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 20 of 47: from “hell week” to “horse pill”.
- hell week noun The week during which new members are required to undergo undignified rites of initiation or gruelling discipline in order to be accepted…
- helping hand noun Any assistance, help or aid.
- hem and haw verb To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action or making up one's mind.
- herbs and spices noun A variety or a diversity of elements which combine to make something more interesting, complex, or enjoyable.
- herd cats verb To attempt to control the uncontrollable; to attempt to manage a great many unruly factors or people to a single end.
- here goes nothing intj Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried, but that it will be attempted nonetheless.
- here you are phrase Said when handing something over to someone or doing a favour to them, usually to draw the recipient's attention to the exchange…
- hide one's light under a bushel verb To conceal one's positive qualities or talents, especially due to modesty or shyness; to avoid attention.
- high and dry adj Abandoned, stranded, helpless.
- high and low adv Everywhere; all over the place.
- high and mighty noun An arrogant or self-important person.
- high ground noun A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.
- high life noun An extravagant lifestyle.
- high living adj Enjoying an extravagant lifestyle.
- high noon noun Exactly noon; midday (when the sun is at its highest).
- high road noun A course of action which is dignified, honourable, or respectable.
- high time noun A point in time at which something is considered to be utterly due or even overdue to occur; well past time.
- high-pressure verb To coerce someone to perform or carry out an action by applying a high degree of psychological pressure.
- high-risk, high-reward adj Involving significant potential for loss but also offering the possibility of substantial gains or benefits if successful.
- highway robbery noun Excessive or exorbitant prices.
- hike up verb To lift; to tug or pull upwards.
- hill to die on noun An issue to pursue with a wholehearted conviction or a single-minded focus, with little or no regard to the cost and no intent of…
- hindsight is 20/20 proverb In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time…
- hired gun noun A person who is employed to advance the interests of their employer, especially in a vigorous manner using such methods as political…
- hit and run verb To engage in sexual intercourse followed by a prompt departure; to engage in a one-night stand.
- hit below the belt verb To act unfairly, unscrupulously, or to make a cruel, personal attack during an argument or competition.
- hit home verb To be especially memorable, meaningful, or significant; to be fully understood, believed or appreciated.
- hit it up verb To develop an amicable relationship (with), especially in a sudden manner during an initial encounter.
- hit like a truck verb To hit in an extremely powerful manner; to hit with a lot of force.
- hit on verb To discover, pinpoint; to think up; to realize.
- hit one out of the ballpark verb To produce a spectacular achievement.
- hit someone for six verb To affect in a devastating way by some unexpected news.
- hit someone when they are down verb Synonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult position”).
- hit the bricks verb To travel about, especially on foot.
- hit the gas verb To go; go faster.
- hit the high notes verb To produce or attain, at least for a period of time, an especially satisfactory degree of achievement or fulfilment.
- hit the jackpot verb To receive a more favorable outcome than imagined, especially by good luck.
- hit the pan verb To use a pressed powder product (such as eyeshadow or blush) extensively over time until the product is depleted to the point that the…
- hit the pavement verb To travel on foot, as on a sidewalk.
- hit the road verb To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.
- hit the roof verb To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.
- hit the sheets verb To go to bed.
- hit the streets verb To go out in search of something or for a specific purpose.
- hit the wall verb To experience sudden fatigue as a result of glycogen depletion, e.g. when cycling.
- hit too close to home verb To occur too close for comfort; to happen dangerously or uncomfortably near.
- hit upon verb To think of; to discover or invent.
- hit-or-miss adj Inconsistent, unpredictable, erratic; sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing with no apparent pattern.
- ho kua bo ho jiak phrase Superficial; incompetent or having no substance despite appearances, skin-deep; portraying oneself as greater than one actually is; all…
- Hobson's choice noun A situation where a person is presented with the illusion of a free choice, but in reality there is only one option available: accepting…
- hold back verb To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.
- hold court verb To serve as the principal discussant or center of attention in an informal gathering of friends, associates, etc.
- hold down verb To restrain; to check.
- hold fast verb To stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
- hold hard verb To stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
- hold off verb To delay (someone or something) temporarily; to keep at bay.
- hold on verb To keep; to store something for someone.
- hold one's breath verb To wait expectantly for something to happen soon.
- hold one's fire phrase Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.
- hold one's horses verb To be patient; to wait.
- hold one's jaw verb To refrain from talking, to hold one's tongue, to be quiet.
- hold one's liquor verb To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming a significant amount of alcohol.
- hold one's own verb To demonstrate oneself to be capable; to provide a respectable performance or worthy competition; to stick up for oneself.
- hold one's water verb To be patient; to control one's impulses.
- hold onto verb To manage to keep something.
- hold onto your hat phrase One should prepare for a surprise or shock.
- hold out verb To wait, or refuse in hopes of getting something better (from a negotiation, etc.)
- hold over verb (Of a resource) To support or sustain someone for a limited period.
- hold someone's feet to the fire verb To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce them to comply with one's desires; to hold someone…
- hold someone's hand verb To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.
- hold the cards verb To be in a strong position, possessing significant advantages over someone else; to be in control of a situation involving multiple parties.
- hold the floor verb To give a speech at a gathering of people, particularly one that lasts for a long time and is the focus of attention in the room.
- hold the line verb To firmly maintain one's viewpoint, principles, or situation; to refuse to change one's practices or plans.
- hold the phone intj stop; wait; whoa.
- hold the ring verb To oversee a situation while attempting to remain uninvolved in it.
- hold the stage verb To dominate a debate or field of interest; to be the main subject of attention.
- hold together verb Synonym of hold it together: to cope with adversity.
- hold up verb To detain by threatening, usually with a weapon, in order to commit robbery.
- hold with the hare and run with the hounds verb To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.
- holding pattern noun Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.
- hole in one noun Any rare, wonderful, or remarkable accomplishment.
- holy shit intj Expression of terror, awe, surprise, astonishment, etc., often at something seen for the first time or remembered immediately before using…
- home sweet home intj Expressing contentment or relief at residing in or returning to one's own home.
- home team noun The team that is playing in the usual area that they play in, as opposed to their opponents, the visiting team.
- home training noun Home-taught manners and social etiquette.
- home wrecker noun A person who gains the affections of someone already married or engaged, and thus causes the dissolution of the marriage or engagement.
- homebreaker noun Synonym of home wrecker.
- homeless dumping noun The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the streets instead of placing them into the custody…
- honey hole noun A location or situation which yields something of significant value.
- honey trap noun The use of a romantic or a sexual relationship to entice a person into revealing secret information.
- honey-mouthed adj (in a positive sense) Having a sweet and smooth voice; eloquent.
- honorable mention noun A formal recognition given to a work or candidate of high merit that falls below the level of the main prizes or top honors in a…
- hook up verb To supply someone with goods or services.
- Hoover flag noun An empty (penniless) pocket, turned inside out, showing that someone has no money (especially during the Great Depression.)
- hop off verb To back off; to leave alone.
- hop up verb To make something, especially a machine, better (faster, bigger etc.); to soup up.
- horror show noun A horrifying, appalling, or sickening experience, set of events, or visual spectacle.
- horse and rabbit stew noun A mixture of the crude and the delicate in grossly unequal quantities, with the crude overwhelmingly dominant.
- horse armor noun A piece of downloadable content or microtransaction for a video game, especially one purely cosmetic and considered being of bad value.
- horse opera noun A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.
- horse pill noun A medicinal pill which is very large in size and is therefore difficult for a person to swallow.