had best (do something
- should do something, ought to do something
I had best go home soon as I want to get up early tomorrow morning.
had better (do something)
- should do something, ought to do something
I had better go now or I will be late for class.
hail from (somewhere)
- to originally come from somewhere
My father hails from a small farming community.
the hair of the dog that bit you
- a drink of alcohol taken when one is recovering from drinking too much
My friend started the day with the hair of the dog that bit him.
(one's) hair stands on end
- to be frightened or afraid of something
My hair stood on end when I saw the scene of the automobile accident.
hale and hearty
- to be in very good health, to be well and strong
My uncle is hale and hearty and he never gets sick.
half-baked
- an idea or plan that is not thought about carefully or not studied carefully
I do not really like my friend's half-baked ideas.
halfhearted
- not enthusiastic, not interested
The woman made a halfhearted attempt to find a new job.
half the battle
- a large part of the work
Writing the letters will be half the battle. We can finish the rest of the work later.
halfhearted about (someone or something)
- to be unenthusiastic about someone or something
I was halfhearted about joining the hiking group.
ham it up
- to do something silly or try to exaggerate something in a funny way
I was hamming it up with my friend in front of the principal's office.
hammer away at (someone or something)
- to be persistent in trying to do something
I will hammer away at my final essay for university this weekend.
hammer out a deal or hammer a deal out
- to make a deal or agreement by discussion and debate
We worked hard to hammer out a deal with our company about our holiday schedule.
hammer out (something) or hammer (something) out
- to make an agreement or plan by discussion and debate
The union and managers were able to hammer out an agreement before midnight last night.
hammer (something) home or hammer home (something)
- to try hard to make someone understand something
The speaker tried to hammer home the importance of treating the customers with respect.
Hand Idioms
hand down a decision
- to announce a legal decision
The judge handed down his decision early in the afternoon.
hand down (something) or hand (something) down
- to arrange to give something to someone after your death
My grandmother handed down her silver jewellery to my mother.
hand in glove with (someone)
- very close with someone
The supervisor and manager work hand in glove to create a positive atmosphere in the company.
hand in hand
- holding hands, working together as a team
I walked to the movie hand in hand with my girlfriend. We worked hand in hand to finish the project.
hand in (something) or hand (something) in
- to give something to someone, to hand something to someone
I went to the company early to hand in my job application.
hand it to (someone)
- to give credit or praise to someone
You have to hand it to our manager for working hard and being successful with his business.
a hand-me-down
- something given away after another person does not need it (especially clothes)
The girl was very poor when she was a child and always wore hand-me-down clothes.
a hand-out
- a gift (usually from the government)
The government recently stopped giving hand-outs to the downtown businesses.
a hand-out
- a sheet of paper given to students in a class or to people who attend a meeting or lecture
Everyone at the meeting was given a hand-out on how to invest money.
hand out (something) or hand (something) out
- to distribute something, to give something of the same kind to several people
The teacher did not hand out the tests until everybody in the class stopped talking.
hand over fist
- quickly
Our new company is making money hand over fist.
hand over (someone or something) to (someone)
- to give control or possession of something to someone, to give something to another person
The criminals were forced to hand over the stolen money to the police.
hand (something) down to (someone) or hand down (something) to (someone)
- to give something to a younger person
The girl always handed her old clothes down to her younger sister.
hand (something) to (someone) on a silver platter
- to give a person something that has not been earned
The father handed a job to his son on a silver platter and the boy never made any effort at all.
hand-to-hand combat
- fighting with one's hands without weapons
The two soldiers were doing hand-to-hand combat.
hand-to-mouth
- only enough money for basic living
The man was living a hand-to-mouth existence until he was able to find a job.
(one's) hands are tied
- one is unable to help
My hands were tied and I could not help my friend.
hands down
- easy, unopposed
Our team won the game hands down over the other team.
hands off
- left alone, without interfering
The government decided to take a hands-off approach with the teachers during the strike.
.
handle (someone) with kid gloves
- to handle someone very gently and carefully because you do not want to upset him or her
You must handle the new employee with kid gloves because he is very sensitive.
the handwriting is on the wall
- something bad or significant will happen
The handwriting is on the wall. Business conditions are bad so nobody will get a bonus this year.
handy
- can easily fix things
The man is very handy around the house and is always fixing or building something.
Hang Idioms
hang a left
- to turn to the left
We must hang a left at the end of the block.
hang a right
- to turn to the right
We decided to hang a right when we came to the main street.
hang around
- to pass time or stay someplace without any real purpose or aim
I spent the weekend hanging around with my friends.
hang back
- to stay some distance behind someone or away from someone, to hesitate or be unwilling to do something
The man always hangs back when his boss asks for volunteers.
hang by a thread/hair
- to be in doubt, to depend on a very small thing
The outcome of the election was hanging by a thread until late at night.
hang in the balance
- to have two equally possible results, to be uncertain
Building the new school hangs in the balance after the recent election.
hang in (there)
- to persevere, to not give up
"You should hang in there and not quit your job even if you hate the supervisor."
Hang it!
- a rather old expression used to express annoyance or disappointment
"Hang it," the man said when he hit his finger with the hammer.
hang loose
- to relax, to remain calm
I want to stay home this weekend and hang loose.
hang on
- to continue
Although conditions were very bad the man decided to hang on and fight to keep his business going.
hang on
- to wait, to continue listening on the telephone
"Hang on for a minute while I go and get a pen."
hang on (someone's) coattails
- to have one's fortune or success depend on another person
The man is hanging on the coattails of his successful boss.
hang on (someone's) every word or hang on every word of (someone)
- to listen with complete attention to everything someone says
The audience hung on every word of the speaker.
hang on to (something)
- to hold something tightly, to keep something firmly
"Please hang on to your hat or the wind will blow it off."
hang one on
- to get drunk
The man hung one on last night after he heard about his promotion.
hang one's hat (somewhere)
- to live or take up residence somewhere
I want to move and hang my hat in a small town somewhere.
hang out one`s shingle
- to notify the public of the opening of an office - especially an office of a doctor or lawyer or other professional
The man will hang out his shingle now that he has graduated from law school.
hang out (somewhere)
- to spend one`s time with no great purpose, to spend leisure time with friends
The boys like to hang out at the shopping center on Saturdays.
hang out with (someone)
- to spend time with someone with no great purpose, to spend leisure time with friends
Recently, my friend has been hanging out with a group of people who are a bad influence on him.
hang (someone) in effigy
- to hang a dummy of a hated person
The demonstrators hung the dishonest politician in effigy.
hang tough
- to stick to one's position
I decided to hang tough and stop negotiating with the lawyer.
hang up one's hat
- to leave a job (usually after a long career)
The man decided to hang up his hat after forty years at his job.
hang up (something) or hang (something) up
- to place something on a hook or peg or hangar
Everyone was asked to hang up their jackets before they entered the room.
hang up (the telephone)
- to place a telephone receiver back on the telephone and end the call
I hung up the telephone and left home to go to work.
a hang-up
- a delay in some process
There was a hang-up in the construction of the office tower because of the fire.
a hang-up
- an inhibition, a neurotic reaction to some life situation
The girl has a serious hang-up about the dark and is afraid to go out at night.
.
happen upon (someone or something)
- to meet someone or find something unexpectedly
I happened upon a very valuable book when I was cleaning up my grandfather's house.
happy hour
- a time in bars or restaurants when drinks are served at a discount
We stopped at a restaurant during happy hour and had a drink.
Hard Idioms
a hard-and-fast rule
- a rule that cannot be altered to fit special cases
There is no hard-and-fast rule that says you cannot use a cell phone on the bus.
as hard as nails
- physically very fit and strong, rough
The man is as hard as nails and is not a good person to have an argument with.
hard facts
- specific facts which can be proved
We tried hard to learn the hard facts about the new product.
hard feelings
- angry or bitter feelings
I do not have any hard feelings toward my boss even though he fired me.
hard-nosed
- not weak or soft, stubborn - especially in a fight or contest or negotiations
The company had a hard-nosed attitude while bargaining with the union.
a hard nut to crack
- a person or thing not easily understood or influenced
Our boss is a hard nut to crack and he is not close to many people.
hard of hearing
- unable to hear well
The man is hard of hearing so you must speak loudly when you talk to him.
hard on (someone or something)
- to treat someone or something roughly
The boy is very hard on shoes.
hard on (someone's) heels
- to be following someone very closely
The police officer was hard on the criminal's heels.
hard-pressed
- burdened with urgent business
"I am hard-pressed for time. Can we meet later?"
a hard sell
- an attitude where you pressure someone to buy something
The car dealer gave me a hard sell on the car so I went to another dealer.
hard to call
- to be hard to determine
The election was hard to call until the last moment.
hard up
- to be short of money
I am hard up for money and I cannot go to the movie.
.
harken back to (something)
- to have started out as something
The new building harkens back to a style that appeared over 100 years ago.
harp on (something)
- to talk repeatedly and tediously about something
My friend has been harping on his lack of money for several weeks now.
hash (something) over or hash over (something)
- to discuss something in great detail
The teachers stayed after school to hash over the new class schedule.
a hassle
- a bothersome thing
It is a hassle to have to report to my boss two times a day.
a hatchet man
- a politician whose job it is to say negative things about the opposition, a person in a company who must fire extra workers or cut other expenses
The manager is acting as a hatchet man for the company president.
hate (someone`s) guts
- to feel a very strong dislike for someone
I hate my neighbors guts after she caused me many problems.
haul (someone) in or haul in (someone)
- to take someone to the police station, to arrest someone
The police hauled the man in because he was drinking while driving.
Have Idioms
have a ball
- to have a good time
My friend had a ball at the party last night.
have a bee in one's bonnet
- to have an idea or thought that stays in one's mind
My sister has a bee in her bonnet about going to Mexico to live.
have a big mouth
- to be a person who gossips or tells secrets
My friend has a big mouth so I do not like to tell him any secrets.
have a blowout
- to have a big wild party or sale
The university students had a blowout on their graduation day.
have a blowout
- to have a burst tire on a car or truck
Our car had a blowout on the road to the mountain.
have a bone to pick with (someone)
- to have a disagreement or problem that you want to discuss with someone
I have a bone to pick with my boss because of his criticism of me.
have a brush with (something)
- to have a brief experience with something (law, death etc.)
I had a brush with the law when my car was stopped for speeding.
have a card up one's sleeve
- to have a reserve plan or a secret advantage
The man had a card up his sleeve when he went to the bank to ask for more money for his business.
have a case (against someone)
- to have much evidence that can be used against someone
The police have a case against the man who is selling the stolen cars.
have a change of heart
- to change one's attitude or decision (usually from negative to positive)
I had a change of heart and will let my friend use my car tomorrow.
have a chip on one's shoulder
- to seem to want to start a conflict or quarrel
Our neighbor has a chip on his shoulder and is always trying to start a fight.
have a clear conscience
- to be free of guilt
I have a clear conscience and I am not worried that I did anything wrong.
have a close call/shave
- to almost be involved in an accident or incident (but the accident or incident does not happen)
I had a close call this morning when I was almost hit by a car.
(not) have a clue (about something)
- (not) know anything about something
I do not have a clue who took my laptop computer.
have a crack at (something)
- to try something, to take a turn at trying to do something
The problem is very difficult but I will take a crack at solving it tomorrow.
have a crush on (someone)
- to have strong feelings of love for someone
The girl has a crush on someone from her university.
have a familiar ring
- to sound familiar
The complaints of our supervisor have a familiar ring and we have heard them before.
have a feeling about (something)
- to have an intuition about something
I have a feeling about the new man in our company that is not good.
have a field day
- to have a chance to do much of something that you want - especially the chance to criticize someone
The media had a field day with the scandal in the city government.
have a finger in the pie
- to be involved in something
The man has his finger in the pie of many businesses.
have a fit
- to become upset
The woman had a fit when she saw what her son had done to her car.
have a foot in both camps
- to support each of two opposing groups of people, to have an interest in two opposing groups of people
The new mayor has a foot in both camps of the development dispute.
have a frog in one's throat
- to have a feeling of a hoarse throat, to be unable to speak
I had a frog in my throat and could not speak easily in front of the class.
have a go at (something)
- to try to do something
I decided to have a go at applying for the job after my boss told me about it.
have a good command of (something)
- to know something well
The girls have a good command of French.
have a good head on one`s shoulders
- to be smart or sensible
The new salesman has a good head on his shoulders.
have a good mind to (do something)
- to be tempted to do something
I have a good mind to tell my friend that I will not lend him any money.
have a good thing going
- to be involved in something that is successful and gives you benefits
I have a good thing going with my company and my schedule is very good.
have a good time
- to enjoy oneself
I had a good time at the party.
have a green thumb
- to be able to grow plants well
My sister has a green thumb and has a beautiful garden.
have a hand in (something)
- to be partly responsible for something
I think that the woman had a hand in getting her friend fired from her job.
have a handle on (something)
- to have control or an understanding of something
I finally have a handle on my work and it is going very well.
have a head for (something)
- to have the mental capacity for something
My father has a head for numbers and is very good at mathematics.
have a heart
- to be generous and forgiving
The woman does not have a heart and nobody likes her.
have a heart of gold
- to be generous or sincere or friendly
The woman has a heart of gold and is always willing to help her friends.
have a heart of stone
- to be cold and unfriendly
The man has a heart of stone and he will never help anybody.
have a heart-to-heart talk (with someone)
- to have a sincere and intimate talk with someone
I had a heart-to-heart talk with my sister about my girlfriend.
have a hold on (someone)
- to have a strong and secure influence on someone
The coach has a hold on the members of the team.
have a hollow leg
- to be able to eat or drink a lot
I think that my friend has a hollow leg. He never stops eating.
have a hunch about (something)
- to have a feeling that something will or should happen
I have a hunch that my friend will not come to meet me.
have a keen interest in (someone or something)
- to be very interested in someone or something
I have always had a keen interest in hiking and camping.
have a lead foot
- to drive too fast
My friend has a lead foot and he has received many speeding tickets.
(not) have a leg to stand on
- to have no support or excuse or evidence for something
The criminal does not have a leg to stand on in his defense.
have a leg up on (someone)
- to have an advantage in your job or education because someone gives you help or money
The boy went to summer school which should give him a leg up on the other students in his class.
have a lot going (for one)
- to have many things working to one's benefit
The woman has a lot going for her and should do well at her job.
have a lot of promise
- to have a good future ahead
The young race horse has a lot of promise and should be a winner in the future.
have a lot on one's mind
- to have many things to worry about
The young woman has a lot on her mind with her new job and her new boyfriend.
have a lot on one's plate
- to have many things to do or deal with, to be busy with many different activities
The young woman has a lot on her plate at the moment and is very busy.
have a mind like a steel trap
- to have a very sharp and agile mind
The man has a mind like a steel trap and can remember most things easily.
have a near miss
- to nearly crash or collide with something
The two trucks had a near miss on the highway this morning.
have a nose for (something)
- to have a talent for finding something
Our supervisor has a nose for finding ways to save money in our company.
have a notion to (do something)
- to feel tempted or inclined to do something
I had a notion to go to the beach so I went to the beach.
have a one-track mind
- to think only about one thing
My friend has a one-track mind and he is only interested in making money.
have a passion for (something)
- to have a strong feeling of need or love for something
The student wants to become a teacher because he has a passion for teaching children.
have a pick-me-up
- to eat or drink something stimulating
The carpenter bought a protein drink as a pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon.
have a price on one's head
- to be wanted by the police who will pay money for one's capture
The man has a price on his head and is wanted by the police all over the country.
have a rough time (of it)
- to experience a difficult period
My friend had a rough time of it when he was forced to leave his job.
have a run-in with (someone)
- to have an unpleasant encounter with someone
I had a run-in with my boss that made us both feel bad.
have a run of bad luck
- to have a period of bad luck
My uncle had a run of bad luck and he lost his business as well as his house.
have a say in (something)
- to have a part or role in making a decision
The union wanted to have a say in how the company was managed.
have a score to settle with (someone)
- to have a problem to solve with someone
I have a score to settle with the soccer coach which I want to talk about.
have a scrape with (someone or something)
- to come into contact with someone or something
I had a scrape with my coworker and I must be very careful of what I say now.
have a screw loose
- to act in a strange way, to be foolish, to be crazy
The man is very strange. I think that he has a screw loose somewhere.
(not) have a snowball's chance in hell
- to have no chance at all
Our team did not have a snowball's chance in hell to win the tournament.
have a soft spot in one's heart for (someone or something)
- to be fond of someone or something
My grandmother has a soft spot in her heart for her youngest son.
have a sweet tooth
- to have a desire to eat sweet foods
The girl has a sweet tooth and loves to eat chocolate.
have a taste for (something)
- to have a desire for a particular food or drink or experience
Recently, my friend has a taste for very loud music.
have a thing going with (someone)
- to have a romantic relationship with someone
I think that the secretary has a thing going with one of the salesmen.
have a tiger by the tail
- to have a task or situation that you are not prepared for or which is a bigger challenge that you expected
The politician had a tiger by the tail as he tried to manage the large problem.
have a time
- to have trouble, to have a hard time
My friend really had a time last night when her car stopped working.
have a time
- to have a good time, to have fun
We really had a time at the party last night.
have a try at (something)
- to try something, to take a turn at trying to do something
I want to have a try at scuba diving.
have a vested interest in (something)
- to have a personal interest (often financial) in something
The mayor of the city has a vested interest in building the new stadium.
have a voice in (something)
- to have a part or role in making a decision
The citizens were angry because they had no voice in the government policy changes.
have a way with (someone or something)
- to be able to lead or persuade or influence others
The little girl has a way with horses. They are very gentle when she is around.
have a weakness for (someone or something)
- to be unable to resist someone or something
The girl has a weakness for chocolate and is always eating it.
have a whale of a time
- to have a very exciting time
Everybody had a whale of a time at the school picnic.
have a word with (someone)
- to talk briefly with someone
I will have a word with my boss before he goes home tonight.
have an accident
- to experience something that was not intended
I had an accident on my way to work this morning.
have an ace up one's sleeve
- to have something that you can use to gain an advantage (in a card game the ace is often the most valuable card and a cheater could have an ace up his or her sleeve to use against an opponent)
I have an ace up my sleeve which should help me when I meet my boss tomorrow.
have an ax to grind (with someone)
- to have something to complain about
My coworker has an ax to grind with our boss and he is always complaining.
have an ear for (something)
- to have the ability to learn music or languages
My cousin has an ear for music and is a very good musician.
have an edge on/over (someone or something)
- to have an advantage over someone or something
Our team has an edge over the other teams to win the high school football championship. The boy has an edge on the others to win the spelling contest.
have an eye for (something)
- to have good taste in something, to be able to judge something correctly
The girl has an eye for nice furniture and her apartment is absolutely beautiful.
have an in with (someone)
- to have a way to request a special favor from someone
The woman has an in with her boss and can easily get time off.
have an itch to (do something)
- to have a desire to do something
I have an itch to go fishing this summer.
have an open mind
- to be mentally flexible
Our boss has an open mind and is happy to hear new ideas.
have an out
- to have an excuse
The teacher asked me to do my presentation tomorrow but I have an out and do not have to do it. I will go to the doctor tomorrow
(not) have anything to do with someone
- to (not) want to be a friend or work with or do business with someone
My father will not have anything to do with the salesman after the salesman sold him the faulty car.
have arrived
- to reach a position of power or authority or prominence
The manager thought that she had arrived when she was given a beautiful corner office.
have bearing on (something)
- to affect or influence something
The decision will have much bearing on the way that the company is managed.
have been around
- to have been to many places and done many things, to be experienced
My brother has been around and has been overseas many times.
have been had
- to have been cheated or dealt with badly
I felt that I had been had when the salesman sold me the bad product.
have been through the mill
- to have become exhausted or badly treated
The students have been through the mill and want to relax after the final exams.
have been to hell and back
- to have survived a great deal of trouble
I thought that I had been to hell and back after I lost my job and could not find a new one.
have clean hands
- to be guiltless
I had clean hands and I did not need to worry about the company scandal.
have cold feet
- to be afraid and hesitant about something at the last minute
I think that my friend has cold feet and will not go traveling with me.
have come a long way
- to have accomplished much
The woman has come a long way since she lost her house and her apartment.
have contact with (someone)
- to communicate with someone
The government has had no contact with the kidnappers for several weeks.
have designs on (someone or something)
- to have plans for someone or something
The city has designs on the land that the railway used to occupy.
have dibs on (something)
- to demand a share of something, to be in line to use something
I have dibs on the computer and would like to use it as soon as possible.
have egg on one`s face
- to be embarrassed
The man has egg on his face after discovering his mistake.
have elbow room
- to have enough space
We have lots of elbow room in our new house.
have eyes bigger than one's stomach
- to a desire for more food than one can eat
I had eyes bigger than my stomach when I took too much food at the buffet.
have eyes in the back of one's head
- to be able to sense what is going on where you cannot see
The man has eyes in the back of his head and knows everything that is going on.
have eyes only for (someone or something)
- to give all of one`s attention to someone or something, to be interested only in someone or something
The girl has eyes only for her boyfriend.
have feet of clay
- to have a character defect
The candidate has feet of clay and is being criticized by her opponents.
have foot-in-mouth disease
- to embarrass oneself through a silly mistake
The man has foot-in-mouth disease and is always saying stupid things.
have good contacts
- to know people who can help you get a job or do some kind of business
The salesman has good contacts and always sells many products.
have got (something)
- to have something, to possess something
My friend has got a new car. I have got a cold.
have got to
- must
I have got to go to see my parents this evening.
have growing pains
- to have difficulties in the growth of a child or organization etc.
The new company is having growing pains as it tries to meet the big demand for its services.
have had enough
- to have had as much as you need of something
I have had enough sun today so I will go home soon.
have had it up to here with (someone or something)
- to have reached the end of one's endurance or tolerance of someone or something
The teacher has had it up to here with the bad behavior of the students.
have had it with (someone or something)
- to be unable to tolerate someone or something anymore
I have had it with the girl's constant complaining.
have had its day
- to be no longer useful or successful
My suitcase has had its day and I must buy a new one.
have half a mind to (do something)
- to feel tempted or inclined to do something
I have half a mind to go and offer my resignation to the company president.
have in mind
- to intend, to plan
"What do you have in mind for your wife`s birthday?"
have it
- to hear or get news, to understand
I have it that the new company president will be coming to see us next week.
have it
- to claim, to say
Rumor has it that three of the supervisors will be leaving next week.
have it
- to allow (usually used with will or would)
We want to have a party at our office next month but our boss will not have it.
have it
- to get or find the answer, to understand
I think that I finally have it. The reason the woman is leaving is because she is going to have a baby.
have it all over (someone or something)
- to be much better than someone or something
My new bicycle has it all over my old one.
have it both ways
- to do two things, to have two things
"You can`t have it both ways. You must choose one or the other."
have it coming (to someone)
- to deserve punishment
The man has it coming after causing many problems in his company.
have it in for (someone)
- to show ill will to someone, to dislike someone
I have been having problems at work recently. I think that the new supervisor has it in for me.
have it made
- to be successful, to have everything
My friend has it made with his new job.
have it out with (someone)
- to argue or fight with someone
I had it out with my friend yesterday over the problem with the money.
have jet lag
- to be tired because you have travelled a long distance in an airplane and have crossed many time zones so your body cannot adjust
I had jet lag for several days after my long trip.
have legs
- (an idea or plan or topic) is likely to succeed or to continue
The news story has legs. People will be talking about it for a long time.
have mixed feelings about (someone or something)
- to be uncertain about someone or something
I have mixed feelings about taking the new job.
have money to burn
- to have lots of money
The man has money to burn and is always buying something new.
have never had it so good
- to have never been in such a good situation
We have never had it so good since the new supervisor came to our department.
have no business (doing something)
- to be wrong to do something
The manager has no business asking us about our private business.
have none of (something)
- to not tolerate or endure something
Our teacher will have none of our talking loudly in the class.
have nothing on (someone or something)
- to have no information or evidence about someone or something
The police have nothing on the man so they cannot arrest him.
have nothing to do with (someone or something)
- to not be involved with someone or something
My aunt will have nothing to do with the other members of her family.
have nothing/none to spare
- to not have extra of something
We have none to spare so we are unable to give any books to the hospital.
have on (something) or have (something) on
- to be wearing something
"What did the woman have on when you saw her?"
have one foot in the grave
- to be near death (usually because of old age or illness)
My uncle is very sick and has one foot in the grave.
have one for the road
- to have a drink before leaving
We decided to have one for the road before we walked to the train station to go home.
have one`s ass in a sling
- to be in an uncomfortable predicament, to be at a disadvantage
The man has his ass in a sling now that he has quit his job and cannot find another one.
have one's back against/to the wall
- to be in a defensive or difficult position
The boy has his back to the wall and must pass his exams or leave school.
have one's cake and eat it too
- to have something both ways
The union wants to have their cake and eat it too and will not give up anything during the bad economic times.
have one's druthers
- to get one's choice
If I had my druthers, I would not go to the meeting this evening.
have one's ear to the ground
- to listen carefully for advice or advance warning of something
Our teacher always has his ear to the ground to look for possible trouble at school.
have one`s eye on (something)
- to have a wish or aim for something, to look or think about something
I want to buy a present for my girlfriend and I have my eye on a dress that I saw at the department store last week.
have one's feet (planted firmly) on the ground
- to have sensible ideas, to have an understanding of what can be done in a certain situation
The new manager seems to have his feet on the ground and should have a sensible solution to our problems. The man has his feet planted firmly on the ground and is very sensible.
have one's finger in too many pies
- to be involved in too many things
The woman has her finger in too many pies and is unable to do her work well.
have one's hand in the till
- to be stealing money from a company or organization
The man had his hand in the till for many years before he was caught.
have one's hands full with (someone or something)
- to be totally occupied with someone or something
The mother has her hands full with the two young children.
have one's hands tied
- to be prevented from doing something
I had my hands tied and was unable to help my friend.
have one's head in the clouds
- to be unaware of what is going on
The boy has his head in the clouds and does not think about what is going on around him.
have one's heart go out to (someone)
- to have compassion for someone
We had our heart go out to the woman who lost her child in the fire.
have one's heart in the right place
- to have good intentions (even if the results may be bad)
The woman has her heart in the right place and is always ready to help if she can.
have one's heart set against (something)
- to be totally against something
My father has his heart set against my trip to Europe.
have one`s heart set on (something)
- to want something very much
The child has his heart set on getting a new bicycle for his birthday.
have one's job on the line
- to be facing the possibility of losing one's job
The salesman had his job on the line after his bad sales results.
have one's nose in a book
- to be reading a book
The boy loves reading and always has his nose in a book.
have one`s nose in (something)
- to have unwelcome interest in something, to have impolite curiosity about something
The man often has his nose in other people`s private business where it does not belong.
have one's nose in the air
- to be conceited or aloof
The girl has her nose in the air and is unfriendly to the other members of her class.
have one's way
- to be able to do what you want or have what you want
The little boy always has his way.
have one's work cut out for one
- to have a large and difficult task to do
We had our work cut out for us when we began to paint the house.
have oneself (something)
- to use or consume something
I decided to have myself a drink before leaving for the movie.
have other fish to fry
- to have other things to do, to have more important things to do
I have other fish to fry and I do not want to get involved with the small problems in my company.
have pull with (someone)
- to have influence with someone
My friend has pull with his boss and often goes home early.
have rocks in one`s head
- to be stupid, to not have good judgement
The girl has rocks in her head. She should never have bought that old car.
have second thoughts about (someone or something)
- to have doubts about someone or something
Recently, I am having second thoughts about buying a new motorcycle.
have seen better days
- to be worn out or well-used
My bicycle has seen better days and soon I will need to buy a new one.
have (someone) in one's pocket
- to have control over someone
The large union has the city mayor in their pocket.
have (someone or something) in tow
- to lead or pull or tow someone or something
The boy had his brother in tow as he walked down the street.
have (someone) over
- to invite someone to your house
We plan to have my parents over when we settle into our new house.
have (someone) over a barrel
- to have someone in a helpless or trapped position
We have the other company over a barrel and we should be able to win the contract easily.
have (someone's) blood on one's hands
- to be responsible for someone's death
The army general has the citizen's blood on his hands.
have (someone's) hide
- to scold or punish someone
The mother promised to have her son's hide if he did not behave.
have (something) against (someone or something)
- to dislike someone or something
I do not know why but my teacher seems to have something against me.
have (something) at one's fingertips
- to have something within reach
I did not have a pen at my fingertips so I could not write down the address.
have (something) coming to (someone)
- to deserve punishment for something
The girl has the punishment coming to her because of what she did.
have (something) down pat
- to have learned or memorized something perfectly
I have the dance routine down pat.
have (something) going for one
- to have ability or talent or good looks
The woman has a lot going for her and I am sure that she will get the new job.
have (something) hanging over one's head
- to have something worrying one
I want to finish my final essay so that I do not have it hanging over my head.
have (something) in common with (someone or something)
- to resemble someone else in specific ways, to have similar interests to someone
I have much in common with a girl in my class.
have (something) in mind
- to be thinking about something, to be considering something, to have a plan or idea in one's mind
I do not know what my friend has in mind so I will ask him later.
have (something) in stock
- to have goods available to sell
The store does not have any DVD players in stock.
have (something) in store for (someone)
- to have something planned for someone
I do not know what my boss has in store for me.
have (something) on
- to have plans for a particular time
I have something on this afternoon so I cannot go to the park.
have (something) on file
- to have or keep a written record of something
I have the report on file on my computer.
have (something) on one's mind
- to worry about something, to think constantly about something
The man has several serious problems on his mind.
have (something) on (someone)
- to have information or proof that someone did something wrong
I think that the police have something on the man and that is why he is afraid.
have (something) on the ball
- to be smart or clever or skilled
The woman has a lot on the ball. She should do well in her new job.
have (something) on the brain
- to be obsessed with something
My sister has tennis on the brain and she is always talking about it.
have (something) on the tip of one's tongue
- to be almost able to remember a specific fact such as a name or place
I have the actor's name on the tip of my tongue but I cannot remember it.
have (something) stuck in one's craw
- to have something irritate or displease someone
The man's complaint stuck in my craw for several weeks before I forgot it.
have (something) to do with (something)
- to be about something, to be on the subject of something, to be related to something
"The book has something to do with cooking but I am not sure if you will like it." That problem has nothing to do with me.
have (something) to spare
- to have more than enough of something
We have extra blankets to spare so we gave some to our neighbors.
have (something) up one`s sleeve
- to have something kept secretly ready for a good time to use it
I am not too worried about the meeting as I have something up my sleeve if there are any problems.
have sticky fingers
- to steal things
The waiter was fired from the restaurant because he has sticky fingers.
have the best of both worlds
- to be able to enjoy two different opportunities
The man has the best of both worlds and can enjoy the outdoors and nature while he is working at his job.
have the courage of one's convictions
- to have enough courage and determination to work to achieve one's goals
The man has the courage of his convictions and will only do what he feels is right.
have the devil to pay
- to have a great deal of trouble
I will have the devil to pay if I do not return home early.
have the feel of (something)
- to have learned how something feels, to be accustomed to something
When I had the feel of the airplane, the instructor let me fly it.
have the floor
- to have permission to speak in a meeting
The president had the floor for almost an hour during the meeting.
have the gall to (do something)
- to be arrogant enough to do something
The woman had the gall to ask me to be quiet after she had been talking loudly for an hour.
have the gift of the gab
- to be able to talk and use language easily
My sister has the gift of the gab and can talk to others easily.
have the inside track
- to have an advantage (if you have the inside track while running in a race you have an advantage)
I had the inside track when I applied for the job at the bank.
have the last laugh
- to make someone seem foolish for laughing at you first
I had the last laugh when I went home early while everyone else had to work late.
have the makings of (something)
- to possess the qualities that are needed for something
The new soccer player has the makings of a great star.
have the Midas touch
- to have the ability to make money easily
My uncle has the Midas touch and he can make money easily.
have the presence of mind to (do something)
- to have the calmness and ability to act sensibly in a difficult situation
My aunt had the presence of mind to write a will before she passed away.
have the right to do something
- to have the freedom to do something
The apartment manager does not have the right to tell the tenants when they must leave the building.
have the right-of-way
- to have the right to go before another car or turn before another car turns
The small car had the right-of-way but it was hit by the large truck anyway.
have the time of one's life
- to have a very good time
We had the time of our life at the party last night.
have the wherewithal to (do something)
- to have the money or energy to do something
The man does not have the wherewithal to go to court and fight his case.
have them rolling in the aisles
- to make an audience laugh a lot
The speaker had them rolling in the aisles when he gave his speech.
have time off
- to have free time, to not have to work
I have time off next week so I will meet my friend.
have to (do something)
- to be obliged or forced to do something
I have to leave at 4:00 or I will be late for my appointment.
have to live with (something)
- to have to endure something
Although the house is very cold we will have to live with it.
have too many irons in the fire
- to be doing too many things at once
I have too many irons in the fire at the moment and I am very tired.
have turned the corner
- to have passed a critical point in a process
I think that we have turned the corner and that our business will improve soon.
have two left feet
- to move in a very awkward way when you dance
The man has two left feet and he is a very bad dancer.
have two strikes against (one)
- to do two things that are wrong or bad and have only one more thing to do to cause you serious trouble, to be in a difficult situation ( from baseball where a batter is finished after three strikes)
The young boy already had two strikes against him when he went to hear the judge's decision about his crime.
have what it takes
- to have the ability or courage to do something
I do not believe that my friend has what it takes to be a good teacher.
.
haywire
- broken or confused, unrealistic or crazy
The man had a haywire idea to change jobs in his company.
hazard a guess
- to make a guess
I would not want to hazard a guess as to the age of the woman.
hazard an opinion
- to give an opinion
I will not hazard an opinion about the new company policy.
Head Idioms
head above water
- out of difficulty, clear of trouble
Although the man works very hard he is not able to keep his head above water financially.
head and shoulders above (someone or something)
- to be clearly superior to someone or something
I believe that our team is head and shoulders above the other teams in the league.
head for (someone/something/somewhere)
- to aim for someone/something/somewhere, to move toward someone/something/somewhere
The tropical storm is heading for the large island. The dog in the park was heading for the woman.
head hunt
- to search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions
The head-hunting company has phoned me several times about changing jobs.
head off (someone) or head (someone) off
- to get in front of someone and stop him or her, to turn someone back
In the movie the soldiers tried to head off the gang at the mountain pass.
head off (something) or head (something) off
- to stop something , to prevent something
The company was able to head off a strike by the union at the last minute.
head-on
- front end to front end, with the front facing something
There was a serious head-on crash on the highway last night.
head-on
- in a way that is exactly opposite, opposed to someone in an argument or fight
We will deal with our opponents in a head-on manner in order to win the fight.
head out
- to leave, to start
It is time that we head out for the movie or we will be late.
head over heels
- upside down, head first
The boy fell head over heels when his bicycle hit the wall.
head over heels in love (with someone)
- to be completely or deeply in love (with someone)
The girl was head over heels in love with the boy who she met at the party.
a head shrinker
- a psychiatrist
The criminal had to see a head shrinker after the judge sentenced him to life in prison.
a head start
- an early start to something
We left early in order to get a head start on the trip.
head up (something) or head (something) up
- to be at the head of a group, to be a leader of something
The company president headed up a group of people going overseas to promote trade.
heads or tails
- the face of a coin or the opposite side of the coin
We decided who would go first in the game by throwing heads or tails with a coin.
heads will roll
- somebody will get into severe trouble
Heads will roll because of the problems with the new employee.
.
hear a peep out of (someone)
- to hear the smallest sound from some
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