English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms H, page 10
Idioms H, page 10: from: 'hold the fort' to: 'honour among thieves'
- hold the fort
- When you hold the fort, you look after a place
or a business in the absence of the person who is normally in charge.
"Rosie, could you hold the fort please while I go to the post office?"
- When you hold the fort, you look after a place
or a business in the absence of the person who is normally in charge.
- hold good
- If something such as a statement, saying or theory holds
good, it continues to be true, valid or applicable.
"The author's version of the event still holds good."
- If something such as a statement, saying or theory holds
good, it continues to be true, valid or applicable.
- hold your horses
- If you tell someone to hold their horses, you think
they are doing something too fast and should slow down and not rush into further action.
"Hold your horses! We need to get the customer's approval first!"
- If you tell someone to hold their horses, you think
they are doing something too fast and should slow down and not rush into further action.
- hold one's own
- If you can hold your own, you are well able to defend
yourself when under attack.
"We should ask Jane to represent us; she can hold her own in any argument."
- If you can hold your own, you are well able to defend
yourself when under attack.
- hold the reins
- The person who holds the reins is someone who is in
complete control of a company, firm or organisation.
"He's been holding the reins for over 20 years and intends to continue for as long as possible."
- The person who holds the reins is someone who is in
complete control of a company, firm or organisation.
- hold your tongue
- If you hold your tongue, you remain silent and say
nothing.
"Harry was of a different opinion but he decided to hold his tongue."
- If you hold your tongue, you remain silent and say
nothing.
- (not) hold water
- If an explanation or argument does not hold water, it
does not stand up to critical examination and can be shown to be unfounded.
"The reasons given for the government's new measures just do not hold water."
- If an explanation or argument does not hold water, it
does not stand up to critical examination and can be shown to be unfounded.
- holier-than-thou
- The attitude of people who consider themselves to be more
virtuous or morally superior to others can be called 'holier-than-thou'.
"I can't stand the holier-than-thou attitude of some political candidates"
- The attitude of people who consider themselves to be more
virtuous or morally superior to others can be called 'holier-than-thou'.
- hollow victory
- A victory obtained in unsatisfactory conditions, which
as a result seems worthless or without significance for the winner, is called a
hollow victory.
"Won in the absence of the major ski champions, his gold medal was a hollow victory."
- A victory obtained in unsatisfactory conditions, which
as a result seems worthless or without significance for the winner, is called a
hollow victory.
- on the home stretch
- To say that you are on the home stretch means that you are
approaching the end of something such as a task, a race or a journey.
"Don't give up - we're on the home stretch now."
- To say that you are on the home stretch means that you are
approaching the end of something such as a task, a race or a journey.
- home truths
- If you tell somebody some home truths, you tell
them some unpleasant facts about themselves which are often difficult to accept.
"David needs to be told some home truths, whether he likes it or not!"
- If you tell somebody some home truths, you tell
them some unpleasant facts about themselves which are often difficult to accept.
- (the) honeymoon is over
- To say that the honeymoon is over means that the initial
period of friendship and cooperation between people, groups or organisations has ended.
"He was elected only six months ago, but the honeymoon is already over."
- To say that the honeymoon is over means that the initial
period of friendship and cooperation between people, groups or organisations has ended.
- honour among thieves
- This expression means that even criminals have
a sense of loyalty and they respect a certain code of behaviour.
"The bank robber refused to reveal the names of his accomplices which shows that there is honour among thieves."
- This expression means that even criminals have
a sense of loyalty and they respect a certain code of behaviour.
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Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.