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 39 of 47: from “specialty crop” to “sticking-place”.
- specialty crop noun Any of various crops cultivated for, or managed and gathered for, human use (in food, personal hygiene, medicine, or decoration) rather…
- spectator sport noun Something, especially a process or activity, which is a popular object of observation; an activity which a person prefers to watch rather…
- speed up verb To accelerate; to increase speed.
- sperm donor noun A man who is the father of a woman's child or children, but no longer has a relationship, or has a hostile relationship, with the woman…
- spicy adj Scandalous.
- spill one's guts verb To confess, or to divulge secrets, typically speaking freely and at length after a change of motive or an incentive.
- spin doctor verb To generate spin (a favorable interpretation or bias).
- spin out verb To prolong; to make longer (in time).
- spirit-room noun The stomach.
- spit feathers verb To feel very thirsty.
- spit fire verb To be extremely angry.
- spit in the ocean noun A very small or insignificant amount; something of little importance.
- splash down verb To appear, seemingly from nowhere.
- split hairs noun Tedious details; minutiae.
- split the breeze verb To take up space, causing any breeze to move on either side.
- split the difference verb To choose an option or take a position roughly midway between two opposed alternatives; to compromise.
- split up verb Cease to be together, break apart from the group.
- spoon bowl noun A match between the last placed and second last placed team in an Australian sports league, derived from the fact that the team that…
- spot check noun A cursory inspection or examination, especially of a sample of something.
- spread oneself thin verb To commit oneself to too many projects, so that there is little chance of completing them all satisfactorily.
- spread out verb Become further apart.
- spring fever noun A feeling of invigoration and restlessness associated with the arrival of the warm weather and renewal of nature in the spring season.
- spruce up verb To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and neatly; to smarten.
- spur of the moment noun Impulse; short notice; a lack of planning.
- square away verb To finish, complete, tidy or put in order.
- square meal noun A (nutritionally) complete and satisfying meal, especially one suitable for a person performing physical labour.
- square peg in a round hole noun Someone or something that does not fit well or at all in a certain setting; a misfit; hence, someone or something that will not succeed in…
- square shooter noun A person who is fair, trustworthy, or forthright; a person who bargains or transacts business in a fair, honest manner.
- squeeze one out verb To break wind.
- squint like a bag of nails verb To squint very much, as though one's eyes were directed as many ways as the points of a bag of nails.
- stab in the back verb To betray (somebody).
- stack up verb To put a group of abstract things together.
- stage business noun Actions performed by an actor on stage done for dramatic effect; especially, action carried out with a prop or piece of clothing, usually…
- stage right adv Involving a change of whether one is involved in a situation.
- stage-door Johnny noun A man who is infatuated with one or more theatrical actresses and who routinely lingers in and around theatres in an effort to meet and…
- staircase wit noun The thinking of an idea or course of action too late to use it effectively, or the tendency to do so.
- stalking horse noun A candidate put forward to serve a hidden, ulterior purpose in a political campaign, such as testing the field for another potential…
- stand behind verb To support; express one's support for, especially despite opposition; to stick with a decision.
- stand by verb To wait in expectation of some event; to be ready.
- stand corrected verb To acknowledge, after someone else's correction of a statement one made, that this statement was indeed incorrect and that this correction…
- stand down verb To wait; to stop pursuing, stop fighting, or relax from a heightened readiness posture.
- stand fast verb Synonym of stand firm.
- stand fire verb To put oneself in the way of an enemy's firing.
- stand for verb To mean; to symbolize; to represent; especially of an acronym or abbreviation.
- stand in the gap verb To expose oneself for the protection of something; to make defence against any assailing danger; to take the place of a fallen defender or…
- stand one's ground verb To maintain or adhere to an opinion or position; to remain resolute in the face of opposition.
- stand pat verb To resist changes.
- stand tall verb To behave in a brave, proud, or unyielding manner, without retreating from confrontation, danger, or adversity.
- stand trial verb To sustain the trial or examination of a cause; not to give up without trial.
- stand up verb (stand someone up) To avoid a prearranged meeting, especially a date, with (a person) without prior notification; to jilt or shirk.
- stand up and be counted verb To publicly make known one's views, contributions, or vote, especially in a contentious situation where fortitude is required.
- stand up with verb To publicly support (someone).
- stand with verb To back or side with; to support (in reference to literally standing alongside someone to show one's support).
- standard fare noun Something which is normal, routine, or unexceptional; something which is commonly provided or encountered.
- star vehicle noun A movie, play, TV series, or other production that enhances an actor's career.
- staredown noun A confrontation in which each party waits for the other to yield.
- starlight noun Light emitted by those other than the Sun.
- start with a clean sheet verb To begin something anew, without being hindered by past mistakes, problems or biases; to start all over again.
- starving artist noun A person who works as an artist or performer despite making little or no money for it, therefore suffering in poverty.
- statistical tie noun A situation in which the difference in popularity of two options in a poll is less than the margin of error.
- stay away verb To avoid or not go anywhere near someone or something.
- stay behind verb To remain where one is, whilst others leave.
- stay in one's lane verb In a way whereby one avoids dilettantism: avoiding giving an opinion in domains where one's skills and knowledge are not at an expert level.
- stay on verb to continue in a place or situation, while others leave.
- stay tuned verb To remain as a listener or viewer of the particular radio station or television channel to which one is currently paying attention.
- steady as she goes adj steady; careful; avoiding sudden change
- steady hand on the tiller noun Reliable, composed control (of an organization or situation).
- steal a march verb To gain an advantage unobserved.
- steal in verb To move, enter, or introduce something into a place quietly or secretly, often without being noticed.
- steal someone's identity verb To assume another person's identity, usually to gain access to that person's finances or to frame a person for a crime; to commit identity…
- steal someone's thunder verb To appropriate someone's ideas or information, typically in order to look better at that person's expense.
- steaming hot adj Very hot in a way that involves visible water vapour.
- steely-eyed adj Having a hard, strong, and determined look about oneself.
- step back noun A setback, downgrade, or deterioration.
- step down verb To resign or retire from an office or position of authority.
- step forward verb to volunteer for something; to offer one's services
- step on a rake verb To fall victim to an avoidable (usually self-caused) hazard or error.
- step on it verb To act quickly.
- step on someone's toes verb To cause someone offense, especially by trying to control something that is under their authority, or interfering in their private affairs.
- step out verb To date, to be in a romantic relationship.
- step over verb To relocate oneself to a position of a few steps away; step aside.
- step up verb To increase, augment, or advance, especially by one or more steps.
- stepping stone noun Something used as a way to progress to something or somewhere else.
- stew in one's juices verb To be alone and self-absorbed in an uncomfortable state of mind, especially while experiencing the unpleasant effects of one's own actions.
- stick by verb to follow or adhere to somebody or something, to remain loyal and unswerving in one's attitude towards somebody or something
- stick in the mud noun A person unwilling to participate in activities; a curmudgeon or party pooper.
- stick it to the man verb To take some action intended to defy a source of oppression such as globalization, commercialization, big business or government (on a…
- stick one's foot in it verb To put one's foot in it.
- stick out verb To be prominent, noticeable, or obtrusive.
- stick out a mile verb To be plain for all to see, obvious, easy to see, very noticeable.
- stick the landing verb To complete a process in an impressive and conclusive manner.
- stick to verb To persist; to continue (to use, do, etc.)
- stick to one's knitting verb To concentrate on one's own tasks, affairs, area of expertise, etc., especially in order to avoid distraction, embarrassment, or other…
- stick together verb To remain united, to stay together in association or alliance.
- stick up verb To rob at gunpoint.
- stick with verb To remain close to.
- stick-to-your-guns adj Refusing to compromise, change one's mind, or abandon one's beliefs despite opposition or criticism; steadfast, resolute.
- sticking plaster noun An inadequate solution to a serious problem.
- sticking point noun A disputed issue or state of affairs that causes an interruption or outright impasse in progress towards some goal or resolution…
- sticking-place noun The point at which a process or thing, especially a state of mind or emotion, reaches its greatest strength and remains steadfast; sticking…