English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - D, page 8
from: 'shadow of doubt'
to: 'drag one's feet'
- (not the) shadow of a doubt
- This expression is used to indicate absolute certainty about something.
"There wasn't a shadow of a doubt in our minds about Susan's sincerity."
- This expression is used to indicate absolute certainty about something.
- beyond the shadow of a doubt
- If you believe something to be true beyond the shadow of a doubt, it is true with total certainty.
"A security camera recording establishes, beyond the shadow of a doubt, his presence at the time of the burglary.
- If you believe something to be true beyond the shadow of a doubt, it is true with total certainty.
- doubting Thomas
- A 'doubting Thomas' is a person who will not believe something
without proof, or without seeing it for themselves.
"I had to show him my membership card. What a doubting Thomas!"
- A 'doubting Thomas' is a person who will not believe something
without proof, or without seeing it for themselves.
- have doubts about someone or something
- If you have doubts about someone or something, you have suspicions about them
or you do not trust them completely.
"I have my doubts about the honesty of the painter. His estimate seems unusually high."
- If you have doubts about someone or something, you have suspicions about them
or you do not trust them completely.
- (give someone) the benefit of the doubt
- If you give someone the benefit of the doubt, you
choose to believe that the person is innocent, honest or telling the truth, because there is no evidence to the contrary.
"Although he found it hard to believe Tom's explanation, the teacher decided to give him the benefit of the doubt."
"Let's give her the benefit of the doubt before accusing her. She may have a valid explanation."
- If you give someone the benefit of the doubt, you
choose to believe that the person is innocent, honest or telling the truth, because there is no evidence to the contrary.
- without doubt/without a shred of doubt
- If something is stated or proved without doubt, or without a shred of doubt,
there is not the slightest uncertainty concerning its validity or truth.
"This photo proves, without a shred of doubt, that the witness was present at the scene of the accident."
- If something is stated or proved without doubt, or without a shred of doubt,
there is not the slightest uncertainty concerning its validity or truth.
- (take) down a notch
- If something takes someone down a notch, especially someone arrogant, it damages their ego or makes them more humble
"I'm glad he lost the match. That'll take him down a notch!"
- If something takes someone down a notch, especially someone arrogant, it damages their ego or makes them more humble
- down at heel
- A person who is down-at-heel is someone whose
appearance is untidy or neglected because of lack of money.
"The down-at-heel student I first met became a successful writer."
- A person who is down-at-heel is someone whose
appearance is untidy or neglected because of lack of money.
- down in the dumps
- Someone who is down in the dumps is depressed or feeling gloomy.
"Alex has been down in the dumps since he failed his exam."
- Someone who is down in the dumps is depressed or feeling gloomy.
- down in the mouth
- When someone is down in the mouth, they are showing
visible signs of unhappiness. They look discouraged or depressed.
"You look a bit down in the mouth. What's the matter?"
- When someone is down in the mouth, they are showing
visible signs of unhappiness. They look discouraged or depressed.
- down payment
- When someone makes a down payment, they pay part of
the total amount agreed when signing a purchase deal or contract.
"Emma and Paul are excited. They put a down payment on their first house yesterday."
- When someone makes a down payment, they pay part of
the total amount agreed when signing a purchase deal or contract.
- down the drain
- To say that money, time or energy has gone down the drain means that it has been wasted or lost.
"His years of research went down the drain when the company went bankrupt."
- To say that money, time or energy has gone down the drain means that it has been wasted or lost.
- down to earth
- Someone who is down to earth is not a dreamer but a
realistic and practical person who has sensible reactions and expectations.
"Don't ask Suzy for help. She's fun, but not very down to earth."
- Someone who is down to earth is not a dreamer but a
realistic and practical person who has sensible reactions and expectations.
- down to the ground
- If something suits you down to the ground,
it suits you perfectly or entirely, often because it is convenient for you.
"The arrangement suits me down to the ground."
- If something suits you down to the ground,
it suits you perfectly or entirely, often because it is convenient for you.
- down the hatch!
- The expression 'down the hatch' is used to encourage someone to swallow a drink, usually alcoholic. It can also be used teasingly for medication.
"Jack raised his glass and said 'down the hatch!' to the group celebrating."
- The expression 'down the hatch' is used to encourage someone to swallow a drink, usually alcoholic. It can also be used teasingly for medication.
- down to the wire
- If something such as project or a match goes down to the
wire, the situation can change up until the last possible moment,
the very end.
"There's nothing as exciting as watching a game that goes down to the wire."
- If something such as project or a match goes down to the
wire, the situation can change up until the last possible moment,
the very end.
- all downhill / downhill all the way
- If something is all downhill or downhill all the
way, it is very easy to achieve considering the difficulties encountered beforehand.
"The hardest part for the burglars was turning off the alarm system. After that it was all downhill."
- If something is all downhill or downhill all the
way, it is very easy to achieve considering the difficulties encountered beforehand.
- go downhill
- When something goes downhill, it deteriorates or gets worse little by little.
"His health has been going downhill since the last operation."
- When something goes downhill, it deteriorates or gets worse little by little.
- drag one's feet
- If you drag your feet, you delay a decision or
participate without any real enthusiasm.
"The government is dragging its feet on measures to reduce pollution."
- If you drag your feet, you delay a decision or
participate without any real enthusiasm.
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