Idioms Beginning With 'T'

~ T ~
Tables are turned

When the tables are turned, the situation has changed giving the advantage to the party who had previously been at a disadvantage.

Tackle an issue

If you tackle an issue or problem, you resolve or deal with it.

Take a leaf out of someone's book

If you take a leaf out of someone's book, you copy something they do because it will help you.

Take a punch

If somebody takes a blow, something bad happens to them.

Take a raincheck

If you take a rain check, you decline an offer now, suggesting you will accept it later. ('Raincheck' is also used.)

Take a straw poll

If you take a straw poll, you sound a number of people out to see their opinions on an issue or topic.

Take by the scruff of the neck

If you take something by the scruff on the neck, you take complete control of it.

Take for a test drive

If you take something for a test driver, you try something to see if you like it.

Take for granted

If you take something for granted, you don't worry or think about it because you assume you will always have it.  If you take someone for granted, you don't show your appreciation to them.

Take it on the chin

If you take something on the chin, something bad happens to you and you take it directly without fuss.

Take someone down a peg

If someone is taken down a peg (or taken down a peg or two), they lose status in the eyes of others because of something they have done wrong or badly.

Take someone for a ride

If you are taken for a ride, you are deceived by someone.

Take someone to the woodshed

If someone is taken to the woodshed, they are punished for something they have done.

Take the biscuit

(UK) If something takes the biscuit, it is the absolute limit.

Take the bull by its horns

Taking a bull by its horns would be the most direct but also the most dangerous way to try to compete with such an animal. When we use the phrase in everyday talk, we mean that the person we are talking about tackles their problems directly and is not worried about any risks involved.

Take the chair

If you take the chair, your become the chairman or chairwoman of a committee, etc.

Take the floor

Start talking or giving a speech to a group

Take the plunge

If you take the plunge, you decide to do something or commit yourself even though you know there is an element of risk involved.

Take the rough with the smooth

People say that you have to take the rough with the smooth, meaning that you have to be prepared to accept the disadvantages as well of the advantages of something.

Take up the torch

If you take up the torch, you take on a challenge or responsibility, usually when someone else retires, or leaves an organisation, etc.

Take your breath away

If something takes your breath away, it astonishes or surprises you.

Take your eye off the ball

If someone takes their eye off the ball, they don't concentrate on something important that they should be looking at.

Take your eye off the ball

If you take your eye off the ball, you don't pay attention to something when you should be and miss something important.

Take your hat off to somebody

If you take your hat off to someone, you acknowledge that they have done something exceptional or otherwise deserve your respect.

Taken as read

If something can be taken as read, it is so definite that it's not necessary to talk about it.

Talk a blue streak

(USA) If someone talks a blue streak, they speak quickly and at length. ('Talk up a blue streak' is also used.)

Talk nineteen to the dozen

If someone talks very quickly, they talk nineteen to the dozen.

Talk of the town

When everybody is talking about particular people and events, they are he talk of the town.

Talk out of the back of your head

If someone is talking out of the back of their head, they are talking rubbish.

Talk out of your hat

If someone is talking out of their hat, they're talking utter rubbish, especially if compounded with total ignorance of the subject on which they are pontificating. ('Talk through your hat' is also used.)

Talk shop

If you talk shop, you talk about work matters, especially if you do this outside work.

Talk the hind legs off a donkey

A person who is excessively or extremely talkative can talk the hind legs off a donkey.

Tall order

Something that is likely to be hard to achieve or fulfil is a tall order.

Tall story

A tall story is one that is untrue and unbelievable.

Tally ho!

(UK) This is an exclamation used for encouragement before doing something difficult or dangerous.

Taste blood

If someone has tasted blood, they have achieved something and are encouraged to think that victory is within their grasp.

Taste of your own medicine

If you give someone a taste of their own medicine, you do something bad to someone that they have done to you to teach them a lesson.

Teach your grandmother to suck eggs

When people say 'don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs', they mean that people shouldn't try to teach someone who has experience or is an expert in that area.

Tear your hair out

If someone is tearing their hair out, they are extremely worried or agitated about something.

Tears before bedtime

(UK) This idiom is used when something seems certain to go wrong or cause trouble.

Teething problems

(UK) The problems that a project has when it's starting are the teething problems.

Tempest in a teapot

If people exaggerate the seriousness of a situation or problem, they are making a tempest in a teapot.

Ten a penny

(UK) If something is ten a penny, it is very common. ("Two a penny" is also used.)

Test the waters

If you test the waters, or test the water, you experiment to see how successful or acceptable something is before implementing it.

That is the way the cookie crumbles

"That's the way the cookie crumbles" means that things don't always turn out the way we want.

That's all she wrote

(USA) This idiom is used to show that something has ended and there is nothing more to say about something.

The ball's in your court

If somebody says this to you, they mean that it's up to you to decide or take the next step.

The be all and end all

The phrase 'The be all and end all' means that a something is the final, or ultimate outcome or result of a situation or event.

The common weal

If something is done for the common weal, it is done in the interests and for the benefit of the majority or the general public.

The grass is always greener

This idiom means that what other people have or do looks preferable to our life. The complete phrase is 'The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence'.

The line forms on the right

Something's meaning is becoming clear when the line forms on the right.

The more the merrier

The more the merrier means that the greater the quantity or the bigger the number of something, the happier the speaker will be.

The penny dropped

When the penny drops, someone belatedly understands something that everyone else has long since understood.

The plot thickens

When the plot thickens, a situation become more complicated and difficult.

The sands of time

The sands of time is an idiom meaning that time runs out either through something reaching an end or through a person's death. It comes from the sand used in hourglasses, an ancient way of measuring time.

The short straw

If you take the short straw, you lose a selection process, which means that you have to do something unpleasant.

The sun might rise in the west

When people say this, they mean that they don't expect something to happen.

The world and his wife

If the world and his wife were somewhere, then huge numbers of people were present.

Their bark is worse than their bite

If someone's bark is worse than their bite, they get angry and shout and make threats, but don't actually do anything.

There are many ways to skin a cat

This is an expression meaning there are many different ways of doing the same thing.

There's no such thing as a free lunch

This idiom means that you don't get things for free, so if something appears to be free, there's a catch and you'll have to pay in some way.

There's the rub

The meaning of this idiom is 'that's the problem'.

Thick and fast

If things are happening thick and fast, they are happening so fast they seemed to be joined together.

Thick as thieves

If people are thick as thieves, they are very close friends who have no secrets from each other.

Thick-skinned

If a person is thick-skinned, they are not affected by criticism.

Thin as a rake

A rake is a garden tool with a long, thin, wooden handle, so someone very thin is thin as a rake.

Thin blue line

(UK) The thin blue line is a term for the police, suggesting that they stand between an ordered society and potential chaos. (Police uniforms are blue.)

Thin end of the wedge

The thin end of the wedge is something small and seemingly unimportant that will lead to something much bigger and more serious.

Thin line

If there's a thin line between things, it's hard to distinguish them- there's a thin line between love and hate.

Thin-skinned

If somebody is thin-skinned, they are very sensitive to any sort of criticism.

Thin-skinned

A person who is thin-skinned is very sensitive to things like criticism.

Think outside the box

If you think outside the box, you think in an imaginative and creative way.

Think the world of

To hold something or someone in very high esteem. To love or admire immensely.

Third degree

If someone is given the third degree, they are put under a great deal of pressure and intimidation to force them to tell the truth about something.

Third rail

The third rail of something is dangerous to alter or change. Originally, the third rail is the one carrying the electricity for a train.

Thorn in your side

A thorn in your side is someone or something that causes trouble or makes life difficult for you.

Those who live by the sword die by the sword

This means that violent people will be treated violently themselves.

Three sheets to the wind

If someone is three sheets to the wind, they are drunk.

Thrilled to bits

If you are thrilled to bits, you are extremely pleased or excited about something.

Through the ceiling

If prices go through the ceiling, they rise very quickly.

Through the floor

If prices go, or fall, through the floor, they fall very quickly.

Through thick and thin

If someone supports you through thick and thin, they support you during good times and bad.

Throw a sickie

If you pretend to be ill to take a day off work or school, you throw a sickie.

Throw caution to the wind

When people throw caution to the wind, they take a great risk.

Throw down the gauntlet

Throw down the gauntlet is to issue a challenge to somebody.

Throw in the towel

If you throw in the towel, you admit that you are defeated or cannot do something.

Throw pearls to the pigs

Someone that throws pearls to pigs is giving someone else something they don't deserve or appreciate.('Throw pearls before pigs' and 'Cast pearls before swine' are also used.)

Throw someone a line

If someone throws you a line, they give you help when you are in serious difficulties.

Throw someone in at the deep end

If you are thrown in at the deep end, you have to deal with serious issues the moment you start something like a job, instead of having time to acquire experience.

Throw someone to the wolves

If someone is thrown to the wolves, they are abandoned and have to face trouble without any support.

Throw someone under the bus

To throw someone under the bus is to get the person in trouble either by placing blame on that person or not standing up for him.

Throw the baby out with the bath water

If you get rid of useful things when discarding inessential things, you throw the baby out with the bath water.

Throw the book at someone

If you throw the book at someone, you punish them as severely as possible.

Throw your hat in the ring

If someone throws their hat in the ring, they announce that they want to take part in a competition or contest. 'Toss your hat in the ring' is an alternative.

Throw your weight around

If someone throws their weight around, they use their authority or force of personality to get what they want in the face of opposition.

Thumb your nose at

If you thumb your nose at something, you reject it or scorn it.

Thumbs down & thumbs up

If something gets the thumbs up, it gets approval, while the thumbs down means disapproval.

Tickle your fancy

If something tickles your fancy, it appeals to you and you want to try it or have it.

Tickled pink

If you are very pleased about something, you are tickled pink.

Tickled pink

If something tickles you pink, it amuses you.

Tie the knot

When people tie the knot, they get married.

Tight rein

If things or people are kept on a tight rein, they are given very little freedom or controlled carefully.

Tight ship

If you run a tight ship, you control something strictly and don't allow people much freedom of action.

Tighten your belt

If you have to tighten your belt, you have to economise.

Till the pips squeak

If someone will do something till the pips squeak, they will do it to the limit, even though it will make other people suffer.

Till you're blue in the face

If you do something till you're blue in the face, you do it repeatedly without achieving the desired result until you're incredibly frustrated.

Tilt at windmills

A person who tilts at windmills, tries to do things that will never work in practice.

Time and again

If something happens time and again, it happens repeatedly. ('Time and time again' is also used.)

Time and tide wait for no man

This is used as a way of suggestion that people should act without delay.

Time of your life

If you're having the time of your life, you are enjoying yourself very much indeed.

Time-honoured practice

A time-honoured practice is a traditional way of doing something that has become almost universally accepted as the most appropriate or suitable way.

Tip of the iceberg

The tip of the iceberg is the part of a problem that can be seen, with far more serious problems lying underneath.

Tipping point

Small changes may have little effect until they build up to critical mass, then the next small change may suddenly change everything. this is the tipping point.

Tired and emotional

(UK) This idiom is a euphemism used to mean 'drunk', especially when talking about politicians.

Tit for tat

If someone responds to an insult by being rude back, it's tit for tat- repaying something negative the same way.

To a fault

If something does something to a fault, they do it excessively. So someone who is generous to a fault is too generous.

To a man

If a group of people does, believes, thinks, etc, something to a man, then they all do it.

To a T

If something is done to a T, it is done perfectly.

To err is human, to forgive divine

This idiom is used when someone has done something wrong, suggesting that they should be forgiven.

To little avail

If something is to little avail, it means that, despite great efforts, something ended in failure, but taking comfort from the knowledge that nothing else could have been done to avert or avoid the result.

To the end of time

To the end of time is an extravagant way of saying 'forever'.

Toe the line

If someone toes the line, they follow and respect the rules and regulations.

Tomorrow's another day

This means that things might turn out better or that there might be another opportunity in the future.

Tongue in cheek

If something is tongue in cheek, it isn't serious or meant to be taken seriously.

Too big for your boots

If someone is too big for their boots, they are conceited and have an exaggerated sense of their own importance.

Too big for your britches

If someone is too big for their britches, they are conceited and have an exaggerated sense of their own importance.

Too many chiefs and not enough Indians

When there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians, there are two many managers and not enough workers to work efficiently.

Too many cooks spoil the broth

This means that where there are too many people trying to do something, they make a mess of it.

Toot you own horn

If someone toot their own horn, they like to boast about their achievements.

Top dog

The most important or influential person is the top dog.

Top notch

If something is top notch, it's excellent, of the highest quality or standard.

Touch base

If you touch base with someone, you contact them.

Touch wood

This idiom is used to wish for good luck. ('Knock on wood' is also used.)

Touch-and-go

If something is touch-and-go, it is very uncertain; if someone is ill and may well die, then it is touch-and-go.

Tough as old boots

Something or someone that is as tough as old boots is strong and resilient.

Tough cookie

A tough cookie is a person who will do everything necessary to achieve what they want.

Tough nut to crack

If something is a tough nut to crack, it is difficult to find the answer or solution. When used about a person, it means that it is difficult to get them to do or allow what you want. 'Hard nut to crack' is an alternative.

Tough row to hoe

(USA) A tough row to hoe is a situation that is difficult to handle. ('A hard row to hoe' is an alternative form.)

Trade barbs

If people trade barbs, they insult or attack each other.

Tread the boards

When someone treads the boards, they perform on stage in a theatre.

Tread water

If someone is treading water, they are making no progress.

Tried and tested

If a method has been tried and tested, it is known to work or be effective because it has been successfully used long enough to be trusted.

True blue

A person who is true blue is loyal and dependable, someone who can be relied on in all circumstances.

True colours

If someone shows their true colours, they show themselves as they really are. ('True colors' is the American spelling.)

Trump card

A trump card is a resource or strategy that is held back for use at a crucial time when it will beat rivals or opponents.

Truth will out

Truth will out means that, given time, the facts of a case will emerge no matter how people might try to conceal them.

Tug at the heartstrings

f something tugs at the heartstrings, it makes you feel sad or sympathetic towards it.

Turf war

If people or organisations are fighting for control of something, it is a turf war.

Turn a blind eye

When people turn a blind eye, they deliberately ignore something, especially if people are doing something wrong.

Turn a deaf ear

If someone turns a deaf ear to you, they don't listen to you.

Turn a new leaf

If someone turns a new leaf, they change their behaviour and stop doing wrong or bad things.

Turn the corner

To get over a bad run. When a loss making venture ceases to make losses, it has "turned the corner".

Turn the other cheek

If you turn the other cheek, you are humble and do not retaliate or get outwardly angry when someone offends or hurts you, in fact, you give them the opportunity to re-offend instead and compound their unpleasantness.

Turn the tables

If circumstances change completely, giving an advantage to those who seemed to be losing, the tables are turned.

Turn up like a bad penny

If someone turns up like a bad penny, they go somewhere where they are not wanted.

Turn your nose up

If someone turns their nose up at something, they reject it or look odwn on it because they don't think it is good enough for them.

Twenty-four seven

Twenty-four seven or 24/7 means all the time, coming from 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Twinkling of an eye

If something happens in the twinkling of an eye, it happens very quickly.

Twist someone's arm

If you twist someone's arm, you put pressure on them to try to make them do what you want them to do.

Two cents

If you add or throw in your two cents, you give your opinion on an issue.

Two left feet

A person with two left feet can't dance.

Two peas in a pod

If things or people are like two peas in a pod, they look very similar or are always together.

Two sides of the same coin

If two things are two sides of the same coin, there is much difference between them.

Two-faced

Someone who is two-faced will say one thing to your face and another when you're not there.