This document defines and provides examples of common idioms and phrases. It lists 28 idiomatic expressions with their literal and intended meanings. Some examples of idioms included are "beat around the bush" meaning to avoid important topics, "get your act together" meaning get organized, and "break a leg" meaning good luck. The document aims to familiarize the reader with idioms through concise definitions and illustrative examples of usage.
This document defines and provides examples of common idioms and phrases. It lists 28 idiomatic expressions with their literal and intended meanings. Some examples of idioms included are "beat around the bush" meaning to avoid important topics, "get your act together" meaning get organized, and "break a leg" meaning good luck. The document aims to familiarize the reader with idioms through concise definitions and illustrative examples of usage.
This document defines and provides examples of common idioms and phrases. It lists 28 idiomatic expressions with their literal and intended meanings. Some examples of idioms included are "beat around the bush" meaning to avoid important topics, "get your act together" meaning get organized, and "break a leg" meaning good luck. The document aims to familiarize the reader with idioms through concise definitions and illustrative examples of usage.
This document defines and provides examples of common idioms and phrases. It lists 28 idiomatic expressions with their literal and intended meanings. Some examples of idioms included are "beat around the bush" meaning to avoid important topics, "get your act together" meaning get organized, and "break a leg" meaning good luck. The document aims to familiarize the reader with idioms through concise definitions and illustrative examples of usage.
An idiom is an expression or phrase whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words “Idioms mean something different than the individual words.”
Idiom Idiom Meaning
To beat around the bush To avoid talking about what’s important Get your act together Get organized and do things effectively Hit the sack Go to sleep Your guess is as good as mine I do not know Good things come to those who wait To have patience Back against the wall Stuck in a difficult circumstance with no escape Burn your bridges Doing something that makes it impossible to go back to the original state. Break fresh/ new ground Doing something that has never been done before Sell like hot cakes Quick sellout Run around in circles Putting efforts into something that is not a worthwhile result On cloud nine Being very happy Left out in the cold Being ignored Blow hot and cold Alternate inconsistently between moods and actions Cut corners Doing something in an easier and least expensive manner Keep an ear to the ground Staying informed and updated about everything Eat like a horse Eating too excessively
More examples
1. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush
Meaning: An opportunity in hand, currently, is better than a prospect in the future, because time never repeats itself. Example: The detective apprehended 3 criminals and saw another one running but didn’t chase him, because she knew a bird in one hand is better than two in the bush.
2. Chip off the old block
Meaning: A person is similar in behaviour or actions to his parents. Example: When grandmother saw her grandson collecting coins like her son used to do, she knew he was a Chip off the old block.
3. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
1 Meaning: Treat people the same way you want to be treated. Example: I felt Peter was a little cold today towards that homeless man, he should do unto others as he would have them do unto him, because who knows about time.
4. Don’t cry over spilt milk
Meaning: Don’t cry over what has happened as it can not be fixed. Example: Walter failed his examination but his dad came and said just one thing, “Son, Don’t cry over spilt milk.”
5. Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: Bad things one day eventually lead to good things. Example: See, yesterday you were so morose as your phone was stolen but look at you today, you got a promotion. Is it rightly said that every cloud has a silver lining.
6. Beside yourself with joy
Meaning: To be extremely happy. Example: I can see that you are beside yourself with joy on being selected for the job, congratulations.
7. Fair and square
Meaning: Being direct or fair. Example: To tell you fair and square, I did everything that I was meant to do, but I still feel unfulfilled.
8. Having an Ace up the sleeve
Meaning: Have an advantage that is currently being withheld for future purposes. Example: Brian kept quiet at the board meeting, who knew he had an Ace hidden up his sleeve the whole time.
9. A black sheep Meaning: Being a disgrace for the family. Example: They don’t talk about Olive anymore, turns out he was the Black sheep for the family, he married someone else while he was still arranged to his fiancé.
10. Hook, line and sinker
Meaning: Doing something or trying to achieve something with thoroughness and passion. Example: I have set my mind to go through the spreadsheets by Monday and I am working for it Hook, line and sinker.
11. Bear a grudge
Meaning: To continue to feel angry or unfriendly for someone or something because of a particular past incident. Example: I Bear a grudge against him for not taking me into confidence.
2 12. By the skin of your teeth Meaning: To just barely get by or make it. Example: Lester made the dance team By the skin of his teeth, you see the audition gates were about to get closed.
13. Draw the line
Meaning: To stop before a point where something okay gets not okay. Example: Hey buddy, that’s enough, Draw the line before someone comes and beats you to a pulp.
14. Easier said than done
Meaning: Not as easy as it appears to be. Example: Listen, losing weight is easier said than done, many people lack commitment.
15. Break a leg
Meaning: Saying good luck to someone. Example: Hey Barry, it’s time for you to get on the stage and present your monologue, break a leg.
16. Fish out of water
Meaning: To be out of your comfort zone. Example: Tom felt like a fish out of water when his girlfriend took him to a Star Wars convention in LA.
17. In the fast lane
Meaning: A life filled with excitement. Example: When Chris turned forty, he decided to live his life in the fast lane and quit his job for his hobbies.
18. Go the extra mile
Meaning: To make an extra effort. Example: He was willing to go the extra mile for the love of his life, Mia.
19. Step up your game
Meaning: To start performing better Example: Jennifer better step up her game if she wants to make big in Basketball.
20. Has bigger fish to fry
Meaning: Has more important work to do. Example: Please don’t bother me today with any calls, I have bigger fish to fry.
21. Look before you leap
Meaning: Calculate the risks before advancing towards a possibility. Example: You can’t just sell all of your shares when the market is low, look before you leap, Trump is coming tomorrow, it is possible the shares will grow.
3 22. On thin ice Meaning: In a precarious or risky situation. Example: Andy played hooky from work for a week saying he was sick, now his boss said that he is on very thin ice.
23. Rain on someone’s parade
Meaning: To spoil a moment. Example: He told his wife that he doesn’t want to rain on her parade, but they had to shift their vacation dates.
24. Take a rain check
Meaning: Postpone a plan. Example: He asked me whether I would like to have dinner with his family, but I had a thing so I said, rain check.
25. Take it with a grain of salt
Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously. Example: She tells great tales but we take whatever she says with a grain of salt.
26. Like a cakewalk
Meaning: So easy task. Example: Everyone took hours to write the code but Adam did it like a cakewalk.
27. Throw caution to the wind
Meaning: Take a risk. Example: The caretaker threw caution to the wind by taking a sick baby outside.
28. Penny-wise and Pound foolish
Meaning: Careful in trivial matters but wasteful or extravagant in large matters. Example: That man eats Ramen noodles daily for dinner but for his dog, he threw a big party. He is indeed penny-wise and pound-foolish.
