O -Idioms

occur to (someone)

- to come into someone's mind (an idea or thought)

It occurred to me that I will not be able to meet my friend on Saturday because I have to go to the airport to meet someone else.
ocean(s) of (something)

- a very large amount of something

There was oceans of food at the party.
odd man out

- an unusual person or thing

I always feel that I am the odd man out when I go with my coworkers to a restaurant.
(the) odd (something)

- an extra or spare something, one or two of something

We saw the odd interesting bird on our hike through the mountains.
an oddball

- a person who does not act like other people

The man is an oddball and nobody at his company likes to work with him.
odds and ends

- a variety of small items (sometimes remnants of something)

We made games for the children from odds and ends that we found around the house.
an odor of sanctity

- an atmosphere of excessive holiness or piety

There was an odor of sanctity surrounding the chambers of the judge at the courthouse.

of Idioms of age

- to be old enough to be allowed to do something (vote,drink etc.)

When my cousin came of age we had a big party for him to celebrate.
of age

- to be fully developed, to be mature

Rapid transportation came of age when the first jets were built.
of all the nerve

- How shocking!

Of all the nerve for my friend to ask me for more money when she never repaid me what she had already borrowed.
of all things

- Imagine that!

"Of all things," the woman said when the post office worker told her that her package was too large for delivery.
of benefit to (someone)

- to be good for someone, to be a benefit to someone

Another meeting to solve the problem would be of no benefit to myself so I decided not to attend.
of course

- certainly, definitely, naturally

"Of course you can use my car if you want to."
of interest (to someone)

- to be interesting to someone

The man who works at the gas station is of interest to the police in their investigation of the murder.
of late

- lately

Of late there has been almost no rain in our city.
of no avail

- with no effect, unsuccessful

My complaints to the company were of no avail and nothing was done.
of one's own accord/free will

- by one's own choice

The supervisor decided to leave her job of her own free will and was not fired.
of the old school

- to have attitudes from the past which are no longer popular

Our teacher's attitudes are of the old school and are not often found these days.

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off Idioms
off and on

- occasionally

My friend has been seeing a woman off and on but I do not think that their relationship is very serious.
off and running

- to be started up and already going

The candidates are off and running in the race to become mayor of the city.
off balance

- to be not prepared for something, to be unable to meet the unexpected

I was off balance when my boss asked me to deliver the speech instead of him.
off base

- to be inaccurate/wrong

He was off base with his estimate of next year`s budget.
off campus

- to be not on the grounds of a college or university

The used bookstore was off campus but it was very popular with the university students.
off-center

- to be not exactly in the center or middle of something

The picture was off-center and did not look good on the wall.
the off chance

- a slight possibility

I went to the department store on the off chance that I would find a new jacket that I liked.
off-color

- to be in bad taste, to be not polite, to be not the exact color

He likes to tell off-color jokes which most people do not like.
We painted the walls an off-color of white.
off duty

- to be not working

The police officer was off duty when he saw the bank robbery.
off guard

- to be not alert to the unexpected

It caught me off guard when my friend suddenly asked me to lend her some money.
off like a shot

- to go away quickly

The children were off like a shot when the school bell rang.
off limits

- to be forbidden

The factory was off limits to everybody except the workers who worked there.
off one`s back

- to be not bothering someone

I wish my father would get off my back and stop asking me when I am going to look for a job.
off one`s chest

- to talk about a problem to someone so that it does not bother you anymore

I talked to my friend and I was able to get some of my problems off my chest.
off one`s hands

- to no longer be in one`s care or possession

I sold my old computer and got it off my hands.
off one`s high horse

- to be not acting proud and scornful, to be not acting like you are better than others

We got our boss off his high horse when he admitted that he had made many mistakes with the new product launch.
off one`s rocker

- to be crazy

He must be off his rocker if he thinks that he can spend much money and not have financial problems.
off season

- to be not in the busy time of the year, to be restricted (the hunting of an animal)

It was off season so we got a very cheap rate for the hotel room.
It was off season and we could not hunt ducks now.
off (someone or something) goes

- someone or something is leaving

"Off we go," I said as we opened the door and left the house.
off the air

- to be not broadcasting

The small radio station was not popular and is now off the air.
off the beam

- to be wrong/mistaken

What he said about the new policy was off the beam and should be ignored by everybody.
off the beaten track

- to be not well known or often used, to be unusual

Last night we went to a small restaurant that was off the beaten track.
off the cuff

- to not prepare in advance what one will say

My father made a few remarks off the cuff when he was accepting the award from his company.
off the hook

- to be out of trouble or free from an embarrassing situation

I think that I am off the hook now and will not have to worry about the problem anymore.
off the mark

- to be not quite exactly right

The cost estimate for the new train station was off the mark.
off the record

- to be private, to be unofficial

He told the reporters off the record about the problem with the budget estimate.
off the subject

- to be not concerned with the subject under discussion

Our teacher is often off the subject during our class lectures.
off the top of one`s head

- to be from memory, to be spontaneous

He knew all of the team members off the top of his head.
off the track

- to be not concerned with the topic under discussion

My friend was off the track when he suggested that the problem was caused by the other department.
off the wagon

- to begin to drink alcohol again after stopping for awhile

He is off the wagon again. I saw him yesterday and I am sure that he had been drinking.
off the wall

- to be odd/silly/unusual

The recent remarks by our boss were very much off the wall.
off to a running start

- to have a good and fast beginning

We were off to a running start with our preparations for the autumn festival.
off to one side

- to be beside something, to be moved a little away from something

We put the old chair off to one side while we tried to decide what to do with it.

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offbeat

- to be unconventional, to be different from the usual

The movie was very offbeat which is just the kind of movie that I like.
(as) old as the hills

- to be very old

The building next to the library is as old as the hills.
an old hand at (doing something)

- to be experienced at doing something

My father is an old hand at building kitchen furniture.
old hat

- to be old-fashioned, to be not new or different

My job has become old hat and I am becoming tired of it.
on Idioms on a diet

- to be eating less food so that you can lose weight

I was on a diet for several months last year.
on a dime

- to do something in a very small space, to do something quickly

His new car has very powerful brakes and is able to stop on a dime.
on a first-name basis (with someone)

- to be good friends with someone

I am not on a first-name basis with my neighbor.
on a fool's errand

- to be involved in a useless journey or task

I was on a fool's errand as I looked for a store that sold international road maps.
on a shoestring

- to do something with very little money

He started the new company on a shoestring.
on a splurge

- to spend much money extravagantly

We went on a splurge last weekend and spent a lot of money.
on a waiting list

- to be on a list of people waiting for something

My father is on a waiting list to get an operation on his knee.
on account

- money paid or owed on a debt

We buy many things on account at the local department store.
on active duty

- to be in battle or ready to go into battle

The soldiers were on active duty when the hurricane reached the shore.
on again, off again

- to be unsettled/changeable/uncertain

The plans for the fireworks display were on again, off again because of the rainy and windy weather.
on all fours

- to be on one's hands and knees

I was down on all fours as I looked for my grandmother's hearing aide.
on an even keel

- to be in a well-ordered situation/condition

We got the new department running on an even keel before we took some time off.
on and off

- intermittently, now and then

It has been raining on and off since early this morning.
on and on

- continually, at tedious length

The speech continued on and on until we finally left the meeting.
on any account

- for any purpose, for any reason

I am not going to talk to that woman on any account.
on approval

- to buy something with the right to return it

We carefuly looked at the chair which we had bought on approval.
on behalf of (someone)

- representing someone

The lawyer went to the meeting on behalf of his client.
on bended knee

- with great humility

The young man was on bended knee when he asked his girlfriend to marry him.
on board

- to be on a ship/plane or similar form of transportation

We got on board the airplane just before they closed the doors.
on call

- to be available to be called to go to work

His job is to repair computers and he is always on call.
on campus

- to be on the grounds of a college or university

We often go to a small coffee shop on campus after our classes.
on cloud nine

- to be very happy

She has been on cloud nine since she decided to get married last month.
on consignment

- being sold in a store by someone who still owns the goods

We went to the store to buy some baby furniture that was on consignment.
on credit

- to be purchased by using credit

I purchased the stereo on credit.
on deck

- to be on the deck of a boat or a ship

When we were on the ship we spent most of the time on deck.
on duty

- to be at work, to be currently doing one's work

There was nobody on duty when we arrived at the swimming pool.
to be on easy street

- to have enough money to live comfortably

He has been on easy street since he sold his house and invested the money.
on edge

- to be nervous or irritable

He has been on edge lately because of his exams.
on end

- seemingly endless

My uncle works for hours on end at his hobbies.
on faith

- without question or proof

I took it on faith that my friend would help me when I had extra work to do.
on fire

- to be burning, being burned with flames

The small house was on fire when the fire truck arrived.
on foot

- by walking

We decided to go downtown on foot.
on good terms with (someone)

- to be friendly with someone

We have always been on good terms with our neighbors.
on guard

- to be careful/wary

He has been on guard since he was robbed last month.
on hand

- to be available

I am sorry but I do not have any aspirin on hand at the moment.
on hand

- to be nearby, to be within reach

"Please keep your dictionary on hand in case you need to use it."
on hand

- to be present

The speaker will be on hand after the lecture if you have any questions that you want to ask her.
on hold

- to be waiting, to be temporarily halted

The construction of the building is on hold while the city engineers finish their inspection.
on hold

- to be left waiting on a telephone line

I phoned the bank but I was quickly put on hold.
on horseback

- to be on the back of a horse

We went up to the campground on horseback.
on ice

- to be away for safekeeping or later use, to be postponed

The city have put the plans for the new stadium on ice while they try to raise more money.
on impulse

- something that is done without planning

I bought the DVD player on impulse.
on land

- on the land, on the soil, not at sea

The old sailor was never very comfortable when he was on land.
on line

- connected to a remote computer

The editor is able to do most of his work on line.
on location

- a movie being filmed in a location away from the movie studio

The movie was filmed on location in the mountains.
on medication

- taking medicine for a current medical problem

The woman has been on medication for many years.
on no account

- for no reason, absolutely not

On no account am I going to let my friend borrow my laptop computer.
on occasion

- occasionally

We go to my favorite restaurant on occasion.
on one's best behavior

- being as polite as possible

The little boy was on his best behavior when he went to the meeting with his teacher.
on one's chest

- worrisome thoughts or feelings that one might need to share with someone else

I had a long talk with my friend last night because I had many problems on my chest.
on one's coat-tails

- as a result of someone else doing something

The mayor was elected on the coat-tails of his brother who is a famous actor.
on one's feet

- recovering from sickness or trouble

I was sick for a couple of weeks but now I am on my feet again.
on one's feet

- standing up

Everybody in the audience was on their feet when the singer walked onto the stage.
on one's guard

- to be cautious/watchful

I was on my guard when I went into the meeting with my boss.
on/upon one`s head

- to be one`s own responsibility

He himself brought the anger on his head and should not try and blame someone else.
on one`s high horse

- to be acting as if one is better than others, to be very proud and scornful

He is always on his high horse and never thinks about other people.
on one's honor

- with honesty and sincerity

I am on my honor when I look after the money of our club.
on one's mind

- currently being thought about

The incident at school was on my mind all week.
on one's own

- by oneself

The young girl has been on her own since she finished high school.
on one's own time

- not while one is at work

The company told the employees that they must make their personal phone calls on their own time.
on one's person

- carried with one

The criminal had a knife on his person when he was arrested.
on one`s shoulders

- one`s responsibility

"Please don`t try to put the failure of your business on my shoulders."
on one`s toes

- to be alert

The teacher asks the students many questions to keep them on their toes.
on order

- ordered with the delivery expected at some future date

The store has several computer printers on order.
on par with (someone or something)

- to be equal to someone or something

The new French restaurant is on par with the best restaurants in Paris.
on pins and needles

- to be excited/nervous

Her daughter has been on pins and needles all day waiting for the contest to begin.
on probation

- to be serving a period of probation, to be serving a trial period

The new employee was on probation for several months before he became a regular member of the staff.
on purpose

- intentionally

I think that the woman spilled her drink on purpose.
on sale

- to be offered for sale at a special low price

The small television set was on sale so we decided to buy it.
on schedule

- to be at the expected or desired time

The train arrived on schedule and we found our friend easily.
on second thought

- after having reconsidered something

On second thought I do not think that I will go to a movie tomorrow.
on shaky ground

- to be unstable, to be not secure

His position at the company has been on shaky ground for a long time.
on (someone's) account

- because of someone

We went to the children's festival on our daughter's account.
on (someone`s) back/case

- making demands or criticizing someone, being an annoyance or bother to someone

My boss has been on my back all week trying to get me to finish my monthly report.
on (someone's) behalf

- acting as someone's agent, acting for the benefit of someone

I was able to sign for the registered letter on my wife's behalf.
on (someone's) doorstep

- in someone's care, as someone's responsibility

The responsibility for feeding the extra staff suddenly arrived on my doorstep.
on (someone's) head

- on someone's own self (often used with blame)

The responsibility for fixing the computer was again on my head.
on (someone or something's) last legs

- to be almost worn out or finished

My computer is on its last legs and soon I will have to buy another one.
on (someone's) say-so

- with someone's permission or authority

I was able to ask for a new stove on the apartment manager's say-so.
on (someone's) shoulders

- to be someone's responsibility

The responsibility for organizing the office is always on my shoulders.
on speaking terms with (someone)

- on friendly terms with someone

My mother is not on speaking terms with her older sister.
on standby

- to be waiting for a seat/ticket to become available on a train/plane/bus

We decided to fly to visit my parents on standby.
on target

- to be on schedule, to be exactly as predicted

Our company is on target to have its best year of sales ever.
on the air

- being broadcast on radio or TV

That television program has been on the air for three years now.
on the alert (for someone or something)

- to be watchful and attentive for someone or something

The police are on the alert for the man who robbed the small store.
on the average

- generally, usually

On the average I get about eight hours of sleep every night.
on the ball

- to be intelligent, to be able to do things well

He is on the ball and can usually get his work done quickly.
on the bandwagon

- to do or join something because many others are doing it

Everybody in our company is on the bandwagon to eliminate smoking in the workplace.
on the beam

- to be doing well, to be just right or correct

What the politician said about the tax problem was right on the beam.
on the bench

- to be sitting/waiting for a chance to play in a sports game

The new player was forced to sit on the bench for most of his first season.
on the bench

- to be directing a session of court (usually a judge)

The new judge was on the bench for three days last week.
on the blink

- to be not working

My stereo has been on the blink for many months.
on the block

- to be for sale

Our house has been on the block for over a month now.
on the borderline

- to be undecided, to be in an uncertain position between two things

My test scores are on the borderline between passing or failing the course.
on the button

- to be exactly on time

I arrived for the meeting right on the button.
on the contrary

- as the opposite

I thought that the speech would be boring but on the contrary it was quite interesting.
on the defensive

- to be trying to defend oneself

I always feel that I am on the defensive when I talk to my friend about money.
on the dole

- to be receiving welfare

This area is very poor and there are many people on the dole who live here.
on the dot

- to be right on time

He always arrives for his meetings on the dot.
on the double

- very fast

My father asked me to bring him the newspaper on the double.
on the edge of one`s seat

- to be nervously and excitedly waiting for something

I have been on the edge of my seat all day while I wait for the contest to begin.
on the eve of (something)

- just before or on the evening before something

The sports fans were very excited on the eve of the big game.
on the face of it

- from the way something looks, superficially

On the face of it, it looked like the speeding car had caused the accident.
on the fence (about something)

- to be undecided

The politician is on the fence about the tax issue.
on the fritz

- to be not operating properly

My television set is on the fritz and I may have to buy a new one.
on the go

- to be busy doing many things

I have been on the go since early morning trying to get ready for the meeting.
on the heels of (something)

- soon after something

On the heels of the big earthquake there were two weeks of heavy rain.
on the horizon

- soon to happen

The government promised the citizens that there was going to be a tax decrease on the horizon.
on the horns of a dilemma

- to be bothered by having to decide between two things/people

We were on the horns of a dilemma as we tried to decide if we should move or stay in our apartment.
on the hot seat

- to be subject to much criticism/questioning

I was on the hot seat when my supervisor began to ask what had happened to the broken computer.
on the hour

- to be exactly on the hour mark (12:00, 1:00 etc.)

We give my grandmother her medicine on the hour.
on the house

- to be provided free by a business (usually a bar or restaurant)

The hotel room was not ready when we arrived so they gave us drinks on the house.
on the job

- to be working, to be doing what you are expected to do

The young man has only been on the job for a few weeks now.
on the level

- to be honest

The man was on the level with me when he told me about my job possibilities.
on the lookout for (someone or something)

- to be watchful for someone or something

I am always on the lookout for older original movie posters.
on the loose

- to be free to go, to be not shut in or stopped by anything

The zoo animals were on the loose for three hours before the zookeeper discovered their escape.
on the make

- to be trying to get some advantage (often money or sexual)

"Be careful of him. He is on the make and will try and cheat you out of your money."
on the market

- to be available for sale

I have seen many used cameras on the market recently.
on the mend

- to be in the process of healing or becoming better

He broke his leg last week but it is now on the mend.
on the money

- to be exactly right, to be in the right amount

I was on the money when I guessed the correct amount for the plane ticket.
on the move

- to be moving around from place to place, to be in motion

My sister is in Europe and has been on the move for several months now.
on the nose

- to be just right, to be exact

What the woman said about our new boss is on the nose.
on the off-chance

- in case something may happen, the slight possibility that something may happen

I asked the salesman if he had a part for my computer on the off-chance that he may have one in his store.
on the one hand

- from one point of view

On the one hand I want to go on a nice holiday but on the other hand I don't have enough money.
on the other hand

- looking at the opposite side of a matter

He is very intelligent but on the other hand he is very lazy and always gets low marks at school.
on the point of (doing something)

- to be ready to start doing something

We were on the point of buying a new car when we changed our minds.
on the QT

- secretly, without anyone knowing

I do not want anyone to know about my plans so let`s discuss them on the QT.
on the right track

- to be following the right set of assumptions

I am on the right track in my search for a good piano teacher for my daughter.
on the road

- to be travelling (especially as a salesman or performer)

Her husband is a salesman and is often on the road.
on the rocks

- to be breaking up (a relationship), to be ruined

He has been married for seven years but his relationship is now on the rocks.
on the same page

- to be thinking similarly about something

I was on the same page as my friend about our plans for a holiday.
on the same wavelength

- to be thinking similarly about something

Everybody has been on the same wavelength for many months about the need for change in the company.
on the sly

- secretly

We went to the restaurant on the sly so that nobody would know where we were.
on the spot

- to be in a difficult or embarrassing situation

The man was put on the spot when the reporter asked him about the money.
on the spur of the moment

- on a sudden wish or decision, suddenly

On the spur of the moment I bought a new bicycle.
on the strength of (something)

- due to something such as a promise or evidence

On the strength of my high test score I was admitted to the university that I wanted.
on the take

- to be accepting bribes

The border guard was discovered to be on the take and was immediately fired.
on the tip of one`s tongue

- not quite able to remember something

The name of the movie is on the tip of my tongue.
on the trail/track of (someone or something)

- to be seeking someone or something

The police dogs were on the trail of the man who had robbed the bank.
on the up and up/on the up-and-up

- to be honest/trustworthy/sincere

I decided not to work for the company because I do not think that they are on the up and up.
on the verge of (doing something)

- to be just about to do something

I was on the verge of quitting my job when I suddenly changed my mind.
on the wagon

- to be not drinking alcohol (usually used for someone who has a drinking problem)

He has been on the wagon for over seven months now.
on the warpath

- to be very angry, to be looking for trouble

He is on the warpath today so you should stay out of his way.
on the way (somewhere)

- along the route to somewhere

We got something to eat on the way to the airport.
on the whole

- in general

On the whole I think that it is a good idea but I would like to study it further.
on the wrong tack

- to be under a misapprehension, to be on the wrong course of action

The leader of the meeting went off on the wrong tack and caused much confusion among the members of the group.
on the wrong track

- to be following the wrong set of assumptions, to be going the wrong way

The police were on the wrong track when they went to question the owner of the small store.
on thin ice

- to be in a risky situation

The woman was on thin ice with her company after she continued to come to work late every morning.
on time

- to be at the scheduled time

Our train arrived exactly on time.
on tiptoe

- to be standing or walking on the front part of the feet

I walked around the house on tiptoe so that I would not wake up my family.
on top

- to be in the lead

He was on top of his class when he was in university.
on top of (something)

- in addition to something, along with something

On top of everything else he wants me to work on Sunday.
on top of (something/things)

- to be managing very well, to be in control of things

We are able to keep on top of our work now that we have someone to help us.
on top of (something/things)

- to know all about something, to be up-to-date

He reads the newspaper every morning and is on top of the latest news.
on top of the world

- feeling very good

I was on top of the world after I received news of the scholarship that I had won.
on trial

- to be tried in court

The man is on trial for stealing money from his company.
on vacation

- to be away, to take a vacation

I plan to be on vacation for the first two weeks of March.
on view

- to be visible, to be on public display

The new sculptures were on view and everybody in the town could see them.

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once Idioms
once again

- anew, again

I tried once again to phone my boss at his home .
once and for all

- permanently, finally

I told my friend once and for all that I would not give him any money.
once in a blue moon

- very rarely

I only go to that restaurant once in a blue moon.
once in a lifetime

- something that will never occur again in one's lifetime

I felt that only once in a lifetime would I get a chance to see my favorite singer perform.
once in a while

- occasionally

We like Japanese food so we go to that restaurant once in a while.
once or twice

- a few times

We went to the new restaurant once or twice but we quickly became tired of it.
a once-over

- a quick look or examination of someone or something

We gave the rental car a once-over before we signed the contract.
once upon a time

- far in the past

Once upon a time a beautiful princess lived in a castle in a small town.

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one Idioms
one and all

- everyone

One and all were invited to the community center to listen to the famous author speak.
the one and only

- a famous and talented person, the unique and only "somebody"

Yesterday the newspaper published an interview with the one and only inventor of the new DVD player.
one and the same

- the very same person or thing

It is one and the same if we finish the job today or continue until tomorrow.
a one-armed bandit

- a slot machine for gambling

He spent the weekend with a one-armed bandit and now has no money.
one by one

- one at a time, each in turn

One by one the contestants walked onto the stage.
one foot in the grave

- near death

Her grandmother has one foot in the grave and is not expected to live much longer.
one for the (record) books

- something very unusual or remarkable

His latest complaint about noise at work is one for the books and is very stupid.
one in a thousand/hundred/million

- unique, one of a very few

I only had a one in a million chance of finding the ring that I had dropped into the lake.
one jump ahead of (someone or something)

- one step in advance of someone or something

The little boy was one jump ahead of the other students in his class after he went to summer school.
one little bit

- any at all, at all (usually used in the negative)

I do not agree with my supervisor one little bit about my work performance.
a one-night stand

- an activity lasting one night

The band played many one-night stands in the small towns close to the city.
one of these days

- someday in the future

One of these days I am going to talk to my supervisor about moving to another department.
one to a customer

- each person can have or receive only one of something

The store had a limit of one to a customer of the cameras that were on sale.
a one-track mind

- thinking about only one thing

He has a one-track mind. All he thinks about is money.
the one-two

- quick or decisive action that takes someone by surprise

The salesman gave the customer the one-two and the customer quickly agreed to buy the product.
one up on (someone)

- to have an advantage, to be one step ahead

His brother was one up on the other students because he studied very hard.
one-upmanship

- the ability to keep ahead of others, the ability to keep an advantage

His one-upmanship and his desire to always be better than everyone else makes many people tired of him.
one way or another

- somehow

One way or another I am going to attend the annual general meeting tomorrow.

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only have eyes for (someone)

- to be loyal to only one person

My sister only has eyes for her boyfriend.
to be onto (someone or something)

- to have discovered the truth about someone or something

My supervisor in onto the new saleswoman who is taking money from her sales register.

open Idioms
open a conversation

- to start a conversation

I went over to the woman in the waiting area and tried to open a conversation.
open and aboveboard

- to be honest, to be visible to the public

The company is open and aboveboard and they run their business very honestly.
an open-and-shut case

- something (often a legal matter) that is simple and clear

It was an open-and-shut case when the judge decided the case where the man had stolen the computer.
an open book

- someone or something that is easy to understand

My friend is an open book and everything about him is easy to understand.
open fire on (someone)

- to start shooting, to start asking questions or criticizing someone

The police opened fire on the man with the gun.
open for business

- a shop/restaurant/business that is open and ready to do business

The small shop is open for business after a long holiday.
open one`s heart to (someone)

- to talk about one`s feelings honestly, to confide in someone

I opened my heart to my friend when I saw her at the restaurant last night.
open Pandora's box

- to uncover more problems/issues than you expected or wanted

The investigation of the company was like opening Pandora's box. Many other problems were discovered.
open season on (someone or something)

- a time when everyone is criticizing someone, unrestricted hunting of an animal

It appeared to be open season on our boss and everyone felt free to criticize her.
It is hunting season and open season on deer now.
an open secret

- a secret that so many people know about that it is no longer a secret

It is an open secret that I will be leaving the company next month.
open (someone's) eyes to (something)

- to make someone become aware of something

The scandal opened our eyes to the problems that could occur in a large company.
open (something) up

- to unwrap something

The little boy laughed as he opened his birthday presents up.
open (something) up

- to reveal the possibilities of something

The departure of the school principal opened his job up to other members of the staff.
open (something) up

- to make something less congested

We opened up the yard by cutting down some trees.
open (something) up

- to start the use of something such as land or a building

The government is planning to open more land up to farming.
open the door to (something)

- to permit or allow something to become a possibility

The new sports program opened the door to many possibilities in getting the students involved in physical activity.
open to (something)

- to be agreeable to learn or hear about new ideas or suggestions

Our principal is open to new ideas about how to better meet the needs of students and teachers.
open up a can of worms

- to create unnecessary complications

The dispute with our competitor opened up a can of worms about how to market our product.
open up on (someone or something)

- to attack someone or something, to fire a gun or other weapon at someone or something

The man with the gun opened up on the people in the car.
open up to (someone)

- to talk frankly or truthfully to someone

I always open up to my best friend when I meet him.
open with (something)

- to start out with something

The convention opened with a speech from the president of our company.

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an opening gambit

- an opening statement or something to help give one an advantage in bargaining or something similar

The union made several concessions as their opening gambit in their negotiations with the company.
the opposite sex

- the opposite sex to someone (either male or female)

The math classes were divided so that nobody had to study with a member of the opposite sex.
or else

- or suffer the consequences

The teacher told the students to be quiet or else.
or words to that effect

- with other words that have about the same meaning

My boss told me not to apply for the job or words to that effect.
the order of the day

- something necessary, the usual practice

The order of the day is to begin to clean up the mess that the storm caused last night.
order (someone) around/about

- to give commands to someone

Our new supervisor is always trying to order people around.
other fish to fry

- other more important things to do

I think that he has other fish to fry and will not be happy to continue with his present job.
the other side of the tracks

- the poorer/richer section of a town

The girl came from the other side of the tracks and was not welcome into the home of her wealthy boyfriend.
the other way round

- the reverse, the opposite

It was the other way round. It was my friend who wanted to go swimming - not me.
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

- it is easier to prevent something bad than to deal with the results

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and I decided to stay home and rest rather than go out in the cold with my sore throat.

out Idioms out and about

- to be able to go out and travel/move/walk around

My aunt is out and about again after the operation for her knee.
an out-and-out (something)

- a complete or absolute something

The man is an out-and-out liar and nobody believes anything that he says.
out cold

- to be unconscious, to have fainted

The patient was out cold when the nurse went into his room to check on him.
out from under (someone or something)

- to be free and clear of someone or something

My friend is out from under her critical older sister who has gone to live in a different city.
out front

- to be in the front of one's house

"My bicycle is out front," said the young boy.
out in force

- to appear in great numbers

The volunteers were out in force all weekend as they tried to collect money for the new hospital.
out in left field

- to be far from the right answer

His question was out in left field. He has no idea what we were talking about.
out in the cold

- to be alone, to not be included

I was out in the cold after the class went to the movie without me.
out like a light

- to have fallen asleep very quickly

I went to bed early last night and I was out like a light.
out of a clear blue sky

- suddenly, without warning

The orders from our boss came out of a clear blue sky and everyone was surprised.
out of all proportion

- of an exaggerated proportion

The complaints of the students were out of all proportion to what we thought the problem was.
out of bounds

- to be outside the boundaries of a playing area

The ball went out of bounds and the boys had to go over the fence to get it.
out of breath

- to be tired and breathing quickly.

I was out of breath after running from the station.
out of character

- to be unlike one's usual character, to be inappropriate for one's character

Getting into an argument with the sales clerk was out of character for my father. He almost never argues about such things.
out of circulation

- to be not active, to not join in what others are doing

He has a new girlfriend so he will be out of circulation for awhile.
out of commission

- to be broken, to be not operating

The old boat is out of commission and will not be operating for several months.
out of condition

- to be not in good physical condition

I am out of condition and I need to exercise more.
out of consideration for (someone or something)

- with consideration for someone or something

The police did not release the names of the accident victims out of consideration for the family members.
out of control

- to be uncontrollable/wild

The soccer fans were out of control after their team won the championship.
out of courtesy

- in order to be polite to someone

We phoned our customers out of courtesy to tell them about the late arrival of the products.
out-of-date

- no longer current or in style

Computer equipment becomes out-of-date very quickly.
out of earshot

- too far from a sound to hear it

My parents were out of earshot and I could not hear what they were saying.
out of favor (with someone)

- to not have a person`s goodwill

I have been out of favor with my boss for a few months now.
out of gas

- to have no gas in a vehicle, to be tired/exhausted

The truck was out of gas so we could not use it last night.
out of hand

- to be uncontrollable/wild

The party got out of hand and we had to call the police to quiet things.
out of hand

- immediately and without consulting anyone

The police dismissed my complaint about my neighbors out of hand.
out of keeping with (something)

- to be not following the rules of something

The early lunch was out of keeping with our policy of working until early afternoon before we had a break.
out of kilter

- to be not balanced right, to be not in a straight line or lined up right

The door is out of kilter and does not open very well.
out of line

- to be unacceptable, to be not correct

His proposal to travel to New York is out of line. We can never accept it.
out of luck

- without good luck

I was out of luck and could not find the part for my computer printer at any local store.
out of necessity

- because of necessity, due to need

The library began to close on Saturday out of necessity. It has no money.
out of one`s element

- to be in a situation where one does not belong or fit in

He is out of his element teaching the computer course. He does not know anything about computers.
out of one`s hair

- to go away because one is a nuisance

The woman got her children out of her hair and was able to do some work.
out of one's mind/head/senses

- to be silly/senseless/crazy

My friend was out of his mind to buy a new computer just before he went overseas to work.
out of one`s shell

- to move from silence or shyness and into friendly conversation

We got the girl out of her shell and she joined in with the rest of the group.
out of order

- to be not working

The public telephone was out of order.
out of order

- to be against the rules, to be not suitable

His question was ruled out of order by the judge and he was not able to ask it.
out of place

- to be in the wrong place, to be at the wrong time, to be improper

His comments at the party were out of place. He should have said them another time.
out-of-pocket expenses

- the actual money that one spends for business or personal use

My out-of-pocket expenses for my recent business trip were very low.
out of practice

- to be performing poorly due to a lack of practice

I am out of practice and I cannot play the trumpet very well at all.
out of print

- no longer available for sale from the publisher

The book is now out of print and is very difficult to obtain.
out of proportion

- to be showing the wrong proportion relative to something else

The size of the curtains were out of proportion to the small window that we wanted to use them for.
out of reach

- to be not near enough to be reached or touched, unattainable

The top of the bookshelf was out of reach and I could not get the dictionary easily.
out of season

- to be not easily available for sale at this time of year, to be not legally able to be hunted

Strawberries are now out of season.
The hunting of ducks is now out of season.
out of service

- to be not now operating

The elevator has been out of service all week.
out of shape

- to be not in good physical condition

My mother is out of shape and cannot walk for a long distance.
out of sight

- to be not visible

The children were out of sight and we could not see them.
out of sight

- to be unbelievable/stunning

The view from the tower was absolutely out of sight.
out of (something)

- to have none left of something

The restaurant was out of fish so we had meat instead.
out of sorts

- to be in a bad mood

He is out of sorts today so you should wait until tomorrow to speak to him.
out of spite

- with the desire to harm someone or something

My friend would not help me out of spite for what he thought that I had done to him.
out of step

- to be not in step or keeping pace with someone

The soldiers were out of step when they were marching in the parade.
out of step with (someone or something)

- to be out of harmony or not in agreement with someone or something

The man is out of step with the rest of the group and he needs to think about what he should be doing.
out of stock

- to be not immediately available in a store

The hammers were out of stock when I went to the hardware store this afternoon.
out of style/fashion

- to be not fashionable, to be obsolete

The kind of jeans that my friend wears have been out of style for a long time now.
out of the blue

- to be unexpected, to come from nowhere

From out of the blue I asked my girlfriend if she wanted to get married.
out of the corner of one's eye

- at a glance, a glimpse of someone or something

I saw the car coming out of the corner of my eye and quickly moved off the street.
out of the frying pan and into the fire

- out of one trouble and into more trouble, from something bad to something worse

When he changed jobs he jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. His new job is much worse.
out of the hole

- to be out of debt

I am working at an extra job to try and get out of the hole.
out of the ordinary

- to be unusual

There was nothing out of the ordinary that the police saw at the scene of the accident.
out of the question

- to be impossible

"You have no money so going to Brazil for a holiday is out of the question."
out of the red

- to be out of debt

The small company is out of the red after two years of cutting costs.
out of the running

- to be no longer being considered

The new movie is out of the running for any major awards.
out of the way

- to be remote

We went to an out-of-the-way restaurant for our first dinner together.
out of the woods

- to be out of danger, to be in the clear

His injury is very serious and I do not think that he is out of the woods yet.
out of thin air

- out of nothing, from nowhere

The deer seemed to jump out of thin air and onto the road.
out of this world

- to be wonderful, to be fantastic

The new dessert that she made last weekend was out of this world.
out of touch with (someone or something)

- to be no longer in contact with someone

I am out of touch with many of my friends from high school.
out of town

- to be temporarily not in one's own town

My father has been out of town a lot this year.
out of tune

- to be not in agreement, to be not going well together

We are out of tune with what the other members of the group think.
out of turn

- to be not at the proper time or order

The teacher becomes angry when her students speak out of turn.
out of whack

- to be crazy/silly, to be out of adjustment or order

My DVD player is out of whack and I can't use it at all.
out of work

- to be unemployed

There are many people out of work in our town.
to be/go out on a limb

- to be in a dangerous or risky position

The man went out on a limb to offer his brother the job.
out on bail

- to be out of jail after bail money has been paid

The man is out on bail after being arrested for stealing money from his company.
out on parole

- to be out of jail but still under police supervision

The bank robber is out on parole after being in jail for seven years.
out on patrol

- to be away from a central location and checking for something

The soldiers were out on patrol most of the night.
out on the town

- to be celebrating someplace around town

I am tired today because we were out on the town last night.
out to lunch

- to be crazy/mad

He seems to be out to lunch but everybody likes him.

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outgrow (something)

- to get too big/old for something

The little boy has begun to outgrow his small bicycle.
outguess (someone)

- to guess what someone else might do

It is difficult to outguess my boss. She always knows what is going on in our company.
outside of (something)

- other than something, except for something

Outside of the weather our vacation was quite enjoyable.
outside the box

- not bound by old and limiting structures/rules/practices

Everybody in the design company was encouraged to think outside the box in order to be creative.

over Idioms over a barrel

- to be in a helpless or trapped position

I think that we have the other company over a barrel and we should be able to win the contract easily.
over and above (something)

- in addition to something

Over and above my salary I also get an allowance for transportation from my company.
over and done with

- to be finished

I want to get my legal case over and done with and forget about it.
over and over

- repeated many times

I told my friend over and over that I do not want to go to that restaurant again.
over one`s dead body

- never, under no circumstances

Over my dead body will I let him come to the party next week.
over one`s head

- to be in a situation that is too difficult to understand

The joke went over the girl's head so we had to explain it to her.
over (someone`s) head

- to go to a more important person who is in charge, to go to a higher official

We did not receive a good answer from the official so we went over his head and talked to his boss.
over the hill

- to be past one`s prime, to be unable to function as one used to

I thought that my friend was over the hill and should not be working at all.
over the hump

- to be over the difficult part of something

We are over the hump with our project and should be able to finish it soon.
over the long run/haul

- over a long period of time

Over the long run he plans to expand his business slowly.
over the short run/haul

- for the immediate future

Over the short run using the old computer should be adequate to do our job.
over the top

- to be excessive/overdone

The demands of our boss are over the top and everybody is becoming angry.
over with

- to be at the end of something, to be finished with

When the game on television is over with we can eat dinner.

.


owing to (someone or something)

- because of someone or something

Owing to the bad weather many airplane flights were recently canceled.
own up to (something)

- to accept the blame for something, to admit one`s guilt about something

The suspected murderer owned up to the murder of his wife.