English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

Alphabetical List of Idioms - L

(page 7: live a lie → (a) load off your mind)

live a lie	If you spend your life hiding something important about yourself, or inventing something which is not true, you live a lie. To hide his humble origins, he told his wife he had no family and spent his life living a lie.
live beyond means	If someone lives beyond their means, they spend more money than they earn or can afford. The cost of living was so much higher in New York that he was soon living beyond his means.
live from hand to mouth	If you live from hand to mouth, you don't have any money to save because whatever you earn is spent on food and other essentials. Most families in that area live from hand to mouth.
live high off the hog	Someone who lives high off the hog has a lot of money and a very comfortable lifestyle. Now he's wealthy and living high off the hog.
live in an ivory tower	A person who lives in an ivory tower has a lifestyle that preserves them from the problems and difficulties experienced by others. You're completely out of touch - it's time to come out of your ivory tower and see what's going on!
live in clover	Someone who lives in clover has enough money to lead a very comfortable life. I dream of making an enormous amount of money and living in clover for the rest of my life!
live on borrowed time	This expression refers to a period of time after an illness or accident which could have caused death. After heart surgery, many patients feel that they're living on borrowed time.
live on the breadline	People who live on the breadline have a very low income or barely enough money to survive. Due to the recent crisis, there are more people on the breadline than ever before.
live on the edge	If you live on the edge, your lifestyle involves dangerous or risky activities. Extreme sportsmen or gamblers are examples of people who live on the edge.
live out of suitcase	Someone who lives of a suitcase travels a lot, moving from place to place, and is therefore restricted to the contents of their suitcase. Sarah's job involves so much travelling that she lives out of a suitcase.
live the life of riley	A person who lives the life of Riley has a comfortable and enjoyable life, without having to make much effort. He married a millionaire, and since then he's been living the life of Riley!
live to fight another day	This expression means that even though you have had a negative experience, you will have another chance in the future to try again. He was defeated in the final match but he lived to fight another day.
live to a ripe old age	This expression means to live until you are very old. "If you lead a healthy life you'll live to a ripe old age." said the doctor.
live to tell the tale	Someone who lives to tell the tale survives a terrible experience. Only two members of the expedition lived to tell the tale.
live up to reputation	If someone or something lives up to its reputation, it is as good, or as bad, as people say. The guesthouse lived up to its reputation; the owners were as friendly and hospitable as we had been told.
live wire	Someone who is highly vivacious, energetic and full of enthusiasm is a live wire. Things have brightened up since Charlie arrived. He's a real live wire!
lo and behold!	This term is used to express surprise, especially at a sudden or unexpected appearance. I was watering the flowers when, lo and behold, there was the watch I'd lost!
load/weight off your mind	If something takes a load off your mind, it brings great relief because a problem has been solved. When the company closed down, finding a new job took a load off Tom's mind.

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