English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - D, page 2
from: 'dead loss'
to: 'deer caught in headlights'
- dead loss
- Someone or something described as a dead loss is absolutely useless or a complete failure.
"When it comes to gardening, my brother is a dead loss."
- Someone or something described as a dead loss is absolutely useless or a complete failure.
- dead man walking
- A dead man walking is someone who will inevitably be
in great trouble very soon, especially a person who is about to lose their job or position.
"Because of the way he handled the recent riots, the minister is a dead man walking."
- A dead man walking is someone who will inevitably be
in great trouble very soon, especially a person who is about to lose their job or position.
- dead right
- This is an emphatic way of telling someone that
what they are saying is absolutely correct, without doubt.
"This is a bad time to leave a job - you're dead right!"
- This is an emphatic way of telling someone that
what they are saying is absolutely correct, without doubt.
- dead set against
- If you are dead set against something, you are strongly opposed to it.
"My father wanted a dog, but my mother was dead set against the idea."
- If you are dead set against something, you are strongly opposed to it.
- dead wood
- The term dead wood refers to people or things
which are no longer considered useful or necessary.
"The new manager wants to reduce costs by cutting out the dead wood."
- The term dead wood refers to people or things
which are no longer considered useful or necessary.
- dead to the world
- A person who is dead to the world is fast asleep.
"Don't worry. You won't disturb him. He's dead to the world!"
- A person who is dead to the world is fast asleep.
- wouldn't be caught dead
- If someone says that they wouldn't be caught or seen
dead in a particular place or doing something, they mean that they would be too ashamed or embarrassed.
"My seven-year-old son thinks he's a big boy; he wouldn't be caught dead holding my hand in front of his friends!"
- If someone says that they wouldn't be caught or seen
dead in a particular place or doing something, they mean that they would be too ashamed or embarrassed.
- meet a deadline
- If you meet a deadline, you finish or complete something at the time or by a date previously agreed.
"Working under pressure to meet a deadline can be motivating."
- If you meet a deadline, you finish or complete something at the time or by a date previously agreed.
- (turn a) deaf ear
- If you turn a deaf ear to something, you refuse to listen.
"Sandy turned a deaf ear to the guide's advice and got lost in the mountains."
- If you turn a deaf ear to something, you refuse to listen.
- a deal with the devil
- A risky arrangement with a person of bad reputation is called a deal with the devil.
"Jack ran up so much debt that he made a deal with the devil."
- A risky arrangement with a person of bad reputation is called a deal with the devil.
- a dealbreaker
- Something that is important enough to prevent agreement being reached is called a dealbreaker.
"We liked the house and the area, but the small garden was a dealbreaker for us."
- Something that is important enough to prevent agreement being reached is called a dealbreaker.
- a done deal
- This expression is used to refer to an agreement or decision which has been reached on a certain matter.
"We're still considering several proposals, so it's not a done deal yet."
- This expression is used to refer to an agreement or decision which has been reached on a certain matter.
- a raw deal
- If you say that someone got a raw deal, you think they were treated unfairly or badly.
"When Gary lost his job after arranging the merger, he really got a raw deal!"
- If you say that someone got a raw deal, you think they were treated unfairly or badly.
- a shady deal
- A suspicious, dishonest or illegal arrangement or transaction is known as a shady deal.
"The two sons were always involved in their father's shady deals."
- A suspicious, dishonest or illegal arrangement or transaction is known as a shady deal.
- a square deal
- A fair and honest transaction, agreement or arrangement is called a square deal.
"We always get a square deal with that supplier."
- A fair and honest transaction, agreement or arrangement is called a square deal.
- it's/that's a deal/you've got a deal
- When you’ve reached agreement with someone you can say
it's a deal, that's a deal or you've got a deal!
"What if I offered you 80$ for both of them?" "You've got a deal!"
- When you’ve reached agreement with someone you can say
it's a deal, that's a deal or you've got a deal!
- deck out
- If you deck out someone or something, you dress or decorate them in a special way.
"Paul decked out his car for the wedding."
- If you deck out someone or something, you dress or decorate them in a special way.
- deep down
- If you talk about how someone is, or feels, deep down,
you are describing what they are like or what they really feel deep inside, behind the outward appearance.
"Tom appears to be indifferent to his son's success, but deep down he's very happy."
- If you talk about how someone is, or feels, deep down,
you are describing what they are like or what they really feel deep inside, behind the outward appearance.
- deep pockets
- A person or organisation who has deep pockets has a lot of money.
"Andy's business is not doing well at the moment. He says he needs a friend with deep pockets!"
- A person or organisation who has deep pockets has a lot of money.
- go off the deep end
- A person who goes off the deep end becomes suddenly very angry or emotional.
"He started shouting and throwing things around the office. He really went off the deep end."
- A person who goes off the deep end becomes suddenly very angry or emotional.
- like a deer/rabbit caught in the headlights
- When you are so surprised that you are momentarily confused or
unable to react quickly, you are like a deer (or a rabbit) caught in the headlights.
"Surprised by the journalist's question, he was like a deer caught in the headlights."
- When you are so surprised that you are momentarily confused or
unable to react quickly, you are like a deer (or a rabbit) caught in the headlights.
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