10/24/24, 5:01 PM The most useful Idioms and their Meaning

Famous Idioms | Meaning

Commonly used Idioms

I d i o m : A M a n n e r O f S p e a k i n g Th at I s N at u r a l To N at i v e
Speakers Of A Language
Every language has its own collection of wise sayings. They offer advice about how to live and also transmit some underlying ideas,
principles and values of a given culture / society. These sayings are called "idioms" - or proverbs if they are longer. These combinations
of words have (rarely complete sentences) a "figurative" meaning - they basically work with "pictures".
This list of commonly used idioms and sayings (in everyday conversational English) can help you to speak English by learning English
idiomatic expressions. This is a list, which contains exactly 66 of the most commonly used idioms and their meaning.

Smart Idioms

A hot potato
Speak of an issue (mostly current) which many people are talking about and which is usually disputed

A penny for your thoughts

A way of asking what someone is thinking

Actions speak louder than words

People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say.

Add insult to injury

To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation.

At the drop of a hat

Meaning: without any hesitation; instantly.

Back to the drawing board

When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

Ball is in your court

It is up to you to make the next decision or step

Barking up the wrong tree

Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person

Be glad to see the back of

Be happy when a person leaves.

Beat around the bush

Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

Best of both worlds

Meaning: All the advantages.

Best thing since sliced bread

A good invention or innovation. A good idea or plan.

Bite off more than you can chew

To take on a task that is way to big.

Blessing in disguise
Something good that isn't recognized at first.

Burn the midnight oil

To work late into the night, alluding to the time before electric lighting.

Can't judge a book by its cover

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Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

Caught between two stools

When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.

Costs an arm and a leg

This idiom is used when something is very expensive.

Cross that bridge when you come to it

Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before.

Cry over spilt milk

When you complain about a loss from the past.

Curiosity killed the cat

Being Inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation.

Cut corners
When something is done badly to save money.

Cut the mustard [possibly derived from "cut the muster"]

To succeed; to come up to expectations; adequate enough to compete or participate

Devil's Advocate
To present a counter argument

Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched

This idiom is used to express "Don't make plans for something that might not happen".

Don't give up the day job

You are not very good at something. You could definitely not do it professionally.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Do not put all your resources in one possibility.

Drastic times call for drastic measures

When you are extremely desperate you need to take drastic actions.

Elvis has left the building

The show has come to an end. It's all over.

Every cloud has a silver lining

Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

Far cry from

Very different from.

Feel a bit under the weather

Meaning: Feeling slightly ill.

Give the benefit of the doubt

Believe someone's statement, without proof.

Hear it on the grapevine

This idiom means 'to hear rumors' about something or someone.

Hit the nail on the head

Do or say something exactly right

Hit the sack / sheets / hay

To go to bed.

In the heat of the moment

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Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

It takes two to tango

Actions or communications need more than one person

Jump on the bandwagon

Join a popular trend or activity.

Keep something at bay

Keep something away.

Kill two birds with one stone

This idiom means, to accomplish two different things at the same time.

Last straw
The final problem in a series of problems.

Let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning - do not disturb a situation as it is - since it would result in trouble or complications.

Let the cat out of the bag

To share information that was previously concealed

Make a long story short

Come to the point - leave out details

Method to my madness
An assertion that, despite one's approach seeming random, there actually is structure to it.

Miss the boat

This idiom is used to say that someone missed his or her chance

Not a spark of decency

Meaning: No manners

Not playing with a full deck

Someone who lacks intelligence.

Off one's rocker

Crazy, demented, out of one's mind, in a confused or befuddled state of mind, senile.

On the ball
When someone understands the situation well.

Once in a blue moon

Meaning: Happens very rarely.

Picture paints a thousand words

A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

Piece of cake
A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple.

Put wool over other people's eyes

This means to deceive someone into thinking well of them.

See eye to eye

This idiom is used to say that two (or more people) agree on something.

Sit on the fence

This is used when someone does not want to choose or make a decision.

Speak of the devil!

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This expression is used when the person you have just been talking about arrives.

Steal someone's thunder

To take the credit for something someone else did.

Take with a grain of salt

This means not to take what someone says too seriously.

Taste of your own medicine

Means that something happens to you, or is done to you, that you have done to someone else

To hear something straight from the horse's mouth

To hear something from the authoritative source.

Whole nine yards

Everything. All of it.

Wouldn't be caught dead

Would never like to do something

Your guess is as good as mine

To have no idea, do not know the answer to a question

Although it is difficult to draw a clear line, "an 'idiom' can not be defined as a synonym for aphorism. It is more than that. To be an idiom, a word
or phrase must be distinctive to a specific language and have a meaning that is not obvious from the common meaning of the words employed.
For example: "raining cats and dogs", "hangover", "jonesing" [drug withdrawal symptoms]. "You're pulling my leg" is an English idiom for
"teasing", while "You're winding my clock" is an English translation of a German idiom that means the same thing. Note that in both cases, the
meaning is transferred by the culture, not the words themselves." [Author:Robert Hard]

Download
Download these English idioms as a PDF » Commonly used Idioms (approximately 600 KB).

English Idioms
Idioms are used in all areas of the English language, but can be considered especially important when it comes to learning English through the act
of speaking.

An idiom is a short phrase with its own specific meaning, and learning English idioms can help you to understand and become more like a native
speaker.

A Knee-Jerk Reaction
Meaning: An automatic response to something

Apple Of My Eye
Meaning: Often daughters or sons are referred to as the "apple" of their parent's eye

Origin: This phrase originates from King David, who wrote in Psalm 17 to ask God to remember and love David as His child: "Keep me as the
apple of Your eye, hide me in the shadow of Your wings."

As Busy As A Bee
Meaning: To be extremely busy

At The Drop Of A Hat

Meaning: immediately

B ac k To B a s i c s
Meaning: Simplifying things

Origin: The UK Prime Minister John Major was quoted as saying, 'It is time to get back to basics.’ He was referring to the idea that the UK
should try to revert back to a simpler time

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B ac k To S q ua r e O n e
Meaning: Go back to the beginning

Origin: In order to make football easily understandable to the listeners, a system of division was created. The field was separated into numbered
squares with number one as the centre. Hence, after a goal, the ball went back to square one and they started again

Break A Leg
Meaning: Wishing someone good luck

Origin: In the theatre, if your performance was liked the crowd, they might ask for an ‘encore,’ which means a curtain call. The stick that is used
to raise and lower the curtain was called a leg, so ‘break a leg,’ means to get so many curtain calls that the leg breaks in two. It’s worth noting
that wishing ‘good luck’ in the theatre is considered bad luck, so an alternative had to be found

Chip On His Shoulder

Meaning: Carry a grudge

Origin: It dates back to the 19th century when fighters would put a chip on their shoulder and challenge others to hit it off

Close But No Cigar

Meaning: Coming close to achieving success, but reaching a disappointment due to failure

Origin: Many years ago slot machines gave out cigars as prizes. Also, early carnival games also gave out cigars as prizes

C u t To Th e C h a s e
Meaning: Get to the point

Origin: This comes from Hollywood in the 1920's and meant to move from a dramatic scene to an action scene

Dead Ringer
Meaning: Identical to something or someone

Origin: In England people who were afraid of being buried alive would attach a string to their finger that ran up to a bell. If they were alive they
would ring the bell and be later dug up.

Example: 'He's a dead ringer for Hu Jintao'

Dog Eat Dog

Meaning: situation in which people act ruthlessly in order to be successful

Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth

Meaning: When you are given something you shouldn’t be ungrateful

Origin: If you count the teeth of a horse you can tell its age, but this would be rude if that horse were a present because you are finding fault

Double Whammy
Meaning: A double setback from being able to do something

E v e ry To m , D i c k , A n d H a r ry
Meaning: This refers to everybody and excludes no one. It might come from the fact that the names Tom, Dick and Harry were very common
years ago and so would seem to include every person possible.

Example: ‘Every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to borrow my bike!'

Excuse My French
Meaning: An apology before or after swearing

Face The Music

Meaning: Having to confront the awkward situation

Origin: This comes from the theatre, where musicians were seated in front of the stage. Hence, facing the music meant turning towards the
audience, or whatever problem you had.

Fly On The Wall

Meaning: A fly on the wall refers to someone who over sees something without the watched noticing him/her.

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Fro m To p To B otto m
Meaning: Completely, thoroughly, totally

Get Cold Feet

Meaning: Become frightened or nervous about something that you have to do

Get Out Of The Wrong Side Of The Bed

Meaning: In a bad mood

Origin: It is unlucky to put your left foot on the floor first when getting out of bed, and this can affect your mood for the rest of the day

Get The Run-Around

Meaning: Receive a series of excuses, delays, etc. This means that you have been treated in a way that causes you to do much more than you
really should, by not giving you the answer you seek. This is also called a 'wild goose chase.'

Example: A. 'Hi, I would like to know my bank balance.'

B. 'Sorry that's not our department, try 1234567'
A. 'Hi 1234567, I would like to know my bank balance.'
C. 'Sorry that's not our department, try 4567890'
A. 'Hi 4567890, I would like to know my bank balance.'
B. 'Sorry that's not our department, try 1234567'
A. 'Wow, I am getting the run-around'

Get The Short End Of The Stick

Meaning: Getting the smallest share or worst position

Graveyard Shift
Meaning: Working the night-shift, working at night

Origin: This has a very spooky meaning and comes from the fact that in old England people were sometimes buried alive by mistake (think
unconscious). Years later the graves were moved to a new location and signs of attempted escape such as finger scrapes inside the coffin were
discovered. In order to make sure this never happened again, an employee was used to stay in the graveyard at night and listen for any sounds,
hence the working the night-shift.

Hit The Hay

Meaning: Go to bed

Origin: Before mattresses used to be stuffed with hay or straw, so when one was hitting the hay they were on their way to bed, thus that’s where
the meaning 'hit the hay' or go to bed comes from.

In Full Swing
Meaning: Currently happening at full speed

In Nothing Flat
Meaning: Immediately, straight away

In The Bag
Meaning: Secured / guaranteed outcome

Origin: This idiom originated in Great Britain when a bag was placed under the Speaker's chair (parliament). If there was a petition that was 'put
in the bag' then it must be raised on that day.

In The Long Run

Meaning: Eventually

In The Doghouse
Meaning: Being in trouble with someone

Jinx
Meaning: Bad luck

Origin: This is a 17th century word for a spell. In the early 1900's, sportswriters used the term to mean bad luck

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Keep A Straight Face

Meaning: You should try not to laugh even though you find something really funny. You should use this when you are trying not to laugh at
someone directly, usually from fear of being rude.

Example: 'Did you see that lady fall down the hole? I was trying to keep a straight face'

Kick The Bucket

Meaning: To die

Origin: Refers to people who committed suicide by putting a noose around their neck and standing on a bucket. It was the act of kicking it away
that would kill them

Late In The Day

Meaning: Something that has happened at a very late stage

Level Playing Field

Meaning: This is a term which refers to an equal and fair competition

Example: ‘Now we are on a level playing field'

Like A Headless Chicken

Meaning: In a frenzied and uncontrollable manner

Make A Mountain Out Of A Molehill

Meaning: Make something minor into a major issue

Mum's The Word

Meaning: Keep a secret and don't say anything

Origin: This comes from the works of Shakespeare in Henry VI, Part 2.He wrote that a character should 'seal up your lips and give no words but
mum,' because mum is the sound of a hum you can only make with your mouth closed

Example: ‘Mum's the word, let’s keep this secret'

Not Playing With A Full Deck

Meaning: If your 'not playing with a full deck' then you are either stupid or crazy

Origin: This comes from lacking the required intelligence, as a card game being played with a missing card

Off The Cuff

Meaning: An unprepared/adlib action

Origin: This is to do with public speakers in the 1930's writing notes on their shirt cuffs, in case they forgot their speeches

Open Secret
Meaning: Something that is supposedly a secret, but that everyone knows

O v e r Th e To p
Meaning: Exaggerated or excessive

Origin: In WW1 the trenches were cut into the earth, and you had to go over them and onto the battlefield when it was time to attack.
Subsequently it means doing more than is usually required of you. Some now refer to it has just 'OTT' in abbreviations

Pull The Wool Over His Eyes

Meaning: To deceive someone

Origin: Pulling a woollen jumper over someone’s eyes would block out their sight, and might allow you to cheat them

Put A Sock In It
Meaning: Be quiet!

Origin: When people used to listen to music they used gramophones, but since they didn't have any volume control the only way to turn down
the volume was by stuffing something into it. This may well have been a sock and so people now use the term, 'put a sock in it" when they want
you to be quiet. Remember though, this is a rude way of asking.

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A. 'I LOVE JESUS!!!!!'
B. 'Put a sock in it!'

Put On Airs
Meaning: To act superior

Quality Time
Meaning: Important time a parent spends with a child

Origin: In the 1980's the government published the fact that parents could work hard and still have a good family life

Raining Cats And Dogs

Meaning: A heavy rain

Origin: Historical England’s houses had hay roofs and these were very slippery when wet. When it rained, the roofs became oily and any
animals that were sleeping there would slide off

Red-Handed
Meaning: You are guilty of doing something and people know it

Origin: This term for guilt dates back to the 1400's when it meant having blood on one's hands. Use this with the action of catching someone in
the act of doing something. It usually refers to a guilty person being found out.
'Stop that now, you have been caught red-handed'

Rule Of Thumb
Meaning: A rule of thumb is a basic rule that is usually but not always correct

Origin: The term comes from medieval times when the diameter of your thumb was thought to be the largest diameter of a stick which was
legally allowed to beat your wife. How nice.

Example: 'As a rule of thumb, I like to wash my hands before I eat'

Send Someone Packing

Meaning: Send someone away, get rid of someone

Shake A Leg
Meaning: To get you active in the morning and out of bed.

Origin: This was originally a naval term which was used to get new sailors out of their beds. The officer in charge would come in to the sleeping
area and shout ‘shake a leg,’ and the sailors had to do so to prove they were awake. It can be used to get someone out of bed, but can also be
applied when trying to ask someone to do something faster than they are currently doing. It might be what a parent might say to a child who was
walking slowly behind them

Small Potatoes
Meaning: An insignificant amount of money, not worth doing something for

Example: 'You want me to bet £1? That's small potatoes, let's bet £50!'

Smooth Sailing
Meaning: Easy to be in control of

Spill The Beans

Meaning: Reveal a secret you have know

The Penny Dropped

Meaning: To finally understand something

Example: 'I wasn't sure how he did that magic trick, and then the penny dropped'

Tickle Someone's Fancy

Meaning: To interest someone in something

Tie The Knot

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Meaning: To get married

Th r e e S t r i k e s A n d Yo u A r e O u t
Meaning: You have only three chances to do something

Origin: You should recognise this from baseball, as a player has three chances to hit the ball before their turn is over. Thus it can now be used
to talk about having three chances to complete a task.

Example:
A. 'Guess which number I am thinking of'
B. '10?'
A. 'No'
B. '20?'
A. 'No'
B. '30?'
A. 'Three strikes and you are out!'

To B e Wi t h I t
Meaning: To be up-to-date

To u c h wo o d
Meaning: Looking for good luck

Origin: This is most likely due to the old religious idea that trees have spirits, which traditionally bring good luck

Turn A Blind Eye

Meaning: To look the other way, to pretend not to notice something

Under The Weather

Meaning: To feel ill

Origin: Traditionally when it rained on a boat, people went down into the main part to get away from the weather. And also traditionally, because
people feel ill on a boat, this was much worse when the weather was bad and the boat was rocking

U s e Yo u r L o a f
Meaning: To think, to figure something out

Example:
'Q. How can I open that door?'
'A. Use your loaf! Turn the handle'

Where There's Muck There's Brass

Meaning: There's money to be made with dirty jobs

Origin: Brass = money and muck = dirt

X Marks The Spot

Meaning: The exact location

Origin: A pirate’s map of buried treasure marks the location with an X

Yo u C a n ' t Ta k e I t W i t h Yo u
Meaning: When you are dead, materials are worthless

Origin: This comes from the Bible and the idea that heaven doesn’t accept material goods

Yo u r N a m e I s M u d
Meaning: Your reputation is ruined

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