English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - F, page 9
from: 'fit to be tied'
to: 'fly by night'
- fit to be tied
- If you are fit to be tied, you are extremely irritated, upset or angry.
"Harry was fit to be tied when his dog dug up the flowers he had planted"
- If you are fit to be tied, you are extremely irritated, upset or angry.
- in fits and starts
- If you do something in fits and starts, you do it in an
irregular manner, often stopping and starting again.
"You'll never make progress in English if you work at it in fits and starts."
- If you do something in fits and starts, you do it in an
irregular manner, often stopping and starting again.
- five finger discount
- If somebody gets a five-finger discount, they take something without paying. In other words, they steal.
"How could he afford that watch? Who knows - perhaps with a five-finger discount!"
- If somebody gets a five-finger discount, they take something without paying. In other words, they steal.
- five o'clock shadow
- This expression refers to a patch of stubble on the face of a man who hasn't shaved for at least a day.
"He looked tired and had a five o'clock shadow."
- This expression refers to a patch of stubble on the face of a man who hasn't shaved for at least a day.
- fixed in your ways
- People who are fixed in their ways do not want to change their normal way of doing things.
"My grandparents are very fixed in their ways and dislike any changes."
- People who are fixed in their ways do not want to change their normal way of doing things.
- flag of convenience
- If a ship, boat or yacht sails under a flag of convenience,
it is registered in a foreign country in order to avoid regulations and taxes, and reduce operating costs.
- If a ship, boat or yacht sails under a flag of convenience,
it is registered in a foreign country in order to avoid regulations and taxes, and reduce operating costs.
- get/take flak
- If you get or take flak, you receive severe criticism for something you have done.
"He got a lot of flak for the way he handled the situation."
- If you get or take flak, you receive severe criticism for something you have done.
- (a) flare-up
- A flare-up is a sudden outburst of anger or violence, especially after the situation had calmed down.
"There was another flare-up of fighting between the two gangs as soon as the police left the area."
- A flare-up is a sudden outburst of anger or violence, especially after the situation had calmed down.
- (a) flash in the pan
- If you refer to somebody's success as a flash in the pan, you mean that it is not likely to be repeated.
"The coach hoped that the team's unexpected victory was not just a flash in the pan."
- If you refer to somebody's success as a flash in the pan, you mean that it is not likely to be repeated.
- (be) flat broke
- If you are flat broke, you have absolutely no money at all.
"I'd love to go to the match with you, but right now I'm flat broke - sorry!"
- If you are flat broke, you have absolutely no money at all.
- (a) flea in one's ear
- After an attempt at something, if you are sent away with a flea in your ear, you are angrily reprimanded or humiliated.
"When Andy tried to put the blame on Pete, he was sent away with a flea in his ear."
- After an attempt at something, if you are sent away with a flea in your ear, you are angrily reprimanded or humiliated.
- makes your flesh crawl
- Something that makes your flesh crawl fills you with disgust or makes you feel very nervous.
"Just talking about snakes makes my flesh crawl!"
- Something that makes your flesh crawl fills you with disgust or makes you feel very nervous.
- no flies on (someone)
- To say that there are no flies on someone means that they are quick to understand and cannot be tricked or deceived easily.
"It's better to tell him all the facts. There are no flies on him."
- To say that there are no flies on someone means that they are quick to understand and cannot be tricked or deceived easily.
- (a) flight of fancy
- To refer to an idea or plan as a flight of fancy means that it is very imaginative but not at all practical or sensible.
"Jason often has good ideas but his latest proposal is just a flight of fancy!"
- To refer to an idea or plan as a flight of fancy means that it is very imaginative but not at all practical or sensible.
- fling yourself into (something)
- If you fling yourself into an activity, you do it with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
"Ever since she flung herself into the anti-pollution campaign, she rarely has a free moment!"
- If you fling yourself into an activity, you do it with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
- flip your lid
- If someone flips their lid (like boiling water can flip the lid off a pot), they become very
angry or upset.
"Julie flipped her lid when she saw the state of her daughter's bedroom."
- If someone flips their lid (like boiling water can flip the lid off a pot), they become very
angry or upset.
- flog a dead horse
- To say that someone is flogging a dead horse means that they are wasting time and effort trying
to do or achieve something that is not possible.
"Mark is flogging a dead horse trying to get his money reimbursed. The company has gone bankrupt!"
- To say that someone is flogging a dead horse means that they are wasting time and effort trying
to do or achieve something that is not possible.
- fly by night
- A fly-by-nightperson, business or venture is
considered untrustworthy because they operate briefly and disappear overnight
"I bought it in one of those fly-by-night stores and now I can't exchange it. The place has closed down."
- A fly-by-nightperson, business or venture is
considered untrustworthy because they operate briefly and disappear overnight
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