Idioms

ENGLISH IDIOMS
English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the
time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to
familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning
idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.
Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your English sound more native, so it's a good
idea to master some of these expressions. The tables below are organized by how common the idioms are in
American English. You can start by learning the very common English idioms, since these are the ones you'll
encounter regularly watching American movies or TV, or visiting the United States. When you've mastered
those, move on to rest. None of the idioms on this page are unusual or old fashioned, so you can be confident
using any of them with native English speakers from all English-speaking countries.

THE MOST COMMON ENGLISH IDIOMS

These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in the United States. You will hear them
in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.

Idiom Meaning Usage

A blessing in disguise a good thing that seemed bad at first as part of a sentence

A dime a dozen Something common as part of a sentence

Avoid saying what you mean, usually because

Beat around the bush as part of a sentence
it is uncomfortable

Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to come at all by itself

To get something over with because it is

Bite the bullet as part of a sentence
inevitable

Break a leg Good luck by itself

Call it a day Stop working on something as part of a sentence

Cut somebody some slack Don't be so critical as part of a sentence

Doing something poorly in order to save time

Cutting corners as part of a sentence
or money

Easy does it Slow down by itself

Get out of hand Get out of control as part of a sentence

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Idiom Meaning Usage

Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you

Get something out of your system as part of a sentence
can move on

Get your act together Work better or leave by itself

Give someone the benefit of the

Trust what someone says as part of a sentence
doubt

Go back to the drawing board Start over as part of a sentence

Hang in there Don't give up by itself

Hit the sack Go to sleep as part of a sentence

It's not rocket science It's not complicated by itself

Let someone off the hook To not hold someone responsible for something as part of a sentence

Make a long story short Tell something briefly as part of a sentence

Miss the boat It's too late as part of a sentence

No pain, no gain You have to work for what you want by itself

On the ball Doing a good job as part of a sentence

Pull someone's leg To joke with someone as part of a sentence

Pull yourself together Calm down by itself

So far so good Things are going well so far by itself

The person we were just talking about showed

Speak of the devil by itself
up!

That's the last straw My patience has run out by itself

The best of both worlds An ideal situation as part of a sentence

You don't notice how long something lasts

Time flies when you're having fun by itself
when it's fun

To get bent out of shape To get upset as part of a sentence

To make matters worse Make a problem worse as part of a sentence

Under the weather Sick as part of a sentence

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Idiom Meaning Usage

We'll cross that bridge when we

Let's not talk about that problem right now by itself
come to it

Wrap your head around something Understand something complicated as part of a sentence

You can say that again That's true, I agree by itself

Your guess is as good as mine I have no idea by itself

COMMON ENGLISH IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS

These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United States. You may not hear them every day, but they
will be very familiar to any native English speaker. You can be confident using any of them when the context
is appropriate.

Idiom Meaning Usage

A bird in the hand is worth two in What you have is worth more than what you
by itself
the bush might have later

A penny for your thoughts Tell me what you're thinking by itself

A penny saved is a penny earned Money you save today you can spend later by itself

A perfect storm the worst possible situation as part of a sentence

A picture is worth 1000 words Better to show than tell by itself

Actions speak louder than words Believe what people do and not what they say by itself

Add insult to injury To make a bad situation worse as part of a sentence

To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in

Barking up the wrong tree as part of a sentence
the wrong place

People who are alike are often friends

Birds of a feather flock together by itself
(usually used negatively)

Bite off more than you can chew Take on a project that you cannot finish as part of a sentence

Break the ice Make people feel more comfortable as part of a sentence

By the skin of your teeth Just barely as part of a sentence

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Idiom Meaning Usage

Comparing two things that cannot be

Comparing apples to oranges as part of a sentence
compared

Costs an arm and a leg Very expensive as part of a sentence

Do something without having planned

Do something at the drop of a hat as part of a sentence
beforehand

Do unto others as you would have Treat people fairly. Also known as "The
by itself
them do unto you Golden Rule"

Don't count your chickens before Don't count on something good happening
by itself
they hatch until it's happened.

There's no reason to complain about

Don't cry over spilt milk by itself
something that can't be fixed

Don't give up your day job You're not very good at this by itself

Don't put all your eggs in one

What you're doing is too risky by itself
basket

Every cloud has a silver lining Good things come after bad things by itself

Get treated the way you've been treating

Get a taste of your own medicine as part of a sentence
others (negative)

Give someone the cold shoulder Ignore someone as part of a sentence

Go on a wild goose chase To do something pointless as part of a sentence

Good things come to those who

Be patient by itself
wait

He has bigger things to take care of than what

He has bigger fish to fry by itself
we are talking about now

He's a chip off the old block The son is like the father by itself

Hit the nail on the head Get something exactly right by itself

Ignorance is bliss You're better off not knowing by itself

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Idiom Meaning Usage

It ain't over till the fat lady sings This isn't over yet by itself

It takes one to know one You're just as bad as I am by itself

It's a piece of cake It's easy by itself

It's raining cats and dogs It's raining hard by itself

Kill two birds with one stone Get two things done with a single action by itself

Let the cat out of the bag Give away a secret as part of a sentence

Live and learn I made a mistake by itself

Look before you leap Take only calculated risks by itself

On probation. If you make another mistake,

On thin ice as part of a sentence
there will be trouble.

Once in a blue moon Rarely as part of a sentence

To argue the opposite, just for the sake of

Play devil's advocate as part of a sentence
argument

Put something on ice Put a projet on hold as part of a sentence

Rain on someone's parade To spoil something as part of a sentence

Saving for a rainy day Saving money for later as part of a sentence

Slow and steady wins the race Reliability is more important than speed by itself

Spill the beans Give away a secret as part of a sentence

Take a rain check Postpone a plan as part of a sentence

Take it with a grain of salt Don’t take it too seriously as part of a sentence

The ball is in your court It's your decision by itself

The best thing since sliced bread A really good invention as part of a sentence

It looks good from a distance, but when you

The devil is in the details by itself
look closer, there are problems

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Idiom Meaning Usage

The first people who arrive will get the best

The early bird gets the worm by itself
stuff

The big issue, the problem people are

The elephant in the room as part of a sentence
avoiding

The whole nine yards Everything, all the way. as part of a sentence

It's ok to miss this opportunity. Others will

There are other fish in the sea by itself
arise.

There's a method to his madness He seems crazy but actually he's clever by itself

There's no such thing as a free

Nothing is entirely free by itself
lunch

Throw caution to the wind Take a risk as part of a sentence

You can't have your cake and eat

You can't have everything by itself
it too

You can't judge a book by its This person or thing may look bad, but it's
by itself
cover good inside

FAMILIAR ENGLISH IDIOMS & PROVERBS

These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are
not usually used in everyday conversation. If you haven't mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a
better place to start, but if you're already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice
up your English.

Idiom Meaning Usage

A little learning is a dangerous People who don't understand something fully

by itself
thing are dangerous

Events have momentum and build upon each

A snowball effect as part of a sentence
other

A snowball's chance in hell No chance at all as part of a sentence

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Idiom Meaning Usage

Fix the problem now because it will get worse

A stitch in time saves nine by itself
later

A storm in a teacup A big fuss about a small problem as part of a sentence

An apple a day keeps the doctor

Apples are good for you by itself
away

An ounce of prevention is worth a You can prevent a problem with little effort.
by itself
pound of cure Fixing it later is harder.

As right as rain Perfect as part of a sentence

Bolt from the blue Something that happened without warning as part of a sentence

Burn bridges Destroy relationships as part of a sentence

Something bad is coming, but right now it's

Calm before the storm as part of a sentence
calm

Come rain or shine No matter what as part of a sentence

Curiosity killed the cat Stop asking questions by itself

Cut the mustard Do a good job as part of a sentence

Don't beat a dead horse Move on, this subject is over by itself

Every dog has his day Everyone gets a chance at least once by itself

The better you know someone the less you like

Familiarity breeds contempt by itself
him

Fit as a fiddle In good health as part of a sentence

Fortune favours the bold Take risks by itself

Get a second wind Have more energy after having been tired as part of a sentence

Get wind of something Hear news of something secret as part of a sentence

Go down in flames Fail spectacularly as part of a sentence

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Idiom Meaning Usage

You'll make mistakes if you rush through

Haste makes waste by itself
something

Have your head in the clouds Not be concentrating as part of a sentence

He who laughs last laughs loudest I'll get you back for what you did by itself

Hear something straight from the

Hear something from the person involved as part of a sentence
horse's mouth

He's not playing with a full deck He's dumb by itself

He's off his rocker He's crazy by itself

He's sitting on the fence He can't make up his mind by itself

It is a poor workman who blames

If you can't do the job, don't blame it on others by itself
his tools

It is always darkest before the

Things are going to get better by itself
dawn

One person alone isn't responsible. Both people

It takes two to tango by itself
are involved.

Jump on the bandwagon Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing as part of a sentence

Know which way the wind is

Understand the situation (usually negative) as part of a sentence
blowing

Leave no stone unturned Look everywhere as part of a sentence

Let sleeping dogs lie Stop discussing an issue as part of a sentence

Like riding a bicycle Something you never forget how to do as part of a sentence

Like two peas in a pod They're always together as part of a sentence

Make hay while the sun shines Take advantage of a good situation as part of a sentence

On cloud nine Very happy as part of a sentence

You're more cautious when you've been hurt

Once bitten, twice shy by itself
before

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Idiom Meaning Usage

Out of the frying pan and into the

Things are going from bad to worse by itself
fire

Run like the wind Run fast as part of a sentence

Shape up or ship out Work better or leave by itself

Snowed under Busy as part of a sentence

That ship has sailed It's too late by itself

Someone criticizing someone else he is just as

The pot calling the kettle black as part of a sentence
bad

There are clouds on the horizon Trouble is coming by itself

Those who live in glass houses People who are morally questionable shouldn't
by itself
shouldn't throw stones criticize others

Through thick and thin In good times and in bad times as part of a sentence

Time is money Work quickly by itself

Don't waste things and you'll always have

Waste not, want not by itself
enough

We see eye to eye We agree by itself

Weather the storm Go through something difficult as part of a sentence

Well begun is half done Getting a good start is important by itself

When it rains it pours Everything is going wrong at once by itself

You can catch more flies with

You'll get what you want by being nice by itself
honey than you can with vinegar

You can lead a horse to water, but You can't force someone to make the right
by itself
you can't make him drink decision

You can't make an omelet without

There's always a cost to doing something by itself
breaking some eggs