Read Webster's New World American Idioms Handbook Online
Authors: Gail Brenner
play hooky
play it cool
play it safe
play on
play second fiddle
play something by ear
pleased as punch
point out
point the finger at
poke around
poke fun of
poke one’s nose in someone’s business
pooped out
pop quiz/test
pop the question
poster couple
Post-War Generation
pot belly
pothead
pounding the pavement
pouring down rain
practical joke
prefer one’s own company
preposition as connector
preposition as part of a phrasal verb
preposition of location
prepositions
prepositions, American versus British use
press on
prick up one’s ears
primary school, British
private school
probably
probably not
proposal
propose
pub/club crawling
public school, British
puddle jumper
puff
pull down
pull no punches
pull on/off
pull out all the stops
pull over
pull someone’s leg
pull something off
pull the wool over someone’s eyes
pull through
pulled over
pulling an all-nighter
pulling in six figures
pulls over (someone)
punch line
punched out
puppy love
push down
push off
push on
put a cork in it
put away
put down
put in a good mood
put in good spirits
put in/on
put off
put on clothes
put on make-up
put on my face
put on pounds
put on the back burner
put on/take off
put one’s best foot forward
put one’s cards on the table
put one’s feet up/down
put one’s finger on something
put one’s foot in one’s mouth
put ones’ heads together
put one’s life in someone’s hands
put (have/keep) one’s nose to the grindstone
put others first
put our hands together
put out/on
put through
put through hell
put through one’s paces
put through the test
put through the wringer
put two and two together
put up with
put words in someone’s mouth
putting away money
putting someone to shame
putting things off
queue up, British
quick once over
quick to anger
quiet down
quit it
racial joke
rake it in
rake up
rally around
ran into
randy, British
raw deal
razz
reach one’s limit
read on
read through
ready for bed
ready-made family
real deal
real thing
really (and truly)
Really?
rear-end
recovering alcoholic
red
red carpet
red tape
red, white, and blue
red-eye flight
reduce stress
relies
rest stop/rest area
reversing lights, British
ride someone’s bumper/tail/tailgate
right
right away
right on
right-hand man
ring off, British
ring someone up, British
rinse off
riot
rip someone off
ripe old age
rip-off
rise and shine
risk one’s neck
road trip
roaring drunk
roll in the aisles
roll in the hay
roll their own
rolling in dough/money
romp
roof over one’s head
round of applause
roundabout, British
round-trip
rub shoulders with someone
rub someone’s nose in something
rubber, American versus British use
rug-rat
rules of the road
run a light/stop sign
run a red light
run around
run around in circles
run away
run circles around
run down
run for
run in the family
run into
run off at the mouth
run off with
run on
run out
run out of money
run over
run through
run up
run up the bills/credit cards
run with
run/drive someone off the road
running away from it all
runny nose
rush hour
said a mouthful
salt mines
same old same old
same old thing
save for a rainy day
save one’s neck
saving face
saving money
sawing logs
Say (that) again?
say I do
say over
say the L word
Say what?
say when
saying, defined
says a mouthful
scalper
scam
scammer
scare the crap out of someone
scared out of one’s wits
scoring
scram
scratch
scratch one’s head
scratch someone’s back
scream
screw up
screw up one’s face
Scrooge
search me
second
second base
second helping
second nature
second rate
second thought
second to none
second wind
second-class citizen
secondhand
secondhand clothes
secondhand smoke
secure a loan
see
see eye-to-eye
See my point?
see red
see the glass half full/empty
see through
See what I mean?
see ya
see you later alligator
See?
seeing someone
self
self-centered
selfless act
self-serving
sell off
sell someone down the river
senior
senior citizen
senior citizen age
separable phrasal verbs
serious
set
set a date
set foot somewhere
set off
set one’s sight on
set the table
set/put one’s mind to
settle down
seventh heaven
sex
sexist joke
shade
shady deal
shake a leg
shake in one’s boots
shake like a leaf
Shame on you!
shame-faced
share one’s life with someone
shed pounds
shell out
shifts
shoe is on the other foot
shoo
shoot
shoot daggers at someone
shoot off one’s mouth
shoot oneself in the foot
shop around
shopping cart
shopping trolley, British
short on money
short-tempered
shoulder
shoulder to cry on
show one’s age
show one’s face (around here)
show one’s true colors
show one’s true face
show one’s/your face
show up
showing
shows on his/your face
showtime
shrinking violet
shut down
shut one’s mouth
shut up
shut-eye
sick as a dog
sick in bed
sick joke
sick to one’s stomach
side with
sideswipe
sign in/out
sign on
sign on/off
sign up
silver anniversary
silver lining
Since when?
sing the blues
single-parent family
singles
single’s bars
sit down
sit on
sit through
sit twiddling one’s thumbs
sit up
sit up (late)
sit up with
sit-down show
sitting on top of the world
sitting pretty
six feet under
six of one, half a dozen of the other
sixes and sevens
sixth sense
skin and bones
skinflint
skip class
slam on one’s brakes
slang, defined
slap in the face
slave labor
slave over a hot stove (all day)
sleep in
sleep on
sleep over
sleep through
sleep together/with
sleeper
sleep-in
sleeping like a baby
sleeping soundly
sleepyhead
slept late
slice up
slip away
slip through one’s fingers
slow down
small-town boy/girl makes good
smashed
smell up
smoke
smoke like a chimney
smokers
smoker’s breath
smoker’s cough
smooch
smooth over
sneak away
snoop around
snow job
so long
So?
So what?
soap up
soccer mom
social butterfly
social drinker
social scene
social smoker
sock away
soft drink
soft in the head
soft-hearted
softy
sorry
Sorry?
soul mate
soundtrack
sourpuss
souse
soused
space out
spare tire
speak falsely
speak for
speak for yourself
speak out
speak the truth
speak up
special effects
speed it up
spend foolishly
spend it as fast as one can make it
spend like there is/was no tomorrow
spend wisely
spice up
spill the beans
spitting image
split
split a gut
split shift
split up
spoof
sports bars
spotless
spots, British
spring cleaning
sprung
squares
squirrel away
stab someone in the back
stand for
stand in
stand on one’s own
stand on one’s own two feet
stand out
stand up
stand up to
standby
standing joke
standing ovation
stand-up comedy
staring one in the face
start off
start on the right/wrong foot
start out/off on the right foot
start up
starting to drop off/nod off
starting to get better
stash away
stay active
stay around
stay awake
stay fit
stay in shape
stay over
stay positive
stay up
stay-at-home mom
staying up
steal away
steal someone’s heart
steamed (up)
step on it
step on someone’s toes
stepdad
stepfather
stepmom
stick around
stick one’s neck out
stick one’s nose in someone’s business
stick out like a sore thumb
stick-in-the-mud
stick-thin
stink up
stomach
stomach something
stop at nothing
stop it
stop over
stopover
straight (heterosexual) clients
straight away
straight man/woman
straight up
straight with someone
straight-A student
straighten up
straightforward
straights
strapped
stretch the truth
strike out
strike up
stud
submit
such is life
sucking face
Sugar
sugar daddy
summer cold
S’up?
supermom
sure
Sure, why not?
swapping spit
sweat blood (over something)
sweat shop
sweating bullets
sweet nothings
sweet nothings (in one’s ear)
sweet on
Sweetheart
sweethearts
Sweetie
Sweetie Pie
swept off one’s feet
switch on/off
switch shift
tack on
take
take a bath
take a bath/shower
take a bow
take a break
take a breather
take a call
take a day/week off
take a decision, British
take a deep breath
take a drag
take a few minutes
take a joke
take a load off (one’s feet)
take a meal
take a nap
take a nosedive
take a puff
take a shower
take a shower (bath)
take a test
take a time out
take a turn
take a turn for the worse
take a vacation
take advice
take an order
take away
take away, British
take care
take care of
take clothes off
take courage
take dinner
take down
take effect
take five
take for
take heart
take heed
take in
take it easy
take lunch
take note
take off
take off clothes
take off pounds
take off/put on
take on
take one’s bow
take one’s hand
take one’s pulse
take one’s temperature
take one’s (own sweet) time
take one’s vital signs
take one’s vow
take out
take out a loan
take out of
take over
take part
take place
take precautions
take something at face value
take the stage
take the words right out of someone’s mouth
take their eyes off the road
take time
take time off
take to one’s bed
take turns
take up
take up with
take vacation
take your life in your hands
take/grab it