Idioms beginning with D
Idiom | Meaning |
Donkey’s years | A very long time, many years |
Devil in the details | Small things in plans or schemes that cause problems |
Dance to someone’s tune | Follow someone else’s lead or wishes |
Down in the dumps | Feeling unhappy or depressed |
Dead man walking | Someone facing certain death or defeat |
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater | Don’t discard valuable things along with the unnecessary |
Dead as a doornail | Completely and unmistakably dead |
Dog-eat-dog world | A fiercely competitive environment |
Dead to the world | Deeply asleep or unconscious |
Drop in the bucket | A small, insignificant amount compared to what is needed |
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you | Don’t harm or show ingratitude to someone who helps you |
Drive someone up the wall | To annoy or irritate someone greatly |
Don’t cry over spilled milk | Don’t waste time worrying about something that’s already happened |
Drop like flies | To fall or die in large numbers, rapidly |
Duck soup | Something very easy to do or accomplish |
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth | Don’t be ungrateful when receiving a gift or favor |
Dog days | Hot, sultry days during the summer |
Don’t rock the boat | Don’t cause trouble or upset the status quo |
Double-edged sword | A situation with both positive and negative consequences |
Devil of a time | Have a difficult or troublesome experience |
Drop a dime | Inform on someone, typically to the authorities |
Draw a blank | Fail to remember or think of something |
Drive a hard bargain | Negotiate aggressively or firmly |
Dead ringer | Someone or something that looks exactly like another |
Diamond in the rough | Something with potential that is not yet refined or polished |
Drag one’s feet | Delay or procrastinate |
Dead end | A point where progress or development stops |
Devil may care | A reckless or carefree attitude |
Don’t kick a gift horse in the mouth | Don’t criticize something you’ve received as a gift |
Devil’s own luck | Remarkable or extraordinary luck |
Dressed to the nines | Dressed very elegantly or stylishly |
Devil take the hindmost | Each person should look out for themselves in a difficult situation |
Done and dusted | Completed or finished, often with finality |
Down the hatch | Consumed or swallowed, typically a drink |
Deadpan | A facial expression or manner characterized by a lack of emotion |
Drop a bombshell | Reveal surprising or shocking news |
Dime a dozen | Common and easily obtained, often of little value |
Down for the count | Defeated or incapacitated, especially in a fight or competition |
Dark horse | A little-known competitor who unexpectedly wins or succeeds |
Drive someone crazy | To cause someone to become extremely irritated or frustrated |
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket | Don’t risk everything on a single venture |
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch | Don’t rely on something that hasn’t happened yet |
Don’t bite off more than you can chew | Don’t take on more than you can handle |
Devil’s advocate | Arguing against something for the sake of debate, not necessarily belief |
Down to the wire | In a situation where the outcome is uncertain and time is running out |
Dead weight | Something or someone that is burdensome or unproductive |
Dead men tell no tales | Those who are no longer alive cannot reveal secrets |
Dig in one’s heels | Resist or refuse to change one’s opinion or course of action |
Don’t judge a book by its cover | Don’t form an |