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

Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, usually because as part of a
it is uncomfortable sentence

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

Bite the bullet To get something over with because it is as part of a

inevitable sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

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

Cutting corners Doing something poorly in order to save time as part of a

or money sentence

Easy does it Slow down by itself

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

sentence

Get something out of your Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you as part of a
system can move on sentence

Get your act together Work better or leave by itself

Give someone the benefit of Trust what someone says as part of a

the doubt sentence

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
Idiom Meaning Usage

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

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

Speak of the devil The person we were just talking about showed 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
 Idiom Meaning Usage

Time flies when you're having You don't notice how long something lasts by itself
fun 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

We'll cross that bridge when Let's not talk about that problem right now by itself
we come to it

Wrap your head around Understand something complicated as part of a

something 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

Barking up the wrong tree To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the as part of a
wrong place sentence

Birds of a feather flock together People who are alike are often friends (usually by itself
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
Idiom Meaning Usage

Comparing apples to oranges Comparing two things that cannot be compared as part of a
sentence

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

sentence

Do something at the drop of a hat Do something without having planned as part of a

beforehand sentence

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

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

Don't cry over spilt milk There's no reason to complain about something by itself
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 a taste of your own medicine Get treated the way you've been treating others as part of a
(negative) sentence

Give someone the cold shoulder Ignore someone as part of a

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

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 fish to fry He has bigger things to take care of than what 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

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

Idiom Meaning Usage

Look before you leap Take only calculated risks by itself

On thin ice On probation. If you make another mistake, there as part of a

will be trouble. sentence

Once in a blue moon Rarely as part of a

sentence

Play devil's advocate To argue the opposite, just for the sake of as part of a
argument sentence

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
Idiom Meaning Usage

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

The devil is in the details It looks good from a distance, but when you look by itself
closer, there are problems

The early bird gets the worm The first people who arrive will get the best stuff by itself

The elephant in the room The big issue, the problem people are avoiding as part of a
sentence

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

sentence

There are other fish in the sea It's ok to miss this opportunity. Others will arise. by itself

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 it You can't have everything by itself
too

You can't judge a book by its cover This person or thing may look bad, but it's good by itself
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 thing People who don't understand something by itself
fully are dangerous

A snowball effect Events have momentum and build upon as part of a

each other sentence

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

sentence

A stitch in time saves nine Fix the problem now because it will get by itself
worse 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 by itself
pound of cure effort. Fixing it later is harder.

As right as rain Perfect as part of a

sentence

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

warning sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Burn bridges Destroy relationships as part of a

sentence

Calm before the storm Something bad is coming, but right now as part of a
it's calm sentence

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

Familiarity breeds contempt The better you know someone the less by itself
you like 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 as part of a
tired sentence

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

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Go down in flames Fail spectacularly as part of a

sentence

Haste makes waste You'll make mistakes if you rush through 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 as part of a
horse's mouth involved sentence

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

It is always darkest before the dawn Things are going to get better by itself

It takes two to tango One person alone isn't responsible. Both by itself
people are involved.

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

doing sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Know which way the wind is blowing Understand the situation (usually as part of a
negative) sentence

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

Once bitten, twice shy You're more cautious when you've been by itself
hurt before

Out of the frying pan and into the fire Things are going from bad to worse by itself

Run like the wind Run fast as part of a

sentence

Shape up or ship out Work better or leave by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

Snowed under Busy as part of a

sentence

That ship has sailed It's too late by itself

The pot calling the kettle black Someone criticizing someone else he is as part of a
just as bad sentence

There are clouds on the horizon Trouble is coming by itself

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

Waste not, want not Don't waste things and you'll always by itself
have 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

Idiom Meaning Usage

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

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

You can't make an omelet without There's always a cost to doing by itself
breaking some eggs something