English idioms & slang — explained where you read them
Highlight phrases like break the ice, spill the beans or no cap and SnapDic shows what they really mean, with an example and related expressions. 1,020 phrases are built in and work offline.
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The words make sense. The phrase doesn't.
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning can't be worked out from its words. Spill the beans has nothing to do with beans, and someone under the weather is simply feeling ill. Ordinary dictionaries explain each word separately, which is exactly why learners get idioms wrong.
SnapDic treats the phrase as one unit. Highlight it, and you get the meaning of the whole expression — not five separate definitions.
What every entry includes
- A plain-English meaning written for learners
- A natural example sentence
- Related phrases to grow your vocabulary
- Tags such as informal, business or social, and whether it's mostly US or UK English
What SnapDic shows
Real entries from SnapDic's idiom library, exactly as the balloon shows them.
Highlight a phrase
break the ice
Idiom / phrase · social
To ease tension at the start of a meeting or social situation so people feel comfortable.
e.g. He told a joke to break the ice.
via SnapDic · see also: warm up, get the ball rolling
spill the beans
Idiom / phrase · informal
To reveal secret information, often by accident or too early.
e.g. Do not spill the beans about the surprise party.
via SnapDic · see also: let the cat out of the bag
give up
Phrasal verb
To stop trying or to quit an effort because it feels too hard or pointless.
e.g. She refused to give up on the project.
via SnapDic · see also: quit, throw in the towel
no cap
Slang · informal
Honestly; not exaggerating.
e.g. That test was hard, no cap.
via SnapDic · see also: for real, seriously
under the weather
Idiom / phrase · informal
Feeling slightly sick or unwell, but not seriously ill.
e.g. I stayed home because I was under the weather.
via SnapDic · see also: feeling off, run down
slap on the wrist
Idiom / phrase · informal, business
A punishment so mild that it barely counts as discipline, often when someone deserved something stronger.
e.g. The CEO got a slap on the wrist for the accounting scandal.
via SnapDic
1,020 phrases, written for the real web
| Type | Entries | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Idioms and fixed phrases | 440 | break the ice, under the weather, slap on the wrist |
| Phrasal verbs | 391 | give up, figure out, run into, put off |
| Slang | 189 | no cap, lowkey, ghost someone |
| US / UK usage | 798 / 222 | Each entry notes where it is most used |
Every entry is SnapDic's own original writing, labelled via SnapDic. Phrases are matched exactly first, then by their common variations (like a rock in my face, rock straight in my face), so you get the right entry even when a writer changes the wording slightly.
Three ways to meet an idiom
Highlight it
Select two to four words — break the ice — and the meaning of the whole phrase appears.
Hover a word inside it
Hovering a single word gives that word's meaning, so you can compare.
Review it later
Every phrase you look up is listed in the SnapDic panel. SnapDic Plus saves them by day.
Learning idioms that stick
- Learn them in context. An idiom you met in a real article is far easier to remember than one from a list.
- Notice the register. SnapDic tags informal phrases and slang — great in a chat, risky in an essay.
- Collect related phrases. Spill the beans leads to let the cat out of the bag: two idioms for the price of one.
- Watch phrasal verbs. Give up, give in and give out mean very different things. Highlight the whole verb to be sure.
Understand idioms the moment you see them
SnapDic for Mac is free. Also free for Chrome.
Frequently asked questions
How many idioms does SnapDic include?
1,020 phrases: 440 idioms and fixed expressions, 391 phrasal verbs and 189 slang terms, each with a meaning, an example and related phrases.
Do I have to highlight a phrase?
Yes, for idioms. Hovering shows the meaning of one word; highlighting two to four words looks up the whole phrase. This keeps single-word hovering fast and accurate.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The whole idiom library is built into SnapDic, so phrases are explained instantly even without an internet connection.
What if a phrase isn't in the library?
SnapDic tries the closest matching phrase, then online sources such as Wiktionary, and then explains the key words in the phrase. It always tells you where an answer came from.
Are the meanings copied from another dictionary?
No. The idiom entries are written by SnapDic for English learners and labelled via SnapDic.
Does it include American and British idioms?
Yes. Each entry is marked as mostly US, mostly UK, or used in both.