Browsing
Idioms starting with B
818 expressions
babe in arms
An infant.
babe in the woods
A person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless, especially with respect to an…
babe magnet
Synonym of chick magnet
babies in the eyes
The minute reflection which one sees of oneself in the eyes of another.
baby and bathwater
Used in reference to an error in which something valuable is discarded in the process of r…
baby elephant in the room
An obvious but mostly inconsequential issue.
baby step
A small effort made towards the completion of a much larger task.
baby up
To treat as a baby.
babysitter test
An informal method for assessing the maturity, reliability, or probity of a person, inviti…
back at you
Used to return a greeting or insult.
back down
To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously had, or has planned t…
back forty
The most remote or inaccessible part of any place.
back gammon player
A person, chiefly a homosexual, who has anal sex.
back in the day
In the distant past; especially, at a time fondly remembered (the good old days).
back in the game
Having recovered from a disadvantageous position.
back in the groove
A return to one's former or previous self; a return to normalcy or stability.
back into
To advance to the post-season as a result of another team's loss, especially where one's o…
back of one's hand
A display of disrespect or scorn.
back off
To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.
back office
The IT and infrastructure support services for a company, separate from the public face of…
back that train up
Said to a person who is speaking or acting too hastily.
back to square one
Back to the start, as after a dead end or failure.
back to the drawing board
Indicates that one must try a different strategy in order to achieve some goal following t…
back to the wall
A very difficult situation with no beneficial options available for action.
back up
To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so.
back up the truck
To take advantage of favourable pricing by purchasing a large amount.
backhanded compliment
An insult disguised as a compliment; a compliment which can be interpreted as an insult.
backwards and forwards
Thoroughly; completely, comprehensively.
bad actor
An individual or entity with a prior criminal conviction, or who has been sanctioned by th…
bad apple
A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse i…
bad books
Disfavor.
bad business
Synonym of bad news (“irritating, troublesome or harmful thing, situation or person”).
bad company
The wrong crowd.
bad egg
Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.
bad hair day
A day when things seem to be unmanageable or go wrong.
bad iron
bad luck.
bad joke
A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.
bad looker
Someone who is unattractive or not pleasing to the eye.
bad news
An irritating, troublesome or harmful object, situation or individual.
bad news bears
Said of someone or something that will bring disaster or bad fortune to one.
bad old days
The past, seen as a time when things were worse.
bad penny
A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one…
bad taste in one's mouth
A feeling that something is morally despicable as to cause nausea.
bad trip
An acute adverse psychological reaction to the effects produced under the influence of psy…
bad trot
Bad luck.
bad word
A vulgar word.
badge bunny
A woman who is romantically attracted to police officers and who seeks out their companion…
badge of honor
An outward sign that signifies some distinction.
bag of bones
A skinny, malnourished person or animal.
bag of tricks
A set of skills, techniques, items of information, or other resources used to help achieve…
bail out
To rescue, especially financially.
bake up
To prepare by baking.
baker's dozen
Thirteen; a group of thirteen.
baker's half dozen
Seven, a group of seven.
baking hot
Very hot.
balance out
To attain balance through the contrasting or reciprocating effect of different elements.
balance the books
To add up all the debits and credits.
bale up
To pack or collect into a bale or bundle.
ball hog
In team sports, a player who keeps the ball to themselves, rather than passing it.
ball of fire
A person who is especially active, ambitious, hard-working, or high-achieving.
ball of malt
A glass of whiskey.
ballistic podiatry
The act of shooting oneself in the foot.
balloon goes up
Something exciting, risky, or troublesome begins.
balloon knot
The anus.
ballpark estimate
A ballpark figure; a very rough approximation.
ballpark figure
An educated guess or estimation within acceptable bounds.
balls of steel
Courage, audacity.
balls to the wall
With maximum effort or commitment.
balum rancum
A dance, performed by a company of prostitutes naked.
bamboo ceiling
A social barrier to further promotion or progression, in employment and elsewhere, for a p…
banana nose
A large, unusually long nose.
banana republic
A small country, especially one in Central America or the West Indies, that is dependent o…
Banbury story of a cock and a bull
A roundabout, nonsensical story.
band together
to unite, to come together
band-aid solution
A temporary or inadequate solution.
bandwagon fan
A fan who has shown no past loyalty to a team and supports them all because they are activ…
bandwagon jumper
One who jumps on the bandwagon.
bane of someone's existence
Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.
bang a uey
To make a U-turn while driving a vehicle.
bang away
to strike or hit repeatedly
bang down the door
To present oneself as a strong candidate for a role or achievement, explicitly or implicit…
bang for the buck
Efficiency; cost-effectiveness; value.
bang one's head against a brick wall
To waste effort on a futile project.
bang out
To do (something) quickly, in a slipshod, or unprofessional manner, especially performing …
bang some heads together
Attempt to get results from a previously ineffectual or argumentative group, typically by …
bang straw
A farmer's servant, especially a thresher.
bang to rights
To have sufficient, indisputable evidence that a person's actions are generally perceived …
bang up
Good, superior, excellent.
bank night
An event where patrons are enticed to buy entry tickets into some venue, for example a mov…
banker's dozen
Eleven.
bankrupt cart
A one-horse chaise.
banner year
An especially fruitful year; a year of exceptional production.
banyan day
In British naval tradition, a day of the week when galley kitchens served no meat on board…
bar none
Without exception; excluding nothing else of the same kind.
bar sinister
The state or characteristic of having been born out of wedlock; illegitimacy; bastardy.
bar star
A woman who frequents bars or lounges, usually late at night.
barber's sign
A standing pole and two wash-balls, historically used outside barber's shops.
bare one's soul
To reveal one's innermost feelings and thoughts, especially concerning one's doubts, regre…
bare one's teeth
To show aggression.
bare poles
The condition of a sailing boat when all of its sails have been taken in.
bark up the wrong tree
To take the wrong approach to a situation; to follow a false lead; to attempt to solve a p…
barn find
A valuable item recovered from poor storage, such as a suburban garage, farm shed, etc., w…
barrel of laughs
A great amount of enjoyment or entertainment, or something or someone that provides this.
barrel of monkeys
Someone or something very amusing or funny, fun, mischievous, etc.
base over apex
Falling over in a jumbled heap.
basement battler
A team in or around the relegation zone.
bash into shape
Of an item, to fix or build it; often in a rough and ready fashion.
bash someone's face in
To beat someone violently.
bash someone's head
To beat up someone violently.
bash the bishop
To masturbate by stimulating one's penis.
bask in the sunshine
To enjoy or revel in a glorious moment.
basket house
A cafe or similar establishment where musical performances are given and the performers ar…
bastardly gullion
A bastard's bastard.
bat a thousand
To achieve success at each attempt.
bat an eyelid
To react in any slight way; to respond; to care.
bat five hundred
To be successful half of the time; to have a success rate of 50%.
bat for the other team
To be homosexual.
bat one's eyes
To signal or feign by fluttering one's eyelids, as romantic interest.
bat the breeze
To chat; to shoot the breeze.
bate an ace
To make the least abatement or reduction.
bathroom singer
A person with mediocre or amateur singing capabilities.
batten down the hatches
To prepare for trouble.
bawl one's eyes out
To cry, shed tears, weep loudly.
bawl out
To have a serious argument accompanied by shouting.
be a hundred years too early
To be so immature and unprepared as to have no hope of achieving an accomplishment.
be a man
To put up with something or take responsibility for it; to deal with something, such as pa…
be a thing
To exist, or to be available, widespread, possible, or a common practice.
be aces with
To be highly regarded or in good standing with someone.
be around
To be alive, existent, or present.
be at the plague
To be bothered; to make the effort to do something.
be cruel to be kind
To act cruelly in order to achieve a positive outcome in the future.
be down with
To be alright, okay, or in agreement with; approve of; stand for; to accept as good, right…
be in and out
To enter somewhere, and then quickly leave.
be in for
To be able to expect or anticipate; to be about to suffer, generally said of something unp…
be in luck
To be lucky in getting something that one wants.
be it as it may
Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.
be left at the post
To be beaten from the beginning of a competition or race.
be left holding the baby
To be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem.
be like
To say.
be mother
To pour out tea for others.
be my guest
Do as you wish; go ahead; help yourself; go for it!
be no match for
To be outmatched by; to be much weaker, less capable, or less desirable than.
be on to
To figure out; to realize the truth.
be one's own man
To behave independently without the influence of others.
be one's own worst enemy
To act contrary to one's own interests; to cause problems for oneself; to self-sabotage.
be oneself
To behave or act naturally, without regard to how this behavior is perceived by others.
be out for
To seek or pursue, especially to determinedly pursue something to one's own benefit.
be someone's to lose
To be anticipated to be won by someone.
be still my heart
An admonition to oneself to calm down when overly excited, especially in terms of romantic…
be taken ill
To become ill.
be that as it may
Even if that is the case; whether that is true or not; nevertheless.
be the bigger man
To walk away from a conflict to prevent it from escalating.
be there
To be available to provide comfort and support for someone, especially in a period of diff…
be-all and end-all
Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.
bean counter
A person who is excessively interested in controlling or reducing expenses, increasing pro…
bear a hand
To make haste; to help quickly.
bear away the bell
To be superior in something.
bear fruit
To produce good results; to yield benefits; to succeed.
bear in mind
To hold (something) in the memory; to remember; also, to be mindful of or pay attention to…
bear oneself
To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.
bear the brunt
To endure the worst part of something.
bear up
To endure hardship cheerfully or without complaining.
bear with
To be patient with.
beard the lion in his den
To confront an adversary in his or her own environment.
beast with two backs
Two people united in sexual intercourse in the missionary position.
beat a dead horse
To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.
beat a retreat
To leave hastily in the face of opposition.
beat around the bush
To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.
beat as one
To share the same feelings.
beat Banaghan
To tell wonderful stories, or something which is amazing and remarkable.
beat feet
To run.
beat it
To leave; to go away.
beat off
To masturbate by stimulating one's own penis.
beat off with a stick
To reject (a person making an unwanted amorous approach).
beat one's brain
To struggle to think or remember something.
beat one's swords into ploughshares
To refrain from destructive military or paramilitary acts (war, terrorism, etc.) and put e…
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
beat someone's arse
Alternative form of beat someone's ass.
beat someone's ass
To thrash someone.
beat someone's brains out
To beat someone very severely (especially in the head).
beat the bishop
To masturbate.
beat the bushes
Synonym of pound the pavement (“to campaign diligently; to seek something”).
beat the clock
To perform a task or successfully complete an activity within a time limit.
beat the cock
To masturbate.
beat the crowd
To arrive at a location or complete a task before a large group of people do so.
beat the daylights out of
To beat (someone) severely.
beat the drum for
To give voice to one's support of; to promote or publicize.
beat the dust
To perform curvets too precipitately or too low.
beat the odds
To succeed despite being unlikely to do so.
beat the pants off
To thoroughly and decisively defeat someone, either in a physical fight or, figuratively, …
beat the poop out of
To beat (someone) severely.
beat the shit out of
To beat (someone) severely.
beat the stuffing out of
To beat very severely.
beat to the punch
To carry out an action before another person is able to do so.
beat with the ugly stick
Used to describe someone who is particularly ugly or unattractive.
beats me
I don't know; I have no idea.
beautiful people
Fashionable, privileged, glamorous people, especially those belonging to international hig…
beauty queen
The female winner of a beauty contest.
beauty sleep
Originally, sleep taken before midnight, on the belief that early sleep hours conduce to b…
beaver away
To work hard at a task.
become of
to happen to, to occur to.
become one flesh
To join together in marriage; to develop a unifying bond as a result of marrying.
bed blocker
An elderly hospitalized person who is too infirm to return home but not sufficiently ill t…
bed in
To allow or help to settle in; to make (someone) feel at home.
bed of roses
A pleasant or easy situation; an untroubled existence.
bee in one's bonnet
Something of particular interest or concern; an obsession.
beef to the hoof
fat, chubby, particularly with fat legs.
been there, done that
An assertion that the speaker has personal experience or knowledge of a particular place o…
been there, done that, bought the T-shirt
Expresses the speaker's complete familiarity with a situation, with overtones of cynicism …
been there, done that, got the T-shirt
Alternative form of been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.
been to the rodeo
Been exposed to conmen and hucksters; experienced.
beer and skittles
Fun times; pleasure and leisure.
beer goggles
The illusion that people are more sexually attractive, brought on by alcohol consumption.
beer muscles
An aggressive attitude resulting from consumption of an alcoholic beverage.
before it was cool
Before (an idea or activity) was popular, trendy, famous, or duly appreciated.
before someone's time
From before one was born or old enough to be aware of the world.
beg for one's life
To plead or make a desperate attempt to continue with what one has been doing.
beg off
To obtain somebody's permission to skip or cancel an event that one has previously arrange…
beg to differ
To offer an opposing opinion humbly.
beggars can't be choosers
Something is better than nothing: those who can't provide for themselves should accept wha…
behind bars
In jail, in prison.
behind closed doors
In private; in one's private life; lacking (normal) public disclosure, in camera.
behind its time
Showing characteristics of the past; present in one's work after later advances in the fie…
behind someone's back
Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.
behind the bit
Evading the bit.
behind the counter
Of drugs, dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription or other form …
behind the eight-ball
In a difficult situation or tight spot; at a disadvantage.
behind the scenes
behind the scenery and stage area; backstage; among the actors; during the production or r…
behind the times
Out of date; old-fashioned; obsolete; outmoded; outdated.
behind time
Late, arriving late.
belemnite battlefield
A fossil site with an unusually high concentration of belemnite rostra.
believe it or not
This may be surprising, but it's true.
believe one's ears
To believe that something which one hears is truly the case.
believe one's eyes
To believe that something which one directly sees is truly the case.
believe you me
An emphatic form of believe me: you (the subject) had better believe me (the speaker).
believing is seeing
One needs to believe something in order to know or understand it.
bell out
To open out into a bell shape.
bell the cat
To undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group.
bells and whistles
Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.
bellwether state
A state of the United States that historically votes for the winning candidate in a given …
belly up
To gather close, or approach eagerly or assertively, as a bar for ordering alcoholic drink…
belly up to the bar
To commit oneself to a challenge or task; to accept a responsibility; to acknowledge a fac…
below par
Not up to the average or normal standard.
below the belt
Unfair; dirty; not according to the generally accepted rules.
below the mahogany
Synonym of under the mahogany.
below the salt
Common, vulgar; of low standing.
bench jockey
A player, coach or manager who verbally annoys and distracts opposition players and umpire…
bend one's elbow
To drink alcoholic beverages, especially at a public house or bar.
bend over backwards
To make a great effort; to take extraordinary care; to go to great lengths.
bend someone's ear
To bore; to talk too long, especially to one particular person.
bend someone's will
To persuade or otherwise induce someone to change his or her views or to choose a differen…
bend the brain
To be difficult to comprehend.
bend the knee
To swear fealty or allegiance to another person.
bend the truth
To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit…
bend to one's will
To compel someone or something to conform to one's desires.
bend to someone's will
To yield to persuasion or other pressure originating from someone.
beneath the surface
Beyond what is obvious.
benevolent overlord
A person in a position of power who does not act tyrannically.
Benjamin Button
To seemingly age in reverse; to appear younger, either through changes in appearance or on…
bent on
Completely determined; obstinate.
bent on a splice
About to be married.
beside oneself
Overcome; consumed by an emotion.
beside the point
Irrelevantly, off-topic.
best bet
The best proposal or plan.
best laid plans
A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the abi…
best of both worlds
A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.
best of the bunch
The best or most preferred person or item within a group.
best pleased
displeased, upset, disgruntled
best regards
Used as a polite closing of a letter
best thing since sliced bread
Alternative form of greatest thing since sliced bread.
best thing since sliced pan
Alternative form of greatest thing since sliced bread.
best-kept secret
Something interesting or important but not well-known.
bet one's boots
To be absolutely sure of something; to be certain enough to wager an essential possession.
bet one's bottom dollar
To be absolutely sure of something; to be certain enough of something to wager everything.
bet the farm
To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.
bet the house
Synonym of bet the farm.
bet the ranch
Synonym of bet the farm.
betray with a kiss
To betray someone in a seemingly inconspicuous or innocuous manner.
better angels
Morally upright or otherwise positive attributes of human character.
better for it
In a more favorable position on the whole due to something, despite possible drawbacks.
better luck next time
Used to wish somebody hope in future success after a failure.
better nature
the more amiable qualities of someone
better place
Heaven; happiness after death.
better than sex
Superlative; wonderful.
between a rock and a hard place
In a difficult and inescapable position.
between Scylla and Charybdis
Between two dangers.
between the devil and the deep blue sea
Between undesirable alternatives.
between the hammer and the anvil
With the choice between two unpleasant or distasteful options; in a predicament or quandar…
between the jigs and the reels
eventually, despite all the confusion.
between the pipes
Between the goalposts; with respect to or playing the position of goaltender.
between you, me, and the bedpost
between you and me
betwixt and between
Neither here nor there.
beyond a shadow of a doubt
Without any doubt or hesitation at all.
beyond one's pay grade
Beyond one's level of authority.
beyond one's years
Extraordinary compared to most in one's age group; characteristic of an older person.
beyond the black stump
In an extremely isolated place, remote from populated areas; in the middle of nowhere. Typ…
beyond the pale
Of a person or their behaviour: outside the bounds of what is acceptable, or regarded as g…
bide one's time
To wait, especially for a suitable opportunity.
big boy
A large object or person.
big boys
The people or bodies with the most influence and/or power.
big break
A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performe…
big bucks
Lots of money.
big cheese
A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
big deal
Indicates that something is not important or impressive; so what.
big dick energy
Unassuming self-confidence.
big end of town
The top end of town.
big fat
Complete, utter, total.
big fish
An important person.
big fish in a small pond
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively un…
big girl
An adult woman; a woman behaving as a responsible adult.
big gun
A person, group, thing, or course of action that is powerful, influential, or particularly…
big hand
Synonym of minute hand (on a clock face).
big head
An inflated ego, an exaggerated belief in one's own importance.
big kahuna
A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.
big mad
Very angry or irritated.
big money
Involving or transacting a large amount of money.
big mouth
The mouth of someone who talks too much, especially by making exaggerated claims or by ina…
big name
A widely-known reputation, especially one that is favorable.
big ol'
Alternative spelling of big old.
big old
Emphatically or impressively big; really big.
big ole
Alternative spelling of big old.
big screen
Movies, or that which is related to movies or cinema.
big shop
A large, regular purchase of groceries; as opposed to ad hoc or impulse purchases.
big shot
A person with a reputation of importance or power.
big sleep
Death.
big spender
One who frequently makes large purchases, especially of extravagant goods.
big talk
Statements which are boastful or exaggerated.
big tamale
A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
big tent
A group, philosophy, or social or political movement that encompasses or seeks to attract …
big wheel
A person with a great deal of power or influence, especially a high-ranking person in an o…
bigger fish to fry
A much more pressing issue to attend to.
bill of goods
A set of misleading or deceptive claims.
bio queen
A cis female performance artist who performs in female drag at drag shows, or acts like a …
bird in the bosom
A secret pledge that one makes for another.
bird of ill omen
A person who brings bad news.
bird of one's own brain
One's own idea or conception.
bird's-eye view
The view from directly or high above.
birds and bees
Informal education about sex.
birds of a feather
People having similar characters, backgrounds, interests, or beliefs.
birds of a feather flock together
People of similar character, background or taste tend to congregate or associate with one …
birthday suit
Nakedness, unclothed skin; an exposure of a human's natural anatomy without clothing.
bit by a barn mouse
tipsy; slightly drunk
bitch and moan
Synonym of bitch (verb).
bitch goddess
Success, especially in terms of wealth and fame.
bite me
An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.
bite my ass
Go away!; an expression of disdain or dismissal.
bite my shiny metal ass
An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.
bite of the cherry
A chance; an attempt at something, especially something that can or should only be done on…
bite of the reality sandwich
A wake-up call, a reality check.
bite off
To accept or commit oneself to a task, project, notion, or responsibility, especially one …
bite off more than one can chew
To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.
bite one's lip
To forcibly prevent oneself from speaking, especially in order to avoid saying something i…
bite one's nails
To worry or fret over something.
bite one's tongue
To resist the urge to speak out, especially in order to avoid saying something inappropria…
bite someone's hand off
To enthusiastically accept an offer.
bite someone's head off
To severely berate someone.
bite the big one
To perform poorly; to fail.
bite the biscuit
To undertake an unpleasant task or to acknowledge an unfavorable situation or responsibili…
bite the bullet
To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to proceed.
bite the curb
To be curb stomped.
bite the dust
To die.
bite the hand that feeds one
To cause harm to a benefactor (especially one that one is dependent on, thus with the idea…
bite to eat
A snack or quick meal.
bits and bobs
A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and items.
bitter end
The end of a long and difficult process.
black and white
Easily divided into diametrically opposing camps or schools of thought.
black babies
Third-world charities, the missions.
black day
A day of great disaster, misfortune or unhappiness.
black gold
Raw petroleum; crude oil.
black hat
A villain in a story, especially in a Western (a film or other work of the Western genre).
black mark
Something that negatively affects someone's reputation.
black market
Trade that is in violation of restrictions, rationing, or price controls.
black out
To censor or cover up by writing over with black ink.
black over Bill's mother's
Describing rain-bearing dark clouds on the horizon.
black oxide
Any of several coatings for steels or copper; some are oxides (mainly iron(II,III) oxide),…
black rider
Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
black sheep
A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person, who may be rejected or disdained by …
blame Canada
A catch phrase for shifting attention away from a problem or serious social issue by humor…
blame game
A situation in which people attempt to blame others rather than trying to resolve a proble…
blank out
To become blank.
blanket term
A word or phrase that is used to describe multiple groups of related things.
blare out
to be produced loudly
blast from the past
Something or someone that a person has not seen for a long time that evokes nostalgic feel…
blast off
to begin ascent under rocket power
blaze a trail
To show the way or proceed rapidly.
blaze away
To fire (firearms) repeatedly.
bleed red ink
To suffer from severe net losses.
bleeding edge
Something too new and untested to be reliable or to have any assurance of safety; the figu…
blend into the woodwork
To become unnoticed and seem to disappear.
bless someone with
To give or bestow, as a gift from God.
bless you
Said to someone who has just sneezed, as a polite remark.
blessed event
The birth of a baby.
blimp out
To become fat or fatter, especially as a result of excessive eating.
blind date
A date (romantic meeting) between two people who have never met before.
blind leading the blind
A situation in which an unqualified person is attempting to guide, advise, or train others…
blind with science
To overwhelm someone with details in order to influence or mislead them.
blink first
To be the first party in some situation to give in or back down.
blink of an eye
A moment (a very short period of time).
block out
to prevent (a thought) from entering one's mind.
blocking and tackling
Basic tasks or skills in an undertaking or occupation.
blood and guts
Gore; gruesome images.
blood in the water
In a competitive situation, the exhibition of apparent weakness or vulnerability by one pa…
blood is thicker than water
Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not fam…
blood, sweat and tears
A person's determination and hard work.
bloom is off the rose
The person, object, or situation identified in the context has lost its novelty, freshness…
blossom out
To blossom, to show beauty.
blot on the escutcheon
Something damaging to one's reputation.
blot one's copy book
To damage one's own reputation through bad behavior.
blow a fuse
To lose one's temper; to become enraged.
blow a hole through
To destroy the integrity or cohesion of.
blow a kiss
To kiss one's own hand, then blow on it in a direction towards the recipient.
blow away
To kill (someone) by shooting them with a firearm.
blow chunks
To vomit chunks of undigested food.
blow hot air
To engage in empty or exaggerated talk that lacks substance, credibility, or truth; to blu…
blow hot and cold
To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emot…
blow me
An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party (with a metaphorical connotati…
blow me down
A cry of surprise
blow off
To shirk or disregard (a duty or person).
blow off steam
To vent; to talk or take action (especially in a ranting or unrestrained way) so as to rel…
blow one's chance
To ruin, or fail to capitalise on an opportunity.
blow one's load
To ejaculate, to cum.
blow one's own trumpet
To praise oneself.
blow one's wad
To spend all of one's money.
blow out of proportion
To overreact to or overstate; to treat too seriously or be overly concerned with.
blow out of proportions
Synonym of blow out of proportion.
blow out of the water
To trounce; to defeat thoroughly, as at a game or in battle.
blow over
To pass naturally; to go away; to calm down or subside.
blow someone's back out
To sexually penetrate someone in a vigorous, intense manner, as if causing them to throw o…
blow someone's brains out
To perform fellatio on another person, as to give them an orgasmic experience.
blow someone's cover
To reveal that someone's behavior, situation, or identity has been fabricated or deliberat…
blow someone's head off
To shoot someone in the head.
blow someone's mind
To astonish someone; to flabbergast someone.
blow the cobwebs away
To make changes for space for new fresh ideas
blow the doors off
To be much more important or impressive than.
blow the lid off
To uncover (a secret or scandal).
blow the whistle
To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal…
blow this pop stand
To exit or remove oneself from a less than exciting location or environment.
blow this Popsicle stand
To leave a place, often with anger or anticipation of going somewhere more exciting.
blow to kingdom come
To totally destroy (something); to annihilate or wipe out (something).
blow tomahawks
Of the wind, to blow with great violence.
blow town
To suddenly leave one's residence.
blow up in one's face
To fail disastrously.
blue chamber
A forbidden room.
blue devils
Low spirits; depression.
blue moon
A long time.
blue note
The flatted 5th scale degree in the blues scale.
blue ribbon
Highly superior in quality, style, substance, prestige, etc.
blue state
A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Dem…
blue wall of silence
Strict secretiveness maintained by the members of a police force with respect to informati…
blue-eyed boy
The favorite, especially a young one, especially of someone in power; a fair-haired boy (U…
blue-sky thinking
A form of thinking that is not grounded or in touch with the realities of the present, and…
bluebird of happiness
Happiness or contentment, especially as the elusive object of a quest or as a state of aff…
blur the line
To minimize or erode the distinction between two things.
blurt out
To say suddenly, without thinking
Bob's your uncle
No problem, the solution is simple, there you have it, it's that easy, you have what you w…
body blow
A serious setback; a traumatizing event which prevents or hinders continuation of an activ…
body English
A body motion made to coax an object already propelled to go in a desired direction.
bog off
To leave, to go away.
bogged down
Stuck; mired, as in detail, difficulty; delayed or made slower.
boil over
To reach the point where aggressive action is taken.
boil up
To become more excited, intense or exciting.
boiling frog
A person who, or thing which, is in a gradually worsening situation without any realizatio…
boiling hot
Extremely hot (having a high temperature: of an object, the weather, a living creature).
boiling mad
extremely angry; furious.
boiling point
The state of being heated, with high aggression.
boldly go where no man has gone before
To break new ground.
bolt bucket
A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.
bolt from the blue
A complete surprise; something totally unexpected.
bolt to the bran
To examine thoroughly, so as to separate or discover everything important.
bomb out
To fail; to produce no or very poor results; to drop out of or be eliminated from a compet…
bone hard
As hard as a bone, rock hard.
bone in her teeth
(of a boat or ship) A prominent bow wave (as a result of high speed).
bone in the throat
A source of continuing annoyance; a hindrance.
bone of contention
Something that continues to be disputed; something on which no agreement can be reached.
booby prize
A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a co…
boogie on down
To go (to a place or event).
book burning
Any mass destruction, removal, or recalling of books, motion pictures, broadcasts, or elec…
book dumping
The practice of donating old used books that burden rather than assist communities.
book in
To check in (to a hotel).
boon and bane
Something that is both a benefit and an affliction.
boot camp
Any short, often intensive course of training.
booze can
A nightclub or bar, especially one which operates illegally or is otherwise disreputable.
bop the bishop
To masturbate (male).
bored out of one's mind
Extremely bored.
bored shitless
Very bored
born and bred
Showing characteristics of birth and upbringing, especially in relation to a particular lo…
born in a barn
In a past tense: criticizing the person to whom the phrase is directed for inappropriately…
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth
Born rich, or into a wealthy family.
borrow trouble
To worry about future events not in one's control and that may not come to pass.
borrowed time
A period of time whose precise duration is not known but which can be expected to be quite…
bottle away
To store up or stock up.
bottle up
To keep suppressed and hidden.
bottom dollar
The last of one's money; all of one's money.
bottom fishing
Buying, or seeking opportunities to buy, investment securities or other valuable propertie…
bottom line
The summary or result; the most important information.
bottom of the line
The worst or lowest quality on the market, especially among a range of products.
bottom of the ninth
By extension, any last chance or final opportunity.
bottom out
Of a vehicle, to touch or drag along the ground or other surface.
bottom the house
To clean a house from top to bottom; to clean a house extremely thoroughly.
bounce back
To recover from a negative situation without seemingly any damage.
bounce off
To test (ideas) on someone.
bounce off the walls
To be overly active relative to the enclosed space in which one is.
bouquets and brickbats
Praise and criticism; complimentary and uncomplimentary feedback (to the same or to differ…
bow and scrape
To behave in a servile, obsequious, or excessively polite manner.
bow down
To bow, to bend oneself as a gesture of deference or respect.
bow down before the porcelain god
Synonym of worship the porcelain god (“to vomit into a toilet bowl”).
bow out
To resign, or leave, with one's credibility or reputation still intact.
bow-legged wi' brass
Wealthy; having lots of money.
bowl a googly
to surprise (someone); to introduce (to someone) something unexpected, underhand or requir…
bowl of cherries
An enjoyable experience.
bowl over
To overwhelm; to cause to fall to the ground.
bowl up
To pack the bowl of a pipe with smokable material.
box clever
To act wisely.
box oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no go…
box seat
A favorable vantage point.
box someone's ears
To slap someone on the side of the head, usually as an informal punishment.
box the compass
To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.
boy howdy
Expresses strong support or agreement.
boy in the boat
The human clitoris.
boy toy
A gigolo or younger man who is sexually pursued by an older person.
boys and girls
Used to address an audience of children, or (jocularly) of adults.
boys and their toys
Used to evoke the idea that adult men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles,…
brace of shakes
A very short time.
bragging rights
The prerogative to praise oneself for a skill or accomplishment.
brain blast
To have a moment of a sudden unexpected discovery.
brain bucket
A protective helmet, as worn, for example, by a motorcyclist, bicyclist, or soldier in com…
brain candy
A narrative, commentary, etc. which amuses and holds one's attention, but which lacks inte…
brain drain
Of a nation or society, to be deprived of educated or talented people, who in turn migrate…
brain surgeon
Someone very intelligent and skillful.
brain surgery
Anything overly complex, detailed, or confusing.
branch off
To diverge into two or more separate paths.
branch out
To expand one's interests or activities in a new direction.
brass ceiling
An unwritten, uncodified barrier to promotion or progression for women in law enforcement …
brass farthing
Something worthless or of small value.
brass monkey
Very cold.
brass monkeys
Very cold.
brass neck
Gall, shamelessness, cheek.
brassed off
Fed up; annoyed.
brave out
To tolerate or put up with bravely.
brazen out
To face up to or confront (one's own misconduct or deceit) without shame.
bread and butter
That which is central or fundamental, as to one's business, survival, or income; a staple …
bread and circuses
Food and entertainment provided by the state, particularly if intended to placate the peop…
bread of life
Anything which is regarded as a source or inspiration of spiritual nourishment.
break a leg
Good luck!; Do your best!; Said to someone wishing they perform well in a theatrical produ…
break a sweat
To put effort into something.
break cover
To disclose one's real thoughts and intentions.
break down
To give in or give up: relent, concede, surrender.
break even
To neither gain nor lose money.
break gates
To enter an Oxford or Cambridge college enclosure after the hour to which a student has be…
break in
To reach a state of functioning more smoothly through use or wear; to cause (something, or…
break into
To enter illegally or by force, especially in order to commit a crime.
break into a run
To start running.
break it to
To deliver unfortunate or upsetting news to someone.
break one's back
Alternative form of break the back of (overburden), when applied to oneself.
break one's chops
To give someone a hard time, harass, nag one to do something, bother.
break one's duck
To do something for the first time.
break one's lance
To engage in an honorable fight.
break one's neck
To make extraordinary efforts to achieve an end; to exert oneself in pursuit of a goal.
break out
To bring out from storage, use, or present.
break ranks
To publicly disagree with one's own group or organization.
break reality
To reach or experience a nonordinary state of consciousness, especially when using psyched…
break someone's back
Alternative form of break the back of (overburden).
break someone's face
To beat up someone violently.
break someone's heart
To cause a person to feel grief, disappointment, or sadness.
break the back of
To complete the greater part of (a project) or solve the most critical part of (a problem)…
break the bank
To exhaust one's financial resources.
break the buck
To fall below the value of one dollar per share.
break the cycle
To act so as to end a repeating pattern of harmful or otherwise negative behavior.
break the deadlock
To score the first goal or point in a competition.
break the fourth wall
To apparently communicate with reality directly, such as when characters of literature com…
break the ice
To start to get to know people to avoid social awkwardness and formality.
break the Internet
To cause a connection to the Internet, or the Internet itself, to malfunction.
break the mold
To depart from a traditional pattern; to defy convention.
break the Sabbath
To violate (the holiness or sanctity of) the Sabbath (by not keeping it holy).
break the seal
To urinate, particularly for the first time after drinking alcohol.
break the story
To be the first to address or publicize an issue, often a news story.
break the wheel
To end a pattern of oppression, inequality, injustice, or abuse.
break up
To end a (usually romantic or sexual) relationship.
break wind
To expel gases generated during digestion, especially through the anus; to fart.
breath of fresh air
Something relieving, refreshing, or new.
breathe a sigh of relief
to be relieved; to feel relief.
breathe a word
To divulge even part of a secret (usually used with a negative).
breathe down someone's neck
To follow or supervise someone too closely, causing discomfort for that person.
breathe easy
To relax or feel secure about something.
breathe one's last
To die.
breed in the bone
To establish or ingrain firmly within someone's nature.
brick in
To enclose with bricks.
brick in one's hat
Drunkenness.
bridge over troubled waters
Someone or something that provides support, comfort, and a means to overcome difficult tim…
bridge the gap
To serve as or create a connection between disconnected or disparate things.
bright and early
(Very) early in the morning.
bright lights
The glamour and glitz of a place, especially a big city.
bright line
A clear distinction in the context of a legal, moral, ethical, or analytical judgment.
bright side
A consoling aspect of a difficult situation.
bright spark
A person who is intelligent, clever or quick-witted.
bright young thing
One who is youthful, clever, eager, and high-spirited in manner and attractive in appearan…
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
Eager, alert, enthusiastic, and lively.
bright-line rule
A clear-cut rule, so that it is easy to make a decision.
bring a knife to a gunfight
To enter into a confrontation or other challenging situation without being adequately equi…
bring a lump to someone's throat
To engender a strong emotional reaction.
bring back to life
To return someone to a state of consciousness or living after a state of unconsciousness, …
bring down the curtain
To bring something to an end.
bring down the hammer
To treat very harshly.
bring down the house
To garner enthusiastic or wild applause or laughter.
bring forward
To call up for consideration.
bring home
To earn (money).
bring home the bacon
To have employment which provides remuneration to satisfy the basic needs of oneself and o…
bring it weak
To fail to accomplish an accomplishable task or to make an attempt at less than maximum ef…
bring on
To cause.
bring one's arse to an anchor
To sit down.
bring one's own hide to market
To create one's own fate, as a result of one's chosen character and actions; to experience…
bring out in a rash
To rile someone up.
bring owls to Athens
To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or high…
bring round
To resuscitate; to cause to regain consciousness.
bring someone to their knees
To defeat and make submit to orders.
bring to bear
To apply; to employ something to achieve an intended effect.
bring to heel
To compel someone to obey; to force someone into a submissive condition.
bring to justice
To cause a person alleged to have committed criminal acts to be brought to trial on the of…
bring to light
To expose, disclose or reveal something that was hidden or unknown.
bring to nought
To mar; to thwart.
bring to the hammer
To put up for sale by auction.
bring to the table
To contribute (something) to a joint effort or discussion.
bring together
To cause people to do something together; to bring about togetherness.
bring up the rear
To be last in a moving line of people, to walk or go behind others in a line.
broad and shallow
Associated with the Broad Church; latitudinarian.
broad brush
A style or approach that deals with something in very general, sweeping terms, without att…
broad in the beam
Wide across the hips, with large buttocks.
broad shoulders
the ability to take criticism, or accept responsibility.
broad strokes
Major features or key points; outline.
broaden someone's horizons
To increase someone's interests, skills, or experiences beyond their current range.
broken heart
A feeling of grief or loss, especially after a failed romantic relationship.
broken hearted
Of a person, that has a broken heart.
broken home
A home in which the parents have separated or divorced.
broken man
A man who has suffered significant and enduring emotional pain as a result of a highly unp…
broken record
Someone or something that constantly repeats itself, causing annoyance.
broken reed
Something or someone very fragile or unreliable.
broken vessel
A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.
Bronx cheer
Synonym of raspberry (“a sound intended to resemble flatulence made by blowing air out of …
brown bag
A short presentation or seminar on a given subject, especially one given at lunchtime.
brown bread
Dead.
brown noser
One who brownnoses (flatters or humors somebody in an obsequious manner for personal gain)…
brown power
The production of electricity made from conventional sources, such as coal, oil, natural g…
brown study
A melancholy mood accompanied by deep thought; a moody daydream.
brown thumb
A lack of skill at growing plants; a poor gardening skill.
browned off
Annoyed, upset, angry, bored, fed up, disgusted
Brownian motion
A state of chaos or disarray.
brownie point
Credit or praise for good work or a good deed, often for the express purpose of currying f…
brush aside
To disregard, dismiss or ignore something, as unimportant.
brush by
To walk past another person, touching them slightly, normally by accident, and ignoring th…
brush down
To straighten up one's clothes and to tidy up one's appearance.
brush off
To disregard (something), to dismiss or ignore (someone), as unimportant.
brush up
To review; to improve an existing but rusty or underdeveloped skill.
bubble over
To be very enthusiastic, or highly excited.
buck fever
Excitement and nervousness felt by a new hunter upon seeing game.
buck for
To strive for persistently; to try hard to obtain (a promotion, raise, etc.).
buck off
Of a horse or other animal, to rear up on its hind legs in order to throw off or dislodge …
buck the trend
To go against the norm or the current stand of the main population; have a differing opini…
buck up
To become encouraged, reinvigorated, or cheerful; to summon one's courage or spirits; to p…
buck up one's ideas
to pull one's socks up
bucket down
To rain heavily.
bucket list
A list of tasks arising during a meeting that are put aside to be dealt with later.
bucket of bolts
A piece of machinery that is not worth more than its scrap value, often an old car.
bucket of rust
Synonym of rustbucket.
bucket of syrup
A sticky, difficult situation.
buckle down
To apply oneself to study, or a task or work; to focus on or take a serious attitude towar…
buckle to
Synonym of buckle down (“to apply oneself to study, or a task or work; to focus on or take…
buckle up
To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.
Buckley's and none
A supposed two chances (probabilities), being Buckley's chance (meaning a very small chanc…
Buckley's chance
A very small chance; no chance at all.
buff out
To bring something to proper shape by removing or masking minor defects, by straightening …
buff the muffin
To masturbate.
buff up
To improve.
bug off
Used to tell somebody to leave one alone.
bug storm
A large number of insects in the air, especially when passed through by a vehicle.
bugger off
To leave, go away, disappear.
Buggins's turn
A humorous, disparaging term for the appointment of a person by rotation or promotion, on …
build a better mousetrap
To create a new product, method, or idea that is better than an existing version of someth…
build a case
to compile evidence that supports a charge against someone.
build bridges
Often followed by between or to: to establish friendly relations or links.
build castles in the air
To have any desire, idea, or plan that is unlikely to be realized; to imagine visionary pr…
build character
To improve a person's character by developing personality traits such as resilience or res…
build on sand
To put something in an unstable position by failing to give it a secure foundation.
build the plane while flying it
To develop one's approach or strategy to a project while carrying out that project, and no…
build up
To accumulate: to increase incrementally or continually.
built different
Able to do things which others cannot; extremely talented or unusual.
built like a brick outhouse
Synonym of built like a brick shithouse.
built like a brick shipyard
Synonym of built like a brick shithouse.
built like a brick shithouse
Of a man, having a muscular body, particularly with well-developed muscles of the chest, a…
bulk billing
The process whereby a general practitioner or other medical service provider charges the g…
bull in a china shop
A person who is clumsy, aggressive, without care, concern or self-control.
bull session
An informal discursive group discussion, often one where politics, economics or current ev…
bum rap
An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.
bum rush
A storming into an establishment.
bum steer
Bad advice or information, regardless of intention.
bum's rush
The forcible ejection of someone, such as a bum or a hobo, from an establishment.
Bumfuck, Egypt
The middle of nowhere.
bump and grind
To perform such a dance or such movements.
bump in the road
A setback or obstacle, especially one which is relatively minor.
bump into
To meet by chance.
bump off
To kill, especially to murder.
bump up
To increase something suddenly.
bumper crop
An excess of something; a large yield.
bun fight
A debate or disagreement, usually with several parties involved, often political in nature…
bundle of energy
One who is especially lively, continually active, or industrious.
bundle of joy
A newborn baby.
bundle of laughs
Something or someone very funny or fun.
bundle of nerves
A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.
bundle off
To send someone away quickly and without fussing.
bunny hop
A dance from the big band era, a variation of the conga, in which dancers made small jumps…
bunny hug
A style of early 20th-century dance, performed to ragtime music.
buoy up
To uplift, hearten, inspire, or raise the spirits of.
buried treasure
Something valuable that is concealed for a long time and then rediscovered.
burn a hole in someone's pocket
To cause someone to spend money or be tempted to spend money.
burn bread
To cause something unfortunate to happen to (someone) by mentioning it; to jinx something …
burn daylight
To waste time.
burn one's bridges
To destroy one's path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc., particularly intentio…
burn one's fingers
To harm oneself; to suffer consequences of one's actions.
burn out
To make (someone) unavailable for work involving exposure to ionizing radiation by employi…
burn rubber
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road…
burn someone's ears
To cause blushing of someone's ears due to strong embarrassment.
burn that bridge when one comes to it
To anticipate dealing with a problem or situation either by acting in a manner that aliena…
burn the candle at both ends
To work hard night and day; to sleep late and wake up early; to overwork or overexert ones…
burn the midnight oil
To work studiously, especially late into the night.
burn the roof
To experience a great time enjoying and dancing to the music in a dancehall or nightclub.
burn time
To waste time unnecessarily.
burning question
An important and pertinent question that urgently requires an answer.
burr in one's saddle
Synonym of bee in one's bonnet.
burst in
to enter suddenly and unexpectedly
burst into tears
To suddenly start crying or sobbing.
burst out laughing
To start laughing suddenly and intensely.
burst someone's bubble
To disillusion; to disabuse someone of a false notion or rationalization that has grown co…
bury one's head in the sand
To deliberately ignore the reality of a situation; to pretend a problem does not exist.
bury the hatchet
To cease fighting or arguing; to reach an agreement, or at least a truce.
bury the lede
To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more …
bus plunge
A phrase often used in filler story headlines in print newspapers, prior to the adoption o…
bush league
A professional sports association at the lower levels of minor league organization.
bush telegraph
A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long dista…
business as usual
That is usual, expected, not extraordinary.
business end
The part of an object (chiefly a tool or weapon) that is physically used for its operation…
business girl
A female prostitute.
busman's holiday
A holiday or vacation during which one does something similar to what one does as work.
bust a cap
To fire a weapon; to shoot with a gun.
bust a move
To dance.
bust a nut
To ejaculate.
bust ass
To work hard, especially when trying to achieve a goal.
bust chops
To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.
bust on
To make a joke concerning; to ridicule or make fun of.
bust one's balls
To work very hard; to put in a lot of effort.
bust one's butt
To work exceptionally hard.
bust one's chops
To exert oneself.
bust the dust
To clean dust off something, such as with a vacuum cleaner.
busted flush
Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.
busy as a bee
Very active; working constantly.
busy as a nailer
working constantly.
busy work
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessa…
but good
To a high degree; very thoroughly; in a most definite manner.
but seriously folks
Used to redirect attention to immediately preceding a failed attempt at humor.
but then
Then again, on the other hand; used to show that the opposite viewpoint is possible.
butcher's bill
death toll
butcher's thumb
A dishonest practice in which a butcher uses their thumb to add extra weight to a scale wh…
butt heads
To argue uncompromisingly.
butt in
To join a conversation or situation in which one is not welcome or invited; to interject (…
butt up
To touch closely, to scrape (against); to press firmly (against).
butter face
Alternative form of butterface.
butter one's bread on both sides
To profit from two things at the same time, especially when those things seem contradictor…
butter the cony
To take advantage of an unmissable opportunity.
butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth
The identified person appears to be benign, mild-mannered, or calm (but with an integral s…
button nose
A nose with a small size and a relatively flat, round shape, usually considered to be dain…
button one's lip
To remain silent, especially in order to keep a secret or to avoid saying something inappr…
button pusher
Someone who pushes someone else's buttons: someone who goads, annoys, provokes, etc.
buy a dog and bark oneself
To do something that one has hired someone else to do.
buy a ticket to
Used to indicate that someone is in agreement with an assertion, statement, or suggestion.
buy and hold
A passive investment strategy where an investor purchases an asset and retains it for many…
buy into
To believe (something, especially something implausible); to accept (a craze, fad, or noti…
buy it
To believe any particular assertion or idea; to support it.
buy out
to purchase the entire stock or extent of something
buy straw hats in winter
Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price are low, so as to sell when demand and price …
buy the farm
To die; generally, to die in battle or in a plane crash.
buy the rumor
To purchase an asset based on positive speculation or unconfirmed reports, anticipating a …
buy time
To purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else.
buy to let
To purchase a property as in investment, and to let it out for rental instead of living in…
buy up
To buy the whole of; to purchase the entire stock of something.
buzz off
go away.
by a hair's breadth
By a narrow margin.
by a landslide
with big margins, with a huge difference
by a long shot
By a wide margin; indicates a very big difference or disparity.
by a long way
To a considerably large extent, easily. Typically used in the negative to indicate somethi…
by all accounts
According to everything that people have said.
by an eyelash
By a very small amount or distance.
by and large
Mostly; generally; all things considered.
by any means
In any manner whatsoever; at all.
by any stretch of the imagination
By any means; in any sense; regardless of how one puts or considers it.
by far
To a considerably large extent, easily.
by guess or by gosh
at random
by halves
Partially, incompletely; inadequately, halfheartedly, shoddily.
by hand
Manually; without the use of automation or machines.
by hook or by crook
By any means possible; one way or another.
by mistake
By accident; without the intention to do so.
by no means
Certainly not; definitely not; not at all.
by no stretch
Alternative form of by no stretch of the imagination.
by no stretch of imagination
Alternative form of by no stretch of the imagination.
by no stretch of the imagination
Synonym of by no means: certainly not, definitely not, not by any means.
by one's lights
According to one's understanding.
by one's own hand
As a result of one's own actions, especially with reference to death by suicide.
by right
According to what is right, or what one is legally or morally entitled to; justly, properl…
by the book
In a manner which strictly adheres to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
by the eye
In abundance.
by the Grace of Allah
By divine will.
by the Grace of God
By divine will and benevolence.
by the moment
Very quickly as time passes; progressively.
by the numbers
exactly, precisely, or in a formulaic way.
by the same token
For a similar reason; in a similar manner; by virtue of the selfsame phenomenon, through i…
by the score
A great amount; a great deal.
by the skin of one's teeth
Barely; closely; by a narrow margin; with nothing to spare.
by the way
Irrelevantly, off-topic.
by trade
As a profession; professionally.
by vice of
Because of (something unfavorable, immoral, negative, etc.)
by virtue of
(originally) By the authority or power of; (now) because of; on the grounds of; by reason …