To carry the can
“To carry the can” is an idiom meaning to be blamed or held responsible for something even if you might not be at fault. A person might: choose to carry the can, be forced...
Category: Idioms
Don’t hold your breath
When you tell someone not to hold their breath, you’re advising them that what they expect or want to happen won’t happen soon, or ever. Examples: I know you want a new dress, but...
Button your lip
“To button your lip” is an idiom meaning to keep quiet about something. Examples: Similar idioms include:
In the sticks
“In the sticks” means in the countryside, in a remote place, or a long way from anywhere else. Examples: I used to live in the city but now I enjoy being in the sticks....
To bang on about
“To bang on about” is an idiom meaning to talk about something continuously, repeatedly and at length. Someone who bangs on about something can often become annoying. Examples: She’s always banging on about her...
To fly off the handle
When you say that someone “flies off the handle” you mean that they lose their temper – perhaps suddenly and unexpectedly. Examples: He flew off the handle when I told him I had lost...
What is meant by “thick-skinned”?
“Thick-skinned” is an English idiom used about someone who is not easily upset or insulted: “I don’t mind you criticising me. I’m very thick-skinned”. “It’s all right; she won’t feel insulted. She’s quite thick-skinned”....
What does it mean to “shoehorn something in”?
A shoehorn is a device used to help someone put a shoe (particularly a tight shoe) on to their foot. So ‘to shoehorn something in’ is an idiom about putting something (or someone) into...