This is the seventh of twelve pages (7/12) of alphabetically organized idiomatic expressions. These expressions begin with the letters L-M-N and O. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find a challenging quiz about these idiomatic expressions.
- look like – to resemble or appear similar to.
Example: You look like your sister. - look out (for) – to be careful or watchful.
Example: Look out for cars when crossing the street. - look over – to quickly examine or review.
Example: I’ll look over your essay tonight. - look up (1) – to search for information.
Example: I looked up the word in the dictionary.
look up (2) – to improve.
Example: Things are finally looking up! - look up to – to admire or respect.
Example: She looks up to her older brother. - make a fool of oneself – to embarrass oneself.
Example: He made a fool of himself at the party. - make a point of – to deliberately do something.
Example: She makes a point of arriving early. - make ends meet – to earn just enough money to live.
Example: It’s hard to make ends meet on one salary. - make sense (of) – to understand.
Example: I can’t make sense of these instructions. - make up – to invent or reconcile.
Example: He made up a story. / They made up after arguing. - make up one’s mind – to decide.
Example: I can’t make up my mind about dinner. - make way for – to allow space for something or someone.
Example: Please make way for the ambulance. - mean to – to intend to.
Example: I didn’t mean to hurt you. - mixed up – confused or disorganized.
Example: He’s mixed up about the schedule. - music to one’s ears – pleasing or good news.
Example: Her praise was music to my ears. - a nervous wreck – extremely anxious or stressed.
Example: I was a nervous wreck before the test. - next to nothing – very little (almost nothing).
Example: I paid next to nothing for this coat. - no doubt about it – absolutely certain.
Example: She’s the best singer—no doubt about it. - no harm done – nothing bad happened.
Example: You broke my pencil, but no harm done. - not at all – completely not; a polite reply.
Example: “Thanks!” — “Not at all!” - not believe one’s ears/eyes – to be very surprised.
Example: I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her. - not think much of – to have a low opinion of.
Example: He doesn’t think much of modern art. - odds and ends – small, miscellaneous things.
Example: I found some odds and ends in the drawer. - an old hand at – very experienced in something.
Example: He’s an old hand at carpentry. - on edge – nervous or irritable.
Example: I’ve been on edge all day. - on end – continuously.
Example: He worked for hours on end. - on hand – available or present.
Example: Do you have a pen on hand? - on needles and pins – very anxious.
Example: She waited on needles and pins for the results. - on one’s own – independently / alone.
Example: She traveled to Europe on her own. - on second thought – reconsidering.
Example: On second thought, let’s stay in. - on the go – busy and active.
Example: I’ve been on the go all day. - on the tip of one’s tongue – almost remembered.
Example: Her name is on the tip of my tongue. - on the whole – generally.
Example: On the whole, the project was a success. - out of (something) – having none left.
Example: We’re out of milk. - out of one’s mind – crazy or irrational.
Example: Are you out of your mind? - out of order – not working or broken.
Example: The elevator is out of order. - out of the question – not allowed or not possible.
Example: Going out tonight is out of the question. - over and over – repeatedly.
Example: I’ve told you over and over! - over one’s head – too difficult to understand.
Example: That math lesson went over my head.