English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms S
from: 'get the sack'
to: 'same boat'
- get the sack / be sacked
- If someone gets the sack, they lose their job, usually because they have done something wrong.
"Charlie got the sack when his boss caught him stealing."
- If someone gets the sack, they lose their job, usually because they have done something wrong.
- saddled with debt
- If you are saddled with debt, the amount of money that you owe is a financial burden.
"Be careful. If you buy a house that is too expensive, you could be saddled with debt for many years."
- If you are saddled with debt, the amount of money that you owe is a financial burden.
- safe bet
- To say that something is a safe bet means that it is very likely to happen.
"It's a safe bet that you'll get a good job if you graduate from one of the top universities."
- To say that something is a safe bet means that it is very likely to happen.
- (in) safe hands
- If something is in safe hands, it is being looked after by a reliable person or organisation, and is therefore at no risk.
"I'll look after Jamie while you go shopping. Don' worry - he'll be in safe hands."
- If something is in safe hands, it is being looked after by a reliable person or organisation, and is therefore at no risk.
- (on the) safe side
- If you do something to be on the safe side, you do it as a precaution, to avoid any risks.
"I think I locked the door but I'll check again to be on the safe side."
- If you do something to be on the safe side, you do it as a precaution, to avoid any risks.
- safety in numbers
- This expression means that being part of a group makes people feel more secure and more confident when taking action.
"Noone in the group went sightseeing alone, knowing there was safety in numbers."
- This expression means that being part of a group makes people feel more secure and more confident when taking action.
- sail close to the wind
- If you sail close to the wind, you do something dangerous or act just within the limits of what is legal or acceptable.
"Fred seems to invest his money well, although he often sails close to the wind."
- If you sail close to the wind, you do something dangerous or act just within the limits of what is legal or acceptable.
- sail through
- If you sail through something, for example a test or an exam, you succeed in doing it without difficulty.
"The English test was no problem for Pedro. He sailed through it."
- If you sail through something, for example a test or an exam, you succeed in doing it without difficulty.
- take the wind out of one’s sails
- If someone or something takes the wind out of your sails, they make you feel less confident by doing or saying something that you do not expect.
"The manager's rejection of our marketing strategy really took the wind out of our sails."
- If someone or something takes the wind out of your sails, they make you feel less confident by doing or saying something that you do not expect.
- rub salt into the wound
- If you are in a difficult or unpleasant situation, and somebody rubs salt into the wound, they do or say something to make things worse.
"The separation from Julie was already difficult for Alex. Mentioning her new boyfriend just rubbed salt into the wound."
- If you are in a difficult or unpleasant situation, and somebody rubs salt into the wound, they do or say something to make things worse.
- salt of the earth
- To describe someone as the salt of the earth means that they are kind, honest and reliable.
"Mrs. Brown is the salt of the earth, always ready to give a helping hand."
- To describe someone as the salt of the earth means that they are kind, honest and reliable.
- take something with pinch of salt
- To say that a piece of information should be taken with a pinch (or grain) of salt means that the information may not be accurate or true.
"Tony tends to exaggerate. I take everything he says with a pinch of salt."
- To say that a piece of information should be taken with a pinch (or grain) of salt means that the information may not be accurate or true.
- (in the) same boat
- If two or more people are in the same boat, they are in the same unpleasant or difficult situation.
"When the factory closed down, the workers all found themselves in the same boat."
- If two or more people are in the same boat, they are in the same unpleasant or difficult situation.
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alphabetical lists S ...
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