Phrases and Idioms 301-400 (ever - half)

  Phrases and Idioms Meaning
301. ever  – ever and anon Occasionally; from time to time.
302. every  – every now and again Occasionally.
303. every  – every now and then Sometimes but not often.
304. every  – every other Each alternate item in a list of items.
305. every  – every so often Occasionally; sometimes.
306. every  – every Tom, Dick, and Harry Used to refer to ordinary people in general.
307. every  – every which way In all directions.
308. evil  - the evil eye A look from the evil eye according to old superstition is believed to cause considerable harm.
309. eye  - an eye for an eye Retaliation in kind as appropriate to deal with a wrong.
310. eye  – be all eyes Be watching eagerly and attentively
311. eye  - catch someone’s eye To attract someone’s attention.
312. eye  – close one’s eyes To deliberately not notice something unpleasant.
313. eye  – make eyes at To look at someone with sexual interest.
314. eye  – open someone’s eyes To make someone aware of something.
315. eye  - the naked eye Seeing without using a telescope, microscope, etc
316. eye  – to my eye In one’s opinion with regards to how someone or something looks.
317. eyeball  - eyeball to eyeball Face to face with someone in a mutually angry or hostile way.
318. face  – face the music Accept the consequences of something one has done.
319. fact  – facts of life Information about sex.
320. fair  - fair and square Accurately; honestly and openly.
321. fair  - fair’s fair Request for fair play or treatment, or a statement that something has been fair.
322. fair  - fair-weather friend A person whose friendship is not genuine, especially in times of crisis.
323. fair  - the fair sex Women.
324. faith  – act of faith An action demonstrating trust.
325. faith  – breach of faith Betrayal of trust; insincerity.
326. faith  – in good faith With intention to be honest; sincerity.
327. fall  – fall foul of To break a rule or law.
328. fall  – fall from grace To stop being liked by others, especially those in authority.
329. fall  – fall into line To conform to what is required of someone.
330. fall  – fall into place To begin to become clear or make sense.
331. fall  – fall short of To be less than the amount or standard required.
332. fancy  – take someone’s fancy Make something attractive or interesting to someone.
333. favour  – in favour of In support of or agree to something.
334. feather  – feather in (one’s) cap An achievement that one should be proud of.
335. feel  – feel the pinch Experience difficulties, especially financial.
336. fiddle  – play second fiddle (to) To take a less important role.
337. fight  – fight or flight Instinctive response to a threatening situation.
338. fight  – fight shy of To avoid doing or becoming involved with something.
339. fill  – fill someone’s shoes Substitute someone’s role and perform it acceptably.
340. fill  – fill the bill To have the qualities suitable for a particular purpose.
341. find  – find favour with To be liked or approved of.
342. fine  – one’s finest hour Time when someone experiences their greatest success.
343. fire  – fire and brimstone Refers to hell.
344. first  – at first light Dawn; daybreak.
345. first  – first among equals The most outstanding one.
346. first  – first and foremost The primary purpose of something.
347. first  – first of all Before doing anything else.
348. first  –first things first Dealing with things in or
349. flat  – go flat against To completely disregard or reject outright.
350. flesh  – flesh and blood Someone of one’s own family.
351. flesh  - put flesh on To provide details so as to clarify.
352. floor  – take the floor To dance or speak at a social event, etc.
353. fly  – fly a kite To try out something new so as to test reaction.
354. flying  - with flying colors Very successfully.
355. follow  – as follows To present a list of something.
356. follow  – follow suit To do the same thing as someone has just done.
357. follow  – follow the herd To just blindly do what other people do.
358. foot  - feet of clay Someone whose faults are not easily known.
359. force  – by force of By means of.
360. force  – come into force Start to operate.
361. force  – force of circumstance External factors that influence one’s decisions
362. force  – force someone’s hand Exert pressure on someone to do something.
363. force  – force the bidding To deliberately and quickly drive up a price
364. force  – force the issue To pressure someone to make a hasty decision.
365. force  – forces of darkness Evil influences or the devil.
366. force  – forces of nature Natural forces such as the earthquakes, volcanoes, wind, etc.
367. fortune  – a small fortune A large amount of money.
368. fortune  – soldier of fortune A soldier who will fight in return for money; a mercenary.
369. French  – take French leave To absent oneself form work, etc. without permission.
370. full  – full steam ahead To proceed or do something energetically and speedily.
371. further  - until further notice Until one is notified again.
372. garbage  – garbage in, garbage out Inferior quality input will produce low quality output.
373. gauntlet  - run the gauntlet Take whatever criticisms or attacks that come one’s way.
374. get  – get a life. Used to tell someone that they are boring.
375. go  – go for it Put in all one’s effort to get something.
376. go  – go without saying To be self-evident.
377. go  - have a go Make an attempt at something.
378. go  – on the go On the move all the time.
379. go  – who goes there? A sentry’s challenge to someone to identify themselves.
380. goalpost  – move the goalposts Alter the rules in an unfair manner.
381. grade  - make the grade To accomplish what is required. Succeed.
382. grass  – the grass roots The ordinary people as opposed to the leaders in an organization.
383. grease  - grease someone’s palm To bribe someone.
384. grease  - like greased lightning Extremely fast.
385. green  - green with envy Very envious or jealous
386. green  - green-eyed monster Jealousy.
387. green  - have green fingers Clever at growing plants.
388. grim  – like/for  grim death With great determination.
389. grind  - the daily grind The monotonous work that one does every day.
390. grit  – grit one’s teeth To persevere in one’s efforts to overcome something difficult.
391. groan  – moan and groan Complain constantly.
392. guard  – guard of honour A group of soldiers assembled to ceremonially welcome an important visitor, usually a foreign head of state.
393. guard  – lower your guard Fail to give proper care or attention to.
394. guess  - be anybody’s guess Something that no one knows but only guess at.
395. guest  - be my guest Used to express permission to someone to do what they have asked to do.
396. guest  – guest of honour The most important person invited to a special function.
397. gun –  jump the gun To act sooner than one should without considering the proper time to do it.
398. gutter  – the gutter press Newspapers engaging in sensationalism and considered as fit only for the gutter
399. hair  - a hair’s breath A very small margin
400. half  - half a mind (to) Used when one is unsure about doing something.