English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms D, page 10
Idioms D, page 10: from: 'drop like flies' to: 'dumb as an oyster'
- drop like flies
- If people drop like flies, they fall ill or die in large numbers.
"There's an epidemic right now. Senior citizens are dropping like flies."
- If people drop like flies, they fall ill or die in large numbers.
- drop like a bad habit
- If you drop someone like a bad habit, you end a relationship or
cut off ties with someone.
(When you drop a habit, you put an end to something you don’t want to do any longer.)
"If you deliver late again, we will drop you like a bad habit!"
- If you drop someone like a bad habit, you end a relationship or
cut off ties with someone.
- drop of a hat
- If you do somethingat the drop of a hat, you do it
immediately and without hesitation.
"I've got great friends. They're ready to help out at the drop of a hat."
- If you do somethingat the drop of a hat, you do it
immediately and without hesitation.
- drop names
- When you drop names, you mention the names of famous
people you know or have met in order to impress others.
"There goes Jack dropping names again. People will get tired of listening to him!"
- When you drop names, you mention the names of famous
people you know or have met in order to impress others.
- drop in the ocean
- A drop in the ocean is a very small quantity compared
to the amount needed or expected.
"The revenue from the proposed tax reform is a drop in the ocean compared to the deficit."
- A drop in the ocean is a very small quantity compared
to the amount needed or expected.
- drop someone a line
- If you drop someone a line, you write a letter to them.
"I always drop her a line to wish her a Merry Christmas"
- If you drop someone a line, you write a letter to them.
- drop like a hot potato
- If you drop someone or something like a hot potato,
you leave them or immediately stop associating with them.
"As soon as the unflattering article was published, she dropped him like a hot potato."
- If you drop someone or something like a hot potato,
you leave them or immediately stop associating with them.
- ready to drop
- Someone who is ready to drop is nearly too exhausted
to stay standing.
"I've been shopping all day with Judy. I'm ready to drop!"
- Someone who is ready to drop is nearly too exhausted
to stay standing.
- drum into someone's head
- If you teach something to someone through
constant repetition, you drum it into their head.
"When we were kids at school, multiplication tables were drummed into our heads."
- If you teach something to someone through
constant repetition, you drum it into their head.
- (a) dry run / dummy run
- If you organise a rehearsal, a trial exercise
or a practice session of something, in realistic conditions, to see how well it
will work before it is launched, you do a dry run.
"Let's do a dry run of the ceremony to make sure everything goes smoothly."
- If you organise a rehearsal, a trial exercise
or a practice session of something, in realistic conditions, to see how well it
will work before it is launched, you do a dry run.
- (a) sitting duck
- A sitting duck is an easy target, a person who is easy
to deceive.
"The young girl was a sitting duck for the photographer."
- A sitting duck is an easy target, a person who is easy
to deceive.
- dull at ditchwater / dull as dishwater
- Something as dull as ditchwater is very boring.
"The film was as dull as ditchwater. I nearly fell asleep."
- Something as dull as ditchwater is very boring.
- (as) dumb as an oyster
- Someone who is as dumb as an oyster will never reveal
something told in confidence or betray a secret.
"Sophie will never repeat what you tell her. She's as dumb as an oyster."
- Someone who is as dumb as an oyster will never reveal
something told in confidence or betray a secret.
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