American Idioms - List 10 (Definitions)

give somebody a piece of one's mind

• not to plan in advance; to decide while doing something
• to speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong
• to realize or understand something clearly
• to stay up late working on something

take it with a grain of salt

• a portion of something valuable
• to stop working on something
• to view something with doubt
• to set a higher standard

play it by ear

• to stay up late working on something
• to have achieved or completed something
• not to plan in advance; to decide while doing something
• to stop working on something

give someone the cold shoulder

• to ignore someone deliberately or treat them unfriendly
• to realize or understand something clearly
• to meet expectations or standards
• to make a bad situation worse

on the fence

• an approximate number
• unable to make a decision
• to make a bad situation worse
• to set a higher standard

jump on the bandwagon

• to view something with doubt
• to stop working on something
• to stay up late working on something
• to start supporting something because it's popular

cut the mustard

• to set a higher standard
• to view something with doubt
• to meet expectations or standards
• to make a bad situation worse

the ball is in one's court

• it's your decision or responsibility to do something next
• to stop working on something
• to realize or understand something clearly
• to have achieved or completed something

under one's belt

• to stay up late working on something
• to have achieved or completed something
• to realize or understand something clearly
• to stop working on something

bite off more than one can chew

• to take on a task that is too big or beyond one's capability
• someone who is strong, determined, or resilient
• to make a bad situation worse
• free from blame or responsibility