Aid & Assistance, Praise & Good Treatment, Mistreatment & Misconduct and 8 More Topics · English Idioms: Interactions

to offer help to someone who cannot provide their basic needs for themselves or are in an extremely difficult situation

"He helped a lame dog over a stile."

"She always helps a lame dog over a stile, even when she is very busy with her own problems."

to give a person help or assistance in doing something

"Can you lend me a hand?"

"My neighbor kindly gave me a hand when I was trying to move the heavy furniture into my new apartment."

to protect or hide another person's mistakes or misdeeds, often by providing a false or misleading account of the situation

"She covered for her friend yesterday."

"He tried to cover up for his brother by telling the teacher a completely different story about the incident."

a way of showing one's support or approval of someone by shouting loudly to encourage them or inviting others to do the same

"Three cheers for the winner."

"Three cheers for the brave firefighters who saved the family from the burning building."

to be strict, especially toward someone close to one, to help them improve or become stronger

"He plays the bad guy."

"The coach decided to play the bad guy and shout at the team to motivate them to try harder."

to stop acting passively and start to have a helpful role in doing something

"Make yourself useful."

"Instead of just standing there, try to make yourself useful by helping with the dishes."

to say or do something with the intention of helping someone even though it might hurt their feelings or seem unkind

"Sometimes you must be cruel to be kind."

"The doctor was cruel to be kind by telling the patient the truth about his serious illness."

to suddenly appear to help someone

"He rode in on white horse."

"The team was struggling until the star player arrived, riding in on a white horse to save the game."

in the process of being taken care of or dealt with by someone who has the skill or experience

"Your children are in good hands here."

"Do not worry about your children because they are in good hands with our experienced babysitter."

to be willing to provide someone with help and support whenever they need it

"Her friends were there for her."

"My best friend has always been there for me whenever I needed someone to talk to during difficult times."

to show concern about someone, often someone who is in trouble, and do one's best to help them

"She has your best interests at heart."

"I really believe that the new manager has our best interests at heart when she makes these difficult decisions."

an act that can be helpful to someone

"A good turn helped."

"One good turn deserves another and he helped his neighbor who had helped him last week."

an encouraging and motivational speech or conversation given to boost someone's enthusiasm, confidence, or determination, especially before a challenging task or event

"The coach gave a pep talk."

"The coach gave a pep talk and the team ran onto the field with renewed energy and determination."

in a difficult, desperate, or vulnerable situation where help or intervention may be needed

"He was on his knees."

"The small business owner found himself on his knees, desperately seeking a loan to avoid bankruptcy."

a person or a place that can help one overcome a difficult situation

"The library was a port in a storm."

"The small caf� was a port in a storm when we got caught in the sudden downpour without umbrellas."

to surrender oneself to the mercy or control of another

"They lie before him."

"After their defeat, the defeated soldiers had no choice but to lie before the victorious general."

to save someone or something from a difficult or dangerous situation

"He pulled the fat from the fire."

"My best friend always pulls the fat from the fire whenever I make a terrible mistake at work."

in the process of being taken care of or dealt with by someone who has the skill or experience

"The baby is in good hands."

"With the experienced surgeon, the patient's health was undoubtedly in good hands."

in a state of weakness, exhaustion, or desperation, reduced to begging or pleading

"He was on one's knees."

"After losing his job and savings, he found himself on one's knees, begging for help."

a praise or encouragement given to someone because of what they have done or achieved

"He deserved a pat on the back."

"The employee deserved a pat on the back for working late every night to finish the important project on time."

to praise or encourage someone to show one thinks they have done a great job at doing something

"The coach patted him on the back."

"The teacher patted the student on the back for giving such a wonderful presentation to the whole class."

approval of a person in authority that a person tries to gain by doing something that pleases or impresses them

"He earned some brownie points."

"He earned some brownie points by volunteering for the weekend shift when no one else would."

used for saying that one should acknowledge and appreciate someone's achievements or efforts when they rightfully deserve recognition

"Give credit where it is due."

"We should give credit where it is due because she worked extremely hard on this difficult project."

to treat someone with proper care and respect

"They did well by their new neighbors."

"The company did well by its employees by giving them excellent benefits and fair salaries."

to praise or admire someone because of what they have done or achieved

"I take my hat off to you."

"I take my hat off to anyone who can run a marathon because it requires incredible stamina and determination."

to speak or write about someone or something in a very positive and enthusiastic way

"They sing the praises of her."

"Everyone in the office sings the praises of the new software because it has made work much easier."

said as a way of showing praise or appreciation for someone or inviting other people to clap for them

"Let's hear it for her!"

"Let's hear it for the team that won the championship game tonight!"

to treat a guest whom one greatly values with extra care and attention

"They rolled out the red carpet."

"The hotel rolled out the red carpet for the famous actress when she arrived for the charity event."

to act toward a person or thing without enough care, seriousness, or sense of responsibility

"Do not play fast and loose with the truth."

"The journalist played fast and loose with the facts to make the story more sensational and exciting."

to make problems for something or have a negative effect on it

"The storm played Old Harry with our plans."

"The storm played Old Harry with our garden destroying all the plants and knocking down the fence."

to not value a person or thing as one should

"Don't sell him short."

"It's easy to sell yourself short, but remember all the accomplishments you've already achieved."

to put the blame on the person who brings bad news and assume they are responsible for it

"Don't blame the messenger."

"It is unfair to shoot the messenger when the person who delivers bad news is not responsible for it."

to not care about someone at all or have absolutely no respect for them

"They treat him like dirt."

"The arrogant celebrity treated the hotel staff like dirt and refused to speak to them politely."

to defeat someone without any difficulty

"He will walk all over you."

"The seasoned politician was able to walk all over his inexperienced opponent in the televised debate."

to look at a person in a way that shows one hates them or is very angry with them

"She looked daggers at him."

"When her ex boyfriend walked into the room she looked daggers at him and left immediately."

a comment that seemingly praises someone but is actually intended to insult them

"That was a backhanded compliment."

"He said my presentation was good for a beginner which was actually a backhanded compliment."

to seriously affect or harm someone or something, usually resulting in negative consequences

"The storm did a number."

"The unexpected economic downturn did a real number on the small business's profits."

to betray someone or cause them harm on purpose, especially when they do not expect it

"He did his friend dirty last week."

"She felt that her colleague did her dirty by sharing confidential information with the entire office."

to pass a responsibility, task, or problem to someone else without addressing or resolving it oneself

"He threw it over wall."

"The manager tried to throw the difficult project over the wall to his subordinate."

to stop someone from complaining or protesting by offering them something that is not of very high value or importance

"The boss threw him a bone."

"The manager decided to throw the angry customer a small discount to calm them down."

to tell a person to leave immediately in a forceful manner

"She sent him packing."

"After his rude behavior, the restaurant owner had no choice but to send him packing."

to be dismissed or expelled from a place, job, or position

"He was out on his ear."

"After the argument, she was out on her ear with nowhere else to go."

to refuse to help someone when they need it the most

"You left me in the lurch."

"My friend promised to help me move but left me in the lurch by not showing up at all."

to be left in a difficult or embarrassing situation, often without any support or assistance

"They left me holding the bag."

"My partner left me holding the bag when he quit the business and I had to pay all the debts alone."

to exclude or neglect someone, often intentionally, from a group or activity

"They left her out."

"When the promotion opportunities arose, they deliberately left him out in the cold."

to treat a person poorly by taking advantage of them or ignoring their needs and feelings

"Don't walk all over me."

"She refused to let her colleagues walk all over her during the demanding project."

to feel really grateful, particularly because something dangerous or unpleasant did not happen

"I thank my lucky stars."

"After narrowly avoiding the accident, she thanked her lucky stars that everyone was safe."

to try to appreciate and cherish all the good things one has in one's life

"We should count our blessings."

"Even though life is difficult sometimes, we should always count our blessings and appreciate what we have."

to be ungrateful to the person who has helped one by mistreating or betraying them

"Don't bite the hand."

"It is unwise to bite the hand that feeds you, because you may lose the support you depend on."

to look for faults in a gift, favor, or opportunity that has been given to one, in a way that shows ingratitude

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"She complained about the free laptop, but you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth when someone is generous."

to use something in the most effective or productive way

"Make your vote count."

"With only one chance to impress the judges, she knew she had to make every second count."

to talk highly of someone as a way of helping them get an advantage, such as succeeding in a job interview

"Put in a good word for me."

"Could you put in a good word for me when you talk to the hiring manager tomorrow?"

to not appreciate a person or thing because one thinks one will never lose them

"Don't take love granted."

"Many people take their health for granted until they become seriously ill and realize how precious it truly is."

the compassion and sympathy that is shown to others

"He is full of the milk of human kindness."

"The nurse treated all her patients with the milk of human kindness and genuine compassion."

used to emphasize that a person is just a normal human being with similar feelings or weaknesses as others

"She is my own flesh and blood."

"The contract may say one thing but he is my own flesh and blood so I cannot turn my back on him."

to make a strong impression on someone, in a way that they feel a strong sense of love or sympathy for a person

"The movie tugged my heartstrings."

"The documentary about the rescued animals really tugged at my heartstrings and made me cry."

to no longer have kind feelings for a person

"Do not harden your heart against them."

"After being betrayed several times he hardened his heart and refused to trust anyone ever again."

sympathy, help, or encouragement that is barely enough to improve a person's situation or make them feel any better

"This is cold comfort."

"The apology offered little cold comfort to the victims of the devastating accident."

in a way that is absolutely cruel and shows no sympathy or mercy of any kind

"He was murdered in cold blood."

"The killer shot the victim in cold blood without any remorse or emotion at all."

to soothe someone who is injured, usually a child, by kissing the injured spot

"Mom kissed the bruise to make it better."

"The little girl fell and hurt her knee so her mother kissed it better and put a bandage on it."

used to convey intense sadness or empathy one feels for someone or something in a tragic or distressing situation

"My heart bleeds for them."

"My heart bleeds for all the families who lost their homes in the devastating flood last month."

to finally talk about what has long been bothering or concerning one

"I need to get this off my chest."

"I need to get this off my chest because I have been feeling guilty about it for weeks now."

used to ask a person to stop their unkind or indifferent behavior and offer some help or show some sympathy instead

"Have a heart, please."

"Please have a heart and give the homeless man some food and shelter from the cold weather."

in a similar or identical situation to someone else, particularly a difficult or unpleasant one

"I would not want to be in his shoes right now."

"If I were in your shoes I would apologize immediately before the situation gets even worse."

used to show one sympathizes with and feels sorry for someone else's suffering

"My heart goes out."

"My heart goes out to everyone affected by the recent devastating floods and loss of their homes."

to make someone feel strong emotions such as enthusiasm or sympathy

"Her story struck a chord with me."

"The politician's speech about family values struck a chord with many voters who shared the same beliefs."

a personality marked by emotional coldness and lack of sympathy

"The villain has a heart of stone."

"The cruel landlord had a heart of stone and evicted the family even though they had nowhere to go."

said to show sympathy for a person's difficult or unlucky situation

"Woe is me!"

"After losing his job and his car in the same week, he exclaimed, "Woe is me!""

to make a person emotional, particularly by causing them to feel sympathy for someone

"Your kindness touched my heart."

"The kindness of strangers after the fire touched her heart and gave her hope for the future."

to hold negative feelings toward a person who has done one wrong in the past

"She holds a grudge still."

"It is unhealthy to hold a grudge against someone for years because it only causes you more pain."

to deliberately keep causing problems for someone or criticizing them

"She has it in for him."

"Ever since I made that mistake, my supervisor has had it in for me and criticizes everything I do."

an attitude that shows one is angry or resentful because of an unfair behavior that they have experienced

"He has a chip on his shoulder."

"He has a chip on his shoulder about growing up poor and is always trying to prove himself."

a strong feeling of bitterness or hatred toward someone because of a past dispute or disagreement

"There is bad blood between them."

"There is bad blood between them and they refuse to speak even at family gatherings."

to have an unsuccessful or unpleasant beginning in a relationship or activity

"We started off on the wrong foot."

"I got off on the wrong foot with my new boss because I was late on the first day."

to intentionally and rudely display an offensive hand gesture, involving raising the middle finger while extending the others downward, as a sign of strong disapproval, annoyance, or disrespect toward someone

"He gave the driver the bird."

"The frustrated motorist gave the slow driver the bird after being cut off unexpectedly."

to hate someone to an extreme degree

"I hate his guts so much."

"She said she hates his guts after he betrayed her trust and lied to everyone at work."

to have a problem with someone or be annoyed with them and want to tell them all about it

"I have a bone to pick."

"I have a bone to pick with you regarding the missing report from last week."

to emotionally harm someone through a significant act of betrayal or hurtful actions

"She put the knife in him."

"After years of friendship, he decided to stick the knife into his best friend by spreading false rumors about him at work."

to have an open conversation with someone to resolve the negative feelings with them that are caused by disagreements or misunderstandings

"We need to clear the air."

"The two colleagues had a difficult conversation to clear the air and resolve their misunderstandings."

to build a good relationship with each other again after having disagreements about something

"Let's bury the hatchet and be friends."

"After years of fighting the two brothers finally decided to bury the hatchet and become friends again."

to argue or fight until a disagreement is resolved

"They will duke it out."

"The two boxers will duke it out in the ring for the world championship title tonight."

to intentionally and rudely display an offensive hand gesture, involving raising the middle finger while extending the others downward, as a sign of strong disapproval, annoyance, or disrespect toward someone

"He gave the bird."

"In a fit of rage, he gave the rude driver the bird and sped away."

to argue or fight until a disagreement is resolved

"They will duke it out."

"The two rivals decided to duke it out on the debate stage to settle their differences."

to maximize one's current advantage or position of strength in a particular situation

"Press home your advantage now."

"With the opponent exhausted, the team decided to press home their advantage and score more goals."

to take advantage of or become involved in an activity that someone else has started in an attempt to achieve the same amount of success or profit

"They got in on the act."

"Seeing the success of the new cafe, other entrepreneurs quickly got in on the act."

to make effort to turn a difficult situation in one's favor

"He fished in troubled waters."

"The lawyer tried to fish in troubled waters by offering his services to the distressed company."

to desire to have two things that are impossible to have without sacrificing the other

"You can't have cake and eat it."

"He wants to save money but also buy expensive gadgets; he cannot have his cake and eat it too."

to know the exact way to treat others or how to act so as to get what one desires

"He knows which side his bread is buttered on."

"He always agrees with the boss because he knows which side his bread is buttered on and wants to keep his job."

to benefit from two opposing or contradictory situations or options at the same time

"You cannot have it both ways."

"You cannot have it both ways you must choose between the two options available to you."

to take advantage of someone who is easily tricked instead of giving them a fair chance

"Don't give him an even break."

"The experienced salesman refused to give the naive customer an even break, selling him an overpriced product."

to treat someone in such a kind and generous manner that they become greedy and ungrateful to one

"Don't give her an inch."

"If you give him an inch, he will take a mile and demand even more unreasonable concessions."

used to ask if someone wants extra or additional benefits or features, often in a playful manner

"Want jam on it?"

"You've already got the promotion and a raise; do you really want jam on it with a corner office too?"

used of a situation in which one is busy with something else or is not looking

"While my back turned."

"The children often misbehave while their parents' backs are turned, causing mischief and chaos."

to gain advantage at the cost of someone else's suffering or loss

"He threw her under bus."

"The politician was accused of throwing his aide under the bus to avoid personal responsibility for the scandal."

to be disloyal and ungrateful to someone who has trusted or supported one

"He stabbed me in back."

"She felt completely betrayed when her closest friend decided to stab her in the back by spreading rumors."

a person who has a tendency to deceive or mislead others and is very likely to betray their trust

"He is a snake in grass."

"We never suspected him, but it turned out he was a snake in the grass all along."

to be unfaithful or disloyal to someone so as to gain profit oneself

"They sold him down river."

"The business partner was willing to sell his friend down the river for a larger share of the profits."

to not care for someone and leave them all alone

"She left him dust."

"After the accident, his supposed friends disappeared, leaving him in the dust to deal with the consequences alone."

an act that seems kind but with the intention of betraying someone

"That was a Judas kiss."

"His offer of help felt like a Judas kiss, as he immediately used the information to his advantage."

to make no effort to save or defend someone, particularly when they are being severely criticized or being treated unfairly

"They fed him to wolves."

"The company leadership decided to throw the junior employee to the wolves to deflect blame from their own poor decisions."

to secretely gather information about a person or group in order to expose them to a person of higher authority, often for one's personal gain

"He dropped a dime on them."

"The informant decided to drop a dime on the smuggling ring to receive a reduced sentence."

without one knowing or approving

"He spoke behind my back."

"It's disrespectful to gossip about your colleagues behind their backs."

to take from one source or person in order to fulfill an obligation or debt to another source or person, often resulting in a cycle of borrowing or rearranging debts without actually resolving the underlying financial issue

"Don't rob Peter."

"Trying to pay off one loan by taking out another is just robbing Peter to pay Paul."

to take advantage of a position to make oneself rich, particularly by using unfair or dishonest methods

"He used the money to feather his own nest."

"The corrupt official used public money to feather his own nest by buying expensive properties abroad."

to be comparable to someone who is very evil

"No one can hold candle to Devil."

"His cruelty was so extreme that some said he could hold a candle to the Devil himself."

to gain advantage over others by making use of one's contacts and influence in an unfair way

"My dad pulled some strings."

"My father pulled some strings at his company to get me an internship for the summer."

to avoid doing something bad or unethical for the sake of achieving something good

"Do not do evil for good."

"We should not do evil that good may come of it; ethical means are crucial for positive outcomes."

about to do something bad or evil

"Those kids are up to no good."

"The children have been very quiet for the last hour which usually means they are up to no good."

to try to gain advantage by flattery or submissive behavior

"She will curry favor."

"He constantly praised the director's decisions, attempting to curry favor for a leading role."

to use various dishonest or complicated methods in order to gain things, particularly in politics or business

"He likes to wheel and deal."

"The used car salesman is known for wheeling and dealing to get the best price for himself."

to be placed in a difficult position by believing something that is not true or trusting someone who lies

"He fell into a trap."

"She was warned about the scam, but unfortunately, she still managed to fall into a trap."

to secretly offer someone money or anything of high value in order to persuade them to help one or do what one desires

"He greased her palm."

"To expedite the permit process, he decided to grease the official's palm with a generous sum of cash."

a lawyer who finds clients at the scenes of accidents or other tragedies, especially with the intention of earning money through legal action

"That ambulance chaser is here."

"The ambulance chaser arrived at the accident scene before the police had even finished their investigation."

to do something unfair in order to make a particular outcome more probable

"They loaded the dice."

"The company decided to load the dice in their favor by bribing the judges for the competition."

to make use of a thief or criminal just to be able to anticipate, understand, or capture other criminals or thieves

"Set thief to catch thief."

"The police decided to set a thief to catch a thief by using an informant to infiltrate the gang."

to arrange situations or conditions to achieve a preferred result by giving oneself an unfair advantage

"They stacked the cards."

"The politician was accused of stacking the deck to ensure his party's victory in the upcoming election."

to manipulate or control someone easily, typically by making them obediently follow one's commands or desires

"He leads her by nose."

"The manipulative boss led his employees around by the nose, making them work overtime without extra pay."

to use someone else's idea, plan, words, etc. in order to prevent them from reaching success or getting attention

"You stole my thunder."

"The junior colleague tried to steal his mentor's thunder by presenting the same idea first at the meeting."

to engage in activities or behaviors that involve deception, manipulation, or deceit in order to achieve a particular outcome, often at the expense of others

"Stop playing games."

"The negotiation failed because one party refused to stop playing games and be transparent about their intentions."

to convince someone to do something that seems unnecessary or redundant, especially to buy something they do not need

"He could sell ice to Eskimos."

"That salesman could sell ice to Eskimos because he is so convincing and persuasive with his customers."

someone on whom scientific experiments are tested

"He was a guinea pig."

"Unwittingly, the volunteer became a guinea pig for a highly experimental and untested medical procedure."

to make one's fingers V-shaped and put them behind a person's head as a way of joking, particularly when taking a photograph

"The child gave his brother bunny ears."

"The boy gave his friend bunny ears in the photo and everyone laughed when they saw it."

to grab and pull a person's underwear or pants to make it get stuck between their buttocks, often as a prank

"He gave her a melvin."

"As a mean prank at summer camp, one boy gave another a melvin, and the counselor had to intervene quickly."

in an ironic, humorous, or insincere way, not meant to be taken literally

"He said it with his tongue in his cheek."

"He made the ridiculous suggestion with his tongue in his cheek and everyone knew he was joking."

to behave in a silly way, particularly to amuse or entertain others

"He played the fool at the party."

"He played the fool at the party to make everyone laugh but secretly he is very intelligent."

to joke with someone in a friendly manner by trying to make them believe something that is not true

"He pulls my chain."

"My brother loves to yank my chain by telling me outrageous stories and watching me believe every single word."

to joke with someone in a friendly manner by trying to make them believe something that is not true

"I was just pulling your leg."

"Don't worry, I'm only pulling your leg — I didn't really eat all the cookies."

said humorously when a light is switched on, referring a Bible story about how God lighted the earth for the first time

"Let there be light!"

"As the electrician flipped the switch, the room was suddenly illuminated, and someone humorously exclaimed, 'Let there be light!'"

to do something that makes a person appear foolish in front of others

"He made a monkey out of me."

"She tried to make a monkey out of her colleague by spreading false rumors about him during the important meeting."

to make fun of a person or thing in order to make them look silly

"They poked fun at his accent."

"The children poked fun at the new student's accent until the teacher told them to stop being so cruel."

to tease a person by copying what they do, trick them into believing something, etc., often in a way that is not friendly

"They took the mick out of him."

"My classmates always take the mickey out of me because I mispronounce certain words in English class."

a person or thing so silly or ridiculous that everyone makes fun of

"His mistake made him a laughing stock."

"His mistake made him a laughing stock and the entire office made jokes about him for weeks."

(particularly of a joke) in a way that causes harm to someone or makes them embarrassed

"He made a joke at my expense."

"The comedian told jokes about the audience members at their expense which made everyone very uncomfortable."

to offer a humorous or witty comment, often with the aim of ridiculing disrespecting someone or something

"He made a crack about my shoes."

"He made a crack about her weight and she burst into tears and left the room immediately."

to persistently and relentlessly bother, tease, or annoy someone, often in a playful or mocking manner

"He breaks my stones."

"Working in that stressful job for twenty years would break anyone's stones eventually."

(particularly of a joke) in a way that causes harm to someone or makes them embarrassed

"It was at her expense."

"His cruel joke, told at his friend's expense, made everyone in the room uncomfortable."

to persistently and relentlessly bother, tease, or annoy someone, often in a playful or mocking manner

"Stop break my stones."

"He continued to break my stones about my terrible singing voice, even after I asked him to stop."