Idioms

Idioms

For common expressions in the language.

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Idioms

all that glitters is not gold

Language; Idioms

This means that appearances can be deceptive and things that look or sound valuable can be worthless. ('All that glistens is not gold' is an alternative.)

mind your P’s and Q’s

Language; Idioms

If you are careful about the way you behave and are polite, you mind your P’s and Q’s. It is used as a way of telling someone to be polite and behave well.

word of the law

Language; Idioms

The word of the law means that the law is interpreted in an absolutely literal way which goes against the ideas that the lawmakers had wished to implement.

squeeze blood out of a turnip

Language; Idioms

When people say that you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip, it means that you cannot get something from a person, especially money, that they don’t have.

tidy desk, tidy mind

Language; Idioms

A cluttered or disorganised environment will affect your clarity of thought. Organised surroundings and affairs will allow for clearer thought organisation.

no harm, no foul

Language; Idioms

There’s no problem when no harm or damage is done, such as the time my sister-in-law stole the name we’d chosen for a boy and we both ended up having girls.

call a spade a spade

Language; Idioms

A person who calls a spade a spade is one speaks frankly and makes little or no attempt to conceal their opinions or to spare the feelings of their audience.