English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms L, page 7
Idioms L, page 7: from: 'cross the line' to: 'live in clover'
- cross the line
- If you cross the line you go beyond the authorized
limits by doing something unacceptable.
"He has an unpleasant habit of telling jokes that really cross the line."
- If you cross the line you go beyond the authorized
limits by doing something unacceptable.
- line of least resistance
- If you opt for the line of least resistance, you
choose the easiest way of doing something.
"To make sure the children would stay inside, he chose the line of least resistance and rented a film."
- If you opt for the line of least resistance, you
choose the easiest way of doing something.
- read between the lines
- To read between the lines means to understand the real
meaning of what is written or said, without need for any further detail.
"Reading between the lines, I'd say that the situation is worse than expected."
- To read between the lines means to understand the real
meaning of what is written or said, without need for any further detail.
- lion's share
- The lion's share of something is the largest
portion, or the best part.
"He left very little money to his children; the lion's share was donated to charity."
- The lion's share of something is the largest
portion, or the best part.
- pay lip service
- If you pay lip service to an idea or cause, you give
verbal support or approval, but fail to actually do anything.
"In spite of promising equal pay for women, the management is paying lip service to the promotion of women's rights."
- If you pay lip service to an idea or cause, you give
verbal support or approval, but fail to actually do anything.
- keep a stiff upper lip
- If a person keeps a stiff upper lip,
they contain their emotion and do not let other people see their feelings.
"When she heard the bad news, she kept a stiff upper lip."
- If a person keeps a stiff upper lip,
they contain their emotion and do not let other people see their feelings.
- lips are sealed
- If you say that your lips are sealed, you promise
not to reveal a secret.
"I promise I won't tell anyone. My lips are sealed."
- If you say that your lips are sealed, you promise
not to reveal a secret.
- smack or lick your lips
- To say that a person is smacking or licking their lips
means that they are showing that they are excited about something and are eager for
it to happen.
"They were smacking their lips at the idea of the money they were going to make."
- To say that a person is smacking or licking their lips
means that they are showing that they are excited about something and are eager for
it to happen.
- lipstick on a pig
- This expression means that trying to 'dress up' something
unappealing or ugly, in a vain attempt to make it look better, is like putting
lipstick on a pig.
"Flowers will not improve that ugly bridge; every one agrees that it's lipstick on a pig."
- This expression means that trying to 'dress up' something
unappealing or ugly, in a vain attempt to make it look better, is like putting
lipstick on a pig.
- 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."
- If you spend your life hiding something important about
yourself, or inventing something which is not true, you live a lie.
- live beyond your 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 Charlie was soon living beyond his means."
- If someone lives beyond their means,
they spend more money than they earn or can afford.
- 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."
- 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.
- 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."
- Someone who
lives high off the hog has a lot of
money and a very comfortable lifestyle.
- 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!"
- A person who
lives in an ivory tower has a lifestyle
that preserves them from the problems and
difficulties experienced by others.
- 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!"
- Someone who
lives in clover has enough money to
lead a very comfortable life.
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Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.