An idiom is a phrase or expression whose overall meaning cannot be understood simply by interpreting the literal meanings of its individual words; instead, it carries a figurative or non-literal meaning that is unique to the language or culture.
Definition
Example
History - where available
A purple patch
A run of success or good luck.
People expect me to score in every game now i've hit a purple patch.
The rare and expensive dye was used for coloring the robes of roman emperors and magistrates. from the late 16th century "purple" has been used to mean "striking" or "ornate" in phrases such as purple prose or purple patch. by extension, it has come to mean an exceptionally good period in sports . (2025 https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/)
After a fashion, to a certain extent but not perfectly or satisfactorily
Like (or as if) it is going out of fashion (or style) in great quantities and without restraint.
After a fashion, the brand claimed to be using 'eco-friendly' dyes, but the river running behind the factory still turned a suspicious shade of green.
At the drop of a hat
Promptly, immediately.
My grandma will babysit for anyone at the drop of a hat.
Originally U.S. colloquial.
Basket case
A person who is emotionally or mentally unable to cope, esp. because of overwhelming stress or anxiety. later also more generally: a person regarded as mentally unbalanced
Did you hear that Zara was in hospital with full on schizophrenia? The stress of carbon credits made her a basket case.
Originally North American. 1918
Be all fur coat and no knickers
To be attractive on the surface but lack substance underneath.
I thought David and I would really get along well, but we had nothing to talk about at dinner—he's all fur coat and no knickers.
This idiom suggests someone is all show and no substance, likely originating from the 1920s when fur coats were a symbol of wealth and status.
Be caught with chaff
To be easily fooled or duped.
The fashion designer, caught with chaff in her latest collection, was ridiculed for using cheap plastic instead of the promised silk.
Obsolete: "chaff" is the mass of the worthless husks removed from grain during threshing.
Below the belt
Beyond what is fair or socially acceptable.
His comment about Manfred's handicap was below the belt.
This refers to a low blow, both literally in boxing and metaphorically as an unfair or underhanded tactic.
Birthday suit
If you are in your birthday suit , you are not wearing any clothes. this refers to the fact that people are naked when they are born.
Models caused a stir at Paris Fashion Week by skipping down the runway in nothing but their birthday suits, adorned only with strategically placed body paint.
Buckle down
Work extra hard.
It's almost exam time, so I need to buckle down this weekend.
This means to work hard or apply oneself, possibly originating from the action of tightening a belt to prepare for physical exertion.
Burn a hole in one's pocket
Money that one is tempted to spend.
Let's go to the mall after school. there's a hundred Azerbaijani manet bill burning a hole in my pocket.
This refers to money that is spent quickly and recklessly, likely stemming from the idea of coins burning a physical hole in a pocket.
Bursting at the seams
Not fitting anymore.
I ate too much. I'm bursting at the seams in these jeans.
This describes something that is overcrowded or overflowing, likely originating from the image of a garment bursting at its seams due to being too tight.
Caught with one's pants down
Unprepared.
My students caught me with my pants down on Monday. I forgot about the field trip.
This means to be caught unprepared or in a compromising situation, likely originating from the vulnerability of being caught without pants.
Clogs to clogs is only three generations
The implication is that the energy and ability required to raise a person's material status from poverty is often not continued to the third generation, and that the success is therefore not sustained.
The millionaire fashion mogul, gazing at his son lounging poolside in designer swimwear, sighed. 'Clogs to clogs is only three generations,' he muttered, remembering his own humble beginnings sewing clothes in his mother's basement.
Proverbial saying, late 19th century, said to be a lancashire proverb; the clog, a shoe with a thick wooden sole, was worn by manual workers in the north of england. (2025 www.oxfordreference.com)
Dressed like a dog's dinner
It means they are wearing clothes which are inappropriate for the occasion or too formal.
The dress code was smart/casual, but linda came wearing a full-length ball gown! she was dressed like a dog's dinner!
While being “dressed to the nines” suggests impeccable and elegant dressing, "dressed like a dog's dinner" implies an unsuccessful or overly flamboyant attempt at looking sophisticated. It often carries a humorous or mocking tone. It is often attributed to middle-class British humor, poking fun at attempts to appear more fashionable or aristocratic than was fitting.
Dressed to the nines
(Up) to the nines (rarely nine): to perfection, to the highest degree or point. in later use chiefly in dressed (up) to the nines: dressed very elaborately or smartly.
One evening a smart young mechanic, ‘dressed to the nines’, as Ben Bowline says, might have been seen wending his way along Broadway. (1837)
Earliest up to the nines 1719, but dressed to the nines
Dressed to the teeth
This means to be very well-dressed and fashionable, likely originating from the idea of being adorned with jewelry like teeth.
Fine-tooth comb
In great detail, extremely carefully.
The fashion police combed through the celebrity's wardrobe with a fine-tooth comb, desperately searching for any evidence of a fashion faux pas that could be used to tarnish their carefully constructed image.
Fit like a glove
Fit perfectly (tight to one's body).
Anita's prom dress fits me like a glove.
This means to fit perfectly, likely originating from the snug fit of a well-made glove.
Fly by the seat of your pants
To improvise by instinct.
The tailor, having forgotten to measure the client, had to literally fly by the seat of his pants, adjusting the trousers mid-fitting with a needle and thread while the bewildered customer danced around.
Prior to the widespread use of reliable aviation instruments, pilots were at the mercy of the weather. they flew by instinct and feel—and their backside, or the seat of their pants, made the most physical contact with the airplane.
Handle with kid gloves
To deal with a situation gently or carefully.
The vintage wedding dress, with its delicate lace and antique pearls, had to be handled with kid gloves, lest the clumsy wedding planner accidentally rip it to shreds before the ceremony.
Kid leather is especially soft and thin, so the wearer of kid gloves must handle objects carefully so as not to scratch or rip the leather.
Have a bee in one's bonnet
Something that is annoying someone.
Milan has had a bee in his bonnet all day, but he won't tell me what's wrong.
This means to be obsessed with a particular idea, likely stemming from the image of a bee trapped in a bonnet buzzing around.
Have a card up one's sleeve
Have a secret or reserve plan
I think Josh has a card up his sleeve cause he wants me to wear a dress to the fast-food restaurant.
This means to have a secret advantage or hidden plan, likely originating from sleight-of-hand tricks involving hidden cards.
In full fig
Completely dressed or outfitted, esp. in a showy manner.
Heavens above, he was in full fig last night at dinner with pearls on his t-shirt.
This means to be fully dressed or adorned, possibly originating from the elaborate clothing worn in Shakespearean times.
In your pelt
Nude; without any clothes on. primarily heard in Ireland.
The renowned Parisian couturier, known for his scandalous designs, unveiled his latest collection, featuring models parading down the runway in nothing but their pelts, much to the delight (and perhaps shock) of the fashionable crowd.
Knickers in a twist
To become unduly agitated or angry.
The stylist had all their knickers in a twist when she discovered the designer had mistakenly sent her the wrong outfit for the photoshoot, throwing the entire schedule into disarray.
In the USA ‘don’t get your knickers in a twist’ is often deemed to be disdainful of women. The British usage of it (and the Australian use of ‘knickers in a knot’) is intended to be humorous and might be directed at either sex.
Men in white suits
Typically refers to mysterious or official figures who appear unexpectedly to handle sensitive situations - think government agents, sanitarium staff, or conspiracy theory characters who swoop in to control or cover up something unusual, often with an air of clinical detachment and bureaucratic authority.
The men in white suits are like corporate ninjas who show up to sanitize awkward office situations, armed with clipboards, stern expressions, and an uncanny ability to make problems magically disappear faster than free donuts at a staff meeting!
Mutton dressed as lamb
Mutton dressed as lamb and variants: an ageing woman who is dressed or made up as if much younger. also in extended use.
Don't like Miss Shere Hite. she's a feminist mutton dressed as lamb without even eye-make-up. (O. Clark, diary 17 march (1998) 378)
1811– british colloquial. derogatory.
On the cuff
(Originally U.S) on credit
Money was not important at all. All business was transacted on the cuff. (B. Macdonald, Egg & iI(1947) xi. 135 )
This means to buy something on credit, likely originating from the practice of tailors marking credit on the inside cuff of a garment.
Out at elbows
Wearing torn or worn-out clothes.
The struggling fashion student, living on ramen and thrift store finds, was practically out at elbows, patching his favorite jacket for the tenth time.
Out of fashion
If you were out of fashion in the early 1500s you were not outmoded, you were ‘out of shape’. Fashion originally meant ‘make, shape, or appearance’ as well as ‘a particular style’, and it was not until the mid 16th century that it developed the sense of ‘a popular style of clothes or way of behaving’. In fashion and out of fashion were both used by Shakespeare to mean ‘in vogue’ and ‘out of vogue’. In Julius Caesar, when the defeated Brutus plans to kill himself, he says, ‘Slaying is the word. It is a deed in fashion.’
Part brass rags
To quarrel; to cease to be on friendly terms.
The flamboyant fashion designer, despite his extravagant outfits, was part brass rags underneath, always haggling with suppliers for the best deals.
An allusion to shipmates ceasing to work together on cleaning duty. (2025 wiktionary.com)
Sackcloth and ashes
Mourning or penitence.
The source added that the EU wasn't in "sackcloth and ashes" after it temporarily suspended agreements made as part of the brexit deal last friday. (BBC Feb 2021)
This term refers to the ancient hebrew custom of indicating humility before god by wearing a coarse cloth, normally used to make sacks, and dusting oneself with ashes. in english it appeared in william tyndale's 1526 biblical translations (matthew 11:21), “they [the cities tyre and sidon] had repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Seven-league boots
Designating imaginary or hypothetical footwear that enables the wearer to travel an extremely long distance very rapidly and unimpeded by any obstacle. (2025 oed)
Fans, always on the hunt for the next big trend, zipped around the globe in seven-league boots, attending fashion shows from Paris to Tokyo in a single day (or so they claimed on social media).
With allusion to fairy tales such as tom thumb, in which an ogre or giant owns a pair of magic boots which enable the wearer to cover a distance of seven leagues at each step.
Shipshape and bristol fashion
Properly and neatly organized or arranged.
The seasoned tailor, a true master of his craft, always presented his work shipshape and Bristol fashion, with every stitch and seam perfectly aligned.
Originating in 19th-century bristol, england, 'shipshape and bristol fashion' describes the sturdy construction and secure stowage necessary for vessels navigating bristol harbor. with the world's second-highest tidal range (over 30 feet), ships frequently ran aground at low tide, risking damage and cargo loss. this demanding environment necessitated robust vessels and meticulous cargo handling, earning them the enduring epithet.
Show someone a clear pair of heels
To run away quickly; to make an escape quickly.
When the overly enthusiastic critic started raving about the latest 'ugly shoe' trend, the designer declined to engage and showed him a clean pair of heels towards the dressing room.
This means to run away quickly, likely originating from the image of someone fleeing and showing the clean bottoms of their shoes.
The cat's pajamas
If something is said to be the cat’s pyjamas it is excellent – the highest quality.
The new collection, a whimsical blend of polka dots and animal prints, was the cat's pajamas, adored by critics and fashionistas alike.
For comprehensive review see (2025 https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/the-cats-pajamas.html)
The men in gray suits
Collectively, the businesspersons, politicians, or government officials who make important decisions behind the scenes but who are unseen and unknown by the public.
It's easy to get disillusioned as a voter when you know most decisions get made by the men in gray suits. (2025 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/the+men+in+grey+suits)
To be all hat and no cattle
To have or cultivate a particular image or reputation which has no basis in reality; to engage in empty talk.
The aspiring model strutted down the runway, all hat and no cattle, with more attitude than actual talent.
North american colloquial now often thought of as a phrase originating in texas, but earliest recorded use (in the form big hat, no cattle) is attributed to indigenous people in various areas of the united states.
To line one's pockets
To accumulate wealth, esp. illicitly or at the expense of others.
Generally, they served less than a year, which was enough time for them to line their pockets before they were sacked and had to go back to parliament. (J. McCormick & S. Fisher-Hoch, level 4 xvii. 166)
1704 -
To pop one's clogs
To die; (of a thing) to cease to exist.
He was forced to retire in 1933 after a disastrous catholic/protestant punch-up among the bugs. He's just popped his clogs. (1970 pick of Punch)
This is a British euphemism for dying, possibly originating from the sound of wooden clogs hitting the floor.
To shoot one's cuffs
Possibly: a desirable way to dress to flaunt something.
The young entrepreneur, having just closed a million-dollar deal, strolled into the boardroom, confidently shooting his cuffs and flashing his diamond-encrusted watch.
1878– to pull one's shirt cuffs out so that they project beyond the cuffs of one's coat. an old tailors' precept is that a properly dressed man should allow about a quarter to half an inch of shirt cuff to peep out of his jacket sleeves, just enough to show his cufflinks. to shoot one’s cuffs is to achieve this desirable state of dress. since one way to do it is to jerk the shoulders and arms so that the cuffs pop into view, shooting them is a good name for it, in the verb’s sense of “causing something to move suddenly and rapidly in a particular direction”.
To trail one's coat
To seek to pick a quarrel; to be provocative in one's conduct.
Was trailing my coat... trying to get the Luftwaffe to come up and fight. (1980 J. Ditton, Copley's Hunch i. ii. 35)
This means to deliberately provoke a fight or argument, likely originating from the historical practice of challenging someone to a duel by dragging one's coat along the ground.
Wear motley
To be or act very foolish.
The professors, known for their outlandish and often absurd creations, certainly wore motley at the Met Gala, arriving in a dress made entirely of bubble wrap and glitter.
"motley" refers to the type of clothes court jesters traditionally wore, having different colors in different areas of patches. (2015: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/wear+motley)
Wear the green willow
To grieve for lost or unrequited love. the willow tree is traditionally associated with sadness.
My grandmother has been wearing the green willow ever since my grandfather died. (2025 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/wear+the+green+willow)
Whistle and flute
Suit - Cockney rhyming slang.
Blimey, that geezer's got a whistle and flute that'd make a tailor weep! It's like he's been rolled in a barrel of thorns!
This means to be frivolous or carefree, possibly originating from the lighthearted and playful nature of whistling and flute music.
Wigs on the green
A colloquial expression for coming to blows or sharp altercation (wigs being liable to fall or be pulled off in a fray).
When the influencer dared to suggest the designer's latest collection was 'tacky', it nearly brought the house down. Wigs were almost on the green as the designer stormed off stage, muttering about 'ignorant philistines'.
1797 - a colloquial expression (originally irish)