| Idiom |
Where Used |
Meaning |
| (the) tail that wags the dog |
Global |
The reversal of a normal control-reaction relationship. Often used in reference to relationships of authority and subjugation. Normally a dog wags its tail, not the other way around. To have misplaced priorities, with the less important part controlling the main thing. See also: put the cart before the horse. |
| take a flyer |
|
To take a chance or risk. |
| take a hike |
AUS, USA |
To go away. |
| take a powder |
|
To leave. Especially: to leave unexpectedly and without a firm (or any) intention to return. Often used to describe the actions of a man who abandons family or other obligations when conditions no longer suit him |
| take five; take ten |
AUS, USA |
Pause, take a short or break, as of five (or ten) minutes. (OED: "US Colloquial", from 1929[1]; ADHI[2] |
| take it easy |
Global |
Don't hurry, proceed at a comfortable place, relax; also used as a farewell statement in the same way as "good bye." |
| take it on the chin |
|
Accept a difficult situation without complaining. |
| take it or leave it |
Global |
Accept or reject unconditionally. |
| take the mickey; take the piss (out of someone) |
AUS, UK |
Making fun (of someone). |
| take the edge off something |
AUS, UK, USA |
To slightly diminish the effects of something. E.g "She ate a biscuit to take the edge off her hunger." |
| take the shine off something |
UK |
To diminish the merits of something. E.g. "The boring speeches at the end of the dinner took the shine off the evening." |
| take the wind out of somebody's sails |
AUS, UK |
To render someone's argument useless, or to make their efforts useless. |
| take to the cleaners |
Global |
Defrauded, robbed, cheated, conned. |
| teach an old dog new tricks |
Global |
To change longstanding habits, especially in a person who of an older generation. References the difficulty of changing one's ways in an ever-changing society. |
| tee many martoonies |
USA |
Humorous spoonerism to indicate alcohol-induced intoxication ("too many martinis") |
| tell it to the marines |
Global |
"I do not believe what you said." Originated among British sailors circa 1800, who believed marines to be stupid and gullible(AHDI). Also tell it to Sweeney. |
| tempest in a teapot |
USA |
see storm in a teacup. |
| thank God it's Friday, thank goodness it's Friday |
USA |
Used to express happiness that that the normal work week (Monday through Friday) is over and the time of rest on the weekend is at hand. Abbreviated TGIF |
| the cat's mother |
UK |
Used to describe somebody (usually female) who has an unjustifiably high opinion of themselves, as in, "Who's she, the cat's mother?" |
| to test the waters |
Global |
To try something in a small amount with caution to then judge whether to go in fully or not at all. |
| that's all she wrote |
USA |
There is nothing more to be said on the subject. |
| that ship has sailed |
USA |
That opportunity has passed. |
| the jig is up |
USA |
Some activity that was supposed to remain secret (implied to be illegal, immoral or otherwise prohibited activity) is now exposed. |
| the more things change, the more they stay the same |
Global |
Despite the appearance of change, there is little fundamental difference between the past and the present. |
| the powers that be |
Global |
Generic term for people who are in charge. Often used either derisively or when the actual people are not known. Usually capitalized. |
| the real McCoy |
USA |
The genuine article; the real thing; not an imitation or fake. Generally used in reference to a person or object. |
| There but for the grace of God go I. |
Global |
That could have been me. Attributed to John Bradford. |
| thin on the ground |
UK |
To be quite rare. |
| third rail |
USA |
A topic or issue of such contention or sensitivity that any attempt to address it will result in deleterious consequences for those who attempt to do so. From the electrified third rail used to power many subway systems, the touching of which will result in death. (Example: Social Security reform is the third rail of American politics, anyone who brings it up is likely to find himself out of office) |
| thirty-thousand foot view |
USA |
Alternately, the five-thousand foot view, ten-thousand foot view, fifty-thousand foot view, etc. Used to mean "speaking in general terms", but often used as a hand-waving generalization when the user isn't able to discuss specifics. The landscape view out of the window of a commercial aircraft at cruising altitude. |
| this is not your father's ____ |
USA |
Despite similarities, there is a fundamental difference between the past and the present subject; usually implying a favorable updating. From an ad campaign for Oldsmobile in the 1980s |
| three sheets to the wind |
Global |
Drunk, usually heavily inebriated. 'Sheets' are ropes used to attach a sail; if three of them are unattached ('to the wind'), the sail will not sit correctly and the ship will lurch and wobble |
| throw caution to the wind |
AUS, CAN, UK, USA |
To act without forethought. |
| throw down the gauntlet |
Global |
To challenge |
| throw in the towel |
Global |
To give up a fight, argument or conflict and to admit defeat, taken from boxing |
| throw into the frying pan |
USA |
To place someone with woefully insufficient training into a serious predicament, and assuming he will adapt to the situation. |
| (to) throw or toss [something] in. |
USA |
To do something that causes a process to be hindered or stopped completely
throw a wrench in;
throw a wrench in something;
throw a wrench into;
throw a wrench into something;
throw a monkey wrench in;
throw a monkey wrench in something;
throw a monkey wrench into;
throw a monkey wrench into something;
toss a wrench in;
toss a wrench in something;
toss a wrench into;
toss a wrench into something;
toss a monkey wrench in;
toss a monkey wrench in something;
toss a monkey wrench into;
toss a monkey wrench into something;
|
| throw a spanner in the works |
AUS, UK |
To do something that causes a process to be hindered or stopped completely. |
| throw out the baby with the bath water |
Global |
To discard something of value with something useless. |
| throw the book at (someone/me/you/him/her/them etc.). |
USA |
Prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law or receive the most severe punishment. |
| throw the game; throw the match; throw the fight |
AUS, USA |
To intentionally lose the game/match/fight. |
| thumb up one's ass |
USA |
Expression of a lack of something industrious to do, i.e., "He was standing around with his thumb up his ass." |
| 'til the cows come home |
Global |
For a long time. Alludes to when the cows return to the byre for milking. |
| (like) tits on a bull, or "as useless as tits on a bull" |
USA (esp. Western) |
Utterly useless. This comes from the fact that the male bulls possess breasts that do not lactate, like their counterparts, the female cows (i.e. The "tits" are not used on a bull because bulls do not produce milk.) "Tits" is slang for "breasts." |
| too busy fighting alligators to drain the swamp |
USA |
Too busy dealing with tactical items to make progress on strategic aims. |
| too many chiefs and not enough Indians |
USA, AUS |
Too many people in a situation are assuming a leadership role without enough people taking on the subservient/working roles. |
| too many to shake a stick at |
Global |
A very large amount. |
| too many cooks in the kitchen; too many cooks spoil the broth/soup; too many skippers sink the ship |
Global |
Too many people crowding a situation are bound to ruin it; alternately, consulting a large number of people for a solution will inevitably result in confusing or self-contradictory advice. |
| to the letter; to the "T" |
Global |
To interpret and follow instructions or rules in as literal a manner as possible, doing nothing that one is not explicitly instructed or told to do, often deliberately ignoring the implicit meaning of those instructions or rules. To follow the letter of the law to the detriment of the spirit in which it was written. |
| to turn turtle |
UK |
To capsize |
| tongue in cheek |
Global |
To speak in irony only half seriously. |
| touch base |
AUS, USA |
To briefly communicate with someone in order to ascertain that a shared situation or project is proceeding as it should. |
| touched water |
CAN |
A boat has been launched on a body of water. |
| toot your own horn; blow your own trumpet |
Global |
To brag about oneself, often downplaying the contributions of others. |
| toe the line or toe the mark |
Global |
To follow rules and regulations faithfully. To be careful to never commit any transgressions. To conform, particularly to conform to onerous or odious demands through loyalty. Frequently used pejoratively in reference to politicians who conform to their party's policy on an issue despite their stated personal beliefs ("toe the party line"). (ADHI[3]; OED cites "toe the mark", an American usage, to 1813; earliest British usage "toe...a tolerable line", 1826.[4] |
| (to) tread water |
Global |
Sustaining the present situation, neither improving or worsening. Usually used to denote a negative situation or achieving the bare minimum above defeat. A person working very hard at his job but never receiving promotion would be "treading water." |
| trip the light fantastic |
Global |
To dance nimbly. |
| turn the tables |
Global |
To change a situation so that someone's position is the opposite of what it was. |
| turnabout's fair play "or" turn-about is fair play |
Global |
Basically, another expression about karma, similar to "What goes around, comes around". |
| turnip truck |
U.S. |
in various constructions refers to extreme naivete: "born yesterday on a turnip truck" "came to town by turnip truck" etc. |
| twenty-four seven |
Global |
Always; at all times. From 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week. |
| two a penny; ten a penny |
UK |
Very common, cheap, not special. Similar in meaning to the USA's 'a dime a dozen'. |
| like two peas in a pod |
Global |
To bear a close resemblance. |
