Idioms in alphabetical order
Here're 97 idioms starting with S.SACRED COW
an idea or thing that cannot be altered
SAFE AND SOUND
not hurt or damaged
SALES PITCH
a speech or presentation designed to persuade someone to buy or do smth.
SALT (SMTH.) AWAY
to save, store, or hoard smth. (usually smth. highly valued and in danger of being stolen)
SALT OF THE EARTH, THE
a very dependable and unpretentious person
SAVE (SMTH.) FOR A RAINY DAY
to save smth., usually money, for a possible future need
SAVE SOMEONE'S NECK
to help someone avoid getting into trouble
SAVE/LOSE FACE
to maintain/not maintain a degree of pride in a shameful situation
SAY A MOUTHFUL
to say smth. of a significant or shocking nature (1); to say more than one should (2)
SCARED OUT OF (ONE'S) WITS
so afraid that someone is unable to think clearly
SCENT BLOOD
to sense a weakness in your opponent and take advantage of it
SCRATCH ONE'S HEAD
to think hard about smth.
SCREW LOOSE/LOOSE SCREW, HAVE A
to be harmlessly crazy
SECOND THOUGHTS, HAVE
to begin to have doubts; to question and re-examine a decision
SECOND-GUESS
to dispute or try to understand someone’s reason for doing smth.
SECOND-RATE
good, but not the best quality
SEE (SMTH.) THROUGH
to finish smth. one has started
SEE EYE TO EYE
to agree
SEE LIFE
to experience many different and often unexpected things
SEE RED
to get angry
SEE THE LIGHT
to understand smth. clearly
SEE THROUGH (SMTH./SOMEONE)
to not be fooled by a false front or disguise that someone presents in order to mislead; to understand the true nature of someone or smth.
SEE WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS
to determine what stance to take based on what others want, even though such actions or words may not be what one sincerely wants to do or say
SELL (SOMEONE) A BILL OF GOODS
to sell someone smth. that is worthless (1), or to make someone believe smth. that is untrue (2); to deceive someone
SELL LIKE HOTCAKES
to sell quickly
SET (SOMEONE'S) TEETH ON EDGE
to irritate
SEVENTH HEAVEN, IN
blissfully happy
SHAGGY DOG STORY
long joke with an anticlimactic ending (1); narrative with excessive irrelevant details (2)
SHAKE A LEG
to hurry
SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT
two people whose lives come together or whose paths cross for a short time
SHOOT THE BREEZE
to chat or to pass time by chatting; to talk idly
SHOT IN THE ARM
smth. that stimulates, boosts, or renews people’s interest
SHOT IN THE DARK
a guess, often wild or based on little information
SHOUT/PROCLAIM SMTH. FROM THE ROOFTOPS
to say smth. publicly
SHUDDER TO THINK
to be very worried/fearful about smth.
SICK AS A PIG
thoroughly displeased, disappointed, or dejected
SINKING FEELING
a feeling that something bad is going to happen
SIT TIGHT
to wait quietly and patiently, often in an anxious situation
SITTING PRETTY
in a good or advantageous situation; living comfortably
SIXTH SENSE
a feeling, intuition or premonition not based on one of the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell
SLEEP LIKE A LOG/ROCK
to sleep so soundly that noise doesn’t wake the person
SLIP THROUGH (SOMEONE'S) FINGERS
to lose smth. because one takes too much time to consider the situation
SLOW AS MOLASSES
extremely slow
SLOW BURN
to be quietly angry
SLOW/QUICK OFF THE MARK
slow [or quick] to understand a situation
SMELL A RAT
to begin to suspect trickery or deception; to sense foul play
SMTH. TO CROW ABOUT
an exceptional accomplishment; an achievement that is worth bragging about
SNOWBALL'S CHANCE IN HELL
no chance at all
SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
a person who likes to attend parties and other social events
SOUR GRAPES
a situation where a person criticizes smth. or someone out of jealousy
SOW (ONE'S) WILD OATS
to do foolish or wild things, usually as a youth
SPEAK (ONE'S) MIND
to tell someone how one feels or what one thinks
SPEAK (ONE'S) PIECE
to tell someone how one feels or what one thinks
SPEAK OF THE DEVIL
an expression used when someone who is being talked about has just appeared
SPILL THE BEANS
to reveal a secret
SPITTING IMAGE
an exact likeness
SPLIT HAIRS
to argue about some detail that is not important
SPRING (SMTH.) ON (SOMEONE)
to surprise someone with smth.
SPUR OF THE MOMENT, ON THE
suddenly or spontaneously; without advance planning
SQUARE DEAL
a fair arrangement, fair treatment, or a fair price
SQUARE MEAL
full and well-balanced meal
SQUEAL LIKE A STUCK PIG
to make a loud, typically out of pain
STALL FOR TIME
to create a delay or distraction in order to gain additional time
STAND (ONE'S) GROUND
to be firm in one’s resolve or not to alter one’s position (1); not to give up any territory (2)
STAND ON (ONE'S) OWN TWO FEET
to be independent and self-supporting
STAND OUT IN A/THE CROWD
to be distinguishable from others in a group; distinctive
STARE LIKE A STUCK PIG
someone who is open-mouthed and wide-eyed with fear or amazement
START (SMTH.) FROM SCRATCH
to start from the very beginning; to start from the very first step
STEAL ONE'S THUNDER
to prevent someone from having success or getting attention, praise, etc. , by doing or saying whatever that person was planning to do or say
STEP ON IT
to hurry
STEP ON SOMEONE'S TOES
to upset someone, esp. by getting involved in smth. that is that person’s responsibility
STEP ON THE GAS
to drive fasteR; to do smth. more quickly or with more effort
STEP OUT OF LINE
to behave in a way that is unacceptable or not expected
STEW IN (ONE'S) OWN JUICES
to suffer the consequences of one’s own actions
STICK (ONE'S) NECK OUT
to take a risk
STICK (ONE'S) NOSE IN
to try to find out about someone else’s private business
STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB
not to blend in; to be obvious and prominent or easily seen
STICK TO (ONE'S) GUNS
to be firm in one’s resolve or not to alter one’s position
STICK-IN-THE-MUD
someone who is seen as never wanting to take part in fun activities
STONEWALL
to avoid answering a question directly by being deliberately vague about it, or by talking a lot but not saying anything meaningful
STRAIGHT AND NARROW
the path of correct social or ethical behavior that society approves of
STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH
directly from the primary source; directly from the person or people involved
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
people or things that one does not normally expect to find together
STRAPPED FOR CASH
not having quite enough money
STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK, THE
the final thing or action which is too much or goes too far
STREET SMARTS
the knowledge one needs to live on the streets; less literally, it means knowledge of the way things work in the real world
STRETCH ONE'S LEGS
to go for a walk, especially after sitting in the same position for a long time
STRETCH THE TRUTH
to be truthful technically, but to distort the truth so that others are led to believe smth. that is not true
STRIKE IT RICH
to make money (1); or, less literally, to be wildly successful (2)
STRING (SOMEONE) ALONG
to make someone believe smth. that is not true
STUFFED SHIRT
a man who is tiresome, pompous and self-important
SUIT/FIT (SOMEONE/SMTH.) TO A T
perfectly; exactly
SWALLOW (ONE'S) PRIDE
to accept smth. humiliating
SWEAR BLIND
to state (smth. ) very strongly and sincerely
SWEAT BLOOD
to put out a great deal of effort; to work very, very hard
SWEAT LIKE A PIG
a person that is sweating profusely
SWEEP (SOMEONE) OFF HIS/HER FEET
to overwhelm someone, often causing him or her to fall in love
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