Browsing
Idioms starting with J
75 expressions
jack in
To stop doing a regular activity, such as a job or studying.
jack of all trades
One competent in many endeavours, sometimes regarded as not excelling in any of them.
jack of all trades, master of none
A person who has a competent grasp of many skills but who is not outstanding in any one.
Jack Tar
Alternative letter-case form of jacktar.
jam today
The availability of a resource at the present date.
jam tomorrow
Promised benefits that never arrive.
Jane Average
A hypothetical female average or female generic individual; the common woman.
Jane Doe
An unknown or anonymous female; the female equivalent of John Doe.
Jane Hancock
A woman's signature.
Jane Roe
The female equivalent of Richard Roe.
jaw away
to jabber; to gabble; to ramble
Jedi mind trick
A mental feat such as apparently inducing someone to act a certain way or reading someone'…
jerk off
Alternative form of jerkoff (“an obnoxious person”).
jerkin the gherkin
Masturbation.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Expletive, used in surprise, in disgust, or to add emphasis, particularly by Catholics.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Alternative spelling of Jesus, Mary and Joseph using a serial comma.
jet set
A social class of wealthy people who travel for pleasure.
jewel in the crown
The most valuable or important thing or person among others of its kind.
jiak kentang
Westernized; rejecting aspects of one's own culture or heritage in favor of Western ideolo…
jill of all trades
A woman competent in many endeavors rather than only one.
jive turkey
A fool, a chump, a target for jiving.
Joe Average
A hypothetical average or generic individual; the common man (or person, by extension).
Joe Citizen
A hypothetical average or generic citizen; the man on the street.
joe job
An uninteresting, low-level, low-paying job.
Joe Public
A hypothetical average or generic member of the public; the common man (or person, by exte…
Joe Random
A hypothetical average or generic individual; a random, common man.
jog on
go away
jog someone's memory
To cause someone to remember something, suddenly; to spark a memory.
John Citizen
Synonym of John Doe.
John Hancock
A person's signature.
John Henry
One's signature.
John Q. Public
A generic individual; some hypothetical average or ordinary citizen.
Johnny Appleseed
A person, usually a male, who is generous, nurturing, and dedicated to positivity and help…
join forces
To combine labour, to come together, to unite.
join hands
To work together to achieve a common goal.
join issue
Of two people, to argue with one another.
join the club
An expression of sympathy for a shared experience.
joined at the hip
Closely connected, as in an intimate friendship.
jolly along
To keep (someone) happy or compliant, as by encouragement or flattery.
jot and tittle
Often preceded by every: a smallest detail; (uncountable) the smallest details collectivel…
jot down
to write down hurriedly; to make a note of
judge a book by its cover
To make judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.
judge, jury and executioner
Someone with the roles of judge, jury and executioner; someone with full power to judge an…
jug ears
Ears whose plane is markedly not parallel to the plane of the head.
juggling act
A situation in which someone has to deal with several conflicting things simultaneously
juice up
To charge, to charge up.
jump at
To accept something enthusiastically. Usually an opportunity, or chance, or job etc.
jump at the chance
To immediately accept an offer; to seize an opportunity.
jump at the opportunity
To immediately seize a particular opportunity.
jump before one is pushed
to perform an action before being forced to do so.
jump down someone's throat
To criticise with excessive and unexpected harshness.
jump for joy
To exult, rejoice, or feel elation.
jump in one's skin
To start with fright.
jump on
To attack verbally, to criticise excessively.
jump on the bandwagon
To profit from a craze; to join a trend.
jump out
To emerge suddenly.
jump salty
To become angry.
jump someone's bones
To have sex with someone; to initiate the physical move.
jump street
The starting point; the very beginning.
jump the gun
To act or begin too soon or without due caution.
jump the queue
To receive preferential treatment.
jump the shark
Of television program or other narrative, to undergo a storyline development which heralds…
jump through hoops
To put forth great effort to meet requirements, usually arbitrary, set by someone.
jump to conclusions
To make conclusions before being presented with all the evidence.
jungle telegraph
A system used by primitive cultures in remote tropical regions for communication over long…
junkyard dog
An animal or person with an especially nasty and combative demeanor.
jury is out
An outcome or decision is still unknown and awaited.
just a minute
Stop; wait; hold on. Used to interrupt speech or proceedings so that one can make a commen…
just a second
Stop; wait. Used to indicate that the speaker wishes the previous speaker or the proceedin…
just about
Approximately, very nearly.
just another pretty face
Someone who is attractive, but not too distinguished in other areas.
just deserts
A punishment or reward that is considered to be what the recipient deserved.
just folks
Ordinary, unpretentious people; an ordinary, unpretentious person.
just like that
Suddenly and unexpectedly; without warning.
just the same
Anyway; nevertheless.