English Idioms (H)
List of English idioms that start with H.
Hail Mary (n. or adj.) : A desperate, last-ditch attempt
Hair of the Dog (That Bit You) : A small amount of the alcoholic beverage that caused your hangover
Hands are Tied : You are prevented from doing something. It is not within your power
Hands Down: Undoubtedly
Hang It Up : To retire, to end an activity one has pursued for a long time
Hang Tough: Maintain one’s resolve
Hanging by a Thread : In great danger of elimination or failure
Happy-Go-Lucky : If you are a happy-go-lucky person, you are cheerful and carefree all the time.
Hard Nut to Crack : A difficult problem or a difficult person
Has the Cat Got Your Tongue? : Why are you not saying anything?
Hat Trick: Scoring three goals in hockey or soccer (football), or accomplishing three of anything.
Hatchet Job: A strong attack on someone’s reputation; intentionally destructive criticism; calumny
Haul Over the Coals: To scold someone severely
Have (one’s) head in the clouds : Not know what is happening around you or out of touch with reality
Have A Ball: To have a very enjoyable time
Have a Bone to Pick (with Someone) : To want to discuss something someone has done that has angered or annoyed you.
Have a Bone to Pick (with Someone) : To want to discuss something someone has done that has angered or annoyed you.
Have a Chip on One’s Shoulder : To harbor resentment; to have an angry attitude
Have a Dog in the Hunt (Fight, Race) : To support a certain person in a competition
Have a Lead Foot : A tendency to drive very fast
Have a Lot on One’s Plate : Be busy, be in the middle of many ongoing tasks
Have a Lot Riding On (Something) : Be depending on the successful outcome or development of something
Have a Nose for (Something) : To have natural ability at something, a talent for finding something
Have a Screw Loose : Be slightly unbalanced or crazy
Have a Tough Row to Hoe : Be faced with a task that is difficult because of unfavorable conditions
Have A Whale of A Time : To enjoy yourself very much
Have an Ace Up One’s Sleeve: To have a hidden advantage
Have Bigger Fish to Fry : Have more important things to do
Have Egg on Your Face : They are made to look foolish or embarrassed
Have Foot-in-Mouth Disease: To embarrass oneself through a silly mistake
Have Hand of Aces/Hold All the Aces : To be in a very strong position in a competition
Have It Out with Someone : To have an argument with someone in order to settle a dispute
Have One Foot in The Grave : To be near death (usually because of old age or illness)
Have One Over the Eight : A person is slightly drunk.
Have One Too Many: Drink too much alcohol
Have One’s Cake and Eat It, Too: To want two incompatible things (usually used in the negative)
Have Skin in the Game : Be risking something in an undertaking
Have Something in the Bag : Be certain to win
Have the Hots for (Somebody ): To be (sexually) attracted to somebody
Have the Hots for Somebody : Finding somebody extremely attractive
Have The Time of Your Life : If you have the time of our life, you enjoy yourself very much.
Have the Time of Your Life : To have a very fun, exciting, or enjoyable time
Have Your Nose in the Air: Have a snobbish or disdainful attitude
Have Your Say : Express your opinion on something
Have Your Thumb Up Your Ass : Have nothing to do
He Who Laughs Last Laughs Best : Being victorious is often a matter of simply surviving a conflict
He Would Put Legs Under A Chicken: He will talk your head off; he is very talkative
Head (Go) South : Decline, get worse
Head and Shoulders Above : Far superior to
Head and Shoulders : Above Far superior to
Head Start : An advantage over everyone else
Heads Up (excl.) : Get ready! Be prepared
Heads Up !: Be careful!
Heads Will Roll (Are Going to Roll) : People will be fired
Heads Will Roll (Are Going to Roll) : People will be fired
Hear (Something) Through the Grapevine : To learn something via gossip
Heart and Sou l: With all one’s energy or affection
Heavens Open : Start to rain heavily
Heavy Hitter: A powerful, influential person
Helicopter Parenting: Overattentive child-raising
Hell for Leather : Very fast, as fast as possible
High as a Kite: Strongly under the influence of drugs or intoxcants
High as a Kite: Strongly under the influence of drugs or intoxcants
High as a Kite: Strongly under the influence of drugs or intoxcants
Hightail It (Out of There ): Flee
Highways and Byways: You take large and small roads to visit every part of the country.
Hit a Wall : suddenly stop making forward progress
Hit It Out of the Park: Succeed brilliantly
Hit the Books : To study (generally said of students
Hit the Ground Running: To begin a job or project with no learning or training period needed
Hit the Hay : To go to bed
Hit the Jackpot : Do something that brings great success
Hit the Nail on the Head: To be absolutely correct (said of an utterance)
Hit the Road : To leave
Hit the Roof : Explode in rage; become extremely angry
Hit the Roof : To become very angry
Hit the Sack: To go to bed
Hit the Spot : Be very satisfying (said of something eaten)
Hive Mind : The knowledge of humans as a group
Hobson’s Choice : A choice among bad options
Hold One’s Liquor : Be able to drink a large amount without being affected
Hold One’s Peace: Be silent
Hold the Phone : Wait a moment (whether you’re on the phone or not)
Hold the Phone : Wait a moment (whether you’re on the phone or not)
Hold Your Horses (generally excl.) : Stop; restrain yourself; don’t be so excited
Home Away from Home : A habitual hangout; a place one frequents often and where one feels welcome
Home Truths : Honest, often painful criticism
Honor System : A system of payments that relies on the honesty of those paying
Hot Mess: Something or someone in a state of extreme disorder
Hot on the Heels (of) : In close pursuit
Hot on the Heels (of) : In close pursuit
Hot Potato: A controversial subject or difficult project that is best avoided
Idioms (I)
List of English idioms that start with I.
I Wouldn’t Put It Past (Someone) : I think it’s quite possible that [this person] would do this.
If It Had Been a Snake, It Would Have Bitten Me : It was very obvious, but I missed it.
If the Shoe Fits, Wear It: If this description of you is accurate, accept it.
I’m All Ears : You have my attention, so you should talk
In a Fog : Confused, not mentally alert
In a Heartbeat: Immediately. This is especially used in hypothetical situations
In a Jam : In need of help, in a difficult spot
In a New York Minute : Very quickly
In a Nutshell: Expressed in a few words
In a Pickle : In need of help, in a difficult spot
In a Rut : Confined by routine, bored and seeking new experiences
In Broad Daylight : When something occurs in broad daylight, it means the event is clearly visible
In Clover : Benefiting from a positive financial situation
In For a Penny, In for a Pound : Committed to something even though the risks are increasing
In Full Swing : When something, such as an event, gets into full swing, it is at its busiest or liveliest time.
In His Cups : Drunk
In Hot Water : In need of help; in trouble
In One Fell Swoop: All at once, in a single action
In One’s Element: In a situation which is entirely suitable, familiar, or enjoyable.
In Someone’s Wheelhous e: In someone’s strongest area of competence or enthusiasm
In Touch : In contact
In the Blink of an Eye : Quickly, seemingly instantaneously
In the Cards: Likely; likely to occur
In the Crosshairs (Cross Hairs) : Targeted for blame or criticism
In the Dark : Not informed
In the Dark : Unaware of something
In the Driver’s Sea t: In a dominant position, in control
In the Hot Seat: Undergoing criticism or scrutiny; under pressure publicly
In the Interim : It denotes a period of time between something that ended and something that happened afterwards
In the Limelight, In the Spotlight : Receiving large amounts of publicity or attention
In the Long Run: Over an extended period of time
In the Nick of Time : Just in time; with no time to spare
In the opinion of the speaker, a person has just spent money unnecessarily and is, therefore, a fool.
In the Pipeline : Being prepared for the marketplace, being worked on
In the Red : Losing money; (of a market index) below a specified starting point
In the Same Boat : In a similar situation; similarly vulnerable
In the Toilet : In disastrous condition
In the Works: Under development; coming soon
Iron Out (Problems, Difficulties): To resolve
Is the Pope Catholic?: Isn’t the answer obvious?
It Never Rains but It Pours : Bad luck and bad things tend to happen at the same time
It Takes Two to Tango : When something goes wrong involving two people, it’s likely that they share the blame; cooperation is necessary
It Takes Two to Tango : You say this when you think that a difficult situation or argument cannot be the fault of one person alone.
It Won’t Fly : It won’t work; it won’t be approved.
Itchy Feet : A person who has itchy feet is someone who finds it difficult to stay in one place and likes to travel and discover new places.
It’s a Wash: A positive and a negative development cancel each other out, so the situation has neither improved nor gotten worse
It’s All Greek to Me : It is unintelligible, impossible to understand
It’s No Skin off My (Your) Nose (Back) : The outcome will not affect me personally
It’s Not Over Till the Fat Lady Sings : Do not give up too soon; things may improve.
It’s Not Rocket Science : It’s not difficult to understand.
I’ve Had It Up to Here : My patience is almost exhausted.
