Have you ever heard someone say “break the ice,” “piece of cake,” or “hit the nail on the head” and wondered what they really meant? Idioms are expressions whose meanings are different from the literal meanings of their individual words. Learning common English idioms helps you understand everyday conversation, movies, books, workplace English, and native speakers more naturally.
This collection covers idioms in English with meanings and examples across daily life, work, study, emotions, relationships, money, communication, travel, animals, colors, food, and many other topics. Each idiom includes a short explanation and an easy example sentence.
Note: On this page, you can learn each idiom with its short and clear meaning. For easier reading, we have included the everyday example sentences separately in our Idioms PDF Book, where you can see how each idiom is naturally used in a sentence.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a fixed expression with a meaning that cannot always be understood from the individual words. For example, “spill the beans” does not usually mean dropping beans. It means revealing a secret.
| Expression | Literal Idea | Idiomatic Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Break the ice | Break frozen water | Start a friendly conversation |
| Under the weather | Below the weather | Feel unwell |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Lose body parts | Be very expensive |
| Hit the books | Strike books | Start studying |
| Spill the beans | Drop beans | Reveal a secret |
Idioms are common in both spoken and written English. The best way to learn them is to study the meaning together with a natural example sentence.
Common Daily Use Idioms
These daily use idioms appear often in ordinary English conversations. Learning them can make spoken English easier to understand and more natural to use.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A piece of cake | Very easy |
| Break the ice | Start a friendly conversation |
| Call it a day | Stop working |
| Hang in there | Keep trying |
| Keep an eye on | Watch carefully |
| No big deal | Not very important |
| So far, so good | Everything is going well until now |
| Take it easy | Relax |
| Better late than never | Doing something late is better than not doing it |
| Give it a shot | Try something |
| Go with the flow | Accept things as they happen |
| In no time | Very quickly |
| On the same page | Share the same understanding |
| Make yourself at home | Feel comfortable |
| Out of the blue | Unexpectedly |
| Sleep on it | Decide after thinking overnight |
| Take your time | Do not hurry |
| The sooner the better | As soon as possible |
| Up to you | Your decision |
| Worth a try | Deserving an attempt |
| Come in handy | Be useful |
| Get the hang of it | Learn how to do something |
| Give me a hand | Help me |
| Have a good time | Enjoy yourself |
| Keep in touch | Continue communicating |
| Long time no see | Said after not meeting someone for a while |
| Make up your mind | Decide |
| Never mind | Do not worry about it |
| Once in a while | Occasionally |
| Right away | Immediately |
| Take a look | Look at something |
| Take turns | Do something one after another |
| Think twice | Consider carefully |
| Time flies | Time passes quickly |
| What a small world | Said after an unexpected connection |
| You can say that again | I strongly agree |
| At the end of the day | When everything is considered |
| Back to square one | Start again |
| Be my guest | Go ahead |
| Easy does it | Do something slowly and carefully |
Idioms About Time and Speed
Time idioms describe punctuality, delays, deadlines, frequency, waiting, and how quickly something happens.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Around the clock | All day and night |
| Against the clock | In a hurry before a deadline |
| At the eleventh hour | At the last possible moment |
| Beat the clock | Finish before time runs out |
| Better days ahead | A better future is coming |
| Buy time | Gain extra time |
| Call time on | Bring something to an end |
| In the nick of time | Just before it is too late |
| Kill time | Do something while waiting |
| Make up for lost time | Do more after a delay |
| On borrowed time | Likely to end soon |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| Time after time | Repeatedly |
| Time is money | Time is valuable |
| Time on your hands | Extra free time |
| Ahead of time | Earlier than expected |
| Behind the times | Old-fashioned |
| In due course | At the proper time |
| In the long run | Over a long period |
| In the meantime | During the waiting period |
| Just in time | At exactly the needed time |
| Old habits die hard | Habits are difficult to change |
| On time | At the planned time |
| Pressed for time | Having little time |
| Race against time | Hurry to finish something urgent |
| Stand the test of time | Remain useful or popular for years |
| Take forever | Take a very long time |
| Time and again | Many times |
| Time will tell | The future will reveal the answer |
| At a snail’s pace | Very slowly |
| In a flash | Very quickly |
| In the blink of an eye | Extremely quickly |
| Like clockwork | Regularly and reliably |
| Not a moment too soon | Just before something bad happens |
| On the spur of the moment | Without advance planning |
| From day one | From the beginning |
| Day in, day out | Every day for a long time |
| At the crack of dawn | Very early in the morning |
| For the time being | Temporarily |
| Have the time of your life | Enjoy yourself greatly |
Work and Study Idioms
These English idioms are useful at school, university, offices, training sessions, and workplaces.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hit the books | Study seriously |
| Learn the ropes | Learn how something works |
| Burn the midnight oil | Work or study late |
| Know something inside out | Know something very well |
| Pass with flying colors | Succeed very well |
| Put on your thinking cap | Think carefully |
| Rack your brains | Think very hard |
| Read between the lines | Find a hidden meaning |
| Brush up on | Improve an old skill |
| Crack a book | Begin studying |
| Know by heart | Remember completely |
| Learn by heart | Memorize |
| School of hard knocks | Learning through difficult experience |
| Teach someone a lesson | Make someone learn from a mistake |
| Put your nose to the grindstone | Work very hard |
| Keep your nose to the grindstone | Continue working hard |
| Get down to business | Start serious work |
| Get down to work | Begin working |
| Do your homework | Prepare properly |
| Make the grade | Reach the required standard |
| Cut class | Miss a lesson deliberately |
| Skip school | Stay away from school without permission |
| Bookworm | Person who loves reading |
| Teacher’s pet | Teacher’s favorite student |
| Know the drill | Know the usual procedure |
| Get your act together | Become organized |
| Pull your weight | Do your fair share |
| Go the extra mile | Make extra effort |
| Keep up the good work | Continue performing well |
| Work your fingers to the bone | Work extremely hard |
| Have your work cut out | Face a difficult task |
| A steep learning curve | Something difficult to learn quickly |
| Get up to speed | Learn enough to perform effectively |
| On a learning curve | Still developing skill |
| Put in the hours | Spend a lot of time working |
| Work like a dog | Work extremely hard |
| All in a day’s work | A normal part of a job |
| Back to the drawing board | Start planning again |
| Get the ball rolling | Start an activity |
| Keep the ball rolling | Maintain progress |
Success and Failure Idioms
These expressions describe achievement, progress, winning, mistakes, disappointment, and recovery.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hit the jackpot | Have great success or luck |
| Come out on top | Finish successfully |
| Go from strength to strength | Become increasingly successful |
| Make a name for yourself | Become well known |
| Make your mark | Achieve something noticeable |
| Reach for the stars | Aim for great success |
| Rise to the occasion | Perform well under pressure |
| Have the world at your feet | Be highly successful |
| On top of the world | Extremely happy and successful |
| Strike gold | Find unexpected success |
| Turn the corner | Begin improving |
| A feather in your cap | An achievement to be proud of |
| Bear fruit | Produce good results |
| Come a long way | Make much progress |
| Go places | Become successful |
| Make it big | Become very successful |
| Move up in the world | Become more successful |
| On the right track | Moving toward success |
| Pay off | Produce good results |
| Smooth sailing | Easy progress without problems |
| Fall flat | Fail to impress |
| Go down in flames | Fail badly |
| Miss the boat | Lose an opportunity |
| Miss the mark | Fail to achieve the intended result |
| Backfire | Produce the opposite result |
| Bite the dust | Fail or be defeated |
| Come unstuck | Fail after seeming successful |
| Drop the ball | Make a careless mistake |
| Fall at the first hurdle | Fail very early |
| Go belly up | Fail completely, especially a business |
| Hit a dead end | Reach a point with no progress |
| Lose ground | Become less successful |
| Throw in the towel | Give up |
| Try your luck | Attempt something uncertain |
| Win hands down | Win very easily |
| Have a winning streak | Win repeatedly |
| Bounce back | Recover after failure |
| Live to fight another day | Survive failure and try again |
| Get a second wind | Gain new energy |
| Learn the hard way | Learn through unpleasant experience |
Problems, Difficulties, and Risk Idioms
These idioms describe trouble, challenging situations, danger, uncertainty, and ways of dealing with problems.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| In hot water | In trouble |
| In deep water | In serious difficulty |
| Between a rock and a hard place | Facing two difficult choices |
| A tough nut to crack | Difficult problem or person |
| An uphill battle | A difficult struggle |
| Add fuel to the fire | Make a bad situation worse |
| Open a can of worms | Create many new problems |
| Out of the frying pan into the fire | Move from one problem to a worse one |
| A storm in a teacup | Big argument about a small issue |
| At your wits’ end | Not know what to do |
| Bite off more than you can chew | Accept too much work |
| Have your hands full | Be very busy |
| In a bind | In a difficult situation |
| In a fix | In trouble |
| In a pickle | In a difficult situation |
| Walking on thin ice | Taking a dangerous risk |
| Play with fire | Take a dangerous risk |
| Take your chances | Accept the risk |
| Put all your eggs in one basket | Risk everything on one option |
| A recipe for disaster | Situation likely to cause trouble |
| Trouble is brewing | Problems are developing |
| Weather the storm | Survive a difficult period |
| Ride out the storm | Endure a difficult period |
| Dodge a bullet | Narrowly avoid trouble |
| Out of the woods | Free from serious danger |
| The tip of the iceberg | Small visible part of a bigger problem |
| A stumbling block | Something preventing progress |
| Hit a snag | Encounter a problem |
| A catch-22 | Situation with conflicting conditions |
| Face the music | Accept unpleasant consequences |
| Bite the bullet | Face something difficult bravely |
| Grin and bear it | Accept discomfort without complaining |
| Take the bull by the horns | Deal with a problem directly |
| Cross that bridge when you come to it | Deal with a problem later |
| Get to the bottom of | Discover the cause |
| Nip it in the bud | Stop a problem early |
| Put out fires | Deal with urgent problems |
| Save the day | Prevent failure or disaster |
| A close call | A narrow escape |
| Touch and go | Very uncertain |
Thinking, Ideas, and Decision-Making Idioms
These expressions help describe understanding, planning, remembering, considering options, and forming opinions.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Food for thought | Something worth thinking about |
| Put two and two together | Understand from available clues |
| Think outside the box | Think creatively |
| A light-bulb moment | Sudden understanding |
| Cross your mind | Enter your thoughts briefly |
| Draw a blank | Fail to remember |
| Have second thoughts | Begin doubting a decision |
| Keep in mind | Remember |
| Lose your train of thought | Forget what you were saying |
| Make sense | Be understandable |
| On second thought | After reconsidering |
| Off the top of your head | Without checking information |
| Pick someone’s brain | Ask someone for ideas or knowledge |
| Ring a bell | Seem familiar |
| See the big picture | Understand the whole situation |
| Use your head | Think sensibly |
| Wrap your head around | Understand something difficult |
| Brainwave | Sudden good idea |
| Have a change of heart | Change your opinion or feeling |
| Jump to conclusions | Decide without enough evidence |
| Make an informed decision | Decide using good information |
| Sleep on a decision | Wait before deciding |
| Split hairs | Argue about tiny differences |
| Take something into account | Consider something |
| Weigh your options | Compare choices carefully |
| Have something in mind | Have an idea or plan |
| Know what makes someone tick | Understand someone’s motivation |
| Not have a clue | Know nothing about something |
| Put your mind to it | Focus on achieving something |
| Make heads or tails of | Understand something |
| It dawned on me | I suddenly realized |
| Take a step back | Consider from a wider view |
| Put things in perspective | View something reasonably |
| Get your head around | Understand |
| Know better | Have enough experience not to do something |
| Have a hunch | Have a feeling without proof |
| Trust your gut | Follow your instinct |
| Read the situation | Understand what is happening |
| Change your tune | Change your opinion |
| Come to your senses | Begin thinking reasonably |
Speaking and Communication Idioms
These idioms are especially useful for conversation, discussion, presentations, arguments, and everyday communication.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get straight to the point | Speak directly |
| Beat around the bush | Avoid the main subject |
| Hit the nail on the head | Say exactly what is correct |
| Speak your mind | Say what you truly think |
| Get a word in edgewise | Find a chance to speak |
| Hear it through the grapevine | Learn through informal talk |
| Keep someone posted | Give regular updates |
| Put in a good word | Say something positive about someone |
| Spread the word | Tell many people |
| Word of mouth | Information shared between people |
| Talk shop | Discuss work outside work |
| Talk someone into | Persuade someone |
| Talk someone out of | Persuade someone not to do something |
| Speak volumes | Communicate a lot without words |
| Say a mouthful | Say something important or true |
| Put words in someone’s mouth | Claim someone said something they did not |
| Mince your words | Speak indirectly or too carefully |
| Hold your tongue | Stop yourself from speaking |
| Bite your tongue | Stop yourself saying something |
| Let something slip | Reveal something accidentally |
| Get the message across | Communicate successfully |
| Get your wires crossed | Misunderstand each other |
| Lost in translation | Meaning changed during translation |
| Read someone loud and clear | Understand clearly |
| Loud and clear | Very clearly |
| Have a word with | Speak briefly with someone |
| A heart-to-heart | Honest personal conversation |
| Small talk | Light casual conversation |
| Talk nineteen to the dozen | Talk very quickly |
| Give someone an earful | Speak angrily for a long time |
| Bend someone’s ear | Talk to someone for a long time |
| Have the gift of the gab | Speak confidently and persuasively |
| Put it in a nutshell | Say something briefly |
| Cut to the chase | Get to the important point |
| Talk is cheap | Words mean little without action |
| Actions speak louder than words | Behavior matters more than promises |
| Have a way with words | Express yourself well |
| Give someone your word | Make a promise |
| Take someone’s word for it | Believe someone without proof |
| Not get a word out of someone | Be unable to make someone talk |
Truth, Secrets, and Information Idioms
These idioms describe honesty, deception, secrets, rumors, evidence, and discovering information.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Spill the beans | Reveal a secret |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal a secret accidentally |
| Keep something under your hat | Keep something secret |
| Behind closed doors | In private |
| Off the record | Not for public reporting |
| In the dark | Without information |
| Shed light on | Help explain something |
| Come to light | Become known |
| The truth will out | Truth eventually becomes known |
| Come clean | Tell the truth |
| Own up | Admit responsibility |
| Level with someone | Speak honestly |
| Straight from the horse’s mouth | From the original source |
| Take at face value | Accept without questioning |
| A white lie | Small lie intended to avoid harm |
| Stretch the truth | Exaggerate |
| Economical with the truth | Avoid telling the complete truth |
| Pull the wool over someone’s eyes | Deceive someone |
| Lead someone up the garden path | Deceive or mislead someone |
| Smoke and mirrors | Deceptive appearance |
| Cover your tracks | Hide evidence |
| A hidden agenda | Secret purpose |
| Skeleton in the closet | Embarrassing secret |
| Open secret | Something supposedly secret but widely known |
| Blow the whistle | Report wrongdoing |
| Blow someone’s cover | Reveal someone’s hidden identity |
| Keep mum | Stay silent |
| Mum’s the word | Keep it secret |
| Read someone like a book | Understand someone’s thoughts easily |
| See through someone | Recognize someone’s true intention |
| Get wind of | Hear about something secretly |
| Word gets around | Information spreads |
| Put someone in the picture | Give someone needed information |
| Know the score | Understand the true situation |
| Have the inside track | Have useful private information |
| Keep someone in the loop | Keep someone informed |
| Leave someone in the dark | Not tell someone important information |
| Get the lowdown | Learn the important facts |
| The word is out | Information has become public |
| Make no secret of | Speak openly about |
Happiness, Sadness, and Emotion Idioms
These expressions are useful when describing moods, emotional reactions, excitement, disappointment, and affection.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Over the moon | Extremely happy |
| On cloud nine | Extremely happy |
| Walking on air | Feeling extremely happy |
| In seventh heaven | Extremely delighted |
| Full of the joys of spring | Very cheerful |
| Have a spring in your step | Look cheerful and energetic |
| Grin from ear to ear | Smile widely |
| Jump for joy | Show great happiness |
| Music to your ears | News you are pleased to hear |
| Make someone’s day | Make someone very happy |
| Warm someone’s heart | Make someone feel happy and touched |
| Burst with pride | Feel extremely proud |
| Have a soft spot for | Feel special affection for |
| Wear your heart on your sleeve | Show emotions openly |
| Have mixed feelings | Feel both positive and negative emotions |
| Down in the dumps | Sad |
| Feel blue | Feel sad |
| Have a heavy heart | Feel deeply sad |
| Cry your eyes out | Cry a lot |
| Break someone’s heart | Cause deep sadness |
| Heart sinks | Suddenly feel worried or disappointed |
| Lump in your throat | Feeling that makes speaking difficult |
| Get emotional | Become strongly affected emotionally |
| Bottle up your feelings | Hide emotions |
| Let it all out | Express hidden emotions |
| Have a good cry | Cry to release emotion |
| Shed tears | Cry |
| Close to tears | Almost crying |
| Take something to heart | Be deeply affected by something |
| Heart goes out to someone | Feel sympathy |
| Be beside yourself | Be overwhelmed by emotion |
| Have butterflies in your stomach | Feel nervous excitement |
| Get carried away | Become overly excited |
| Keep your spirits up | Stay cheerful |
| Lift someone’s spirits | Make someone happier |
| Be in good spirits | Feel cheerful |
| Be in high spirits | Feel very cheerful |
| Be in low spirits | Feel sad |
| Pour your heart out | Share your deepest feelings |
| Tug at the heartstrings | Cause strong emotion |
Anger, Fear, and Stress Idioms
These idioms describe irritation, panic, fear, anxiety, pressure, and emotional control.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| See red | Become very angry |
| Blow your top | Become extremely angry |
| Hit the roof | Become very angry |
| Fly off the handle | Suddenly become angry |
| Lose your temper | Become angry |
| Get on someone’s nerves | Annoy someone |
| Drive someone up the wall | Annoy greatly |
| Rub someone the wrong way | Irritate someone |
| Get under someone’s skin | Irritate someone deeply |
| Make your blood boil | Make you extremely angry |
| A short fuse | Tendency to become angry quickly |
| Keep your cool | Stay calm |
| Lose your cool | Stop being calm |
| Cool down | Become calmer |
| Let off steam | Release anger or stress |
| Blow off steam | Release strong feelings |
| Scared stiff | Extremely frightened |
| Scared to death | Extremely afraid |
| Shake like a leaf | Tremble with fear |
| Get cold feet | Become nervous before doing something |
| Jump out of your skin | Be badly startled |
| Make your hair stand on end | Frighten you greatly |
| Send shivers down your spine | Cause fear or strong emotion |
| Give someone the creeps | Make someone uncomfortable or afraid |
| Have your heart in your mouth | Feel very nervous |
| Break out in a cold sweat | Suddenly become very nervous |
| A bundle of nerves | Very nervous person |
| On edge | Nervous and unable to relax |
| At breaking point | Unable to handle more pressure |
| Under pressure | Experiencing stress |
| Under the gun | Under strong pressure |
| Tear your hair out | Feel extremely frustrated |
| At the end of your rope | Unable to deal with more difficulty |
| Have a lot on your plate | Have many responsibilities |
| Snowed under | Overloaded with work |
| Keep a stiff upper lip | Stay calm despite difficulty |
| Take a deep breath | Calm yourself |
| Sweat bullets | Be extremely nervous |
| Frighten the life out of someone | Frighten someone greatly |
| Have nerves of steel | Remain calm in danger |
Personality and Behavior Idioms
These idioms describe habits, attitudes, character traits, and how people behave around others.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A people person | Someone who enjoys being with others |
| A creature of habit | Someone who likes routine |
| A dark horse | Person with unexpected abilities |
| A loose cannon | Unpredictable person |
| A smart cookie | Clever person |
| A tough cookie | Strong, determined person |
| An old soul | Young person with mature qualities |
| Big mouth | Person who reveals secrets |
| Couch potato | Person who spends much time sitting |
| Cold fish | Emotionally distant person |
| Copycat | Person who copies others |
| Early bird | Person who wakes or arrives early |
| Night owl | Person active late at night |
| Lone wolf | Person who prefers working alone |
| Social butterfly | Person who enjoys many social events |
| Jack of all trades | Person with many skills |
| Know-it-all | Person who acts as if they know everything |
| Go-getter | Energetic ambitious person |
| Happy-go-lucky | Cheerful and carefree |
| Down to earth | Practical and friendly |
| Larger than life | Very impressive personality |
| Set in your ways | Unwilling to change habits |
| Have a heart of gold | Be very kind |
| Have a thick skin | Not be easily offended |
| Have a thin skin | Be easily offended |
| Full of yourself | Too proud of yourself |
| Head in the clouds | Not practical or attentive |
| Feet on the ground | Practical and realistic |
| Stick in the mud | Person who dislikes fun or change |
| Wet blanket | Person who spoils others’ enjoyment |
| Good egg | Kind, reliable person |
| Bad apple | Person who negatively affects a group |
| Rotten apple | Dishonest or troublesome person |
| Big cheese | Important person |
| Top dog | Most powerful person |
| Salt of the earth | Very honest and good person |
| Man of his word | Man who keeps promises |
| Woman of her word | Woman who keeps promises |
| One of a kind | Unique person or thing |
| Have your head screwed on | Be sensible |
Friendship and Relationship Idioms
These idioms describe friendship, love, family relationships, attraction, and closeness between people.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get along like a house on fire | Become friends quickly |
| Hit it off | Like each other immediately |
| See eye to eye | Agree |
| Through thick and thin | During good and bad times |
| Be there for someone | Support someone |
| Get on well | Have a good relationship |
| Go back a long way | Have known each other for years |
| Have someone’s back | Support and protect someone |
| Lend a shoulder to cry on | Give emotional support |
| Birds of a feather | Similar people |
| Two peas in a pod | Two very similar people |
| Joined at the hip | Always together |
| Be on good terms | Have a friendly relationship |
| Be on speaking terms | Be willing to speak |
| Get off on the wrong foot | Begin a relationship badly |
| Mend fences | Repair a relationship |
| Build bridges | Improve relationships |
| Bury the hatchet | End a disagreement |
| Clear the air | Discuss and remove bad feelings |
| Make up | Become friendly again |
| Fall head over heels | Fall deeply in love |
| Have eyes for someone | Be romantically interested in someone |
| Tie the knot | Get married |
| Pop the question | Ask someone to marry you |
| Match made in heaven | Very well-suited couple |
| Love at first sight | Immediate romantic attraction |
| Apple of someone’s eye | Someone deeply loved |
| Better half | Husband, wife, or partner |
| Wear the trousers | Be the dominant partner |
| Have a crush on | Feel romantic attraction |
| Carry a torch for | Continue loving someone |
| Break up | End a romantic relationship |
| Drift apart | Gradually become less close |
| Kiss and make up | End an argument and become friendly |
| Patch things up | Repair a relationship |
| Blood is thicker than water | Family relationships can be very strong |
| Like father, like son | Son resembles his father |
| Like mother, like daughter | Daughter resembles her mother |
| Run in the family | Be common within a family |
| Nearest and dearest | Closest family and friends |
Conflict and Social Situation Idioms
These expressions describe disagreements, tension, criticism, social behavior, and uncomfortable interactions.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lock horns | Argue strongly |
| At each other’s throats | Arguing angrily |
| Have a bone to pick | Have something to complain about |
| Pick a fight | Deliberately start an argument |
| Rub salt in the wound | Make someone feel worse |
| Add insult to injury | Make a bad situation worse |
| Give someone the cold shoulder | Deliberately ignore someone |
| Turn your back on | Refuse to support |
| Burn your bridges | Destroy relationships or options |
| Cross the line | Behave unacceptably |
| Step on someone’s toes | Offend or interfere with someone |
| Rock the boat | Cause trouble in a stable situation |
| Stir the pot | Create conflict |
| Ruffle feathers | Annoy people |
| Get someone’s back up | Make someone defensive |
| Give someone a hard time | Criticize or trouble someone |
| Have it in for someone | Strongly dislike and target someone |
| Bad blood | Long-lasting anger |
| No love lost | Strong dislike between people |
| A war of words | Public verbal argument |
| Fight tooth and nail | Fight very hard |
| Draw the line | Set a limit |
| Hold a grudge | Stay angry for a long time |
| Let bygones be bygones | Forget past disagreements |
| Agree to disagree | Accept that opinions differ |
| Meet someone halfway | Compromise |
| Find common ground | Find shared opinions |
| Smooth things over | Reduce conflict |
| Pour oil on troubled waters | Calm a disagreement |
| Keep the peace | Prevent conflict |
| Make peace | End a conflict |
| Extend an olive branch | Offer peace |
| Call a truce | Agree to stop arguing |
| Take sides | Support one party in a disagreement |
| Sit on the fence | Avoid choosing a side |
| Give and take | Mutual compromise |
| Play devil’s advocate | Argue the opposite view for discussion |
| Stir up trouble | Cause problems |
| Keep someone at arm’s length | Avoid becoming too close |
| Put someone in their place | Show someone they are behaving arrogantly |
Help, Support, and Cooperation Idioms
These idioms are useful when talking about teamwork, assistance, kindness, responsibility, and shared effort.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lend a hand | Help |
| Pitch in | Help with a shared task |
| Chip in | Contribute money or effort |
| Do your bit | Make your contribution |
| Do your part | Fulfill your responsibility |
| Shoulder the burden | Accept responsibility |
| Carry the load | Do much of the work |
| Take something off someone’s plate | Remove a responsibility |
| Go to bat for someone | Defend or support someone |
| Stand by someone | Continue supporting someone |
| Stand up for someone | Defend someone |
| Stick up for someone | Defend someone |
| Back someone up | Support someone’s statement |
| Rally around | Gather to support someone |
| Give someone a leg up | Help someone gain an advantage |
| Show someone the ropes | Teach someone how things work |
| Take someone under your wing | Guide and protect someone |
| Hold someone’s hand | Give close support |
| Come to someone’s rescue | Help someone in trouble |
| Come through for someone | Provide needed help |
| Have someone in your corner | Have a supporter |
| Return the favor | Help someone who helped you |
| Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours | Exchange favors |
| Many hands make light work | More helpers make work easier |
| Pull together | Work cooperatively |
| Join forces | Work together |
| Put our heads together | Think together |
| Work hand in hand | Cooperate closely |
| Hand in glove | Working very closely together |
| In the same boat | In the same situation |
| One for all and all for one | Everyone supports everyone |
| Share the load | Divide work |
| Take one for the team | Accept difficulty for others |
| Hold the fort | Take responsibility while someone is away |
| Cover for someone | Do someone’s duties temporarily |
| Have someone’s best interests at heart | Want what is best for someone |
| Bend over backwards | Make great effort to help |
| Go out of your way | Make special effort |
| A friend in need is a friend indeed | True friends help in difficulty |
| Give someone a boost | Help or encourage someone |
Money and Finance Idioms
Money idioms commonly appear in conversations about saving, spending, prices, wealth, debt, and personal finance.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cost an arm and a leg | Be very expensive |
| Break the bank | Cost more than you can afford |
| Make ends meet | Have enough money for necessities |
| Tighten your belt | Spend less money |
| Save for a rainy day | Save money for future problems |
| Nest egg | Money saved for the future |
| Born with a silver spoon in your mouth | Born into a wealthy family |
| Money to burn | More money than needed |
| Rolling in money | Very rich |
| Dirt cheap | Extremely inexpensive |
| Cheap as chips | Very inexpensive |
| Pay through the nose | Pay too much |
| Daylight robbery | Shockingly high price |
| Worth every penny | Fully worth the price |
| Get your money’s worth | Receive good value |
| Money down the drain | Money wasted |
| Throw money around | Spend carelessly |
| Throw good money after bad | Keep spending on a failed effort |
| Splash out | Spend a lot on something enjoyable |
| Fork out | Pay unwillingly |
| Cough up | Pay money reluctantly |
| Foot the bill | Pay the cost |
| Pick up the tab | Pay for others |
| On the house | Free from the business |
| Go Dutch | Each person pays their share |
| Live from hand to mouth | Have only enough money for immediate needs |
| Live within your means | Spend only what you can afford |
| In the red | Owing money |
| In the black | Financially profitable |
| Go broke | Lose all your money |
| Flat broke | Have no money |
| Feel the pinch | Experience financial pressure |
| Pinch pennies | Spend very carefully |
| Penny-pincher | Person reluctant to spend |
| A pretty penny | A large amount of money |
| Pay top dollar | Pay a high price |
| Cash cow | Reliable source of profit |
| Golden goose | Valuable source of continued profit |
| Money talks | Money gives influence |
| Put your money where your mouth is | Support your words with action or money |
Business, Jobs, and Career Idioms
These idioms frequently appear in offices, meetings, job interviews, business news, and professional conversations.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Climb the corporate ladder | Advance professionally |
| Get your foot in the door | Gain an initial opportunity |
| Land a job | Successfully get a job |
| Dead-end job | Job with little chance of progress |
| Dream job | Ideal job |
| Day job | Regular main employment |
| Work your way up | Advance through effort |
| Move up the ladder | Gain higher positions |
| Glass ceiling | Invisible barrier to advancement |
| Golden handshake | Large payment when leaving a senior job |
| Golden parachute | Financial protection for a departing executive |
| Get the sack | Be dismissed from a job |
| Get the boot | Be fired |
| Be shown the door | Be asked to leave |
| Hand in your notice | Officially resign |
| Call the shots | Make important decisions |
| Learn on the job | Gain skills while working |
| Think on your feet | Respond quickly |
| Corner the market | Control most sales in a market |
| Drive a hard bargain | Negotiate firmly |
| Get down to brass tacks | Discuss practical details |
| Talk business | Discuss work matters |
| Business as usual | Normal activity continues |
| Mean business | Be serious |
| Booming business | Rapidly growing business |
| Go out of business | Stop operating |
| Do a roaring trade | Sell very well |
| Seal the deal | Finalize an agreement |
| Sweeten the deal | Make an offer more attractive |
| Close the deal | Complete a business agreement |
| Strike a deal | Reach an agreement |
| Hard sell | Aggressive selling technique |
| Sell like hotcakes | Sell very quickly |
| Get a bargain | Buy something for a good price |
| Shop around | Compare prices |
| Bottom line | Most important result, often profit |
| Big picture | Overall situation |
| Learning experience | Experience that teaches something |
| Raise the bar | Set a higher standard |
| Touch base | Make brief contact |
Leadership and Teamwork Idioms
These expressions describe leading people, cooperation, responsibility, group performance, and workplace relationships.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lead by example | Show others through your actions |
| Take the lead | Become responsible for directing something |
| Take charge | Assume control |
| At the helm | In control of an organization |
| At the wheel | In control |
| Run a tight ship | Manage very efficiently |
| Rule with an iron fist | Control very strictly |
| Keep everyone on their toes | Make people stay alert |
| Set the pace | Establish the speed or standard |
| Lead the way | Be first or show others what to do |
| Pass the baton | Transfer responsibility |
| Take the reins | Take control |
| Hand over the reins | Give control to someone else |
| Too many cooks spoil the broth | Too many people managing can cause problems |
| All hands on deck | Everyone is needed to help |
| A chain is only as strong as its weakest link | A group depends on every member |
| Team player | Person who cooperates well |
| Play your part | Do your share |
| Pull in the same direction | Work toward the same goal |
| Sing from the same hymn sheet | Express the same position |
| Get your ducks in a row | Organize things properly |
| Keep your eye on the ball | Stay focused |
| Take one step at a time | Progress gradually |
| Steer the ship | Guide an organization |
| Wear many hats | Have several roles |
| Pass the buck | Shift responsibility |
| Buck stops here | Ultimate responsibility is mine |
| Take responsibility | Accept duty for something |
| Carry the can | Accept blame |
| Fall on your sword | Accept blame and resign |
| Keep the team afloat | Help a team survive difficulty |
| Bring something to the table | Offer useful skills or ideas |
| Put heads together | Cooperate to solve something |
| Be on board | Agree with a plan |
| Get everyone on board | Gain support |
| On the front line | Directly involved in difficult work |
| Take center stage | Become most important |
| Behind the scenes | Away from public attention |
| Keep the wheels turning | Maintain operations |
| Run like a well-oiled machine | Operate very smoothly |
Body and Health Idioms
Many English idioms use body parts to express feelings, effort, health, memory, behavior, and physical condition.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Under the weather | Feeling unwell |
| Fit as a fiddle | Very healthy |
| Alive and kicking | Healthy and active |
| Back on your feet | Healthy or independent again |
| On the mend | Recovering |
| Run down | Tired and unhealthy |
| Out of shape | Not physically fit |
| In shape | Physically fit |
| Catch your breath | Rest until breathing normally |
| Get your breath back | Recover normal breathing |
| A clean bill of health | Confirmation of good health |
| Sick as a dog | Very ill |
| Black and blue | Covered with bruises |
| Skin and bones | Extremely thin |
| Bag of bones | Very thin person or animal |
| Have one foot in the grave | Be very old or ill |
| In the pink | In very good health |
| Fresh as a daisy | Energetic and refreshed |
| Recharge your batteries | Rest to regain energy |
| Get a new lease of life | Become energetic or useful again |
| Give your right arm for | Want something very much |
| Cost a pretty penny | Be expensive |
| Keep body and soul together | Survive with basic necessities |
| Have your hands tied | Be unable to act |
| Get your hands dirty | Do difficult practical work |
| Wash your hands of | Refuse further responsibility |
| Have blood on your hands | Be responsible for serious harm |
| Blood, sweat, and tears | Great effort and sacrifice |
| Keep your chin up | Stay positive |
| Stick your neck out | Take a personal risk |
| Pain in the neck | Annoying person or thing |
| Breathe down someone’s neck | Watch someone too closely |
| Get something off your chest | Say something that has worried you |
| Put your back into it | Work with greater effort |
| Turn a blind eye | Deliberately ignore something |
| Keep your eyes peeled | Watch carefully |
| Have eyes in the back of your head | Notice everything happening around you |
| Keep your ears open | Listen for information |
| Be all ears | Listen with full attention |
| Play it by ear | Decide as events develop |
Food and Drink Idioms
Food appears in many colorful English idioms. These expressions often describe personality, difficulty, value, competition, or everyday situations.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Easy as pie | Very easy |
| Have your cake and eat it too | Want two incompatible benefits |
| Icing on the cake | Extra benefit |
| Take the cake | Be the most surprising or extreme |
| Sell like hot cakes | Sell very quickly |
| Half-baked idea | Poorly planned idea |
| Pie in the sky | Unrealistic hope |
| Finger in every pie | Involved in many activities |
| A slice of the pie | Share of money or opportunity |
| As American as apple pie | Very typically American |
| Compare apples and oranges | Compare very different things |
| The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree | Children often resemble parents |
| Bad apple spoils the barrel | One bad person can affect a group |
| Go bananas | Become very excited or angry |
| Top banana | Most important person |
| Second banana | Person in a supporting role |
| Cool as a cucumber | Very calm |
| In a nutshell | In a few words |
| Hard nut to crack | Difficult person or problem |
| Nuts about | Very enthusiastic about |
| Butter someone up | Praise to gain favor |
| Bread and butter | Main source of income |
| Know which side your bread is buttered on | Know what benefits you |
| Best thing since sliced bread | Very useful new invention |
| Bring home the bacon | Earn money for a household |
| Chew the fat | Chat casually |
| Fat chance | Very little chance |
| Gravy train | Easy source of money |
| Have bigger fish to fry | Have more important matters |
| Fish out of water | Person uncomfortable in a situation |
| Drink like a fish | Drink alcohol excessively |
| Full of beans | Energetic |
| Not worth a hill of beans | Worth very little |
| Bean counter | Person focused heavily on finances |
| Egg someone on | Encourage risky behavior |
| Walk on eggshells | Act carefully to avoid upsetting someone |
| Put all your eggs in one basket | Depend on one option |
| Cry over spilled milk | Be upset about something that cannot be changed |
| Milk it | Exploit a situation for advantage |
| Spice things up | Make something more interesting |
Home and Travel Idioms
These expressions relate to home, movement, journeys, direction, and finding your place in a new environment.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Home sweet home | Happiness at being home |
| There’s no place like home | Home feels best |
| Home away from home | Place where you feel comfortable |
| Make yourself at home | Behave comfortably as a guest |
| Bring the house down | Receive very strong applause |
| Get on like a house on fire | Become friendly very quickly |
| On the house | Free of charge |
| House of cards | Weak system likely to collapse |
| Safe as houses | Very safe or certain |
| Set up house | Begin living independently |
| Hit the road | Begin a journey |
| On the road | Traveling |
| Take to the road | Start traveling |
| Road to nowhere | Course leading to no useful result |
| One for the road | Final drink before leaving |
| At a crossroads | Facing an important choice |
| Cross paths | Meet unexpectedly |
| Go your separate ways | Stop traveling or living together |
| Off the beaten track | Away from popular places |
| Be on the right road | Be progressing correctly |
| All roads lead to Rome | Different methods can reach the same goal |
| Take the scenic route | Use a longer but attractive route |
| Travel light | Carry little luggage |
| Live out of a suitcase | Travel so much you rarely unpack |
| Have itchy feet | Strongly want to travel |
| Catch the travel bug | Develop a love of traveling |
| Miss the bus | Lose an opportunity |
| That ship has sailed | Opportunity has passed |
| Jump ship | Leave an organization or plan |
| Rock the boat | Cause problems |
| Learn the lay of the land | Understand a new place or situation |
| Find your feet | Become comfortable in a new situation |
| Know your way around | Know a place or system well |
| Lose your bearings | Become confused about direction |
| Point someone in the right direction | Give useful guidance |
| Go around in circles | Make no progress |
| Take a wrong turn | Make a wrong choice or direction |
| Back on track | Progress correctly again |
| Change course | Adopt a different direction |
| At journey’s end | At the end of a long process |
Weather and Nature Idioms
Weather and nature provide many vivid idioms for trouble, happiness, opportunity, uncertainty, and change.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Something good can come from difficulty |
| Steal someone’s thunder | Take attention or credit from someone |
| Calm before the storm | Quiet period before trouble |
| Weather the storm | Survive difficulty |
| A storm is brewing | Trouble is developing |
| Take a rain check | Postpone an invitation |
| Rain on someone’s parade | Spoil someone’s enjoyment |
| Come rain or shine | Whatever happens |
| It never rains but it pours | Problems often come together |
| Right as rain | Completely well again |
| Save for a rainy day | Save for future difficulty |
| Chase rainbows | Pursue unrealistic hopes |
| Under a cloud | Viewed with suspicion |
| Head in the clouds | Dreamy and unrealistic |
| Cloud on the horizon | Sign of future trouble |
| Snowed under | Extremely busy |
| Snowball effect | Rapidly growing effect |
| Break the ice | Make people feel more comfortable |
| Tip of the iceberg | Small visible part of something larger |
| As pure as the driven snow | Completely innocent |
| Get wind of | Hear about something |
| Throw caution to the wind | Stop being cautious |
| Sail close to the wind | Take risks near acceptable limits |
| A breath of fresh air | Refreshingly new person or thing |
| Know which way the wind blows | Understand how a situation is developing |
| Like a whirlwind | With fast, energetic activity |
| Make hay while the sun shines | Use a good opportunity while it lasts |
| Sunshine and roses | Pleasant and problem-free situation |
| Ray of sunshine | Person who makes others happy |
| Place in the sun | Favorable or successful position |
| Soak up the sun | Enjoy sitting in sunlight |
| A drop in the ocean | Very small amount compared with what is needed |
| Plenty more fish in the sea | Other opportunities or partners exist |
| Make waves | Cause noticeable change or trouble |
| Go with the tide | Follow what others are doing |
| Turn the tide | Reverse a situation |
| Test the waters | Try something cautiously |
| In deep waters | In serious trouble |
| Still waters run deep | Quiet people may have deep thoughts |
| Go against the grain | Act contrary to what feels natural or usual |
Animal Idioms
Animal idioms are common in everyday English and often describe personality, behavior, competition, luck, and relationships.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Let sleeping dogs lie | Avoid restarting an old problem |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Following the wrong idea |
| Every dog has its day | Everyone gets a chance for success |
| Dog-eat-dog world | Highly competitive situation |
| Dog days | Hottest period of summer |
| Go to the dogs | Become worse |
| Top dog | Most powerful person |
| Underdog | Person expected to lose |
| Work like a dog | Work very hard |
| Sick as a dog | Very ill |
| Raining cats and dogs | Raining very heavily |
| Cat got your tongue? | Why are you silent? |
| Curiosity killed the cat | Being too curious can cause trouble |
| Like a cat on a hot tin roof | Very nervous |
| Fight like cats and dogs | Argue constantly |
| Fat cat | Wealthy powerful person |
| Copycat | Person who copies |
| Scaredy-cat | Person easily frightened |
| Cat nap | Short sleep |
| When the cat’s away, the mice will play | People misbehave without supervision |
| Hold your horses | Wait |
| Straight from the horse’s mouth | Directly from the original source |
| Dark horse | Unexpectedly successful person |
| Horse around | Behave playfully |
| Eat like a horse | Eat a lot |
| Get off your high horse | Stop acting superior |
| Wild horses couldn’t drag me away | Nothing could make me leave |
| Change horses in midstream | Change plans at a difficult time |
| Take the bull by the horns | Face a challenge directly |
| Bull in a china shop | Clumsy person in a delicate situation |
| Cash cow | Reliable source of profit |
| Till the cows come home | For a very long time |
| Sacred cow | Idea considered beyond criticism |
| Pig out | Eat too much |
| When pigs fly | Never |
| Make a pig of yourself | Eat too much |
| Guinea pig | Person used to test something |
| Smell a rat | Suspect something dishonest |
| Rat race | Exhausting competitive lifestyle |
| Like rats leaving a sinking ship | People abandoning a failing situation |
Color Idioms
Color idioms are widely used to describe emotions, money, permission, rarity, unexpected events, and social situations.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Out of the blue | Unexpectedly |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| Feel blue | Feel sad |
| Blue blood | Person from an aristocratic family |
| Blue-collar worker | Manual worker |
| Blue-eyed boy | Favored male person |
| Into the blue | Into the unknown |
| Scream blue murder | Protest loudly |
| See red | Become extremely angry |
| Red flag | Warning sign |
| Red tape | Excessive official rules |
| Roll out the red carpet | Give special treatment |
| Paint the town red | Go out and celebrate |
| Red-letter day | Very memorable day |
| Catch someone red-handed | Catch someone doing something wrong |
| In the red | In debt |
| Like a red rag to a bull | Something that causes anger |
| Green with envy | Very jealous |
| Give the green light | Give permission |
| Get the green light | Receive permission |
| Green thumb | Skill at growing plants |
| Green around the gills | Looking sick |
| Grass is always greener on the other side | Other situations often seem better |
| Black sheep | Different or disapproved family member |
| Black and white | Clear and definite |
| In black and white | Written clearly |
| Black mark | Negative record |
| Black market | Illegal trade |
| Black mood | Very bad mood |
| White lie | Small harmless lie |
| Raise the white flag | Admit defeat |
| White elephant | Expensive but useless possession |
| White-collar worker | Office or professional worker |
| Grey area | Situation without clear rules |
| Grey matter | Intelligence or brain power |
| Golden opportunity | Excellent opportunity |
| Golden rule | Important general rule |
| Golden age | Particularly successful period |
| Silver lining | Positive part of a difficult situation |
| Tickled pink | Very pleased |
Sports and Game Idioms
Many everyday expressions come from sports, cards, racing, and games even when the conversation has nothing to do with sport.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get the ball rolling | Start something |
| Keep your eye on the ball | Stay focused |
| Drop the ball | Make a mistake |
| Ball is in your court | It is your turn to decide |
| On the ball | Alert and capable |
| Whole new ball game | Completely different situation |
| Level playing field | Fair situation |
| Move the goalposts | Change rules unfairly |
| Score points | Gain approval |
| Own goal | Action that harms yourself |
| Kick off | Begin |
| Kick something into touch | Reject or postpone something |
| Take your eye off the ball | Lose focus |
| Saved by the bell | Rescued at the last moment |
| Throw in the towel | Give up |
| Below the belt | Unfair or cruel |
| Roll with the punches | Adapt to difficulties |
| Beat someone to the punch | Act before someone else |
| Punch above your weight | Perform better than expected |
| Go the distance | Continue until completion |
| Knockout blow | Decisive action causing defeat |
| On the ropes | Close to failure |
| Hit below the belt | Act unfairly |
| Play your cards right | Act wisely to succeed |
| Put your cards on the table | Be open about intentions |
| Have an ace up your sleeve | Have a hidden advantage |
| Hold all the cards | Control a situation |
| Play your trump card | Use your strongest advantage |
| Wild card | Unpredictable person or factor |
| Luck of the draw | Result determined by chance |
| Call someone’s bluff | Challenge a doubtful threat |
| Poker face | Expression showing no emotion |
| Up the ante | Increase risk or demands |
| Raise the stakes | Increase importance or risk |
| Hedge your bets | Reduce risk by keeping options open |
| Back the wrong horse | Support a losing person or idea |
| Neck and neck | Very close in competition |
| Ahead of the game | More advanced than others |
| Game plan | Strategy |
| Change the game | Transform a situation |
More Common English Idioms
The following idioms cover many situations that do not fit neatly into one topic. They are useful in conversation, reading, listening, school, work, and general English.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A blessing in disguise | Something bad that leads to good |
| A dime a dozen | Very common |
| A far cry from | Very different from |
| A sight for sore eyes | Someone or something pleasant to see |
| A stone’s throw | Very short distance |
| A taste of your own medicine | Same bad treatment you gave others |
| All bark and no bite | Threatening but harmless |
| All ears | Listening carefully |
| All over the place | Disorganized or everywhere |
| All talk and no action | Makes promises but does nothing |
| At a loss | Unsure what to do or say |
| At arm’s length | At a safe emotional distance |
| At odds | In disagreement |
| Back against the wall | In a difficult position |
| Back to basics | Return to fundamental ideas |
| Bend the rules | Slightly ignore rules |
| Best of both worlds | Advantages of two situations |
| Bite your lip | Stop yourself reacting |
| Blow your own trumpet | Boast about yourself |
| Break new ground | Do something innovative |
| By the book | According to rules |
| By word of mouth | Through personal recommendations |
| Call someone’s bluff | Challenge someone to prove a claim |
| Change of pace | Different activity from usual |
| Come rain or shine | No matter what happens |
| Cut corners | Save effort or money improperly |
| Cut someone some slack | Be less critical |
| Down to the wire | Until the last moment |
| Draw the short straw | Get the least desirable task |
| Face value | Apparent meaning |
| Fair and square | Honestly and according to rules |
| Far and wide | Over a large area |
| Few and far between | Rare |
| From scratch | From the beginning |
| Get a move on | Hurry |
| Get out of hand | Become uncontrollable |
| Get the wrong end of the stick | Misunderstand |
| Give someone the benefit of the doubt | Believe someone despite uncertainty |
| Go cold turkey | Stop a habit completely |
| Go out on a limb | Take a risk |
| Go pear-shaped | Go badly wrong |
| Hands down | Easily |
| Have a chip on your shoulder | Hold resentment |
| Have your cake and eat it | Want incompatible advantages |
| In a nutshell | Briefly |
| In full swing | At the busiest stage |
| In the bag | Almost certain to succeed |
| In the heat of the moment | While emotionally excited |
| It takes two to tango | Both people share responsibility |
| Jump on the bandwagon | Follow a popular trend |
| Keep something at bay | Prevent something approaching |
| Keep your fingers crossed | Hope for good luck |
| Know the ins and outs | Understand details completely |
| Last straw | Final problem causing loss of patience |
| Leave no stone unturned | Search or try everything |
| Make a mountain out of a molehill | Make a small problem seem huge |
| Make waves | Cause noticeable change |
| No strings attached | Without conditions |
| Not my cup of tea | Not something I enjoy |
| Off the hook | Free from responsibility or trouble |
| Off the beaten path | Away from common routes |
| On shaky ground | In an uncertain position |
| Open your eyes | Make you realize something |
| Out on a limb | In a risky position |
| Pull someone’s leg | Joke with someone |
| Put your best foot forward | Make your best effort or impression |
| Rule of thumb | Practical general guideline |
| See the light | Finally understand |
| Sit tight | Wait patiently |
| Speak of the devil | Person appears while being discussed |
| Stick to your guns | Refuse to change your position |
| Take with a grain of salt | Do not believe completely |
| The whole nine yards | Everything possible |
| Through the roof | Extremely high |
| Throw caution to the wind | Act without worrying about risk |
| Turn over a new leaf | Begin behaving better |
| Up in the air | Not yet decided |
| Water under the bridge | Past problem no longer important |
| Wear many hats | Have several roles |
| Your guess is as good as mine | I do not know either |
Additional Daily Use Idioms List
These extra idioms and fixed expressions help extend your vocabulary beyond the most familiar examples.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Above board | Honest and legal |
| Across the board | Affecting everything or everyone |
| Against all odds | Despite great difficulty |
| Ahead of the curve | More advanced than others |
| Alive and well | Still existing successfully |
| All at sea | Confused |
| All or nothing | Complete success or complete failure |
| All set | Completely ready |
| All things considered | Considering everything |
| Another string to your bow | Another useful skill |
| Any port in a storm | Any help is useful in difficulty |
| At a glance | With a quick look |
| At a standstill | Completely stopped |
| At death’s door | Extremely ill |
| At loggerheads | In strong disagreement |
| At loose ends | With nothing to do |
| At your fingertips | Easily available |
| Back and forth | Repeatedly between two sides |
| Back in the saddle | Active again after a break |
| Bad hair day | Day when things go badly |
| Bang for your buck | Good value for money |
| Be that as it may | Despite that |
| Bear in mind | Remember |
| Behind someone’s back | Without someone knowing |
| Bells and whistles | Extra attractive features |
| Bend someone’s arm | Persuade someone strongly |
| Beside the point | Not relevant |
| Bet your bottom dollar | Be completely certain |
| Big fish in a small pond | Important person in a small group |
| Bigger picture | Wider situation |
| Bite the hand that feeds you | Harm someone who helps you |
| Blow something out of proportion | Make something seem more serious |
| Break even | Neither profit nor lose |
| Break the news | Tell important news |
| Bury your head in the sand | Ignore a problem |
| By all means | Certainly |
| By and large | Generally |
| By leaps and bounds | Very quickly |
| By the skin of your teeth | Only just |
| Call someone’s bluff | Force someone to prove a threat |
More Idioms for Everyday Situations
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Carry the world on your shoulders | Worry about too many things |
| Cast doubt on | Make something seem uncertain |
| Catch someone off guard | Surprise someone |
| Change hands | Get a new owner |
| Clear as mud | Very confusing |
| Come apart at the seams | Begin failing badly |
| Come full circle | Return to the original position |
| Come hell or high water | Whatever difficulties arise |
| Come out of your shell | Become more confident socially |
| Come to a head | Reach a critical stage |
| Cover all the bases | Prepare for every possibility |
| Cry wolf | Give false warnings repeatedly |
| Cut and dried | Already decided and clear |
| Cut to the bone | Reduce severely |
| Dead as a doornail | Completely dead or inactive |
| Devil is in the details | Small details can cause problems |
| Do a double take | Look again in surprise |
| Down the road | In the future |
| Draw the line in the sand | Set a firm limit |
| Easier said than done | More difficult than it sounds |
| Every trick in the book | Every possible method |
| Fall through the cracks | Be overlooked |
| First things first | Handle important matters first |
| Fly by the seat of your pants | Act without a plan |
| From pillar to post | From one place to another without success |
| Get a grip | Control yourself |
| Get a taste of | Experience a little of something |
| Get cold feet | Become nervous |
| Get off someone’s back | Stop criticizing someone |
| Get something out of your system | Do something until you no longer feel the urge |
| Get the short end of the stick | Receive unfair treatment |
| Give someone a run for their money | Compete strongly |
| Go down a storm | Be received very enthusiastically |
| Go hand in hand | Be closely connected |
| Go out the window | Disappear or be abandoned |
| Go through the motions | Do something without enthusiasm |
| Hang by a thread | Be in a very uncertain condition |
| Have a field day | Enjoy an opportunity greatly |
| Have a lot going for you | Have many advantages |
| Have something up your sleeve | Have a hidden plan |
Useful Idioms for Choices, Change, and Progress
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hedge your bets | Keep several options open |
| Hit rock bottom | Reach the worst point |
| In a league of your own | Much better than others |
| In for a penny, in for a pound | Once started, continue fully |
| In over your head | Involved in something too difficult |
| In the pipeline | Being prepared |
| Jump the gun | Act too early |
| Keep something under wraps | Keep something secret |
| Knock on wood | Said when hoping good luck continues |
| Know which way to turn | Know what action to take |
| Leave well enough alone | Avoid changing something satisfactory |
| Let your hair down | Relax and enjoy yourself |
| Look before you leap | Think before acting |
| Make headway | Make progress |
| Move heaven and earth | Make every possible effort |
| No pain, no gain | Effort is needed for improvement |
| Not see the forest for the trees | Focus on details and miss the whole situation |
| On a roll | Experiencing continued success |
| On thin ice | In a risky situation |
| Out of your depth | In a situation too difficult |
| Pull out all the stops | Make every possible effort |
| Put your foot down | Be firm |
| Put your thinking cap on | Think carefully |
| Reach a dead end | Reach a point where progress stops |
| Read the room | Understand people’s mood |
| Ride the wave | Benefit from a successful trend |
| Set the wheels in motion | Start a process |
| Sink or swim | Succeed or fail through your own effort |
| Start from square one | Begin again |
| Stick your neck out | Take a risk for someone |
| Strike while the iron is hot | Act while an opportunity is available |
| Take a back seat | Accept a less important role |
| Take the plunge | Make a bold decision |
| Turn the tables | Reverse a situation |
| Turn over a new leaf | Make a positive change |
| Walk the talk | Act according to your words |
| When push comes to shove | When action becomes necessary |
| Work against the clock | Work with little time |
| You reap what you sow | Actions have consequences |
| Zero in on | Focus closely |
Idioms About Ease, Difficulty, and Importance
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Child’s play | Very easy |
| Plain sailing | Easy progress |
| Like taking candy from a baby | Extremely easy |
| No sweat | No difficulty |
| Walk in the park | Very easy task |
| Tall order | Difficult request |
| Hard going | Difficult and tiring |
| Easier said than done | Harder to do than describe |
| Uphill struggle | Difficult effort |
| Tough break | Unfortunate event |
| Rough ride | Difficult experience |
| Heavy going | Difficult to understand or do |
| No picnic | Difficult or unpleasant |
| Have your work cut out for you | Face difficult work |
| Take its toll | Cause damage over time |
| Make or break | Determine success or failure |
| Matter of life and death | Extremely important matter |
| Of the utmost importance | Extremely important |
| Make all the difference | Have a strong effect |
| Be worth your weight in gold | Be extremely valuable |
| Worth its salt | Competent and useful |
| Second to none | As good as or better than all others |
| Cream of the crop | Best of a group |
| Pick of the bunch | Best among several |
| A cut above | Better than average |
| Stand head and shoulders above | Be clearly better |
| Not up to scratch | Below an acceptable standard |
| Not cut out for | Not suited to something |
| Leave a lot to be desired | Be unsatisfactory |
| Not hold a candle to | Be much worse than |
| Pale in comparison | Seem less impressive |
| A drop in the bucket | Very small amount |
| Make a dent in | Reduce something noticeably |
| Mean the world to someone | Be extremely important |
| Near and dear to your heart | Very important personally |
| Hold something dear | Value greatly |
| Take center stage | Become most important |
| Top priority | Most important matter |
| High on the list | Considered important |
| Not worth losing sleep over | Not important enough to worry about |
Idioms About Certainty, Chance, and Luck
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A sure thing | Something almost certain |
| Safe bet | Choice likely to succeed |
| Bet your life | Be extremely certain |
| Beyond a shadow of a doubt | Completely certain |
| Clear-cut | Definite and easy to judge |
| Cut and dried | Definite and settled |
| Foregone conclusion | Result that seems certain |
| In the cards | Likely to happen |
| Written in the stars | Destined to happen |
| Anyone’s guess | Impossible to know |
| Touch and go | Very uncertain |
| Up for grabs | Available to anyone who can win it |
| Toss-up | Situation with equally likely outcomes |
| Fifty-fifty chance | Equal chance of either result |
| Luck of the draw | Result based on chance |
| Beginner’s luck | Unexpected success by a newcomer |
| Lucky break | Unexpected good opportunity |
| Stroke of luck | Sudden good fortune |
| Down on your luck | Experiencing bad fortune |
| Just my luck | Said when something unlucky happens |
| Push your luck | Take too many chances |
| Try your luck | Attempt to succeed by chance |
| As luck would have it | By chance |
| Lady Luck | Luck imagined as a person |
| Riding your luck | Succeeding despite repeated risks |
| Third time’s the charm | Third attempt may succeed |
| Cross your fingers | Hope for good luck |
| Knock on wood | Hope good fortune continues |
| Count your blessings | Appreciate what you have |
| Blessing in disguise | Hidden benefit in a bad event |
| Silver lining | Positive aspect of trouble |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Bad events can contain something positive |
| Fortune favors the bold | Courage can bring success |
| Take your chances | Accept uncertainty |
| Roll the dice | Take a risk |
| Leave it to chance | Let chance decide |
| Against all odds | Despite low chances |
| Odds are against you | Success is unlikely |
| Odds are in your favor | Success is likely |
| Have luck on your side | Be fortunate |
Idioms About Rules, Limits, and Control
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| By the book | Exactly according to rules |
| Bend the rules | Relax rules slightly |
| Break the rules | Disobey rules |
| Lay down the law | State rules firmly |
| Draw the line | Set a limit |
| Cross the line | Go beyond acceptable behavior |
| Toe the line | Follow rules or authority |
| Step out of line | Behave against rules |
| Keep someone in line | Make someone obey |
| Know your limits | Understand what you can safely do |
| Push the limits | Go beyond normal boundaries |
| Push the envelope | Go beyond usual limits |
| Give someone free rein | Allow complete freedom |
| Rein someone in | Control someone’s behavior |
| Keep a tight rein on | Control closely |
| Under control | Being managed successfully |
| Out of control | No longer manageable |
| Take control | Begin managing |
| Lose control | Stop managing emotions or events |
| Have the upper hand | Have more control |
| Hold the reins | Be in control |
| Call the shots | Make the decisions |
| Pull the strings | Secretly control events |
| Under someone’s thumb | Completely controlled by someone |
| Keep someone on a short leash | Allow little freedom |
| Crack down on | Act strongly against something |
| Clamp down on | Restrict strongly |
| Put your foot down | Refuse firmly |
| Stand your ground | Refuse to change your position |
| Stick to your guns | Maintain your opinion |
| Hold firm | Refuse to change |
| Back down | Stop defending your position |
| Give in | Stop resisting |
| Cave in | Agree after pressure |
| Let someone off the hook | Free someone from responsibility |
| Get away with | Avoid punishment |
| Turn a blind eye | Deliberately ignore wrongdoing |
| Take matters into your own hands | Act without waiting for authority |
| Keep a lid on | Keep something controlled |
| Keep someone in check | Prevent excessive behavior |
Idioms About Quantity, Distance, and Degree
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A handful | A small number |
| A mountain of | A very large amount |
| Tons of | A great amount |
| Loads of | A lot of |
| More than enough | Plenty |
| Few and far between | Rare |
| Thin on the ground | Not common |
| A dime a dozen | Very common |
| As common as dirt | Extremely common |
| The lion’s share | Largest portion |
| Fair share | Reasonable portion |
| More than your fair share | An unusually large amount |
| A drop in the ocean | Very small amount |
| A drop in the bucket | Very small amount |
| By a mile | By a large amount |
| Miles away | Very far or mentally distracted |
| Within walking distance | Close enough to walk |
| A stone’s throw away | Very close |
| In the middle of nowhere | Very remote |
| Far-flung | Very distant |
| Far and wide | Across many places |
| Around the corner | Very near in time or place |
| Within reach | Possible to achieve or access |
| Out of reach | Impossible to access or achieve |
| Within arm’s reach | Very close physically |
| From top to bottom | Completely |
| From head to toe | Over the entire body |
| Through and through | Completely |
| To the core | Completely |
| To a great extent | Largely |
| By far | By a large degree |
| By no means | Not at all |
| Not in the slightest | Not at all |
| Every inch | Completely |
| To bits | Very much |
| From A to Z | Completely, from beginning to end |
| Lock, stock, and barrel | Completely |
| The whole kit and caboodle | Everything |
| The whole shebang | Everything involved |
| Nine times out of ten | Almost always |
Idioms About Beginning and Ending
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| From the ground up | From the beginning |
| Start from scratch | Begin with nothing |
| Start the ball rolling | Begin an activity |
| Set the wheels in motion | Begin a process |
| Get off the ground | Begin successfully |
| Hit the ground running | Start quickly and effectively |
| Start on the right foot | Begin well |
| Start on the wrong foot | Begin badly |
| From day one | From the very beginning |
| Right out of the gate | Immediately from the beginning |
| Break ground | Begin new construction or development |
| Turn the first page | Begin a new stage |
| New chapter | New period of life |
| Fresh start | New beginning |
| Clean slate | Chance to begin without past problems |
| Turn over a new leaf | Begin behaving differently |
| Pick up where you left off | Continue from the previous stopping point |
| Bring to a close | End something |
| Call it quits | Stop doing something |
| Call it a night | Stop activities for the evening |
| Call it a day | Stop working |
| Wind down | Gradually end or relax |
| Wrap things up | Finish |
| Bring down the curtain | End something |
| Draw to a close | Gradually end |
| Come to an end | Finish |
| Reach the end of the road | Reach a final stopping point |
| End of an era | End of a significant period |
| Swan song | Final performance or work |
| Last hurrah | Final appearance or effort |
| Final nail in the coffin | Event that causes final failure |
| Put the final nail in the coffin | Cause something to fail completely |
| Curtains for | The end of something |
| Pack it in | Stop doing something |
| Pull the plug | Stop a project |
| Shut up shop | Stop operating |
| Close the book on | End and stop considering |
| Put something to bed | Finish dealing with something |
| Sign off on | Give final approval |
| Done and dusted | Completely finished |
Idioms About Experience and Knowledge
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Been around the block | Have much experience |
| Know the ropes | Understand how something works |
| Old hand | Experienced person |
| Seasoned professional | Very experienced worker |
| Learn from experience | Gain knowledge by doing |
| Know a thing or two | Have useful knowledge |
| Know your stuff | Be very knowledgeable |
| Know your onions | Know a subject very well |
| Know something backwards | Know something extremely well |
| Know something inside out | Know every detail |
| Have been there before | Have experienced something similar |
| Been there, done that | Have already experienced it |
| Learn the hard way | Learn through bad experience |
| Trial and error | Learning by trying different methods |
| Tricks of the trade | Special techniques in a profession |
| Trade secret | Valuable secret method |
| Rule of thumb | Practical general rule |
| Know the drill | Know the usual process |
| Have a good grasp of | Understand well |
| Get the picture | Understand the situation |
| Get the idea | Understand the general meaning |
| Catch on | Begin to understand |
| Get wise to | Discover what is happening |
| Wise up | Become aware |
| Open someone’s eyes | Make someone understand something new |
| Learn your lesson | Learn from a mistake |
| Learn the ropes | Learn a new job or activity |
| Pick something up | Learn informally |
| Brush up | Improve old knowledge |
| Bone up on | Study something intensively |
| Get up to speed | Become sufficiently informed |
| Keep abreast of | Stay informed about changes |
| Keep in the know | Stay informed |
| Have your finger on the pulse | Understand current developments |
| Know the lay of the land | Understand a situation or place |
| Read up on | Study by reading |
| Do your homework | Research carefully |
| Knowledge is power | Information gives advantage |
| Learn something the hard way | Discover through difficulty |
| A walking encyclopedia | Person with extensive knowledge |
Idioms About Reputation and Attention
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| In the spotlight | Receiving public attention |
| Take the spotlight | Become the focus |
| Steal the spotlight | Attract attention away from others |
| Center of attention | Person everyone notices |
| Make headlines | Receive major news coverage |
| Hit the headlines | Become major news |
| Make a splash | Attract strong attention |
| Make waves | Attract attention through change |
| Raise eyebrows | Cause surprise or disapproval |
| Turn heads | Attract attention |
| Catch someone’s eye | Attract visual attention |
| Put someone on the map | Make someone or somewhere famous |
| Make a name for yourself | Become respected or famous |
| Claim to fame | Main reason someone is known |
| Household name | Person or brand widely known |
| Talk of the town | Person or event everyone discusses |
| In the public eye | Regularly seen by the public |
| Under the spotlight | Closely examined |
| Under scrutiny | Being examined carefully |
| Reputation on the line | Reputation at risk |
| Save face | Avoid embarrassment |
| Lose face | Suffer embarrassment |
| Give someone a bad name | Damage reputation |
| Drag someone’s name through the mud | Damage someone’s reputation |
| Clear your name | Prove you are innocent |
| Have a good name | Have a good reputation |
| Live up to your reputation | Perform as expected |
| Rest on your laurels | Stop trying after success |
| Feather in your cap | Proud achievement |
| Badge of honor | Something viewed with pride |
| Five minutes of fame | Short period of public attention |
| Bask in the glory | Enjoy praise |
| Take the credit | Claim praise |
| Give credit where credit is due | Praise the person who deserves it |
| Take a bow | Accept praise |
| Sing someone’s praises | Praise someone highly |
| Blow your own horn | Praise yourself |
| Name in lights | Great fame or success |
| Fifteen minutes of fame | Brief period of fame |
| Rise to fame | Become famous |
Idioms About Mistakes and Responsibility
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Put your foot in your mouth | Say something embarrassing |
| Make a slip of the tongue | Say something by mistake |
| Slip up | Make a small mistake |
| Mess up | Make a mistake or ruin something |
| Screw up | Make a serious mistake |
| Get your wires crossed | Misunderstand |
| Bark up the wrong tree | Follow the wrong idea |
| Get the wrong end of the stick | Misunderstand |
| Miss the point | Fail to understand the main idea |
| Miss the mark | Fail to achieve the goal |
| Drop the ball | Fail through carelessness |
| Fall short | Fail to reach a standard |
| Go wrong | Develop a problem |
| Go off the rails | Begin behaving or developing badly |
| Go pear-shaped | Go badly wrong |
| Backfire | Produce an opposite result |
| Dig your own grave | Cause your own failure |
| Shoot yourself in the foot | Harm your own interests |
| Put the cart before the horse | Do things in the wrong order |
| Jump the gun | Act too soon |
| Cry before you’re hurt | Worry before something happens |
| Learn from your mistakes | Use errors as lessons |
| Own your mistake | Accept responsibility |
| Take the blame | Accept responsibility |
| Shoulder the blame | Accept blame |
| Carry the can | Accept responsibility for failure |
| Pass the buck | Avoid responsibility |
| Point the finger | Blame someone |
| Play the blame game | Keep blaming others |
| Scapegoat | Person unfairly blamed |
| Face the consequences | Accept results of your actions |
| Face the music | Accept punishment or criticism |
| Come clean | Admit the truth |
| Own up to | Admit something |
| Bite the bullet | Face something unpleasant |
| Set the record straight | Correct false information |
| Make amends | Correct harm you caused |
| Right a wrong | Correct an injustice |
| Turn back the clock | Return to the past |
| Hindsight is twenty-twenty | Past mistakes are easier to understand later |
Idioms About Keeping, Losing, and Finding Things
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Keep track of | Monitor |
| Lose track of | Stop knowing the current state |
| Keep tabs on | Monitor closely |
| Lose sight of | Forget an important goal |
| Keep sight of | Continue remembering |
| Slip your mind | Be forgotten |
| Go missing | Become lost |
| Vanish into thin air | Disappear completely |
| Fall off the radar | Stop attracting notice |
| Drop off the radar | Become unnoticed |
| Get lost in the shuffle | Be overlooked amid activity |
| Fall through the cracks | Be unintentionally forgotten |
| Needle in a haystack | Something extremely hard to find |
| Turn the place upside down | Search everywhere |
| Leave no stone unturned | Search everywhere |
| Track something down | Find after searching |
| Dig up | Find information from the past |
| Come across | Find unexpectedly |
| Stumble upon | Find by chance |
| Run across | Meet or find unexpectedly |
| Turn up | Be found or appear |
| Crop up | Appear unexpectedly |
| Pop up | Appear suddenly |
| Show up | Arrive or appear |
| Keep something safe and sound | Keep completely safe |
| Hold on to | Keep something |
| Hang on to | Keep something |
| Keep something under lock and key | Store very securely |
| Guard something with your life | Protect very carefully |
| Keep close at hand | Keep nearby |
| Have at hand | Have available |
| Within easy reach | Easily accessible |
| Out of sight, out of mind | Forgotten when not visible |
| Find your way | Discover a route |
| Find your feet | Become comfortable |
| Find your voice | Gain confidence to express yourself |
| Find your calling | Discover suitable work or purpose |
| Find common ground | Discover shared views |
| Strike gold | Find something valuable |
| Hidden in plain sight | Easy to see but unnoticed |
Idioms About Talking Too Much or Too Little
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Talk someone’s ear off | Talk for a very long time |
| Talk a blue streak | Talk quickly and continuously |
| Chatter away | Talk continuously |
| Rabbit on | Talk for too long |
| Go on and on | Continue talking too long |
| Ramble on | Speak without clear direction |
| Hog the conversation | Dominate a conversation |
| Not let someone get a word in | Talk without allowing others to speak |
| Put a sock in it | Be quiet |
| Zip your lip | Stop talking |
| Button your lip | Stay silent |
| Keep your mouth shut | Say nothing |
| Keep your trap shut | Stay silent |
| Clam up | Suddenly stop talking |
| Give someone the silent treatment | Deliberately refuse to speak |
| Not say boo | Say almost nothing |
| Cat got your tongue? | Why are you not speaking? |
| Lost for words | Unable to think what to say |
| Speechless | Unable to speak from surprise |
| Words fail me | I cannot express my reaction |
| Tongue-tied | Unable to speak due to nervousness |
| Bite your tongue | Stop yourself speaking |
| Hold your peace | Stay silent |
| Keep your own counsel | Keep thoughts private |
| Say your piece | State your opinion |
| Have your say | Express your opinion |
| Speak up | Speak louder or express an opinion |
| Speak out | Publicly express opposition |
| Voice your concerns | Express worries |
| Tell it like it is | Speak honestly and directly |
| Call a spade a spade | Speak plainly |
| Not mince words | Speak very directly |
| Choose your words carefully | Speak cautiously |
| Put it politely | Express something less directly |
| In so many words | Directly and clearly |
| Word for word | Using exactly the same words |
| Hang on someone’s every word | Listen with complete attention |
| Take the words right out of someone’s mouth | Say exactly what another person was thinking |
| Have the last word | Make the final comment |
| Famous last words | Phrase used when a confident claim proves wrong |
Idioms About Watching, Listening, and Attention
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Keep your eyes open | Watch carefully |
| Keep an eye out for | Watch for something |
| Keep a close eye on | Watch carefully |
| Have your eye on | Want or watch something |
| Catch someone’s eye | Attract someone’s attention |
| See something out of the corner of your eye | Notice without looking directly |
| Turn a blind eye | Pretend not to notice |
| Be an eye-opener | Reveal surprising information |
| Feast your eyes on | Enjoy looking at something |
| Can’t take your eyes off | Be unable to stop looking |
| All eyes on | Everyone watching |
| Eyes bigger than your stomach | Take more food than you can eat |
| Keep your ear to the ground | Stay alert for information |
| Be all ears | Listen attentively |
| Lend an ear | Listen sympathetically |
| Fall on deaf ears | Be ignored |
| Music to your ears | Pleasant information |
| Go in one ear and out the other | Be immediately forgotten |
| Have an ear for | Be good at recognizing sounds |
| Walls have ears | Someone may be listening |
| Listen with half an ear | Listen without full attention |
| Prick up your ears | Begin listening carefully |
| Hear someone out | Listen until they finish |
| Keep your eyes and ears open | Stay alert |
| Pay attention | Listen or watch carefully |
| Sit up and take notice | Suddenly pay attention |
| Take notice of | Pay attention to |
| Catch someone’s attention | Make someone notice |
| Slip under the radar | Avoid being noticed |
| Fly under the radar | Avoid attention |
| Be on someone’s radar | Be noticed or considered |
| Watch like a hawk | Watch extremely closely |
| Eagle-eyed | Very observant |
| See with your own eyes | Witness personally |
| Believe your eyes | Accept what you see |
| Keep someone in sight | Continue watching |
| Lose sight of | No longer see or remember |
| Take a closer look | Examine carefully |
| Look the other way | Deliberately ignore |
| Keep watch | Remain alert |
Idioms About Effort and Persistence
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Give it your all | Make your greatest effort |
| Give it your best shot | Try your hardest |
| Go all out | Use maximum effort |
| Put your heart into | Work with strong enthusiasm |
| Put your back into | Make a strong physical effort |
| Put your shoulder to the wheel | Work hard |
| Pull out all the stops | Make every possible effort |
| Leave no stone unturned | Try every option |
| Move mountains | Achieve something very difficult |
| Go above and beyond | Do more than expected |
| Go the extra mile | Make extra effort |
| Bend over backwards | Try very hard to help |
| Sweat blood | Work extremely hard |
| Blood, sweat, and tears | Intense effort |
| Work your socks off | Work very hard |
| Work your tail off | Work extremely hard |
| Burn the candle at both ends | Work too hard and sleep too little |
| Keep plugging away | Continue working steadily |
| Stick at it | Continue despite difficulty |
| Keep at it | Continue trying |
| Keep going | Continue |
| Keep your nose to the grindstone | Continue working hard |
| Soldier on | Continue despite difficulty |
| Press on | Continue moving or working |
| Plough on | Continue despite difficulty |
| Stay the course | Continue until completion |
| Go the distance | Continue to the end |
| See something through | Continue until finished |
| Stick it out | Remain despite difficulty |
| Hang tough | Remain determined |
| Never say die | Do not give up |
| Keep your chin up | Stay positive |
| Pick yourself up | Recover after disappointment |
| Dust yourself off | Recover and continue |
| Bounce back | Recover quickly |
| Get back in the saddle | Resume after failure |
| Try, try again | Keep attempting |
| Rome wasn’t built in a day | Good results take time |
| Slow and steady wins the race | Consistent effort can succeed |
| Where there’s a will, there’s a way | Determination can find solutions |
Idioms About Change and Difference
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Change of heart | Change in feelings |
| Change of pace | Different activity |
| Change of scenery | Different surroundings |
| Turn over a new leaf | Begin behaving better |
| Sing a different tune | Change your opinion |
| Change your tune | Change your attitude |
| Have a rethink | Think again |
| Do a complete turnaround | Change completely |
| Turn things around | Improve a bad situation |
| Turn the tide | Reverse a trend |
| Shift gears | Change focus or approach |
| Switch gears | Change activity or approach |
| Change course | Choose a new direction |
| Move the goalposts | Change conditions |
| Break with tradition | Do something differently |
| Break the mold | Be very different from what is usual |
| Break new ground | Introduce new ideas |
| Turn upside down | Change completely |
| Shake things up | Make major changes |
| Ring the changes | Make various changes |
| A whole new ball game | Completely different situation |
| Night and day | Completely different |
| Worlds apart | Extremely different |
| Chalk and cheese | Completely different |
| Apples and oranges | Things too different to compare |
| Different kettle of fish | Completely different matter |
| Horse of a different color | Different matter |
| Same old story | Familiar repeated situation |
| Same old, same old | Nothing has changed |
| More of the same | Similar to before |
| Turn back the clock | Return to an earlier situation |
| Come full circle | Return to where something began |
| Go back to basics | Return to fundamental methods |
| Reinvent the wheel | Waste effort creating something already available |
| New lease of life | Renewed energy or usefulness |
| Breath of fresh air | Refreshingly different |
| New kid on the block | New person or organization |
| Old wine in new bottles | Old idea presented as new |
| Move with the times | Adapt to modern changes |
| Keep up with the times | Stay modern |
Idioms About Expectations and Reality
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Live up to expectations | Be as good as expected |
| Fall short of expectations | Be worse than expected |
| Beyond your wildest dreams | Better than imagined |
| Dream come true | Something long hoped for |
| Too good to be true | So good it seems unbelievable |
| Pie in the sky | Unrealistic plan |
| Build castles in the air | Make unrealistic plans |
| Pipe dream | Impossible or unlikely hope |
| In your dreams | Very unlikely |
| Wake-up call | Event making you recognize a problem |
| Reality check | Reminder of the true situation |
| Come down to earth | Become realistic again |
| Feet firmly on the ground | Practical and realistic |
| Head in the clouds | Unrealistic |
| See things through rose-colored glasses | View things too positively |
| Rose-tinted glasses | Unrealistically positive viewpoint |
| Face facts | Accept reality |
| Face reality | Accept the true situation |
| Home truth | Unpleasant but true fact |
| Cold hard facts | Unpleasant undeniable facts |
| In the cold light of day | When thinking calmly later |
| See the writing on the wall | Recognize signs of future trouble |
| Read the signs | Understand clues |
| Wake up and smell the coffee | Recognize reality |
| Put things into perspective | See their true importance |
| Get real | Be realistic |
| Have no illusions | Understand reality clearly |
| Burst someone’s bubble | Destroy someone’s unrealistic belief |
| Bubble burst | Pleasant situation ends suddenly |
| Come back down to earth | Return to normal reality |
| Hard pill to swallow | Difficult truth to accept |
| Bitter pill | Unpleasant fact |
| Truth hurts | Reality can be painful |
| Not all it’s cracked up to be | Not as good as claimed |
| What you see is what you get | Appearance matches reality |
| Smoke and mirrors | Deceptive presentation |
| Paper over the cracks | Hide problems without solving them |
| Sweep under the rug | Hide an uncomfortable issue |
| Elephant in the room | Obvious issue nobody discusses |
| See things as they are | View reality accurately |
Idioms About Opportunity
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Golden opportunity | Excellent chance |
| Chance of a lifetime | Rare major opportunity |
| Opportunity knocks | A good chance appears |
| Open the door to | Create an opportunity |
| Get your foot in the door | Gain an initial chance |
| Foot in the door | Initial opportunity |
| Window of opportunity | Limited period to act |
| Strike while the iron is hot | Act at the best moment |
| Make hay while the sun shines | Use favorable conditions |
| Seize the day | Use the present opportunity |
| Grab the chance | Act on an opportunity |
| Jump at the chance | Accept eagerly |
| Snap up | Take an opportunity quickly |
| Get in on the ground floor | Join at an early stage |
| Have the world at your feet | Have many opportunities |
| Doors open | Opportunities become available |
| Door closes | Opportunity ends |
| When one door closes, another opens | New opportunities can follow loss |
| Miss your chance | Fail to use an opportunity |
| Miss the boat | Be too late for an opportunity |
| Let an opportunity slip through your fingers | Fail to use a chance |
| Pass up | Refuse an opportunity |
| Let something pass you by | Fail to take part in an opportunity |
| Ship has sailed | Opportunity is gone |
| Door is still open | Opportunity remains |
| Keep your options open | Avoid committing too early |
| Explore every avenue | Consider all possibilities |
| Leave the door open | Allow a future possibility |
| On the table | Available for consideration |
| Up for grabs | Available to be won |
| Take advantage of | Make good use of |
| Make the most of | Use as well as possible |
| Capitalize on | Use an opportunity profitably |
| Ride the wave | Benefit from a trend |
| Get in while the going is good | Act before conditions worsen |
| Now or never | Last or best chance |
| Time is ripe | Conditions are right |
| Have a shot at | Have a chance of achieving |
| Be in with a chance | Have a reasonable possibility |
| Take your shot | Use your opportunity |
Idioms About Waiting and Patience
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sit tight | Wait patiently |
| Hold your horses | Wait |
| Hang on | Wait briefly |
| Hold on | Wait |
| Bide your time | Wait for the right moment |
| Play the waiting game | Wait for a result or action |
| Wait and see | Delay judgment until more is known |
| All in good time | Something will happen when appropriate |
| In due time | At the proper time |
| In due course | Eventually at the proper time |
| Good things come to those who wait | Patience can bring rewards |
| Patience is a virtue | Patience is valuable |
| Rome wasn’t built in a day | Important work takes time |
| Give it time | Allow a situation to develop |
| Take your time | Do not hurry |
| No rush | There is no need to hurry |
| At your own pace | At a comfortable speed |
| Slow and steady | Gradual but consistent |
| One step at a time | Gradually |
| Cool your heels | Wait, often unwillingly |
| Kick your heels | Wait with nothing to do |
| Twiddle your thumbs | Wait idly |
| Hang around | Wait or stay nearby |
| Mark time | Wait without making progress |
| On hold | Temporarily paused |
| Put something on ice | Delay something |
| Put on the back burner | Delay giving attention |
| Shelf an idea | Stop working on an idea temporarily |
| Hold your fire | Wait before acting or criticizing |
| Keep your powder dry | Stay ready and wait for the right moment |
| Don’t hold your breath | Do not expect something soon |
| Watch this space | More information will come later |
| Time will tell | Future events will show the answer |
| Let the dust settle | Wait until a situation becomes calmer |
| Sleep on it | Wait overnight before deciding |
| Give someone breathing space | Allow time and freedom |
| Take a breather | Rest briefly |
| Take five | Rest briefly |
| Hang fire | Delay an action |
| Keep something pending | Leave undecided temporarily |
Idioms About Cause and Consequence
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Set the ball rolling | Start a chain of events |
| Set off a chain reaction | Cause many connected events |
| Snowball effect | Situation grows rapidly |
| Domino effect | One event causes others |
| Ripple effect | Indirect effects spread outward |
| Add fuel to the fire | Worsen a problem |
| Fan the flames | Make conflict worse |
| Stir up a hornet’s nest | Cause serious trouble |
| Open a can of worms | Create new complicated problems |
| Reap what you sow | Experience results of your actions |
| Chickens come home to roost | Past actions cause later problems |
| Come back to bite you | Cause trouble later |
| Boomerang on someone | Return with negative effects |
| Backfire on | Have the opposite effect |
| Pay the price | Suffer consequences |
| Pay for your mistakes | Suffer because of errors |
| Face the consequences | Accept results |
| Learn your lesson | Change after a bad result |
| Cause a stir | Create excitement or concern |
| Make waves | Cause noticeable effects |
| Rock the boat | Disturb a stable situation |
| Tip the balance | Cause a decision or result to change |
| Tip the scales | Influence an outcome |
| Turn the tide | Change the direction of events |
| Change the course of | Alter future development |
| Pave the way for | Make future progress possible |
| Lay the groundwork | Prepare for future work |
| Plant the seeds of | Begin developing something |
| Sow the seeds of | Begin something that grows later |
| Bear fruit | Produce results |
| Come home to roost | Produce delayed consequences |
| Knock-on effect | Secondary consequence |
| Vicious circle | Problem that continually causes itself |
| Vicious cycle | Repeating harmful pattern |
| Chain of events | Connected sequence |
| Spark off | Cause something to begin |
| Trigger a response | Cause a reaction |
| Light the fuse | Begin a dangerous process |
| Final straw | Last event causing a reaction |
| Straw that broke the camel’s back | Final small problem causing collapse |
Idioms About Quality and Condition
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| As good as new | Restored to excellent condition |
| Good as gold | Very well behaved |
| Top-notch | Excellent |
| First-rate | Excellent |
| First-class | Very high quality |
| Second-rate | Poor quality |
| Third-rate | Very poor |
| Up to par | At the expected standard |
| Below par | Below the expected standard |
| Up to scratch | Good enough |
| Not up to scratch | Not good enough |
| Up to snuff | At the expected quality |
| Fit for purpose | Suitable for its intended use |
| Past its prime | No longer at its best |
| Seen better days | In poor condition |
| Worse for wear | Tired or damaged |
| On its last legs | Near the end of useful life |
| Falling apart | In very poor condition |
| Run into the ground | Damage through overuse or poor management |
| Shipshape | Neat and in good condition |
| Spick and span | Extremely clean |
| Clean as a whistle | Very clean |
| Neat as a pin | Very tidy |
| Rough around the edges | Not polished |
| Diamond in the rough | Valuable despite an unpolished appearance |
| Polished to perfection | Made extremely refined |
| Flawless finish | Perfect final appearance |
| In mint condition | Like new |
| Brand spanking new | Completely new |
| Fresh out of the box | Newly opened or unused |
| As fresh as paint | Looking very fresh or healthy |
| Wear and tear | Damage from normal use |
| Hold up well | Remain in good condition |
| Stand up to | Resist damage or pressure |
| Built to last | Made to remain useful for years |
| Stand the test of time | Remain good for a long period |
| Worth its weight in gold | Extremely valuable |
| Cream of the crop | Best available |
| Best of the bunch | Best in a group |
| Leave something to be desired | Be less satisfactory than expected |
Idioms About Surprise and Unexpected Events
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Out of the blue | Completely unexpectedly |
| Out of nowhere | Unexpectedly |
| Bolt from the blue | Sudden shocking event |
| Catch someone by surprise | Surprise someone |
| Catch someone off guard | Surprise someone when unprepared |
| Take someone by surprise | Happen unexpectedly |
| Knock someone for six | Shock someone greatly |
| Knock someone’s socks off | Impress greatly |
| Blow someone’s mind | Amaze someone |
| Blow someone away | Impress deeply |
| Take your breath away | Be extremely impressive |
| Stop you in your tracks | Make you suddenly stop |
| Do a double take | Look twice in surprise |
| Raise eyebrows | Cause surprise |
| Turn up unexpectedly | Appear without warning |
| Spring something on someone | Tell something without warning |
| Drop a bombshell | Announce shocking news |
| Bombshell announcement | Very surprising news |
| Come as a shock | Be very surprising |
| Have no idea what hit you | Be overwhelmed by a sudden event |
| Never saw it coming | Did not expect it |
| Take an unexpected turn | Develop surprisingly |
| Twist in the tale | Surprise near the end |
| Plot twist | Unexpected development |
| Against expectations | Contrary to predictions |
| Lo and behold | Used before describing a surprising event |
| Would you believe it? | Expression of surprise |
| Believe it or not | Introduce surprising information |
| Stranger things have happened | Something unlikely is still possible |
| Wonders never cease | Surprise that something unexpected happened |
| Well, I’ll be | Expression of surprise |
| What are the odds? | Expression for an unlikely coincidence |
| Small world | Unexpected connection |
| You could have knocked me down with a feather | I was extremely surprised |
| Beyond belief | Extremely surprising |
| Hard to believe | Difficult to accept as true |
| Come from left field | Arrive unexpectedly |
| Left-field idea | Unusual unexpected idea |
| Throw someone a curveball | Present an unexpected difficulty |
| Expect the unexpected | Be prepared for surprises |
Idioms About Similarity and Difference
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Like two peas in a pod | Very similar |
| Birds of a feather | Similar people |
| Cut from the same cloth | Very similar in character |
| Chip off the old block | Child similar to a parent |
| Like father, like son | Son resembles father |
| Like mother, like daughter | Daughter resembles mother |
| On the same wavelength | Think similarly |
| Speak the same language | Understand one another well |
| Have a lot in common | Share many qualities |
| See eye to eye | Agree |
| Sing from the same song sheet | Express the same view |
| Much of a muchness | Very similar |
| Six of one, half a dozen of the other | Two options are almost equally good or bad |
| Same difference | Difference is unimportant |
| Mirror image | Almost exact copy |
| Dead ringer | Person who looks extremely similar |
| Spitting image | Looks exactly like someone |
| Carbon copy | Extremely similar copy |
| Chalk and cheese | Very different |
| Night and day | Completely different |
| Worlds apart | Extremely different |
| Poles apart | Completely different in opinion |
| Apples and oranges | Things that should not be directly compared |
| Different kettle of fish | Completely different subject |
| Horse of a different color | Entirely different issue |
| Not in the same league | Much less good |
| In a class of its own | Far better or very distinctive |
| A breed apart | Noticeably different from others |
| Stand out from the crowd | Be noticeably different |
| Stick out like a sore thumb | Be very noticeable and different |
| Black and white | Completely opposite |
| Contrast sharply | Be very different |
| Same page | Share understanding |
| Common ground | Shared beliefs |
| Meet halfway | Compromise |
| Bridge the gap | Reduce differences |
| Close the gap | Reduce a difference |
| Split the difference | Agree on a middle amount |
| Best of both worlds | Benefits of two different choices |
| Neither here nor there | Not relevant or clearly one thing |
Idioms About Good and Bad Situations
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Best-case scenario | Most favorable possible result |
| Worst-case scenario | Most unfavorable result |
| Blessing in disguise | Bad event with a hidden benefit |
| Silver lining | Positive part of trouble |
| Light at the end of the tunnel | Sign a difficult period will end |
| Turn the corner | Start improving |
| On the up and up | Improving |
| Looking up | Improving |
| In good shape | In a good condition |
| On solid ground | In a secure position |
| Smooth sailing | Easy progress |
| Everything’s coming up roses | Things are going very well |
| Have it made | Be in a very good position |
| Sitting pretty | In a comfortable position |
| Land on your feet | Recover successfully from trouble |
| Fall on hard times | Experience financial or personal difficulty |
| Hit hard times | Enter a difficult period |
| Go from bad to worse | Become increasingly bad |
| Go downhill | Become worse |
| Hit rock bottom | Reach the worst possible point |
| On the rocks | In serious difficulty |
| On shaky ground | In an unstable situation |
| Hanging by a thread | Close to failure |
| In dire straits | In serious trouble |
| In a tight spot | In difficulty |
| Up the creek without a paddle | In trouble without an easy solution |
| In a mess | In a difficult disorganized condition |
| Go off the rails | Develop badly |
| Come apart at the seams | Begin collapsing |
| Hit the skids | Begin declining quickly |
| Down and out | Without money or hope |
| Down on your luck | Experiencing bad luck |
| Fall flat on your face | Fail badly |
| Crash and burn | Fail dramatically |
| Go up in smoke | Be completely destroyed or fail |
| Go down the drain | Be wasted |
| Back from the brink | Recover from near disaster |
| Weather the storm | Survive difficulty |
| Live to fight another day | Survive and try later |
| Turn things around | Improve a bad situation |
Common Idiom Confusions
A few idioms are easy to misuse because their literal words can be misleading.
- “Could care less” vs “couldn’t care less”: The standard expression is “couldn’t care less,” meaning you do not care at all.
- “For all intensive purposes” vs “for all intents and purposes”: Use “for all intents and purposes.”
- “Nip it in the butt” vs “nip it in the bud”: “Nip it in the bud” means stop a problem before it grows.
- “Escape goat” vs “scapegoat”: A scapegoat is a person unfairly blamed for other people’s problems.
- “Mute point” vs “moot point”: A moot point is an issue that is debatable or no longer practically relevant.
How to Learn Idioms More Easily
Learning long lists can help with recognition, but using idioms in context helps them stay in memory.
- Learn idioms by topic, such as money, emotions, work, and relationships.
- Read the meaning and example sentence together.
- Practice only a few new expressions each day.
- Notice idioms while watching English videos, films, or conversations.
- Use common idioms first before trying rare or strongly regional expressions.
- Remember that many idioms are informal and may not suit academic or highly formal writing.
FAQs About Idioms
What are idioms in English?
Idioms are fixed expressions whose intended meanings differ from their literal words, such as “break the ice,” meaning to start friendly conversation.
What are five common idiom examples?
Five common examples are piece of cake, break the ice, hit the books, spill the beans, and under the weather.
Why are English idioms important?
English idioms help learners understand natural conversations, films, books, workplace discussions, informal writing, and expressions commonly used by fluent speakers.
What are daily use idioms?
Daily use idioms are expressions frequently heard in ordinary conversation, such as take it easy, hang in there, call it a day, and give it a shot.
How can I learn idioms with meanings quickly?
Learn idioms in small topic groups, read each meaning with an example sentence, review them regularly, and use them naturally in conversations.
Should ESL learners use idioms when speaking English?
Yes. ESL learners can use common idioms to sound more natural, but they should understand the context and avoid forcing too many into conversation.
Can idioms be used in formal writing?
Some idioms work in general professional writing, but highly informal expressions are usually better avoided in academic, legal, or very formal documents.
What is the difference between an idiom and a proverb?
An idiom is usually an expression with a non-literal meaning. A proverb is normally a complete statement that gives advice or general wisdom.
Conclusion
Idioms are a major part of everyday English. Understanding common idioms in English with meanings and examples can improve listening, reading, speaking, and conversational confidence. Start with familiar daily use idioms, learn their meanings in context, and notice how fluent speakers use them naturally. Over time, these expressions become much easier to recognize and use correctly.
Explore More Helpful Resources
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Download 1000+ Idioms PDF Book
Note: On this page, you can learn each idiom with its short and clear meaning. For easier reading, we have included the everyday example sentences separately in our Idioms PDF Book, where you can see how each idiom is naturally used in a sentence.
