enterprise
➡️Bad Apple : A discontented, trouble making, or dishonest person
➡️Bad Blood : Enmity or hatred that stems from something in the past
➡️Bad Egg: Someone who is not to be trusted
➡️Bad Taste In One’s Mouth : Unease, a feeling that something unspecified is wrong in a situation
➡️Bag of Tricks: A set of methods or resources
➡️Bail Out : To rescue someone from a bad situation, to shield someone from the consequences of his or her actions
➡️Ball and Chain : 1. One’s spouse (derogatory but often affectionate); 2. an ongoing burden
➡️Ballpark Figure: A rough estimate
➡️Banner Year: A year marked by strong successes
➡️Bang for Your Buck: Value for money
➡️Bang for Your Buck: Value for your money
➡️Bang One’s Head Against the Wall (Against a Brick Wall) :Try repeatedly to do something without making progress
Baptism by Fire: A difficult task given right after one has assumed new responsibilities
Bar Fly (or Barfly) : Someone who spends much of his or her time in bars
Bare One’s Heart (Soul) : To confess one’s deepest secrets
Bark Up the Wrong Tree : Pursue a mistaken approach or belief; be wrong in a course of action
Basket Case : So upset or stunned that one is unable to function; in a hopeless condition
Bat/Play for Both Teams : To be bisexual.
Bat/Play for the Other Team : To be homosexual.
Batten Down the Hatches : Prepare for a storm
Batten Down the Hatches : Prepare for a storm
Be A Barrel of Laughs: To be fun, funny, and pleasant.
Be A Cold Day In Hell: (Something that) will never happen
Be An Item : Two people are an item when they are having a romantic relationship
Be Footloose and Fancy-Free : To be free of responsibilities, including romantic commitments
Be Head Over Heels (In love) : Be in love with somebody very much
Be in Seventh Heaven : Extremely happy
Be in Two Minds (about something) : To not be certain about something, or to have difficulty in making a decision
Be Like Chalk and Cheese: Things or people who are very different and have nothing in common
Be Lovey – Dovey: Expressing your love in public by constantly kissing and hugging
Be on the Mend: Be improving after an illness
Be Snowed Under: Be extremely busy with work or things to do
Bean Counters : Accountants, finance professionals in an organization
Bean Counters : Accountants, finance professionals in an organization
Beat Around the Bush: To speak in a roundabout way in order to avoid confronting an unpleasant topic
Beat Someone To The Draw : To accomplish or obtain something more quickly than someone else
Beat Someone to the Punch : Do something before or faster than someone else
Beat the Drum for (Something) : Speak in favor of something to try to generate support
Beauty Is Only Skin Deep : External appearance is a superficial basis for judging someone
Bed of Roses : A comfortable situation
Bedroom Eyes : An expression of the eyes that seems to invite sex
Bee in One’s Bonnet : Someone who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea which constantly occupies their thoughts.
Beggar Thy Neighbor : To do something beneficial for oneself without worrying about how it affects others
Behind the Eight (or 8) Ball : At a serious disadvantage
Behind the Scene s: In a way not apparent to the public
Behind the Times : Old-fashioned
Bell the Cat : Take on a difficult or impossible task
Bells And Whistles : Attractive but unnecessary features of a product
Belly Laugh : Loud, hearty laughter
Bend an Elbow: Drink alcoholic beverages at a tavern
Best (Greatest) Thing Since Sliced Bread : An innovative development
Best of Both Worlds : Combining two qualities that are usually separate
Bet One’s Bottom Dollar (On Something) : Be certain that something will happen
Bet the Farm : Risk everything; spend all one’s money on something in hopes of success
Better late Than Never : It implies that a belated achievement is better than not reaching a goal at all.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place : Caught between two undesirable options
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea : In a difficult position
Beyond the Pale : Too morally or socially extreme to accept
Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt : Absolutely certain
Big Apple : An informal name for New York City
Big Brother : Government, viewed as an intrusive force in the lives of citizens; government spying
Big Cheese : An important person in a company or organization
Big Deal : An important event or accomplishment
Big Fish : An important person
Big Picture : A wide perspective; a broad view of something
Big time : If you do something big time, you do it to a great degree.
Birds of a Feather: People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.
Bird’s-Eye View : A view from above; a broad perspective on something
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew : Try to do more than one is capable of doing
Bite the Bullet : To do something even though it involves pain, discomfort, or difficulty
Bite the Hand That Feeds You: Act badly toward someone who has helped you
Bitter Pill to Swallow : An unpleasant fact that one must accept
Black and White: A clear distinction between good and bad, positive and negative
Black Eye : A mark of shame
Black Sheep : A person who does not fit into a group, especially a family
Black-and-Blue : Bruised, showing signs of having been physically harmed
Blank Check: Permission to spend or do whatever one wishes; carte blanche
Blind Date : When two people who have never seen each other before go on a date
Blinded by Love : When a person is so madly in love with somebody that they can’t see the person’s faults or negative characteristics
Blood and Thunder: A dramatic, spectacular performance
Blow Away the Cobwebs : If something blows away the cobwebs, it makes you feel more lively and refreshes your ideas.
Blow Hot and Cold : Shift one’s level of enthusiasm repeatedly
Blow Off Steam : To express anger and frustration in a way that does no damage
Blow One’s Top: Lose one’s temper
Blow One’s Stack: To lose one’s temper and explode in anger
Blow the Cobwebs Away (or Out of Something) : Make space for fresh ideas, encourage something new
Blow the Whistle : Reporting an illegal or unacceptable activity to the authorities
Blow Up : Explode
Blow Your Own Trumpet : Brag; emphasize one’s own contributions
Blue Blood (adj. blue-blooded): Person of aristocratic background
Blue Eyed Boy: A person who is a favorite of those in authority; someone whose mistakes are forgiven
Blue Light Special : 1. a temporary sale at a discount store. 2. a traffic stop by the police.
Bob’s Your Uncle : The rest is easy; you’re almost finished
Bolt From the Blue : Something completely unexpected
Bone Dry: Completely dry, totally without moisture
Born on The Wrong Side of the Blanket: Born to parents who were not married
Borrow Trouble : Take needless risks, invite problems
Bottom of the Barrel: Low-quality choices
Boy Toy: A young man who is the lover of an older, often wealthier woman (see toyboy)
Boys will be Boys : A phrase of resignation used when boys get into trouble or are stereotypically reckless or rowdy
Brainstorm: To generate many ideas quickly
Break a Leg : Good luck! This is used for a stage performer-or for anyone else who is about to give some kind of a performance, such as an important speech
Break Out in A Cold Sweat : To perspire from fever or anxiety
Break the Bank: Exhaust one’s financial resources
Break The Ice : To get something started, particularly by means of a social introduction or conversation
Break up/ Split up (With Somebody) : End the relationship
Bring Home the Bacon : Earn money for one’s family
Bringing a Knife to a Gunfight : Underequipped or unprepared
Brush Under the Carpet : Attempt to temporarily conceal a problem or error
Bucket List: Things you want to see or do before you die
Bull in a China Shop : A clumsy or tactless person
Bump in the Road : A temporary problem, a small setback
Bundle Up : Put on lots of warm clothing
Burn One’s Bridges : Leave a job or a relationship on such bad terms that one does not stay in contact
Burn the Candle at Both Ends: To work too hard, with possible bad consequences for one’s health
Burn the Candle at Both Ends: Work very long hours
Burn the Midnight Oil : To work late into the night
Burn the Midnight Oil : Working late into the night
Bury (Hide) One’s Head In the Sand : Ignoring something that’s obviously wrong, not facing reality
Bury the Hatchet: Make peace, agree to end a dispute
Business as Usual: A normal situation (whether related to business or not), typically restored after some change
Busman’s Holiday (UK): A working vacation
Busman’s Holiday: A vacation where you do the same thing you do at work, a working vacation
Busted Flush : A failure, someone or something that seemed promising but did not develop well
Butter Wouldn’t Melt in (Someone’s) : Mouth This person is cool in manner, prim and proper
Buy a Pig in a Poke: To buy something with no prior inspection
Buy Time : Cause a delay in something with the aim of improving one’s position
By a Whisker : By a very short distance
By All Means : Of course, certainly
By Hook or by Crook: By some possibly dishonest means
By the Skin of One’s Teeth : Barely escaping disaster
By Word of Mouth: Via personal communications rather than written media
