Are you good at deciphering idioms as a neurodivergent?

[birdsnestfern]

Are you good at deciphering Idioms? Can you decipher on your own, or do you try to look up their meanings?

How about this one: Don't cry over spilled milk.
I think we need a list of idioms and don't cheat and look anything up, which do you understand and which are you at a loss over, or are you generally good or not good is enough.

• a bridge too far
• a cold day in July
• a day late and a dollar short
• a good deal
• a hundred and ten percent
• a life of its own
• a little bird told me
• a little bit of bread and no cheese
• a little from column A, a little from column B
• a little goes a long way
• a little of something goes a long way
• a notch above
• a pound to a penny
• a Roland for an Oliver
• a short drop and a sudden stop
• a week from next Tuesday
• a week is a long time in politics
• a wild goose never laid a tame egg
• Abbot's Priory
• about time
• about to
• about turn
• above board
• above one's bend
• above one's huckleberry
• above par
• above the curve
• above the fray
• above the law
• above the salt
• above water
• absence makes the heart grow fonder
• abuse of distress
• accident of birth
• accident waiting to happen
• according to Cocker
• according to Gunter
• according to Hoyle
• ace in the hole
• ace up one's sleeve
• acknowledge the corn
• acquired taste
• across the board
• act of Congress
• act one's age
• act one's age, not one's shoe size
• act out
• act up
• activist judge
• activist justice
• Adam Tiler
• Adam's ale
• add fuel to the fire
• add insult to injury
• add oil
• add up
• addle pate
• Citations:addle plot
• adorn oneself with borrowed plumes
• adrenaline rush
• after all
• after one's own heart
• after the fact
• after the Lord Mayor's show
• against all odds
• against the clock
• against the collar
• against the grain
• against the run of play
• against the world
• age before beauty
• agree to disagree
• agreement in principle
• aha moment
• ahead of one's time
• ahead of the curve
• ahead of the game
• ahead of the pack
• air one's dirty linen in public
• air out
• air rage
• alarums and excursions
• albatross around one's neck
• albatross round one's neck
• alive and kicking
• all along
• all and some
• all and sundry
• all at once
• all bark and no bite
• all bedlam breaks loose
• all bets are off
• all dressed up and nowhere to go
• all duck or no dinner
• all ears
• all ends up
• all eyes
• all eyes and ears
• all fur coat and no knickers
• all good
• all hat and no cattle
• all hat and no cowboy
• all heart
• all hell breaks loose
• all holiday
• all hollow
• all in a day's work
• all it's cracked up to be
• all kidding aside
• all mouth and no trousers
• all mouth and trousers
• all of a heap
• all one's life's worth
• all one's taste is in one's mouth
• all out
• all over
• all over bar the shouting
• all over but the shouting
• all over hell's half acre
• all over oneself
• all over the board
• all over the map
• all over the place
• all over with
• all rights reserved
• all roads lead to Rome
• all set
• all sixes and nines
• all sizzle and no steak
• all talk and no cider
• all that
• all that jazz
• all the marbles
• all the rage
• all the same
• all the tea in China
• all the way to Egery and back
• all the while
• all there
• all things considered
• all things to all people
• all thumbs
• all to smash
• all told
• all very well
• all wet
• all-a-mort
• almighty dollar
• along about
• amateur hour
• amber gambler
• amber light
• amber nectar
• American Dream
• an apple a day
• an arm and a leg
• an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure
• anaconda mortgage
• ancient history
• and all
• and all this
• and change
• and counting
• and crap
• and finally
• and his mother
• and how
• and I don't mean maybe
• and shit
• and so forth
• and so on
• and such
• and the like
• and then some
• and whatnot
• angel's advocate
• angle for farthings
• another day, another dollar
• another nail in someone's coffin
• another string to one's bow
• answer back
• answer on a postcard
• answer the call of nature
• any more for any more
• any nook or cranny
• any old
• any old nook or cranny
• any old thing
• any port in a storm

 

[birdsnestfern]

• any time now
• any time soon
• anybody who is anybody
• anyone's guess
• anything goes
• ape leader
• apothecary's Latin
• appetite comes with eating
• apple of someone's eye
• apples and oranges
• apply oneself
• apron string
• apron-string hold
• arch doxy
• are you deaf
• are your ears burning
• arm candy
• arm to the teeth
• arm up
• armchair quarterback
• arm's length
• army volunteer
• around Robin Hood's barn
• around the clock
• around the corner
• around the Horn
• arrive at
• arse end of nowhere
• arse over tip
• arse over tit
• arsy varsy
• arsy versy
• artful dodger
• as a rule
• as a whole
• as all get-out
• as best one can
• as ever
• as ever trod shoe leather
• as ever trod shoe-leather
• as far as I can throw you
• as far as one knows
• as I was saying
• as if
• as if someone owns the place
• as if there were no tomorrow
• as in
• as is
• as it happens
• as long as
• as luck may have it
• as luck would have it
• as of
• as of late
• as often as not
• as soon as
• as the crow flies
• as the day is long
• as the gull flies
• as the next girl
• as the next guy
• as the wind blows
• as they come
• as well
• as yet
• as you know
• ask after
• ask around
• ask for it
• ask for the moon
• ask my arse
• ask out
• ask round
• asking for a friend
• asleep at the switch
• asphalt jungle
• ass over teakettle
• ass-backwards
• assault and battery
• assume the position
• at a canter
• at a glance
• at a loss
• at a loss for words
• at a low ebb
• at a moment's notice
• at a pinch
• at a stand
• at all
• at all hours
• at any given moment
• at arm's length
• at bay
• at bottom
• at cross-purposes
• at death's door
• at each other's throats
• at first
• at first blush
• at full tilt
• at home
• at large
• at last
• at latter Lammas
• at long last
• at loose ends
• at odds
• at one's feet
• at one's fingertips
• at pains
• at peace
• at peace with
• at places
• at rack and manger
• at rest
• at sea
• at sixes and sevens
• at someone's disposal
• at someone's door
• at stake
• at that
• at the best of times
• at the coal face
• at the disposal of
• at the door of
• at the drop of a hat
• at the end of the day
• at the expense of
• at the feet of
• at the helm
• at the high port
• at the last minute
• at the mercy of
• at the ready
• at the receiving end
• at the top of one's voice
• at the top of one's lungs
• at the very least
• at the very most
• at the wheel
• at this point in time
• at times
• at variance
• at will
• atomic cocktail
• atta girl
• attaboy
• attagal
• attagirl
• attakid
• attention whore
• Attic salt
• auld lang syne
• autem cackler
• autem dipper
• autem diver
• autem mort
• autumn romance
• avant la lettre
• average bear
• average joe
• average up
• away game
• away with the fairies
• away with you
• aye aye, sir

B​

• babe in arms
• babe in the woods
• babe magnet
• babies in the eyes
• baby elephant in the room
• baby up
• babysitter test
• back at you
• back down
• back forty
• back gammon player
• back in
• back in the day
• back in the game
• back into
• back of one's hand
• back off
• back office
• back to square one
• back to the drawing board
• back to the wall
• back up
• back up the truck
• back-burner
• back-cloth star
• back-of-the-envelope
• back-patty
• back-pocket
• back-to-back-to-back
• backhanded compliment
• backpedal
• backwater
• bacon-faced
• bacon-fed

 

[birdsnestfern]

• bad actor
• bad apple
• bad blood
• bad company
• bad egg
• bad hair day
• bad iron
• bad joke
• bad news
• bad old days
• bad penny
• bad taste in one's mouth
• bad word
• badge bunny
• badge of honor
• bag of bones
• bag of tricks
• bag of weasels
• bail out
• bake up
• baker's dozen
• baker's half dozen
• balance out
• balance the books
• balancing act
• bale up
• ball hog
• ball of fire
• ball-breaker
• balloon goes up
• balloon knot
• ballpark estimate
• ballpark figure
• balls of steel
• balls to the wall
• balls-out
• balls-up
• balum rancum
• banana nose
• banana republic
• Banbury story of a cock and a bull
• band together
• bandwagon fan
• bane of someone's existence
• bane of someone's life
• bang away
• bang down the door
• bang for the buck
• bang one's head against a brick wall
• bang out
• bang straw
• bang to rights
• bang up
• bank night
• bankbook
• banker's dozen
• bankers' hours
• bankrupt cart
• banyan day
• bar none
• bar sinister
• bar star
• barber's sign
• bare one's soul
• bare one's teeth
• bare poles
• bargain basement
• barge in
• barhop
• bark up the wrong tree
• barn find
• barnburner
• barrel of laughs
• barrel of monkeys
• base over apex
• basement battler
• bash into shape
• bash the bishop
• basket house
• bass-ackwards
• bastardly gullion
• bat a thousand
• bat an eyelid
• bat five hundred
• bat for the other team
• bat one's eyes
• bat the breeze
• Bat-Signal
• batten down the hatches
• bawl out
• be a hundred years too early
• be a man
• be around
• be at the plague
• be in and out
• be in for
• be in luck
• be it as it may
• be left holding the baby
• be like
• be mother
• be my guest
• be on to
• be one's own worst enemy
• be oneself
• be someone's to lose
• be still my heart
• be supposed to
• be taken ill
• be that as it may
• be there
• be up to
• be-all and end-all
• bean counter
• bear a hand
• bear away the bell
• bear fruit
• bear in mind
• bear oneself
• bear the brunt
• bear up
• bear with
• beard the lion in his den
• beast with two backs
• beat a dead horse
• beat around the bush
• beat as one
• beat Banaghan
• beat feet
• beat it
• beat off
• beat off with a stick
• beat one's swords into plowshares
• beat one's brain
• beat one's swords into ploughshares
• beat someone's brains out
• beat the bishop
• beat the clock
• beat the cock
• beat the daylights out of
• beat the dust
• beat the meat
• beat the pants off
• beat the poop out of
• beat the shit out of
• beat the stuffing out of
• beat with the ugly stick
• beats me
• beats one's swords into plowshares
• beautiful people
• beauty mark
• beauty queen
• beauty sleep
• beaver away
• become of
• become one flesh
• bed blocker
• bed in
• bed of roses
• beddy-bye
• bee in one's bonnet
• beef to the hoof
• beef up
• been there, done that
• been there, done that, bought the T-shirt
• been there, done that, got the T-shirt
• been to the rodeo
• beer and skittles
• beer goggles
• beer muscles
• before it was cool
• before someone's time
• before you can say knife
• beg off
• beg to differ
• beggars can't be choosers
• behind bars
• behind closed doors
• behind its time
• behind someone's back
• behind the bit
• behind the counter
• behind the eight-ball
• behind the scenes
• behind the times
• behind the wheel
• behind time
• belemnite battlefield
• believe it or not
• believe one's ears
• believe one's eyes
• believe you me
• bell out
• bell the cat
• bells and whistles
• bellwether state
• belly up
• belly up to the bar
• below par
• below the belt

 

[birdsnestfern]

• below the salt
• bench jockey
• bend one's elbow
• bend over backwards
• bend someone's ear
• bend someone's will
• bend the knee
• bend the truth
• bend to one's will
• bend to someone's will
• beneath the surface
• benevolent overlord
• bent on
• bent on a splice
• beside oneself
• beside the point
• best bet
• best laid plans
• best of both worlds
• best of the bunch
• best pleased
• best regards
• best thing since sliced bread
• best thing since sliced pan
• best-kept secret
• bet one's boots
• bet one's bottom dollar
• bet the farm
• better angels
• better nature
• better place
• better than sex
• between a rock and a hard place
• between Scylla and Charybdis
• between the devil and the deep blue sea
• between the hammer and the anvil
• between the jigs and the reels
• between the pipes
• between you, me, and the bedpost
• betwixt and between
• beyond one's pay grade
• beyond one's years
• beyond the black stump
• beyond the pale
• bide one's time
• big boy
• big boys
• big break
• big bucks
• big cheese
• big deal
• big enchilada
• big end of town
• big fat
• big fish
• big fish in a small pond
• big girl
• big gun
• big head
• big kahuna
• big mouth
• big name
• big ol'
• big old
• big ole
• big picture
• big screen
• big shop
• big shot
• big sleep
• big spender
• big talk
• big tamale
• big tent
• big wheel
• bigger fish to fry
• bill of goods
• bio queen
• bird in the bosom
• bird of one's own brain
• birds and bees
• birds of a feather
• birds of a feather flock together
• bird's-eye view
• birth tourism
• birthday suit
• bit by a barn mouse
• bitch and a half
• bitch goddess
• bitch out
• bite me
• bite my ass
• bite my shiny metal ass
• bite of the cherry
• bite of the reality sandwich
• bite off
• bite off more than one can chew
• bite one's lip
• bite one's tongue
• bite someone's head off
• bite the big one
• bite the biscuit
• bite the bullet
• bite the curb
• bite the dust
• bite the hand that feeds one
• bite to eat
• bitter end
• black and white
• black babies
• black gold
• black mark
• black over Bill's mother's
• black rider
• black sheep
• black trash
• black-and-white
• blame Canada
• blame game
• blank out
• blanket term
• blare out
• blast from the past
• blast off
• blast out
• blaze a trail
• blaze away
• bleed red ink
• bleeding edge
• bleeding-edge
• bless you
• blessed event
• blimp out
• blind date
• blind leading the blind
• blind with science
• blink of an eye
• blink-and-you-miss-it
• block out
• blocking and tackling
• blood and guts
• blood in the water
• blood is thicker than water
• blood moon
• blood, sweat and tears
• bloom is off the rose
• blossom out
• blot on the escutcheon
• blot one's copy book
• blow
• blow a hole through
• blow a kiss
• blow away
• blow chunks
• blow hot and cold
• blow me
• blow me down
• blow off
• blow off steam
• blow one's chance
• blow one's load
• blow one's wad
• blow out of proportion
• blow out of proportions
• blow out of the water
• blow over
• blow smoke
• blow someone's cover
• blow someone's mind
• blow the cobwebs away
• blow the doors off
• blow the lid off
• blow the whistle
• blow this joint
• blow this pop stand
• blow this popsicle stand
• blow this Popsicle stand
• blow to kingdom come
• blow up in one's face
• blue chamber
• blue devils
• blue moon
• blue note
• blue state
• blue wall of silence
• blue-eyed
• blue-eyed boy
• blue-sky thinking
• blur the line
• blurt out
• Bob's your uncle
• body blow
• body English
• bog off
• bogged down
• boil over
• boil up
• boiling frog
• boiling hot
• boiling mad

 

[birdsnestfern]

​

• boiling point
• boldly go where no man has gone before
• bolt bucket
• bolt to the bran
• bomb out
• bone dry
• bone hard
• bone in her teeth
• bone in the throat
• bone of contention
• bone-crunching
• bone-deep
• bone-dry
• bone-idle
• bone-shaking
• booby prize
• boogie on down
• book dumping
• book in
• boot camp
• booze can
• bop the bishop
• bored out of one's mind
• borganism
• born and bred
• born in a barn
• born on the Fourth of July
• born with a silver spoon in one's mouth
• borrowed time
• bottle away
• bottle up
• bottom bitch
• bottom fall out
• bottom fishing
• bottom line
• bottom of the line
• bottom of the ninth
• bottom out
• bottom the house
• bounce back
• bounce off
• bounce off the walls
• bow and scrape
• bow down
• bow down before the porcelain god
• bow out
• bow-legged wi' brass
• bowl a googly
• bowl of cherries
• bowl over
• box clever
• box oneself into a corner
• box seat
• box someone's ears
• box the compass
• boy howdy
• boy in the boat
• boy toy
• boys and girls
• boys and their toys
• brace of shakes
• bragging rights
• brain bucket
• brain candy
• brain surgeon
• brain surgery
• branch off
• branch out
• brass ceiling
• brass farthing
• brass monkey
• brass monkeys
• brass neck
• brass-neck
• brass-necked
• brassed off
• brave out
• brazen out
• bread and butter
• bread and circuses
• bread of life
• break a leg
• break a sweat
• break cover
• break down
• break even
• break ground
• break in
• break into
• break into a run
• break it to
• break one's back
• break one's duck
• break one's lance
• break one's neck
• break out
• break ranks
• break someone's back
• break someone's heart
• break the back of
• break the bank
• break the buck
• break the cycle
• break the deadlock
• break the fourth wall
• break the ice
• break the Internet
• break the Sabbath
• break the seal
• break the story
• break up
• break wind
• breath of fresh air
• breathe a sigh of relief
• breathe a word
• breathe down someone's neck
• breathe easy
• bred-in-the-bone
• breed in the bone
• brick in
• brick in one's hat
• bridge the gap
• bridge-builder
• bright and early
• bright lights
• bright line
• bright young thing
• bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
• bright-line rule
• bring a knife to a gunfight
• bring a lump to someone's throat
• bring about
• bring down the hammer
• bring down the house
• bring forward
• bring home
• bring home the bacon
• bring it weak
• bring on
• bring one's arse to an anchor
• bring one's own hide to market
• bring out in a rash
• bring owls to Athens
• bring round
• bring to bear
• bring to heel
• bring to justice
• bring to light
• bring to nought
• bring to one's knees
• bring to the table
• bring up the rear
• broad in the beam
• broad shoulders
• broad strokes
• broad-beamed
• broaden someone's horizons
• broken record
• broken vessel
• Bronx cheer
• brown bag
• brown bread
• brown noser
• brown power
• brown study
• brown thumb
• browned off
• brownie point
• brush aside
• brush by
• brush down
• brush off
• brush up
• bubble over
• buck fever
• buck for
• buck the trend
• buck up
• bucket down
• bucket list
• Citations:bucket list
• bucket of bolts
• bucket of rust
• buckle down
• buckle up
• Buckley's and none
• Buckley's chance
• buff out
• buff the muffin
• buff up
• bug off
• bug storm
• bugger off
• Buggins's turn
• build a better mousetrap
• build a case
• build bridges
• build castles in the air
• build character
• build on sand

• build up
• built different
• built like a brick outhouse
• built like a brick shipyard
• built like a brick shithouse
• bulk billing
• bull session
• bulletproof
• bum rap
• bum rush
• bum steer
• Bumfuck, Egypt
• bump and grind
• bump in the road
• bump into
• bump off
• bump up
• bum's rush
• bun fight
• bundle of energy
• bundle of joy
• bundle of laughs
• bundle of nerves
• bundle off
• bunny hop
• bunny hug
• buoy up
• buried treasure
• burn a hole in someone's pocket
• burn bread
• burn one's bridges
• burn one's fingers
• burn out
• burn rubber
• burn someone's ears
• burn that bridge when one comes to it
• burn the candle at both ends
• burn the midnight oil
• burning question
• burr in one's saddle
• burst in
• burst into tears
• burst out crying
• burst out laughing
• burst someone's bubble
• bury one's head in the sand
• bury the lead
• bury the lede
• bush league
• bush telegraph
• business as usual
• business end
• business girl
• busman's holiday
• bust a cap
• bust a move
• bust a nut
• bust ass
• bust chops
• bust on
• bust one's balls
• bust one's chops
• bust the dust
• busted flush
• busy as a bee
• busy as a nailer
• busy work
• but good
• but seriously folks
• but then
• butcher's bill
• butt heads
• butt in
• butt out
• butt up
• butter face
• butter one's bread on both sides
• butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth
• butterfingers
• butterfly upon a wheel
• button nose
• button one's lip
• button-down
• buttoned-down
• buy into
• buy out
• buy straw hats in winter
• buy the farm
• buy time
• buy to let
• buy up
• buzz off
• buzzer-beater
• by a landslide
• by a long shot
• by a long way
• by all accounts
• by and large
• by any means
• by any stretch of the imagination
• by far
• by guess or by gosh
• by halves
• by hand
• by heart
• by hook or by crook
• by mistake
• by no means
• by no stretch
• by no stretch of imagination
• by no stretch of the imagination
• by one's lights
• by one's own hand
• by rights
• by the book
• by the eye
• by the Grace of Allah
• by the Grace of God
• by the numbers
• by the same token
• by the skin of one's teeth
• by the way
• by trade
• by virtue of
• by-the-book
• by-the-numbers

C​

• cake crumbs
• cake walk
• cakes and ale
• cakewalk
• call a spade a spade
• call an audible
• call it a day
• call it a night
• call off the dogs
• call on
• call out
• call roll
• call someone everything but a child of God
• call someone's bluff
• call someone's number
• call to account
• call to the bar
• call up
• callout
• calm before the storm
• camel through the eye of a needle
• camel's nose
• camp out
• can it
• can of corn
• can of worms
• canary fit
• canary in a coal mine
• candle in the wind
• can't get enough
• can't help
• can't stand
• can't stand the sight of
• can't wait
• cap in hand
• cap it all off
• cap over the windmill
• captain's pick
• card of ten
• care a button
• care a jackstraw
• care package
• carried away
• carrot and stick
• carry a torch
• carry a tune
• carry coals to Newcastle
• carry forward
• carry off
• carry on
• carry one's weight
• carry oneself
• carry out
• carry over
• carry someone's water
• carry the can
• carry the mail
• carry the message to Garcia
• carry through
• carry water for
• carve out
• carved in stone
• case the joint
• cash in one's chips
• cash on the barrelhead
• cash up
• cashed up
• cast a chill
• cast a shadow
• cast aside
• cast aspersions
• cast in concrete
• cast one's mind back
• cast one's vote

 

[EndogenousRebel]

When I was younger those are all I used and people would tell me to explain myself. Then I had an episode and someone telling me "loose lips sink ships" would make me lose my mind.

 

[birdsnestfern]

It takes me a while trying to figure some of these out, Finally I deciphered "Don't cry over spilled milk" meant you can't change what has happened.
These things tend to trip me up though. The one about can't see the forest for the trees was very difficult for me. Need someone to explain them usually.

 

[Black Rose]

"neurodivergent"

I think this is the only state of humans there is.

neuro-convergent would be some sort of eugenics where everyone is the same, like races of elves, dwarfs, orcs, trolls, and goblins.

I am not the same as anyone else on earth but that does not mean convergent evolution does not happen. At least 1,000 people look exactly like me. as for anyone else, numbers are numbers.

Rat Race Lucy Convention Part 4​

 

[EndogenousRebel]

It takes me a while trying to figure some of these out, Finally I deciphered "Don't cry over spilled milk" meant you can't change what has happened.
These things tend to trip me up though. The one about can't see the forest for the trees was very difficult for me. Need someone to explain them usually.

They are a little TOO practical in that they can be used interchangeably in a lot of situations. It's basically giving someone a puzzle to solve. It shouldn't be a problem if they have already solved it lol. Or maybe someone people can change their frame of reference more easily than others?

My propensity to use them a lot probably stemmed from my fear of being understood or something. Schizoid personality and whatnot.

 

[Black Rose]

"Schizoid personality"

Once we are able to categorize then we are able to have convergence.

like taxonomy

but this should not be confused with orientation in Jungian terms.

Orientation is about one thing suppressing the function of another.

For example, only 1 percent of the population is truly ambidextrous.

Thinking in words vs pictures or no thinking at all and just the senses.

At best our models are created by external observations and only recently have we connected behavior to the causes of behavior.

 

[dr froyd]

cool list, i like idiomatic expressions

to me they represent the pinnacle of mastering a language

 

[dr froyd]

i have to admit "brown thumb" meant something different than i would have guessed