Idioms with meanings - Alphabet- D

 Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

D 

 

Daft as a brush

 Someone who is daft as a brush is rather stupid.

Damp squib

 If something is expected to have a great effect or impact but doesn’t, it is a damp squib.

Dark horse

 If someone is a dark horse, they are a bit of a mystery.

Daylight robbery

 If you are overcharged or underpaid, it is a daylight robbery; open, unfair and hard to prevent.

Dead and buried

 If something is dead and buried, it has all long been settled and is not going to be reconsidered.

Dead as a dodo

 If something's dead as a dodo, it is lifeless and dull. The dodo was a bird that lived in the island of Mauritius. It couldn't fly and was hunted to extinction.

Dead as a doornail

 This is used to indicate that something is lifeless.

Dead duck

 If something is a dead duck, it is a failure.

Dead heat

 If a race ends in a dead heat, two or more finish with exactly the same result. 

Dead in the water

 If something is dead in the water , it isn't going anywhere or making any progress .

Dead man walking

A dead man walking is someone who is in great trouble and will certainly get punished , lose their job or position , etc , soon .

Dead men's shoes

 If promotion or success requires replacing somebody , then it can only be reached by dead men's shoes ' by getting rid of them .

Dead to the world

 If somebody's fast asleep and completely unaware of what if happening around them , he or she's dead to the world .

Dear John letter

A letter written by a partner explaining why they are ending the relationship is a Dear John letter .

Death of a thousand cuts

 If something is suffering the death of a thousand cuts , lots of small bad things are happening , none of which are fatal in themselves , but which add up to a slow and painful demise .

Death warmed up

 If someone looks like death warmed up , they look very ill indeed .

Demon weed

Tobacco is the demon weed .

Derring – do

 If a person shows derring - do , they show great courage .

Devil finds work for idle hands

 When people say that the devil finds work for idle hands , they mean that if people don't have anything to do with their time , they are more likely to get involved in trouble and criminality .

Devil is in the detail

When people say that the devil in the detail , they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on .

Devil's advocate

 If someone plays Devil's advocate in an argument , they adopt a position they don't believe in just for the sake of the argument .

Die is cast

 If the die is cast , a decision has been made that cannot be altered and fate will decide the consequences .

Different kettle of fish

 If something is a different kettle of fish , it is very different from the other things referenced .

Discerning eye

 If a person has a discerning eye , they are particularly good at judging the quality of something .

Do a runner

 If people leave a restaurant without paying , they do a runne

Do their dirty work

Someone who does someone's dirty work , carries out the unpleasant jobs that the first person doesn't want to do .

Dog and pony show

 A dog and pony show is a presentation or some marketing that has lots of style , but no real content .

Dog days

Dog days are very hot summer days .

Dog eat dog

In a dog eat dog world , there is intense competition and rivalry , where everybody thinks only of himself or herself .

Dog in the manger

 If someone acts like a dog in the manger , they don't want other people to have or enjoy things that are useless to them .

Dog tired

 If you are dog tired , you are exhausted .

Dog's dinner

 Something that is a dog's dinner is a real mess .

Dog's life

 If some has a dog's life , they have a very unfortunate and wretched life .

Dog – eared

 If a book is dog - eared , it is in bad condition , with torn pages , etc.

Doggy bag

 If you ask for a doggy bag in a restaurant , they will pack the food you haven't eaten for you to take home .

Doldrums

 If a person is in the doldrums , they are depressed . If a project or something similar is in the doldrums , it isn't making any progress .

Don't judge a book by the cover

 This idiom means that you should not judge something or someone by appearances , but should look deeper at what is inside and more important .

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth

 This means that if you are given something , a present or a chance , you should not waste it by being too critical or examining it too closely .

Don't upset the applecart

 If you are advised not to upset the applecart , you are being told not to disturb the way things are done because it might ruin things .

Don't hold your breath

 If you are told not to hold your breath , it means that you shouldn't have high expectations about something .

Don't wash your dirty laundry in public

People , especially couples , who argue in front of others or involve others in their personal problems and crises , are said to be washing their dirty laundry in public ; making public things that are best left private .

Done to death

 If a joke or story has been done to death , it has been told so often that it has stopped being funny .

Donkey's years

 This idiom means ' a very long time ' .

Doormat

A person who doesn't stand up for himself and gets treated badly is a doormat .

 Double Dutch

 If something is double Dutch , it is completely incomprehensible .

Double take

 If someone does a double take , they react very slowly to something to show how shocked or surprised they are .

Double whammy

A double whammy is when something causes two problems at the same time , or when two setbacks occur at the same time .

Double - edged sword

 If someone uses an argument that could both help them and harm them , then they are using a two - edged sword ; it cuts both ways .

Down and out

 If someone is down and out , they are desperately poor and need help .

Down at heel

Someone who is down at heel is short of money .

Down for the count

If someone is down for the count , they have lost a struggle , like a boxer who has been knocked out .

Down in the doldrums

 If somebody's down in the doldrums , they are depressed and lacking energy .

Down in the dumps

 If someone's down in the dumps , they are depressed .

Down the pan

 If something has gone down the pan , it has failed or been ruined .

Down the tubes

 If something has gone down the tubes , it has failed or been ruined .

Down to the wire

 If something goes down to the wire , like a competition , then it goes to the very last moment before it is clear who has won .

Drag your feet

 If someone is dragging their feet , they are taking too long to do or finish something , usually because they don't want to do it .

Drag your heels

 If you drag your heels , you either delay doing something or do it as slowly as possible because you don't want to do it .

Draw a blank

 If you try to find something out and draw a blank , you don't get any useful information .

Draw a line in the sand

 If you draw a line in the sand , you establish a limit beyond which things will be unacceptable .

Draw a long bow

 If someone draws a long bow , they lie or exaggerate .

Draw the line

 When you draw the line , you set out limits of what you find acceptable , beyond which you will not go .

Draw the shortest straw

 If someone draws the shortest straw , they lose or are chosen to do something unpleasant .

Dressed to the nines

 If you are in your very best clothes , you're dressed to the nines .

Drink like a fish

 If someone drinks like a fish , they drink far too much alcohol .

 Drive a wedge

 If you drive a wedge between people , you exploit an issue so that people start to disagree .

Drive someone up the wall

 If something or someone drives you up the wall , they do something that irritates you greatly .

Drop in the bucket

 A drop in the bucket is something so small that it won't make any noticeable difference .

Drop in the ocean

A drop in the ocean implies that something will have little effect because it is small and mostly insignificant .

Drunk as a lord

Someone who is very drunk is as drunk as a lord .

 Dry as a bone

 If your lawn is as dry as a bone , the soil is completely dry .

Dry spell

 If something or someone is having a dry spell , they aren't being as successful as they normally are .

Duck soup

 If something is duck soup , it is very easy .

Duck to water

 If you take to something like a duck to water , you find when you start that you have a natural affinity for it .

Dull as ditchwater

 If something is as dull as ditchwater , it is incredibly boring . A ditch is a long narrow hole or trench dug to contain water , which is normally a dark , dirty colour and stagnant .

Dunkirk spirit

 Dunkirk spirit is when people pull together to get through a very difficult time .

Dutch auction

 If something is sold by setting a price , then reducing it until someone buys it , it is sold in a Dutch auction . It can also mean that something is changed until it is accepted by everyone .

Dutch courage

Dutch courage is the reckless bravery caused by drinking too much .

Dutch uncle

A Dutch uncle is a person who gives unwelcome advice .

Dwell on the past

 Thinking too much about the past , so that it becomes a problem is to dwell on the past .

Dyed - in - the – wool

 If someone is a dyed - in - the - wool supporter of a political party , etc , they support them totally , without any questions .