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1 of 10


by the skin of one's teeth

Categories: adverb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
1 of 10
[by the skin of one's teeth]  {adv. phr.}
By a narrow margin; with no room to spare; barely.
The drowning man struggled, and I got him to land by the skin of my teeth.
She passed English by the skin of her teeth.
Compare: [SQUEAK THROUGH], [WITHIN AN ACE OF] or [WITHIN AN INCH OF].
Categories: adverb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
2 of 10


by the sweat of one's brow

Categories: adverb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
2 of 10
[by the sweat of one's brow]  {adv. phr.}
By hard work; by tiring effort; laboriously.
Even with modern labor-saving machinery, the farmer makes his living by the sweat of his brow.
Categories: adverb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
3 of 10


too ---- by half

Categories: British adjective
A Dictionary of American Idioms
3 of 10
[too ---- by half]  {adj.} ( {princ. British})
Much too; excessively.
The heroine of the story is too nice by half; she is not believable.
Categories: British adjective
A Dictionary of American Idioms
4 of 10


wade through

Categories: verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
4 of 10
[wade through]  {v. phr.}
To read through something long and laborious.
It took John six months to wade through Tolstoy's War and Peace in the original Russian.
Categories: verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
5 of 10


wade in

Categories: informal verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
5 of 10
[wade in] or [wade into]  {v.},  {informal}
1. To go busily to work.
The house was a mess after the party, but Mother waded in and soon had it clean again.
2. To attack.
When Bill had heard Jim's argument, he waded in and took it apart.
Jack waded into the boys with his fists flying.
Categories: informal verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
6 of 10


calm down

Categories: time verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
6 of 10
[calm down]  {v. phr.}
To become quiet; relax.
"Calm down, Mr. Smith," the doctor said with a reassuring smile. "You are going to live a long time."
Categories: time verb
A Dictionary of American Idioms
7 of 10


calling down

Categories: call informal noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms
7 of 10
[calling down] also [dressing down]  {n. phr.},  {informal}
A scolding; reprimand.
The judge gave the boy a calling down for speeding.
Categories: call informal noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms
8 of 10


old country

Categories: noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms
8 of 10
[old country]  {n. phr.}
Primarily Europe, but also any country other than the United States where one originally came from.
Al's wife was born in Chicago but Al himself is from the old country, Ireland.
Categories: noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms
9 of 10


old college try

Categories: noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms
9 of 10
[old college try]  {n. phr.}
An attempt to win a favor from another by mentioning the fact that one had gone to the same college or university as the party from whom the favor is requested.
Since he needed a job, he decided to use the old college try when he contacted Jerry, but it didn't work.
Compare: [OLD BOY NETWORK].
Categories: noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms
10 of 10


old flame

Categories: love noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms
10 of 10
[old flame]  {n. phr.}
An erstwhile lover.
Did you know that Meg was one of Howard's old flames?
Categories: love noun
A Dictionary of American Idioms