Idioms with O, P, Q, R, and S

|| Idioms List A || Idioms List B || Idioms List C-E || Idioms List F-H ||

|| Idioms List I-N || Idioms List O-S || Idioms List T-Z ||

Idioms / Phrases	Meaning
Odd and even	Game of chance
Odds and ends	Various article
Odds and ends	Miscellaneous things
Off hand	Without preparation
Off On The Wrong Foot:	Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.
Off the cuff	Imparting information ,
Off The Hook:	No longer have to deal with a tough situation.
Off the Record:	Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed to him/her.
On and off	At intervals
on credit in one’s cup	Under the influence of liquor
On edge	Nervous
On its last leg	About to perish/expire
On Pins And Needles:	Anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation of something.
On tenterhooks	An anxious suspense
On the ball	Alert ,competent
On the blink	Not in the working order
On the bum	Living the life of a tramp
On the cards	Certain
On The Fence:	Undecided.
On the level	Mentally compatible
On the nod	On credit
On The Same Page:	When multiple people all agree on the same thing.
On the wan	Declining
On the wane	Growing less
On the wane	Growing less
On the wane	Growing less
On the wrong side of fifty	Over fifty years old
Once and for all	Foe ever
Once in a while	Occasionally
One’s cup of tea	What one likes and can do well
Out and out	Absolutely
Out and out	Thoroughly
Out of place	Inappropriate
Out of pocket	Without money
Out of question	Unthinkable
Out Of The Blue:	Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.
Out of thin air	Appear suddenly
Out on a limb	In a dangerous situation
Out On A Limb:	When someone puts themself in a risky situation.
Out On The Town:	To enjoy yourself by going out.
Over and above	In addition to
Over My Dead Body:	When you absolutely will not allow something to happen.
Over the Top:	Very excessive.
Paddle of own canoe	Depended on himself
Paint the town red	Have a lively time
Paint with bright colour	Exaggerated
Pare down	Reduce indictment
part with	Give up, give away, desert
Pass off	Pretend to be
Pass The Buck:	Avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else.
Passed by	Overlooked
Pay by one’s nose	Pay dearly
Pedal to the metal:	To go full speed, especially while driving a vehicle.
Peeping Tom:	Someone who observes people in the nude or sexually active people, mainly for his own gratification.
Pell-mell	In hurried disorder
Pell-mell	In a disorderedly manner
Penn y wise and pound foolish	shaving small sums at the risk of large ones
Pick up your ears:	To listen very carefully.
Pie in the sky	Event likely to happen
Pig In A Poke:	A deal that is made without first examining it.
Pig Out :	To eat alot and eat it quickly.
Pin-money	Allowance made to a lady for her expenses
Pipe Down:	To shut-up or be quiet.
Plain as pike staff	Very obvious
Play at	To do something without any effort or real interest
Play ducks and drakes with	Squandering
Plough a lonely furrow	Do without the help of others
Point-blank	Pointedly
Practice Makes Perfect:	By constantly practicing, you will become better.
Pretty pass	In a difficulty
Printer’s devil	The youngest apprentice in a printing office
Prodigal son	Extravagant
Pull a long face	Looks indifferent
Pull the plug:	To stop something. To bring something to an end.
Pulling Your Leg:	Tricking someone as a joke.
Push off	Go leave
Put a sock in it:	To tell noisy person or a group to be quiet.
Put across	To convey
Put away	Discard
Put by	Lay aside for future use
Put down	Suppress
Put forth	Exerted
Put in	Presented
Put in for	Apply for
Put off	Postponed
Put out	Extinguish
Put out	Disturbed
Put out	Irritate
Put some one to mettle	Arouse some one to do his best
Put the foot down	Not to yield
Put up at	Stayed in
Put up to	Incited
Put up with	Tolerate
Put up with	Endure
Put/Throw an spanner in the works	To do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding
Pyrrhic victory	Victory at a high cost
Queer fish	Strange person
Queer somebody’s pitch	Upset one’s plan
Queer the pitch:	Destroy or ruin a plan.
Quixotic project	Foolishly ideal
Raincheck:	An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.
Raining Cats and Dogs:	A very loud and noisy rain storm.
Rainy days	Unlucky times
Raise somebody’s hackle	To make somebody angry
Rake up	Revive
Ran riot	Acted without restrained
Rest on my laurels	Be complacent
Ride rough shod over	Treat harshly
Ride the high horse	Puts in airs
Ring Fencing:	Seperated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially project funds.
Rise and Shine:	Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.
Rome Was Not Built In One Day:	If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time.
Rough and ready	Not exact , only approximate
Rule Of Thumb:	A rough estimate.
Rule the roost	To dominate
Run down	Weak and tired
Run in the same groove	Advance in harmony
Run out of steam:	To be completely out of energy.
Run the gauntlet	Face criticism
Running riot	Behaving wild
Run-of- the mill	An average, an average , ordinary unexciting
Saved By The Bell:	Saved at the last possible moment.
Scapegoat:	Someone else who takes the blame.
Scot-free:	To escape and not have to pay.
Scream blue murder	Make a great deal of noise and object vehemently
Seamy side of the life	Immoral side of society
See through the design	Be aware of the trick
Send for	Summon , ask or order somebody / something to come
Send(one) about one’s business	To send someone away , usually in an unfriendly way
Set about	Begin
Set down	Recorded
Set down	To snub
Set forth	Explain
Set great store	Values greatly
Set in	Begun
Set off	Depart
Set on	Incited
Set out	Started on
Set upon	Attacked
Short and sweet	Brisk , without delay
Shot in the arm	Encouraging
Showing wild oats	Going through a period of irresponsible pleasure seeking
Sick As A Dog:	To be very sick (with the flu or a cold).
Sing froid	To remain calm and composed in the difficult situation
Sitting on the fence	Hesitate between two options
Sitting Shotgun:	Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.
Sixth Sense:	A paranormal sense that allows you to communicate with the dead.
Skid Row:	The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.
Small talk	Light conversation
Smell A Rat:	To detect somone in the group is betraying the others.
Smell Something Fishy:	Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.
Snake in the Grass:	A person who betrays.
Soft soap	Flattery
Something up one’s sleeve	A secret plan
Son of a Gun:	A scamp.
Southpaw:	Someone who is left-handed.
Sow wild oats	Irresponsible pleasure seeking
Spartan life	Life of ascetic
Speak volumes	Serve as strong testimony to
Spick and span	Neat and clean
Spick and span	In order
Spitting Image:	The exact likeness or kind.
Square peg in a round hole	Unusual individualist who could not fit into his/her society
Square up	Settle
Stalking horse	Trick , something that is used to hide someone’s real purpose
Stand against	Withstand
Stand for	Present as candidate
Stand up	Vindicate
Standing off	Championing the cause off
Start From Scratch:	To do it all over again from the beginning.
Stave off	Prevent
Steal someone’s thunder	To lessen someone’s force
Steer clear of	Avoid
Stem from	Originate
Stick one’s neck out	To Take a risk
Stood up	Oppose
Straight from the shoulder	Without evasion
Street Arabs	Homeless and parentless children
Strike up	Begin to play
Struck dumb	Astonished
Struck off	Erased
Struck work	Refused to work
Sum and substance	Summary