| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
| don't hand me that | (See don't give me that) | |
| don't hold your breath | it is not going to happen soon, be prepared to wait | The City will repair the street but don't hold your breath. |
| don't knock it | don't be negative, it could be worse | "I only got a C for my report." "Don't knock it. I got a D." |
| don't know him from Adam | do not know who he is, have never met him | The man says he knows me, but I don't know him from Adam. |
| don't know the first thing about it | do not know anything about it | I can't fix a transmission. I don't know the first thing about it. |
| don't know the half of it | do not know all the facts, have not heard all of it | Yes, they got divorced, but you don't know the half of it. |
| don't know whether you're coming or going | you are confused, you do not understand, go in circles | If you believe the cult leaders, you won't know whether you're coming or going. |
| don't know which end is up | are confused, are mixed up | After talking to four bureaucrats, I didn't know which end was up. |
| don't know which side your bread is buttered on | do not know what is really important, have not learned much about life | If you refuse the assistance, you don't know which side your bread is buttered on. |
| don't know your ass from a hole in the ground [B] | you are ignorant, you are mistaken, mixed up | He said one member of the cult was so confused he didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. |
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