Phrases.com »

Phrases related to: lexical meaning

Yee yee! We've found 224 phrases and idioms matching lexical meaning.

Sort:RelevancyA - Z
a carpet-baggerA candidate for election who has no roots or interest in the constituency he wishes to represent. The original meaning was a Unionist financier or adventurer who exploited the cheap labour in the American South after the Civil War. The carpet bags carried by these adventurers were made of carpet material.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
à contresensContrary to the meaning; In the wrong way.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
a fila andaUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see a, fila, anda.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go downAn otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.Rate it:

(4.00 / 5 votes)
about homeA shortened version of "about to be home" , meaning you are very close to your homeRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
age outUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see age,‎ out.Rate it:

(1.00 / 1 vote)
agree withUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see agree,‎ with.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
aí temUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see aí, tem.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
aim toUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see aim,‎ to.Rate it:

(1.00 / 1 vote)
all dressedused in reference to (ordering) or eating a pizza with "everything", meaning all toppings (mushrooms, peppers, etc.) on itRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
all sixes and ninesIn a state of confusion in which everything takes on an opposite meaningRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
all thereUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see all,‎ there.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
answer toUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see answer,‎ to.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
are you blindUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see are,‎ you,‎ blind.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
argue downUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see argue,‎ down.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
as inUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see as,‎ in.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
até maisUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see até, mais.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
backroom dealDeals that are made in secret, in a dishonest way (sometimes and probably originally literally behind closed doors and/or in some back room in private. See also, shady, back-alley deals (a similar expression meaning the same thing)Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
bad actorUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see bad,‎ actor.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
behind the bitAn equestrian term, meaning that the horse is evading the bit.Rate it:

(1.00 / 1 vote)
believe meUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see believe,‎ me.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
between scylla and charybdisSimilar in meaning to between a rock and a hard place.Rate it:

(3.00 / 1 vote)
big shopUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see big,‎ shop.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
bit in the biten of lakeIt means that a person is in a serious mood where he is not thinking for the serious matter. Its proper meaning is "serious"Rate it:

(1.00 / 1 vote)
bitch goddessUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see bitch,‎ goddess.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
blindAn 1800s baseball term meaning no score.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
blue-eyedUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see blue,‎ eye,‎ -ed.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
blue-eyed boyUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see blue,‎ eyed,‎ boy.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
bone in her teethUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see bone,‎ in,‎ her,‎ teeth.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
break one's backUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see break,‎ back.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
brilloso my friendBrilloso meaning brilliantRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
Buckley's and noneA supposed two chances (probabilities), being Buckley's chance (meaning a very small chance) or no chance at all.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
bust a gutTo laugh vehemently or uncontrollably; Any reaction (to some news or a sudden change) which is furious, violent, or of an extreme nature; Also one of many similar euphemisms meaning to highly exert oneselfRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
butter faceUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see butter,‎ face.Rate it:

(3.00 / 2 votes)
ça marcheUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see ça,‎ marche.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
cargo-200the code word referring to casualties for transportation in the Soviet and modern Russian military. In its official meaning, Cargo 200 refers to bodies contained in zinc-lined coffins, but in military context this code word can be used for dead bodies as they are transported from the battlefield.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
clothes don't make the manAn aphorism meaning that you cannot judge a person solely by his appearance. Usually pertains to men.Rate it:

(5.00 / 1 vote)
come to gripsseize the day! grasp the meaning, act upon the challenge, address the issue, issue stringent directives, take command, show 'em who's boss!Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
come togetherUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: to come together. To meet. To arrive at a destination with someone after having travelled there with each other. To achieve orgasm at the same time.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
come withUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see come,‎ with.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
como é que éUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see como, é, que, é.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
crash togetherUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see crash,‎ together.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
cuckoo for cocoa puffsan expression meaning crazy or insaneRate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
cut throughUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see cut,‎ through.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
d.c. al codaA music notation roughly meaning "go back to the beginning, playing everything again up to the coda."Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
das war'sUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see das, war, es.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
dead fishUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see dead,‎ fish.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
Deus me perdoeUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see Deus, me, perdoe.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
dickyDicky dirt = a shirt, meaning a shirt with a collar.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)
don't mention itUsed other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see don't,‎ mention,‎ it.Rate it:

(0.00 / 0 votes)

We need you!

Help us build the largest human-edited phrases collection on the web!

Alternative searches for lexical meaning:

Quiz

Are you a phrases master?

»
All's fair in love and ____________.
A peace
B combat
C war
D might

Browse Phrases.com

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ