English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms S, page 16
Idioms S, page 16: from: 'spinach cinema' to: 'no spring chicken'
- spinach cinema
- Films that are neither exciting nor interesting but are
considered educational or uplifting, in the same way as certain foods are good
for your health, are referred to as spinach cinema.
- Films that are neither exciting nor interesting but are
considered educational or uplifting, in the same way as certain foods are good
for your health, are referred to as spinach cinema.
- spiral out of control
- When difficulties or costs spiral out of control, they get
worse or increase continuously, creating a situation that becomes difficult to manage.
"Some items were expensive but we were careful not to let the costs spiral out of control."
- When difficulties or costs spiral out of control, they get
worse or increase continuously, creating a situation that becomes difficult to manage.
- spit in someone's eye
- If you spit in someone's eye, you treat that person
with disrespect or contempt.
"Your father raised you as best he could. Don't start spitting in his eye."
- If you spit in someone's eye, you treat that person
with disrespect or contempt.
- spit it out!
- This expression is used to urge someone who is hesitant
or fearful to stop stalling or stammering and say what they have to say.
"Come on Tommy ! Just spit it out and tell us what happened !"
- This expression is used to urge someone who is hesitant
or fearful to stop stalling or stammering and say what they have to say.
- spitting image
- If one person isthe spitting image of another, they
look exactly like each other.
"Melanie is the spitting image of her mother."
- If one person isthe spitting image of another, they
look exactly like each other.
- spitting in the wind
- If you spend time trying to do something that is impossible to
achieve, you are said to be spitting in the wind.
"You'll never make him change his mind. You're just spitting in the wind."
- If you spend time trying to do something that is impossible to
achieve, you are said to be spitting in the wind.
- splash out (on something)
- If you splash out on something, you spend a lot of
money on it.
"Chloe's parents really splashed out on her wedding."
- If you splash out on something, you spend a lot of
money on it.
- split hairs
- If you split hairs, you pay too much attention to
differences that are very small or unimportant.
"If we start splitting hairs, we'll never reach an agreement."
- If you split hairs, you pay too much attention to
differences that are very small or unimportant.
- sponge off someone
- If you sponge off someone, you live at the expense of
another person, accepting their hospitality without sharing the costs or doing something
in return.
"Amy has been sponging off her grandparents for the past two months. She neither shares the expenses nor helps in the house."
- If you sponge off someone, you live at the expense of
another person, accepting their hospitality without sharing the costs or doing something
in return.
- spoon-feed someone
- If a person is spoon-fed, they are helped too much
rather than encouraged to think by themselves or use their own initiative.
"Some teachers tend to spoon-feed their pupils."
- If a person is spoon-fed, they are helped too much
rather than encouraged to think by themselves or use their own initiative.
- put someone on the spot
- If you put someone on the spot, you put them in an
uncomfortable position, for example by asking difficult questions which they cannot avoid.
"The reporter was put on the spot when he was asked to reveal his source."
- If you put someone on the spot, you put them in an
uncomfortable position, for example by asking difficult questions which they cannot avoid.
- (be) spot on
- If something is spot on, it is exactly right.
"That bag is an absolute match for my outfit! The colour is spot on!"
- If something is spot on, it is exactly right.
- spread like wildfire
- If something such as news, rumours or gossip spreads like
wildfire, it becomes widely known very fast.
"As soon as the nomination was announced, the news spread like wildfire."
- If something such as news, rumours or gossip spreads like
wildfire, it becomes widely known very fast.
- spread your wings
- When someone spreads their wings, they become
independent, begin to use their abilities and develop their interests.
"There comes a time when young people must be encouraged to spread their wings. "
- When someone spreads their wings, they become
independent, begin to use their abilities and develop their interests.
- spread yourself too thin
- If you spread yourself too thin, you do too many
things at the same time and can't do any of them well.
"Don't spread yourself too thin or you'll get nowhere."
- If you spread yourself too thin, you do too many
things at the same time and can't do any of them well.
- a spring in your step
- If you walk with or have a spring in your step,
you walk energetically with the appearance of being happy, confident and lively.
"Ever since she got a promotion, Emily has been walking with a spring in her step!’"
- If you walk with or have a spring in your step,
you walk energetically with the appearance of being happy, confident and lively.
- no spring chicken
- To say that someone is no spring chicken means that
they are quite old or well past their youth.
"How old is the owner?" "I don't know, but she's no spring chicken."
- To say that someone is no spring chicken means that
they are quite old or well past their youth.
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