E
Idioms beginning with "E"
Part of speech, explanation, example sentences, pronunciation
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Contents of E:
[eat humble pie] {v. phr.}
To be humbled; to accept insult or shame; admit your error and apologize.
Tow told a lie about George, and when he was found out, he had to eat humble pie.
* /In some old stories a boy with a stepfather has to eat humble […]
[eat like a bird] {v. phr.}
To eat very little; have little appetite.
Mrs. Benson is on a diet and she eats like a bird.
Alice's mother is worried about her; she eats like a bird and is very thin.
Contrast: [EAT LIKE A HORSE].
[eat like a horse] {v. phr.}
To eat a lot; eat hungrily.
The harvesters worked into the evening, and then came in and ate like horses.
Contrast: [EAT LIKE A BIRD].
[eat one out of house and home] {v. phr.}
1. To eat so much as to cause economic hardship.
Our teenaged sons are so hungry all the time that they may soon eat us out of house and home.
2. To overstay one's welcome.
* /We love Bob and Jane very […]
[eat one's cake and have it too] {v. phr.}
To use or spend something and still keep it; have both when you must choose one of two things. Often used in negative sentences.
* /Roger can't make up his mind whether to go to college or get a job. You can't […]
[eat one's heart out] {v. phr.}
To grieve long and hopelessly; to become thin and weak from sorrow.
For months after her husband's death, Joanne simply ate her heart out.
We sometimes hear of a dog eating its heart out for a dead owner.
[eat one's words] also [swallow one's words] {v. phr.}
To take back something you have said; admit something is not true.
John had called Harry a coward, but the boys made him eat his words after Harry bravely fought a big bully.
Compare: [EAT […]
[eat out] {v.}
1. To eat in a restaurant; eat away from home.
Fred ate out often even when he wasn't out of town.
2. To rust, rot, or be destroyed in time.
Rust had eaten out the gun barrel.
See: [EAT AWAY].
[eat out of one's hand] {v. phr.}, {informal}
To trust someone fully; believe or obey someone without question.
The governor has the reporters eating out of his hand.
Helen is so pretty and popular that all the boys eat out of her hand.
[eat up] {v.}
1. To eat all of.
After hiking all afternoon, they quickly ate up all of the dinner.
2. To use all of.
Idle talk had eaten up the hour before they knew it.
3. {slang}
To accept eagerly; welcome.
* /The girls told John he was […]