An Idiot's Guide to Idioms

As a writer, I'm fascinated with words. I recently purchased A Dictionary of American Idioms. I know, I know, B-O-R-I-N-G!

An idiom is language peculiar to a people or culture. Many times an idiom has a meaning that can't be determined by the individual words themselves. For example, "Sunday week" means a week from this Sunday. I recently discovered in a staff meeting that this is apparently a Southern idiom. Other examples are: cool cat, fly off the handle, like a breeze, and kick the bucket.

The reason I bought this dictionary is because it's a thought-provoking, writer's block-curing, interesting book to thumb through when you're a little bored. It's also full of great book and article titles. For example, imagine the following as books or movies. (They may already be out there.)

At the End of Her Rope
Lion's Share
Means to an End
Out Cold
Drop in the Bucket
Dead Ringer
Devil to Pay

Books/Movies/TV Shows with idioms as titles:

Sixth Sense
Duck Soup
Facts of Life
Fall Guy
Growing Pains
Half-Time
Helter-Skelter
Rush Hour