148 Idiom Examples To Enrich Your Language

#1

Idiom meaning On cloud nine.

Meaning: feeling very happy.

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24points

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Timmy Pillinger 2 years ago

Clouds are labelled 1-9 by meteorologists. Cloud 9 is cumulonimbus - the biggest. Also the most dangerous

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#2

Bite the bullet.

Meaning: to decide to do something that is difficult or unpleasant, but necessary.

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19points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

From, I believe, pre-anaesthetic surgery. When you were about to do something painful but necessary, you gave the patient something firm but yielding to bite down on - a leather strap, or perhaps a lead bullet.

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#3

Speak of the devil.

Meaning: when the person you are talking about appears unexpectedly.

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19points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

Fully, "speak of the devil and he appears".

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#4

Left out in the cold.

Meaning: to be ignored.

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18points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

Can be abbreviated to "in the cold" and still understood. QV John le Carre's novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.

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#5

Idiom meaning Snug as a bug in a rug.

Meaning: cozy and warm.

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18points

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Eddie Hayes 2 years ago

Fr fr?

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#6

Shoot from the hip.

Meaning: to speak bluntly or rashly without thinking carefully.

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18points

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OnAFreakingRollercoaster 2 years ago

This is me 😌

2points

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#7

Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth.

Meaning: someone who was born in a wealthy and successful family.

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17points

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PattyK 2 years ago

Born with advantages that others might not have, such as wealth or family influence.

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#8

It takes two to tango.

Meaning: only one person is not enough to make something happen.

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17points

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Nathaniel 2 years ago

That "Meaning" is worded strange, and wrong. "What does the proverb it takes two to tango mean? idiom saying. said when you want to emphasize that both people involved in a difficult situation must accept the blame, or that an activity needs two people who are willing to take part for it to happen: She may want to argue, but it takes two to tango and I won't stoop to her level."

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#9

Idiom meaning To hit the books.

Meaning: study hard.

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17points

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Aurora Borealis 2 years ago

Or, to hit someone WITH books. Meaning, very literally, to hit someone with a book. Hardcover works best.

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#10

The elephant in the room.

Meaning: an obvious problem that people do not want to talk about.

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17points

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2 years ago (edited)

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#11

Smell a rat.

Meaning: to suspect someone is a traitor or behaving illegally.

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17points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

This appears to be confused with the notion of a "rat" as a tattle-tale or police informant. To smell a rat simply means to suspect foul play.

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#12

Wouldn't be caught dead.

Meaning: dislike or would never do something.

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17points

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#13

Idiom meaning Swan Song.

Meaning: the last piece of work of an artist before his/her death.

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17points

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Les Clark 2 years ago

Doesn’t have to be a death. Any act leading up to the end of something like an athlete playing their last game or season is their swan song.

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#14

Boil the ocean.

Meaning: taking up an almost impossible or overly ambitious project.

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16points

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H.L.Lewis 2 years ago

Never heard this one

11points

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#15

Hit the road.

Meaning: to leave somewhere or start a journey.

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16points

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Dagnirath 2 years ago

Usually used in the negative, as in "Go away, get out of my face, hit the road!"

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#16

Hold your horses.

Meaning: wait a moment/slow down.

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15points

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T Hausomapi 2 years ago

Modern equivalent would be "slow your roll"

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#17

Idiom meaning So far so good.

Meaning: things are going well.

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15points

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Martin Annau 2 years ago

...until now. But we aren't finished yet...

2points

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#18

Steal someone's thunder.

Meaning: to take attention or praise away from someone else’s accomplishments by outdoing them with your own.

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15points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

Supposedly from the man who invented the tin sheet as a thunderclap sound in the theatre; apparently he complained that people who adopted the technique had almost literally "stolen [his] thunder".

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#19

To have bigger fish to fry.

Meaning: to have more important things to do.

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14points

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Beckie Jani 2 years ago

Or fight about😅

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#20

At the eleventh hour.

Meaning: complete something at the very last minute before it’s too late.

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14points

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SalusFuturistics 2 years ago

When the Nazis chase you in an Airplane and your elderly Father is at the Machine Gun.

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#21

Idiom meaning Add insult to injury.

Meaning: to make a bad situation worse.

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13points

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bugsway Frisk 2 years ago

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#22

It’s the best thing since sliced bread.

Meaning: it’s really, really good.

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12points

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Precious Michael 2 years ago

Ok, never heard this one...it's funny too.

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#23

Take it with a pinch of salt.

Meaning: don’t take it too seriously.

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12points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

Often formulated as "a grain of salt" in US English.

12points

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#24

Don’t cry over spilt milk.

Meaning: do not cry over the situation which can not be fixed.

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12points

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Renee Taylor 2 years ago

Comments are so wrong. This is a very old saying, but is still relevant today. If you've ever milked a cow or goat by hand, which is time consuming and difficult, and then had the animal step in the bucket, kick the bucket over, or you just drop it, you'd be very angry and upset. But there's no fixing it, no replacing it, and no getting it back. If it's your breakfast you may go hungry for the day. Even if it's not, you still wouldn't think anything about the incident was unimportant. My mom would say, "Damn it. Well...quit your whining and...go clean the barn!"

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#25

Idiom meaning To get your wires crossed.

Meaning: to misunderstand another person particularly because you thought that they were talking about one thing when they were actually talking about another thing.

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12points

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#26

Cut someone some slack.

Meaning: to avoid being critical or judgmental of someone.

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12points

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Elizabeth Truss 2 years ago

Wish they would say the history of how these idioms came to be, rather than just sloppily explaining their meaning.

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#27

A bolt from the blue.

Meaning: a sudden, unexpected event.

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12points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

"The blue" in this case meaning the sky

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#28

By the skin of your teeth.

Meaning: to just barely get by or make it.

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11points

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Con O Cuinn 2 years ago

Irish version: By a gee hair. Can't explain further cos BP keep banning me

1point

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#29

Idiom meaning Crying wolf.

Meaning: to ask for help when you don’t actually need it.

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11points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

From the parable of a shepherd boy who, lacking for entertainment, cried "Wolf!" to get the townspeople around him. Eventually a wolf really did come, but by that time the townsfolk no longer believed the boy when he called for help. For a modern real-life example, imagine a car alarm going off.

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#30

To be left in the dark.

Meaning: when someone doesn’t receive all the appropriate information that tells the whole story.

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11points

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Dagnirath 2 years ago

This can also be used when you find out about something long after it's over.

3points

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#31

A blessing in disguise.

Meaning: a good thing that seemed bad at first.

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11points

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bugsway Frisk 2 years ago

Something you thought was good and you didn't take it, then it ended up being bad after all...

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#32

Looking to your laurels.

Meaning: not being lost in your achievements and losing the sight of what is supposed to happen.

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11points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago (edited)

Compare "to rest on one's laurels" - to complacently rely on former achievements. A crown of laurels was given to champion athletes in Roman times.

5points

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#33

Idiom meaning Hit the sack.

Meaning: go to sleep.

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10points

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Muhammad Farabi 2 years ago

'hit the hay' also works

5points

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#34

Beat around the bush.

Meaning: to avoid talking about what’s important.

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10points

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SalusFuturistics 2 years ago

Throwing Shoes at Bush is illegal though

4points

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#35

Call it a day.

Meaning: stop working on something.

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10points

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#36

It’s raining cats and dogs.

Meaning: raining very hard.

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10points

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Muhammad Farabi 2 years ago

“I've stepped on a poodle!"

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#37

Idiom meaning A stone's throw.

Meaning: something is very close or near.

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10points

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#38

Couch potato.

Meaning: a person who doesn’t do much exercise and spends a lot of time on the sofa watching television.

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10points

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#39

Full of beans.

Meaning: someone who is energetic or enthusiastic.

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10points

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PattyK 2 years ago

No, in my family, “full of beans” meant the individual didn’t know what they were talking about.

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#40

Not one's cup of tea.

Meaning: something you don’t like or are not interested in.

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10points

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John Pahl 2 years ago

germans say "not one's beer" xD

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#41

Idiom meaning Shed light on.

Meaning: to reveal information about something or to clarify something.

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10points

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#42

Bell the cat.

Meaning: to undertake a risky or dangerous task.

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10points

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David Phillips 2 years ago

From the story of the mice who decide that the best way to stop getting attacked by the cat is to hang a bell round its neck. The problem is then finding volunteer to do it.

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#43

Get your act together.

Meaning: get organized and do things effectively.

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9points

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bugsway Frisk 2 years ago

More like get your c**p straight and stop screwing around!

1point

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#44

Pull someone’s leg.

Meaning: to play a practical joke.

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9points

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#45

Idiom meaning As right as rain.

Meaning: perfect, amazing.

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9points

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#46

Take a rain check.

Meaning: to postpone a plan.

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9points

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Russell Mitchell 2 years ago

Some grocery stores that had deeply discounted the price of certain items, if they ran out of the item would give you a paper called a "rain check" allowing you to purchase the item at the reduced price when it was in stock.

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#47

Go cold turkey.

Meaning: suddenly quit addictive or dangerous behavior such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

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9points

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Andrea Weber 2 years ago

Quitting cold turkey specifically references quitting something like smoking without assistance like a nicotine patch or a replacement behavior

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#48

One-trick pony.

Meaning: a person with only one talent or area of expertise.

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9points

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#49

Idiom meaning To get a taste of your own medicine.

Meaning: to be treated the way you’ve treated others.

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9points

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#50

To go down in flames.

Meaning: to fail miserably at something.

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9points

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#51

Bite off more than one can chew.

Meaning: trying to do something which is too difficult for them.

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9points

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bugsway Frisk 2 years ago

Or trying to do too many projects and not completing them.

2points

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#52

Don't run before you can walk.

Meaning: a warning not to try something difficult before you understand the basics

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9points

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#53

Idiom meaning Ignorance is bliss.

Meaning: sometimes it’s better not to know all the facts about something.

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9points

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bugsway Frisk 2 years ago

Something is better not knowing then actually knowing

1point

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#54

Leave no stone unturned.

Meaning: to do everything you can to achieve something.

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9points

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Samira Peri 2 years ago

Leave no turn unstoned.

1point

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#55

Up in arms.

Meaning: being angry about something.

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8points

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David Phillips 2 years ago

Arms here being weapons, so angry enough to start an armed revolt.

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#56

See eye to eye.

Meaning: to agree completely.

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8points

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Con O Cuinn 2 years ago

More understanding than agreeing

2points

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#57

Idiom meaning Face the music.

Meaning: deal with the reality of the situation and accept all the consequences, whether good or bad.

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8points

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#58

Read the riot act.

Meaning: to reprimand someone for behaving badly, with the intention of improving that person’s behavior.

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8points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago (edited)

No. To absolutely b*llock someone. The original Riot Act stipulated that where an unruly crowd was gathered, the act was to be read to them, and they would then be given a set time to disperse, after which lethal force would be deployed in removing them.

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#59

Cost a bomb.

Meaning: something very expensive.

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8points

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Muhammad Farabi 2 years ago

you could also use "cost an arm and a leg" or "cost all my change" too (in Québec French this expression is translated into "ça prend tout mon petit change")

7points

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#60

Heard it on the grapevine.

Meaning: to hear news about something from someone else, not directly.

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8points

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Kate Brooks 2 years ago

It's all hearsay

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#61

Idiom meaning Jump ship.

Meaning: to leave or abandon a difficult situation.

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8points

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Dagnirath 2 years ago

If it's multiple people, then it's rats leaving the sinking ship.

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#62

Sit tight.

Meaning: to wait patiently.

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8points

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#63

Call a spade a spade.

Meaning: to speak the truth even if it’s unpleasant.

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8points

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#64

Take a back seat.

Meaning: choosing not to be in a position of responsibility.

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8points

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Kate Brooks 2 years ago

Also, to let someone else take point (or drive) it's not necessarily about choosing a lack of responsibility, but allowing others to try having responsibility. (Ie, to drive)

1point

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#65

Idiom meaning Draw first blood.

Meaning: the first point or advantage gained in a contest.

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8points

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

Or to actually draw first blood in a duel. Which is where the saying comes from. When dueling was common. Often it was the first one to draw the other person's blood that won. This was for duels that weren't to the death.

1point

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#66

Your guess is as good as mine.

Meaning: do not know something.

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7points

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#67

Sell like hot cakes.

Meaning: to be bought quickly and in large numbers.

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7points

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#68

Eat like a horse.

Meaning: eating too much.

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7points

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Con O Cuinn 2 years ago

Just a lot, not necessarily too much.

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#69

Between a rock and a hard place.

Meaning: to be in a difficult situation where both options are bad.

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7points

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#70

Idiom meaning Lose your marbles.

Meaning: to go insane.

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7points

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Natsu Dragneel 2 years ago

Ok to get angry enough you lose your inhibitions.

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#71

Back against the wall.

Meaning: stuck in a difficult situation with no escape.

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6points

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Timothy Rozema 2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

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#72

Under the weather.

Meaning: to feel ill.

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6points

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#73

The ball is in your court.

Meaning: it is up to you.

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6points

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#74

Idiom meaning Spill the beans.

Meaning: to give away a secret.

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6points

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#75

Go down in flames.

Meaning: to fail spectacularly.

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6points

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#76

Down for the count.

Meaning: giving up.

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6points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

From boxing

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#77

Barking up the wrong tree.

Meaning: to be wrong or misguided about the reason for something.

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6points

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Andrea Weber 2 years ago

It's like the opposite of 'preaching to the choir'

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#78

Idiom meaning Don't give up the day job.

Meaning: a humorous way to tell someone they’re not very good at something.

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6points

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PattyK 2 years ago

Taking a risk, while keeping a safe backup.

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#79

Pigs might fly.

Meaning: something that will never happen.

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6points

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Les Clark 2 years ago

It’s when pigs fly.

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#80

Sleep on it.

Meaning: to delay making a decision for a short period of time.

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6points

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Richard Smith 2 years ago

It’s actually good advice. When the brain is tired every stressor is worse, anxiety climbs, and everything is more difficult. Sleeping on it should indicate that it’s an important decision you don’t want to mess up.

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#81

Spanner in the works.

Meaning: something that prevents or disrupts an event from happening.

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6points

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PattyK 2 years ago

“Wrench in the works” in America.

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#82

Idiom meaning Egg on your face.

Meaning: look stupid and face embarrassment because of something you’ve done.

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6points

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PattyK 2 years ago

Or said.

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#83

Ring a bell.

Meaning: it reminds you of something, but you cannot remember exactly what it is.

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6points

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

As in "That rings a bell!"

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#84

Good things come to those who wait.

Meaning: to have patience.

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5points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

No, it means "you should be patient". Also this is not the correct form of the saying, which is "ALL things come to he who waits".

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#85

Sat on the fence.

Meaning: to be undecided.

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5points

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Bradman 2 years ago

In the U.S., it is said as "On the fence."

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#86

Idiom meaning Through thick and thin.

Meaning: to be loyal no matter what.

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5points

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#87

Once in a blue moon.

Meaning: very rarely.

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5points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

A blue moon is when there are two full moons in one calendar month.

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#88

Come rain or shine.

Meaning: no matter what.

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5points

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#89

You can say that again.

Meaning: that’s true.

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5points

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#90

Idiom meaning Jump on the bandwagon.

Meaning: following a trend.

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5points

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#91

Miss the boat.

Meaning: too late on something.

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5points

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PattyK 2 years ago

Or not understanding something.

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#92

Blow hot and cold.

Meaning: alternate inconsistently between moods and actions.

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5points

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#93

Keep an ear to the ground.

Meaning: staying informed and updated about everything.

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5points

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#94

Idiom meaning You can say that again.

Meaning: it's absolutely true about something.

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5points

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Samira Peri 2 years ago

Repeat.

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#95

To hit the nail on the head.

Meaning: to do exactly the right thing.

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5points

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PattyK 2 years ago

Or say exactly the right thing.

4points

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#96

To be as right as rain.

Meaning: to feel healthy or well again.

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5points

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Samira Peri 2 years ago

This is a duplicate.

0points

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#97

A penny for your thoughts.

Meaning: say what's on your head.

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5points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago (edited)

Incidentally, in English that would be what's IN your head.

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#98

Idiom meaning In full swing.

Meaning: something that is currently in process and moving efficiently along.

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5points

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#99

Third time’s a charm.

Meaning: to describe that the first two times did not work, but it will work on your third try.

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5points

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

Not necessarily third time. The saying is correct but often it's said after someone has hand do try a task multiple times.

-1point

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#100

Steal one’s thunder.

Meaning: to take credit for someone else’s work or achievements.

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5points

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

Already discussed.

1point

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#101

Back to the drawing board.

Meaning: to start over.

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5points

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#102

Idiom meaning All ears.

Meaning: waiting to hear about something too hard.

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5points

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PattyK 2 years ago

Eager to listen to someone.

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#103

Bob's your uncle.

Meaning: to say that a set of instructions or task is simple.

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5points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago (edited)

Supposedly from British Prime Minister Robert Balfour, who was notorious for handing out sinecures (meaningless but well-paid jobs) to his relatives. Incidentally, this saying neatly mirrors the word nepotism, which comes from "nephew"

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#104

Cut to the chace.

Meaning: to get directly to the point when speaking.

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5points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

*chase

3points

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#105

Green fingers.

Meaning: to be good at gardening.

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5points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

In US English, having a green thumb is also used.

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#106

Idiom meaning The final straw.

Meaning: the last in a series of bad things to happen.

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5points

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Bradman 2 years ago

Also known as "the straw that broke the camel's back."

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#107

Cross that bridge when come to it.

Meaning: to deal with something when it happens rather than worrying about it before.

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5points

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#108

Wild goose chase.

Meaning: a hopeless pursuit.

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5points

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

More a pointless pursuit.

0points

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#109

Over my dead body.

Meaning: to do everything you can to prevent something.

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5points

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#110

Idiom meaning In the same boat.

Meaning: two or more persons are in the same difficult situation.

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5points

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#111

The pot calling the kettle black.

Meaning: used to convey that the criticisms a person is aiming at someone else could equally well apply to themselves.

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5points

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K80.127 2 years ago

We like to shorten this to "pot, meet kettle"

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#112

Have your heart in your mouth.

Meaning: feeling extremely nervous.

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5points

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K80.127 2 years ago

Same as "stomach in your throat"

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#113

Not the only fish in the sea.

Meaning: not the only suitable thing or person one can find.

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5points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

More often presented as "there are plenty more fish in the sea".

3points

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#114

Idiom meaning Play your cards right.

Meaning: to behave or work in a way that gives you an advantage or improves your odds of success.

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5points

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

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#115

A black sheep.

Meaning: being a disgrace for the family.

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5points

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PattyK 2 years ago

No, in my family, this meant taking a different approach to something, but not necessarily a disgraceful approach.

3points

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#116

Fish out of water.

Meaning: to be out of your comfort zone.

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5points

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

Or not in a familiar setting. Country boy in the big city or a foreigner in a different country. Are both examples.

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#117

Rain on someone’s parade.

Meaning: to spoil a moment.

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5points

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#118

Idiom meaning Cry for the moon.

Meaning: to ask for something that is rather difficult.

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5points

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Dagnirath 2 years ago

Never heard of this one before.

3points

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#119

Read between the lines.

Meaning: understanding the real message behind something.

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5points

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#120

A cold day in July.

Meaning: something that will never happen.

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5points

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Bradman 2 years ago

In the U.S., typically said as "A cold day in Hell."

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#121

Scrape the barrel.

Meaning: making the most of the worst situations because you can’t do anything about it.

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4points

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

No, no, no and no. "Scraping the barrel" is an abbreviation of the full adage, "scrape the bottom of the barrel". It means using the absolute worst quality of something. Imagine selling fruit from a barrel. After a few days the fruit on top might still be OK, but the stuff on the bottom is compressed and rotting.

15points

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#122

Idiom meaning Burn your boats/bridges.

Meaning: destroy all possible ways of going back to that situation.

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Clifford Holt 2 years ago

Most often in the US it's "They burned all their bridges." It usually means the person has destroyed all good will they had.

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#123

Break fresh/ new ground.

Meaning: doing something that has never been done before.

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#124

Run around in circles.

Meaning: putting efforts into something that is not a worthwhile result.

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#125

Throw caution to the wind.

Meaning: to take a risk.

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Dagnirath 2 years ago

There's a subtlety here that's missing. Taking $100 to a casino would be a risk, but taking your life's savings would be throwing caution to the wind.

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#126

Idiom meaning A sandwich short of a picnic.

Meaning: a humorous way of saying someone is stupid or a bit crazy.

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PattyK 2 years ago

“Has only one oar in the water,” “out in left field without a glove” (American), “the lights are on but nobody’s home,” “rooms to let upstairs,” “space cadet” — let’s see, what else?

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#127

Call a spade a spade.

Meaning: to state the truth about something even if it’s unpopular or unpleasant.

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K80.127 2 years ago

How about, "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" Meaning: if someone is helping you, appreciate it, don't balk or complain about how they have helped. History: when given a horse in the days when they were used as transport, people would look at the horse's teeth to determine age- sometimes these gift horses would be nearly dead and become a problem for whomever it was given to.

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#128

Chinese whispers.

Meaning: information or rumors that have been passed on by many people and are no longer reliable.

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

The game called Chinese whispers in the UK is, I think, called Telephone in the US.

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#129

Straight from the Horse’s mouth.

Meaning: directly from the person involved.

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

No need for the capital letter on "horse". Unlike, say, German, English does not capitalise concrete nouns.

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#130

Idiom meaning Has bigger fish to fry.

Meaning: has more important work to do.

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K80.127 2 years ago

Or that there are more important issues to resolve before taking on a smaller or mundane task

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#131

Look before you leap.

Meaning: calculate the risks before advancing towards a possibility.

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#132

Ignorance is bliss.

Meaning: better off not knowing some things.

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Elizabeth Truss 2 years ago

Really wish my ignorance of this list was bliss, but alas, I've read till the end.

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#133

Cut corners.

Meaning: choose to do something in an easier and least expensive manner.

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago (edited)

Not quite. It means to do something lazily, cheaply, and in a way that is consequently dangerous or otherwise imprudent.

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#134

Idiom meaning A snowball effect.

Meaning: a situation in which one action causes many other similar actions.

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#135

Like two peas in a pod.

Meaning: two people who are always together.

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago (edited)

No. Two people who are very alike.

9points

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#136

Taste of one's own medicine.

Meaning: when someone does something unpleasant and the same is wished on him/her.

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Les Clark 2 years ago

It’s when you do something bad and then it happens to you.

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#137

The ball is in your court.

Meaning: to take the initiative or make the next move.

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#138

Idiom meaning The best of both words.

Meaning: all the advantages of two different situations and none of the disadvantages.

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

8points

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#139

Beside yourself with joy.

Meaning: to be extremely happy.

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#140

Play devil’s advocate.

Meaning: to argue, just for the sake of it.

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Tim Fawcett 2 years ago

Not quite - to play the devil's advocate is to argue against the prevailing or accepted view to ensure everything is covered. Comes from the process of canonisation of a saint where the devil's advocate argues the case against sainthood.

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#141

The whole nine yards.

Meaning: everything, all the way.

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Ygbfsm 2 years ago (edited)

A band or belt of ammunition for say a 50cal. machine gun is 9 yards long. When you fire the whole thing at once, it's "the whole nine yards". Anyway, that's the way i heard it.

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#142

Idiom meaning Break a leg.

Meaning: to wish someone luck.

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Vix Spiderthrust 2 years ago

Nobody is really sure why. There are some pretty stupid explanations involving bowing on stage, but it may simply be ironic in intent - wishing bad luck on someone in the hope that good luck will attend instead.

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#143

Fair and square.

Meaning: being direct or fair.

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