Idioms and Phrases

Idioms and Phrases H to P

Hanker after – To strongly desire something

  • He hankered after a new bicycle.

Have a snack – To eat a small meal

  • She had a snack before dinner.

Hold one's tongue – To stay silent

  • He wanted to argue but held his tongue.

Hold out – To last or survive

  • The food held out until help arrived.

Hunt for – To search for something

  • She is hunting for a new job.

Have the charm of – To be attractive in a special way

  • The village has the charm of old times.

Help (someone) into – To assist someone in wearing or entering something

  • He helped his grandmother into the car.
Head or tail – To understand or make sense of something
  • I couldn’t make head or tail of his explanation.
Heart and soul – To put all your effort and enthusiasm into something
  • She put her heart and soul into the project.
Hue and cry – A loud protest or public outcry
  • There was a hue and cry over the unfair decision.
Hard nut to crack – A difficult problem or person to deal with
  • This puzzle is a real hard nut to crack!
High time – The right time or the time when something should have been done already
  • It’s high time you finished your homework!
Hang fire – To wait or delay taking action
  • We’ll have to hang fire until we get more information.
Hang up – To end a phone call or to place something on a hook
  • She hung up the phone after the conversation.
Hard and fast – Something that is strict and unchangeable
  • There are no hard and fast rules about this game.
Hand to hand – Close or direct, often used in the context of fighting or conflict
  • The soldiers fought hand to hand during the battle.

Hold good – To remain valid or true

  • The offer will hold good until the end of the month.
Hold out the olive branch – To offer peace or reconciliation
  • She held out the olive branch after their argument and apologized.
In an agony of – Suffering from extreme pain or distress
  • She was in an agony of fear before the exam.
In any case – No matter what happens
  • In any case, we must finish our work today.
In answer to – In response to
  • In answer to your question, yes, I will come.
In a rapid sequence – One after another quickly
  • Three mistakes happened in a rapid sequence.
In bloom – When flowers are open and fresh
  • The garden is beautiful when the roses are in bloom.
In a spirit of – With a certain feeling or attitude
  • She helped the poor in a spirit of kindness.
In a row – One after another
  • She won three games in a row.
In all one's days – In one’s whole life
  • In all my days, I have never seen such a tall building.
In quest of – In search of
  • He traveled in quest of adventure.
In return for – As an exchange for something
  • She gave me a book in return for my help.
In wonderment – In great surprise
  • The child looked at the magician in wonderment.
Incapable of – Not able to do something
  • He is incapable of telling lies.
In case of – If something happens
  • In case of fire, call the fire department.

Inclined to – Likely to do something

  • He is inclined to forget things easily.
In fact – Actually or truly
  • I thought the exam was hard. In fact, it was easy.
In love with – Having strong romantic feelings
  • He is in love with his childhood friend.
In obedience to – Following rules or instructions
  • He stopped playing in obedience to his mother’s order.
In payment of – As a way to pay for something
  • She gave her gold ring in payment of the debt.
In public – Where people can see
  • She does not like to sing in public.
In pursuit of – Trying to achieve something
  • He moved to the city in pursuit of a better life.
Insist on – To strongly demand something
  • She insisted on going to the park.
Instead of – In place of something
  • He drank juice instead of soda.
In the habit of – Used to doing something regularly
  • She is in the habit of reading before bed.
In season – Available at the right time (especially for fruits and vegetables)
  • Mangoes are cheap when they are in season.
In someone's charge – Under someone's care or responsibility
  • The baby is in his grandmother's charge.
In the least – Even a little bit
  • I am not tired in the least.
In other circumstances – In a different situation
  • In other circumstances, I would have helped you.
In order to – For the purpose of
  • She studies hard in order to pass the exam.
In the first place – At the beginning
  • He should not have gone there in the first place.
In the matter of – About something specific
  • The teacher spoke in the matter of discipline.
In the same way – Similarly
  • She dances in the same way as her sister.

In place of – Instead of

  • He drank tea in place of coffee.
In one's make-up – Part of someone’s nature or personality
  • Kindness is in her make-up.
In a body – All together, as a group
  • The team arrived in a body for the final match.
In a fix – In a difficult situation
  • I’m in a fix because I lost my wallet.
In front of – In the position before something or someone
  • I sat in front of the teacher during class.
In a moment – Very soon or after a short time
  • I’ll be with you in a moment!
In abeyance – In a state of suspension or being temporarily inactive
  • The project is in abeyance until we receive more funding.
In a nutshell – To explain something briefly and simply
  • In a nutshell, the meeting went well and the plan was approved.
In black and white – Clearly written or stated, often in an official form
  • The rules are written in black and white, so there’s no confusion.
In case of – In the event that something happens
  • In case of an emergency, call 911 immediately.
In defence of – To protect or support someone or something
  • She spoke in defence of her friend's actions.
In defiance of – In opposition to or against something
  • He continued his actions in defiance of the rules.
In force – In effect or active
  • The new law is now in force and must be followed.
In full swing – At the peak of activity or progress
  • The party was in full swing when we arrived.
In keeping with – Consistent with or matching something
  • Her dress was in keeping with the formal theme of the wedding.
In lieu of – Instead of or in place of
  • He gave a gift in lieu of flowers for the wedding.
In the face of – In spite of or despite a difficult situation
  • They continued their work in the face of strong opposition.
In order to – For the purpose of doing something
  • He studied hard in order to pass the exam.

In one's good book – In someone's favor or approval

  • You are in my good books for helping me with the project.
In one's bad book – In someone's disfavor or disapproval
  • You’re in my bad books for lying to me.
In quest of – In search of something
  • They went on a journey in quest of treasure.
In the guise of – Under the appearance or disguise of
  • He entered the party in the guise of a famous actor.
In the good grace of – In someone's favor or kindness
  • He is in the good grace of his boss after completing the project.
In season and out of season – At any time, all the time
  • Fresh fruits are available in season and out of season.
In spite of – Despite something
  • She went to the party in spite of being tired.
Instead of – As a replacement for something
  • He took a walk instead of watching TV.
In regard to – Concerning or about something
  • In regard to your question, I will answer later.
In the dark – Uninformed or unaware
  • I was kept in the dark about the surprise party.
In the habit of – Regularly or usually doing something
  • She is in the habit of going for a run every morning.
In the long run – Over a long period of time
  • In the long run, hard work pays off.
In the midst of – In the middle of something
  • We were in the midst of a meeting when the fire alarm went off.
In the nick of time – Just in time or at the last possible moment
  • He caught the train in the nick of time.
In no time – Very quickly or in a short time
  • We finished the task in no time.
In the teeth of – In spite of strong opposition
  • They continued the march in the teeth of heavy rain.
In vogue – In fashion or popular at a certain time
  • That hairstyle is in vogue this year.
In the wake of – Following or as a result of something
  • The company faced difficulties in the wake of the crisis.
Ins and outs – The details or complexities of something
  • She knows all the ins and outs of the project.

In the air – Uncertain or not yet definite

  • There’s a sense of excitement in the air before the concert.
In toto – In total or completely
  • The plan was rejected in toto by the board.
In vain – Without success or without any result
  • She tried in vain to find her lost keys.

Judge a thing on its merit – To evaluate something fairly

We should judge a book on its merit, not its cover.

Jump to (something) – To rush into a conclusion

Don't jump to conclusions without knowing the truth.

Jump to a conclusion – To make a judgment without all the facts
  • Don’t jump to conclusions; wait for the full story.
Knock at – To hit a door to get attention
  • He knocked at the door and waited.
Keep body and soul together – To survive with basic needs
  • He worked hard to keep body and soul together.
Key to – The main solution or answer to something
  • Hard work is the key to success.
Kith and kin – Relatives and close friends
  • She invited all her kith and kin to the wedding.
Keep one's word – To fulfill a promise or commitment
  • He kept his word and helped me move into my new house.
Keep pace with – To stay at the same level or speed as something or someone
  • I struggle to keep pace with the fast-moving market trends.
Keep abreast of – To stay informed about something
  • It’s important to keep abreast of the latest news.
Keep body and soul together – To survive or manage to live
  • They barely managed to keep body and soul together after the accident.
Keep up with – To stay informed or match progress
  • She tries to keep up with all the latest technology.

Last word – The final decision or opinion

  • The teacher had the last word on the project.

Last but one – The second to last

  • I was the last but one in the race.

Lead in – To introduce something

  • The speaker led in with a short story.

Later on – After some time

  • We will talk about this later on.

Lay down – To establish a rule or law

  • The teacher laid down the rules of the class.

Lay hold of – To catch or grab something

  • He laid hold of the rope to climb up.

Leave off – To stop doing something

  • It started raining, so they left off playing.

Learn by heart – To memorize

  • She learned the poem by heart.

Leave out – To omit something

  • Don't leave out any details in your answer.

Left over – Remaining after use

  • There was some food left over after the party.

Let out – To allow someone to leave or to make something bigger

  • She let out a sigh of relief.

Listen to – To hear and pay attention

  • Always listen to your parents.

Lift up – To raise something

  • He lifted up the heavy box.

Live through – To experience something difficult

  • She lived through a terrible storm.

Long since – A long time ago

  • He left this town long since.

Look about – To observe surroundings

  • She looked about before crossing the road.

Look at – To see or watch something

  • She looked at the picture on the wall.

Look for – To search for

  • He is looking for his lost keys.

Look up from – To lift one's gaze from something

  • She looked up from her book when I entered.

Look up – To search for information

  • I will look up the meaning of this word.

Look upon – To consider or regard

  • We look upon him as our leader.

Lurch along – To move forward unsteadily

  • The tired horse lurched along the road.
Lie in wait – To hide or wait for something, often in a secretive manner
  • The cat lay in wait for the mouse.
Life and soul – The most important or lively part of a group
  • He’s always the life and soul of the party.
Loaves and fishes – Abundant wealth or benefits
  • They lived in loaves and fishes after their business became successful.
Long and short – The main or essential points
  • The long and short of it is that we need to finish the project soon.
Lion's share – The largest portion or part of something
  • She got the lion’s share of the profits from the business.
Lay heads together – To discuss something or plan something with others
  • We need to lay our heads together to figure out the best plan for the project.
Lay waste – To destroy or ruin something
  • The hurricane laid waste to the small village.
Leave no stone unturned – To make every possible effort to achieve something
  • She left no stone unturned in her search for the missing book.
Live from hand to mouth – To live with very little money, often struggling to get by
  • They live from hand to mouth, always worrying about paying the bills.
Look after – To take care of someone or something
  • I will look after your pets while you’re away.
Look down upon – To think of someone as inferior or less important
  • She looks down upon people who don’t have higher education.
Look forward – To feel excited or happy about something in the future
  • I look forward to seeing you at the party next weekend.
Look into – To investigate or examine something carefully
  • The police will look into the matter and get back to us soon.
Look daggers at – To glare angrily at someone
  • He looked daggers at me when I told him the news.
Lose heart – To become discouraged or lose hope
  • Don’t lose heart, we’ll find a solution to the problem.

Lose the day – To fail or lose in a situation

  • If we don’t act now, we might lose the day.
Let the grass grow under one's feet – To delay or not take action when needed
  • Don’t let the grass grow under your feet; we need to make a decision today.
Made up of – Composed of
  • The team is made up of five players.
Make up one's mind – To decide
  • She made up her mind to study abroad.
Make one's way – To move toward a place
  • He made his way to the bus stop.
Make ready for – To prepare for something
  • She made ready for the trip.
Make peace – To stop fighting and agree
  • The two brothers made peace after their argument.
Make a duty of it – To do something as a responsibility
  • He made a duty of helping the poor.
Make sure of – To confirm or check
  • Make sure of your answers before submitting.
Man of sympathy and sense – A kind and wise person
  • He is a man of sympathy and sense, always helping others.
Marvel at – To be amazed by something
  • I marvel at the beauty of the mountains.
Manage with – To handle a situation with limited resources
  • She managed with little money for a month.
Man of one's acquaintance – Someone a person knows
  • He is the most honest man of my acquaintance.
Merry-go-round – A situation that goes around repeatedly
  • Life sometimes feels like a merry-go-round of work and rest.
Mistake for – To wrongly think someone or something is another
  • I mistook her for my old friend.
Make room – To create space or provide space for something or someone
  • Can you make room for one more person at the table?
Make for – To head towards or move in the direction of something
  • We should make for the park before it gets dark.
Make face – To pretend or put on a fake expression, usually one of happiness or surprise
  • She tried to make face when she didn’t get the job she wanted.

Make nothing of – To treat something as unimportant or insignificant

  • He made nothing of the mistake and just moved on.
Make out – To understand or figure something out, or to perform a task
  • I couldn’t make out what he was saying because of the noise.
Make a mess – To create disorder or confusion
  • She made a mess in the kitchen while baking cookies.
Make both ends meet – To manage to live on the money you have, especially when it’s not much
  • He works two jobs to make both ends meet.
Make one's mouth water – To cause someone to feel hungry or desire something
  • The smell of the freshly baked bread made my mouth water.
Make a mountain of (or, out of) a molehill – To make a big deal out of something that is not important
  • Stop making a mountain out of a molehill; it’s just a small mistake.
Make good – To succeed or achieve something
  • He made good in his new business and became very successful.
Make up – To invent something or reconcile after an argument
  • She made up an excuse for being late to the meeting.
  • They argued but made up later.
Make a cat's paw (make a fool) – To use someone as a tool to accomplish something, often to their disadvantage
  • He made her a cat’s paw in his plan to get ahead at work.

Maiden speech – The first public speech someone gives

  • His maiden speech in parliament was very well received.
Move heaven and earth – To try everything possible to achieve something
  • I will move heaven and earth to make sure you get the job.
No longer – Not anymore
  • He no longer lives in this city.
No one else – Nobody other than the mentioned person
  • No one else could solve the puzzle.
Not that – To indicate an exception
  • I like coffee, not that I drink it often.
Now and then – Sometimes
  • She visits her grandmother now and then.
Nook and corner – Every part or place, especially all the hidden or small areas
  • He searched every nook and corner of the house for the lost keys.
Now and again – Occasionally, sometimes
  • I go for a walk now and again when I have free time.
Now or never – A situation in which action must be taken immediately, or it will be too late
  • This is now or never; if we don’t act now, we’ll miss the opportunity.
Null and void – Invalid or no longer in effect
  • The contract was declared null and void after the company went bankrupt.
Nine days wonder – Something that is popular for only a short time and then quickly forgotten
  • The new movie was a nine days wonder; no one talks about it now.
Nip in the bud – To stop something before it develops or gets worse
  • We need to nip this problem in the bud before it becomes a bigger issue.
Next to impossible – Very difficult or nearly impossible
  • It’s next to impossible to finish this project in one day.
Of any consequence – Of any importance
  • This mistake is not of any consequence.
Of course – Naturally; certainly
  • Of course, I will help you with your homework.
Of one's own accord – Willingly
  • He apologized of his own accord.
Of small consequence – Not important
  • The delay was of small consequence to our plans.
Of one's acquaintance – A person one knows
  • She is the best singer of my acquaintance.
Owing to – Because of
  • The match was canceled owing to heavy rain.

Overwhelmed with – Filled with strong emotions

  • She was overwhelmed with joy at the news.
On board – Inside a vehicle or ship
  • All passengers are now on board the plane.
On the instant – Immediately
  • He obeyed the order on the instant.
On the lookout – Watching carefully for something
  • The police are on the lookout for the thief.
On the sly – Secretly
  • He ate chocolates on the sly.
On account of – Because of
  • The school was closed on account of bad weather.
On rosy wings – In a happy or pleasant way
  • She walked home on rosy wings after hearing the good news.
Once upon a time – A phrase used to begin a story
  • Once upon a time, there was a brave knight.
One after another – In a sequence
  • The players entered the field one after another.
On condition – Only if a specific requirement is met
  • He agreed to help on condition that I would pay him.
On the menu – Available as a food option
  • Pizza is on the menu today.
Open wide – To open something fully
  • She opened wide the windows to let in fresh air.
Out of the question – Impossible or not allowed
  • Going out in this heavy rain is out of the question.
Off and on – Occasionally, not consistently
  • I’ve been feeling off and on about the decision all week.
Of one's own accord – By one's own decision or will, without being asked or forced
  • He left the meeting of his own accord.
Of no avail – Useless or ineffective
  • All their efforts were of no avail in stopping the storm.
Of the first water – Of the highest quality or excellence
  • The diamond was of the first water, sparkling beautifully.
On and on – Continuing without stopping
  • The meeting went on and on, and we didn’t even get to the main topic.
On the alert – Being watchful and ready to respond
  • The teacher was on the alert for any signs of cheating during the exam.
On no account – Under no circumstances
  • On no account should you open the door to strangers.

On the verge of – Almost ready to do something or about to happen

  • He is on the verge of getting his promotion at work.
On good terms – Having a friendly and positive relationship
  • They are on good terms with their neighbors and often visit each other.
On the eve of – Just before or the night before something happens
  • On the eve of his birthday, he felt very excited.
On the point of – About to do something or something is about to happen
  • I was on the point of leaving when the phone rang.
On the sly – Done secretly or in a hidden way
  • He bought the gift for his wife on the sly so it would be a surprise.
On the spur of the moment – Doing something without planning, impulsively
  • They decided to go on a road trip on the spur of the moment.
On the whole – Generally, in general
  • On the whole, the meeting went well and everyone was happy with the results.
On principle – Because of a basic belief or rule
  • She refused to go to the party on principle, as she didn't agree with their behavior.
One and all – Everyone, all people
  • One and all were invited to the party, and everyone came.
Open secret – Something that is supposed to be a secret but is widely known
  • It’s an open secret that he’s planning to retire next year.
Out and out – Completely or fully
  • It was an out and out lie when he said he was innocent.
Out of date – Old-fashioned or no longer valid
  • The information in this book is out of date and needs updating.
Out of pocket – Having spent more money than expected or needed
  • She had to pay for the repairs herself and was out of pocket for a while.
Out of sorts – Feeling unwell or not in a good mood
  • He’s been out of sorts lately and hasn’t been himself.
Out of the woods – No longer in danger or difficulty
  • After the surgery, he is out of the woods and recovering well.
Out of one's wit – Crazy or very confused
  • She was out of her wit when she heard the surprising news.
Over head and ears – Completely involved or deeply in something
  • He was over head and ears in work and had no time to relax.
Over and over again – Repeatedly, many times
  • She asked me over and over again if I was sure about my decision.

Play in – To take part in something

  • She loves to play in school competitions.

Point to – To indicate something

  • The teacher pointed to the board while explaining.

Pull up – To stop moving

  • The car pulled up in front of the house.

Pull down – To destroy or demolish

  • They pulled down the old building to build a new one.

Pour out – To express feelings freely

  • She poured out her sadness to her friend.

Prevail upon – To persuade someone

  • He prevailed upon his friend to join the trip.

Put down – To write or note something

  • She put down the address in her notebook.

Put in – To add effort or time into something

  • He put in a lot of hard work for the exam.

Put on – To wear something

  • She put on her new dress for the party.

Put off – To postpone or delay

  • The meeting was put off due to bad weather.

Put out – To extinguish (a fire, light, etc.)

  • He quickly put out the fire.

Put to death – To execute or kill

  • In ancient times, traitors were put to death.

Paragon of animals – The best example of a human being

  • Shakespeare called man the paragon of animals.

Pile up – To accumulate or gather

  • The books piled up on the table.

Pluck at – To pull something lightly

  • The child plucked at her mother's sleeve.

Prepared for – Ready for something

  • He was well prepared for the exam.

Pull out – To withdraw or remove

  • The team pulled out of the competition at the last moment.

Pass through – To travel across or experience

  • We passed through a beautiful forest on our way.

Put away – To store or keep something in its place

  • She put away the books after reading.
Pass for – To be accepted as or mistaken for something else
  • She can pass for a high school student, though she’s in college.
Pros and cons – The advantages and disadvantages of something
  • Before making a decision, we need to consider the pros and cons of both options.
Pull a long face – To look sad or disappointed
  • He pulled a long face when he heard that his flight was delayed.
Pull well with – To get along or have a good relationship with someone
  • She pulls well with her colleagues and is always friendly.
Pure and simple – Only that, without any additional factors or excuses
  • It was pure and simple laziness that made him fail the test.
Play one false – To deceive or betray someone
  • He played her false by pretending to be her friend while secretly making trouble.
Put down – To insult or criticize someone
  • It’s not nice to put someone down just because they made a mistake.
Play truant – To skip school or not attend without permission
  • He played truant from school yesterday because he wasn’t feeling well.
Put off – To delay or postpone something
  • I had to put off the meeting because of a sudden emergency.
Put on – To wear clothing or to pretend something
  • She put on her new dress for the party.
  • He put on an act to make himself look better than he was.
Put out – To extinguish something (like a fire) or to annoy someone
  • Please put out the candles before leaving the room.
  • It really put me out when he didn’t show up on time.
Put up with – To tolerate or endure something difficult or unpleasant
  • I don’t know how she puts up with all that noise from the neighbors.