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 44 of 47: from “touch a nerve” to “under a cloud”.
- touch a nerve verb To make a remark or perform a deed which produces a strong response, especially an emotional response such as anxiety or annoyance, because…
- touch base verb To meet or make contact with someone, usually to consult, review, visit, or communicate.
- touch off verb To start (something); to set off traps; especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed.
- touch on verb To mention briefly; to cursorily discuss.
- touch oneself verb To masturbate.
- touch the hem of someone's garment verb To give respect or reverence to someone; to express servitude to someone; to draw strength or comfort from someone who is superior.
- touch up verb To make slight corrections or adjustments to; to fill in or perfect.
- touch wood intj Hopefully; said while touching something wooden, to avert superstitious bad luck from what has just been said.
- touchy-feely adj Driven by intuition or emotion, with a connotation of de-emphasis of rational thought or logic.
- tough as nails adj Having a hard, strong, and determined mindset.
- tough break noun A situation resulting in misfortune or hardship; an instance of bad luck.
- tough love noun The compassionate use of stringent disciplinary measures, to attempt to improve someone's behavior.
- tough luck noun Bad luck.
- town and gown noun On the one hand, the members of the city, borough, or similar community near a university and, on the other hand, the students and faculty…
- toy with verb To handle something in a careless or frivolous manner.
- track down verb To hunt for or locate; to search for; to find.
- track record noun The past performance of a person, organization, or product, viewed in its entirety and usually for the purpose of making a judgment.
- trailer trash noun Poorly-educated, usually white, individual(s) of low social status who stereotypically reside(s) in a trailer park.
- train wreck verb To ruin utterly and catastrophically, to cause to end in disaster.
- tread lightly verb To proceed carefully; especially, to seek to avoid causing offense.
- tread on someone's toes verb To offend someone.
- tread the boards verb To work as a theatre actor.
- tremble and obey verb To unthinkingly obey or pander to authorities, especially the Chinese government.
- trench mouth noun Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep…
- trial balloon noun An idea, suggestion, or prospective action, product, etc., offered to an audience or group in order to test whether it generates acceptance…
- trial by fire noun Any ordeal which tests one's strength, endurance or resolve.
- trial by media noun The process by which media coverage affects a person's reputation by creating a widespread perception of guilt or innocence, often before…
- trials and tribulations noun Unpleasant experiences that put one's endurance and strength to the test.
- trick of the trade noun A shortcut or other quick, or very effective way of doing things, that professional workers learn from experience.
- trick question noun A question that attempts to elicit an answer in a certain way, often a misleading or incorrect one, or a question that lacks a clear…
- tricked out adj Of persons and things, decorated, dressed, or customized in an especially fancy, elaborate, or excessive manner.
- trip out verb To have as an image in one's mind.
- Trojan horse verb To introduce slyly, to sneak in, to subvert.
- trophy wife noun A wife, usually young and attractive, regarded as a status symbol for her husband, usually older and affluent.
- trot out verb To list or recite quickly.
- trouble in paradise noun An unexpected problem in a supposedly positive situation, especially in a marital or romantic relationship.
- trump up verb To create falsely, to fabricate (particularly applied to accusations, (legal) charges or evidence).
- truth be told intj Used when admitting something one might otherwise lie about, e.g. to keep up appearances or be polite.
- try it on verb To test someone to see how much bad behaviour they will tolerate; to try to deceive someone to see how gullible they are.
- tube steak noun A frankfurter/hot dog.
- tug of war noun A dispute between two parties, particularly an entrenched, back-and-forth dispute.
- tulip mania noun Any asset bubble (such as a stock bubble), especially when the irony of human folly that it illustrates is being emphasized.
- tune in verb To pay attention.
- tune out verb To stop paying attention to; to ignore; to zone out.
- tune up verb To beat up (someone).
- tuned in adj Paying attention.
- tuppence noun Ellipsis of tuppence worth (“one’s opinion”).
- tuppence worth noun One's opinion or thoughts.
- turd in the punchbowl noun Something that ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.
- turf war noun A fight or confrontation between two divisions or parties for access to resources or capital.
- turkey shoot noun A situation in which numerous weapons are discharged against prey, opponents, or victims who have little ability to protect or defend…
- turn a blind eye verb To deliberately or knowingly ignore, overlook, or refuse to acknowledge something, especially when improper or unpleasant; to look the…
- turn a profit verb To obtain profit from an investment.
- turn against verb To rebel or oppose to something formerly supported.
- turn around verb To suddenly change or reverse one's opinion, point of view, stated position, behaviour, etc.
- turn down verb To refuse, decline, or deny.
- turn in verb To submit something; to give.
- turn in one's grave verb To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.
- turn into a pumpkin verb To go to bed; to go to sleep (especially at, or around midnight).
- turn off noun Something that repulses, disgusts, or discourages, especially sexually.
- turn on its head verb To turn upside-down; to invert.
- turn on one's heel verb To suddenly turn away from someone or something in order to depart rapidly, especially as expressive of haughtiness, disapproval, or…
- turn one's coat verb To turn against a previous affiliation or allegiance.
- turn out verb To end up; to result.
- turn over verb To relinquish; give back.
- turn someone's head verb To influence someone in a manner that significantly changes his or her behavior.
- turn tail verb To turn away from someone or something, in preparation for running away; to reverse direction; to leave or flee.
- turn the corner verb To pass the most critical point of some process; to pass out of danger.
- turn the page verb To move on to new involvements or activities; to make a fresh start.
- turn the tables verb To reverse a situation, so that the advantage has shifted to the party which was previously disadvantaged.
- turn turtle verb To become upset.
- turn two verb To reach the age of two years.
- turn up one's nose verb To refuse something offered, especially with contempt, disgust, or scorn, or with apparent disregard about offending the offerer.
- turn up the heat verb To increase the intensity of activity or discomfort.
- turn upside down verb To thoroughly examine.
- turning point noun A decisive point at which a significant change or historical event occurs, or at which a decision must be made.
- turtle verb Ellipsis of turtle head (“to struggle to hold back an imminent bowel movement”).
- turtle head verb To emerge partially from the body, as a result of heightened internal pressure in the bowels.
- turtle-crawl noun A slow or sluggish movement.
- twi- prefix two
- twiddle one's thumbs verb To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.
- twilight industry noun An industry that is fading away, perhaps because replaced by newer technology, or facing a lack of critical resources or a lack of consumer…
- twilight zone verb To put or place into an indeterminate position; to be in an ambiguous, undetermined, or improper context.
- twinkle in one's father's eye noun A notional look of anticipation or hope (either for sex or a child) in one's father's eyes at or around the time of one's conception.
- twist in the wind verb To be unassisted and without comfort in a situation likely to result in distress or failure.
- two bob noun A trivially small value.
- two cents noun One's opinion or thoughts.
- two for two adj In baseball, meeting two out of two attempts at-bat. Specifically, it means the batter has reached base safely two out of two times.
- two left hands noun Lack of dexterity in either hand; being ambilevous.
- two penn'orth noun One's opinion or thoughts.
- two steps ahead phrase Having cleverly anticipated what others will do or think.
- two thumbs up noun Strong approval.
- two-bit adj Insignificant or worthless.
- two-dimensional adj Not creating the illusion of depth; lacking detail or believability.
- two-fisted drinker noun Someone who can handle their liquor well
- two-way street noun Any interaction in which both parties give and take equally.
- tyre kicker noun A person who pretends to be interested in purchasing an item (especially a car), but who has no intention of buying it.
- ugly American noun An American government representative, tourist, or businessperson who, in dealing with people of other nations, is haughty, rude…
- ugly duckling noun A young person who is ugly, but who is expected to become beautiful or handsome as they mature.
- under a cloud prep_phrase Of an uncertain future due to an anticipated threat or change in circumstance.