Idioms beginning with F
Idiom | Meaning |
Fish out of water | Someone who is uncomfortable in a particular situation |
Feather in one’s cap | An accomplishment to be proud of |
For the birds | Something worthless or unimportant |
Fresh as a daisy | Feeling rejuvenated or energetic |
Full of beans | Lively or energetic |
Fool’s gold | Something that appears valuable but is actually worthless |
Fly off the handle | To suddenly become very angry |
Fine-tooth comb | A thorough examination or search |
Fat of the land | The best of everything; abundant wealth or resources |
Fair-weather friend | A friend who is only supportive during good times |
Finger in the pie | Involvement or influence in a particular matter |
Flogging a dead horse | Wasting time or effort on something that is already done |
Faint heart never won fair lady | You can’t succeed without taking risks |
Feast or famine | Alternating between abundance and scarcity |
Fall from grace | Loss of respect or esteem |
Fit as a fiddle | In good physical condition |
Fend for oneself | To take care of oneself independently |
Follow suit | To do the same thing as someone else |
Fools rush in (where angels fear to tread) | Acting without considering the consequences |
Fight fire with fire | To respond to an attack with a similar method |
Fair shake of the whip | A fair or equal opportunity |
Fall on deaf ears | Ignored or disregarded |
Fortune favors the bold | Success often comes to those who take risks |
Flying by the seat of one’s pants | Doing something without proper preparation |
Flotsam and jetsam | Random or unimportant items |
Fire in the belly | Determination or strong motivation |
From rags to riches | To move from poverty to wealth |
Foot in the door | Initial step or opportunity in a new field or endeavor |
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me | Being cautious after being deceived once |
Fish or cut bait | Make a decision or take action |
Full of hot air | Talking a lot but saying little of substance |
Flat as a pancake | Completely flat or level |
For crying out loud | An exclamation of frustration or annoyance |
From scratch | From the beginning; starting with no advantage |
Feather one’s nest | To accumulate wealth or resources for oneself |
Fall into place | To become organized or arranged properly |
Fine and dandy | Everything is satisfactory or going well |
Fiddle while Rome burns | To engage in trivial activities while ignoring a crisis |
Forgive and forget | To pardon someone and move on from past offenses |
Fish for compliments | To seek praise or admiration |
Fool’s paradise | Illusory happiness or contentment |
For the taking | Available or accessible for anyone to acquire or enjoy |
Fly under the radar | To go unnoticed or undetected |
For the love of God | An expression of frustration or exasperation |
Fold like a cheap suit | To give in easily or surrender quickly |
Full of the devil | Mischievous or lively |
Fit like a glove | Perfectly suited or fitted |
From pillar to post | Moving aimlessly or chaotically |
Far cry from | A significant difference from something else |
From the ground up | Completely; starting from the beginning |
Fire on all cylinders | Operating at maximum efficiency or capability |
For my money | In my opinion; as far as I’m concerned |
Far and away | By a large margin; significantly |
Far and wide | Over a large area or distance |
For the sake of argument | For the purpose of debate or discussion |
Flat broke | Completely out of money or bankrupt |
Frost on the pumpkin | Cold weather |
Funny business | Suspicious or dishonest activity |
Fresh off the boat | Recently arrived or inexperienced |
Fit to be tied | Extremely angry or frustrated |
Feel a bit under the weather | To feel slightly ill or unwell |
Flash in the pan | Something that shows potential but fails to deliver |
Flog a dead horse | To waste time or effort on something that is already done |
Face the music | To confront the consequences of one’s actions |
Find one’s feet | To become comfortable or familiar in a new situation |
First come, first served | Those who arrive earliest get priority |
Follow one’s nose | To trust one’s instincts or intuition |
Fortune favors the brave | Success often comes to those who take risks |
Fortune smiles on someone | Luck favors someone |
Free rein | Complete freedom or authority |