English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions 

Idioms: Music
from: 'all that jazz'   to:  'clean as a whistle'

• all that jazz
  • The expression ' and all that jazz'  is used to mean other similar or related things, or everything of the kind you have been talking about.
    "Let's get out the tinsel, the fairy lights and all that jazz to decorate the Christmas tree."
    
    
• blow your own trumpet
  • Someone who blows their own trumpet  boasts about their own abilities or achievements.
    "I don’t like to blow my own trumpet but I really am a good cook."
    
    
• blow the whistle / be a whistle-blower
  • If you report an illegal or socially-harmful activity to the authorities, and give information about those responsible for it, you blow the whistle, or you are a whistle-blower.
    "He refused to blow the whistle on his boss for fear of losing his job."
    
    
• call the tune
  • The person who calls the tune is the one who makes all the important decisions or is in control of the situation.
    "Alex shows a lot of authority but in fact it's his wife who calls the tune."
    
    
• change your tune
  • If someone changes their tune, they change their attitude or give a different opinion about something from the one they had expressed before.
    "The boss says he's too young to be given responsibility but he'll change his tune when he sees him at work."
    
    
• chime in
  • If you chime in, you interrupt or join a conversation, especially to repeat or agree with something.
    "While I was explaining to the bus driver what had happened, the other passengers chimed in and gave their version."
    
    
• drum (something) into someone's head
  • If you teach something to someone through constant repetition, you drum it into their head.
    "When we were kids at school, multiplication tables were drummed into our heads."
    
    
• (as) fit as a fiddle
  • A person who is as fit as a fiddle is in an excellent state of health or physical condition.
    "My grandfather is nearly ninety but he's as fit as a fiddle."
    
    
• play second fiddle
  • If you play second fiddle to someone, you accept to be second in importance to that person, or have a lower position.
    "When Charles became chairman of the family business, his brother declared that he would rather leave than play second fiddle to him."
    
    
• fiddling while Rome burns
  • If you say that someone is fiddling while Rome burns, you mean that they are doing unimportant things while there are serious matters to be dealt with.
    "His visit to the trade fair was "fiddling while Rome burns" according to the strikers."
    
    
• jazz something up
  • If you jazz something up, you add something to try to improve it or make it more stylish or exciting.
    "The dress needs a scarf or a necklace to jazz it up."
    "The chef decided to jazz up the fish with a spicy sauce."
    
    
• make a song and dance (about something)
  • If you become unnecessarily annoyed or excited, or make a fuss about something,you make a song and dance about it.
    "OK, you don't like carrots. Don't make a song and dance about it!"
    
    
• music to your ears
  • To say that something is music to your ears means that the information you receive makes you feel very happy.
    "The manager's compliments were music to my ears."
    
    
• face the music
  • When a person has to face the music, they have to accept the unpleasant consequences of their actions.
    "The boy was caught stealing. Now he has to face the music."
    
    
• ring a bell
  • If something rings a bell, it sounds familiar, but you don't remember the exact details.
    "John Bentley? The name rings a bell but I don't remember him."
    
    
• sing a different tune
  • If somebody sings a different tune, they change their opinion about something, or their attitude towards something.
    "He had no sympathy for people out of work until he lost his own job; now he's singing a different tune."
    
    
• strike a false note
  • If you strike a false note, you do something wrong, unsuitable or inappropriate.
    "He struck a false note when he arrived at the cocktail party wearing old jeans."
    
    
• strike (or hit) the right note
  • If you strike (or hit) the right note, you do something suitable or appropriate.
    "He struck the right note with his future mother-in-low when he brought her a book on gardening - her favourite hobby!"
    
    
• sound like a broken record
  • Someone who says the same thing again and again sounds like a broken record.
    "Dad! Stop telling me to be careful when I drive. You sound like a broken record!"
    
    
• go for a song
  • If something goes for a song, it is sold at an unexpectedly low price or less than it is worth.
    "When the contents of the old man's house were sold at an auction, they went for a song."
    
    
• it takes two to tango
  • We say this when we think that a dispute or a difficult situation cannot be the fault of one person alone.
    "Okay, I've heard Fred's side of the story - but it takes two to tango!."
    
    
• tickle the ivories
  • This is a humorous way of talking about playing the piano.
    "My grandfather loves playing the piano. He tickles the ivories whenever he gets the chance."
    
    
• sing a different tune
  • If someone sings a different tune, they change their opinion about something or their attitude towards something.
    "He had no consideration for people out of work until he lost his own job; now he's singing a different tune."
    
    
• fine tuning
  • Small changes to something to improve it or make it work better are called fine-tuning.
    "We are still fine tuning our new website and appreciate your patience."
    
    
• as clean as a whistle
  • Something as clean as a whistle is extremely clean.
    This can also mean that a person's criminal record is clean.
    "Bob spent the afternoon washing and shining his car until it was as clean as a whistle."