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Home > Reference > Idioms > A
Dictionary of English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions





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idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words, which can make idioms hard for ESL students and learners to understand. Here, we provide a dictionary of 3,169 English idiomatic expressions with definitions.

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168 Idioms Beginning With `A`
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~ A ~
A bit much
If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link
This means that processes, organisations, etc, are vulnerable because the weakest person or part can always damage or break them.
A day late and a dollar short
(USA) If something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too little, too late.
A fool and his money are soon parted
This idiom means that people who aren`t careful with their money spend it quickly. `A fool and his money are easily parted` is an alternative form of the idiom.
A fool at 40 is a fool forever
If someone hasn`t matured by the time they reach forty, they never will.
A hitch in your giddy-up
If you have a hitch in your giddy-up, you`re not feeling well. (`A hitch in your gittie-up` is also used.)
A lick and a promise
If you give something a lick and a promise, you do it hurriedly, most often incompletely, intending to return to it later.
A little bird told me
If someone doesn`t want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.
A little learning is a dangerous thing
A small amount of knowledge can cause people to think they are more expert than they really are.eg. he said he`d done a course on home electrics, but when he tried to mend my table lamp, he fused all the lights! I think a little learning is a dangerous thing
A long row to hoe
Something that is a long row to hoe is a difficult task that takes a long time.
A lost ball in the high weeds
A lost ball in the high weeds is someone who does not know what they are doing, where they are or how to do something.
A OK
If things are A OK, they are absolutely fine.
A penny for your thoughts
This idiom is used as a way of asking someone what they are thinking about.
A penny saved is a penny earned
This means that we shouldn`t spend or waste money, but try to save it.
A picture is worth a thousand words
A picture can often get a message across much better than the best verbal description.
A poor man`s something
Something or someone that can be compared to something or someone else, but is not as good is a poor man`s version; a writer who uses lots of puns but isn`t very funny would be a poor man`s Oscar Wilde.
A pretty penny
If something costs a pretty penny, it is very expensive.
A problem shared is a problem halved
If you talk about your problems, it will make you feel better.
A rising tide lifts all boats
This idiom, coined by John F Kennedy, describes the idea that when an economy is performing well, all people will benefit from it.
A rolling stone gathers no moss
People say this to mean that that an ambitious person is more successful than a person not trying to achieve anything. Originally it meant the opposite and was critical of people trying to get ahead.
A slice off a cut loaf is never missed
Used colloquially to describe having sexual intercourse with someone who is not a virgin, especially when they are in a relationship. The analogy refers to a loaf of bread; it is not readily apparent, once the end has been removed, exactly how many slices have been taken.(`You never miss a slice