M Idioms
mad as a hatter
- crazy
My neighbor is as mad as a hatter and we never know what she will do next.
mad as a hornet
- very angry
Our boss was as mad as a hornet when we saw him yesterday.
made for each other
- to be very well suited romantically with each other
The young couple are made for each other and seem to be very happy.
made to measure
- clothing that is made especially to fit the measurements of someone
When I was working in Hong Kong I purchased several suits that were made to measure.
made to order
- to be made or put together on request
My father decided to buy a new computer desk that was made to order.
maiden voyage
- the first voyage of a ship or boat
The maiden voyage of the new cruise ship was very popular.
main drag
- the most important street in a town
We spent Saturday evening driving up and down the main drag of the town.
Make Idioms
make a bed
- to arrange the sheets and blankets of a bed neatly
My mother always told me to make my bed when I was a child.
make a beeline for (someone or something)
- to hurry directly toward someone or something
When I enter the cafeteria I always make a beeline for the dessert section.
make a big deal about (something)
- to exaggerate the seriousness of something
I wish that my friend would not make a big deal about every small problem.
make a break for (something/somewhere)
- to move or run quickly to something or somewhere
The audience made a break for the doors when the concert was over.
make a buck
- to make money
I am working hard trying to make a buck.
make a bundle/pile
- to make a lot of money
My father made a bundle on the stock market several years ago.
make a check out (to someone)
- to write a check to give to someone with his or her name on it
I made a check out to the animal hospital after they cared for our dog.
make a clean breast of (something)
- to confess something bad that you have done in order not to feel guilty or bad
The woman made a clean breast of things and tried to start over.
make a clean sweep of (something)
- to do or win something completely or thoroughly
The new political party made a clean sweep of the large cities during the election.
make a comeback
- to return to one's former (successful) career or situation
The boxer has been training very hard in his attempt to make a comeback.
make a concession
- to change your position in favor of the other person/side when you are negotiating
The union made a big concession in their negotiations with their company.
make a day of it
- to do something all day
We decided to make a day of it and spend the day at the beach.
make a dent in (something)
- to make progress doing something
We worked hard all day but we did not make a dent in the amount of work that we had to do.
make a difference
- to cause a change in a situation, to change the nature of something
It does not make a difference whether our boss comes to the meeting or not.
If I study hard this weekend, it should make a difference in my test results next week.
make a face (at someone)
- to make a strange face to ridicule someone
The little girl made a face at the boy in her class.
make a fast/quick buck
- to make money with little effort
The two men tried to make a fast buck during the construction boom.
make a fool out of (someone)
- to make someone look foolish
The secretary made a fool out of her boss when she criticized him at the meeting.
make a fuss (over someone or something)
- to worry about or make a bother about someone or something
My grandmother always makes a fuss over me when I visit her.
make a go of (something)
- to succeed at something, to produce good results
The man was never able to make a go of his business.
make a great show of (something)
- to do something in a showy way
The woman made a great show of telling everybody about her rich boyfriend.
make a hit
- to be successful
The chocolate cake made a hit at the party.
make a killing
- to make a large amount of money
The woman made a killing on the real estate market before she retired.
make a laughingstock of (someone)
- to do something that makes people laugh at someone
I made a laughingstock of myself when I dropped the plate of crackers at the party.
make a living
- to earn enough money to live
The man cannot make a living by only doing a part-time job.
make a long story short
- to bring a story to an end by omitting some details
I made a long story short and quickly finished my story about my holiday.
make a meal of (something)
- to eat one main dish or food as an entire meal
We were able to make a meal of the chicken that my mother gave us.
make a mistake
- to make an error
I made a mistake on the math test.
make a mountain out of a molehill
- to make a big problem out of a small problem
The man is making a mountain out of a molehill by worrying about his son`s problem.
make a name for oneself
- to become well-known or famous
The man has made a name for himself in the field of computers.
make a night/evening of (doing something)
- to do something for the entire night or evening
We decided to stay home and make an evening of playing cards.
make a note of (something)
- to write something on a piece of paper
I made a note of the people that I will phone on the weekend.
make a nuisance of oneself
- to be a constant bother
I did not phone the apartment manager about the sink because I did not want to make a nuisance of myself.
make a pass at (someone)
- to make romantic advances to someone
The man was fired because he made a pass at one of the women who he works with.
make a pitch (for someone or something)
- to attempt to promote or sell or advance someone or something
The city made a pitch for more money to help build a new sports stadium.
make a play for (someone)
- to try to make someone romantically interested in you
I tried to make a play for a woman in my computer class.
make a point
- to state something important
The speaker used some examples to make a point during his speech.
make a point of (doing or saying something)
- to do or say something with a definite intention, to be sure to do something
I make a point of visiting my grandmother often.
make a practice of (something)
- to turn something into a habit
I make a practice of going to bed at 11:00 PM every evening.
make a reservation
- to reserve a seat in an airplane or restaurant etc.
I phoned the airline last night so that I could make a reservation.
make a run for it
- to dash for safety, to make a quick escape
I made a run for it when the class finished.
make a scene
- to make a public display or disturbance
The woman made a scene in the supermarket when she saw the liquid soap on the floor.
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- to create something valuable out of something of no value
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and the woman is not a good singer and will probably never sing in the choir.
make a stink (about something)
- to make a major issue about something
The woman decided to make a stink about the broken DVD player that she had bought.
make an all-out effort
- to make a big effort
The police made an all-out effort to discover who had robbed the bank.
make an appearance
- to appear somewhere, to appear in a performance
The famous actor made an appearance at the party.
make an appointment (with someone)
- to schedule a meeting with someone
I made an appointment with my dentist to have my teeth checked.
make an entrance
- to arrive at a party just after it has begun in order to attract attention
The important guest made an entrance soon after the party had begun.
make an example of (someone)
- to punish someone as a warning to others
The teacher punished the student in order to make an example of him for the other students.
make an exception (for someone)
- to suspend a rule for someone in one particular instance
The security guard made an exception for me and allowed me to enter the parking lot after it was closed.
make an honest buck
- to make an honest living
The man has always made an honest buck with his work.
make an impression (on someone)
- to produce a strong or memorable effect on someone
The elderly man made an impression on me and I was sad when I heard that he had died.
make an issue of (something)
- to make something into an important matter
Our supervisor often tries to make an issue of something that is not important at all.
make allowances for (someone or something)
- to allow extra time for someone or something, to make excuses for someone or something
We must make allowances for the fact that the new employee is very slow.
make amends for (something)
- to do something to compensate for an error or injury or loss
I had to do some extra work to make amends for my mistake of last week.
make arrangements for (someone or something)
- to make plans for someone or something
We made arrangements for a small wedding for my cousin.
make as if (to do something)
- to act as if one were about to do something
The driver made as if he was going to turn right but he actually turned left.
make away with (something)
- to take or carry away something
The cat made away with the frozen fish that was on the kitchen counter.
make believe
- to act as if something is true although one knows that it is not true, to pretend
The children were playing make believe and pretended that they lived in a castle.
make big bucks
- to make a lot of money
My friend is making big bucks at his company.
make book on (something)
- to make or accept bets on something
The gamblers were planning to make book on the coming election.
make clear or make (something) clear
- to clarify something, to explain something
The teacher made clear to the children the rules of the class.
make cracks (about someone or something)
- to ridicule or make jokes about someone or something
The radio announcer made cracks about the famous athlete during the interview.
make do with (something)
- to substitute one thing for another thing, to manage, to cope
If there is no cream for the coffee then we will have to make do with milk.
make ends meet
- to be able to live on the money that one has
It is hard to make ends meet on the man's salary.
make eyes at (someone)
- to flirt with someone, to look at someone to try and attract him or her
The boy was making eyes at the girl in his history class.
make for (someone or somewhere)
- to go or start toward someone or somewhere
When it began to get dark we decided to make for a quiet place to camp.
make free with (someone or something)
- to take advantage or use something as if it were one's own
My roommate always makes free with my clothes.
make friends
- to form friendships with people or animals
The girl is shy and is not able to make friends easily.
make fun of (someone or something)
- to ridicule or make jokes about someone or something
The students like to make fun of the girl with the short hair.
make good
- to succeed
The man is working very hard to make good.
make good money
- to earn a large amount of money
My friend is able to make good money selling computer equipment in the evenings.
make good on (something)
- to fulfill a promise, to make something come true, to repay a debt
Our boss made good on his promise to give everyone a raise last year.
make good time
- to arrive at a destination in a short time or quicker than you expected
We made good time yesterday and arrived home before it became dark.
make hay while the sun shines
- to do something at the right time, to take advantage of an opportunity
We will make hay while the sun shines and paint the house while the weather is good.
(not) make head nor tail of (something)
- to not be able to understand something
We could not make head nor tail of what the man was saying during his speech.
make headway
- to make progress
We were not able to make any headway with the project.
make it
- to succeed
The woman worked hard and was able to make it in the publishing industry.
make it as far as
- to travel as far as somewhere, to endure something until you must stop
We made it as far as the city limits before our car began to have problems.
The book was very difficult to read. However, I made it as far as the third chapter.
make it hot for (someone)
- to make things difficult for someone
The questions from the reporter were making it hot for the city council member.
make it in (to work)
- to arrive at work
I was able to make it in early for work today.
make it one's business to (do something)
- to do something even if you may interfere in something that does not directly concern you
The mother always makes it her business to know exactly what her children are doing.
make it to first base
- to successfully take the first step with someone or when doing something (in baseball the first step around the bases to score is to get to first base)
I could not make it to first base in my attempt to have my boss change my work schedule.
make it up to (someone)
- to do something for someone in order to compensate for an unfulfilled promise or debt
I cannot help you tonight but I will make it up to you later.
make it worth (someone's) while to do (something)
- to make something profitable enough or beneficial enough for someone to do
Our company always makes it worth our while to work on Saturdays.
make life miserable for (someone)
- to make someone unhappy over a long period of time
The manager of the apartment building made life miserable for the young couple with the baby.
make light of (something)
- to treat something as not being important, to minimize something
My friend made light of my efforts to learn how to speak and write Chinese.
make little of (someone or something)
- to minimize someone or something, to belittle someone or something
My friend makes little of the fact that he often borrows money and then does not pay it back quickly.
make merry
- to have fun, to laugh and celebrate
We decided to go to a nice restaurant and make merry for the evening.
make mincemeat out of (someone)
- to beat someone up, to fight and hurt someone
The boxer made mincemeat out of his opponent during the boxing match.
make mischief
- to cause trouble
The young boy enjoyed the fact that he could make mischief whenever he wanted.
make money hand over fist
- to make money fast and in large amounts
My friend is making money hand over fist in his business.
make no bones about (something)
- to make no secret of something, to have no doubts about something
I made no bones about the fact that I am not interested in applying for the supervisor`s job.
make no difference to (someone)
- to not matter to someone, to not care (about something)
It makes no difference to me if we go to the movie on Friday or on Saturday.
make no mistake (about something)
- to have no doubt about something, to be certain about something
I told the man to make no mistake about the fact that he is not permitted to park his car in our parking area.
make nothing of (something)
- to ignore something as if it had not happened
The woman made nothing of the fact that she almost hit a woman in the parking lot.
make of (someone or something)
- to think or have an opinion about someone or something
"What do you make of the new accounting manager?"
make off with (someone or something)
- to take someone or something away
The thief made off with a new television set from the store.
make one`s bed and lie in it
- to be responsible for what you have done and accept the results of your actions
"You quit your job and now you have no money. You made your bed and now you must lie in it."
make one`s blood boil
- to cause someone to become very angry
Every time that I see that man he makes my blood boil.
make one`s feelings known
- to reveal one's feelings about something
My friend made her feelings known about her desire to not attend the dinner.
make one`s hair stand on end
- to frighten or horrify someone
The horror movie made my hair stand on end.
make one`s mouth water
- to make someone want to eat or drink something because of the thought or the smell of the food
The smell of the food cooking in the restaurant made my mouth water.
make one`s own way
- to rely on one`s own abilities
The father wants his son to join the family business but the son wants to make his own way and do something different.
make one's toes curl
- to make one feel uncomfortable
The story about the horrible accident made my toes curl.
make oneself at home
- to relax and act as if you are at home
The woman always makes herself at home when she visits her friends.
make oneself conspicuous
- to attract attention to oneself
The man made himself conspicuous by wearing the colorful sports jacket.
make oneself felt
- to use one`s authority
The supervisor was able to make himself felt when he helped to resolve the conflict.
make oneself heard
- to speak loudly so that you will be heard above the noise
I had to speak loudly in order to make myself heard while the loud music was playing.
make oneself scarce
- to leave quickly, to go away
I think that I will make myself scarce and go to the beach for the day.
make or break (someone)
- to either benefit or ruin someone
The new business venture will probably make or break my uncle.
make out
- to progress, to do well or not do well
"How did you make out at your job interview yesterday?"
make out (a report/application)
- to fill out a report or application
I worked late last night in order to make out a report for work.
make out (something)
- to understand something by making an effort
I can never make out what my friend wants to say when he phones me.
make out (something)
- to make someone believe something, to prove something
The man made out that he was at the library last night but I know that he was not.
make out (something) or make (something) out
- to distinguish or identify something, to manage to see or read something
The ship captain could not make out the name of the other boat because of the fog.
I was unable to make out the sign because I did not have my glasses.
make over (something) or make (something) over
- to make something look different, to change the style of something
We decided to make over our living room because we were tired of the old style.
make overtures to (someone)
- to approach someone in a friendly way in order to talk about something or deal with something, to make a formal proposal or offer
The woman made overtures to her friend to try and solve their recent problems.
make peace with (someone)
- to end a quarrel with someone
The two sisters were finally able to make peace with each other.
make points with (someone)
- to gain favor with someone
The woman is more interested in making points with her boss than doing a good job.
make room for (someone or something)
- to arrange space for someone or something
We made room for the new computer in the spare room.
make sense
- to seem reasonable, to be comprehensible, to be explained in a way that you understand
The new proposal really does make sense.
make sense of (something)
- to understand something, to interpret something successfully
I could not make sense of what the man was saying.
make sense out of (someone or something)
- to understand or interpret someone or something
We tried hard to make sense out of the tragedy at the hotel.
make short work of (something)
- to finish something quickly
I made short work of the first report and started to work on the other report.
make (someone or something) available to (someone)
- to supply someone with someone or something
The company made a car available to the salesman.
The company made a tour guide available to our group.
make (someone) eat crow
- to cause someone to admit an error or retract a statement
I want the supervisor to eat crow and admit that she made a mistake.
make (someone) look good
- to cause someone to appear successful or competent
The new sales contract that I won made me look good.
make (someone) look ridiculous
- to make someone look foolish
The complaint from my coworker made me look ridiculous.
make (someone) sick
- to disgust someone
The attitude of the woman next door makes me sick.
make (someone) tick
- to motivate someone to behave or act in a certain way
It is difficult to know what makes our boss tick.
make (someone's) blood run cold
- to shock or horrify someone
The sight of the injured family in the car accident made my blood run cold.
make (someone's) flesh crawl
- to cause someone's skin to feel funny
The movie was very violent and it made my flesh crawl.
make (someone's) hair stand on end
- to cause someone to be very frightened
The sound of the screaming woman made my hair stand on end.
make (someone's) head spin
- to make someone confused or overwhelmed, to make someone dizzy
The information that I had to learn in the accounting course made my head spin.
make (someone`s) mouth water
- to make someone want to eat something because of the thought or smell of the food
It made my mouth water when I looked at the menu.
make (someone's) position clear
- to clarify where someone stands on an issue
The politician made his position clear on the issue of taxes.
make (something - an event or meeting)
- to attend an event
I was feeling sick so I was not able to make the monthly meeting of our club.
I cannot make it tonight and will not be able to meet my friends.
make (something) by hand
- to make something with one's hands rather than with a machine
The people in the small village make most of their clothes by hand.
The woman likes to buy clothes that are made by hand.
make (something) from scratch
- to make something by starting with the basic ingredients
We made the soup from scratch.
make (something) out of nothing
- to make an issue out of something of little importance
My friend always wants to make something out of nothing and he fights with everyone.
make (something) right/good
- to replace or restore something
I worked hard to make my relationship with my friend right.
make (something) to order
- to make something only when someone requests it
The construction company makes many parts for their equipment to order.
make (something) up to (someone)
- to repay someone for something, to make amends to someone
I was late for work so I had to make it up to my boss by working late.
make (something) worth (someone's) while
- to make something profitable enough for someone to do
My friend helped me move. I made it worth his while by buying him dinner.
make sure
- to make certain, to establish something without a doubt
I want to make sure that my friend is going to meet me tomorrow.
make the best of (something)
- to do as well as possible in a bad situation
The man tried to make the best of the job that he hated.
make the grade
- to succeed, to qualify for something
The player was not able to make the grade and he could not join the football team.
make the most of (something)
- to use something to one's greatest advantage
The woman made the most of her time in Europe and visited many art galleries.
make the scene
- to be present, to go to a certain place or event
We decided to make the scene and go to the club for the evening.
make time for (someone or something)
- to schedule time to see someone or do something
The man makes time for his son every weekend so that they can play sports together.
make time with (someone)
- to flirt with someone
The man tried to make time with the waitress in the restaurant.
make up for lost time
- to do something quickly (because you wasted time before)
We had to make up for lost time after wasting several days before starting the project.
make up for (something)
- to compensate for a loss or mistake
We must work hard to make up for last year's poor sales.
make up one's face
- to put on cosmetics or makeup
The woman likes to make up her face before she goes to the store.
make up one`s mind
- to decide something
I have not made up my mind about whether or not I will accept the new job.
make up (something)
- to form something, to compose something, to constitute something
The singing group is made up of five singers.
make up (something) or make (something) up
- to make something by putting things or parts together
We made up a nice lunch for the picnic.
A car is made up of many different parts.
make up (something - a story or an excuse)
- to invent a story, to think and say something that is not true
The girl made up a story about how she got lost in the mountains.
make up (something/money/time)
- to do or supply something that is lacking, to regain or repay something
I had to make up the time that I was sick by working on Saturday.
make up (with someone)
- to become friends again after a quarrel
The girl made up with her friend after they had a fight last week.
make use of (someone or something)
- to use someone or something
I made use of my friend's garage to keep some of my tools.
We made use of the carpenter to do some other work.
make waves
- to create a disturbance
The man is very quiet at work and does not like to make waves.
make way for (someone or something)
- to stand aside, to move so that someone or something can pass by
The truck moved to the side of the road to make way for the ambulance.
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man-about-town
- a fashionable man who leads a sophisticated life
My friend is a man-about-town and goes out almost every evening.
man in the street
- an average or ordinary person
According to the man in the street the city government is not very popular.
man-to-man
- frank or honest, direct
I had a man-to-man talk with my friend about his recent problem.
many is the time
- on many occasions
Many is the time that I have sat at home waiting for a phone call that never came.
march to (the beat of) a different drummer
- to believe in a different set of principles than most other people
My friend marches to the beat of a different drummer although he does what he thinks is the right thing to do.
marching orders
- orders to move on or depart, orders for soldiers to march someplace
We had our marching orders and had to prepare to leave.
The soldiers had their marching orders and had to leave quickly.
Mark Idioms
mark down (a price) or mark (a price) down
- to lower the price of something
The store decided to mark down the prices of their winter coats.
mark down (something) or mark (something) down
- to make a note about something
The traffic policeman marked down all of the cars that were parked illegally.
mark my words
- remember what I am telling you
"Mark my words, if you do not finish your homework you are not going to go out this weekend."
mark time
- to wait for something to happen
My friend has been marking time for over a month now as he waits to hear about the new job.
mark time (to music)
- to move one`s feet up and down to music
The man was marking time to the music as he was driving his car.
mark up (a price) or mark (a price) up
- to raise the price of something
The store marked up the price of the camping equipment at the beginning of the summer.
mark up (something) or mark (something) up
- to mess something up with marks
The child marked up the new table that her parents had just bought.
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a marvel to behold
- someone or something that is quite wonderful or exciting to see
The new bridge is a marvel to behold and many tourists want to see it.
a match for (someone)
- equal to someone in a contest
The German soccer team was a match for the Brazilian team.
matter
- to be important
It does not matter if I come to work late tomorrow.
a matter of course
- the usual way or habit or rule
Everything was done as a matter of course and nobody thought about the results.
a matter of fact
- something that can be proved and is true
It was a matter of fact that no taxes were paid by the company last year.
a matter-of-fact manner/way
- a way of simply telling or showing the truth, a way that makes one seem not to care much
The witness described the murder in a matter-of-fact way.
as a matter of fact
- used to emphasize that something is true or actually happened
"As a matter of fact, I saw my friend last night and he asked me how you were."
a matter of life and death
- an issue of great urgency
It was a matter of life and death to rescue the young boy from the water quickly.
a matter of opinion
- a question about which there are different opinions
It was a matter of opinion as to what design would be best for the new art gallery.
mean business
- to be serious, to be ready to take action
Our boss is working very hard and means business when he says that he is going to get the office organized.
mean for (someone) to (do something)
- to intend for someone to do something
I mean for my friend to get the free ticket and not someone else.
mean nothing to (someone)
- to have no effect or feeling for someone
My uncle is very wealthy and to lose money in a business transaction means nothing to him.
mean (something) to (someone)
- to have an effect or feeling for someone
I always tell my mother about my job situation because it means a lot to her.
mean to (do something)
- to plan or intend to do something
I always mean to go to a movie but I never have enough time.
mean well
- to have good intentions, to try to be kind and helpful
Although the woman means well, she always seems to cause herself many problems.
means to an end
- a way or method of getting to an objective
The design project was a means to an end for my friend. It would later help him to apply for a different position in his company.
meant to be
- destined to exist or happen
It was not meant to be that I would win some money in the lottery.
measure up to (someone or something)
- to be equal to someone or something, to be of the same quality as someone or something
The new accounting manager does not measure up to the previous accounting manager.
meat and potatoes
- simple tastes in food and other things, basic and strong
My friend has a basic meat-and-potatoes approach to everything in life.
a Mecca for (something)
- a place that is popular with people for some reason (from the city of Mecca which is the religious center of Islam)
The area with many lakes is a Mecca for people who like to fish.
Meet Idioms
meet one's end/death
- to die
The elderly man met his death in an accident while walking across the street.
meet one's match
- to meet one's equal
Our team met their match when they had to play the best team in the city.
meet one's Waterloo
- to meet one's final and most difficult or impossible challenge (Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo)
The team met their Waterloo when they went to the tournament to meet the best team in the country.
meet (someone) half-way
- to make a compromise with someone
The boy is very stubborn and is never willing to meet his friends half-way.
meet the requirements (for something)
- to fulfill the requirements for something
The new nurse does not meet the requirements to be a nurse in our hospital.
meet up with (someone or something)
- to meet someone or something by accident or without expecting to
The young man met up with a nice group of people while he was traveling in Australia.
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a meeting of minds
- complete agreement
The members of our group had a meeting of minds and we all decided to go to a movie.
melt in one`s mouth
- to taste very good, to be very tender (used for meat)
The pasta served at the new restaurant melted in our mouths.
mend fences with (someone)
- to do something to repair a relationship after a fight or other problem
I made an effort to mend fences with my friend after our recent fight.
mend one`s ways
- to improve or change one`s habits
The woman was forced to mend her ways in order to do better at work.
mention (someone or something) in passing
- to mention someone or something casually
I mentioned my friend in passing when I was talking to my father.
mess around/about
- to play around or engage in idle activity
The children were messing around in the school yard before school began.
mess up
- to cause trouble, to spoil something, to perform badly, to make a mistake
The employee messed up his chance to get a promotion by not making any effort during the year.
The girl messed up her piano piece.
middle of the road
- halfway between two different ideas, seeing good on both sides of an issue
The mayor was elected because his ideas were middle of the road.
might as well
- would prefer to do something, should maybe do something
"We might as well go home now. I don`t think our friend will come."
a milestone in someone's life
- a very important event or point in one's life
The high school graduation ceremony was a milestone in the young woman's life.
milk of human kindness
- natural kindness and sympathy shown to others
The woman who volunteered at the hospital was full of the milk of human kindness.
milk (someone) for (something)
- to pressure someone into giving information or money
The boy was milking his friend for as much money as he could.
a millstone around (someone's) neck
- a continual burden or handicap for someone
The empty store was a millstone around the neck of the small businessman.
mince (one's) words
- to make one's statement weaker by choosing weak or polite words
I tried not to mince my words when I asked my neighbor to keep quiet.
mind one's manners
- to be careful to use good manners
The parents told their child to mind his manners.
mind one's own business
- to attend only to the things that concern one, to keep to one's own business and not be concerned about the business of others
I asked my friend to mind his own business when he asked me about my problems with my father.
mind one`s P`s and Q`s
- to be very careful about what one does or says
I must mind my P`s and Q`s and not say anything to offend my aunt.
mind the store
- to be responsible for an office or house while others are gone
My sister stayed home to mind the store when the rest of the family went away for the weekend.
Mind you
- I want you to notice and understand something
I do not want to work any more extra hours. Mind you, if there is an emergency, I will be happy to work extra hours.
a mine of information
- a person or something that is full of information
The old man was a mine of information when we were writing about the history of the town.
a miscarriage of justice
- a wrong or mistaken decision (in a court of law)
Everybody thought that the light sentence that the murderer received was a miscarriage of justice.
misplace one's trust in (someone)
- to put trust in someone who does not deserve it
The company misplaced their trust in the manager who caused them many legal problems.
miss by a mile
- fail to do something by a great amount, to fail to hit something by a great distance
The soccer player seemed almost certain to score a goal but actually he missed by a mile.
miss out on (something)
- to lose an opportunity
The man missed out on the new job because he was late for the interview.
miss the boat
- to lose an opportunity
I must hurry and get my application in or I will miss the boat and not get the job.
miss the point
- to fail to understand the important part of something
My friend is missing the point when we try to explain why he should not do what he is doing.
mistake (someone or something) for (someone or something) else
- to think that someone or something is someone or something else
I mistook my friend's sister for someone else when I went to the airport.
I often mistake one car for another car when I see them on the street.
mix and match
- to assemble a limited number of items (often clothing) in a number of different ways
There was a sale at the department store where we could mix and match the various summer outfits.
mix it up
- to argue or fight
The two groups of young men were mixing it up outside the school yard.
mix up (something) or mix (something) up
- to confuse things, to make a mistake about something
The teacher mixed up the DVDs and played the wrong one for the class.
a mix-up
- an error, confusion
There was a mix-up at the airline ticket counter and I was given the wrong ticket.
a mixed bag
- a varied collection of people or things
The festival promoters presented a mixed bag of musical styles at the music festival.
mixed up
- to be confused
The boy gets mixed up when he tries to speak French.
moment of truth
- the point where someone has to face the reality of a situation
The moment of truth for the runner came when the qualifying races for the Olympics began.
Money is no object
- the cost of something is not important
Money is no object and we have decided to go on a luxury cruise this summer.
Money is the root of all evil
- money is the basic cause of all wrongdoing
Many people believe that money is the root of all evil and causes most problems in the world.
Money talks
- money gives one power and influence
Money talks and whenever the wealthy banker goes to his favorite restaurant, he gets the best table available.
money to burn
- much money, more money than is needed
My friend has money to burn and never has to worry about working.
monkey around (with someone or something)
- to play with or waste time with someone or something
I spent the morning monkeying around with my new computer.
monkey business
- mischief
The kids were involved in some monkey business when the window broke.
monkey business
- unethical or illegal activity, cheating
The company was involved in some monkey business with the tax department.
mop the floor with (someone)
- to beat up someone
The large man mopped the floor with the young man.
mope around
- to move around in a depressed state
The boy was forced to stay home so he spent the morning moping around the house.
More Idioms
more and more
- increasingly, an increasing number
More and more people are buying laptop computers.
more dead than alive
- exhausted, near death
I felt more dead than alive when I returned from the hiking trip.
more fun than a barrel of monkeys
- very funny, much fun
My uncle is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and we love to visit him.
more often than not
- usually
More often than not, we eat at home rather than go out.
more or less
- approximately, almost, somewhat, to some extent
I have more or less decided to study business next year.
more (something) than one can shake a stick at
- a lot, too many to count
There are more ants than you can shake a stick at in the kitchen.
more than one can bear/stand/take
- more trouble or other misfortune than one can endure
The constant barking of the dog is more than I can bear and I cannot sleep.
more than (someone) bargained for
- more than someone thought that he or she would get
The problems caused by the dishonest employee were more than the company bargained for.
more the merrier
- the more people who join in the fun the better it will be
The more the merrier I thought as everyone went to the beach.
more to (something) than meets the eye
- something is more complex or difficult than it appears
There is more to the new contract than meets the eye and everyone is pleased with it.
.
morning after (the night before)
- a hangover
The man is not feeling well. It is the morning after the night before.
move a product
- to sell a product
We should have no trouble to move the new product.
(not) move a muscle
- to not move even a small amount
The doctor told me not to move a muscle when he was fixing my leg.
move heaven and earth to (do something)
- to try every way to do something, to do everything one can to do something
I will move heaven and earth to help my friend get a job with our company.
move in on (someone or something)
- to try to take over something that belongs to another
The man was angry because another salesman was moving in on his sales territory.
move into (something)
- to get started in a new job or business
Our company has decided to move into computer sales.
move to (do something)
- to propose to do something (usually at a meeting)
I will move to have another meeting next week so we can discuss the problem.
move up (in the world)
- to advance and become successful
The young man is working hard and is moving up in the world.
movers and shakers
- important people who are able to get things done
The movers and shakers of the city went to the opening of the new art gallery.
much ado about nothing
- much excitement about nothing
There was much ado about nothing over the small scandal in the city government.
much in evidence
- very visible or evident
The symphony was much in evidence at the opening of the cultural center.
much sought after
- wanted or desired very much
Old fishing equipment is much sought after by collectors around the world.
muddy the water
- to make matters confusing, to make something less clear
The questions from the audience helped to muddy the water during the debate.
mull over (something) or mull (something) over
- to think about something carefully
I took much time to mull over the job offer from our competitor.
mum`s the word
- I will not say anything about a secret that I know
"Mum`s the word about the party. I won`t tell anybody."
murder on (something)
- to be very destructive or harmful to something
My new shoes are murder on my feet.
Murphy's Law
- anything that can go wrong will go wrong
"First my flight was canceled. Then my next flight was late. Finally they lost my luggage. It must be Murphy's Law."
muscle in on (someone or something)
- to forcefully try to discipline someone or take over someone's property or business
The large supermarket was trying to muscle in on the business of the small shops.
music to one`s ears
- something that one likes to hear
When I heard that I could go to the sales convention it was music to my ears.
musical chairs
- the transfer of people in an organization into different jobs (especially each other`s jobs)
They are playing musical chairs at our company as people move from one position to another position.
a must have
- something that you must have
The new computer screens are a must have for computer users.
muster up the courage
- to build up one's courage to do something
I plan to muster up the courage and ask the woman for a date.
My foot!
- not possible, no way (used to say that you do not believe something)
"The secretary is absent from work because she is sick."
"Sick, my foot! She is probably just lazy and wants a holiday."
my God
- used to express surprise or shock
"My God, we are going to hit the other car!"
my goodness
- used to express surprise or shock
"My goodness," the woman said when she saw the small dog jump into the swimming pool.
my gut tells me
- my instincts tell me that something is as it is
My gut tells me that I am not going to get a new job soon.
my one and only
- one's spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend
My one and only will be home before dinner.
Idiom Quizzes - M
- Choose an idiom to replace the expression in the brackets:
- The couple spend too much money so it is very difficult to (keep within their budget) on one salary.
(a) make a bundle (b) make ends meet (c) make themselves at home (d) make waves
- Our boss (is very serious) when he says that he will do something about the problem.
(a) means business (b) makes a difference (c) makes waves (d) misses the boat
- The man is very happy because he (made a lot of money on) the stock market.
(a) made a killing on (b) made a beeline for (c) made a point of (d) made fun of
- I must hurry or I will (not be able to go to) the party.
(a) make a dent in (b) make a go of (c) miss out on (d) make sense of
- We had to move the television out of the living room in order to (have a place for) the new sofa.
(a) make a go of (b) make a living for (c) make room for (d) miss out on
- The DVD player is not working so we will have to (substitute) the radio.
(a) make do with (b) make a dent in (c) miss out on (d) make up our mind for
- The picture of the restaurant`s main dish (makes me very hungry).
(a) makes a difference (b) makes a mountain out of a molehole (c) makes my mouth water (d) makes my hair stand on end
- I do not want to (cause any problems) in my new company.
(a) make a name for myself (b) make waves (c) make my own way (d) make sense
- Sometimes my friend says things that do not (seem reasonable).
(a) make sense (b) make a bundle (c) make a hit (d) make out
- The man tried hard to make his business a success but he was unable to (succeed).
(a) make a dent in it (b) make a go of it (c) miss the boat (d) mend his ways
- My uncle (made a lot of money) on the stock market.
(a) made a living (b) made a bundle (c) made his mouth water (d) met himself half-way
- "Please (relax and don`t worry about anything) when you are here."
(a) make a difference (b) make a name for yourself (c) make yourself felt (d) make yourself at home
- I tried to (create a good relationship) with my neighbors but it was impossible.
(a) make a difference (b) make friends (c) make a living (d) make ends meet
- The teacher's directions were not clear and I became (confused).
(a) made out (b) mixed up (c) man-to-man (d) mum`s the word
- The presentation at the meeting (was very successful).
(a) made a hit (b) met someone half-way (c) made up their mind (d) made ends meet
- The man (missed an opportunity) when he refused the assignment.
(a) made a killing (b) mended his ways (c) missed the boat (d) made short work of it
- It (is not important) if I go to the game or not.
(a) makes out (b) does not matter (c) means business (d) might as well
- We have no truck to move the boxes so we must (substitute) our car.
(a) make a living with (b) make ends meet with (c) make waves with (d) make do with
- I cannot (decide) if I will go to Japan in December or not.
(a) make up my mind (b) mend my ways (c) make a hit (d) mean business
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