50 Phrases With Meanings in English
Phrases are commonly used in everyday conversations and can add color, depth, and nuance to communication. In this list, we’ve compiled 50 common phrases with meanings to help you better understand and use them in your own conversations.
Here are 50 Phrases With Meanings in English:
- A penny for your thoughts – asking someone what they are thinking about
Example: “You seem lost in thought. A penny for your thoughts?” - A blessing in disguise – something that seems bad, but ends up being good
Example: “Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it led to me finding a better one.” - A dime a dozen – something that is common and easy to find
Example: “Those cheap watches are a dime a dozen at the market.” - A taste of your own medicine – experiencing something you have done to others
Example: “After years of making fun of others, he finally got a taste of his own medicine.” - Actions speak louder than words – what someone does is more important than what they say
Example: “Don’t just apologize, show me that you’re sorry. Actions speak louder than words.” - An arm and a leg – something that is very expensive
Example: “I’d love to buy a new car, but they cost an arm and a leg.” - Back to the drawing board – starting over from scratch
Example: “We need to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan.” - Ball is in your court – it’s up to you to make the next move
Example: “I’ve given you all the information you need. The ball is in your court now.” - Barking up the wrong tree – looking in the wrong place or accusing the wrong person
Example: “If you think I took your phone, you’re barking up the wrong tree.” - Beat around the bush – avoiding the main topic and not getting to the point
Example: “Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really want.” - Better late than never – it’s better to do something late than to never do it at all
Example: “I know I’m late, but better late than never, right?” - Bite off more than you can chew – taking on more than you can handle
Example: “I think you’re biting off more than you can chew with that project.” - Break a leg – wishing someone good luck
Example: “Break a leg on your big performance tonight!” - By the skin of your teeth – narrowly escaping a difficult or dangerous situation
Example: “I made it to the meeting by the skin of my teeth after getting stuck in traffic.” - Call it a day – finishing work for the day
Example: “I’m exhausted. Let’s call it a day and pick up where we left off tomorrow.” - Cat got your tongue? – asking someone why they are not talking
Example: “You seem awfully quiet. Cat got your tongue?” - Caught between a rock and a hard place – facing a difficult decision or situation with no good options
Example: “I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. If I tell the truth, I’ll get in trouble, but if I lie, I’ll feel guilty.” - Cold turkey – suddenly stopping something without gradually reducing it
Example: “I quit smoking cold turkey last year and haven’t looked back.” - Come rain or shine – no matter what happens
Example: “I’ll be there for you, come rain or shine.” - Cross that bridge when you come to it – dealing with a problem when it happens, not worrying about it beforehand
Example: “I’m not going to worry about the final exam yet. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
- Curiosity killed the cat – being too curious can lead to trouble
Example: “Don’t ask too many questions, remember what they say – curiosity killed the cat.” - Cut to the chase – getting to the point
Example: “Let’s cut to the chase and discuss the main issue at hand.” - Devil’s advocate – arguing from the opposite side to test an argument
Example: “I don’t necessarily agree with what he’s saying, but I’ll play devil’s advocate for the sake of the debate.” - Don’t cry over spilled milk – there’s no use crying over something that can’t be changed
Example: “I know you’re upset about the mistake, but don’t cry over spilled milk.” - Don’t judge a book by its cover – don’t make assumptions based on appearance
Example: “I know he doesn’t look like much, but don’t judge a book by its cover. He’s actually very talented.” - Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – don’t rely on one thing for success
Example: “I wouldn’t invest all my money in one stock. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” - Every cloud has a silver lining – something positive can come out of a negative situation
Example: “Losing my job was difficult, but it led me to a better career opportunity. Every cloud has a silver lining.” - Face the music – accept the consequences of your actions
Example: “You broke the vase, so now you have to face the music and tell your parents.” - Fish out of water – feeling uncomfortable in a new or unfamiliar situation
Example: “As someone who’s never been camping before, I felt like a fish out of water.” - Give the benefit of the doubt – believing someone’s story without proof
Example: “I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until we have more information.” - Go the extra mile – putting in extra effort to achieve something
Example: “If we want to win this competition, we need to go the extra mile and practice even harder.” - Haste makes waste – rushing can lead to mistakes
Example: “I know you’re in a hurry, but remember – haste makes waste.” - Hit the nail on the head – being exactly right
Example: “She hit the nail on the head with her analysis of the situation.” - In the same boat – facing the same problem as someone else
Example: “Don’t worry, we’re in the same boat. We’ll figure it out together.” - It takes two to tango – it’s not just one person’s fault in a conflict
Example: “I know you’re upset with him, but it takes two to tango. You should try to work things out.” - Jump on the bandwagon – joining a popular trend or opinion
Example: “After seeing so many people doing it, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and try the new restaurant.” - Kill two birds with one stone – accomplishing two things at once
Example: “By running errands on my way to work, I was able to kill two birds with one stone.” - Let the cat out of the bag – revealing a secret
Example: “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about the surprise party, but I accidentally let the cat out of the bag.” - Let’s play it by ear – making decisions as the situation unfolds
Example: “I’m not sure what time we’ll be finished with the meeting, so let’s play it by ear and decide when we’re done.” - Come rain or shine – no matter what happens
Example: “I’ll be there for you, come rain or shine.”
- Miss the boat – missing an opportunity
Example: “I wish I had applied for that job before the deadline. I really missed the boat on that one.” - No pain, no gain – you have to work hard to achieve your goals
Example: “I know it’s tough, but remember – no pain, no gain. Keep pushing yourself.” - On thin ice – in a risky or uncertain situation
Example: “I don’t want to ask my boss for a raise yet. I feel like I’m on thin ice with my performance lately.” - Once in a blue moon – happening very rarely
Example: “I don’t usually drink alcohol, but I’ll have a glass of wine with dinner once in a blue moon.” - Out of the frying pan and into the fire – moving from a bad situation to a worse one
Example: “I thought quitting my job would make things better, but now I’m struggling to make ends meet. It’s like I jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.” - Penny for your thoughts – asking someone what they’re thinking about
Example: “You look deep in thought. Penny for your thoughts?” - Practice makes perfect – the more you do something, the better you become
Example: “I’m not very good at playing the piano yet, but I know that practice makes perfect.” - Pull someone’s leg – joking or teasing someone
Example: “I’m just pulling your leg. Of course I know you didn’t really fly to the moon last weekend.” - Put all your cards on the table – being honest and open about something
Example: “If we’re going to work together, we need to put all our cards on the table and be honest about our goals and concerns.” - Read between the lines – finding a hidden meaning in something
Example: “The email was polite, but I could tell she was upset with me. I had to read between the lines to understand what she really meant.”
Using idiomatic expressions and phrases can make your communication more effective, engaging, and interesting. By incorporating these phrases into your everyday conversations, you can improve your fluency and understanding of the English language. We hope that this list of 50 phrases with meanings has been helpful in expanding your knowledge of these expressions.
