English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - P, page 10
from: 'pot luck'
to: 'press home'
- pot luck
- If you take pot luck, you accept whatever is available without knowing what it will be like.
"We were so hungry we decided to take pot luck and stopped at the first restaurant we saw."
- If you take pot luck, you accept whatever is available without knowing what it will be like.
- pot calling the kettle black
- This expression is used in a situation where a person with a
fault denounces someone else for having the same fault.
"After being disqualified for not obeying the rules, the player accused another competitor of cheating; it was the pot calling the kettle black!"
- This expression is used in a situation where a person with a
fault denounces someone else for having the same fault.
- hot potato
- A hot potato is a very sensitive and controversial matter which is difficult to deal with.
"The new Prime Minister hasn't been confronted with any hot potatoes yet."
- A hot potato is a very sensitive and controversial matter which is difficult to deal with.
- 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.
- small potatoes
- Something that is small potatoes is considered to be unimportant or insignificant.
"Her first publication was considered small potatoes but her new book has lead to a change of opinion."
- Something that is small potatoes is considered to be unimportant or insignificant.
- pound the pavement
- Someone who pounds the pavement walks the streets
or goes from company to company, usually in search of employment.
(You can also pound the pavement in an effort to raise funds or gain support for a cause.)
"Charlie is out there pounding the pavement since he lost his job."
- Someone who pounds the pavement walks the streets
or goes from company to company, usually in search of employment.
- pour cold water (on something)
- If you pour cold water on someone's plans, opinions or ideas,
you discourage them by showing little enthusiasm or expression your misgivings.
"The committee poured cold water on the idea of accepting new members."
- If you pour cold water on someone's plans, opinions or ideas,
you discourage them by showing little enthusiasm or expression your misgivings.
- pour your heart out
- If you pour your heart out to someone, you express your feelings freely.
"When she needs to pour her heart out to someone, Elsa goes to visit her grandmother."
- If you pour your heart out to someone, you express your feelings freely.
- pour water into a sieve
- If someone spends time or energy trying to do something that
is inefficient or useless, it is like pouring water into a sieve.
"Danny's mother used to say that teaching him good behaviour was like pouring water into a sieve."
- If someone spends time or energy trying to do something that
is inefficient or useless, it is like pouring water into a sieve.
- power behind the throne
- Someone with no apparent authority who has great influence over the
person officially in charge is said to be the power behind the throne.
"It's essential to be on good terms with his wife. Apparently she's the power behind the throne."
- Someone with no apparent authority who has great influence over the
person officially in charge is said to be the power behind the throne.
- preaching to the converted
- A person who preaches to the converted is encouraging people to support an idea that they already agree with.
"Talking to athletes about the virtues of sport is preaching to the converted."
- A person who preaches to the converted is encouraging people to support an idea that they already agree with.
- pregnant pause
- A pregnant pause is a moment of silence full of unexpressed meaning.
"There was a pregnant pause before the president answered the journalist's question."
- A pregnant pause is a moment of silence full of unexpressed meaning.
- prepare the ground
- When you prepare the ground, you try to make it easier for a future event or action to happen or be accepted.
"The two foreign ministers prepared the ground for negotiations."
- When you prepare the ground, you try to make it easier for a future event or action to happen or be accepted.
- press home
- If you press something home, you insist on a point in a discussion or argument.
"Her lawyer kept pressing home the fact that she was a single mother."
- If you press something home, you insist on a point in a discussion or argument.
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