Browsing
Idioms starting with N
207 expressions
na-na na-na boo-boo
A taunt or putdown, typically used to indicate that the speaker believes he or she has bea…
nail down
to make something (e.g. a decision or plan) firm or certain
nail the hammer on the head
Nonstandard form of hit the nail on the head.
naked ape
A human being.
name and shame
To publish the name of (a person or organization that has committed some transgression) so…
name names
To identify specific people, especially people involved in misdeeds or other secretive act…
name of the game
The essential element (needed to reach the principal goal or objective); the overall purpo…
name one's poison
To indicate what type of alcoholic beverage one wishes to be served.
Nantucket sleigh ride
An instance of the dragging of a whaleboat across the surface of a body of water by a harp…
narrow down
To make more specific.
nasty, brutish, and short
Of a hypothetical state of human life, without a government or society, and marked by cons…
native soil
The country or geographical region where one was born or which one considers to be one's t…
nature abhors a vacuum
Generating and maintaining a near-vacuum is challenging (requiring technical rigor) becaus…
nature calls
Used to indicate that someone (usually the speaker) feels a need to urinate or defecate.
nature of the beast
The unchangeable nature of something.
near and dear
Loved or cared about greatly.
near post
The goalpost nearest from which a cross is made.
nearest and dearest
One's closest and most intimate family members, friends, etc.
nearly man
A man who fails to achieve the success or status that he might potentially have had.
neat and tidy
In a state of good order; tidy.
necessary evil
An unfavorable thing that must be done or accepted, especially because the available alter…
neck and neck
Very close in progress, as in a race or a contest.
neck of the woods
A local neighbourhood or region.
necker's knob
Synonym of Brodie knob.
necktie party
An execution by hanging, especially a lynching.
need one's eyes checked
To be seeing things (having visual hallucinations).
needle drop
A digital copy of a vinyl record
needle in a haystack
Something that is difficult or impossible to locate.
needle mover
A factor which noticeably influences a performance.
needless to say
Clearly, obviously.
negative Nancy
A person who is considered excessively and disagreeably pessimistic.
neither fish nor fowl
Not easily categorized; not rightly belonging or fitting well in a given group or situatio…
neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring
Synonym of neither fish nor fowl (“not easily categorized; not rightly belonging or fittin…
neither here nor there
Having no influence or significance on the issue at hand.
nerves of steel
Great bravery, courage, or composure.
nervous hit
A production which receives generally favorable notice, but is not assured of success.
never in a million years
Absolutely not.
never in a month of Sundays
At no time whatsoever.
never mind
Let alone; much less.
never the twain shall meet
Used to emphasize that two subjects are so different that they cannot coexist or agree wit…
never you mind
Do not concern yourself with it; it is none of your business.
new dawn
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
new hotness
The new popular trend; the latest and greatest thing.
new kid in town
Synonym of new kid on the block.
new kid on the block
Someone or something new to an existing community.
new normal
A current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from …
new school
A style, way of thinking, or method for accomplishing a task that is typical of the curren…
new territory
Synonym of uncharted territory.
new wine in an old bottle
A significant change introduced to an entrenched system or method.
new wine in an old wineskin
Synonym of new wine in an old bottle.
next thing one knows
suddenly, out of the blue.
nice guy
An inoffensive adult male who desires romantic companionship but who is too bland and unin…
nice guys finish last
People who are decent, friendly, and agreeable tend to be unsuccessful because they are ou…
nickel and dime
To charge, or be charged, several unexpected small amounts of money, often in the form of …
nickel nurser
A miser.
nickel tour
Synonym of fifty-cent tour.
nigger nose
An insult, a term of contempt for a black person.
nigger rich
Living ostentatiously; spending money recklessly, especially a limited supply of money.
night in, night out
During every night; continuously.
night out
Spending the evening away from one's usual residence. The phrase typically implies going t…
night owl
One who goes to bed late, or stays up late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
night person
A person whose preference or custom is to remain awake and active during the evening and e…
Nikon choir
A large group of photographers simultaneously capturing images of a celebrity, producing n…
nine times out of ten
Very often, mostly, most of the time.
nine-day wonder
Something that generates interest for a limited time and is then abandoned.
nip and tuck
So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is unce…
nip at
To sip a drink (usually alcoholic) in small amounts.
nip in the bud
To stop something at an early stage.
Nixon in China
Suggesting the ability of a politician with an unassailable reputation among his or her su…
no and low
Designating drinks that contain little or no alcohol.
no biggie
Synonym of no big deal: not important, not something to worry about.
no bones about it
Without any doubt.
no borax, no glue
Denotes that the speaker is seeking or sharing a way to accomplish a difficult task that o…
no buts
Alternative form of no ifs, ands, or buts.
no chance
Absolutely not; under no circumstances.
no comment
An official refusal to relay any further information, used for example in response to a qu…
no dice
An unacceptable alternative.
no flies on
No mental weaknesses, character defects, or other significant flaws belonging to.
no fun at parties
boring or pedantic
no great shakes
Something unexceptional, not noteworthy or special.
no hard feelings
(I, etc.) hold no lingering anger or resentment toward (you, etc.); there's no bad blood b…
no harm, no foul
Although technically a breach of some code or law may have occurred, there was no actual d…
no horse in this race
No vested interest in the outcome of a contest or debate.
no joy
A negative outcome; no success; a failure.
no love lost
Mutual dislike or animosity.
no more
Something that is from a certain point onwards forbidden, or non-existent.
no plan survives contact with the enemy
After a plan against an enemy is drafted, there will be unexpected elements from the oppos…
no pressure
The situation at hand is rife with emotional pressure.
no prize for guessing
Used to form expressions emphasizing the unsurprising nature of what follows
no score
In a sporting event, a score of zero to zero.
no screaming hell
Not particularly effective or impressive; below expectations.
no skin off one's back
No harm to one.
no skin off one's nose
No harm to one.
no skin off one's teeth
Of no consequence to one.
no soap
It is (or was) a failure.
no sooner than
Used to indicate that the second action mentioned is as likely as, or is preferred to, the…
no strings attached
Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.
no time
A very short period of time.
no two ways about it
No other possible action, choice or option.
no way
Absolutely not; under no circumstances.
no ways
Synonym of no way (“absolutely not”).
no-good ass
A contemptible or undesirable person, especially a contemptible or undesirable boyfriend.
no-hit wonder
A recording artist who proves to be commercially successful, or maintains a long career, w…
nod off
To fall asleep, especially unintentionally.
nod out
To become drowsy and fall asleep; nod off.
nodding acquaintance
A casual or partial familiarity; a relationship which is not close or fully developed; an …
non-denial denial
A statement which appears to deny that something is true, but which, when examined careful…
none of someone's business
A matter (especially a private or personal one) that someone is not entitled to be involve…
none other than
Used to qualify a person whose eminence may be more than one would expect in the given sit…
none the wiser
Not at all aware of something that has happened; oblivious to an incident or occurrence.
nook and cranny
A place or part of a place, especially one that is small, remote, or tedious to access.
nook or cranny
A place or part of a place, especially one that is small, remote, or tedious to access.
north forty
Farms, ranches, or agricultural land collectively.
north of
More, higher or greater than.
nose about
To snoop around; to discreetly or covertly search or examine a place or situation.
nose around
To snoop around; to discreetly or covertly search or examine a place or situation.
nose count
Synonym of headcount.
nose out of joint
An emotional state where someone is in a bad mood because they have been offended by or ta…
nose test
An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, b…
nose to the grindstone
Hard at work.
not a chance
Absolutely not; no way.
not a minute too soon
at the last possible moment; just in time
not a pretty sight
Something disappointing, disquieting, disreputable, or otherwise unworthy of admiration.
not as black as one is painted
not as bad as one is said to be
not at all
A conventional reply to an expression of gratitude.
not be able to hit the broad side of a barn
To have very poor aim, such as while using firearms or in sports.
not be caught dead
To refuse completely to do something, generally out of scorn.
not by a jugful
Not by a long way; not at all.
not by any means
Not at all, not in the slightest
not cricket
Unsportsmanlike.
not do someone any favors
To reflect badly on or to hurt in some way.
not do someone any favours
Alternative form of not do someone any favors.
not enough to hang a dog on
Of evidence, not strong or compelling; with very little or insubstantial evidence.
not for the world
Absolutely not; under no circumstances. A defiant no.
not grow on trees
To be rare, not abundant, not easily acquired.
not half bad
Pretty good, imperfect but more than OK.
not have a leg to stand on
To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation.
not have a prayer
To have no chance or possibility, usually in the face of peril or adversity.
not hit a cow's arse with a banjo
To have poor aim, or to miss even an easy opportunity, particularly in sports.
not in a million
Alternative form of never in a million years.
not in a million years
Alternative form of never in a million years.
not in Kansas anymore
No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings.
not in the least
not at all, not in any way
not in the slightest
not at all, not in any way
not invented here
Invented outside one's own organization (referring to the knee-jerk dismissal of products,…
not just a pretty face
Something that is more useful, versatile, or intrinsically valuable than might be assumed.
not know what one is missing
To be missing out on something enjoyable.
not leave one's thoughts
To remain in one's mind for a long duration.
not likely
Absolutely not; under no circumstances; no way.
not long for this world
Unlikely to endure for much more time.
not look a day over
To appear to be no older chronologically than a certain age.
not much of anything
Very little; not a lot.
not on your life
Absolutely not; under no circumstances.
not on your nelly
not on your life, an emphatic form of no.
not one's first rodeo
Not the first time one has been in a particular situation; used to indicate past experienc…
not quite
almost, very nearly
not see someone for dust
To not see someone at all; implying a hasty departure.
not so fast
Used to tell someone to cease doing something or to call into question what someone has sa…
not the end of the world
(It's of) minor importance, at least not as important as it first seemed.
not to brag
Prepended to praise of oneself or one's own doings, as a form of modesty.
not to mention
An apophasis used by a speaker to introduce, despite claiming not to address, a given poin…
not to put too fine a point on it
Used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement one is making; to put it bluntly; to e…
not touch with a barge pole
To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; (signifies a stron…
not touch with a ten-foot pole
To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; signifies a strong…
not want to do that
To be in a state of doing or being about to do something that one is likely to regret; usu…
not win for losing
To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.
not worth a brass farthing
Worth nothing or next to nothing.
not worth a Continental
worthless, lacking in value, especially due to economic inflation.
not worth a dime
Worthless or nearly so: lacking in value.
not worth a plug nickel
Having no or almost no value; worthless.
not worth a whistle
Worthless or pointless.
not worth hell room
worthless
not worth salt
Worthless.
not worth writing home about
Being nothing to write home about; unremarkable and mediocre.
not your father's
Recently changed, made unconventional through modernisation.
notch on one's bedpost
A sexual conquest; a casual sexual partner.
nothing doing
Absolutely not; definitely no.
nothing for it
No alternative; nothing else to be done or to have recourse to.
nothing if not
Certainly; definitely; (sometimes also obliquely) thoroughly; wholly; to a high degree; ex…
nothing less than
Certainly and completely: definitely, and wholly rather than merely mostly.
nothing more than
Merely.
nothing short of
Fully; completely.
nothing to it
Easy; simple or straightforward.
nothing to write home about
Not exceptional; not noteworthy or especially good.
nourish a viper in one's bosom
To do acts of kindness that will be met with ingratitude and will cause one harm in the en…
now and again
Synonym of occasionally, sometimes, intermittently.
now and then
Synonym of occasionally, sometimes, intermittently.
now for
Used to introduce something that is to occur or be presented next.
now or never
At this sole opportunity or time, or not at all.
now you mention it
Used to precede another comment about something just mentioned.
now you're cooking
Used to praise someone for adopting a more effective or suitable method or approach, or to…
now you're talking
A phrase indicating agreement with a previously stated suggestion to change a course of ac…
now, more than ever
Used to emphasize the increased urgency or importance of something in the present moment c…
nowhere to be found
not present; missing or lost.
Nubian queen
A woman of African heritage, usually a conceited or unpleasant one.
nuclear option
In resolving a problem, the possible course of action that is considered the most extreme …
nudge nudge wink wink
A phrase used to hint that the speaker is euphemistically referring to something else.
nugget of truth
A small amount of truth in a generally untrue statement.
nuke the fridge
To suddenly include a strange or illogical event, often leading to radical and often disap…
null and void
Invalid, cancelled, unenforceable.
number games
A numbers game: the use of inappropriate statistics (numbers) to reflect a desired result …
number one
First; foremost; best, often used after its headword.
number one with a bullet
Superlative; impossible to beat.
Nuremberg defense
An explanation offered as an excuse for behaving in a criminal or wrongful manner, claimin…
nut-cutting time
Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming com…
nuts and bolts
The basic inner workings of something; the fundamentals; that which makes something operat…
nuts to butts
Arranged in close formation, one behind the other; nose to tail.