English idioms - Alphabetical list O

	Idiom	Meaning
O	At odds	If one person is at odds with another, they disagree.
	Odds and ends	Odds and ends are small articles, or bits and pieces of all sorts, usually of little value. "I keep all my odds and ends in this drawer."
	Off colour	If you are off colour, you look or feel ill. "What's the matter with you Tom? You look a bit off colour today."
	Off the cuff	If you speak off the cuff, you say something without any previous thought or preparation. "He handles off-the-cuff interviews very well."
	Off the record	If you say something off the record, you do not want anyone to repeat it publicly. "My comment was made off the record, and shouldn't have been published"
	In the offing	Something which is in the offing is likely to appear or happen soon. "Apparently a new law on minimum wages is in the offing."
	Pour oil on troubled waters	If a person pours oil on troubled waters, they do or say something to calm a tense situation. "James is an good negotiator, and always manages to pour oil on troubled waters."
	Old wives' tale	A traditional belief or idea which has been proved wrong by science is called an old wives' tale. "The belief that chocolate causes acne is an old wives' tale."
	Olive branch	If a person or organization holds out an olive branch to another, they show that they want to end a disagreement and make peace. "The protesters finally accepted the olive branch extended to them."
	On the cards.	Something which is on the cards is very likely to happen. "A coalition between the two parties is still on the cards." (US : in the cards)
	On the level	If you say that somebody is on the level, you are referring to a truthful and honest person. "Tell me straight : Is he on the level on not?"
	Once in a blue moon	If something happens once in a blue moon, it occurs very rarely. "Bill has very little contact with his brother. They see each other once in a blue moon."
	One over the eight.	If a person has had one over the eight, they are slightly drunk "Don't listen to him. You can see he's had one over eight!"
	One-horse town	A place referred to as a one-horse town is a small, boring town where nothing much ever happens. "I wish my grandparents didn't live in that one-horse town. It's such a boring place!"
	Only to be expected	If an event or outcome is only to be expected, it is most likely to happen. "The teacher was angry because you cheated at the exam? - That was only to be expected!"
	Open the floodgates	If someone or something opens the floodgates, they release something that had previously been held under control. "It is feared that easing price controls will open the floodgates to inflation.
	There are (plenty of) other fish in the sea	To say this means that that there are many other people just as good as the one somebody failed to get. "The candidate we chose refused the job? Never mind - there are other fish in the sea!
	Other side of the coin	When you want to mention a different or contradictory aspect of a situation, you refer to the other side of the coin. "The house is lovely and spacious, but the other side of the coin is that it is far from shops and schools."
	Out of your depth	If you are out of your depth, you are unable to understand a subject or deal with a situation because it is too difficult for you. "The level of the class was too high for me, so very quickly I felt out of my depth."
	Out on a limb	If you go out on a limb, you do something risky or unsupported by others, which leaves you in a difficult position. "Jack was really out on a limb with his proposal - nobody supported his idea."
	Out to lunch	To say that someone is out to lunch means that they seem to be either unaware of what's going on around them, or unable to understand what is happening. "He's hopeless as a leader - considered as 'out-to-lunch' by the group."
	Out of the question	Something which is out of the question is impossible and is therefore not worth discussing. "Buying a new car is out of the question - we can't afford it."
	Out of this world	To refer to something as out of this world means that you think it is extremely good or impressive "The hotel was very comfortable and the food was out of this world!"
	Over-egg the pudding	If you try to improve something excessively by adding unnecessary details, you over-egg the pudding. "Keep your report simple. Don't over-egg the pudding."
	Over the hill	If a person is over the hill, they have reached an age when they can no longer perform as well as before. "Gran! You say you're over the hill but you're still a super cook!"
	Over the moon	If you are over the moon, you are absolutely delighted. "We were over the moon when we heard the good news."
	Over my dead body	This expression is used when you absolutely refuse to allow someone to do something. "Mum, can I get my nose pierced?" "Over my dead body!"
	Go overboard	To go overboard means to be too excited or enthusiastic about something.