Idioms about the House and Home
Houses and homes hold a special place in our lives, serving as more than just physical structures. They are symbols of comfort, security, and belonging, and they often feature prominently in our language and culture through idioms and expressions.
Here are some common idioms related to houses and homes along with their meanings:
Home is where the heart is
Meaning: This means that your true home is with the people you love, rather than a specific physical location.
Example: Even though we’ve moved several times, we always feel at home when we’re together as a family.
There’s no place like home
Meaning: This expresses the idea that one’s own home is the most comfortable and familiar place.
Example: After traveling for weeks, Sarah finally returned to her own bed, realizing there’s no place like home.
Make yourself at home
Meaning: This is a friendly invitation for someone to feel comfortable and relaxed in your home.
Example: As soon as they arrived, the host greeted them warmly and said, ‘Please, make yourself at home.’
Home sweet home
Meaning: This is a phrase used to express the happiness and comfort one feels upon returning to their own home.
Example: After a long day at work, John walked through the door, sighed with relief, and exclaimed, ‘Home sweet home.’
Bless this house
Meaning: This is a traditional saying used to wish happiness and good fortune upon a new home.
Example: Before moving into their new home, the family invited friends and family over to bless the house and wish them well.
Home away from home
Meaning: This refers to a place where one feels as comfortable and at ease as they do in their own home, often used to describe a favorite vacation spot or second residence.
Example: While studying abroad, she found a local café that became her home away from home.
A house is not a home
Meaning: This expresses the idea that a physical structure alone does not provide the warmth and love that make a place feel like home.
Example: Even though they had a beautiful house, it never felt like a home until they filled it with laughter and love.
To bring the house down
Meaning: This means to be wildly successful or entertaining, often used in reference to a performance or event that receives enthusiastic applause or laughter.
Example: The comedian’s jokes were so funny that he brought the house down with laughter.
To hit close to home
Meaning: This means to be personally relevant or emotionally impactful, often used to describe something that deeply affects someone.
Example: The movie’s depiction of loss and grief hit close to home for many audience members who had experienced similar situations.
To be on the house
Meaning: This means that something is provided for free, typically referring to drinks or food offered by a host or establishment.
Example: The bartender offered them free drinks, saying, ‘This round is on the house.’
To keep house
Meaning: This means to manage and maintain a household, including cleaning, organizing, and other domestic tasks.
Example: She spends her weekends cleaning, cooking, and keeping house for her family.
To leave home
Meaning: This means to move away from one’s family or residence to live elsewhere, often used to describe young adults moving out on their own.
Example: At 18, he decided to leave home and explore the world on his own.
To come home to roost
Meaning: This means to face the consequences of one’s actions, often used in the phrase “chickens come home to roost.”
Example: His reckless behavior finally caught up with him, and the consequences came home to roost.
To call a place home
Meaning: This means to consider a particular location as one’s primary residence or where one feels a sense of belonging.
Example: Even though she was born in another country, she has lived here for so long that she now calls it home.
To feel at home
Meaning: This means to feel comfortable and relaxed in a particular environment, as if it were one’s own home.
Example: Despite being in a foreign country, she felt instantly at home among the friendly locals.
Idioms are like little houses of language, each with its own unique meaning and history. By understanding and using these expressions, you can add depth and color to your writing and speech. So, next time you’re talking about home, consider using an idiom to add a layer of expression and intrigue!
