100 idiomatic expressions and Meaning
Here are 100 idiomatic expressions and Meaning:
- A blessing in disguise – something good that isn’t recognized at first because it appears to be a problem or a difficulty.
- A dime a dozen – something common or inexpensive.
- A taste of your own medicine – experiencing something that one has inflicted on others.
- Actions speak louder than words – what one does is more important than what one says.
- Add insult to injury – to make a bad situation worse.
- All ears – listening intently.
- All thumbs – clumsy.
- Apple of my eye – something or someone cherished above all others.
- Back to square one – to start over from the beginning.
- Barking up the wrong tree – to make a mistake or false assumption.
- Beat around the bush – to avoid getting to the point.
- Bite the bullet – to endure a painful or difficult situation.
- Break a leg – good luck.
- Burn the midnight oil – to work or study late into the night.
- By the skin of one’s teeth – narrowly avoiding disaster.
- Call it a day – to stop working or stop an activity.
- Can of worms – a complex, difficult, or troublesome situation.
- Catch-22 – a situation with contradictory or illogical conditions.
- Cold feet – to feel apprehensive or hesitant.
- Cross your fingers – to hope for good luck or success.
- Cut to the chase – to get to the point.
- Devil’s advocate – someone who argues against something for the sake of argument, even if they do not believe in it.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – don’t make plans based on assumptions that may not be correct.
- Don’t cry over spilled milk – don’t worry about something that can’t be changed.
- Drop a bombshell – to reveal something surprising or shocking.
- Elephant in the room – an obvious issue or problem that is being ignored.
- Face the music – to face the consequences of one’s actions.
- Fit as a fiddle – to be in excellent health.
- Flash in the pan – something or someone that has a sudden success but doesn’t last.
- Full of hot air – talking too much without substance.
- Get a taste of your own medicine – to be treated the way you treat others.
- Get cold feet – to become hesitant or fearful about something.
- Get the ball rolling – to start something or to begin a process.
- Get to the bottom of something – to find out the truth or the cause of a problem.
- Give the benefit of the doubt – to believe someone’s statement without proof.
- Go the extra mile – to make an extra effort.
- Grin and bear it – to endure a difficult situation with a positive attitude.
- Hit the nail on the head – to be exactly right about something.
- In a nutshell – to summarize something briefly.
- In hot water – to be in trouble or facing consequences.
- Jump the gun – to act too soon or before the right time.
- Keep a straight face – to remain serious and not show emotion.
- Keep your chin up – to remain optimistic in the face of adversity.
- Kill two birds with one stone – to accomplish two things at once.
- Let the cat out of the bag – to reveal a secret.
- Like a fish out of water – feeling uncomfortable or out of place.
- Look before you leap – to think carefully before taking action.
- Make a long story short – to shorten a detailed story or explanation.
- Miss the boat – to miss an opportunity.
- No pain, no gain – to achieve success or make progress in something.
- Off the hook – no longer responsible for something or in trouble.
- On cloud nine – extremely happy or delighted.
- On the ball – attentive, efficient, or competent.
- On the same page – in agreement or understanding.
- Out of the blue – unexpectedly or suddenly.
- Out of the woods – out of danger or difficulty.
- Over the moon – extremely happy or excited.
- Pay the piper – face the consequences of one’s actions.
- Piece of cake – easy or effortless.
- Play it by ear – to decide or act spontaneously without a plan.
- Pull someone’s leg – to tease or deceive someone in a playful way.
- Put all your eggs in one basket – to rely entirely on one thing or plan.
- Put a sock in it – to stop talking or making noise.
- Put your foot in your mouth – to say something inappropriate or embarrassing.
- Rain on someone’s parade – to spoil someone’s plans or happiness.
- Raining cats and dogs – raining heavily.
- Read between the lines – to infer or understand the hidden meaning behind something.
- Red herring – a misleading or distracting clue or piece of information.
- Rise and shine – time to wake up or start the day.
- Rule of thumb – a general guideline or principle.
- See eye to eye – to agree or have the same opinion.
- Shake a leg – to hurry or move quickly.
- Shoot the breeze – to chat or have a casual conversation.
- Sick as a dog – very sick or ill.
- Sitting on the fence – undecided or neutral about something.
- Smell a rat – to suspect that something is not right or honest.
- Speak of the devil – used when someone mentioned a person who then appears unexpectedly.
- Steal someone’s thunder – to take credit for someone else’s idea or success.
- Stick your neck out – to take a risk or put oneself in a vulnerable position.
- Stone’s throw – a short distance away.
- Take a rain check – to postpone plans or an invitation.
- Take the bull by the horns – to face a challenge head-on.
- The ball is in your court – it is your turn to take action or make a decision.
- The devil is in the details – small or hidden details can cause significant problems.
- The elephant in the room – an issue or problem that is ignored or not discussed.
- The whole nine yards – everything or completely.
- Through thick and thin – in good times and bad times.
- Throw in the towel – to give up or quit.
- Time flies – time passes quickly.
- Tongue in cheek – to say something humorously or sarcastically.
- Twist someone’s arm – to persuade or pressure someone to do something.
- Two peas in a pod – very similar or alike.
- Under the weather – feeling ill or sick.
- Up in the air – uncertain or undecided.
- Up to scratch – meeting the required standard or expectation.
- We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it – we’ll deal with a problem when it arises.
- When pigs fly – something that is unlikely or impossible to happen.
- Whole new ball game – a new and different situation.
- Wild goose chase – a fruitless or pointless pursuit.
- You can’t judge a book by its cover – appearances can be deceiving.
