and Idiom
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
having one is better than seeing many When searching for a better job, remember A bird in the hand... .
a firm hand
a person who will discipline people The students in Grade 8 need a teacher with a firm hand.
a fool and his money are soon parted
"a fool will spend all his money quickly; easy come, easy go" After he had spent his fortune, he remembered this saying: A fool and his money are soon parted.
a free hand
complete authority, freedom to control The President gave Ms. Drake a free hand in choosing the colors.
a grandfather clause
a written statement that protects a senior worker They can't demote him because he has a grandfather clause.
a handful
a child who is difficult to manage Jason is not easy to manage. He is a real handful for his mother.
a handout
free food or money, freeload I'm not asking for a handout. I'll pay you back when I find work.
a helping hand
help with a job or task, lend a hand May was always ready with a helping hand.
a hot hand
lucky in card games or at gambling Walter's got a hot hand tonight. He's won four games of poker.
a jim dandy
a fine piece of work, a beautiful object Mom, you should just see this saddle. It's a jim dandy!
a lick and a promise
a hasty plan, a promise made without much thought If you get married on a lick and a a promise, you may need a lot of good luck.
a picture is worth a thousand words
a picture is easier to understand than a report or essay Instead of more talk, I'll draw thousand words a diagram. A picture is worth a thousand words.
above and beyond the call of duty
much more than expected, go the extra mile Her extra work was above and beyond the call of duty.
all's fair in love and war
there are no rules to guide you in love or war, that's life When your girlfriend leaves you for your best friend, remember, All's fair in love and war.
all the bells and whistles
a lot of extra features, lots of goodies, loaded When Horst sold his business he bought a motorhome with all the bells and whistles.
all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
do not work too long, take time for recreation, take time to smell... When I picked up my overtime cheque, Karen reminded me that All work and no play... .
an arm and a leg
(cost) a large amount of money His new car must have cost him an arm and a leg.
an old hand at
a person with a lot of practice or experience Tom's an old hand at cribbage. He's played since he was a boy.
and how
very much The kids love pizza - and how!
and stuff
and other things or activities, et cetera We were watchin' TV an' stuff, just hangin' out.
and that's that
that is final, that is the way it will be done You will be home by 10 p.m., and that's that!
and then some
and much more besides.
arm and a leg
pay a very high price for something that isn't worth it My father paid an arm and a leg for his car but he really enjoys driving it.
at hand
easy to reach, nearby I couldn't find any tools near at hand so I was unable to fix the stove.
at sixes and sevens
in a state of confusion Everyone was at sixes and sevens after the announcement that the company was going out of business.
at the hands of
while competing against, when fighting It was at the hands of his former student that he was defeated.
at your beck and call
serving you, doing everything for you You don't have to be at his beck and call, doing whatever he asks.
bag and baggage
everything you own, all of one's possessions The next day, he moved into her apartment - bag and baggage.
bat a thousand
hit every time at bat, win every competition I've had two interviews and two offers. I'm batting a thousand!
be in and out
be at and away from a place during a particular time.
be up and running
" (for a technological process) be operational; be ready to"
beck and call
(See at your beck and call)
bells and whistles
(See all the bells and whistles)
between a rock and a hard place
in a difficult position, making a difficult choice, Sophie's choice If I told the truth, I would lose my friend. I was between a rock and a hard place.
between sixes and sevens
(See at sixes and sevens)
between the devil and the deep blue sea
in a difficult position, no place to go, between a rock..., Sophie's choice "If he ran, they would shoot him; if he stayed in the shop, the gas would kill him. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea."
betwixt and between
not able to choose one or the other, ambivalent Which should I choose - PC or Mac? I'm betwixt and between.
bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
one shouldn
birds and bees
the facts about sex and birth He learned about the birds and bees in his health education class at school.
bite the hand that feeds one
turn against or hurt a helper or supporter, repay kindness with wrong My niece is biting the hand that feeds her if she keeps abusing the help that her parents are giving her.
bite the hand that feeds you
be unkind to the one who cares for you or pays you If you criticize your employer, you bite the hand that feeds you.
bits and pieces
small pieces, odds and ends Jack built our cabin with bits and pieces - leftover materials.
black and white
thinking of everything or judging everything as either good or bad He tries to see everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible.
blow this popsicle stand
leave this place, quit this place What a boring town! Let's blow this popsicle stand!
brand new
absolutely new He was finally able to buy a brand-new car.
brand new/ brand spanking new
not used at all, just off the assembly line Imagine a brand new Mercedes in an accident. What a shame!
bread and butter
basic needs of life (food,shelter,clothing) The voters are worried about bread and butter issues like jobs and taxes.
break and enter
break a lock or window to enter illegally, B&E They were charged with break and enter. They stole some cash.
bright eyed and bushy tailed
frisky, lively, full of life Perry is bright eyed and bushy tailed tonight. He looks rested.
bump and grind
walk or dance in a sexy way A seminude dancer was bumping and grinding under red lights.
