Browse by first letter
The K drawer
32 phrases beginning with K.
- Kangaroo court A sham or illegitimate tribunal that goes through the motions of legal process while the outcome is decided in advance, usually against the accused…
- Katy, bar the door Watch out or prepare for sudden danger, disorder, or fierce competition. Dated, colourful warning Regional use: United States, especially Southern and…
- Keep it under your hat To keep something secret, tucked away.
- Keep the ball rolling Maintain momentum by causing an activity, discussion, plan, or process to continue rather than stall or stop. Informal but suitable in many…
- Keep the wolf from the door To fend off poverty or harm, just scraping by.
- Keep your eye on the ball Stay sharp or focused.
- Keep your eyes peeled To stay sharply alert or watchful, scanning for signs.
- Keep your hair on Stay calm or cool, no flap.
- Keep your nose clean Stay out of trouble or vice, all clear.
- Keep your nose to the grindstone To work hard and steady, focused down.
- Keep your pants on Hold off or chill, no haste.
- Keep your pecker up Remain cheerful, courageous, or determined despite difficulty. This chiefly British expression is old-fashioned and easily misunderstood…
- Keep your powder dry Remain prepared and conserve resources until they are needed. A somewhat old-fashioned military metaphor, often used in politics, business, and…
- Keep your shirt on A plea to stay calm or patient, holding off a hotheaded strip to fight.
- Kick against the pricks Resist authority or unavoidable pressure in a way that only hurts oneself. Potentially distracting today because prick has acquired other senses. The…
- Kick over the traces To rebel or break free, tossing off rules.
- Kick the bucket To die. The expression is informal and can sound flippant when used about a recent or painful death.
- Kick the can down the road To delay dealing with a problem, pushing it off for later.
- Kick the habit To quit a bad routine or vice, shaking it off.
- Kick up a fuss To create a noisy or emotional disturbance, usually in protest or complaint, drawing attention to a grievance with exaggerated reaction. It suggests…
- Kick up your heels To let loose and have fun, cutting free.
- Kill the fatted calf To prepare a lavish celebration, especially serving the best food and drink, in order to welcome someone home after a long absence. Very often used…
- Kill two birds with one stone To achieve two goals with a single action, maximizing efficiency.
- Kindly revert Please reply or respond, usually to a message or request. Formal and regionally standard. Revert back is common locally, though editors elsewhere may…
- King's ransom An extremely large sum of money, far more than something is worth or more than an ordinary person could pay. Almost always used hyperbolically about…
- Kith and kin One's friends, acquaintances and relatives considered together as a familiar social circle. Warm, literary or humorous rather than neutral everyday…
- Knock down a cheque Spend an entire pay cheque lavishly, traditionally in a prolonged drinking spree. Dated colonial slang. It commonly implies heavy drinking and…
- Knock for a loop Defeat, disrupt, astonish, or emotionally overwhelm someone so thoroughly that normal composure or plans are lost. Informal. It can describe physical…
- Knock into a cocked hat To defeat someone utterly or comprehensively; in older use also to batter a person senseless or smash a thing out of shape. Now mostly figurative and…
- Knock on wood Said, often while tapping wood, after mentioning good fortune or a hope for the future, as a playful or superstitious attempt to avoid bad luck. The…
- Knock yourself out Go ahead freely; alternatively, make an exhausting all-out effort. Current; permissive use can sound sarcastic Regional use: Strongly established in…
- Know your onions Be thoroughly knowledgeable or competent in a subject. The possessive normally changes with the subject: know my, your, his, her or their onions…