Idioms beginning with P

Idiom

Meaning

Paint the town red

To go out and celebrate in a lively manner

Pay the piper

To face the consequences of one’s actions

Piece of cake

Something very easy

Put all your eggs in one basket

To risk everything on a single opportunity

Pull someone’s leg

To tease or joke with someone in a playful manner

Pot calling the kettle black

Accusing someone of a fault one possesses

Penny for your thoughts

A request to know what someone is thinking

Play devil’s advocate

To argue from the opposing viewpoint for the sake of debate

Put the cart before the horse

To do things in the wrong order

Put your best foot forward

To make a good impression by trying your hardest

Penny pincher

Someone who is very careful with money

Pardon my French

An apology for swearing or using inappropriate language

Pull the wool over someone’s eyes

To deceive or trick someone

Pass the buck

To shift responsibility or blame onto someone else

Put a sock in it

To stop talking or making noise

Paint oneself into a corner

To put oneself in a difficult situation with no easy way out

Push the envelope

To exceed or go beyond usual limits or boundaries

Pearls of wisdom

Wise and valuable pieces of advice or knowledge

Pick someone’s brain

To ask someone for their ideas or opinions on something

Press the flesh

To shake hands and mingle with people, especially in a social or political context

Power nap

A short nap or sleep taken during the day

Pop the question

To propose marriage to someone

Pull the strings

To secretly control or influence events or people

Play it by ear

To improvise or make decisions as one goes along

Put the kibosh on something

To put an end to or stop something

Par for the course

Typical or expected; the usual outcome

Pipe dream

An unrealistic or impractical hope or fantasy

Practice what you preach

To behave in a way consistent with one’s own advice

Pull the rug out from under someone

To suddenly surprise or betray someone

Put someone in their place

To remind someone of their lower status or authority

Put up or shut up

To either take action or stop talking about something

Pull one’s weight

To do one’s fair share of work or effort

Pull someone’s leg

To tease or joke with someone, often in a playful manner

Put the pedal to the metal

To accelerate or speed up

Pay through the nose

To pay an exorbitant amount for something

Play it cool

To remain calm and composed, especially in a difficult situation

Pick of the litter

The best or finest example from a group

Play second fiddle

To have a subordinate role or position

Pound the pavement

To search for something

Pull out all the stops

To make every possible effort or resource available

Pinch pennies

To be very frugal or thrifty

Pull your weight

To do one’s fair share of work or responsibility

Play fast and loose

To act recklessly or irresponsibly

Pass muster

To meet the required standard or expectation

Put the screws to someone

To pressure or intimidate someone

Press the panic button

To react to a situation in a desperate or hasty manner

Pull the plug

To stop something or end an activity

Put all your cards on the table

To reveal all relevant information or intentions

Pass the smell test

To meet the standard of acceptability or credibility

Pay the price

To suffer the consequences of one’s actions or decisions

Pay one’s dues

To fulfill one’s obligations or earn one’s place

Put your foot in your mouth

To say something embarrassing or tactless

Pound of flesh

Something exacted or demanded as payment, often harsh or unfair

Pay your dues

To pay the money you owe

Proverbial

Widely known and recognized; existing as a popular saying or cliché

Potluck

A meal or event where each guest brings a dish to share

Pull one’s punches

To hold back or lessen the force of one’s actions or words

Pull rank

To assert authority or exercise one’s seniority

Paper tiger

Something that appears powerful but is actually weak

Pound the table

To demand something forcefully or insistently

Put a stake in the ground

To make a firm commitment or claim to something

Put the squeeze on someone

To exert pressure or coercion on someone

Pull a rabbit out of a hat

To produce something unexpectedly or miraculously

Play possum

To pretend to be asleep or dead in order to avoid danger or confrontation

Pass the torch

To transfer responsibility or authority to someone else

Pack a punch

To have a powerful or forceful impact

Pass the time of day

To exchange greetings or engage in casual conversation

Paint the picture

To describe or depict something vividly or accurately

Power play

Using authority or influence for personal gain or advantage

Play it close to the vest

To keep one’s plans or intentions secret

Put it in a nutshell

To summarize something briefly

Pull someone’s strings

To manipulate or control someone behind the scenes

Press one’s luck

To take unnecessary risks or push one’s advantage too far

Put the cat out of the bag

To reveal a secret or disclose information unexpectedly

Paper over the cracks

To conceal or gloss over problems or shortcomings

Put the finishing touches on

To add final details or make final adjustments

Preaching to the choir

Trying to persuade people who already agree with you

Part and parcel

An essential or inseparable part of something

Pass with flying colors

To succeed or excel with great distinction

Prick up one’s ears

To suddenly listen attentively or with interest

Play both ends against the middle

To try to benefit from opposing parties or interests