All Questions
Tagged with single-word-requests idioms
31
questions
5
votes
6
answers
7k
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Opposite of "straight talk"
What is the opposite for the straight talk idiom? How do I best call the activity when someone makes a very long preamble before he says what he wants?
- 770
10
votes
11
answers
45k
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What is a word or phrase for a false belief or opinion on something people hold true and repeat because they have heard it repeated so many times?
It isn't any of the words on this page and I believe it started with the letter 'e' (though please offer your word even if it doesn't).
Example sentence: Because he researched what he had heard from ...
- 201
22
votes
17
answers
41k
views
Word or idiom for someone holding (seemingly) contradictory views
I think some good words would be conflicted, or confused. As an example of context, think of someone who believes in freedom of speech, but, at the same time, they would support banning comedians who ...
- 1,133
13
votes
10
answers
31k
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"To kill a fly with a..."?
I seem to recall that there is an expression for when you are throwing something too big at a particular challenge: "To kill a fly with a..."? Or am I way off here?
Edit: maybe it's not a fly after ...
- 1,593
7
votes
15
answers
57k
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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
66
votes
11
answers
6k
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Is there an English phrase for an inability to actually *leave* already?
There is a Hungarian expression, küszöbgörcs, which literally means "threshold-cramp", and is used to describe that long conversation you have in the entryway, with all the guests awkwardly holding ...
- 32.9k
15
votes
10
answers
28k
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Derogatory word or idiom for city dwellers or people who aren't adapted to country/rural life
I'm looking for something people from rural area would use, especially when they refer to that person's inability to adapt to the country life.
- 1,133
12
votes
7
answers
3k
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The solution to the problem is more complicated than the problem
I thought there was a word for this. Where you take a basic problem that exists and the best solution already exists and any effort we put into solving the problem would actually cause more work for ...
- 239
0
votes
8
answers
16k
views
Idiomatic expression for a difficult choice
This has cropped up several times in the past couple of months, and I've been struggling to find a fitting word to describe this phenomenon. I'll describe it:
You have two choices(no, it's not ...
- 3,148
19
votes
3
answers
13k
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What is this type of idiom called: "I know he's not the smartest person in the world, but..."
Basically, when someone says something along the lines of
"I know he's not the smartest person in the world, but he should at least pass first grade math."
It's peculiar because they are using ...
- 303
17
votes
18
answers
197k
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Idiom, word, or expression meaning an easy-to-do task
I am looking for a term, expression, word, or idiom to describe a task as an easy one to do or to go through.
What I’d normally say is:
Actually it’s not difficult, it’s as easy as drinking a ...
- 5,308
9
votes
11
answers
3k
views
Idiom for a speech with redundant information [closed]
What idiom can be used to name an action when a person tells a lot of redundant information?
EDIT:
To be more precise I am trying to describe an action when a person speaks about the subject but ...
- 93
7
votes
10
answers
4k
views
Is there a word or an idiom for barging in a room with anger?
Opening a door frustrated and rushing in like you are about to scold someone inside... Barging in a room with anger. Is there a word or idiom for that, other than storm in?
- 1,056
7
votes
3
answers
23k
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Idiomatic saying for "just over" and "just under"
Is there an idiomatic saying to say that a distance is about x kilometer, including the connotation of "a little bit more than" or "a little bit less than" as "just over" and "just under" respectively ...
- 5,143
5
votes
6
answers
28k
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What do call individuals who express their opinions as if they were facts?
We all know some individuals who don’t express their opinions as:
I think this is going to happen...
Instead, they express it as if it were fact or news, e.g.:
Next month the price of (...
- 1,391