Idioms beginning with M

Idiom

Meaning

Make a long story short

To summarize or condense a lengthy narrative or explanation.

Make ends meet

To manage financially; to have enough income to cover expenses.

Make waves

To cause trouble or controversy; to disrupt the status quo.

Mind your own business

To refrain from interfering in other people’s affairs.

March to the beat of your own drum

To act independently or follow one’s own path.

Money talks

Money has the power to influence or persuade.

Make hay while the sun shines

To take advantage of an opportunity while it lasts.

Make a mountain out of a molehill

To exaggerate or overreact to a minor issue or problem.

Miss the boat

To miss an opportunity or chance.

Make a clean sweep

To completely remove or eliminate something; to start fresh.

Mark my words

Pay attention to what I’m saying because it will prove to be true.

Make a killing

To earn a large profit, especially in a short amount of time.

Make the cut

To meet a standard or qualification.

Make a run for it

To attempt to escape or flee.

Make or break

To have a decisive influence on the success or failure of something.

Move the goalposts

To change the criteria or rules of a situation in order to make it more difficult to succeed.

Make a scene

To cause a disturbance or public display of emotion.

Make believe

To pretend or imagine something as if it were real.

Make light of

To treat something as unimportant or trivial.

Make a face

To distort one’s facial expression to convey disapproval or disgust.

Make a fool of oneself

To embarrass oneself by doing something foolish or silly.

Make a difference

To have a significant impact or effect.

Make a go of it

To attempt something with the intention of succeeding or making it work.

Make up for lost time

To compensate for time lost by working or acting more quickly or efficiently.

Make the grade

To meet the necessary standards or requirements, especially in an academic or professional context.

Make peace with

To reconcile or resolve conflicts with someone; to become friendly or agreeable with them.

Make a name for oneself

To become well-known or respected, often through notable achievements or actions.

Make a break for it

To attempt to escape or leave quickly, especially from a difficult or dangerous situation.

Make a song and dance about

To exaggerate or make a fuss over something trivial or unimportant.

Make hay

To take advantage of favorable conditions or circumstances.

Make a monkey out of someone

To make someone look foolish or ridiculous.

Make a night of it

To prolong or extend an enjoyable activity into the late hours of the night.

Make a pass at someone

To flirt or make romantic advances toward someone.

Make a point of

To make a special effort or take particular care to do something.

Make one’s blood boil

To make someone very angry or infuriated.

Make a spectacle of oneself

To behave in a way that attracts attention and causes embarrassment or ridicule.

Make up one’s mind

To reach a decision; to decide definitively.

Make a dent in

To make progress in reducing or solving a problem.

Make a snap decision

To make a quick decision without much thought or deliberation.

Make a bundle

To make a large amount of money, especially quickly or unexpectedly.

Make oneself scarce

To leave or disappear quickly in order to avoid trouble or unwanted attention.

Make the best of a bad situation

To find a way to cope with or improve a difficult or undesirable situation.

Make a fuss

To complain or protest loudly and persistently about something.

Make tracks

To leave quickly; to depart or go away.

Make a mess of

To handle something poorly or incompetently, resulting in chaos or disorder.

Make oneself at home

To make oneself comfortable and at ease in a particular place.

Make a move

To take action or make progress toward a goal or objective.

Make headway

To make progress or advance, especially toward a goal or objective.

Make eyes at someone

To flirt or give someone a suggestive or affectionate look.

Make a pig of oneself

To eat or drink excessively and greedily, often to the point of discomfort.

Make a face like a wet weekend

To look unhappy or displeased.

Make or mar

To determine success or failure; to have a significant impact on the outcome.