Phrases & Idioms
Phrases, idioms, proverbs, documented history and evidence-led origins.
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All topicsWork & EffortPhrases about effort, work, persistence and results.69 reviewed guidesCommunicationPhrases about speaking, reading, messages and understanding.156 reviewed guidesRisk & ChancePhrases about uncertainty, luck and taking chances.236 reviewed guidesRelationshipsPhrases about social bonds, trust and conflict.62 reviewed guidesCourage & DifficultyPhrases about facing hard, unpleasant or intimidating situations.69 reviewed guidesTime & FrequencyPhrases about rarity, repetition, waiting and the passage of time.33 reviewed guides
Phrases guides A–Z
Full site A–ZA
A Blessing in DisguiseA Breath of Fresh AirA Change of HeartA Dime a DozenA Drop in the BucketA Fine LineA Fish Out of WaterA Leopard Can’t Change Its SpotsA Needle in a HaystackA Penny for Your ThoughtsA Picture Is Worth a Thousand WordsA Piece of CakeA Slap on the WristA Snowball’s Chance in HellA Storm in a TeacupA Taste of Your Own MedicineA Tough Nut to CrackA Watched Pot Never BoilsAcid TestActionable Indication of InterestActions Speak Louder Than WordsAdd Fuel to the FireAdd Insult to InjuryAdministrative DataAffiliate of a SubscriberAgainst All OddsAgainst the ClockAggregate Quotation SizeAll Bark and No BiteAll EarsAll in a Day's WorkAll in the Same BoatAll Over the MapAll Talk and No ActionAlternative Trading SystemApple of My EyeAs Cool as a CucumberAs Fit as a FiddleAs Good as GoldAs Right as RainAt ScaleAt StakeAt the Drop of a HatAt the End of the DayAuction InformationAutomated QuotationAutomated Trading CenterAverage Effective SpreadAverage MidpointAverage Percentage Effective SpreadAverage Percentage Realized SpreadAverage Quoted SpreadAverage Realized Spread
B
Back Against the WallBack BurnerBack to Square OneBack to the Drawing BoardBad BloodBad Rap vs. Bad WrapBallpark FigureBark Up the Wrong TreeBarking Up the Wrong TreeBated Breath vs. Baited BreathBe That As It MayBear MarketBeat a Dead HorseBeat Around the BushBeck and Call vs. Beckon CallBehind Closed DoorsBend Over BackwardsBest Available Displayed PriceBest Bid and Best OfferBetter Late Than NeverBetween a Rock and a Hard PlaceBid or OfferBid-Ask SpreadBigger Fish to FryBirds of a Feather Flock TogetherBite Off More Than You Can ChewBite the BulletBite the DustBlack BoxBlack SwanBlank CheckBlind SpotBlock SizeBlood Is Thicker Than WaterBlow Off SteamBoiling PointBottleneckBottom LineBread and ButterBreak a LegBreak the BankBreak the IceBreaking PointBring Home the BaconBull MarketBurn BridgesBurn the Candle at Both EndsBurn the Midnight OilBury the HatchetButterfingersButterfly EffectBuyer’s MarketBy All MeansBy and LargeBy ChanceBy the BookBy the Skin of Your Teeth
C
Call It a DayCall the ShotsCalm Before the StormCan of WormsCanary in a Coal MineCannon FodderCan’t See the Forest for the TreesCarrot and StickCase in PointCast Pearls Before SwineCatch-22Categorized by Order SizeCategorized by Order TypeCategorized by SecurityCaught Red-HandedChain of EventsChain ReactionChamping at the Bit vs. Chomping at the BitChange of PaceClose But No CigarClose CallClose RanksCold ShoulderCome Full CircleCome Hell or High WaterCome Rain or ShineCommercial Paper Under Regulation ATSCommon DenominatorCommon GroundCompare Apples and OrangesCompeting ConsolidatorConsolidated DisplayConsolidated Last Sale InformationConsolidated Market DataConsolidated Market Data ProductControl Under Regulation ATSCore DataCorporate Debt SecurityCost an Arm and a LegCouldn’t Care Less vs. Could Care LessCovered OrderCovered Person Under Regulation ACCredit CrunchCredit SpreadCritical MassCross That Bridge When We Come to ItCrossed MarketCry Over Spilled MilkCry WolfCuriosity Killed the CatCustomer Limit OrderCustomer OrderCustomer Under Regulation NMSCut CornersCut to the Chase
D
Dead Cat BounceDead LetterDead Man WalkingDeal BreakerDeath SpiralDebt Security Under Regulation ATSDeep-seated vs. Deep-seededDepth of Book DataDevil’s AdvocateDirected OrderDog-eat-dog vs. Doggy-dogDomino EffectDouble BindDouble StandardDouble-edged SwordDown in the DumpsDown to EarthDown to the WireDownward SpiralDraw the LineDrawing a BlankDribs and DrabsDrive Someone Up the WallDrop the BallDropping Like FliesDynamic Market Monitoring Device
E
Easier Said Than DoneEasy Does ItEconomic MoatEffective National Market System PlanEffective SpreadEffective Transaction Reporting PlanElectronic Communications NetworkElephant in the RoomEscape Scot-free vs. Scotch-freeEvery Cloud Has a Silver LiningEvery Now and ThenExcess Bond PremiumExchange Market MakerExchange-Traded SecurityExecutableExecutable Stop Marketable Limit OrderExecutable Stop Non-Marketable Limit OrderExecuted at the QuoteExecuted Outside the Best Available Displayed PriceExecuted Outside the QuoteExecuted With Price ImprovementExecuted With Price Improvement Relative to the Best Available Displayed Price
F
Face the MusicFair GameFalse EconomyFeedback LoopFine PrintFlight to QualityFly by the Seat of Your PantsFly in the OintmentFood for ThoughtFor All Intents and Purposes vs. Intensive PurposesFor the BirdsFor the RecordFor What It’s WorthForeign Person Under Regulation ACForeign Security Under Regulation ACFree Rein vs. Free ReignFunding Liquidity
G
Game ChangerGesture of GoodwillGet Bent Out of ShapeGet Cold FeetGet Something Off Your ChestGet the Ball RollingGet the Hang of ItGet the PictureGet Your Act TogetherGet Your Head Around SomethingGive It a ShotGive Someone the Benefit of the DoubtGlass CeilingGlass CliffGo Against the GrainGo Belly UpGo Cold TurkeyGo Down in FlamesGo Out on a LimbGo the Extra MileGo with the FlowGolden GooseGolden HandcuffsGolden HandshakeGolden OpportunityGolden ParachuteGood for YouGreen LightGreen ShootsGrey Area
H
Hang by a ThreadHang in ThereHard SellHat TrickHave a Bone to PickHave a Chip on Your ShoulderHave Your Hands FullHeads UpHear It Through the GrapevineHigh DudgeonHit Below the BeltHit the Ground RunningHit the Nail on the HeadHit the RoadHit the SackHold Your HorsesHome In vs. Hone InHouse of Cards
I
J
K
Keep AbreastKeep an Eye OnKeep at BayKeep Me PostedKeep Someone at Arm’s LengthKeep Someone in the LoopKeep Something Under WrapsKeep Tabs OnKeep Your Cards Close to Your ChestKeep Your Chin UpKeep Your Fingers CrossedKeep Your Head Above WaterKeep Your Options OpenKill Two Birds with One StoneKnock-on EffectKnow the Ropes
L
M
Make a Long Story ShortMake a Mountain Out of a MolehillMake Ends MeetMake Publicly AvailableManual QuotationMany Happy ReturnsMarket Center Under Regulation NMSMarket CorrectionMarket DepthMarket LiquidityMarket RallyMarket ResiliencyMarketable Limit OrderMidpoint-or-Better Limit OrderMiss the BoatMixed BagMixed BlessingMixed LotMoney PitMoot PointMoral HazardMother’s Maiden NameMove the GoalpostsMove the NeedleMoving TargetMoving the NeedleMoving Ticker
N
O
Odd LotOdd-Lot InformationOff the Beaten TrackOff the CuffOff the HookOn Behalf OfOn Cloud NineOn the BallOn the FenceOn the Right TrackOn the Same PageOn Thin IceOnce in a Blue MoonOne and the Same vs. One in the SameOpen SecretOptions ClassOptions SeriesOrder ImbalanceOrder Protection RuleOrder Size BenchmarkOrder Under Regulation ATSOrders Providing LiquidityOrders Removing LiquidityOTC Market MakerOut of HandOut of SortsOut of the Blue
P
Pain PointPaper TigerPar for the CourseParticipantsPayment for Order FlowPeace of Mind vs. Piece of MindPerfect StormPie in the SkyPique My Interest vs. Peak My InterestPlan ProcessorPlay It by EarPoint of ContentionPoint of No ReturnPoint TakenPoison PillPoisoned ChalicePore Over vs. Pour OverPressure PointPrice ImpactPrice ImprovementPrice WarPrimary Listing ExchangeProfit-Sharing RelationshipProtected QuotationPublic Appearance Under Regulation ACPublished Aggregate Quotation SizePublished Bid and Published OfferPublished Quotation SizePull Out All the StopsPull Someone’s LegPull the PlugPull the StringsPull Your LegPull Your WeightPull Yourself TogetherPut All Your Eggs in One BasketPut Your Cards on the TablePut Your Foot in Your MouthPut Your Money Where Your Mouth IsPyrrhic Victory
Q
R
Race to the BottomRain on Someone's ParadeRaise the BarRead Between the LinesRead the RoomReality CheckRealized SpreadRed FlagRed HerringRegistered Broker or Dealer Under Regulation ACRegular Trading HoursRegulatory DataResearch Analyst Under Regulation ACResearch Report Under Regulation ACResponsible Broker or DealerRevised Bid or OfferRevised Quotation SizeRipple EffectRisk AppetiteRisk AversionRisk PremiumRisk ToleranceRisk-OffRisk-OnRock the BoatRoot CauseRound LotRule of ThumbRun Out of Steam
S
Sacred CowSafe HavenSaved by the BellScapegoat vs. Escape GoatSee Eye to EyeSelf-AggregatorSelf-Fulfilling ProphecySelf-Regulatory OrganizationSelf-Regulatory Organization-Specific Program DataSeller’s MarketSet the Record StraightShed Some LightShot Across the BowSilver BulletSit on the FenceSit TightSkeleton in the ClosetSkin in the GameSleight of Hand vs. Slight of HandSlippery SlopeSmoking GunSneak Peek vs. Sneak PeakSnowball EffectSo Far So GoodSpeak of the DevilSpecified PersonsSpill the BeansSpill the TeaSponsorSponsor Under Regulation NMSSRO Display-Only FacilitySRO Trading FacilitySteal Someone’s ThunderStick to Your GunsSticking PointStraight from the Horse’s MouthStraw ManStumbling BlockSubject SecuritySubject to ChangeSubscriber Under Regulation ATSSunk CostSword of Damocles
T
Take a Back SeatTake a Rain CheckTake It on the ChinTake It with a Grain of SaltTake the Bull by the HornsTake the Edge OffTake the PlungeTake with a Grain of SaltTall OrderTerm PremiumTerm SpreadThe Ball Is in Your CourtThe Best of Both WorldsThe Bigger PictureThe Last StrawThe Way ForwardThe Whole Nine YardsThink Outside the BoxThird Party Research Analyst Under Regulation ACThrough the RoofThrough the Wringer vs. Through the RingerThrough Thick and ThinThrow Caution to the WindThrow in the TowelTick SizeTicking Time BombTime FliesTime of Order ExecutionTime of Order ReceiptTime of the TransactionTip of the IcebergTipping PointToe the Line vs. Tow the LineTongue in CheekTouch BaseTrade-ThroughTrading CenterTrading RotationTransaction ReportTransaction Reporting AssociationTransaction Reporting PlanTrial BalloonTrojan HorseTurn a Blind EyeTurn Over a New LeafTurn the TablesTurning PointTwo Shakes of a Lamb’s Tail