Casual Phrases

Casual Phrases

Boost your English with these Funny, Quirky & Casual Phrases!

Casual Phrases with Meaning, Example, and Usage

It’s not rocket science

Meaning: It’s not difficult to understand.
Example: Come on, assembling a chair isn’t rocket science.
Usage: To say something is simple.

Cool as a cucumber

Meaning: Very calm and composed.
Example: Even during the exam, he was cool as a cucumber.
Usage: Describing a calm person under pressure.

When pigs fly

Meaning: Something that will never happen.
Example: She’ll apologize? Yeah, when pigs fly!
Usage: Expressing disbelief.

Hold your horses

Meaning: Wait a moment; slow down.
Example: Hold your horses! We’re not leaving yet.
Usage: When someone is rushing.

A penny for your thoughts

Meaning: Asking someone what they’re thinking.
Example: You look deep in thought—a penny for your thoughts?
Usage: Inviting someone to share.

Cat got your tongue?

Meaning: Why are you silent?
Example: You were talking nonstop. What happened? Cat got your tongue?
Usage: Teasing someone for being unusually quiet.

Kick the bucket

Meaning: To die.
Example: The old man finally kicked the bucket.
Usage: Informal or humorous context.

Break a leg

Meaning: Good luck (often in performing arts).
Example: Break a leg in your audition!
Usage: Encouraging someone before a performance.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning: Don’t rely on one single plan.
Example: Diversify your investments—don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Usage: Giving financial or life advice.

Bite the bullet

Meaning: Do something unpleasant that’s unavoidable.
Example: You need to bite the bullet and visit the dentist.
Usage: Motivating someone to face something hard.

Off the hook

Meaning: Freed from a responsibility.
Example: He forgot his homework but the teacher let him off the hook.
Usage: Describing relief from blame.

Go bananas

Meaning: Become very excited or crazy.
Example: The crowd went bananas when the team scored.
Usage: Describing wild excitement.

Hit the jackpot

Meaning: Achieve great success or wealth.
Example: She hit the jackpot with that job offer.
Usage: Describing a great win.

Shake a leg

Meaning: Hurry up!
Example: Shake a leg, or we’ll be late!
Usage: Urging someone to move quickly.

Take a chill pill

Meaning: Calm down.
Example: You’re overreacting—take a chill pill.
Usage: Informal advice to relax.

You snooze, you lose

Meaning: If you delay, you miss out.
Example: The tickets sold out—snooze, you lose.
Usage: Warning not to delay.

Piece of the pie

Meaning: A share in something valuable.
Example: Everyone wants a piece of the pie in the booming tech industry.
Usage: Describing shared benefits.

Keep it under your hat

Meaning: Keep something secret.
Example: I got a promotion, but keep it under your hat.
Usage: Requesting secrecy.

Zip your lip

Meaning: Be quiet.
Example: That’s a secret, so zip your lip.
Usage: Telling someone not to speak.

All bark and no bite

Meaning: Threatens but doesn’t act.
Example: He yells a lot but he’s all bark and no bite.
Usage: Describing harmless threats.

Go with the flow

Meaning: Adapt to the situation.
Example: Just relax and go with the flow.
Usage: Encouraging flexibility.

Chew the fat

Meaning: Chat casually.
Example: They were just chewing the fat over coffee.
Usage: Referring to friendly conversation.

Monkey see, monkey do

Meaning: Imitating without understanding.
Example: Kids often act out what they see—monkey see, monkey do.
Usage: Describing mimicry.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning: Don’t assume success too early.
Example: Let’s not celebrate yet—don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Usage: Advising caution.

Like a bull in a china shop

Meaning: Clumsy or reckless.
Example: He’s like a bull in a china shop around fragile things.
Usage: Describing awkwardness.

Keep your eyes peeled

Meaning: Be alert.
Example: Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble.
Usage: Warning or instruction.

Throw in the towel

Meaning: Give up.
Example: After multiple rejections, she threw in the towel.
Usage: Describing surrender.

Go the whole nine yards

Meaning: Do something thoroughly.
Example: He went the whole nine yards on his project.
Usage: Praising full effort.

In the blink of an eye

Meaning: Very quickly.
Example: It was gone in the blink of an eye.
Usage: Describing sudden change.

Off the wall

Meaning: Unusual or eccentric.
Example: His ideas are a bit off the wall.
Usage: Referring to creativity or oddity.

The whole shebang

Meaning: Everything.
Example: We packed up the whole shebang for the trip.
Usage: Talking about completeness.

Living under a rock

Meaning: Being unaware of common knowledge.
Example: You don’t know that? Are you living under a rock?
Usage: Teasing ignorance.

Don’t rock the boat

Meaning: Don’t cause trouble.
Example: Things are going well—don’t rock the boat.
Usage: Advising caution.

No strings attached

Meaning: No conditions or limitations.
Example: It’s a free trial, no strings attached.
Usage: Describing unconditional offers.

Like taking candy from a baby

Meaning: Very easy.
Example: Winning that match was like taking candy from a baby.
Usage: Describing ease.

Jump the gun

Meaning: Act prematurely.
Example: We jumped the gun by announcing too early.
Usage: Warning about haste.

Fly off the handle

Meaning: Lose temper suddenly.
Example: He flew off the handle when he saw the mess.
Usage: Describing anger.

Put a sock in it

Meaning: Stop talking.
Example: Put a sock in it! I’m trying to concentrate.
Usage: Informally telling someone to be quiet.

That’s the last straw

Meaning: Final annoyance that leads to action.
Example: That’s the last straw—I’m quitting!
Usage: Breaking point expression.

Cut corners

Meaning: Do something poorly to save time or money.
Example: They cut corners and now the product is faulty.
Usage: Warning against poor quality.

Put your money where your mouth is

Meaning: Support your words with action.
Example: If you believe in this, put your money where your mouth is.
Usage: Challenging someone to prove their commitment.

The elephant in the room

Meaning: An obvious issue people avoid.
Example: No one mentioned the layoffs—it was the elephant in the room.
Usage: Describing awkward silence.

It’s a no-brainer

Meaning: Very obvious or easy.
Example: Taking that offer was a no-brainer.
Usage: Describing obvious decisions.

Go down in flames

Meaning: Fail spectacularly.
Example: The plan went down in flames after the budget cuts.
Usage: Describing dramatic failure.

Throw someone under the bus

Meaning: Betray someone for self-benefit.
Example: He threw his coworker under the bus to save himself.
Usage: Talking about betrayal.

Keep it simple

Meaning: Don’t overcomplicate.
Example: Let’s keep it simple for the users.
Usage: Encouraging simplicity.

Don’t beat around the bush

Meaning: Speak directly.
Example: Stop beating around the bush—what’s your point?
Usage: Urging clarity.

The jury’s still out

Meaning: No decision has been made yet.
Example: The jury’s still out on the new policy’s success.
Usage: Describing uncertainty.

Read between the lines

Meaning: Understand the hidden meaning.
Example: He didn’t say it directly, but reading between the lines, he’s upset.
Usage: Describing subtle interpretation.

That’s how the cookie crumbles

Meaning: That’s just how things happen.
Example: We lost the contract—that’s how the cookie crumbles.
Usage: Accepting disappointment.

List of Casual Phrases

Casual Phrases Infographics