English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - F, page 6
from: 'fiddling while Rome burns'
to: 'finger in every pie'
- fiddling while Rome burns
- To say that someone is fiddling while Rome burns means
that they are doing unimportant things while there are serious problems to be dealt with.
"His visit to the trade fair was 'fiddling while Rome burns' according to the strikers."
- To say that someone is fiddling while Rome burns means
that they are doing unimportant things while there are serious problems to be dealt with.
- field day
- A field dayrefers to a day or period of great
excitement and activity.
"Journalists will have a field day with the latest political scandal."
- A field dayrefers to a day or period of great
excitement and activity.
- fifth wheel
- This expression refers to a person who find themselves in a
situation where their presence is unnecessary and as a result they feel useless.
"Everyone seemed to have a specific role except me. I felt like a fifth wheel"
- This expression refers to a person who find themselves in a
situation where their presence is unnecessary and as a result they feel useless.
- fight (or argue) like cat and dog
- Two people who fight or argue like cat and dog
frequently have violent arguments, even though they are fond of each other.
"They fight like cat and dog but they're still together after 30 years."
- Two people who fight or argue like cat and dog
frequently have violent arguments, even though they are fond of each other.
- can't fight the city hall
- This expression means that it is useless to try to win a
battle against a politician, establishment or bureaucracy in general.
"Brian decided it was a waste of energy trying to obtain a tax refund - you can't fight the city hall."
- This expression means that it is useless to try to win a
battle against a politician, establishment or bureaucracy in general.
- fight a losing battle
- If someone is fighting a losing battle, they are
trying to do something even when there is little chance of succeeding.
"The headmaster is fighting a losing battle trying to ban mobile phones at school."
- If someone is fighting a losing battle, they are
trying to do something even when there is little chance of succeeding.
- fight shy (of something)
- If you fight shy of something, such as a task, a
problem or a duty, you want to avoid doing it or you are unwilling to confront it.
"He had money problems for years but he fought shy of asking his children for help."
- If you fight shy of something, such as a task, a
problem or a duty, you want to avoid doing it or you are unwilling to confront it.
- fight tooth and nail
- If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with energy and determination.
"The Transport Minister fought tooth and nail to have the proposed road safety law accepted."
- If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with energy and determination.
- fight an uphill battle
- A person who fights an uphill battle has to struggle against very unfavourable circumstances.
"After the terrible accident, he had to fight an uphill battle all the way to recovery."
- A person who fights an uphill battle has to struggle against very unfavourable circumstances.
- figment of one's imagination
- A figment of one's imagination is an appearance,
event or incident that is not considered to be real but only imaginary.
"Other people saw the car, so it's not a figment of my imagination!"
- A figment of one's imagination is an appearance,
event or incident that is not considered to be real but only imaginary.
- down to fine art
- When you learn to do something
perfectly, you get it down to a fine art.
"Entertaining her husband's business associates is not a problem for Jane; she's got that down to a fine art!"
- When you learn to do something
perfectly, you get it down to a fine art.
- fine-tooth comb
- To go over something with a fine-tooth comb
means to examine it closely and thoroughly so as not to miss any details.
"The police are examining the scene of the crime with a fine-tooth comb."
- To go over something with a fine-tooth comb
means to examine it closely and thoroughly so as not to miss any details.
- fine tuning
- Small changes to something to improve it or make it work
better are called fine tuning.
"We are still fine-tuning our new website and appreciate your patience."
- Small changes to something to improve it or make it work
better are called fine tuning.
- a finger in every pie
- If someone has a finger in every pie, they are involved
in a large and varied number of activities and enterprises.
"For information about the activities in this town, you should talk to John Brown. He's got a finger in every pie."
- If someone has a finger in every pie, they are involved
in a large and varied number of activities and enterprises.
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