All Questions
Tagged with single-word-requests idiom-requests
72
questions
29
votes
19
answers
11k
views
What is the problem that gets worse after you try to solve it?
Example sentence - This problem is a _____ which gets complicated every time you try to solve it.
Is there such a word that represents a problem which will become worse if/when one tries to solve it?...
user173199
21
votes
11
answers
11k
views
What do you call an 'unselfish' action made with a selfish reason?
There are many examples of this, and I'd like to give a few:
A person who puts a lot of effort to help the community and earns reputation points. But that reputation is the motivation behind helping ...
- 3,096
8
votes
10
answers
5k
views
What are "good men that do nothing" called?
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
-Edmund Burke
Is there an idiom, phrase or preferably a single word that we can call people that could have helped ...
- 8,878
83
votes
25
answers
52k
views
What is deliberately using complex sentences to confuse people called?
I'm wondering if there's a word, phrase, or idiom to describe the action of deliberately confusing people by using complex sentences. For example, some politicians will throw out some big words and ...
- 1,632
23
votes
13
answers
10k
views
Word for lying while bragging/boasting
This is a single-word/idiom/phrase/expression-request, so basically I'll take anything that fits the bill.
I'm trying to translate the Chinese word 吹牛 - which dictionaries will tell you means to brag/...
- 5,397
7
votes
15
answers
57k
views
Is there an idiom for people who boast too much?
I am looking for idioms or informal/slang/colloquial expression for some people that make you think that they are able of building a skyscraper, constructing a spaceship, playing the piano better than ...
- 1,687
86
votes
28
answers
151k
views
Idiom or word for a very crowded place
There is a popular idiom in Russian for describing a really crowded place: "(there's) no room for an apple to fall" ("яблоку негде упасть").
I struggle to think of anything similar in English, and ...
- 97.5k
27
votes
13
answers
11k
views
Is there a word/idiom for someone who thinks long and hard before spending money?
My colleague and I were discussing about certain types of customers in the IT industry. You have to work extremely hard to convince them so that they think about opening their wallets .
However, they ...
- 13.5k
17
votes
11
answers
5k
views
More formal word for "know-it-all"
We are in an impartial hearing to get special education for our son. The school social worker testified a tremendous load of lies, distortions and nonsense. She (having set herself up as an armchair ...
- 21.6k
7
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Phrase or preferably word for the situation of being unable to pass opposing pedestrian, as you both start to step same direction
Is there a word or expression in English, which describes the situation, when you can't pass a stranger, who is walking towards you on the street, because you both start to step the same direction?
...
- 1,713
12
votes
11
answers
80k
views
Is there an expression that means something bad as a precursor to something good?
If someone is the bearer of bad news you might say, Don't shoot the messenger. If you have something that seems unfortunate at first but ends out wonderful you might say it's a blessing in disguise.
...
- 299
67
votes
22
answers
48k
views
Is there an idiom or typical expression for an unfunny joke? [closed]
Could you tell me some suitable idioms to express this situation:
A guy told you a joke, but it's not funny at all.
In Japanese, we say "He slipped" or "His joke was so cold that the air got ...
- 946
31
votes
29
answers
14k
views
Is there an idiom available, that is exactly opposite to "Cake walk" or "Child's play"? [closed]
Is there an idiom available, that is exactly opposite to "Cake walk" or "Child's play"?
I am looking for something exactly synonymous with "Very difficult" or "strenuous".
Example Sentence:
This ...
- 563
9
votes
10
answers
6k
views
word or phrase for pursuing a losing argument in a certain manner
Is there a word or phrase for describe the action (or the actor) of pursuing a losing argument,not conceding any points, but rather trying to win on legalisms or pedantry?
I don't mean starting out ...
- 1,498
13
votes
10
answers
3k
views
American Equivalent of "Bog Standard"
I'm searching for an American English phrase that is the most readily equivalent to the British expression bog standard (which means, as I understand, plain, ordinary or unremarkable).
I'm tempted to ...
- 440