Exciting Collection of Idioms and Collocations That Will Make You Stand Out

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In a group discussion, there is always this person that really seems to stand out when he or she speaks. Be that person! Put a mystery in your words. Learn idioms and collocations that will make you stand out when you speak in a group.

Here are over 200 idioms and collocations and their meanings that will make you stand out when you speak in a group.

1. A ball and chain A burden
2. A bitter pill to swallow A state of distress 
3. A far cry for A long distance
4. A French leave Absence without permission
5. A man of steel Strong person
6. A slap on the face An unexpected rejection
7. A thorn in the flesh The course of annoyance or trouble
8. A turning point A time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs
9. A twinkle of an eye Happened extremely quickly
10. Action speaks louder than words A person’s action show their real attitudes, rather than what they say
11. Add fuel to fire To worsen a situation
12. Aid and abet To help someone to commit a crime
13. All in all On the whole, Everything
14. All or nothing
Having no compromise available
15. Along with In company with or at the same time as
16. Alpha and omega Everything, Beginning and the end
17. An eye for an eye The principle of reciprocal justice measure for measure
18. Anti-clockwise In the opposite direction
19. As far back as Looking into the remote past 
20. As white as snow White; Perfect or completely uncorrupted and honest
21. Ask for it Behave in a way that is likely to result in difficulty for oneself
22. At knife edge A tense or uncertain situation
23. At long last In the end; after much delay
24. Back off Draw back from action
25. Back the wrong horse To make a wrong or inappropriate choice
26. Back up Provide support for someone or something
27. Backward and forward Constantly changing the mind; Without direction
28. Badly off At a disadvantage
29. Bag and baggage  With all one’s belongings
30. Bag of bones An emaciated person or animal
31. Bark worse than bite Hostile than they really are
32. Batten down the hatches Prepare for a difficulty or crisis situation 
33. Be in lime light At the center of public attention
34. Be strong Do not be frightened
35. Be under arms Provided with weapons and willing to fight
36. Beat about the bush Discuss a matter without coming to the point
37. Beat the time To finish something very quickly
38. Behind bars In prison
39. Bell the cat To take the danger of a shared enterprise upon oneself
40. Below the belt Disregarding the rules; unfair
41. Between life and death Very sick or near to dying
42. Beyond joke It has stopped being funny and is now a serious matter
43. Bite off more than you can chew To take on a commitment one cannot fulfil
44. Bite the hand that feed you To act badly toward the person who is helping or has helped you
45. Born and bred By birth and upbringing
46 Born with a silver spoon in your mouth To be born into a wealthy family of high social standing
47. Breach of contract An act of breaking the terms set out in a contract
48. Cat and dog Contrary to experience or belief
49. Climbing heaps upon heaps A position of total or complete superiority
50. Cloud good judgement To cause someone to be unable to think clearly
51. Come to think of it on reflection 
52. Crying shame A situation that makes one feel sad or disappointed
53. Cup of tea Something that someone likes or is good at
54. Cut down A decrease or reduction
55. Cut the long story short To state the final result of an event and not give any more details
56. Dance to the music To allow oneself to be controlled by another person
57. Dawn of a new day A new beginning; a fresh start
58. Digging the wrong hole To get yourself into a difficult situation
59. Do or die Showing or requiring a determination not to compromise
60. Do yourself proud To do something well
61. Dormant worker Inactive but still a part of the team
62 Dust your shoe To make a clean break with a relationship or situation; run away
63. Each passing day Changing continuously
64. Elaborate party Planned or executed with care and exactness
65. End of days End of existence; Judgement day
66. Fair weather friend A person who stops being a friend in times of difficulty
67. Fall upon your face Make a blunder or error of judgment
68. Float or walk on air Feeling very happy
69. Forget that Telling someone that their idea or aspiration is impracticable
70. Found us out To discover facts about someone or something
71. Free-for-all A disorganized or unrestricted situation or event in which everyone may take part
72. From frying pan to fire From a bad or difficult situation to one that is worse
73. Get beyond joke Something that is becoming serious or worrying
74. Get off to a flying start To have a very successful beginning
75. Get rid of Take action so as to be free of
76. Get the ball rolling To set an activity in motion; make a start.
77. Give a flying visit A very short visit
78. Give up the ghost To die
79. Go astray  To go away from the correct path or direction
80. Go down the lane Further away from the start
81. Go far enough To be successful; achieve much
82. Great minds Very intelligent people
83. Hale and healthy Being strong and in good health
84. Half the bottle No complete
85. Alma mater A school, college or university that one formerly attended
86. Hands were full To be very busy
87. Have a long way to go To have much progress to make before accomplishing a goal
88. Have green eyes To be jealous; envious
89. Hidden agenda A secret or ulterior motive for something
90. Hit the nail on the head Find exactly the right answer
91. Hitherto free Up to this time; until now
92. Hold firm To refuse to change what one has been doing or believing
93. Hold up the eyebrows to express surprise or disbelief
94. Hustle and bustle a busy and noisy atmosphere
95. I rest my case I have presented all the evidence and I consider the matter settled
96. I thought as much I suspected as much
97. In a fool’s paradise in a state of false or mistaken happiness or security
98. In soup in trouble or difficulty
99. In the neighbourhood of approximately or around
100. In your own backyard close to home or familiar territory
101. Jack of all trade a person who is skilled at many different things
102. Jungle justice rough or summary justice, often administered by a mob or informal group
103. Keep something at bay to keep something away or prevent it from approaching
104. Keep the body and soul to maintain one’s health or well-being
105. Kick the bucket To die
106. King’s meat food fit for a king or of the highest quality
107. Kiss the dust To be humbled or defeated
108. Latter day Sometime in the future
109. Lay down your arms To give up fighting or resistance
110. Lay something aside To set something aside for future use
111. Lay something bare To reveal or expose something
112. Lead to the alter To marry someone
113. Left-handed compliment a compliment that is intended to be insulting or sarcastic
114. Let bygone be bygone To forgive and forget
115. Let’s call it a day To stop a session of a meeting
116. Live on borrowed rope live precariously or in a risky situation
117. Long-time no see a way of saying that it has been a long time since the speaker last saw the person they are speaking to
118. Luke-warm not enthusiastic or passionate
119. Make amend To make things right or correct a mistake
120. Make hay while the sunshine To take advantage of a good opportunity while it is available
121. Make in-road into to make progress or gain ground in something
122. Man-eater someone who is dangerous or aggressive
123. Middle belt a region or area that is located in the middle of something else
124. Much ado about nothing a situation where there is a lot of fuss or commotion over something that is not important or significant
125. Next episode a future event or situation that will follow the current one
126. No stone at the turn to leave no stone unturned, meaning to do
127. Not easy to come about everything possible to achieve something
128. Not-with-standing despite something; in spite of
129. Once in a blue moon very rarely or almost never
130. One thing lead to another one event or situation caused another to happen
131. Out Herod Herod/ out Zola Zola to outdo someone in cruelty or viciousness
132. Part and parcel an essential or integral part of something
133. Pass me by to ignore or overlook someone or something
134. Path of righteousness a course of action that is morally correct or virtuous
135. Persistent demand a demand that continues or persists over time
136. Ponder on it To think carefully or deeply about something
137. Precious life blood something that is essential or vital to life or well-being
138. Pretty quick Done quickly, very soon or shortly
139. Pretty soon soon or in the near future
140. Prove wrong to show that something is false or incorrect
141. Pull your legs to deceive or trick someone
142. Push to the wall to put someone in a difficult or impossible situation
143. Put on the same trousers to have the same or similar beliefs or attitudes as someone else
144. Put your thinking cap on to start thinking or using your mind
145. Raise a white flag to signal surrender or give up
146. Read my lips pay attention to what I am saying
147. Red letter day an important or memorable day
148. Ring a bell to be familiar or remind someone of something
149. Root of the matter the fundamental or underlying cause of something
150. Round the circle to go through a series of events or actions in a circular manner
151. Rule with iron hand to rule or govern with strict control or authority
152. Run amok to behave in a violent or reckless manner
153. Run to and fro to move back and forth quickly or repeatedly
154. Seed of evildoers a source of evil or wrongdoing
155. Set goals and target to establish goals and objectives to be achieved
156. Shed crocodile tears to pretend to be sad or remorseful
157. Show red eyes to show anger or resentment
158. Show white feather to show cowardice or weakness
159. Shut eyes to ignore or overlook something
160. Sit on the fence to remain neutral or uncommitted in a situation
161. Smell a rat to suspect that something is wrong or dishonest
162. Smell pepper to suspect that something is dangerous or risky
163. So far so good so far, things are going well
164. Stand in awe of somebody or something to be in awe of someone or something
165. Stay or remain aloof to remain distant or detached from others
166. Step on my toes to offend or upset someone
167. Stone headed Stubborn or obstinate
168. Strike back against somebody to take action in response to being
169. Strike fears into somebody’s heart attacked or harmed by someone
170. Super-man to instill fear or terror in someone
171. Sweep off my feet a person who is exceptionally strong, fast, or intelligent
172. Take aim at to overwhelm or impress someone
173. Take heart to target or aim for something
174. Take on to be encouraged or reassured
175. Take to one’s heels to run away
176. Temper justice with mercy to balance justice with mercy or compassion
177. The apple of somebody’s eyes someone or something that is greatly loved or valued
178. The balance of evidence or probability  the weight or preponderance of evidence or probability on one side or the other
179. The ball in your court it is up to you to make the next move or decision
180. The battle lines are drawn the opposing sides or parties are clearly defined and ready to engage
181. The cart before the horse to do things in the wrong order or sequence
182. The core of our existence the fundamental or essential part of something
183. The devil and the deep blue sea two equally difficult or undesirable alternatives
184. The life of water and fire a difficult or challenging life
185. The lost pride pride that has been lost or damaged
186. The stuff you are made of the qualities or characteristics that define you as a person
187. The top most the highest or most important
188. The white elephant something that is expensive and difficult to maintain, but not very useful
189. There you are an expression of surprise or satisfaction
190. Think straight to think clearly or logically
191. Think twice to consider something carefully before making a decision
192. Timeless sunset a sunset that is beautiful and eternal
193. To beard the lion in its den to confront someone or something in their own territory
194. To build castle in the air to have unrealistic or impractical ideas or plans
195. To little or no avail without success or effect
196. To rain down curses to curse or swear at someone or something repeatedly
197. To walk extra miles to go above and beyond what is required
198. Toil all day to work hard or laboriously
199. Tooth for tooth to exact the same punishment or retaliation as was inflicted
200. Turn a new leaf to change one’s behavior or attitude for the better
201. Turn back the hand of time to reverse or undo something that has happened
202. Turning back returning to a previous state or condition
203. Under your mother’s apron sheltered or protected from the outside world
204. Unspeakable horrors terrible or horrific things that cannot be described
205. Up in the air/wind uncertain or unresolved
206. Wait a minute stop or pause for a moment
207. When the balloon goes up when something significant or important happens
208. With open hands willingly or eagerly
209. With your bare hands without any tools or weapons
210. Work round the clock to work continuously or without stopping

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