IDIOMS COLLECTED BY M. NOFIL
IDIOMS COLLECTED BY M. NOFIL
with examples:
hot potato: noun a problem, situation, etc. that is difficult and unpleasant to deal with
• The issue of taxing domestic fuel has become a political hot potato.
a penny for your thoughts: interj. what are you thinking about?
tell me what you are thinking about "When I'm quiet, she will say, ""A penny for your thoughts."""
actions speak louder than words. people judge by actions more than words (See also practice what you preach)
Parents should remember that actions speak louder than words. Kids imitate their parents.
add insult to injury. add another negative, make it worse
If you say his answer is wrong, and then say he can't understand, you've added insult to injury.
Arm and a leg If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive.
pay a very high price for something that isn't worth it My father paid an arm and a leg for his car but he really enjoys driving it.
at the drop of a hat idiom immediately; without hesitating
• The company can't expect me to move my home and family at the drop of a hat.
back to the drawing board back to the beginning, back to square one
If this plan fails, it's back to the drawing board. We start again.
Ball is in your court If the ball is in your court, it is up to you to make the next decision or step.
Barking Up The Wrong Tree A mistake made.
Barking up the wrong tree If you are barking up the wrong tree, it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally wrong.
Be glad to see the back of Be happy when a person leaves.
We will be glad to see the back of Williams, that’s for sure.
beat about/ arround the bush idiom
• Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.
the best of both worlds the best parts of two cultures or styles etc.
She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets the best of both worlds.
Best thing since sliced bread If something is the best thing since sliced bread, it is excellent. ('The greatest thing since sliced bread' is also used.)
bite off more than you can chew bite off more than you can chew INFORMAL
to try to do something which is too difficult for you:
Clinton conceded, "We bit off more than we could chew in our original health care reform proposals."
a blessing in disguise something that seems bad or unlucky at first, but results in something good happening later:
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise really, and I ended up in a much more enjoyable career.
burn the midnight oil work or study late into the night
To become a doctor, you have to burn the midnight oil.
You can't judge a book by its cover.You can't judge a book by its cover. SAYING
said to show that you cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at their appearance
cost an arm and a leg cost a lot of money, is very expensive
That fur jacket must have cost her an arm and a leg.
cross that bridge when you come to it idiom
to worry about a problem when it actually happens and not before
cry over spilt milk cry about small accidents, cry instead of doing
Children drop things and break them. Don't cry over spilt milk.
Curiosity killed the cat. Curiosity killed the cat. SAYING
said to warn someone not to ask too many questions about something
cut corners use less material, use less than required
If we cut corners, we'll produce a low-quality product.
cut the mustard do the job properly, cut it
If I'm too old to cut the mustard, maybe I should retire, eh.
devil's advocate [N-UNCOUNT] also with det
If you play devil's advocate in a discussion or debate, you express an opinion which you may not agree with but which is very different to what other people have been saying, in order to make the argument more interesting.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch Don't rely on it until your sure of it.
Politicians have learned not to "count their chickens" before the election.
don't give up the day job idiom
(informal, humorous) used to tell sb that they should continue doing what they are used to, rather than trying sth new which they are likely to fail at • So you want to be a writer? Well my advice is, don't give up the day job.
don't put all your eggs in one basket do not invest all the money in one company
• I've applied for several jobs. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.
Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions.
Elvis has left the building The show has come to an end. It's all over.
following Elvis Presley concerts to disperse audiences who lingered in hopes of an Elvis encore. Al Dvorin, a concert announcer who traveled with Elvis throughout the performer's career, made the phrase famous when his voice was captured on many recordings of Elvis' performances.
every cloud has a silver liningidiom
(saying) every sad or difficult situation has a positive side
Mark missed his bus, but when he came in late he found that the class had written a math test. Every cloud has a silver lining.
a far cry not similar, very different
This is good sherry, but it's a far cry from the amontillado.
under the weather adj. not feeling healthy,
Dan's been under the weather lately - sick with the flu.
the benefit of the doubt fair judgement when some of the facts are not known, take your word for it
If money is missing, we give you the benefit of the doubt. We assume you didn't take it.
on the grapevine on/through the ˈgrapevine idiom
by talking in an informal way to other people
• I heard on the grapevine that you're leaving.
hit the nail on the head idiom to say sth that is exactly right
Your comment hit the nail on the head. You spoke the truth.
hit the sack v. go to sleep; prepare to go to sleep
go to bed I`m a little bit tired so I think that I will hit the sack now.
in the heat of the moment while temporarily angry or excited and without stopping to think.
It takes two to tango. It takes two to tango. 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.
climb on the bandwagon idiom
(informal, disapproving) to join others in doing sth that is becoming fashionable because you hope to become popular or successful yourself • politicians eager to jump on the environmental bandwagon
hold somebody at bay idiom
to prevent an enemy from coming close or a problem from having a bad effect
Syn: ward off • I'm trying to keep my creditors at bay.
• Charlotte bit her lip to hold the tears at bay.
kill two birds with one stone to succeed in achieving two things in a single action:
I killed two birds with one stone and picked the kids up on the way to the station
the last straw one too many problems, the one that ruins it
The break-in was the last straw. We decided to move.
Let sleeping dogs lie SAYING
said to warn someone that they should not talk about a bad situation that most people have forgotten about
let the cat out of the bag idiom
to tell a secret carelessly or by mistake
• I wanted it to be a surprise, but my sister let the cat out of the bag.
To Make A Long Story Short
Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn't shortened.
Method To My Madness .Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason.
miss the boat idiom
to be unable to take advantage of sth because you are too late
not playing with a full deck not rational, not all there
People say he's not stable - that he's not playing with a full deck.
off your rocker crazy, not rational, around the bend
You gave away your piano? You're off your rocker!
on the ball smart, intelligent, bright, sharp
Max has a lot on the ball. He can solve our problem.
once in a blue moon infrequently, not often, once in a while
"Have you heard from Paul?" "Once in a blue moon he calls, maybe once a year."
A Picture Paints a Thousand Words A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
piece of cake something which is very easy to do:
The exam was a piece of cake.
pull the wool over someone's eyes
Verb 1. conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end; "He bamboozled his professors into thinking that he knew the subject well"
see eye to eye If two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other:
My sisters don't see eye to eye with me about the arrangements.
sit on the fence idiom
to avoid becoming involved in deciding or influencing sth
• He tends to sit on the fence at meetings.
speak of the devil idiom (informal) people say speak/talk of the devil when sb they have been talking about appears unexpectedly
• Well, speak of the devil— here's Alice now!
Steal someone's thunder If someone steals your thunder, they take the credit and praise for something you did.
steal someone's thunder do what someone else was going to do and get all the praise: "You'll steal her thunder if you wear that dress tonight!"
take it with a grain of salt do not believe all of it, some of it is not true
When Brian talks, take it with a grain of salt. Believe very little.
Taste of your own medicine If you give someone a taste of their own medicine, you do something bad to someone that they have done to you to teach them a lesson.
straight from the horse's mouth . directly from the person who said it or did it
I want to hear the story from Tomas, straight from the horse's mouth.
Whole nine yards. The whole nine yards means means everything that is necessary or required for something.
wouldn't be caught dead would not like to do it, would rather die than do it
________________________________________
Have you seen Lulu's miniskirt? I wouldn't be caught dead in that.
your guess is as good as mine idiom
(informal) used to tell sb that you do not know any more about a subject than the person that you are talking to does
• ‘Who's going to win?’ ‘Your guess is as good as mine.’
Sources:
Sir NOFIL SAFWAN
with examples:
hot potato: noun a problem, situation, etc. that is difficult and unpleasant to deal with
• The issue of taxing domestic fuel has become a political hot potato.
a penny for your thoughts: interj. what are you thinking about?
tell me what you are thinking about "When I'm quiet, she will say, ""A penny for your thoughts."""
actions speak louder than words. people judge by actions more than words (See also practice what you preach)
Parents should remember that actions speak louder than words. Kids imitate their parents.
add insult to injury. add another negative, make it worse
If you say his answer is wrong, and then say he can't understand, you've added insult to injury.
Arm and a leg If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive.
pay a very high price for something that isn't worth it My father paid an arm and a leg for his car but he really enjoys driving it.
at the drop of a hat idiom immediately; without hesitating
• The company can't expect me to move my home and family at the drop of a hat.
back to the drawing board back to the beginning, back to square one
If this plan fails, it's back to the drawing board. We start again.
Ball is in your court If the ball is in your court, it is up to you to make the next decision or step.
Barking Up The Wrong Tree A mistake made.
Barking up the wrong tree If you are barking up the wrong tree, it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally wrong.
Be glad to see the back of Be happy when a person leaves.
We will be glad to see the back of Williams, that’s for sure.
beat about/ arround the bush idiom
• Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.
the best of both worlds the best parts of two cultures or styles etc.
She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets the best of both worlds.
Best thing since sliced bread If something is the best thing since sliced bread, it is excellent. ('The greatest thing since sliced bread' is also used.)
bite off more than you can chew bite off more than you can chew INFORMAL
to try to do something which is too difficult for you:
Clinton conceded, "We bit off more than we could chew in our original health care reform proposals."
a blessing in disguise something that seems bad or unlucky at first, but results in something good happening later:
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise really, and I ended up in a much more enjoyable career.
burn the midnight oil work or study late into the night
To become a doctor, you have to burn the midnight oil.
You can't judge a book by its cover.You can't judge a book by its cover. SAYING
said to show that you cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at their appearance
cost an arm and a leg cost a lot of money, is very expensive
That fur jacket must have cost her an arm and a leg.
cross that bridge when you come to it idiom
to worry about a problem when it actually happens and not before
cry over spilt milk cry about small accidents, cry instead of doing
Children drop things and break them. Don't cry over spilt milk.
Curiosity killed the cat. Curiosity killed the cat. SAYING
said to warn someone not to ask too many questions about something
cut corners use less material, use less than required
If we cut corners, we'll produce a low-quality product.
cut the mustard do the job properly, cut it
If I'm too old to cut the mustard, maybe I should retire, eh.
devil's advocate [N-UNCOUNT] also with det
If you play devil's advocate in a discussion or debate, you express an opinion which you may not agree with but which is very different to what other people have been saying, in order to make the argument more interesting.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch Don't rely on it until your sure of it.
Politicians have learned not to "count their chickens" before the election.
don't give up the day job idiom
(informal, humorous) used to tell sb that they should continue doing what they are used to, rather than trying sth new which they are likely to fail at • So you want to be a writer? Well my advice is, don't give up the day job.
don't put all your eggs in one basket do not invest all the money in one company
• I've applied for several jobs. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.
Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions.
Elvis has left the building The show has come to an end. It's all over.
following Elvis Presley concerts to disperse audiences who lingered in hopes of an Elvis encore. Al Dvorin, a concert announcer who traveled with Elvis throughout the performer's career, made the phrase famous when his voice was captured on many recordings of Elvis' performances.
every cloud has a silver liningidiom
(saying) every sad or difficult situation has a positive side
Mark missed his bus, but when he came in late he found that the class had written a math test. Every cloud has a silver lining.
a far cry not similar, very different
This is good sherry, but it's a far cry from the amontillado.
under the weather adj. not feeling healthy,
Dan's been under the weather lately - sick with the flu.
the benefit of the doubt fair judgement when some of the facts are not known, take your word for it
If money is missing, we give you the benefit of the doubt. We assume you didn't take it.
on the grapevine on/through the ˈgrapevine idiom
by talking in an informal way to other people
• I heard on the grapevine that you're leaving.
hit the nail on the head idiom to say sth that is exactly right
Your comment hit the nail on the head. You spoke the truth.
hit the sack v. go to sleep; prepare to go to sleep
go to bed I`m a little bit tired so I think that I will hit the sack now.
in the heat of the moment while temporarily angry or excited and without stopping to think.
It takes two to tango. It takes two to tango. 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.
climb on the bandwagon idiom
(informal, disapproving) to join others in doing sth that is becoming fashionable because you hope to become popular or successful yourself • politicians eager to jump on the environmental bandwagon
hold somebody at bay idiom
to prevent an enemy from coming close or a problem from having a bad effect
Syn: ward off • I'm trying to keep my creditors at bay.
• Charlotte bit her lip to hold the tears at bay.
kill two birds with one stone to succeed in achieving two things in a single action:
I killed two birds with one stone and picked the kids up on the way to the station
the last straw one too many problems, the one that ruins it
The break-in was the last straw. We decided to move.
Let sleeping dogs lie SAYING
said to warn someone that they should not talk about a bad situation that most people have forgotten about
let the cat out of the bag idiom
to tell a secret carelessly or by mistake
• I wanted it to be a surprise, but my sister let the cat out of the bag.
To Make A Long Story Short
Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn't shortened.
Method To My Madness .Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason.
miss the boat idiom
to be unable to take advantage of sth because you are too late
not playing with a full deck not rational, not all there
People say he's not stable - that he's not playing with a full deck.
off your rocker crazy, not rational, around the bend
You gave away your piano? You're off your rocker!
on the ball smart, intelligent, bright, sharp
Max has a lot on the ball. He can solve our problem.
once in a blue moon infrequently, not often, once in a while
"Have you heard from Paul?" "Once in a blue moon he calls, maybe once a year."
A Picture Paints a Thousand Words A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
piece of cake something which is very easy to do:
The exam was a piece of cake.
pull the wool over someone's eyes
Verb 1. conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end; "He bamboozled his professors into thinking that he knew the subject well"
see eye to eye If two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other:
My sisters don't see eye to eye with me about the arrangements.
sit on the fence idiom
to avoid becoming involved in deciding or influencing sth
• He tends to sit on the fence at meetings.
speak of the devil idiom (informal) people say speak/talk of the devil when sb they have been talking about appears unexpectedly
• Well, speak of the devil— here's Alice now!
Steal someone's thunder If someone steals your thunder, they take the credit and praise for something you did.
steal someone's thunder do what someone else was going to do and get all the praise: "You'll steal her thunder if you wear that dress tonight!"
take it with a grain of salt do not believe all of it, some of it is not true
When Brian talks, take it with a grain of salt. Believe very little.
Taste of your own medicine If you give someone a taste of their own medicine, you do something bad to someone that they have done to you to teach them a lesson.
straight from the horse's mouth . directly from the person who said it or did it
I want to hear the story from Tomas, straight from the horse's mouth.
Whole nine yards. The whole nine yards means means everything that is necessary or required for something.
wouldn't be caught dead would not like to do it, would rather die than do it
________________________________________
Have you seen Lulu's miniskirt? I wouldn't be caught dead in that.
your guess is as good as mine idiom
(informal) used to tell sb that you do not know any more about a subject than the person that you are talking to does
• ‘Who's going to win?’ ‘Your guess is as good as mine.’
Sources:
Sir NOFIL SAFWAN
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