English idioms - Alphabetical list K

	Idiom	Meaning
K	Keep body and soul together	If someone is able to keep body and soul together, they manage to survive. "He was unemployed and homeless, but he somehow managed to keep body and soul together."
	Keep your finger on the pulse	If you keep your finger on the pulse, you are constantly aware of the most recent events or developments. "A successful investor keeps his finger on the pulse of international business."
	Keep someone posted	If a person asks you to keep them posted, they want you to keep them informed about a situation "Our agent promised to keep us posted on developments in the negotiations."
	Keep tabs on something	If you keep tabs on something, you keep it under careful observation. "With the rising cost of petrol, we'd better keep tabs on our travel expenses."
	Keep up appearances	A person who keeps up appearances maintains an outward show of prosperity or well-being in order to hide their difficulties from others. "He continued to keep up appearances even when business was bad."
	Keep up with the Joneses	To say that somebody is trying to keep up with the Joneses means that they are trying to have the same possessions or social achievements as someone else. "First the Browns moved their children to an expensive school. Now the Smiths have done the same. It's silly how some people feel they have to keep up with the Joneses!"
	Keep your fingers crossed	If you keep your fingers crossed, you hope that something will be successful. "I'm doing my driving test tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me."
	Keep the lid on something	If you keep the lid on something, you hide it or control it to prevent people from finding out about it. "The company tried to keep a lid on the negotiations but word got out to the Press."
	Keep a low profile	A person who keeps a low profile tries not to attract public attention. "The inventor is a discreet man who keeps a low profile."
	Keep your nose to the grindstone	A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is someone who concentrates on working hard at his job.
	Keep your options open	When you keep your options open, you postpone making a decision so that you can chose among several possible courses of action. "The offer sounds good, but keep your options open until you're sure it's the best choice."
	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."
	Keep something under wraps	If something is kept under wraps, it is held secret and not revealed to anyone. "The plan was kept under wraps until the contract was officially signed."
	Kick yourself	If you feel like kicking yourself, you are angry with yourself for something you have done or not done. "I could have kicked myself for forgetting Julie's birthday."
	Get a kick out of something	If you get a kick out of something, you get a feeling of enjoyment or excitement from something. "Tania is a bit strange - she gets a kick out of listening to other people's phone messages."
	Kickback	This term refers to money paid illegally for favourable treatment. "The property developers were accused of giving kickbacks to the local authorities."
	Kill two birds with one stone	If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing two things at the same time. "By studying on the train on the way home every week-end, Claire kills two birds with one stone."
	Get your knickers in a twist.	If you get your knickers in twist, you are angry, nervous or upset faced with a difficult situation "Don't get your knickers in a twist! Everything is under control."
	Cut the atmosphere with a knife	To say that you could cut the atmosphere with a knife means that the atmosphere is extremely tense or unfriendly.
	Under the knife	If a person goes under the knife, they have surgery.
	Knock somebody down with a feather	To say "you could have knocked me down with a feather" emphasizes the fact that you were extremely surprised. "When I heard the name of the winner, you could have knocked me down with a feather!"
	Know which side your bread is buttered	If you know which side your bread is buttered, you know where your interests lie, or what will be to your advantage. "Jack never argues with his father-in-law. He knows which side his bread is buttered."
	Knuckle down to something	If someone knuckles down to something, they start to work on it seriously. "If you want to succeed, you'll have to knuckle down to some serious work."