Learning idioms is one of the easiest ways to sound more natural and confident in English. Native American speakers use idioms in everyday conversations without even realizing it. These expressions & idioms add emotion, humor, and clarity to their speech. And that’s why English learners must understand them too.
Some common idioms with letter D are – Day in and day out, De rigueur, Dead in the water, Day to day etc. On this page, you’ll find all important idioms starting with D. Each idiom includes a simple meaning and an easy example. So, you can use them in daily conversations, writing tasks, and even English exams like IELTS and TOEFL.
We regularly update this page to add more commonly used American idioms, exam-friendly idioms, and conversational phrases used by native speakers.
List of Idioms Starting With D
Dance to Someone’s Tune
Meaning: Follow someone’s orders or influence
Example: The employees danced to the boss’s tune without arguing.
Dance with the Devil
Meaning: Do something risky or morally wrong
Example: By joining that illegal plan, he was dancing with the devil.
Dark Horse
Meaning: A surprising competitor who wins unexpectedly
Example: She was a dark horse and won the entire competition.
Darken Someone’s Door (Step)
Meaning: Visit someone when they don’t want you
Example: I hope he never darkens my doorstep again.
Dead Ahead
Meaning: Directly in front
Example: There’s a petrol pump dead ahead.
Dead as the Dodo
Meaning: Completely outdated or extinct
Example: DVDs are as dead as the dodo now.
Dead Eye
Meaning: A very accurate shooter
Example: The officer was known as a dead eye.
Dead Heat
Meaning: A tie; no winner
Example: The race ended in a dead heat.
Dead of Winter
Meaning: The coldest part of winter
Example: We shifted houses in the dead of winter.
Dead Ringer
Meaning: Someone who looks exactly like another
Example: He is a dead ringer for his uncle.
Dead Run
Meaning: Running at top speed
Example: She caught the train after a dead run.
Dead Shot
Meaning: A perfect shooter
Example: He’s a dead shot with a pistol.
Dead to the World
Meaning: Sleeping very deeply
Example: After working all night, he was dead to the world.
Deep Pockets
Meaning: Very rich
Example: The new investor has deep pockets.
Deliver the Goods
Meaning: Achieve what is expected
Example: The new coach delivered the goods by winning the trophy.
Devil’s Advocate
Meaning: Argue the opposite side to test ideas
Example: He played devil’s advocate during the meeting.
Dirty Look
Meaning: An angry or disapproving look
Example: She gave him a dirty look for interrupting her.
Do 12-Ounce Curls
Meaning: Drink beer (slang)
Example: He spent the night doing 12-ounce curls.
Dodge a Bullet
Meaning: Escape a dangerous situation
Example: She dodged a bullet by cancelling that trip.
Doesn’t Amount to a Hill of Beans
Meaning: Not important
Example: That small mistake doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.
Dog Days of Summer
Meaning: The hottest days of summer
Example: We stayed indoors during the dog days of summer.
Dog in the Manger
Meaning: Someone who won’t use something but also won’t let others use it
Example: He’s such a dog in the manger about his tools.
Dog-and-Pony Show
Meaning: A flashy presentation to impress
Example: The event was just a dog-and-pony show.
Dog-Eat-Dog
Meaning: Highly competitive and ruthless
Example: The stock market is dog-eat-dog.
Dog-Tired
Meaning: Extremely tired
Example: After the journey, I was dog-tired.
Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk
Meaning: Don’t worry about things you can’t change
Example: It’s done—don’t cry over spilled milk.
Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
Meaning: Don’t judge based on appearance
Example: She looks strict, but don’t judge a book by its cover.
Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth
Meaning: Don’t criticize a gift
Example: Accept the present—don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Donkey’s Years
Meaning: A very long time
Example: I haven’t visited my hometown in donkey’s years.
Double-Dip
Meaning: Receive benefits from two places unfairly
Example: He was fired for double-dipping.
Double-Edged Sword
Meaning: Something beneficial but also risky
Example: Social media is a double-edged sword.
Down in the Dumps
Meaning: Feeling sad
Example: She’s been down in the dumps lately.
Down the Drain
Meaning: Wasted
Example: All our hard work went down the drain.
Down the Road
Meaning: In the future
Example: We’ll discuss that plan down the road.
Down to Earth
Meaning: Practical, humble
Example: She is very down to earth.
Down to the Wire
Meaning: Until the last moment
Example: The contest went down to the wire.
Drag One’s Feet (or Heels)
Meaning: Delay doing something
Example: He dragged his feet finishing the report.
Drain the Lizard
Meaning: Urinate (slang)
Example: He went outside to drain the lizard.
Draw a Blank
Meaning: Fail to remember something
Example: I drew a blank during the test.
Draw a Line in the Sand
Meaning: Set a firm boundary
Example: She drew a line in the sand about overtime.
Draw a Line Under Something
Meaning: End or conclude something
Example: Let’s draw a line under this argument.
Draw a Long Bow
Meaning: Exaggerate
Example: His fishing stories always draw a long bow.
Draw the Line
Meaning: Refuse to do something
Example: I draw the line at cheating.
Dressed Up to the Nines
Meaning: Dressed very elegantly
Example: She was dressed up to the nines for the ceremony.
Drink the Kool-Aid
Meaning: Believe something blindly
Example: The followers drank the Kool-Aid without thinking.
Drive a Hard Bargain
Meaning: Negotiate strongly
Example: She always drives a hard bargain.
Drive a Wedge Between
Meaning: Cause division between people
Example: His lies drove a wedge between the friends.
Drive Someone Up the Wall
Meaning: Annoy someone a lot
Example: The noise drives me up the wall.
Drop a Line
Meaning: Send a message
Example: Drop me a line when you reach home.
Drop the Ball
Meaning: Make a mistake
Example: He dropped the ball on the project.
Dry Run
Meaning: Practice before the real event
Example: We did a dry run for the presentation.
Dutch Courage
Meaning: Bravery caused by alcohol
Example: He needed Dutch courage to speak on stage.
Dutch Uncle
Meaning: Someone who scolds frankly
Example: He talked like a Dutch uncle about my errors.
Dyed-in-the-Wool
Meaning: Strongly committed to a belief
Example: She’s a dyed-in-the-wool supporter.
Next Letter: Explore Idioms Beginning with E.
Which idioms starting with D are used most in IELTS?
The most common IELTS-friendly D idioms are:
Dead set against (strongly oppose)
Drive me crazy (make me annoyed)
Down to earth (practical, realistic)
Dog-eat-dog world (competitive environment)
Do your bit (do your part)
Draw the line (set a limit)
Dressed to kill (dressed attractively)
Drop the ball (make a careless mistake)
Browse the full A–Z Idioms Collection to explore hundreds of idioms with meanings and examples, arranged alphabetically for quick learning.