Browsing
Idioms starting with P
626 expressions
p'd off
Alternative spelling of peed off.
pack fudge
To perform anal sex.
pack heat
To carry one or more handguns on one's person, especially in a concealed manner.
pack in
To give up, to quit.
pack of lies
Total lies, complete untruth
pack shit
To be scared or frightened.
packaged goods
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see packaged, goods.
packed to the gills
Completely packed; very full or crowded.
packed to the rafters
Completely full (of things, of stuff); packed; stuffed.
pact of silence
A tacit agreement not to discuss a certain topic
pad out
To add something extra to something to make it appear more substantial.
padded cell
A room in a mental hospital lined with padding on the walls, and often a cushioned floor, …
paddle one's own canoe
To independently make the decisions or perform the duties, tasks, etc. which are one's own…
pain in the ass
Something or someone that causes discomfort, frustration, or annoyance.
pain in the neck
Someone or something which is annoying, irritating or inconvenient.
painful on the eyes
Ugly, disagreeable to look at.
paint a rosy picture
To describe a situation or prospective set of events in an upbeat, optimistic manner.
paint oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no go…
paint the town red
To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.
paint the wagon
To get things done.
paint with a broad brush
To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific …
painting rocks
pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment bu…
pair of shoes
A case or situation that is different from another.
paisa vasool
bang for the buck; cost-effective, value for money, worthwhile
palace intrigue
A situation in which powerful individuals within an organization are working against each …
palace politics
The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers…
pale in comparison
To appear small or unimportant in relation to something else.
pale rider
Death, the Grim Reaper or angel of death; and one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
palm off
To sell or dispose of (something) with the intent to deceive; to attempt to pass off a cou…
pancakes and waffles
A response which misrepresents an opponent's argument, i.e., a straw man.
Pandora's box
A source of unforeseen trouble.
paper tiger
Something or someone that appears powerful, strong or threatening but is in reality weak, …
paper trail
A written record, history, or collection of evidence.
par for the course
To be expected; normal; common.
parade passed someone by
Someone missed out on the joys of life, an opportunity, or popular movement
paradise on earth
An ideal or idyllic place.
parcel out
To divide into portions or chunks; to ration.
pardon me
Sorry; said as an apology.
pardon my French
To excuse the speaker's frankness of expression or profanity.
pare down
To reduce by paring or a similar gradual process.
park that thought
Alternative form of hold that thought.
park the bus
To attempt to stop the opposition team from scoring a goal by playing extremely defensivel…
parting of the ways
a separation of two things or people because of a disagreement, a point of divergence, esp…
parting shot
An insult or barbed comment issued as the speaker departs or the conversation comes to an …
party animal
A person known for frequent, enthusiastic attendance at parties, especially one whose part…
party cry
A distinctive slogan, chant or exclamation associated with a political party, movement or …
party hardy
To party very hard, possibly not remembering later what happened at the party.
party hearty
To engage in unrestrained merriment.
party in one's mouth
An exciting combination of flavors.
party like it's 1999
To party intensely, particularly when reckless or pessimistic.
party on
To continue having fun, celebrating, or enjoying oneself.
party to
Privy to; having knowledge of.
pass away
To die.
pass muster
To meet or exceed a particular standard.
pass on
To die.
pass the bottle of smoke
To acquiesce in some falsehood; to make pretence.
pass the buck
To transfer responsibility or blame from oneself onto another; to absolve oneself of conce…
pass the hat
To ask for money, especially from a group of people; to solicit donations or contributions…
pass the river
To die.
pass the torch
To transfer responsibility.
pass under the yoke
Of a defeated army, to be humiliated by the victors.
pass up
To refuse (not accept); forgo.
paste up
To paste (things) into position, especially in layout and page makeup.
pat on the back
To praise or congratulate.
patch up
To repair by adding a patch.
patience of a saint
Synonym of patience of an angel.
patience of an angel
A great deal of patience.
patience of Job
A great amount of patience.
patience of Mother Teresa
A great deal of patience.
pave the road to hell
To lead to a disaster by acting with good intentions.
pave the way
To make future progress or development easier.
pay a visit
To visit.
pay attention
To attend; to be attentive; to focus one's attention.
pay dividends
To bring about something good as a result of past effort or actions.
pay heed
To give attention; to heed.
pay homage to
to show honor or respect to; to honor; to do, make or pay obeisance to
pay off old scores
To settle old grudges by taking revenge.
pay one's debt to society
To serve time in prison or a similar correctional facility.
pay one's dues
To acquire status or to earn the right to enjoy certain benefits, especially through lengt…
pay packet
The amount a person earns from employment.
pay the bills
To provide enough income to sustain one's lifestyle.
pay the fiddler
To face the consequences of one's actions.
pay the freight
To bear the cost.
pay the penalty
To incur negative consequences of one's deeds; to suffer as a result of some choice.
pay the piper
To pay expenses for something, and thus be in a position to be in control.
pay the price
To incur the negative consequences of (one’s own or someone else’s) actions or decisions.
pay the rent
To provide reparation or compensation to Indigenous Australians based on the claim that th…
pay through the nose
To pay an exorbitant or excessive amount, either in money or in some other manner.
pea patch
A baseball field.
pea-time is past
Something is ruined or gone beyond recall.
peaches and cream
Of a facial complexion: smooth, unblemished, with attractive yellow-pink coloring.
peanut butter
To spread resources too thin.
peanut gallery
Any source of heckling, unwelcome commentary or criticism, especially from a know-it-all o…
pearl of wisdom
A succinct, insightful saying, piece of advice, or moral precept.
pearls before swine
Something of value, beauty, refinement, or wisdom left to people who will not appreciate i…
pearly whites
Teeth.
pebble in one's shoe
A small and bothersome issue that may worsen over time.
pedal to the metal
At maximum speed.
pee in one's pants
To laugh uncontrollably.
pee in someone's cornflakes
Alternative form of piss in someone's cornflakes.
pee on someone's cornflakes
Alternative form of piss in someone's cornflakes.
pee one's pants
To wet oneself; to urinate in one's clothes while wearing them.
peed off
Annoyed, irritated, angry.
peel out
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce …
peel the onion
To investigate a matter more deeply, usually step by step, each step leading to a new disc…
peep of day
The very beginning of the day; the crack of dawn; daybreak, dawn.
peg down
To identify clearly.
peg the needle
To achieve the maximum level of something, to max out, to pull out all the stops.
pelt of the dog
An immoderate, excessive quantity of alcohol drunk the morning after whilst suffering with…
pen picture
A written description, often biographical.
penalty box
A temporary punishment, or, metaphorically, a similar setback (e.g., loss of control, emba…
pencil in
To provisionally schedule.
pencil whip
To approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being appro…
penny for your thoughts
Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appe…
penny in the fusebox
An improvised repair made with no regard for safety.
penny pincher
One who spends little money; one who is very frugal or cautious with money.
penny wedding
A wedding at which the guests contribute payments in order to fund the event and to benefi…
penny wise and pound foolish
Prudent and thrifty with small amounts of money, but wasteful with large amounts.
people mountain people sea
crowded or jam-packed with people
people person
One who interacts skilfully with other people and who receives satisfaction from such inte…
pep in one's step
A confident, happy, energetic or enthusiastic mood or manner.
permanent shave
A throat-slitting.
perp walk
The intentional public display before news cameras of a person in police custody, especial…
person from Porlock
One whose inconvenient interruption prevents the completion of something important.
personal capital
Good reputation, credibility, or influence.
Peter Pan syndrome
The supposed psychological phenomenon of immaturity among some men, who, like the fictiona…
phone in
To fulfill a responsibility with a minimum effort rather than the appropriate level of eff…
phone tag
A situation in which two individuals attempting to contact each other by telephone repeate…
physical break
A short break in a meeting or in a classroom setting, intended to improve attention by giv…
physician, heal thyself
One should attend to one's own flaws or defects before presuming to advise others about th…
pick apart
To review or analyse in great detail
pick at
To touch, grab, handle, or pull tentatively or gingerly, using a utensil or one's fingers.
pick corners
To choose a preference (as in predicting which boxer will win a match).
pick holes
To find weaknesses, errors or imperfections (in).
pick of the litter
The best person or item in a group; the best that one has to offer.
pick on someone your own size
An admonition of cowardice, usually said to make someone cease harassing or bullying someo…
pick one's battles
To involve oneself in disputes only if one is likely to win.
pick one's nose
To insert a finger or other object into one's nostril to remove obstructions, especially d…
pick out
To distinguish; discern.
pick someone's brain
To seek information from someone knowledgeable; to ask questions of someone.
pick up on
To notice, observe, learn, or understand, especially something otherwise overlooked.
pick up one's marbles and go home
To abruptly leave or abandon a situation or activity in which one is dissatisfied with the…
pick up stitches
To add stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to t…
pick up the pace
To begin moving or working faster.
pick up the pieces
To restore one's life (or a given situation etc.) to a normal state, after a calamity, sho…
pick up the tab
To accept a bill and pay it, especially at a bar or restaurant.
pick up the threads
To resume an activity after an interruption; to pick up.
pick up what someone is putting down
To understand, pay attention to, or learn from what someone says or does.
pickin' and grinnin'
Vigorous playing of folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the…
pie in the sky
A fanciful notion; an unrealistic or ludicrous concept; the illusory promise of a desired …
piece of ass
An act of sexual intercourse, especially a one-night stand.
piece of cake
A job, task or other activity that is pleasant or, by extension, easy or simple.
piece of crap
Synonym of piece of shit.
piece of shit
A bad thing; an object of poor quality.
piece of someone
A chance to find out something interesting about someone.
piece of tail
Synonym of piece of ass.
piece of the action
A portion of the monetary gains or other benefits produced by some venture or activity; a …
piece of the pie
A piece of the action.
piece of the puzzle
A clue that contributes to the solution of a mystery.
piece of work
A person who has a strong and unusual personality, especially one with seriously unpleasan…
Pierian spring
The source of knowledge, inspiration, or learning.
piffy on a rock bun
A person ignored or sidelined from an activity
pig in a poke
Something whose true value is concealed or unknown and may be lower than expected by the b…
pigs can fly
Alternative form of pigs might fly.
pigs might fly
A response (often with a hint of sarcasm) to a situation which one thinks that there is no…
pile Pelion on Ossa
To make a difficult situation even worse.
pile up
To collect or accumulate, as a backlog.
pill in the pocket
A medication, usually prescribed by a physician, which the patient is to carry with them, …
pill mill
A clandestine operation where a medical worker illicitly offers prescription medication to…
pillow talk
Conversation shared by bedmates, particularly intimate conversation after sexual intercour…
pin down
To identify something (e.g. a decision or plan) clearly or specifically.
pin money
A relatively small sum of cash kept in one's personal possession for routine expenses or i…
pinch one off
To defecate.
pine away
To mourn or grieve so intensely as to slowly decline in health, vitality or energy.
pink slip
A notice of termination of employment.
pip to the post
To overcome a strong competitor in a sporting event, especially by gaining a small advanta…
pipe down
To be quiet; to refrain from being noisy.
pipe dream
A desire or idea which is unlikely to materialize, or a plan which is unlikely to work; a …
pipe in
To interrupt a conversation with a comment.
pipe the eye
To weep.
piping hot
Very hot.
piping times
A pleasant era.
piping times of peace
A time of peace and goodness.
piss about
To joke or play.
piss and moan
To complain, especially needlessly and loudly.
piss around
Synonym of piss about.
piss away
To spend wastefully.
piss in someone's cornflakes
To disappoint or irritate someone.
piss like a racehorse
To urinate profusely, especially in reference to a profound need to do so.
piss money up the wall
To waste money, normally through ineptness in business.
piss off
Go away!
piss on
To express contempt and disrespect for someone or something, or to act accordingly.
piss on someone's cornflakes
Alternative form of piss in someone's cornflakes.
piss on someone's parade
To rain on someone's parade.
pissed off
Very annoyed, upset, angry.
pissing war
An immature dispute over some trivial matter.
pit against
To set in opposition to someone or something else.
pitch in
To help out; lend assistance; contribute; to do one's part to help.
pity fuck
An act of sexual intercourse performed out of pity for the other person's inadequate sex l…
pixel peeper
A person who carefully scrutinizes a magnified digital photograph in order to evaluate res…
pizza table
A small, inedible, table-shaped object that sits on a pizza pie and holds up the top of th…
place of business
A place where business is conducted, such as an office or a single shop in a franchise.
place to be
A great, trendy, or perfectly suitable place
plain dealing
Straightforward and honest.
plant a seed
To do something that will produce results or change in the future.
plant one's feet
To insist on something firmly or with stubbornness.
play a part
To be involved in such a way to affect the outcome, to be a contributing factor.
play a role
To have an effect or influence on a situation or outcome; to contribute to something.
play all one's cards
To use all one's resources.
play along
To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.
play around
To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage.
play back
To replay a recording.
play ball
To start anything tumultuous.
play booty
To hustle (play deliberately badly at a game or sport in an attempt to encourage players t…
play both sides against the middle
To manipulate opponents or competitors in a manner which benefits the manipulator.
play by ear
To do by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur, often …
play chicken
As a risky test of courage, to drive two vehicles directly toward one another in order to …
play Cupid
To act as a matchmaker, trying to coerce or induce two people into a romantic relationship…
play down
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
play dumb
To pretend to be dumb, either:
play fast and loose
To ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits one's purpose.
play first fiddle
To play a leading role.
play for love
To play a game of cards without stakes.
play for time
To delay a situation until one is prepared.
play games
To deceive; to lie about one's intentions.
play hard to get
Of a courtship, to be coy; to feign lack of romantic interest in a certain person, so as t…
play hardball
To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.
play hob with
mess with, cause trouble for
play hooky
To play truant; to avoid (informally: skip) school, work, or other duties (stay away from …
play in Peoria
To receive widespread acceptance among members of the general American public.
play it cheap
To be frugal or stingy.
play it cool
to act cool
play it for all it's worth
to take full advantage of
play it straight
To behave in a manner that is straightforward, honest, or sincere.
play merry havoc with
Synonym of play the devil with.
play merry hell with
Synonym of play the devil with.
play Old Gooseberry
To suddenly put a stop to a disturbance by force or threats.
play Old Harry
To play the devil; to make mischief.
play Old Harry with
Synonym of play the devil with.
play on someone's heartstrings
To produce strong emotions of sadness or pity in someone.
play on words
A pun, or similar humorous use of language such as a double entendre.
play one against another
To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the pe…
play one's cards right
To act correctly; to make the right moves.
play one's part
Synonym of play a part.
play politics
to act or say something according to political ambition, self-interest, and gamesmanship i…
play possum
To feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lie…
play second fiddle
To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
play silly buggers
To act in a stupid or reckless manner.
play someone like a fiddle
To play (manipulate) (a person) skillfully.
play someone like a violin
To control or manipulate someone, especially by playing on their emotions.
play the angles
To seek ways to advance one's self-interest, especially by making choices in a calculating…
play the ball and not the man
To object to someone's argument by attacking the argument itself instead of them or a face…
play the cat and banjo with
Synonym of play the devil with.
play the deuce with
Synonym of play the devil with.
play the devil with
To cause great trouble or distress to.
play the dickens with
Synonym of play the devil with.
play the field
To have numerous romantic partners, without or before committing exclusively to one.
play the fool
To behave in a foolish or comical manner.
play the gender card
To assert that sexism is involved in a situation, especially in order to exploit sexist or…
play the hand one is dealt
To use the resources which one actually has available; to operate realistically, within th…
play the man and not the ball
To object to someone's argument by attacking them or a facet of their personality instead …
play the mischief with
Synonym of play the devil with.
play the Nazi card
To invoke the reductio ad Hitlerum argument in a dialogue or debate.
play the ponies
to bet on horse racing.
play the race card
To assert that race or racism is involved in a situation, especially in order to exploit r…
play the same tape
To repeat exactly what one previously said or did.
play the something card
To mention something to obtain some advantage in conversation.
play the victim card
To portray oneself as an innocent victim instead of taking responsibility.
play the wag
To play truant (be absent from school without permission).
play to the gallery
To appeal to the least sophisticated parts of an audience in order to obtain maximum appro…
play to win
To make a special, determined effort to achieve general success or a particular goal, in l…
play up
To misbehave.
play well with others
To habitually demonstrate interpersonal skills by engaging agreeably in social or work act…
play with a full deck
To behave in a manner suggesting that one is of normal intelligence, alert, and mentally s…
play with fire
To put oneself in a precarious situation with a high risk of getting harmed, particularly …
play with house money
To be in a situation where little or no personal risk can be incurred.
pleased with oneself
To be happy about one's accomplishments, especially, to be more proud more than one should…
pleasure oneself
To masturbate.
plough a lonely furrow
To carry out an action in isolation, or in an original way, without any help or support fr…
plough money
To invest money in a project or endeavor, especially to help it succeed or earn more money…
plough one's way
To make one's way.
plough the back forty
To engage in sexual intercourse.
plow on
To continue with a menial, tedious, or time-consuming task.
plow one's way
Alternative spelling of plough one's way.
plow the sands
to spend considerable time and effort to do something useless; to waste time
plow with one's heifer
To have an affair with another man's wife or to deal with the wife in order to obtain some…
plug in
To connect (an electrical device) to a plug socket.
plug into
To become aware of or knowledgeable about.
plumber's helper
A plunger, consisting of a large suction cup attached to a stick and used to remove blocka…
plunge in
To start a new endeavor enthusiastically and wholeheartedly, though possibly without exper…
poacher turned gamekeeper
A person now charged with protecting what they formerly preyed upon.
pocket dial
To accidentally make a call this way.
pocket up
To receive (an insult, an affront, etc.) without open resentment, or without seeking redre…
poetry in motion
Fluid, graceful movement.
pogi point
A brownie point earned by a man who curries favor with a female courtship partner or her p…
point blank
Directly; bluntly; without pretense or caution.
point fingers
To accuse people of being responsible for something bad.
point man
A most trusted assistant or associate; the person upon whom one would most rely.
point out
To identify among a group of similar subjects, or in a scene where the subject might not b…
point the finger at
To accuse or blame (someone).
point up
To emphasise or stress; to draw attention to.
poison pen
A manner, means, or tone of expression had by a written work, characterized by spitefulnes…
poison-pen letter
A missive which is malicious, insulting, and/or defamatory toward a person, organization, …
poisoned chalice
Something which is initially regarded as advantageous but which is later recognized to be …
poke holes in
To criticize someone by finding flaws or weaknesses in their work or to criticize somethin…
poke one's nose into
Synonym of stick one's nose into.
poke someone's eye out
To damage or harm someone's eye to the point that it can no longer see.
poke the bear
To deliberately aggravate somebody, especially somebody in a position of power or authorit…
poles apart
Totally opposite.
polish a turd
To work on a time-consuming and ultimately pointless or impossible task; to try to perfect…
polish off
To finish completely, especially a food (polish the plate with one's tongue) or liquor.
Polish parliament
A deliberative but indecisive institution.
polite fiction
A social scenario in which all participants are aware of a truth, but pretend to believe i…
political football
A contentious political issue or problem that is often debated or discussed, but that rema…
politically correct
Sensitive to giving offense on the grounds of race, sex, etc.
pony in the barn
An exciting and real prospect, something to be legitimately excited about.
poop factory
An infant.
poop in one's pants
to become extremely frightened.
poop machine
An animal whose defecation inconveniences humans.
poop oneself
Synonym of soil oneself.
poophole loophole
The idea that a woman can remain a virgin by engaging in anal rather than vaginal sex.
poor as a church mouse
Very poor, to the point of starving or begging; utterly destitute.
poor as a rat
Synonym of poor as a church mouse.
poor little rich boy
An unhappy young man from a wealthy background.
poor little rich girl
An unhappy young woman from a wealthy background.
poor man's shilling
Honesty.
poor power
Limited ability.
pop in
To pay a visit in an impromptu manner.
pop one's cork
To become explosively angry.
pop one's wad
To ejaculate; to cum.
pop someone's cherry
To take the virginity of someone.
pop the cherry
To break the hymen.
pop the question
To propose marriage.
pop up
To appear without warning.
popcorn movie
A motion picture without serious dramatic content, a weighty message, or intellectual dept…
pope's nose
The tail end piece of a cooked fowl (chicken, turkey etc.).
porcelain god
A commode; a toilet bowl.
porcelain goddess
A toilet bowl.
porcelain skin
smooth skin
pork up
To add spending, especially targeted spending, to legislation in order to get votes for it…
positive Polly
Someone who is excessively upbeat, encouraging and optimistic, often to the point where it…
poster boy
A male exemplar of some trait.
poster child
One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.
poster girl
A female exemplar of some trait.
pot calling the kettle black
A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the acc…
potato chaser
An Asian person with a strong inclination and attraction toward white people.
Potemkin village
Any false construct devised to disguise a shortcoming or improve appearances.
potter's clay
A person or people created and shaped by God.
potter's field
A public place where strangers, paupers, and criminals are buried.
potty mouth
The characteristic of regularly using vulgar language, especially strong profanities.
pound a beat
Of a police officer, to walk a regular route.
pound of flesh
Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to …
pound sand
To engage in a simple, useless activity that anyone would reasonably know how to perform.
pound the pavement
To travel on foot; to walk or run.
pour cold water on
Synonym of throw cold water on (“to belittle or dismiss”).
pour cold water over
Synonym of throw cold water on.
pour down the drain
To waste prior work by subsequent bad decisions.
pour fuel on the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
pour gasoline on the fire
Synonym of add fuel to the fire.
pour honey in one's ear
To tell one something pleasing or flattering.
pour honey on
To praise or encourage wholeheartedly.
pour oil on troubled waters
To calm, appease or quiet a person or situation.
pour one out
To express respect or tribute for someone or something that is lost or gone.
pour one's heart out
To express one's innermost thoughts or feelings effusively.
power behind the throne
Someone who appears to be without special status, but who has great covert influence on a …
power coffee
A working session or seminar at which important discussions may be held, and important dec…
power grab
An attempt to gain authority in an oppressive or unscrupulous way.
power lunch
A working lunch at which bosses make business decisions or hold important discussions.
power luncher
One who attends or participates in a power lunch.
power lunching
The act or practice of holding or organizing power lunches.
power of the pencil
The authority to charge a punter's gambling or other bills to the casino.
power of the purse
The control of finances by one group used as a check on the power of another group.
powers that be
The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially if seen as being …
prairie dog
To pop up from a hole or similar in a manner that resembles the way a prairie dog pops his…
praise to the skies
To praise or laud (someone or something) excessively.
praise with faint damns
To provide minimal critique, implying that the criticism is the worst that could be said o…
prawn cocktail offensive
a strategy of the Labour Party in winning over important people in the world of finance
pray tell
Expressing incredulity, please explain (some claim or position the speaker doubts).
pray to the porcelain god
Synonym of worship the porcelain god (“to vomit into a toilet bowl”).
pray to the porcelain goddess
Synonym of worship the porcelain god (“to vomit into a toilet bowl”).
preach in the desert
To speak to or persuade a nearly nonexistent audience, or to an audience not listening.
preach to deaf ears
To attempt to persuade a party that does not wish to listen or cannot be altered in its co…
preach to the choir
To speak as if to convince a person or group of something they already believe.
preach water and drink wine
To act hypocritically; to fail to practice what one preaches.
precious little
Almost nothing; hardly anything.
prepare the ground
To carry out any preliminary work that will enable something to occur.
present company excepted
These negative remarks do not pertain to anyone who is currently listening to them (includ…
preserved in aspic
Unchanged, especially if contrary to expectation.
press into service
To make someone perform a task or duty, especially one they are not prepared or willing to…
press on
To persist, to continue to advance.
press the flesh
To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.
press the panic button
To start to panic.
pressed for time
in a hurry, without spare time.
pretty penny
Chiefly preceded by a: a considerable amount of money; a high income or price.
pretty pictures
Image supplements in a presentation: graphs, charts, etc.
pretzel up
To make or become confused, perplexed, twisted or entangled.
prevail upon
To convince; to persuade.
price is right
The cost of a thing is reasonable and represents good value.
price of eggs
Something that is relevant or important, usually used to emphasize that another, compared …
price of tea in China
Something that is relevant or important, usually used to emphasize that another, compared …
price on someone's head
A compensation for capturing or killing someone, especially a criminal.
price out
To exclude (someone) from a market due to rising or unaffordable prices.
prim and proper
prudish, straight-laced
prime of life
The period of one's mature life when one is at a peak of health and performance.
prime the pump
To engage in deficit spending.
primitive type
A data type provided by a programming language as a basic building block, such as integer,…
private credit
An aspect of the shadow banking system involving assets defined by non-bank lending where …
private eye
A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.
pro tip
A useful piece of advice.
problem child
Someone or something persistently difficult or vexing; a frequent source of trouble or ann…
professional suicide
An action by a person that is expected to ruin their own career.
professional victim
A person who makes it their business to appear perpetually offended and victimized.
progressive love
A committed open relationship based on boosting the love and affection opportunities avail…
Promised Land
Any place to which one eagerly seeks to go and which one expects to greatly improve one's …
prop up
To be at the bottom of (a league).
prop up the bar
To spend time drinking alcohol at the bar in a pub.
prophet of doom
a pessimistic person who sees possible calamity in every situation.
protest too much
To insist so passionately about something that people suspect the opposite of what one is …
Protestant work ethic
A strong work ethic.
proud as a peacock
Extremely proud.
psyched up
In a state of heightened mental preparedness for a difficult or hazardous enterprise, or o…
psychological warfare
A mentally manipulative approach to warfare involving use of techniques to demoralize or i…
public intellectual
A well-known, intelligent, learned person whose written works and other social and cultura…
public purse
A quantity of money collected by a government through taxation and other methods, and used…
publicity hound
A person who constantly seeks public attention, especially through coverage in the broadca…
puddle jumper
A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airport…
pull a face
To make an abnormal facial expression, either intentionally or because of an emotion.
pull a fast one
To carry out a trick or act of deception; to behave contrary to expectations.
pull a lever
To vote.
pull a rabbit out of a hat
To do something surprising and beneficial that is unexpected.
pull ahead
To move into a winning position (e.g. in a race or competition).
pull an all-nighter
To stay awake throughout the night, usually when working or studying.
pull away
To move ahead.
pull back the curtain
To reveal an underlying truth.
pull faces
To make abnormal facial expressions, especially for amusement or to ridicule another perso…
pull for
To root for, support, or encourage (someone).
pull in
To approach or drive up to a place and come to a stop; to park by driving frontways into a…
pull in one's horns
To become less impassioned, aggressive, or argumentative; to exercise restraint; to yield …
pull off
To achieve, accomplish, succeed at (something difficult).
pull one's finger out
To stop wasting time in preliminaries, and concentrate on the important task.
pull one's pud
Synonym of dick around.
pull one's punches
Alternative form of pull punches.
pull one's socks up
To start making an effort; to renew or redouble one's efforts.
pull one's weight
To contribute fairly and proportionately to a group effort; to do the work that one is obl…
pull oneself together
To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused; to regain control of oneself
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps
To begin an enterprise or recover from a setback without any outside help; to succeed only…
pull out
To remove something from a container.
pull out all the stops
To hold back or reserve nothing.
pull out of one's arse
Alternative form of pull out of one's ass.
pull out of one's ass
To fabricate (a factual-sounding claim) from no factual basis or evidence.
pull out of the fire
To save from impending failure, destruction, or defeat.
pull out of the hat
To select at random, or seemingly at random.
pull over
To come to a stop, and turn off the road (i.e. onto the roadside or hard shoulder).
pull someone's leg
To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implie…
pull someone's plumes
To humble, to puncture the pride of
pull strings
To manipulate a situation, especially by asking favours of others; to use one's influence …
pull teeth
To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.
pull the ladder up after oneself
Alternative form of pull the ladder up behind oneself.
pull the ladder up behind oneself
To prevent others from attaining or benefiting from the same advantages, opportunities, or…
pull the long bow
Synonym of draw the long bow (“to exaggerate; to tell tall tales”).
pull the other leg
In imperative/precative form, used to imply that the speaker does not accept or believe wh…
pull the other one, it's got bells on
Expresses disbelief.
pull the rug out from under
To suddenly remove support from.
pull the shutters down
To shut down, terminate, or ignore.
pull the trigger
To commit to a course of action.
pull the wool over someone's eyes
To deceive someone.
pull up
To fetch for display on a screen.
pull up on
To come to, visit.
pull up stakes
To prepare to move one's (usually temporary) habitation, especially rapidly.
pulling power
A person's ability to attract other people sexually.
pulling the plug
passive euthanasia
pump out
to produce in large quantities
pump someone's tires
To praise, encourage, or vigorously support someone.
pumpkin head
A severe head injury resulting from a beating.
punch above one's weight
To (attempt to) achieve or perform at a higher level than would be expected based on one's…
punch below one's weight
To achieve or perform at a level lower than should be expected based on one's preparation,…
punch someone's lights out
To give someone a serious beating using one's fists; to punch someone until he or she is u…
punch someone's ticket
To put someone, especially oneself, in a position to advance or to achieve a desired objec…
push against an open door
To do something pointless or unnecessary; to try doing something already done.
push in
To jump the queue, especially in a forceful manner.
push it
To make an extraordinary or risky effort; to behave in a way which tests the limits; to ta…
push on
To persist, persevere.
push one's luck
To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after ha…
push one's way
to make one's way by pushing.
push the boat out
To do something, especially spend money, more extravagantly than usual, particularly for a…
push the envelope
To go beyond established limits; to pioneer.
push up daisies
To be dead.
push water uphill
To try to achieve a goal despite huge resistance or nearly futile awkwardness, the task be…
put a band-aid on a bullet wound
To inadequately treat a serious situation.
put a blanket over
Make (something) seem less serious.
put a bug in someone's ear
To make a small suggestion or give a hint that causes the listener to act.
put a damper on
To stop people from enjoying an activity.
put a foot wrong
To make a mistake.
put a gun to someone's head
To compel someone (to do something); to create a situation in which someone has no alterna…
put a hat on a hat
To do something unnecessary, to go over the top
put a lid on
To get under control, to prevent (something) from increasing or becoming more of a problem…
put a lid on it
To be quiet; to shut up; to stop talking about something or making noise.
put a shift in
To work hard; to make an effort
put a slight upon
To insult, disrespect, or belittle someone or something.
put a sock in it
To stop talking; to be quiet; to shut one's mouth.
put a stop to
To terminate or abolish something.
put all one's eggs in one basket
To rely on a single source (as of income), rather than diversifying.
put an end to
To terminate or abolish.
put back
To drink fast; to knock down alcohol.
put batteries in someone's back
To enable, encourage, or incite, especially in order to do one's bidding; to fuel or spur.
put butter on one's bread
To earn money.
put case
To take as a hypothesis; to suppose (that).
put daylight between oneself and someone
To increase or create distance or difference between people or objects.
put down
To insult, belittle, or demean.
put down as
To assume the particularity of someone's character based on very little information.
put down for
To record that someone has offered to help, or contribute something.
put down roots
To establish oneself in a place; to become settled.
put down to
To ascribe; to assume to be the cause of a situation.
put facts on the ground
To quietly or incrementally change the de facto situation in one's favor in order to win a…
put food on the table
To provide enough money to cover basic necessities.
put foot to ass
To beat the shit out of someone or something; whoop (someone's) ass
put forward
To propose for consideration.
put hair on someone's chest
To make a person (especially a male) stronger or more masculine or mature.
put in mind
To encourage or inspire someone to follow a certain course of action.
put in pledge
To pawn; to give as a guarantee.
put in the ground
To kill.
put in with
To commit to something with; to partner with.
put into one's own head
to convince oneself that something is the case
put into practice
To make (something) a practical reality.
put it past
To consider it not possible for (someone) (to do something).
put it there
An invitation for the addressee to slap the speaker's palm in greeting or celebration.
put lipstick on a pig
To superficially alter something in the hope of making it seem more appealing than it is i…
put new wine in old bottles
To introduce a new idea, method, or innovation into an established, outdated or inflexible…
put on a clinic
To perform excellently; to put on a show of brilliance.
put on a pedestal
To hold in very high esteem, especially to an exaggerated degree.
put on airs
To become haughty, to assume a pretentious manner.
put on frills
To act in a pretentious or snobbish way.
put on one's dancing shoes
To prepare for celebration or rejoicing; to put oneself in a positive frame of mind.
put on the dog
To dress up; to make a show of wealth and/or importance; to be pretentious.
put on the map
To bring someone or something into a position of prominence.
put on the red light
To advertise oneself as a prostitute.
put on the ritz
to make a show of luxury and extravagance
put one foot in front of the other
To move forward, progress steadily.
put one over
To succeed in a deception.
put one past
To deceive, trick, or fool (someone), especially by concealing something.
put one's affairs in order
To prepare for the end of, or a radical change in, one's life.
put one's ass on the line
To take a big risk.
put one's back into
Synonym of strive: to apply oneself.
put one's best foot forward
To show oneself in the best or most positive way possible; to make a favorable impression.
put one's cards on the table
To reveal one's true intentions, beliefs, feelings, or other previously concealed facts ab…
put one's feet up
To relax.
put one's finger on
To identify, specify, name or pick out.
put one's foot down on
To put a stop to, suppress; to reject.
put one's foot down upon
Alternative form of put one's foot down on.
put one's foot in it
To put one's foot in one's mouth.
put one's foot in one's mouth
To misspeak; to say something embarrassing or wrong, or to make a mistake in public, or a …
put one's foot in someone's ass
To beat the shit out of someone.
put one's foot up someone's ass
Alternative form of put one's foot in someone's ass.
put one's hand in one's pocket
To pay for something, spend or donate money
put one's head in the sand
Synonym of bury one's head in the sand.
put one's heart in
To be emotionally invested in (something); to do (something) wholeheartedly.
put one's house in order
To organize one's financial and other affairs, especially in preparation for a life-changi…
put one's legs under someone's mahogany
To dine with someone.
put one's mind to it
To apply oneself; to exert a directed effort.
put one's money where one's mouth is
To take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.
put one's name in the hat
To run in an election or to nominate oneself for consideration in some other selection pro…
put one's pants on one leg at a time
To be an ordinary person; to be a mere mortal.
put one's shoulder into
To make a strenuous effort to do (something); to put one's back into (something).
put one's stamp
To change or influence (something) in a way that demonstrates one's style or abilities; to…
put oneself across
To explain one's ideas and opinions clearly so that another person can understand them and…
put out a fire
To address a problem, especially an unexpected one caused by the incompetence, negligence,…
put out feelers
To explore or watch for; to ask around; to investigate.
put paid to
To terminate; to cancel (plans or expectations); to preclude (possibilities); to stop (som…
put past
To consider (something) to be not possible for (someone) (to do); (see also put it past).
put pen to paper
To write something (especially using pen and ink).
put some timber on
To put on weight; to become more heavy or obese.
put someone in a box
To judge someone unfairly as a member of a category of person, based on very few factors.
put someone in mind of
To remind someone of; to inspire a mental image or awareness of; to cause thoughts concern…
put someone in their place
To remind someone of their position.
put someone on blast
To embarrass by publicly denouncing or exposing, especially by using social media.
put someone on ice
To postpone or delay an interaction with someone.
put someone on to
To show; to draw someone's attention to something useful or interesting.
put someone out of their misery
To submit a suffering person or an animal to euthanasia.
put someone to their trumps
To put someone in a difficult situation.
put someone under
To anesthetize someone or render them unconscious through the use of narcotic substances, …
put someone's back up
Synonym of get someone's back up: to annoy someone.
put someone's lights out
To cause someone to become unconscious, especially by striking him or her.
put something behind one
To recover from an unpleasant or traumatic experience; to overcome a negative feeling, esp…
put something into perspective
To compare something with a similar thing to give a clearer, more accurate idea.
put store by
Synonym of set store by.
put store in
Synonym of set store by.
put that in your pipe and smoke it
Used after stating something surprising or undesired, in order to emphasize its truth.
put the bad mouth on
To speak ill of; to vilify.
put the beggar on the gentleman
To follow up something good with something inferior.
put the boot in
To kick a fallen opponent.
put the bottom rail on top
To reverse a hierarchy.
put the brakes on
To stop (an event, action, or process) or to slow it down.
put the cart before the horse
To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities; to put something inconseque…
put the clock back
To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time, e.g. for the end of daylight saving …
put the clock forward
To change the time in a time zone to a later time.
put the cork back in the bottle
To revert a situation.
put the fear of God into
To cause someone to fear abjectly in other contexts; to terrify completely.
put the genie back in the bottle
To revert a situation; to put things back as they were before something (usually an unwelc…
put the hammer down
To drive quickly; to step on the accelerator.
put the moves on
To make an effort to gain someone's romantic or sexual interest; to try to woo or seduce.
put the pedal to the metal
To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent.
put the plug in the jug
To cease drinking alcohol; to become teetotal.
put the saddle on the right horse
To assign praise or blame where it is properly due.
put the same shoe on every foot
To attempt to apply a single solution to different problems.
put the screws
To apply pressure and coercion.
put the toothpaste back in the tube
To revert a situation; to put things back as they were before something (usually an unwelc…
put the wood in the hole
To shut the door.
put through
To connect (a telephone caller) with the callee.
put through the mangle
Synonym of put through the wringer.
put through the wringer
To interrogate or scrutinize closely; to subject to some trial or ordeal.
put to bed
To prepare (a newspaper) for printing.
put to the sword
To execute, especially by using a sword.
put to the test
To test (something or someone); to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimen…
put to work
to put to use
put two and two together
To figure something out; to deduce or discern something.
put up
To cajole or dare (someone) to do (something).
put up one's dukes
To raise one's clenched fists in front of one's body and stand in a threatening or defiant…
put up or shut up
To desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it; to act in a manner that ma…
put up to
To encourage or trick (someone) to perform (an action which is foolish or wrong).
put up with
To endure, tolerate, suffer through, or allow, especially something annoying.
put words in someone's mouth
To say or imply that someone has made a statement or remark which they did not precisely o…
put-up job
An attempt to trick, deceive, or con someone.
putty in someone's hands
One who is readily manipulated or controlled by another person; a puppet.
puzzle out
To figure out; to discover or find a solution to.
puzzle over
To think intensely and deeply about a confusing problem, situation, or question in an effo…
puzzle through
To work methodically to solve or understand something complex.