“Behind closed doors”
Privately, not in public.
General
Open idiom pageEnglish Idioms
Search this index of English idioms. Each idiom has its own page with meaning, examples, and related expressions.
“Keep at bay”
To prevent something from coming close or becoming a problem.
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Open idiom page“On the ball”
Alert, quick to understand, and able to react well.
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Open idiom page“Cast a wide net”
To search or try broadly.
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Open idiom page“All hands on deck”
Everyone must help with an urgent task.
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Open idiom page“Nothing to write home about”
Not special or impressive.
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Open idiom page“Hard to swallow”
Difficult to accept or believe.
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Open idiom page“Fly off the handle”
To suddenly become very angry.
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Open idiom page“Once and for all”
Finally and permanently.
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Open idiom page“Cut someone some slack”
To be less critical of someone.
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Open idiom page“Blow things out of proportion”
To make something seem much worse than it is.
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Open idiom page“Save face”
To avoid embarrassment or loss of respect.
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Open idiom page“Kick the can down the road”
To delay dealing with a problem.
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Open idiom page“Carry weight”
To be important or influential.
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Open idiom page“Big picture”
The overall situation, not small details.
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Open idiom page“Diamond in the rough”
A person or thing with great potential but not yet fully developed.
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Open idiom page“In the works”
Being prepared or developed.
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Open idiom page“Cost a pretty penny”
To cost a lot of money.
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Open idiom page“Move mountains”
To do something extremely difficult.
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Open idiom page“Get a grip”
To control your emotions or understand reality.
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Open idiom page“Blow off steam”
To release anger, stress, or strong feelings.
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Open idiom page“Hard sell”
An aggressive way of trying to sell something.
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Open idiom page“High and dry”
Left without help or support.
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Open idiom page“Keep the wolf from the door”
To have enough money to avoid hunger or serious poverty.
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“Wear your heart on your sleeve”
To show your feelings openly.
A highlighted idiom from our collection. Browse the full index above for more.
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FAQ
What are English idioms?
Idioms are fixed expressions where the meaning is different from the literal words.
Why are idioms important in conversation?
They make speech sound natural and help you understand native-level communication.
How can I learn idioms faster?
Study idioms in context, repeat example sentences aloud, and review them regularly.
What are common idioms for beginners?
Start with high-frequency idioms from daily conversation and workplace English.