English idioms - Alphabetical list U-V

	Idiom	Meaning
U	(as) ugly as sin	This expression is used to refer to people or things that are considered to be very unattractive. "Have you seen the new neighbour's dog? It's as ugly as sin!"
	Uncharted waters	If you are in uncharted waters, you are in a situation that you have never experienced before, so you don't know what is going to happen. "In some countries, democracy is an adventure into uncharted waters."
	Under one's belt	If you have something under your belt, you have acquired experience or have satisfactorily achieved something. "You've got to have some work experience under your belt before you can hope to get a permanent job."
	Under your thumb	If someone is under your thumb, they are completely under your control or influence. "Nobody ever protests. He has the whole group under his thumb."
	Unmitigated disaster	To refer to something as an unmitigated disaster means that it is a total catastrophe or a complete failure. "The organization of the tournament was an unmitigated disaster."
	You can't unring a bell	This expression means that you cannot undo what has been done, so you must live with the consequences of your actions.
	Until hell freezes over	If you tell someone they can do something until hell freezes over, you mean that they can do it forever but they won't obtain the result they want. "You can ask until hell freezes over; I will not allow you to go bungee-jumping."
	Unvarnished truth	If you present someone with the plain facts, without trying to embellish or soften the reality, you give them the unvarnished truth. "OK, tell me how the accident happened, and give me the unvarnished truth."
	Up and about	If someone is up and about, they are out of bed or have recovered after an illness. "She was kept in hospital for a week but she's up and about again."
	Up/down one's alley	If something is (right) up or down one's alley, it is exactly the sort of thing that will suit their tastes or abilities. "Alex loves reading, so the job in the bookshop is right up his alley."
	On the up and up	If you are on the up and up, you are becoming increasingly successful. "That architect been on the up and up since he designed a building in Dubai."
	Up for grabs	If something is up for grabs, it is available for anyone who wants to compete for it. "You should enter the competition - there are $20 000 in prizes up for grabs!"
	Up in the air	If something, such as a plan or a decision, is up in the air, it has not been decided or settled yet. "I can't give you a definite answer yet; the project is still up in the air."
	Up-to-the-minute	To refer to something as up-to-the-minute means that it is the very latest or most recent version available. "The internet is the best place to find up-to-the-minute news."
	Up to no good	When someone is up to no good, they are doing or planning something bad or wrong. "When the shopkeeper saw the boys hiding behind a car, he suspected they were up to no good."
	Up to par	If something is up to par, it meets the required standard. "He didn't get the job because his English wasn't up to par."
	Up and running	If a business or a plan is up and running, it has started and is functioning successfully. "In some countries you can have a company up and running in a very short time."
	Uphill battle	A person faced with an uphill battle has to struggle against very unfavourable circumstances. "After the terrible accident, his recovery was an uphill battle all the way."
	Upper crust	This term refers to the higher levels of society, the upper class or the aristocracy. "William hides his working-class background and pretends to be from the upper crust."
	On one's uppers	Someone who is on their uppers has very little money or not enough to cover their needs. "Because he was clearly on his uppers when he was hired, he was given an advance in salary."
	Use one's noodle	If you manage to understand something by using your noodle, you use your brain or your common sense. "How did I figure that out? I just used my noodle!"
	Useful as a chocolate teapot	Something which is of no practical use at all is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. "When there are no roads, a car is about as useful as a chocolate teapot."
V	Vanish into thin air	If something vanishes into thin air, it disappears completely in a mysterious way. "The diamonds vanished into thin air - nobody knows what happened to them."
	Variety is the spice of life	This expression means that life is more interesting when you try to do different things. "Since they retired, my parents have been trying out all sorts of new activities. Variety is the spice of life!"
	Vent your spleen	When you vent your spleen, you release or express all your anger about something. "Whenever Jack is angry about new government measures, he vents his spleen by writing to newspapers."
	Nothing ventured, nothing gained	This expression means that you cannot expect to achieve anything if you risk nothing. "He's going to ask his boss for a promotion even though he has little chance of obtaining satisfaction - nothing ventured, nothing gained!"
	Vertically challenged	This expression is a humoristic way of referring to someone who is not very tall. "High shelves are difficult for vertically challenged shoppers.
	Vested interest	If you have a vested interest in a situation or event, you expect to benefit or gain an advantage from it. "Tom has a vested interest in Jack's promotion; he hopes to get his job."
	Vicious circle	When the solution to a problem creates a similar problem to the original, or makes it worse, so that the process starts all over again, the situation is called a vicious circle. "I borrowed money to reimburse Paul. Now I've got to reimburse the bank, with interest. It's a vicious circle."
	Take a dim view of something.	If you take a dim view of something, you don't approve of it. When Harry and Sally decided to live together without getting married, their grandparents took a dim view of the situation.
	Vim and vigour	If you are full of vim and vigour, you have lots of vitality, energy and enthusiasm. "After a relaxing holiday, my parents came back full of vim and vigour."
	Voice in the wilderness	If you are the only person expressing a warning or an opinion on a matter which is ignored by most others, you are a voice in the wilderness. "For many years she was a voice in the wilderness protesting against child labour."
	Vote with one's feet	If you vote with your feet, you show your dislike or disapproval of something by leaving. "If the conference is boring, people will probably vote with their feet."