Learn English Idioms ( List 'Z' )

zero hour
the time when something is planned to begin (military)
"This is the zero hour for the attack," said the sergeant. 


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See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom
http://www.idiomsite.com

Learn English Idioms ( List 'Y' )

yellow journalism
Journalism which is sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy and taste.
This paper is practising yellow journalism with its reports on sex scandals. 


yoke around someone's neck
a burden.
They decided to buy the car on credit. This became a yoke around their neck.  


you can't please everyone
making everyone happy is impossible no matter what you do.
When the boss chose Mary as the chief executive of the project, everybody complained. But you can't please everyone! 


you got me there
I can't answer your question.
I don't kow what to say. You got me there! 


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See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom
http://www.idiomsite.com
  

Learn English Idioms ( List 'X' )

X marks the spot.
said to show the exact spot.
Would you mind moving that armchair here - X marks the spot. 


X-rated
not suitable for children.
Children ae not allowed to watch this film. It's X-rated.  


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View the original article here                
  
See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom
http://www.idiomsite.com
 

Learn English Idioms ( List 'W' )

wag one's chin
to talk.
Stop wagging your chin and do something. 


wait and see
to wait to see what will occur after.
The new manager hasn't announced his new plan yet. We'll have to wait and see.  


 wait for the ball to drop
To wait in expectation of an occurrence.
When the scandal was publicly revealed, he waited for the ball to drop as he was involved. 


wait for the other shoe to drop
To await a seemingly inevitable event, especially one which is not desirable.
He was waiting for the other shoe to drop once some of his companions had been captured by the official authorities, 


wait on someone hand and foot
to serve someone well, satisfying all personal needs.
She can't take care of herself. She always needs someone to wait on her hand and foot. 


wake up on the wrong side of bed
To feel grumpy, irritable; to be easily annoyed.
She must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. She didn't stop shouting all day long. 


walk of life
an occupation, role, social class, or lifestyle.
People in this neighbourhood come from different walks of life. 


walk on air
very excited or happy.
He was walking on air after he passed the exam. 


walk on eggs
(also walk on thin ice and walk on eggshells) be very carefully.
I was walking on eggs when I told her about the truth. 


walk on eggshells
To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation; to be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.
He was walking on eggshells when he was talking to him about his wife. 


walk the talk
To do what one said one could do, or would do, not just making empty promises.
If we advise people to take care of the environment, we have to walk the talk. 


war of words
An argument between two people or groups.
The war of words between the two tcountries hasn't ceased to for a long time. 


waste breath
To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.
Please don't waste your breath asking me ridiculous questions. 


watch one's mouth
to be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
Watch your mouth when you speak to him. He's the boss. 


watch the clock
To keep noticing the clock because you are eager to stop what you are doing.
If you are someone who watches the clock, then this job is not for you. 


watch this space
an indication that a development will follow.
He has ambitious plans. Watch this space! 


wax and wane
to increase and decrease.
His love for politics has waxed and waned over the years. 


wear the pants
(also wear the trousers)especially of a woman - to exercise authority or to be the person in charge in a relationship.
He may seem authoritative, but the truth is that it's his wife who really wears the pants in that relationship. 


wear your heart on your sleeve
to display one's feelings openly.
Alan always has his heart on his sleeve. Everybody knows how he feels. 


weather permitting
If the weather is fine.
Weather permitting, we will be able to go to picnic tomorrow. 


weather the storm
To experience a very difficult situation and survive it.
They lost everything they had, but somehow they weathered the storm. 


weekend warrior
A person who indulges in a sport or pastime on an infrequent basis, usually on weekends when work commitments are not present.
The most common foot related injury I see for the weekend warrior is heel pain 


weep buckets
(also cry buckets) to cry a lot.
She cried buckets, because that was such a sad event. 


what beats me
said when you do not understand a situation or someone's behaviour.
What beats me is how he passed the exam. 


wheels fall off
Said about something that has failed, often after a laborious, tiring process.
Our team was doing well for a while, but they got tired and then the wheels fell off. 


when it rains, it pours
(Also, it never rains but it pours) said when bad things occur in large numbers.
First, he had a terrible accident. Then, his wife had a heart attack. Really when it rains, it pours. 


when pigs fly
never
Sure she'll help us clean the house — when pigs fly. 


white as a sheet
(also as white as a sheet) said about someone whose face is very pale because of illness, shock or fear.
Joe looks as white as sheet. He must be very ill. 


whiter than white
said about someone who is totally fair and honest.
That little boy is whiter than white. He never does anything wrong. 


who pays the piper calls the tune
one who pays for something controls it.
If he pays for everything, he will have power over us all. You know, who pays the piper calls the tune 


work your fingers to the bone
to work extremely hard.
He works his fingers to the bone to help his five children grow up in a healthy environment. 


wouldn't be caught dead
(Also wouldn't be seen dead)Said about something that you would not like to do, or would rather die than do it.
I would not be caught dead in such a miniskirt. 


_________________________________________
View the original article here                
  
See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom
http://www.idiomsite.com
                              

Learn English Idioms ( List 'V' )

vale of tears
the world considered as sad and harsh.
His grandfather left this vale of tears yesterday. 


vanish into the air
to disappear.
The money just vanished into the air. I can't find it anywhere.  


variety is the spice of life
frequent changes in one's life makes life interesting.
They frequently change the furniture of the house because they think that variety is the spice of life. 


virgin territory
a territory that hasn't been touched orexplored.
There is no sign of humans in that island. It's a virgin territory. 


_________________________________________
View the original article here                
  
See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom
http://www.idiomsite.com