Browse by first letter
The U drawer
39 phrases beginning with U.
- Ugly duckling A person or thing that seems plain, unpromising, or unimpressive at first but later develops into something admired or successful. Frequently used of…
- Under a cloud Out of favour, discredited or under suspicion, especially of wrongdoing that may be unproven: 'he resigned under a cloud of expense irregularities'…
- Under bare poles With every sail furled; figuratively, stripped of the usual means of support or progress. Technical or literary. It does not mean that a vessel has no…
- Under false colours While concealing one's true identity, allegiance or intentions behind a deceptive appearance. Colour is British spelling and color American. The…
- Under fire Being attacked or, in the dominant modern sense, subjected to sustained harsh criticism or hostile public scrutiny. The construction 'come under fire'…
- Under lock and key Securely locked up or fastened away, whether in a literal room, safe, cabinet or prison, or figuratively for anything kept strictly controlled: 'the…
- Under the gun Under strong pressure, attack or an urgent deadline. The expression is informal and especially common in North American English.
- Under the knife Undergoing or about to undergo a surgical operation. Usually in the form 'go under the knife': the surgeon's blade stands in for the whole procedure…
- Under the sun Used for emphasis after words like everything, nothing, anything or any to mean 'in existence' or 'imaginable'. Standing alone it means 'in the world…
- Under the table Done secretly or illegally, hidden from view.
- Under the thumb Completely dominated or controlled by another person, with little or no independent say in decisions. It usually describes a marriage, family or…
- Under the weather Slightly ill, tired, or otherwise not feeling one's usual self.
- Under the wire Just making it in time, at the last tick.
- Under your belt Securely achieved, consumed, or accumulated, so that it lies behind you and can be drawn on. Applied literally to food and drink swallowed, and far…
- Under your thumb Being controlled or dominated by someone, submissive to their will like a digit pressed firmly down, with no room to wriggle free.
- Understood the assignment Praise meaning someone grasped exactly what a situation demanded and delivered it impressively, meeting or beating expectations. Said of outfits…
- Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown Those who hold power or great responsibility cannot rest easy; command brings constant worry and sleepless nights. The saying is applied to monarchs…
- Unicorn (startup) In business jargon, a privately held startup company valued at more than one billion US dollars. The name plays on the mythical beast's rarity: when…
- Until you're blue in the face To do something, typically arguing, pleading or shouting, endlessly and pointlessly: however long you keep it up, you will not change the outcome or…
- Up a blind alley Stuck in a dead-end, no way out.
- Up a gum tree In a tricky or stuck spot, no way out.
- Up and running Fully operational or underway, ticking smoothly.
- Up in arms Riled up or ready to fight, hot and mad.
- Up in the air Something uncertain or unresolved, still open to change or decision. It conveys ambiguity or suspense-plans, outcomes, emotions-hanging in limbo, with…
- Up the ante To raise the stakes or demands, pushing higher.
- Up the boohai In a remote, out-of-the-way or vaguely unknown place. Informal and comic. Boohai has several historical spellings, reflecting the reshaping of the…
- Up the creek In a tough or hopeless spot, stuck with no easy way out.
- Up the creek without a paddle To be in serious difficulty with no obvious way out, whether the trouble is financial, practical or social. The phrase stresses helplessness as much…
- Up the duff Pregnant. This British and Australian slang expression is informal and can sound coarse, dismissive, or offensive depending on the speaker and…
- Up the wall Driven mad or wild, all frayed.
- Up to scratch Meeting a decent standard or readiness, good enough to pass muster.
- Up to snuff Of a satisfactory or acceptable standard: 'the second rehearsal wasn't up to snuff'. Usually negated ('not up to snuff') to criticize quality or…
- Up to the mark Good enough or on par, up there.
- Up to your ears Buried deep in something, swamped.
- Up to your neck Deep in a mess or load, swamped.
- Up your sleeve Held secretly in reserve, ready to pull out.
- Upset the applecart To spoil a plan, arrangement, or otherwise stable situation, usually suddenly; to ruin things that were going smoothly. Commonly used with a…
- Upstage someone To draw attention away from someone by performing or presenting yourself more strikingly; to overshadow a person who expected to be the centre of…
- Utopia An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect; a scheme or plan that is ideally perfect but impracticable. Register ranges from…