All Idioms

a red rag to a bull

Meaning: Something that provokes anger or an uncontrollable reaction in a person.

Example: Mentioning politics around Sarah is a red rag to a bull – she immediately gets angry. Read more ➺

Argus-eyed

Meaning: Being vigilant, watchful, and observant; having a keen eye on everything.

Example: The security guard's Argus-eyed nature made it impossible for anyone to enter the restricted area unnoticed. Read more ➺

bed rotting

Meaning: Staying in bed all day, avoiding daily chores or activities.

Example: After a busy week, she spent the day bed rotting, scrolling through her phone. Read more ➺

fits and starts

Meaning: Irregular activity with pauses and interruptions.

Example: The old bus moved in fits and starts, shaking the passengers. Read more ➺

as hard as nails

Meaning: Very tough, strong, and resilient.

Example: The boxer is as hard as nails, never showing weakness in the ring. Read more ➺

beside oneself

Meaning: Extremely upset, angry, or agitated.

Example: She was beside herself with anger when she heard the unfair decision. Read more ➺

put the screws on

Meaning: Apply strong pressure on someone to act.

Example: The boss put the screws on the team to meet the deadline. Read more ➺

right off the bat

Meaning: Immediately, without delay.

Example: We knew right off the bat that the project would be a success. Read more ➺

meet one’s Waterloo

Meaning: To experience a decisive and crushing defeat.

Example: After years of winning, the champion finally met his Waterloo in the finals. Read more ➺

cook the books

Meaning: To falsify financial records to make a company look better than it is.

Example: The manager tried to cook the books to make the investors happy. Read more ➺