ancient

In a nutshell
To summarize a complex idea or situation very briefly and clearly.
Bear Fruit
To produce positive results or successful outcomes from effort or a process.
Take It With a Grain of Salt
To regard something with skepticism or not to believe it entirely, acknowledging it might not be completely true or accurate.
In the blink of an eye
This idiom describes something that happens extremely quickly or instantaneously.
A labour of love
Work or effort undertaken with great personal enjoyment and dedication, often without expectation of material reward.
Better Late Than Never
It is always preferable to accomplish something, even if delayed, rather than to never do it at all.
A leopard can't change its spots
A person's fundamental character, nature, or inherent qualities are unchangeable, even if they attempt to alter their behavior.
Rest on your laurels
To stop making efforts and become complacent after achieving past success, rather than striving for new accomplishments.
Fall from Grace
To experience a sudden loss of status, respect, or favor, often due to a scandal or moral failing.
A necessary evil
An undesirable thing that must be accepted or done for the sake of a greater good or to prevent a worse outcome.
Tear Your Hair Out
To become extremely frustrated, angry, or distressed about something to the point of desperation.
A wolf in sheep's clothing
Someone who appears harmless or friendly but is actually dangerous or malicious.
Achilles heel
A fundamental weakness or vulnerability in an otherwise strong person or system.
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon is the large tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone, and metaphorically, it refers to a person's or system's primary weakness or vulnerability.
Add insult to injury
To worsen an already bad or painful situation by doing something further that is disrespectful, offensive, or adds to the suffering.
All that glitters is not gold
Appearances can be deceiving, and things that look valuable or attractive on the surface may not be so in reality.
An eye for an eye
The principle that a person who has injured another should be punished in a similar degree, often literally, as a form of retributive justice.
Apple of my eye
A person or thing that someone loves and cherishes above all others.
As stubborn as a mule
Extremely unwilling to change one's mind or course of action, often despite good reasons or persuasion.
Blow hot and cold
To frequently change one's opinion or attitude, showing inconsistency or indecision.
By the skin of your teeth
To succeed or escape a difficult situation by the narrowest possible margin.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch
Do not make plans or assumptions based on future events that have not yet occurred and may not happen.
Double-edged sword
A thing that has both positive and negative effects or can be used in two opposite ways.
Fall on your sword
To take responsibility for a failure or wrongdoing, often by resigning or accepting severe consequences, as an act of honor or necessity.
Follow in someone's footsteps
To pursue the same career, lifestyle, or path as a predecessor, often a family member or mentor.
Going the extra mile
To make a special effort, exceed expectations, or do more than what is strictly required.
Kill two birds with one stone
To achieve two objectives or solve two problems with a single action or effort.
Leave no stone unturned
To make every possible effort and investigate every possibility in order to achieve a goal or find something.
Lion's share
The largest or best portion of something, often acquired unfairly or disproportionately.
Move mountains
To accomplish an extremely difficult or seemingly impossible task through great determination and effort.
Out of the frying pan into the fire
To escape a bad or difficult situation only to find oneself in an even worse one.
Put all your eggs in one basket
To concentrate all one's resources or efforts into a single venture, thereby risking everything on that one outcome.
Salt of the earth
Someone described as the salt of the earth is a very good, honest, and admirable person.
See eye to eye
To agree completely with someone on a particular topic or point of view.
Separate the wheat from the chaff
To distinguish valuable or worthwhile elements from those that are worthless or irrelevant.
Set in stone
To be unalterably fixed and determined, leaving no room for change or revision.
Slow and steady wins the race
Consistent effort and perseverance are more effective than hasty, sporadic bursts of speed in achieving long-term success.
The die is cast
An irrevocable decision has been made, and events are now set in motion with no possibility of turning back.
The scales fell from my eyes
To suddenly gain understanding or clarity about a situation after previously being unaware, deceived, or misunderstanding.
The writing on the wall
An obvious sign or warning that something bad is likely to happen in the near future.
Wash your hands of
To disclaim all responsibility for something, often by withdrawing involvement or refusing to take part.
With a pinch of salt
To interpret information or a statement with a degree of skepticism, not fully believing its accuracy or truth.
Donkeys leading lions
It describes a situation where the foolish or incompetent are in positions of authority, directing those who are truly capable and strong.
Go the extra mile
To make a special additional effort; to do more than what is required or expected.
Den of iniquity
A "den of iniquity" is a place notorious for immoral, corrupt, or wicked behavior and activities.
At death's door
To be very close to dying, often due to severe illness or extreme old age.
Cry wolf
To give a false alarm or warning repeatedly, causing people to disregard genuine emergencies when they occur.
Snake in the grass
A treacherous or deceitful person who conceals their true harmful intentions, often appearing harmless.
Separate the sheep from the goats
To distinguish between people or things that are good or valuable and those that are bad or worthless.
Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
To destroy something valuable or profitable out of greed or impatience, thereby losing its future benefits.
Swan song
A swan song refers to the final performance, effort, or achievement of a person before their retirement or death.
As strong as an ox
This phrase describes someone or something possessing immense physical power and endurance.
Pearl before swine
To offer something precious or valuable to someone incapable of appreciating its worth.
Turn a deaf ear
To deliberately ignore someone or something, especially a request, advice, or a warning.
Two-faced
Describing a person who is insincere, deceitful, and presents different personas or opinions to different people.
Apple of one's eye
A person or thing that someone cherishes above all others and holds very dear.
Face to face
Directly confronting or interacting with someone in person, without intermediaries or digital screens.
Give someone the evil eye
To look at someone with an angry, hostile, or envious glare, often implying a desire to cause them harm or misfortune.
Fix your eyes on
To concentrate one's gaze and attention intently and steadily on a specific person or object.
Pouring oil on troubled waters
To calm a difficult or tense situation, often through soothing words or actions designed to reduce conflict.
As cold as ice
To be emotionally unfeeling, unsympathetic, or extremely unfriendly.
As white as snow
Extremely white, often implying purity or cleanliness.
The dog days
The dog days refer to the hottest and often most humid period of summer.
Dog days of summer
The dog days of summer refer to the hottest, most uncomfortable period of the summer season, often characterized by high temperatures and humidity.
Like a bolt of lightning
To describe something that happens with extreme suddenness and speed.
Lunar cycle
The complete sequence of phases the Moon goes through, from new moon to new moon, which lasts approximately 29.5 days.
Beyond the heavens
Referring to something of immeasurable extent, profound magnitude, or ultimate transcendence.
Many moons ago
refers to a long time in the past, often conveying a sense of nostalgia or distance.
Born under a lucky star
To be destined for good fortune and success from birth.
Written in the stars
Something is destined or fated to occur, as if predetermined by a cosmic influence.
Apocalyptic vision
A powerful, often disturbing mental image or prophecy of a future cataclysm or the end of the world.
Lucky star
A source of good fortune or a destiny that brings a person good luck.
Fate is written in the stars
A person's future and destiny are believed to be predetermined and unchangeable, as if decided by the alignment of celestial bodies.
Follow your star
To pursue one's destiny, highest aspirations, or true calling, guided by an inner conviction or a sense of fate.
Map the heavens
To meticulously observe, chart, and understand the positions and movements of celestial objects in the night sky.
Cross your fingers
To hope strongly for good luck or a favorable outcome.
Curse of the pharaohs
The belief that disturbing ancient Egyptian mummies or tombs will bring misfortune, illness, or death upon those involved.
Reap what you sow
You will eventually experience the consequences, good or bad, of your actions.
Count your chickens before they hatch
Do not make plans that depend on a future good event until that event has actually occurred.
Sow the seeds of
To initiate or begin something that will develop and grow over time, often with an implication of future consequences.
Go fallow
To cease activity or production for a period in order to rest, recuperate, or allow for rejuvenation.
Weed out
To identify and remove unwanted or less suitable people or things from a group or collection.
Chew the cud
To think or ponder deeply about something, often by reviewing it repeatedly in one's mind.
Harvest the fruits of one's labor
To enjoy the positive results, rewards, or benefits that come from one's hard work and effort.
Lead a lamb to slaughter
To deceptively guide an innocent or vulnerable person into a perilous or ruinous situation.
Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind
To initiate minor trouble or wrongdoing will inevitably lead to much greater, uncontrollable, and destructive repercussions.
Plant a seed
To initiate a small action or idea that is expected to develop and grow into something significant in the future.
Loaded dice
A situation or system in which the odds are unfairly manipulated to ensure a particular outcome, making true fairness impossible.
Lady Luck
Lady Luck is the personification of chance, fortune, or destiny, often invoked to explain unexpected outcomes or in situations of risk.
Rub salt in the wound
To make a difficult or painful situation even worse for someone, often by reminding them of it or adding insult to injury.
Forbidden fruit
Something that is desired precisely because it is prohibited or considered off-limits.
Cast the first stone
To be the first to criticize or condemn someone, especially when one is not without fault oneself.
Casting pearls before swine
To offer something valuable or profound to those who are unable to appreciate or understand its worth.
The root of all evil
The fundamental cause or primary source from which all bad things, problems, or suffering originate.
Turn the other cheek
To respond to an insult or injury with passive forbearance and forgiveness rather than retaliation.
Good Samaritan
A Good Samaritan is someone who helps another person, especially a stranger, in a time of need, typically with no expectation of reward.
Road to Damascus
A sudden, profound, and often life-altering realization or conversion, typically one that changes a person's fundamental beliefs or direction.
A mess of pottage
A trivial or insignificant thing for which one trades something of much greater worth.
Doubting Thomas
A Doubting Thomas is someone who refuses to believe something without direct, irrefutable personal evidence.
Prodigal son
A person who leaves home to lead a wild or wasteful life but later returns repentant to their family.
Lamb to the slaughter
Someone walking into a dangerous, unpleasant, or difficult situation without awareness or resistance, making them vulnerable to harm.
Beat swords into plowshares
To transform instruments of war into tools for peaceful, productive labor, symbolizing a transition from conflict to peace and prosperity.
Render unto Caesar
This phrase advises one to fulfill their civic obligations, especially paying taxes to the government, while still maintaining their spiritual duties.
Cross to bear
A difficult problem, burden, or enduring personal hardship that one must endure.
Washed my hands of it
To disclaim all responsibility or involvement in a situation or matter.
Voice in the wilderness
A person or idea that is ignored or isolated, despite offering important truth or wisdom.
Feet of clay
A fundamental character flaw or hidden weakness in an otherwise respected or powerful person or institution.
Man does not live by bread alone
This phrase signifies that human well-being requires more than just physical necessities like food; people also need spiritual, intellectual, or emotional nourishment to thrive.
Out of the mouths of babes
Children can often speak profound truths or make surprisingly insightful observations, often without fully grasping the significance of what they've said.
Sign of the times
An event, trend, or characteristic that exemplifies the current state of society or a particular period.
No rest for the wicked
This phrase is often used humorously by someone who is busy, implying that they cannot rest because their nature (or the task at hand) demands constant activity, often in a self-deprecating or ironic way.
Eat, drink, and be merry
It encourages enjoying the simple pleasures of life, especially food and celebration, without worrying about the future.
Flesh and blood
One's own family or close relatives, or the physical human body and nature.
Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel
To meticulously focus on minor faults or insignificant details while ignoring much larger and more serious problems.
Let there be light
A dramatic declaration often used to introduce a new idea, solution, or the beginning of a significant creation, particularly when referring to illumination or understanding.
Forty days and forty nights
This phrase describes a long, unspecified period, often implying a time of trial, waiting, or significant duration, directly referencing periods found in biblical narratives.
Mark of Cain
A distinguishing characteristic that identifies someone as an outcast, cursed, or bearing a burden of guilt.
Touch wood
An exclamation used to ward off bad luck after making a boast or expressing a hope, implying a desire for the current good fortune to continue.
Knock on wood
To tap a wooden surface, often while speaking, to ward off bad luck or to ensure a current good fortune continues.
Lucky charm
An object believed to bring good fortune or protection to its owner.
Tempt fate
To deliberately take an unnecessary risk or behave in a way that invites danger or bad luck, as if challenging destiny itself.
Rabbit's foot
A rabbit's foot is a traditional talisman, believed to bring good luck to its owner.
A sign from above
An unexpected event or occurrence that is interpreted as a supernatural message or guidance from a higher power or divine source.
The evil eye
A malevolent look or glare believed in many cultures to inflict harm, misfortune, or bad luck upon the person it is directed at.
Ward off evil
To protect oneself or something from harm, negative influences, or malevolent forces.
Seven years bad luck
The superstition that breaking a mirror will lead to seven consecutive years of misfortune for the person responsible.
Throw salt over your shoulder
To perform a superstitious ritual, typically after spilling salt, to ward off bad luck or evil spirits.
Fiddle while Rome burns
To engage in trivial activities or ignore serious problems during a time of crisis or emergency.
As sly as a fox
This idiom describes someone who is exceptionally clever, cunning, and often deceptive, much like a fox.
To throw to the lions
To sacrifice someone by exposing them to extreme danger, hostile criticism, or a devastating situation, often for one's own benefit.
To be in the lion's den
To be in a dangerous, hostile, or intimidating situation where one is vulnerable and unwelcome.
To weave a tale
To skillfully construct and narrate a story, often with imaginative or intricate details.
The dice are cast
A decisive and irreversible step has been taken, and the consequences must now unfold.
Follow the thread of an argument
To understand and track the logical progression and connections of an argument or discussion from beginning to end.
Hang by a thread
To be in an extremely precarious or dangerous situation where the slightest thing could lead to disaster.
Throw the dice
To take a risk or make a decision that relies on chance or an unknown outcome.
Herculean task
A Herculean task is an undertaking that requires immense strength, effort, or courage, often seeming almost impossible to complete.
Sisyphean task
A Sisyphean task is an endlessly laborious and futile undertaking that yields no ultimate accomplishment.
Midas touch
The Midas touch refers to an uncanny ability to turn any venture into a success, especially financially.
Pandora's box
A source of extensive and unforeseen troubles or problems once opened or unleashed.
To fly too close to the sun
To take excessive risks or act with overconfidence, leading to one's downfall or ruin.
Tantalus's torment
Tantalus's torment refers to the agonizing experience of being unable to grasp something highly desired, even when it appears within reach.
A Trojan horse
Something that appears innocent or beneficial but is actually designed to infiltrate, deceive, or destroy from within.
A siren song
An alluring, tempting appeal that is ultimately dangerous or deceptive.
The face that launched a thousand ships
A person whose extraordinary beauty or allure is the cause of a major, often destructive, event or conflict.
Sword of Damocles
A constant and impending peril that hangs over someone, especially those in positions of power or good fortune.
Caught between Scylla and Charybdis
To be in a predicament where one must choose between two equally perilous or undesirable alternatives.
A land of milk and honey
A place of great abundance, prosperity, and ease, often idealized as a desirable destination or state.
A scapegoat
A person or group made to bear the blame for others' mistakes or failures.
Alpha and Omega
The Alpha and Omega signifies the beginning and the end, or the totality of something.
Pillar of salt
Someone who becomes a pillar of salt is punished for looking back at what they were told to leave behind, often implying a regrettable, sudden transformation or immobilization.
Four horsemen of the apocalypse
The four horsemen of the apocalypse are symbolic figures representing major calamities that precede or accompany a catastrophic end to the world or an era.
To wash one's hands of something
To disclaim responsibility or involvement in a difficult or morally compromising situation.
Sowing dragon's teeth
Performing actions that, despite appearing insignificant, inevitably lead to future conflict, discord, or disastrous consequences.
Crossing the Rubicon
To make an irreversible decision or take a decisive step from which there is no turning back.
Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
A grand, often unattainable, reward or ultimate goal that is pursued with great hope.
To steal fire from the gods
To acquire something powerful, valuable, or transformative, often knowledge or technology, that was previously forbidden or inaccessible, typically through an act of audacious defiance or ingenuity.
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts
This phrase serves as a warning not to trust enemies who offer something seemingly generous, as their intentions may be deceitful and conceal a trap.
Voice crying in the wilderness
A person or idea that expresses a message or warning that is largely unheeded or ignored by the majority.
Slay a dragon
To overcome an enormous, terrifying, or seemingly impossible challenge.
Blind leading the blind
A situation where inexperienced or ignorant people attempt to guide others who are equally or more clueless, often resulting in collective failure.
Get a standing ovation
To receive enthusiastic and prolonged applause from an audience who stand to show their profound admiration or approval.
The apple of discord
A subject or object that causes an argument, disagreement, or rivalry between individuals or groups.
Under the sun
Referring to everything that exists or can happen in the world.
There's nothing new under the sun
This phrase suggests that ideas, events, and human experiences are often repetitions or variations of things that have existed before.
In seventh heaven
To be extremely happy, blissful, or in a state of perfect joy.
Move heaven and earth
To make every possible effort or go to extreme lengths to achieve a goal.
Weave a story
To skillfully create or construct a narrative, often one that is intricate, imaginative, or complex.
Sow the seeds of something
To initiate a process or create the initial conditions that will eventually lead to a particular outcome or development.
Fertile ground for something
A situation or environment that is highly favorable for the development, growth, or emergence of something.
To sow dissent
To deliberately introduce ideas or arguments that cause disagreement, discord, or rebellion within a group.
Like a lamb to the slaughter
To go somewhere or do something without resistance, unaware of the danger or harm awaiting.
Shepherd someone
To guide, protect, and oversee a person or group, often with a sense of gentle yet firm direction.
Don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
It means to avoid destroying a valuable source of wealth or advantage by being excessively greedy or shortsighted.
Eagle eye
To have an eagle eye means to possess exceptionally keen eyesight or a remarkable ability to notice details.
As meek as a lamb
Extremely gentle, submissive, or timid in nature.
The lion's den
A lion's den refers to a dangerous, hostile, or intimidating place or situation where one feels vulnerable and surrounded by potential adversaries.
Slow as a snail
To move or act with extreme slowness.
Ad lib
To improvise or speak spontaneously without prior preparation.
Deus ex machina
A sudden, unexpected, and often improbable solution to an seemingly unsolvable problem in a story or situation.
Wave the white flag
To signal surrender or to admit defeat in a conflict or argument.
Purple patch
A purple patch is a period of exceptional success, good fortune, or high performance.
Two heads are better than one
Working together or combining intellects often leads to a more effective solution or outcome than working alone.
Wash your hands of something
To completely disassociate oneself from responsibility, involvement, or blame for a particular situation or outcome.
Tie someone's hands
To prevent someone from acting freely or effectively, often by imposing restrictions or rules.
Break someone's heart
To cause someone profound sadness or emotional distress, often due to a disappointment in love or a close relationship.
From the bottom of my heart
This phrase expresses extreme sincerity, indicating that the speaker's feelings or gratitude are profoundly genuine and deeply felt.
To be immune to something
To possess natural or acquired resistance and protection against a disease, influence, or negative effect.
Wise as an owl
Possessing or demonstrating great intelligence, insight, and good judgment, often through quiet observation.
Work like a horse
To work extremely hard, consistently, and with great effort, often for long hours.
Sweat blood
To sweat blood means to work extremely hard and endure great difficulty and suffering to achieve something.
A heavy heart
A feeling of deep sadness, sorrow, or grief.
Fiddling while Rome burns
To focus on trivial matters or personal enjoyments while significant problems or a major crisis are unfolding.
Thirty pieces of silver
A payment, often paltry, received for an act of betrayal or disloyalty.
To fall on one's sword
To accept responsibility for a failure or mistake, often by resigning from a position of power or influence.
Cross the Rubicon
To take an irreversible step, make a final decision, or commit to a course of action from which there is no turning back.
The eleventh hour
The last possible moment or nearly too late to take action.
Pyrrhic victory
A victory achieved at such a devastating cost to the victor that it is tantamount to defeat.
The scales fall from one's eyes
To suddenly realize the truth about a situation or person, often after a period of misunderstanding or delusion.
To see the light
To understand something clearly after a period of confusion, or to finally accept a new, often better, way of thinking.
To read the writing on the wall
To recognize the obvious signs of a future event, especially an impending disaster or failure.
To lift the veil
To reveal a previously hidden truth or to gain a deeper understanding of something that was obscure.
To give up the ghost
To die or cease to function, often implying a final, definitive end.
To resign oneself to fate
To accept an unchangeable, often undesirable, situation without resistance, acknowledging that one's circumstances are beyond personal control.
To be born under a bad sign
To be inherently unlucky or destined for misfortune and hardship throughout one's life.
To rise from the ashes
To recover completely and emerge stronger after experiencing a devastating setback or destruction.
The truth will set you free
This phrase means that confronting and accepting reality, especially about oneself or a difficult situation, leads to liberation from burden, deception, or false beliefs.
The truth hurts
This idiom acknowledges that confronting or hearing an unpleasant fact can cause emotional pain or discomfort.
Mood
A temporary state of mind or feeling, often influencing a person's outlook or behavior.
Divide and conquer
This strategy involves breaking a larger entity or problem into smaller, weaker components to overcome them more easily.
Head of the family
The person who holds the primary authority and responsibility for making decisions and providing leadership within a household or an extended family.
With your bare hands
To accomplish something using only one's hands, without the aid of any tools, weapons, or other assistance.
Break my heart
To cause someone deep emotional pain, usually due to a significant personal loss or disappointment, especially in love.
The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing
This means that different parts of an organization are working independently and inefficiently, without proper communication or awareness of each other's activities.
Beat your chest
To show great pride, triumph, or aggression in an overt and sometimes boastful manner.
Give someone the finger
To give someone the finger means to make an obscene gesture using an extended middle finger, typically as an insult or an expression of contempt.
A sound mind in a sound body
This phrase signifies the belief that a healthy mind is essential for overall well-being and is often achieved through physical fitness and good health.
Money doesn't smell.
This phrase means that the source from which money is obtained is irrelevant; its value and utility are unaffected by its origin.
the heavens opening
To begin raining very heavily and suddenly, often with great intensity.
sour grapes
An attitude wherein a person disparages something they cannot obtain, pretending it was undesirable all along.
the apple of my eye
A person or thing that is greatly cherished and adored above all others.
straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel
To meticulously address a minor, often trivial issue or fault while completely overlooking a much larger, more significant one, often implying hypocrisy.
Strong as an ox
To be incredibly physically powerful and robust.
You reap what you sow
The consequences of your actions, whether positive or negative, will eventually return to you.
corners of the world
This phrase refers to the most remote, distant, or far-flung places across the entire globe.
grand scales of justice
This phrase refers to the overarching, often idealized system and principles by which fairness and equity are sought in society and legal matters.
Appearances can be deceiving
This phrase means that the way someone or something looks on the surface might not reflect its true nature or reality.
when in Rome
This phrase advises one to adapt to the customs and practices of a foreign place or new environment they are visiting.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do
One should adapt to the customs and practices of the place they are visiting or residing in.
take things with a grain of salt
To approach information or statements with a degree of skepticism and not believe them entirely, often due to their questionable reliability.
black mood
A black mood is a state of deep sadness, depression, or ill temper.
black magic
Magic that is used for malicious or selfish purposes, often invoking evil forces or spirits.
cries wolf
To repeatedly give false alarms, causing genuine warnings or pleas for help to be ignored when they are eventually true.
black day
A black day refers to a date or period marked by significant misfortune, tragedy, or sorrow.
You can't serve two masters
It is impossible to simultaneously dedicate oneself fully and faithfully to two conflicting obligations, loyalties, or goals.
Expelled
To be permanently removed from an organization, institution, or place, often due to misconduct or rules violation.
Fortune favors the bold
Courageous and proactive actions are more likely to lead to success and good luck.
Tabula rasa
A tabula rasa refers to the mind before it has received any impressions from experience, or a clean slate ready to be filled.
Like a thief in the night
To occur suddenly, secretly, and without any prior warning or expectation.
A golden age
A period of great peace, prosperity, and happiness, often romanticized in memory or legend.
A horn of plenty
A horn of plenty symbolizes an abundant, never-ending supply of food, wealth, or good things.
A multitude of people
A very large and often overwhelming number of people.
Legion of followers
A very large and often devoted group of people who support, admire, or adhere to someone or something.
Phoenix rising from the ashes
To overcome a major disaster or setback and emerge stronger and more successful than before.
Siesta
A short period of rest or sleep taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal, especially common in warm countries.
To have the Midas touch
To be exceptionally successful in every venture, particularly in generating wealth or profit.
Fortune's favorite
A person who consistently experiences good luck or success, as if inherently favored by destiny.
Like father, like son
Sons often inherit or replicate the characteristics, behaviors, or traits of their fathers.
He's his father's son
This phrase signifies that a male individual strongly exhibits characteristics, behaviors, or even physical resemblances of his father.
An enigma
Someone or something that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.
A sense of foreboding
A strong, often unsettling feeling that something bad or unpleasant is about to happen.
Callous
Lacking sympathy or feeling for the suffering of others.
Hard-hearted
Lacking sympathy, compassion, or kindness; unfeeling and resistant to emotional appeal.
Chaos
A state of complete disorder and confusion.
A disaster
An event or situation causing widespread damage, distress, or failure.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
True friends reveal their loyalty and support during times of difficulty, proving their worth when help is most required.
A laurel wreath
A circular garland made of laurel leaves, traditionally worn as a symbol of victory, honor, or high achievement.
An epiphany
A sudden, profound, and often life-changing realization or insight.
A thorn in the flesh
Something or someone that causes constant annoyance, pain, or trouble.
The serpent in the garden
An insidious or hidden source of danger, temptation, or betrayal within an otherwise peaceful and idyllic setting.
An unseen presence
A perceived but invisible entity or force, often associated with a sense of mystery, apprehension, or the supernatural.
To be hoarse
To have a rough, strained, or scratchy voice, often caused by shouting, a sore throat, or illness.
To be welcomed with open arms
To be received with great enthusiasm, warmth, and acceptance.
To be sagacious
To possess or display keen mental discernment, good judgment, and practical wisdom.
A Gordian knot
A Gordian knot refers to an extremely complex, intricate, or insoluble problem that requires a bold, unconventional, or decisive solution.
A poisoned chalice
Something that appears desirable or beneficial but ultimately brings harm, misfortune, or ruin.
A bed of nails
A bed of nails refers to an extremely difficult, uncomfortable, or agonizing situation.
The Promised Land
A longed-for place or situation where one expects to find ultimate happiness, success, or fulfillment.
Paradise
A place or state of perfect happiness and bliss, often conceived as a garden or heaven.
The Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden refers to an idyllic, perfect, and often unspoiled place or a state of perfect happiness and innocence.
Heaven on Earth
A state or place of absolute joy, beauty, and perfection experienced in the present life.
Habit is second nature
Something that has been done so often that it feels natural, automatic, and instinctive, as if it were an inherent part of one's character.
A hermit
A person who chooses to live in solitude, often apart from society and sometimes for religious or philosophical reasons.
A fatal flaw
An inherent characteristic, weakness, or error in judgment that inevitably leads to a person's or entity's downfall.
Shoulder the burden
To accept or take on a difficult responsibility or heavy task.
A trivial matter
Something that is unimportant, insignificant, or of little consequence.
Selling one's soul
To compromise one's deeply held moral or ethical principles in exchange for material wealth, power, or personal gain.
Selling one's birthright
To foolishly give up something of significant, lasting value for an immediate, often trivial, gain.
To gain the world and lose one's soul
To achieve great material success, wealth, or power at the expense of one's moral integrity, spiritual well-being, or true self.
Lesser of two evils
Choosing the less undesirable option when faced with two unpleasant choices.
A thorn in one's side
A person or thing that persistently causes trouble, annoyance, or difficulty for someone.
He who buys what he does not need steals from himself
Spending money on unneeded items is a self-inflicted financial loss.
Better to see once than hear a hundred times
Direct experience or observation is more valuable and convincing than any amount of secondhand description.
A milestone
A significant stage or event in the development of something, marking progress or achievement.
a fount of knowledge
A person or thing that provides a vast and continuous supply of information, wisdom, or expertise.
The common good
The benefits and conditions that serve the well-being and flourishing of all members of a community or society.
A hallowed tradition
A practice or custom that is deeply respected and considered sacred or inviolable due to its age, significance, or moral importance.
A golden calf
An object, especially wealth or material possessions, that is worshipped or valued excessively, often instead of more profound or spiritual values.
Sacrificial lamb
A person or thing unfairly made to suffer or be destroyed for the sake of others or to prevent a larger problem.
Drawing a line in the sand
To establish a clear limit or boundary beyond which one will not compromise or retreat.
Showing one's teeth
To display anger, aggression, or a willingness to fight and be confrontational.
To revive
To bring someone or something back to consciousness, health, or a strong condition after a period of weakness, dormancy, or decline.
Divine intervention
An event or action attributed to the direct involvement of a god or supernatural power.
Miracle
An extraordinary and welcome event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific laws and is often attributed to a divine or supernatural cause.
Act of God
An Act of God is an unpreventable natural event, such as an earthquake or hurricane, that occurs without human intervention and for which no one can be held legally liable.
An omen
A sign or event believed to predict a future good or evil occurrence.
Providence
The benevolent guidance and protection believed to be provided by God or nature, often implying timely divine intervention.
Opening Pandora's Box
To perform an action that seems innocent but ultimately unleashes a multitude of unforeseen and severe problems.
A vicious circle
A problematic situation in which one difficulty leads to another, and that second difficulty then intensifies the first, creating a self-perpetuating and inescapable cycle of misfortune.
A healthy body, a healthy mind
This adage suggests that physical well-being is fundamental and often essential for maintaining mental well-being and clear thought.
Health is wealth
Good physical and mental well-being is the most valuable asset a person can possess, surpassing material riches.
Mens sana in corpore sano
This Latin adage suggests that a healthy mind is intrinsically linked to a healthy body.
The body is the temple of the soul
The human body is a sacred vessel that houses the spiritual essence of a person and should therefore be treated with reverence and care.
A stumbling block
Something that causes difficulty or prevents progress.
The mind and body are one
This phrase asserts that a person's mental state and physical health are inextricably linked and influence each other profoundly.
Karma
The principle that every action, good or bad, intentionally performed by a person will inevitably result in corresponding consequences for them, often in the future.
Greek gift
A Greek gift is a seemingly generous offering that ultimately brings harm or trouble to the recipient.
Poisoned chalice
A position or gift that seems desirable but is likely to bring ruin, misfortune, or great difficulty to the recipient.
Set a fox to guard the henhouse
To entrust something valuable or vulnerable to someone who has a clear conflict of interest or is likely to exploit it for their own gain.
To wear a mask
To conceal one's true feelings, intentions, or identity behind a facade or pretense.
A wolf in disguise
A person who appears friendly or harmless but is secretly dangerous, malicious, or has harmful intentions.
A viper in one's bosom
A treacherous or ungrateful person whom one has unwittingly helped or befriended, only to be betrayed or harmed by them.
Give up the ghost
To die or cease to function.
Familiarity breeds contempt
Extensive exposure to someone or something can diminish respect or fondness, often leading to irritation or disdain.
Absence is the greatest enemy of love.
Prolonged separation and lack of presence are detrimental to the strength and continuation of romantic affection.
fatal flaw
A character defect or inherent weakness that inevitably leads to one's downfall or the failure of a plan or system.
Deeds, not words
Actions are more significant and revealing than mere promises or talk.
Open someone's eyes
To make someone realize the truth about a situation or a person, especially something they were previously unaware of or unwilling to accept.
Second nature
Something that has become so habitual and automatic through practice that it requires no conscious thought or effort.
From dawn till dusk
This phrase describes the entire period of daylight, from the very beginning of morning until night falls.
Empty barrel makes the most noise
People who lack substance, knowledge, or genuine ability are often the ones who speak the loudest, boast the most, or create the biggest fuss.
Burn your bridges
To eliminate all possibility of retreating from a situation, often by making an irreversible decision.
Empty vessels make the most sound
People who lack substance or knowledge often speak the loudest and most boastfully.
Emaciated
Extremely thin and weak, especially from illness or lack of food.
Looks can be deceiving
What appears on the surface may not truly reflect the underlying reality, character, or value.
Mute
To be silent or unable to speak, often implying a temporary or permanent condition, or to silence an audio source.
Bow down
To show extreme respect, submission, or worship, often by physically bending at the waist or kneeling.
Everything under the sun
This phrase refers to absolutely everything that exists or is imaginable in the world.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food
This proverb suggests that consuming a healthy diet should be the primary method for maintaining well-being and preventing disease, emphasizing the power of nutrition over conventional medical treatments.
Good health is above wealth
Being healthy is more valuable and important than having a lot of money or material possessions.
To seek revenge
To attempt to harm or punish someone in return for a perceived wrong or injury.
Vengeance is mine
This phrase asserts the speaker's exclusive right or intention to seek retribution, often implying it is a matter of divine prerogative or personal justice.
Blood for blood
This phrase signifies the principle of retributive justice where one act of violence, particularly murder, demands a similar retaliatory act.
Quid pro quo
An exchange of goods or services, where one transfer is contingent upon the other, implying a mutual exchange or a favor for a favor.
A veteran
An individual who has served a long period in a particular profession, especially the military, and possesses extensive experience.
Transparent
Easily seen through, understood, or detected; free from pretense or deceit.
A Sisyphean task
A Sisyphean task is an extremely laborious, repetitive, and futile effort that offers no ultimate reward or completion.
End-of-the-world prophecy
A prediction or forecast that the world or human civilization will be destroyed, often attributed to supernatural forces or ancient texts.
End-times prophecy
End-times prophecy refers to predictions, found in various religious texts and traditions, concerning a future period of dramatic, often catastrophic, global events culminating in the ultimate fate of humanity and the world.
Armageddon prophecy
A prediction or belief in a final, catastrophic battle or series of events that will bring about the end of the world.
My heart's desire
The thing, person, or aspiration that one longs for above all else.
The light of one's life
Someone who brings immense joy, happiness, and purpose to another person's existence.
To hold dear
To value something greatly and care deeply for it, often with sentimental attachment.
Ready for battle
Prepared and eager to face a difficult challenge, competition, or confrontation.
Take up arms
To prepare for or begin fighting, especially in a conflict, rebellion, or war.
Eyes like a hawk
To possess exceptionally sharp eyesight or a highly observant nature.
Bold as a lion
Extremely courageous and fearless, showing great bravery and confidence in the face of danger or adversity.
Shameless
Lacking any sense of shame, guilt, or embarrassment about one's actions or character.
Toil away
To work continuously and strenuously, often involving great effort and persistence over a long period.
Without a blemish
Perfectly clean, flawless, or free from any imperfection or defect.
Heart of stone
Someone with a heart of stone is completely devoid of sympathy, compassion, or human emotion.
Gentle as a dove
Extremely mild, kind, and peaceful in nature or demeanor, exhibiting a quiet and harmless disposition.
Harmless as a dove
Extremely gentle, innocent, and unlikely to cause any harm.
Living hand to mouth
To live with barely enough money to cover basic necessities, with no savings or surplus.
Arrogant
Displaying an offensive attitude of superiority or self-importance.
Silent as the grave
Extremely quiet, completely still, or utterly secretive, without any sound or disclosure.
Mute as a fish
To be completely silent, saying absolutely nothing.
Intelligent
Possessing the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills effectively.
To be nauseous
To feel sick to one's stomach, often accompanied by an urge to vomit.
Cunning as a serpent
Possessing a highly developed and often deceptive intelligence, used to manipulate situations or people to one's advantage.
Strong as a bull
To be exceptionally powerful, physically robust, and capable of great feats of strength.
Herculean strength
Possessing immense, almost superhuman physical power.
Stiff-necked
Someone who is stiff-necked is stubbornly unyielding and resistant to change, advice, or authority.
Bull-headed
To be bull-headed means to be extremely stubborn and unwilling to change one's mind or opinion, even when presented with compelling reasons.
Adamant
Firmly refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind.
Obstinate as a donkey
This phrase describes someone who is extremely stubborn and unwilling to change their mind or actions.
Black as night
Extremely dark, utterly lacking any light.
Sisyphus' task
An unending, laborious, and ultimately futile undertaking that never reaches completion.
Labyrinth of difficulties
A situation or problem that is incredibly complex, confusing, and difficult to navigate or escape from.
To cross the Rubicon
To make an irreversible decision or take a decisive step that commits one to a specific, often risky, course of action.
Life hanging by a thread
A person's existence is in an extremely precarious and vulnerable state, facing imminent danger or collapse.
Drawing one's last breath
To die; to experience the final moments of one's life.
Take with a grain of salt
To view information with skepticism and not accept it as entirely true or reliable.
Instantly
Immediately and without any delay.
Come back to the fold
To return to a group, organization, or belief system that one had previously left.
End of the world
A catastrophic event or series of events leading to the complete destruction of human civilization or the planet itself.
Return to first principles
To go back to the most fundamental truths and assumptions of a subject or problem, rather than reasoning by analogy or previous conclusions.
Ill omen
A sign or event believed to predict misfortune or evil.
Writing on the wall
An obvious sign or indication that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen in the near future.
Portent of disaster
A sign or warning that something terrible is about to happen.
Foreboding sign
A foreboding sign is an indication or omen that suggests something bad or unpleasant is about to happen.
The onus is on you
It is your responsibility or duty to prove something, take action, or handle a particular situation.
In flagrante delicto
To be caught in the very act of committing a crime or wrongdoing, with the evidence clearly visible.
Initiation
The act of admitting someone into a group or a new activity, often marked by a formal ceremony or specific rites of passage.
Insolent
Insolent describes someone who is boldly rude, disrespectful, or impudent in their behavior or speech.
The faithful
A group of people who are steadfastly loyal to a belief, organization, or cause, most commonly referring to adherents of a particular religion.

← All tags