English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List - O
(page 6 : over the hill → world is
your oyster)
| over the hill | If a person is
over the hill, they have reached an age
when they can no longer perform as well as
before. Gran! You say you're over the hill, but you're a super cook! |
| over the moon | If you are over
the moon, you are absolutely delighted. We were all over the moon when we heard the good news. |
| over the top (OTT) | Something which is
over the top is totally excessive or
not suitable for the occasion. Her dramatic speech was way over the top. |
| overplay your hand | If you overplay
your hand, you are overconfident and
spoil your chances of success by trying to
obtain too much. Sam is hoping for a bonus for his good results, but he may be overplaying his hand if he asks for a promotion. |
| overshoot the mark | If you make a
mistake as a result of misjudging something
(situation, distance, amount, etc.), you
overshoot the mark. He overshot the mark by about 20%. |
| overstep the mark | If you overstep
the mark, you go too far and upset
someone by saying something or behaving in a
way that is unacceptable. Jenny is angry with her son. He overstepped the mark when he called his grandfather an 'old fool'. |
| close as an oyster | Someone who is
as close 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 close as an oyster. |
| the world is your oyster | This expression
means that you are free and able to enjoy
the pleasures and opportunities that life
has to offer. She left college feeling that the world was her oyster. |
| ...back | |
alphabetical lists O ...
| O1 | O2 | O3 | O4 | O5 | O6 |
more alphabetical lists ...
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X-Y-Z |