Queen of Hearts
A woman who is pre-eminent in her area is a Queen of Hearts.
Queer fish
(UK) A strange person is a queer fish.
Queer Street
If someone is in a lot of trouble, especially financial, they are in Queer Street.
Queer your pitch
If someone queers your pitch, they interfere in your affairs and spoil things.
Question of time
If something’s a question of time, it’s certain to happen, though we don’t know exactly when.
Queue jumping
Someone who goes to the front of a queue instead of waiting is jumping the queue.
Quick as a flash
If something happens quick as a flash, it happens very fast indeed.
Quick buck
If you make some money easily, you make a quick buck.
Quick off the mark Top
If someone is quick off the mark, they are very quick to use, start or do something new.
Quick on the trigger
Someone who is quick on the trigger acts or responds quickly.
Quids in
(UK) If somebody is quids in, they stand to make a lot of money from something.
Quiet as a mouse
If someone’s as quiet as a mouse, they make absolutely no noise.
Rack and ruin
If something or someone goes to rack and ruin, they are utterly destroyed or wrecked.
Rack your brain
If you rack your brain, you think very hard when trying to remember something. (‚Rack your brains’ is an alternative.)
Rags to riches
Someone who starts life very poor and becomes rich goes from rags to riches.
Raining cats and dogs
When it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining very heavily.
Rainy day
If you save something, especially money, for a rainy day, you save it for some possible problem or trouble in the future.
Raise Cain
(USA) If someone raises Cain, they make a big fuss publicly, causing a disturbance.
Rake over old coals
(UK) If you go back to old problems and try to bring them back, making trouble for someone, you are raking over old coals.
Rake someone over the coals
(USA) If you rake someone over the coals, you criticize or scold them severely.
Rank and file
The rank and file are the ordinary members of a company, organisation, etc, excluding the managers and directors.
Rat race
The rat race is the ruthless, competitive struggle for success in work, etc.
Rather you than me
Rather you than me is an expression used when someone has something unpleasant or arduous to do. It is meant in a good natured way of expressing both sympathy and having a bit of a laugh at their expense.
Raw deal
If you get a raw deal, you are treated unfairly.
Read from the same page
When people are reading from the same page, they say the same things in public about an issue.
Read someone the riot act
If you read someone the riot act, you give them a clear warning that if they don’t stop doing something, they will be in serious trouble.
Real deal Top
If something is the real deal, it is genuine and good.
Real McCoy
Something that’s the real McCoy is the genuine article, not a fake.
Real trooper
A real trooper is someone who will fight for what they believe in and doesn’t give up easily.
Recipe for disaster
A recipe for disaster is a mixture of people and events that could only possibly result in trouble.
Red carpet
If you give someone the red-carpet treatment, you give them a special welcome to show that you think they are important. You can roll out the red carpet, too.
Red herring
If something is a distraction from the real issues, it is a red herring.
Red letter day
A red letter day is a one of good luck, when something special happens to you.
Red light district
The red light district is the area of a town or city where there is prostitution, sex shops, etc.
Red mist
If someone sees red or the red mist, they lose their temper and self-control completely.
Red rag to a bull
If something is a red rag to a bull, it is something that will inevitably make somebody angry or cross.
Red tape
This is a negative term for the official paperwork and bureaucracy that we have to deal with.
Reinvent the wheel
If someone reinvents the wheel, they waste their time doing something that has already been done by other people, when they could be doing something more worthwhile.
Rest is gravy
(USA) If the rest is gravy, it is easy and straightforward once you have reached that stage.
Rest on your laurels
If someone rests on their laurels, they rely on their past achievements, rather than trying to achieve things now.
Revenge is sweet
When you are happy to be proved right, then you know that revenge is sweet.
Rewrite history
If you rewrite history, you change your version of past events so as to make yourself look better than you would if the truth was told.
Rhyme or reason
If something is without rhyme or reason, it is unreasonable. (‚Beyond rhyme or reason’ is an alternative.)
Rice missionary Top
A rice missionary gives food to hungry people as a way of converting them to Christianity.
Rich as Croesus
Someone who is as rich as Croesus is very wealthy indeed.
Ride roughshod
If someone rides roughshod over other people, they impose their will without caring at all for other people’s feelings.
Right as rain
If things are right as rain, then everything is going well in your life.
Right royal
(UK) A right royal night out would be an extremely exciting, memorable and fun one.
Right up my alley
If something is right up your alley, it suits you perfectly.
Right up your street
If something is ideal for you, it is right up your street.
Ring a bell
If something rings a bell, it reminds you of something you have heard before, though you may not be able to remember it very well. A name may ring a bell, so you know you have heard the name before, but cannot place it properly.
Ringside seat
If you have a ringside seat, you can observe something from a very close and clear position.
Rip van Winkle
Rip van Winkle is a character in a story who slept for twenty years, so if someone is a Rip van Winkle, they are behind the times and out of touch with what’s happening now.
Rise from the ashes
If something rises from the ashes, it recovers after a serious failure.
Road to Damascus
If someone has a great and sudden change in their ideas or beliefs, then this is a road to Damascus change, after the conversion of Saint Paul to Christianity while heading to Damascus to persecute Christians.
Rob Peter to pay Paul
If you rob Peter to pay Paul, you try to solve one problem, but create another in doing so, often through short-term planning.
Rock the boat
If you rock the boat, you destabilise a situation by making trouble. It is often used as advice; ‚Don’t rock the boat’.
Rocket science
If something is not rocket science, it is not very complicated or difficult to understand. This idiom is normally used in the negative.
Roll out the red carpet
If you roll out the red carpet, you treat someone in a special way, especially when welcoming them.
Rolling in the aisles Top
If the audience watching something are laughing loudly, the show has them rolling in the aisles.
Rome was not built in a day
This idiom means that many things cannot be done instantly, and require time and patience.
Rooted to the spot
If someone is rooted to the spot, they canot move, either physically or they cannot think their way out of a problem.
Rose-colored glasses
If people see things through rose-colored (coloured) glasses, they see them in a more positive light than they really are.
Rose-tinted glasses
If people see things through rose-tinted glasses, they see them in a more positive light than they really are.
Rough and ready
If something is rough and ready, it has not been carefully prepared, but is fit for its purpose. If a person is rough and ready, they are not very refined or mannered.
Rough around the edges
If someone is rough around the edges, they haven’t mastered something, though they show promise.
Rough diamond
A rough diamond is a person who might be a bit rude but who is good underneath it all.
Rough edges
If something has rough edges, it is still not a finished product and not all of a uniform standard.
Rough-hewn
If something, especially something made from wood or stone, is rough-hewn, it is unfinished or unpolished.
Round the bend
If someone has gone round the bend, they have stopped being rational about something. If something drives you round the bend, it irritates you or makes you angry.
Round the houses
If you go round the houses, you do something in an inefficient way when there is a quicker, more convenient way.
Rub shoulders
If you rub shoulders with people, you meet and spend time with them, especially when they are powerful or famous.
Rub someone up the wrong way
If you annoy or irritate someone when you didn’t mean to, you rub them up the wrong way.
Rudderless ship
If an organisation, company, government, etc, is like a rudderless ship, it has no clear direction and drifts about without reaching its goals.
Ruffle a few feathers
If you ruffle a few feathers, you annoy some people when making changes or improvements.
Rule of thumb
Rule of thumb means approximately.
Run a mile
If someone "Runs a mile", they do everything they can to avoid a situation. Example: "I was worried that he’d take one look at me and run a mile."
Run before you can walk
If someone tries to run before they can walk, they try to do something requiring a high level of knowledge before they have learned the basics.
Run circles around someone
If you can run circles around someone, you are smarter and intellectually quicker than they are.
Run into the sand
If something runs into the sand, it fails to achieve a result.
Run out of gas
If a campaign, project, etc, runs out of gas, it loses energy and momentum, and progress slows or halts.
Run rings around someone
If you run rings around someone, you are so much better than them that they have no chance of keeping up with you.
Run the gauntlet
If somebody is being criticised harshly by a lot of people, they are said to run the gauntlet.
Run the show
If someone runs the show, they like to be in control and make all the decisions.
Run your mouth off
If someone runs their mouth off, they talk too much.
Run-of-the-mill
If something is run-of-the-mill, there is nothing exceptional about it- it is ordinary or average.
Running on empty
If you are exhausted but keep going, you are running on empty.
Russian roulette
If people take a dangerous and unnecessary risk, they are playing Russian roulette.
Sacred cow
Something that is a sacred cow is held in such respect that it cannot be criticised or attacked.
Safe and sound Top
If you arrive safe and sound, then nothing has harmed you on your way.
Safe bet
A proposition that is a safe bet doesn’t have any risks attached.
Safe pair of hands
A person who can be trusted to do something without causing any trouble is a safe pair of hands.
Safety in numbers
If a lot of people do something risky at the same time, the risk is reduced because there is safety in numbers.
Saigon moment
(USA) A Saigon moment is when people realise that something has gone wrong and that they will lose or fail.
Sail close to the wind
If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is allowed or acceptable.
Sail under false colours
Someone who sails under false colours (colors) is hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren’t in order to deceive people.
Salad days
Your salad days are an especially happy period of your life.
Salt in a wound
If you rub salt in a wound, you make someone feel bad about something that is already a painful experience. ‚Pour salt on a wound’ is an alternative form of the idiom.
Salt of the earth
People who are salt of the earth are decent, dependable and unpretentious.
Save face
If someone saves face, they manage to protect their reputation.
Save someone’s bacon
If something saves your bacon, it saves your life or rescues you from a desperate situation. People can also save your bacon.
Save your skin
If someone saves their skin, they manage to avoid getting into serious trouble.
Saved by the bell
If you are saved by the bell, you are rescued from a danger or a tricky situation just in time.
Saving grace
If someone has some character defects, but has a characteristic that compensate for their failings and shortcomings, this is their saving grace.
Say uncle
(USA) If you say uncle, you admit defeat. (‚Cry uncle’ is an alternative form.)
Say when
People say this when pouring a drink as a way of telling you to tell them when there’s enough in your glass.
Say-so Top
If you do something on someone else’s say-so, you do it on the authority, advice or recommendation.
Scales fall from your eyes
When the scales fall from your eyes, you suddenly realise the truth about something.
Scare the daylights out of someone
If you scare the daylights out of someone, you terrify them. (This can be made even stronger by saying ‚the living daylights’.)
Scarlet woman
This idiom is used as a pejorative term for a sexually promiscuous woman, especially an adulteress.
Scattered to the four winds
If something’s scattered to the four winds, it goes out in all directions.
Scent blood
If you can scent blood, you feel that a rival is having difficulties and you are going to beat them.
Scraping the barrel
When all the best people, things or ideas and so on are used up and people try to make do with what they have left, they are scraping the barrel.
Scream blue murder
If someone shouts very loudly in anger, or fear, they scream blue murder.
Screw loose
If someone has a screw loose, they are crazy.
Seamy side
The seamy side of something is the unpleasant or sordid aspect it has.
Searching question
A searching question goes straight to the heart of the subject matter, possibly requiring an answer with a degree of honesty that the other person finds uncomfortable.
Second thoughts
If some has second thoughts, they start to think that an idea, etc, is not as good as it sounded at first and are starting to have doubts.
Second wind
If you overcome tiredness and find new energy and enthusiasm, you have second wind.
See eye to eye
If people see eye to eye, they agree about everything.
See the light
When someone sees the light, they realise the truth.
See you anon
(UK) If somebody says this when leaving, they expect to see you again soon.
Seed money
Seed money is money that is used to start a small business.
Seeing is believing
This idiom means that people can only really believe what they experience personally.
Seen better days
If something’s seen better days, it has aged badly and visibly compared to when it was new. The phrase can also be used to describe people.
Sell down the river
If you sell someone down the river, you betray their trust.
Sell like hot cakes
If a product is selling very well, it is selling like hot cakes.
Sell your birthright for a mess of pottage
If a person sells their birthright for a mess of pottage, they accept some trivial financial or other gain, but lose something much more important. ‚Sell your soul for a mess of pottage’ is an alternative form.
Sell your soul
If someone sells their soul, their betray the most precious beliefs.
Send someone to Coventry
(UK) If you send someone to Coventry, you refuse to talk to them or co-operate with them.
Separate the sheep from the goats
If you separate the sheep from the goats, you sort out the good from the bad.
Separate the wheat from the chaff
When you separate the wheat from the chaff, you select what is useful or valuable and reject what is useless or worthless.
Separate the wheat from the chaff
If you separate the wheat from the chaff, you separate things that are of a high standard from things that are of low quality.
Set in stone Top
If something is set in stone, it cannot be changed or altered.
Set the wheels in motion
When you set the wheels in motion, you get something started.
Set your sights on
If you set your sights on someone or something, it is your ambition to beat them or to achieve that goal.
Seven sheets to the wind
If someone is seven sheets to the wind, they are very drunk.
Seventh heaven
If you are in seventh heaven, you are extremely happy.
Shades of meaning
Shades of meaning is a phrase used to describe the small, subtle differences in meaning between similar words or phrases; ‚kid’ and ‚youth’ both refer to young people, but carry differing views and ideas about young people.
Shaggy dog story
A shaggy dog story is a joke which is a long story with a silly end.
Shake a leg
If you shake a leg, you are out of bed and active.
Shanks’s pony
(UK) If you go somewhere by Shanks’s pony, you walk there.
Shape up or ship out
If someone has to shape up or ship out, they have to improve or leave their job, organisation, etc.
Sharp as a tack
(USA) If someone is as sharp as a tack, they are very clever indeed.
Sharp cookie
Someone who isn’t easily deceived or fooled is a sharp cookie.
Shifting sands
If the sands are shifting, circumstances are changing.
Shilly-shally
If people shilly-shally, they can’t make up their minds about something and put off the decision.
Shipshape and Bristol fashion
If things are shipshape and Bristol fashion, they are in perfect working order.
Shoe is on the other foot
If the shoe is on the other foot, someone is experiencing what they used to make others experience, normally negative things.
Shoestring
If you do something on a shoestring, you try to spend the absolute minimum amount of money possible on it.
Shoot yourself in the foot
If you shoot yourself in the foot, you do something that damages your ambition, career, etc.
Shooting fish in a barrel
If something is like shooting fish in a barrel, it is so easy that success is guaranteed.
Short end of the stick
If someone gets the short end of the stick, they are unfairly treated or don’t get what they deserve.
Short shrift
If somebody gives you short shrift, they treat you rudely and brusquely, showing no interest or sympathy.
Shot across the bow
A shot across the bow is a warning to tell someone to stop doing something or face very serious consequences.
Shot in the dark Top
If you have a shot in the dark at something, you try something where you have little hope of success.
Shotgun marriage
A shotgun marriage, or shotgun wedding, is one that is forced because of pregnancy. It is also used idiomatically for a compromise, agreement or arrangement that is forced upon groups or people by necessity.
Show someone a clean pair of heels
If you show someone a clean pair of heels, you run faster than them when they are chasing you.
Shrinking violet
A shrinking violet is a shy person who doesn’t express their views and opinions.
Sick as a dog
If somebody’s as sick as a dog, they throw up (=vomit) violently.
Sick as a parrot
If someone’s sick as a parrot about something, they are unhappy, disappointed or depressed about it.
Sick to death
If you are sick to death of something, you have been exposed to so much of it that you cannot take any more.
Sight for sore eyes
Someone or something that is a sight for sore eyes is a pleasure to see.
Sight to behold
If something is a sight to behold, it means that seeing it is in some way special, either spectacularly beautiful or, equally, incredibly ugly or revolting, etc.
Silence is golden
It is often better to say nothing than to talk, so silence is golden.
Silly season
The silly season is midsummer when Parliament is closed and nothing much is happening that is newsworthy, which reduces the press to reporting trivial and stupid stories.
Silver bullet
A silver bullet is a complete solution to a large problem, a solution that seems magical.
Silver screen
The silver screen is the cinema.
Silver surfer
A silver surfer is an elderly person who uses the internet.
Since time immemorial
If something has happened since time immemorial, it’s been going on for such a long time that nobody can remember a time without it.
Sing from the same hymn sheet
If people are singing from the same hymn sheet, they are expressing the same opinions in public.
Sink or swim
Of you are left to sink or swim, no one gives you any help and it’s up to you whether you fail or succeed.
Sit on the fence
If someone sits on the fence, they try not to support either side in a dispute.
Sit pretty
Someone who’s sitting pretty is in a very advantageous situation.
Sitting duck
A sitting duck is something or someone that is easy to criticise or target.
Six of one and half-a-dozen of the other
This is an idiom used when there is little or no difference between two options.
Sixes and sevens
If something is all at sixes and sevens, then there is a lot of disagreement and confusion about what should be done.
Sixty-four-thousand-dollar-question
The sixty-four-thousand-dollar-question is the most important question that can be asked about something.
Skate on thin ice Top
If someone is skating on thin ice, they are taking a big risk.
Skeleton in the closet
If someone has a skeleton in the closet, they have a dark, shameful secret in their past that they want to remain secret.
Skin and bones
If someone is skin and bones, they are very underweight and look bad.
Skin in the game
A person who has skin in the game has invested in the company they are running.
Skin someone alive
If someone skins you alive, they admonish and punish you hard.
Slap on the wrist
If someone gets a slap on the wrist, they get a very minor punishment when they could have been punished more severely.
Sleep like a baby
If you sleep very well, you sleep like a baby.
Sleep like a log
If you sleep like a log, you sleep very soundly.
Sleep well- don’t let the bedbugs bite
This is a way of wishing someone a good night’s sleep
Sleight of hand
Sleight of hand is the ability to use your hands in a clever way, like a magician performing tricks you can’t see.
Slim chance
A slim chance is a very small chance.
Slippery customer
A person from whom it is difficult to get anything definite or fixed is a slippery customer.
Slippery slope
A slippery slope is where a measure would lead to further worse measures.
Slough of despond
If someone is very depressed or in despair, they’re in a slough of despond.
Slow boat to China
This idiom is used to describe something that is very slow and takes a long time.
Slow but sure
If something or someone is slow but sure, they may take their time to do something, but they are reliable.
Small beer
If something is small beer, it’s unimportant.
Small fry
If someone is small fry, they are unimportant. The term is often used when the police arrest the less important criminals, but are unable to catch the leaders and masterminds.
Smart Alec
A smart Alec is a conceited person who likes to show off how clever and knowledgeable they are.
Smell a rat
If you smell a rat, you know instinctively that something is wrong or that someone is lying to you.
Smoke and mirrors
An attempt to conceal something is smoke and mirrors.
Smoke like a chimney
Someone who smokes very heavily smokes like a chimney.
Smoke the peace pipe
If people smoke the peace pipe, they stop arguing and fighting.
Smokestack industry
Heavy industries like iron and steel production, especially if they produce a lot of pollution, are smokestack industries.
Smoking gun Top
A smoking gun is definitive proof of someone’s guilt.
Smooth as a baby’s bottom
If something is smooth as a baby’s bottom, it has a regular, flat surface.
Snake in the grass
Someone who is a snake in the grass betrays you even though you have trusted them.
Snake oil salesperson
A person who promotes something that doesn’t work, is selling snake oil.
Snug as a bug in a rug
If you’re as snug as a bug in a rug, you are feeling very comfortable indeed.
So on and so forth
And so on and so forth mean the same as etcetera (etc.).
Sod’s law
Sod’s law states that if something can go wrong then it will.
Soft soap someone
If you soft soap someone, you flatter them.
Some other time
If somebody says they’ll do something some other time, they mean at some indefinite time in the future, possibly never, but they certainly don’t want to feel obliged to fix a specific time or date.
Something nasty in the woodshed
Something nasty in the woodshed means that someone as a dark secret or an unpleasant experience in their past.
Sound as a bell
If something or someone is as sound as a bell, they are very healthy or in very good condition.
Sound as a pound
(UK) if something is as sound as a pound, it is very good or reliable.
Sour grapes
When someone says something critical or negative because they are jealous, it is a case of sour grapes.
Sow the seeds
When people sow the seeds, they start something that will have a much greater impact in the future
Spanner in the works
(UK) If someone puts or throws a spanner in the works, they ruin a plan. In American English, ‚wrench’ is used instead of ‚spanner’.
Speak of the devil!
If you are talking about someone and they happen to walk in, you can use this idiom as a way of letting them know you were talking about them.
Spend a penny
(UK) This is a euphemistic idiom meaning to go to the toilet.
Spend like a sailor
Someone who spends their money wildly spends like a sailor.
Spick and span
If a room is spick and span, it is very clean and tidy.
Spill the beans
If you spill the beans, you reveal a secret or confess to something.
Spinning a line
When someone spins you a line, they are trying to deceive you by lying.
Spinning a yarn
When someone spins you a yarn, they are trying to deceive you by lying.
Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
If the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, someone lacks the willpower to change things they do because they derive too much pleasure from them.
Spirit of the law
The spirit of the law is the idea or ideas that the people who made the law wanted to have effect.
Spit blood
If someone is spitting blood, they are absolutely furious.
Spitting image
If a person is the spitting image of somebody, they look exactly alike.
Split hairs
If people split hairs, they concentrate on tiny and unimportant details to find fault with something.
Spoil the ship for a ha’pworth of tar
(UK) If someone spoils the ship for a ha’pworth (halfpenny’s worth) of tar, they spoil something completely by trying to make a small economy.
Spot on Top
If something is spot on, it is exactly right.
Sprat to catch a mackerel
If you use a sprat to catch a mackerel, you make a small expenditure or take a small risk in the hope of a much greater gain.
Spur of the moment
If you do something on the spur of the moment, you do it because you felt like it at that time, without any planning or preparation.
Sputnik moment
A Sputnik moment is a point where people realise that they are threatened of challenged and have to redouble their efforts to catch up. It comes from the time when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite, the Sputnik 1, and beat the USA into space.
Square Mile
(UK) The Square Mile is the City, the financial area of London.
Square peg in a round hole
If somebody’s in a situation, organisation, etc, where they don’t fit in and feel out of place, they are a square peg in a round hole.
Squeaky clean
If something is squeaky clean, it is very clean indeed- spotless. If a person is squeaky clean, they have no criminal record and are not suspected of illegal or immoral activities.
Squeaky wheel gets the grease
(USA) When people say that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, they mean that the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service.
Squeeze blood out of a turnip
(USA) When people say that you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip, it means that you cannot get something from a person, especially money, that they don’t have.
Stand in good stead
If something will stand you in good stead, it will probably be advantageous in the future.
Stars and stripes
The stars and stripes is the American flag.
Stars in your eyes
Someone who dreams of being famous has stars in their eyes.
State of the art
If something is state of the art, it is the most up-to-date model incorporating the latest and best technology.
Status quo
Someone who wants to preserve the status quo wants a particular situation to remain unchanged.
Steal someone’s thunder
If someone steals your thunder, they take the credit and praise for something you did.
Steer clear of
If you steer clear of something, you avoid it.
Stem the tide
If people try to stem the tide, they are trying to stop something unpleasant from getting worse, usually when they don’t succeed.
Step up to the plate
If someone steps up to the plate, they take on or accept a challenge or a responsibility.
Stick out like a sore thumb
If something sticks or stands out like a sore thumb, it is clearly and obviously different from the things that are around it.
Stick to your guns
If you stick to your guns, you keep your position even though people attack or criticise you.
Stick your neck out
If you stick you neck out, you take a risk because you believe in something.
Stick your neck out
If you stick your neck out, you take a risk.
Stick-in-the-mud
A stick-in-the-mud is someone who doesn’t like change and wants things to stay the same.
Sticking point
A sticking point is a controversial issue that blocks progress in negotiations, etc, where compromise is unlikely or impossible.
Sticky wicket
(UK) If you are on a sticky wicket, you are in a difficult situation.
Stiff upper lip
(UK) If you keep your emotions to yourself and don’t let others know how you feel when something bad happens, you keep a stiff upper lip.
Stiff-necked
A stiff-necked person is rather formal and finds it hard to relax in company.
Still in the game
If someone is still in the game, they may be having troubles competing, but they are not yet finished and may come back.
Still waters run deep
People use this idiom to imply that people who are quiet and don’t try to attract attention are often more interesting than people who do try to get attention.
Stitch in time saves nine Top
A stitch in time saves nine means that if a job needs doing it is better to do it now, because it will only get worse, like a hole in clothes that requires stitching.
Stone dead
This idiom is a way of emphasizing that there were absolutely no signs of life or movement.
Stone’s throw
If a place is a stone’s throw from where you are, it is a very short distance away.
Stool pigeon
(USA) A stool pigeon is a police informer.
Storm in a teacup
If someone exaggerates a problem or makes a small problem seem far greater than it really is, then they are making a storm in a teacup.
Straw man
A straw man is a weak argument that is easily defeated. It can also be a person who is used as to give an illegal or inappropriate activity an appearance of respectability.
Straw poll
A straw poll is a small unofficial survey or ballot to find out what people think about an issue.
Straw that broke the camel’s back
The straw that broke the camel’s back is the problem that made you lose your temper or the problem that finally brought about the collapse of something.
Streets ahead
If people are streets ahead of their rivals, they are a long way in front.
Stroll down memory lane
If you take a stroll down memory lane, you talk about the past or revisit places that were important to you in the past. (You can also ‚take a trip down memory lane’.)
Strong as an ox
Someone who’s exceedingly strong physically is said to be as strong as an ox.
Stubborn as a mule
Someone who will not listen to other people’s advice and won’t change their way of doing things is as stubborn as a mule.
Stuffed to the gills
If someone is stuffed to the gills, they have eaten a lot and are very full.
Sure as eggs is eggs
These means absolutely certain, and we do say ‚is’ even though it is grammatically wrong.
Sure-fire
If something is sure-fire, it is certain to succeed. (‚Surefire’ is also used.)
Swansong
A person’s swansong is their final achievement or public appearance.
Swear like a sailor
Someone who is foul-mouthed and uses bad language all the time, swears like a sailor.
Swear like a trooper
Someone who is foul-mouthed and uses bad language all the time, swears like a trooper.
Sweat blood
If you sweat blood, you make an extraordinary effort to achieve something.
Sweep things under the carpet
If people try to ignore unpleasant things and forget about them, they sweep them under the carpet.
Swim against the tide
If you swim against the tide, you try to do something that is very difficult because there is a lot of opposition to you. (‚Go against the tide’ is an alternative form.)
Swim with the fishes
If someone is swimming with the fishes, they are dead, especially if they have been murdered. ‚Sleep with the fishes’ is an alternative form.
Swim with the tide
If you swim with the tide, you do the same as people around you and accept the general consensus. (‚Go with the tide’ is an alternative form.)
Swimmingly Top
If things are going swimmingly, they are going very well.
Swings and roundabouts
If something’s swings and roundabouts, it has about as many disadvantages as it has advantages.