Browsing
Idioms starting with H
545 expressions
hack it
To cope; to be successful in something despite adversity.
had better
Should; ought to; need to; must.
hair of the dog
An alcoholic drink, particularly when taken the morning after to cure a hangover.
hair out of place
The slightest sign of disorder or unkemptness.
hair's breadth
A very small amount or distance.
hairy molly
A hairy caterpillar.
halcyon days
A period of calm, usually in the past and often nostalgic.
hale and hearty
In a state of robust good health.
half a brain
A very basic or minimal level of intelligence.
half a head
Synonym of half a brain.
half a mind
A moderate inclination.
half joke
To make a half joke.
half murder
The committing of a grievous, but not fatal, injury.
half-night stand
A single sexual encounter between two individuals, lasting for less than an entire night, …
halfway decent
Good - better than expected.
Hallmark moment
A memorable moment or event, one which would either make for or call for a poignant greeti…
ham it up
To deliberately exaggerate one's emotions or movements, or to overact or act hammily.
hammer and tongs
In a manner indicating seriousness of intent and capability of harm.
hammer away
To continue discussing or trying to solve.
hammer home
To repeatedly or continually emphasize (an opinion or idea) until or so that a person or g…
hamster wheel
To cycle fruitlessly.
hand down
To donate (as second hand.)
hand in glove
In very close cooperation.
hand in one's dinner pail
To die.
hand it to someone
To give somebody credit or praise.
hand off
To pass or transfer.
hand over
To relinquish control or possession of something to someone.
hand over fist
Quickly or in great quantity, especially in reference to earning money.
hand over head
Negligently; rashly; without seeing what one does.
hand someone his hat
To require someone to depart; to dismiss someone.
hand someone their cards
To dismiss someone from employment; to fire or make redundant.
hand someone their head
To destroy; to defeat utterly.
hand to God
Used when admitting something which might not be believed.
hand waving
Discussion or argumentation involving approximation, vagueness, educated guessing, or the …
handbags at dawn
A catty squabble.
handbags at ten paces
Synonym of handbags at dawn (“a catty squabble”).
handle oneself
to behave
handle with kid gloves
To treat (a person or a subject) very delicately or carefully, especially so as not to cau…
hands down
without much effort; easily
hands up
Put your hands up (if you wish to participate).
handwriting on the wall
Alternative form of writing on the wall
hang a leg
To hesitate; to hang back.
hang a Louie
Make a left turn while driving a vehicle (←).
hang a Ralph
To make a right turn while driving a vehicle (→).
hang a uey
To make a U-turn while driving a vehicle (∩).
hang an arse
to hang back, to be afraid to advance.
hang around
To stay, linger, or loiter.
hang by a thread
To be in danger, calling for precise caution; to be in a precarious situation.
hang heavy
To seem to pass slowly; to crawl.
hang in
To remain in a particular place or status; to survive, maintain, persist, persevere; to re…
hang in the balance
To be in a precarious situation, unsure of the future.
hang low
To droop or sag heavily; to remain at a low altitude.
hang on
To wait a moment.
hang on every word
To be completely attentive to what another person is saying.
hang one's hat
To reside; to call a place home.
hang out
To spend time with somebody; to regularly meet with somebody.
hang out one's shingle
To open an office or business, especially in a profession.
hang out to dry
To abandon someone who is in need or in danger, especially a colleague or one dependent.
hang over someone's head
To threaten (someone); to act as a constant preoccupation for (someone).
hang the moon
To place the moon in the sky: used as an example of a superlative act attributed to someon…
hang tight
To wait, without attempting to address a challenging, alarming, or dangerous situation, un…
hang together
To be connected.
hang tough
To remain strong-willed or brave, especially when experiencing duress or adversity.
hang up
To terminate a telephone call, originally by hanging the receiver on its hook or cradle th…
hang up one's boots
to retire, call it a day (used especially in the context of sports).
hang up one's fiddle
Synonym of hang up one's boots.
hang up one's hat
To end one's career.
hang upon
To depend upon.
hangar queen
A grounded aircraft which is kept so that its parts can be used in other aircraft.
hanging offence
A crime so serious that it is punishable by means of death by hanging.
happen along
To arrive by chance; to occur by happenstance.
happily ever after
A story, or a conclusion to a story, in which all the loose ends of the plot are tied up, …
happy as a pig in mud
Very happy or content.
happy as a pig in shit
Extremely happy; obviously satisfied and carefree.
happy chappy
A person, usually a young boy or teenager, who is particularly happy.
happy landings
Successful outcome or outcomes.
happy medium
A balanced position between two opposite extremes.
happy panda
A person who is happy and contented.
happy place
A mental visualization of a pleasant location, performed in order to avoid thinking or dea…
hard as nails
Very unsympathetic; callous
hard at work
Labouring with great effort and diligence; working hard.
hard cheese
An unsympathetic retort to someone suffering misfortune.
hard done by
used, cheated, or exploited by
hard feelings
Resentment, anger.
hard nut to crack
A problem that is challenging to solve.
hard of hearing
Having difficulty hearing; somewhat deaf.
hard on the eyes
ugly
hard pass
An unequivocal rejection with no possibility of a later change of mind.
hard telling, not knowing
I don't know.
hard to swallow
Difficult to accept; hard to acquiesce to.
harden someone's heart
To make someone more resistant to something.
hardy perennial
Synonym of perennial (“a person, problem, etc. that appears or returns regularly”).
harp on one string
To dwell on a single subject with disagreeable or wearisome persistence.
harp on the same string
To repeatedly say the same thing.
has left the building
Something is gone and never coming back.
hash out
To work through the details of something; especially to work through difficulties.
hash slinger
A cook or food server in a cheap restaurant, especially one who is discourteous or inatten…
hat hair
An accidental messy hairdo resulting from the wearing of a hat.
hat in hand
With humility; in an apologetic or self-effacing fashion.
hatchet man
A male who carries out brutal and unpleasant duties on behalf of another, such as firing d…
hate someone's guts
To despise; to hate intensely or passionately.
haul ass
To hurry; to move quickly, especially to leave.
haul someone over the coals
To express anger with someone in no uncertain terms when they do something wrong.
have a bad time of it
Synonym of have a rough time of it.
have a ball
To enjoy oneself thoroughly; to have lots of fun or excitement.
have a bite
To eat a quick, light snack.
have a bone to pick
To have a complaint or grievance (with somebody); to have a contentious issue to discuss.
have a brick in one's hat
To be drunk.
have a cow
To get angry; have a fit.
have a fable for
To have a weakness for.
have a fit
To experience an epileptic seizure.
have a gas
Have a good time.
have a go
To attack someone physically; to have a fight.
have a good one
To enjoy an event or occasion, especially a holiday or one's birthday.
have a good time
To enjoy oneself.
have a good time of it
Synonym of have an easy time of it.
have a hand in
To contribute to, participate in, or influence.
have a handle on
To understand or grasp.
have a hard time
To experience a difficulty in attaining one's goals or objectives.
have a hard time of it
Synonym of have a rough time of it.
have a head for
To be capable with, knowledgeable about, or competent in dealing with.
have a heart
To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly.
have a jag on
To be drunk.
have a laugh
To joke; kid around.
have a mind of one's own
To form one's personal opinions and choose one's actions without being governed by the vie…
have a moment
To reach a high level of popularity during a specific time.
have a mountain to climb
To face a difficult task or challenge.
have a pair
To be manly, brave.
have a poor time of it
Synonym of have a rough time of it (especially financially)
have a quiet word
To speak to someone in private.
have a rough time of it
To have many problems; to have a difficult time.
have a say
To (receive the opportunity to) voice one's opinion.
have a seat
A polite directive to sit down
have a snootful
To be drunk.
have a stab
To make an attempt, a try.
have a tantrum
Alternative form of throw a tantrum.
have a thin time of it
To be in a difficult or precarious situation due to one not having enough money.
have a tiger by the tail
To be in a difficult or dangerous situation in which one ideally should not remain, but fr…
have a time
Synonym of have a time of it.
have a time of it
To undergo a painful or difficult experience.
have a way with
To be skilled, adept, or graceful with or at (something).
have a whale of a time
To enjoy oneself greatly: to have a very good time.
have a word
To speak to someone, usually and especially in private, often in order to admonish.
have a word in someone's ear
To speak to someone in private.
have a word with oneself
To consider one's attitudes or behavior with a view to reform.
have an accident
To urinate or defecate somewhere other than a toilet.
have an easy time of it
To have few problems.
have an eye for
To notice, discern, or appreciate easily.
have another thing coming
Alternative form of have another think coming.
have another think coming
To be deluded, to be mistaken; to need to rethink something one has determined; to need to…
have at
To attack; to engage in combat with.
have bats in one's belfry
To be crazy or eccentric.
have been around
To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.
have blood on one's hands
To be responsible for a violent act.
have done with
To finish; to give up or stop dealing with.
have eyes bigger than one's stomach
To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy.
have eyes in the back of one's head
To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant, as if able to see in all directions a…
have got
To have.
have had it
To have endured all that one can.
have had it up to here
To have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or fo…
have had one's chips
To be dead or finished.
have in mind
To consider, to contemplate, to intend.
have it all
To lead a successful life.
have it both ways
Synonym of have one's cake and eat it too.
have it coming
To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions.
have it going on
To be attractive or socially successful or have an aura of success.
have it in one
To be able to do something; to have the capacity to achieve something.
have it large
To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities.
have it made
To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty.
have it your way
Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences.
have its moments
To experience brief periods of distinction, especially in contrast with the status quo.
have Jesus in one's heart
To be a firm believer in the Christian faith.
have legs
To have endurance; to have prospects to exist or go on for a long time.
have more money than God
To be extremely or excessively rich
have no time for
To dislike.
have none of something
To be completely unwilling to accept or support something.
have one foot on a banana peel
To be in an unstable situation with a high risk of sudden negative change, facing difficul…
have one more time
To be on the verge of reaping negative consequences for some sort of bad behavior.
have one's act together
To be serious, organized, worthwhile, etc.
have one's back up
To be angry or defensive.
have one's bread buttered for life
To be furnished or supplied with a great amount.
have one's cake and eat it too
To benefit by having two things which are mutually incompatible (such as eating a piece of…
have one's ducks in a row
To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multiperson effor…
have one's ears lowered
To get a haircut.
have one's ears pinned back
To be strongly scolded, reprimanded or admonished.
have one's finger on the trigger
To be prepared to kill someone else or as with a firearm.
have one's fingers in many pies
To be involved in many, or too many, different things.
have one's hand in the till
To embezzle, to steal from one's place of business.
have one's hand out
To request benefits, especially monetary ones and especially if not entitled to them.
have one's hands full
To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied.
have one's hands tied
To be powerless to act, to be thwarted.
have one's head read
To have one's mental health assessed, to receive a psychiatric examination.
have one's heart in
Synonym of put one's heart in.
have one's heart in the right place
To have good intentions.
have one's mind about one
To be composed or lucid (especially of an elderly or mentally ill person).
have one's moments
To experience brief periods of distinction, especially in contrast with the status quo.
have one's name on
To be reserved for someone.
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
have one's name written all over
To be typical of a particular individual, particularly with respect to a crime or scheme.
have one's number on it
To be destined for someone.
have one's shit together
Synonym of have one's act together
have one's way
To obtain the circumstances one wishes for; to do what one wishes to do, or to have others…
have one's way with
To engage (as the more active or dominant partner) in sexual intercourse with, especially …
have one's wig snatched
To be shocked or stunned.
have one's wits about one
To remain calm, composed, focused, or aware.
have one's work cut out for one
To face a large task or project.
have other fish to fry
To have more important things to do.
have other ideas
To do something different from what is proposed or expected.
have second thoughts
To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.
have seen one's day
Of a person, thing, idea, etc., to be at the point in a life cycle or career of no longer …
have seen one's last gum tree
Of a person, on the edge of death.
have seen this movie
To have experienced a situation which is the same as or similar to the current situation, …
have several seats
A directive for someone to calm down or modify their attitude, and to refrain from speakin…
have someone by the balls
To exercise total control over someone; to be in a position to threaten or extort someone.
have someone by the short and curlies
Synonym of have someone by the short hairs.
have someone by the short hairs
To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and ca…
have someone on toast
To have somebody in one's power, or in a compromising or helpless position.
have someone's back
To be prepared and willing to support or defend someone.
have someone's blood on one's head
To be responsible for someone's death, pain, or misfortune.
have someone's guts for garters
To reprimand severely.
have someone's head
To punish someone severely, as by sacking (firing), imprisonment, or similarly harsh penal…
have someone's hide
To punish or subdue someone.
have someone's number
To understand a person's character, capabilities, or situation.
have something over with
To experience the ending or completion of something.
have something to show for something
To have (some profit, reward, benefit, etc.) as a result of (one's work, expenditure, etc.…
have the ball in one's court
Alternative form of the ball is in someone's court.
have the biscuit
To be of no further use; to be near death.
have the blues
To be depressed; to have low morale; to feel sad.
have the floor
To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation.
have the hots for
To be attracted (sexually or romantically) to (someone); to fancy someone.
have the last laugh
To be vindicated; to triumph despite predicted failure; to find success after defeat or se…
have the law of
To take legal action against someone.
have the right time
To know the correct time of day.
have the tiger by the tail
To be in a difficult or dangerous situation in which one ideally should not remain, but fr…
have the whole bakery
To have large, callipygian buttocks; to be caked up.
have the wind up
To be frightened or disturbed.
have the wolf by the ear
To be in a dangerous situation from which one cannot disengage, but in which one cannot sa…
have the world by the tail
To possess great influence and opportunity.
have time on one's hands
To have additional or spare time in which one has nothing particular to do or accomplish.
have time on one's side
To not be rushed; to have plenty of time to do something.
have truck with
To have dealings with; to truck with.
have up
To accuse, arrest, try for a criminal act.
have Van Gogh's ear for music
To be tone-deaf.
have words
To argue, to have an argument.
hazard a guess
To make a guess; to guess.
head and shoulders
To a considerable degree.
head for the hills
To go to a safe place; to seek refuge; to flee.
head loss
A loss of self-control leading to poor conduct.
head of steam
A significant amount of energy, vigour or momentum, sufficient to make progress or succeed…
head start
An advantage consisting in starting a competition or task earlier than might be expected; …
head to toe
Entirely; completely; over one's full body.
heads or tails
The practice of flipping a coin in the air, to choose between two alternatives based on wh…
heads up
Used as an informal warning, caution, or call for attention; pay attention!
heads will roll
Some people will be fired for incompetence.
hear out
To listen to someone until that person has finished speaking; to thoroughly consider all a…
hear the end of it
To cease to be told about, or nagged because of, something.
hear the grass grow
To have an extremely sensitive sense of hearing.
hear things
To imagine that one hears sounds that are not actually real; to have auditory hallucinatio…
hear through the grapevine
To hear rumors; to learn through hearsay.
hear voices
Have the experience of hearing voices which are not audible to others; to experience audit…
heart balm
Something that soothes a person's fears or emotions.
heart of glass
A heart (or by extension, person) in a very fragile romantic state: one that is easily mad…
heart of gold
A kind, compassionate, or caring attitude; kindheartedness; a person with those qualities.
heart of hearts
One's innermost private feelings.
hearts and flowers
Ideal romance.
hearts on sleeves
Transparent, open, or forthright emotions.
heat wave
A period of exceptionally hot weather.
heaven forbid
May heaven forbid it: expresses the desire that something does not happen.
heavy as a dead donkey
Very heavy.
heavy equipment
Any of a diverse class of large machines used in construction and mining for earthmoving t…
heavy foot
A habit of driving fast.
heavy going
Something that is boring; difficult to make progress on, or tedious
heavy hitter
A person of considerable importance who is a major decision maker or capable achiever; an …
heavy lifting
The most demanding part of an endeavour; work requiring the most effort, resources, or con…
heavy with child
visibly pregnant
hedge one's bets
To reduce the risk of making a mistake by keeping one's options open.
heffalump trap
A situation where an attempt to trap or outwit someone ends up backfiring on the original …
hell and half of Georgia
A very large region; everywhere.
hell from above
A powerful bombardment of projectiles from above, especially in the context of war.
hell if I care
Synonym of I don't care.
hell if I know
Synonym of I don't know.
hell mend someone
Expressing exasperation at someone whose behavior is likely to result in trouble but who w…
hell on earth
A very unpleasant situation; torment, particularly when widespread.
hell on wheels
A situation that is tough, aggressive, lawless, and wild.
hell or high water
Highly adverse circumstances; acts of God.
hell to pay
Very unpleasant consequences; a great deal of trouble.
hell week
The week during which new members are required to undergo undignified rites of initiation …
helmet hair
An accidental messy hairdo resulting from the wearing of a helmet.
help a lame dog over a stile
to show kindness to, or to help out, someone in distress or in need
helping hand
Any assistance, help or aid.
hem and haw
To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action or making up one's mind.
hen's tooth
Anything not naturally occurring.
herbs and spices
A variety or a diversity of elements which combine to make something more interesting, com…
herd cats
To attempt to control the uncontrollable; to attempt to manage a great many unruly factors…
here goes nothing
Indicates a lack of confidence or certainty about the activity about to be tried.
here we go again
An expression of frustration upon seeing or hearing something bad repeated.
here you are
Said when handing something over to someone or doing a favour to them, usually to draw the…
here, there and everywhere
In or to many different places; all over the place.
here's to
A phrase used before drinking a toast.
hidden in plain sight
Seemingly hidden, but actually not hidden and easy to find.
hide in plain sight
To be unnoticeable, by staying visible in a setting that masks presence.
hide nor hair
A trace, indication, or evidence, especially of a person.
hide one's light under a bushel
To conceal one's positive qualities or talents, especially due to modesty or shyness; to a…
hide the sausage
To have sex (where a penis is involved).
hiding to nothing
A situation in which victory has little or no value, but defeat has a huge cost.
high and dry
Abandoned, stranded, helpless.
high and low
Everywhere; all over the place.
high and mighty
Overbearingly arrogant; ostentatiously self-important or self-aggrandizing.
high cotton
The best of times; a time of well being.
high ground
A position of advantage or superiority in a conflict or competition.
high horse
An appearance or sense of smug superiority.
high life
An extravagant lifestyle.
high noon
Exactly noon; midday (when the sun is at its highest).
high on the hog
Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly due to great wealth or financial security.
high on the totem pole
Accorded relatively high importance.
high road
A course of action which is dignified, honourable, or respectable.
high strangeness
A quality of being peculiar, bizarre, utterly absurd.
high summer
The hottest part of the summer.
high time
A point in time at which something is considered to be utterly due or even overdue to occu…
high-risk, high-reward
Involving significant potential for loss but also offering the possibility of substantial …
higher than a kite
Very much under the influence of drugs.
highway robbery
Excessive or exorbitant prices.
hike the Appalachian Trail
To engage in an extramarital affair.
hike up
To lift; to tug or pull upwards.
hill to die on
An issue to pursue with a wholehearted conviction or a single-minded focus, with little or…
hind tit
An inferior source of food or other resources.
hindsight is 20/20
In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to eval…
hired gun
A person who is employed to advance the interests of their employer, especially in a vigor…
hired muscle
Person who is hired or asked to perform tasks or duties requiring physical strength.
hissing hot
Very hot.
hit a lick
To earn a large sum of money in a short amount of time, usually illegally.
hit a snag
To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.
hit a wall
To come up against an insurmountable problem.
hit above one's weight
Alternative form of punch above one's weight.
hit and run
To engage in sexual intercourse followed by a prompt departure; to engage in a one-night s…
hit below one's weight
Alternative form of punch below one's weight.
hit home
To be especially memorable, meaningful, or significant; to be fully understood, believed o…
hit it big
To have great success
hit it up
To develop an amicable relationship (with), especially in a sudden manner during an initia…
hit like a ton of bricks
To have a sudden and significant emotional impact.
hit like a truck
To hit in an extremely powerful manner; to hit with a lot of force.
hit on
To discover, pinpoint; to think up; to realize.
hit one out of the ballpark
To produce a spectacular achievement.
hit pause
To pause (an activity); stop, terminate.
hit pay dirt
To strike it rich; to get lucky or have a big break.
hit rock bottom
To reach the lowest possible state in one's life.
hit someone for six
To affect in a devastating way by some unexpected news.
hit someone when they are down
Synonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult …
hit the accelerator
Synonym of hit the gas.
hit the big time
To become successful and widely known.
hit the bottle
To drink alcohol steadily and in excess, particularly in response to a setback.
hit the bricks
To travel about, especially on foot.
hit the buffers
To stop suddenly and unexpectedly.
hit the fan
To have a dramatic, usually negative, effect.
hit the gas
To go; go faster.
hit the ground running
To begin an activity immediately and with full commitment.
hit the high notes
To produce or attain, at least for a period of time, an especially satisfactory degree of …
hit the jackpot
To receive a more favorable outcome than imagined, especially by good luck.
hit the nail on the head
To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.
hit the pavement
To travel on foot, as on a sidewalk.
hit the road
To begin traveling in an automobile or other road vehicle.
hit the rocks
To reach a low point in one's pursuits.
hit the roof
To be explosively angry; to lose one's temper.
hit the sheets
To go to bed.
hit the shelves
To become available for purchase.
hit the shops
To become available for purchase at retail locations.
hit the skids
To fail; to decline.
hit the spot
To be particularly pleasing or appropriate; to be just right.
hit the stores
To become available for purchase at retail locations.
hit the streets
To go out in search of something or for a specific purpose.
hit the wall
To experience sudden fatigue as a result of glycogen depletion, e.g. when cycling.
hit too close to home
To occur too close for comfort; to happen dangerously or uncomfortably near.
hit two targets with one arrow
Synonym of kill two birds with one stone.
hit upon
To think of; to discover or invent.
hit with the stupid stick
Used to describe someone who is stupid or unintelligent.
hitch one's wagon to
to rely on (someone or something) for success
hitch one's wagon to a star
To commit to an aspirational goal or course of action that will lead to fulfillment.
hive of activity
A very busy place.
ho kua bo ho jiak
Superficial; incompetent or having no substance despite appearances, skin-deep; portraying…
Hobson's choice
A situation where a person is presented with the illusion of a free choice, but in reality…
hoe one's row
To do one's share of a job.
hog heaven
A state of contented bliss.
hoist by one's own petard
Hurt or destroyed by one's own plot or device intended for another; "blown up by one's own…
hold a grudge
To stay angry (at someone or something).
hold a light
Synonym of hold a candle.
hold back
To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.
hold by the button
To detain in conversation to the point of weariness or tedium; to bore while tallking to
hold cheap
To have a low esteem for (someone or something); to hold in contempt; to look down upon.
hold court
To serve as the principal discussant or center of attention in an informal gathering of fr…
hold down
To restrain; to check.
hold fast
To stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
hold firm
To keep to a conviction, practice, etc., unwaveringly.
hold hard
To stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
hold it together
Synonym of cope: to remain calm in adversity, to successfully manage one's difficulties.
hold off
To delay (someone or something) temporarily; to keep at bay.
hold on
To keep; to store something for someone.
hold one's alcohol
Synonym of hold one's liquor.
hold one's breath
To wait expectantly for something to happen soon.
hold one's drink
Synonym of hold one's liquor.
hold one's fire
Wait, don't retaliate, calm down, be quiet.
hold one's head high
To act with pride; to be proud in a positive way.
hold one's horses
To be patient; to wait.
hold one's jaw
To refrain from talking, to hold one's tongue, to be quiet.
hold one's liquor
To be resistant to intoxication or to show few signs of intoxication, even after consuming…
hold one's mouth right
To act in the correct way, and have a little luck.
hold one's nerve
To stay calm facing nervousness.
hold one's own
To demonstrate oneself to be capable; to provide a respectable performance or worthy compe…
hold one's peace
To refrain from speaking; to be silent.
hold one's tongue
To refrain from talking about something.
hold one's water
To be patient; to control one's impulses.
hold onto
To manage to keep something.
hold onto your hat
One should prepare for a surprise or shock.
hold out
To wait, or refuse in hopes of getting something better (from a negotiation, etc.)
hold over
(Of a resource) To support or sustain someone for a limited period.
hold over someone's head
To harp on; to remind continuously (especially of a misstep or defeat).
hold someone's feet to the fire
To maintain personal, social, political, or legal pressure on someone in order to induce t…
hold someone's hand
To guide somebody through the basics or assist with excessively small details.
hold sway
To have the greatest influence (over someone or something); to be pre-eminent; to dominate…
hold tack
To last or hold out.
hold that thought
To pause in a conversation for an interruption.
hold the cards
To be in a strong position, possessing significant advantages over someone else; to be in …
hold the floor
To give a speech at a gathering of people, particularly one that lasts for a long time and…
hold the line
To firmly maintain one's viewpoint, principles, or situation; to refuse to change one's pr…
hold the phone
stop; wait; whoa.
hold the purse strings
To be in control of spending; to have financial power and responsibility.
hold the reins
To be in charge, to be in control, as of a business, political organization, or other grou…
hold the ring
To oversee a situation while attempting to remain uninvolved in it.
hold the stage
To dominate a debate or field of interest; to be the main subject of attention.
hold together
Synonym of hold it together: to cope with adversity.
hold up
To impede; detain.
hold up one's end
To hold up one's end of a bargain; to fulfill one's promise or obligation.
hold water
To withstand scrutiny or criticism; to be valid.
hold with the hare and run with the hounds
To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hyp…
hold yew hard
Wait for a moment. Be patient.
hold-up play
A play where an attacker retains possession of the ball, while the teammates can move up t…
holding pattern
Any failure to advance; useless or unproductive activity.
hole in one
Any rare, wonderful, or remarkable accomplishment.
Hollywood moment
A moment of great drama or sentimentality, suggesting the climax of a film.
holy buckets
An exclamation of surprise or astonishment.
holy catfish
Expressing terror, awe, surprise, astonishment, etc.
holy cow
An exclamation of surprise or astonishment.
holy crap
An expression of amazement: holy cow, holy shit.
holy crap on a stick
Emphatic form of holy crap.
holy crickets
An expression of surprise or astonishment.
holy crud
holy crap; holy shit
holy doodle
An expression of surprise.
holy fuck
Expression of terror, awe, surprise, shock, etc.
holy macaroni
An expression of surprise.
holy mackerel
An expression of surprise.
holy moley
Synonym of wow, an expression of surprise.
holy shit
Expression of terror, awe, surprise, astonishment, etc., often at something seen for the f…
holy smoke
An expression of astonishment.
home away from home
A place in which one is as comfortable as one's actual home.
home game
An athletic contest played in a team's own geographic area.
home sweet home
One's home, especially a nice, comfortable home.
home team
The team that is playing in the usual area that they play in, as opposed to the visitor te…
home training
Home-taught manners and social etiquette.
home wrecker
A person who gains the affections of someone already married or engaged, and thus causes t…
homeless dumping
The practice of hospital employees or emergency workers releasing homeless patients on the…
homely as a hedge fence
Having no physically attractive characteristics, but not blatantly ugly; very plain in app…
Honest Abe
A forthright and honest person.
honest John
An ordinary, honest, member of the public
honey do list
A collection of requests, usually a list of household tasks assigned by a partner.
honey hole
A location or situation which yields something of significant value.
honey trap
The use of a romantic or a sexual relationship to entice a person into revealing secret in…
honor in the breach
To demonstrate (a rule, law, or policy) by breaking or breaching it.
honorable mention
An award or recognition given to a person or thing who does not achieve a higher standing …
hook it
To depart in a hurry; to clear out.
hook up
To sell or supply something.
Hoover flag
An empty (penniless) pocket, turned inside out, showing that someone has no money (especia…
hoover up
To consume (food or drink) quickly, especially by taking it into the mouth directly from t…
hop off
To back off; to leave alone.
hop the wag
To play truant (be absent from school without permission).
hop up
To make something, especially a machine, better (faster, bigger etc.); to soup up.
hope against hope
To continue to hope, even when what is hoped for seems unlikely or impossible.
hopping mad
Extremely angry; furious to the point of outburst.
horizontal dancing
Sexual intercourse.
horizontal jogging
Sexual intercourse.
horizontal mambo
Sexual intercourse.
horizontal refreshments
Sexual intercourse.
horizontal tango
Sexual intercourse.
horror show
A horrifying, appalling, or sickening experience, set of events, or visual spectacle.
horse and rabbit stew
A mixture of the crude and the delicate in grossly unequal quantities, with the crude over…
horse armor
A piece of downloadable content or microtransaction for a video game, especially one purel…
horse around
To engage in horseplay.
horse of a different color
An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.
horse opera
A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of c…
horse pill
A medicinal pill which is very large in size and is therefore difficult for a person to sw…
horse's ass
A jerk; an unpleasant, unlikable person; an asshole.
horse's mouth
An authentic source; someone who directly experienced or witnessed something.
horseback opinion
An opinion given without thorough consideration or a firm basis, often used in a casual or…
horses for courses
Different people are suited for different jobs or situations; what is fitting in one case …
horseshoe up one's ass
Exceptionally favorable personal luck.
hose down
To calm down a person, or a situation.
hot air
Empty, confused, or exaggerated talk lacking meaning or substance; bluster.
hot and bothered
Aggravated or irritated.
hot and cold
Ambivalent; having conflicting emotions.
hot and heavy
Passionate.
hot desking
The working practice of sharing desks or workstations between workers, as a means of savin…
hot garbage
Anything that is extremely bad, low-quality, or worthless.
hot hand
Used in reference to a player who makes a series of successful shots in a game.
hot minute
A long period of time.
hot off the presses
Freshly printed, minted, written, or created.
hot on
Enthusiastic for.
hot on someone's heels
Close behind; pursuing or following closely.
hot on the trail
Synonym of hot on someone's heels.
hot potato
An unwanted problem that is awkward or delicate.
hot sheet
A list of items of high current interest.
hot shit
An exceptionally impressive person or thing
hot stuff
An attractive person. (often used as a come-on or pickup line)
hot under the collar
Angry; agitated.
hot water
A dangerous situation; trouble.
hotter than a pistol
Exceptionally popular, productive, or marketable.
house cooling party
A party to celebrate when a person decides to leave a house or flat, and sometimes to help…
house nigger
A subservient or accultured black person; an Uncle Tom or black race traitor.
house of cards
A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.
house of God
A church.
house of ill fame
A brothel
house poor
In financial difficulty because of the excessive cost of owning a house, or because the co…
how are you
An informal greeting, not requiring a literal response. In form a question, and thus follo…
how come
Why; why is it; for what reason or purpose; due to what cause?
how goes it
An informal greeting roughly equivalent to how are you.
how so
Why; For what reason.
how's the weather
Indicating a change of subject to unimportant topics.
how's tricks
Informal greeting roughly equivalent to How are you? or How's it going?
howl at the moon
To spend considerable time and effort fruitlessly in a hopeless endeavor.
huckleberry above a persimmon
Someone or something that is better than others.
huckleberry above one's persimmon
Something beyond one's power or ability.
hugs and kisses
An informal way to end a letter, email etc. to a loved one.
hum and haw
To procrastinate; to take a long time before doing something or taking a decision.
human touch
The ability of a person to deal with others in a personable and empathetic way.
humble pie
Humility, being humble.
Humpty Dumptyism
The practice of insisting that a word means whatever one wishes it to.
hunch over
To bend or stoop to issues that may not warrant such attention.
hunger sauce
An alluring taste or smell in a food.
hunker down
To take shelter; to prepare oneself for some eventuality; to focus on a task.
hunt where the ducks are
To seek opportunities or results in situations or places where they are most likely to be …
hurler on the ditch
A person standing on the side of a hurling field issuing (unsolicited and usually unwanted…
hurrah's nest
pandemonium (state of chaos and confusion).
hurry up and wait
To hurry to complete a task or arrive at a destination by a specified time, only for nothi…
hurt a fly
To hurt or damage something even a little.
hurt someone's feelings
To offend or emotionally hurt someone.
hustle and bustle
A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.
hutch up
To move slightly (sideways), in order to make room for someone; for example to move in a b…
hydrogen burning
The nucleosynthesis process, in stars of less than 1.2 solar mass, in which hydrogen is co…