English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms R, page 2
Idioms R, page 2: from: 'rake in the money' to: 'read the riot act'
- rake in the money
- If you rake in the money, you make money in large quantities.
"Bob's business is so successful, he's raking in the money."
- If you rake in the money, you make money in large quantities.
- ram something down someone's throat
- If you ram something down someone's throat, you
force them to accept something against their will.
"I encourage him to learn English but I can't ram it down his throat."
- If you ram something down someone's throat, you
force them to accept something against their will.
- rant and rave
- If you rant and rave about something, you protest
noisily and forcefully.
"The old man ranted and raved about the new waste collection system, but he had to accept it."
- If you rant and rave about something, you protest
noisily and forcefully.
- rap on/across the knuckles
- If someone gets a rap on/across the knuckles, they are
punished or reprimanded, but not very severely, as a reminder not to do something
again.
"Andy got a rap on the knuckles for coming home late."
- If someone gets a rap on/across the knuckles, they are
punished or reprimanded, but not very severely, as a reminder not to do something
again.
- take the rap
- If you take the rap for something, you accept blame or
punishment for it, even if you have not done it.
"The whole class had to take the rap for the disorder."
- If you take the rap for something, you accept blame or
punishment for it, even if you have not done it.
- in raptures
- If you are in raptures about something, you are
delighted or very enthusiastic.
"Caroline is in raptures about her new apartment."
- If you are in raptures about something, you are
delighted or very enthusiastic.
- raring to go
- If someone is raring to go, they are very eager and
enthusiastic about the idea of doing something.
"The kids can't wait to go camping. They're raring to go!"
- If someone is raring to go, they are very eager and
enthusiastic about the idea of doing something.
- rat race
- Continuous stressful
competition in modern society for success, power or
money, especially in business, is called the rat
race.
"Emily is sick and tired of the rat race. She's going to leave her job in a big company and work freelance."
- Continuous stressful
competition in modern society for success, power or
money, especially in business, is called the rat
race.
- like a rat up a drainpipe
- If someone moves or runs like a rat up a drainpipe,
they do it as quickly as possible.
"When the police informer saw a friend, he took off like a rat up a drainpipe."
- If someone moves or runs like a rat up a drainpipe,
they do it as quickly as possible.
- smell a rat
- To say 'I smell a rat' means that you suspect that
something is wrong, or that someone is doing something dishonest or incorrect.
"The profits announced are abnormally low. I smell a rat."
- To say 'I smell a rat' means that you suspect that
something is wrong, or that someone is doing something dishonest or incorrect.
- rats in the attic
- If you say that someone has rats in the attic, you
mean that they are a bit mad or that their behaviour is eccentric.
"She keeps repeating the same question. I think she's got rats in the attic."
- If you say that someone has rats in the attic, you
mean that they are a bit mad or that their behaviour is eccentric.
- rather you than me
- This expression is used to express sympathy with someone who has to do
something unpleasant or difficult, and you would not like to be in their situation.
"I have to announce the bad new to the child's parents."
"Oh dear, rather you than me."
- This expression is used to express sympathy with someone who has to do
something unpleasant or difficult, and you would not like to be in their situation.
- reach for the moon
- If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious
and try to achieve something even if it is difficult.
"His parents were hardworking people who encouraged their children to reach for the moon."
- If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious
and try to achieve something even if it is difficult.
- reach saturation point
- When something reaches saturation point, it is so full
that nothing more can be added.
"That's enough information for today. My brain has reached saturation point!"
- When something reaches saturation point, it is so full
that nothing more can be added.
- read the riot act
- If you declare with force and authority that something must stop,
and announce the consequences if it happens again, you read the riot act.
"Dad read us the riot act when we messed up his tool-shed."
- If you declare with force and authority that something must stop,
and announce the consequences if it happens again, you read the riot act.
previous page... next page ...
More Idioms:
alphabetical lists R ...
more alphabetical lists...
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.