English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions (Beginning with F)

Face like thunder

If someone has a face like thunder, they are clearly very angry or upset about something.

Face only a mother could love

When someone has a face only a mother could love, they are ugly.

Face the music

If you have to face the music, you have to accept the negative consequences of something you have done wrong.

Face value

If you take something at face value, you accept the appearance rather than looking deeper into the matter.

Face your demons

If you face your demons, you confront your fears or something that you have been trying hard to avoid.

Facts of life

When someone is taught the facts of life, they learn about sex and reproduction.

Failure is the mother of success

Failure is often a stepping stone towards success.

Faint heart never won fair lady

This means that you will not get the partner of your dreams if you lack the confidence to let them know how you feel.

Faintest idea

If you don`t have the faintest idea, about something you don`t know anything at all about it.

Fair and square

If someone does something fair and square, they do it correctly, following any rules or laws.

Fair crack of the whip

(UK) If everybody has a fair crack of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.

Fair game

If something or someone is fair game, then it is acceptable to target, criticise or attack them.

Fair shake of the whip

(USA) If everybody has a fair shake of the whip, they all have equal opportunities to do something.

Fair thee well

Meaning completely and fully: I am tied up today to a fair-thee-well.

Fairweather friend

A fairweather friend is the type who is always there when times are good but forgets about you when things get difficult or problems crop up.

Fall at the first fence

If something falls at the first fence, it goes wrong or fails at the first or an early stage.

Fall at the first hurdle

If something falls at the first hurdle, it goes wrong or fails at the first or an early stage.

Fall by the wayside

To fall by the wayside is to give up or fail before completion.

Fall from grace

If a person falls from grace, they lose favor with someone.

Fall off the back of a lorry

(UK) If someone tries to sell you something that has fallen of the back of a lorry, they are trying to sell you stolen goods.

Fall off the turnip truck

(USA) If someone has just fallen off the turnip truck, they are uninformed, naive and gullible. (Often used in the negative)

Fall off the wagon

If someone falls off the wagon, they start drinking after having given up completely for a time.

Fall on our feet

If you fall on your feet, you succeed in doing something where there was a risk of failure.

Fall on stony ground

If an idea or plan falls on stony ground, it is received negatively by people in positions of power or fails to  take off.

Fall on your sword

If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept the consequences of some wrongdoing.

Familiarity breeds contempt

This means that the more you know something or someone, the more you start to find faults and dislike things about it or them.

Famous last words

This expression is used as a way of showing disbelief, rejection  or self-deprecation.'They said we had no chance of winning- famous last words!'

Far cry from

This means that something is very different from something.

Fast and furious

Things that happen fast and furious happen very quickly without stopping or pausing.

Fat cat

A fat cat is a person who makes a lot of money and enjoys a privileged position in society.

Fat chance!

This idiom is a way of telling someone they have no chance.

Fat head

A fat head is a dull, stupid person.

Fat hits the fire

When the fat hits the fire, trouble breaks out.

Fat of the land

Living off the fat of the land means having the best of everything in life.

Fate worse than death

Describing something as a fate worse than death is a fairly common way of implying that it is unpleasant.

Father figure

A father figure is an older man, often in a position of power or authority, who commands great respect and inspires feelings like those for a father.

Feast today, famine tomorrow

If you indulge yourself with all that you have today, you may have to go without tomorrow.

Feather in your cap

A success or achievement that may help you in the future is a feather in your cap.

Feather your own nest

If someone feathers their own nest, they use their position or job for personal gain.

Feather-brained

Som eone who's feather-brained is silly, empty-headed and not serious.

Feathers fly

When people are fighting or arguing angrily, we can say that feathers are flying.

Fed up to the back teeth

When you are extremely irritated and fed up with something or someone, you are fed up to the back teeth.

Feel at home

If you feel relaxed and comfortable somewhere or with someone, you feel at home.

Feel free

If you ask for permission to do something and are told to feel free, the other person means that there is absolutely no problem

Feel like a million

If you feel like a million, you are feeling very well (healthy) and happy.

Feel the pinch

If someone is short of money or feeling restricted in some other way, they are feeling the pinch.

Feeling blue

If you feel blue, you are feeling unwell, mainly associated with depression or unhappiness.

Feet of clay

If someone has feet of clay, they have flaws that make them seem more human and like normal people.

Feet on the ground

A practical and realistic person has their feet on the ground.

Fence sitter

Someone that try to support both side of an argument without committing to either is a fence sitter.