This page gathers the 4,686 dictionary entries of which at least one sense is labelled “Idiomatic” by Wiktionary. The definition shown is that sense; each word leads to its full entry. Page 12 of 47: from “draw in” to “everybody and their dog”.
- draw in verb To attract.
- draw off verb To remove by using a siphon.
- draw stumps verb To cease doing something, at least for the day.
- draw the short straw verb To be selected to do an undesirable task (by drawing the shortest straw or otherwise).
- dress down verb To scold.
- dressing down noun A reprimand or rarely, a thrashing.
- drift off verb To fall asleep slowly.
- drill down verb To examine information at another level or in greater detail; especially in a database, to navigate to a more detailed level or record.
- drink from a firehose verb To be overwhelmed (with work, information, etc.); to be inundated with an unrestricted or unfiltered amount.
- drive a wedge verb To separate.
- drive away verb To force someone or something to leave
- drive back verb To force someone or something to retreat or move away; repel.
- drive down verb To cause or force a price, quantity, rate, etc. to decrease.
- drive off verb To force to leave or go away.
- drive out verb To push or to pull, i.e. to force, (someone or something) out of somewhere.
- drive someone crazy verb To annoy or irritate.
- drive the porcelain bus verb Synonym of worship the porcelain god (“to vomit into a toilet bowl, especially while drunk or hungover”).
- drive to drink verb Synonym of drive someone crazy.
- drive up verb To cause or force a price, quantity, rate, etc. to increase.
- drive-by media noun Media that provides broad or misleading statements in quick succession without context or explanation.
- drop a bomb verb Alternative form of drop a bombshell.
- drop a brick verb To commit a faux pas, especially in speech, such as by tactlessly speaking of a subject that should not be mentioned.
- drop a dime verb To make a telephone call.
- drop in verb To arrive casually and unannounced, with little or no warning; also, to visit without an appointment.
- drop in the bucket noun Something of little importance, especially an inconsequential effort or action as compared to a huge problem.
- drop in the ocean noun A very small or insignificant amount; something of little importance, especially an inconsequential effort or action as compared to a huge…
- drop off verb To fall asleep.
- drop out verb To leave (school, a race, etc.) prematurely and voluntarily.
- drop the ball verb To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.
- drop the bomb verb to reveal dramatic and unexpected news that changes a situation completely
- drop the f-bomb verb To utter the word fuck, especially in an inappropriate manner or setting.
- drop the gloves verb To fight.
- drum up verb To generate or encourage; to campaign for.
- drunkard's walk noun A type of random walk in which termination conditions lead to a biased ending state.
- dry eye noun An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.
- dry out verb To (cause to) sober up; to cease to be drunk; to quit using drugs or alcohol.
- dry run noun A practice or rehearsal; especially, one that goes through all the motions of a physical process but without the raw material or workpiece…
- duck down verb To crouch in order to hide or protect oneself.
- duck off verb To lie low; to hide.
- duck out verb To depart quickly or exit abruptly, especially in a manner which does not attract notice and before a meeting, event, etc. has concluded.
- duck soup noun Something which is easy; a piece of cake.
- ducks and drakes noun The squandering of resources, especially money; used in expressions such as "to make ducks and drakes of", "to play (at) ducks and drakes…
- dumb as a post adj Utterly mute; lacking the ability to speak.
- dumb down verb To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered…
- dust off a batter verb for a pitcher to throw a pitch at or near the batter, typically to frighten the batter or to have him stand farther away from home plate.
- dusty miller noun A formulaic phrase for a miller, related to the dust generated in the milling process.
- Dutch courage noun The courage or bravado induced by alcohol.
- Dutch reckoning noun A (falsified) bill that is not itemised, and that is unjustifiably high.
- dyed-in-the-wool adj Firmly established in one's beliefs or habits; having a specified characteristic, identity, etc. deeply ingrained in one's nature.
- dynamite charge noun Instructions given by the judge to a jury that has failed to reach a verdict, in the hope that they can do so after further deliberation.
- e- prefix Used to form adjectives with the sense of something being absent, being removed, or moving outward.
- e-thumb noun A natural skill for tinkering with electronics or computers.
- e-ticket noun Something very thrilling or exciting.
- E=mc² noun A formulation or realization that captures a profound thought in simple terms.
- eager beaver noun One (especially a child) who is very excited or enthusiastic to begin a task; a person who is exceedingly assiduous in an enthusiastic…
- eagle eye noun Good eyesight.
- ear to the ground noun The practice or characteristic of carefully gathering information; a state or mindset of attentiveness.
- ear-piercing adj Extremely loud (of sound).
- earn one's keep verb To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to…
- easy come, easy go phrase Easily won and easily lost (usually said when resigned to a loss; something that comes in the same way, goes in the same way)
- easy mark noun Someone who is easily fooled or victimized.
- easy money noun Money that is easily acquired.
- easy street noun Chiefly preceded by on: a carefree lifestyle, especially as a result of becoming wealthy, or an easy situation.
- eat and leave no crumbs verb To do or perform in a thorough and stunning manner without mess or wasted opportunity; to wholly consume a challenge successfully and…
- eat away verb To physically corrode or erode (something) gradually.
- eat crow verb To recognize that one has been shown to be mistaken or outdone, especially by admitting that one has made a humiliating error.
- eat dirt verb To eat humble pie.
- eat it intj used to taunt or end discussion with a conversation partner
- eat one's own dog food verb To use or consume the economic goods or services that one is producing; to be part of a closed household economy.
- eat shit intj An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.
- eat someone's dust verb To be outrun.
- eat the onion verb To unwittingly and erroneously interpret a work of satire as literal fact, particularly a piece published by The Onion.
- eat the rich phrase An expression of contempt towards capitalism and the rich, demanding an equitable redistribution of wealth.
- economical with the truth adj Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or…
- edge out verb To defeat in a contest or a game by a narrow margin of victory.
- effluxion of time noun The determination of a term of years due to the passage of time, rather than the occurrence of a specific event.
- elbow grease noun Effort or hard work, especially physical work involving repeated motion of the forearm, such as scrubbing.
- elbow mentality noun An attitude characterized by self-interest and a willingness to prioritize personal benefit or ambition, often above the welfare of an…
- elbowed adj Sharp-elbowed: pushy, having a boldly assertive manner intended to establish an advantage.
- elephant in the room noun A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.
- eleventh hour noun A point in time which is nearly too late; the last minute.
- emotional cripple noun A person who has been rendered indecisive, alienated, uncaring, confused, or helpless through experiencing debilitating emotions, such as…
- empty suit noun An ineffective or incompetent person in a place of authority.
- empty the clip verb To compete with great vigor, especially by making numerous scoring attempts.
- empty words noun Any type of talk with little meaning; a message that seems to contain meaningful content but is actually vapid.
- end of the line noun The final cessation or discontinuance of a process, institution, lineage, or person, especially one which has existed for a considerable…
- end of the world noun Any change that seems catastrophic or devastating.
- err on the side of verb To behave in a manner which favours or which is biased toward.
- escape fire noun An unconventional or counterintuitive solution to a difficult problem.
- esprit de corps noun A shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.
- eternal sleep noun Death
- eternal triangle noun A relationship involving three persons (usually two women and one man or two men and one woman) among whom there are conflicting and…
- Evel Knievel noun A daredevil.
- even keel noun Of an emotion or state of mind, the state or characteristic of being under control and balanced.
- even money noun By extension, an event that is somewhat likely to happen, but far from inevitable.
- even then adv Regardless of the circumstances (often ones that have just been stated).
- even- prefix Uniform, evenly in quantity.
- every inch adv Totally, completely.
- every time adv Used to express a strong preference for one thing over another.
- everybody and their dog pron Synonym of everybody and his brother (“everybody, everyone; also, a large number of people; most people”).