English / Idioms and Phrases1. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might losing everything.2. A blessing in disguise: Something good that isn’t recognized by first 3. Bull in china shop: One who causes damage 4. A chip on your shoulder: Being upset for something that happened in the past 5. A damp squib: Complete failure 6. A dime A dozen: Anything that is common and easy to get 7. A doubting Thomas: A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something 8. A drop in the bucket: A very small part of something big or whole 9. A fool and his money are easily parted: It’s easy for a foolish person to lose his/ her money 10. A gentleman at large: An unreliable person 11. A green horn: Inexperienced 12. A house divided against itself cannot stand: Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out. 13. A leopard can’t change his spots: You cannot change who you are 14. A lost cause: A hopeless case, a person or situation having no hope of positive change. 15. A man of straw: A weak person 16. A mare’s nest: A false invention 17. A penny saved is a penny earned: By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little. 18. A picture paints a thousand words: A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words 19. A piece of cake: A task that can be accomplished very easily 20. A slap on the wrist: A very mild punishment 21. A stalking horse: Pretence 22. A steal: Very inexpensive, a bargain 23. A taste of your own medicine: When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others 24. A toss:up: A result hat is still unclear and can go either way 25. A wolf in sheep’s clothing: A dangerous person pretending harmless 26. ABC: Very common knowledge about to: Ready to, just going to 27. Above all: Mainly, especially 28. Above board: Fair and honest 29. According to: In the order of; on the authority of 30. Actions speak louder than words: It’s better to actually do something than hust talk about it 31. Add fuel to the fire: Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is 32. Against the clock: Rushed and short on time 33. All (day, week, month, year. long: The entire day, week, month, year 34. All along: All the time, from the beginning (without change.) 35. All and Sundry: Without making any distinction 36. All bark and no bite: When someone is threatening and/ or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight 37. All greek to me: Meaningless and incomprehensible like someone who cannot read, speak, or 38. All in all: Considering everything 39. All in the same boat: When everyone is facing the same challenges 40. All of a sudden: Suddenly, without warning (All at once.) 41. All right: Acceptable, fine; yes, okay 42. Alpha and omega: First and last letter of Greek alphabet, means beginning and end 43. An arm and a leg: Very expensive, A large amount of money 44. An axe to grind: To have a dispute with someone 45. An eye wash: A pretence 46. An iron hand: By force 47. Apple to my eye: Someone who is cherished above all others 48. As a matter of fact: Really, actually . 49. As for:Regarding, concerning (also: as to.) 50. As high as a kite: Anything that is high up in the sky 51. As soon as: Just after, when 52. As usual: as is the general case, as is typical 53. At all: To any degree . 54. At heart: Basically, fundamentally 55. At last: Finally, after a long time 56. At least: A minimum of, no fewer (or less. than 57. At odds: In dispute 58. At sixes and seven: Persons who are having different opinions 59. At the drop of a hat: Willing to do something immediately 60. Back and call: At the service 61. Back and forth: In a backward and forward motion 62. Back seat driver: People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone giving unwanted advice 63. Back to square one: Having to start all over again 64. Back to the drawing board: When an attempt fails and it’s time to start all over 65. Bag and baggage: with all goods 66. Baker’s dozen: Thirteen 67. Bank on: Depend on, count on 68. Barking up the wrong tree: A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve 69. Bated breath: In anxiety, expectancy 70. Beat a dead horse: To force an issue that has already ended 71. Beating aroundthe bash: Avoiding the main topic, not speaking directly about the issue 72. Bend over backwards: Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything 73. Between a Rock and a Hard place: Stuck between two very bad options 74. Between Scylla and Charybdis: Choice between two unpleasant alternatives 75. Between the cup and the lips: On the point of achievement 76. Bite off more than you can chew: To take on a task that is a way to big 77. Bite your tongue: To avoid talking 78. Black and white: In writing 79. Blood is thicker than water: The family bond is closer than anything else 80. Blow hot and cold: Having no stand, shows favour at one time and unfavour at another 81. Blue moon: A rare event or occurrence 82. Body and soul: Entirely 83. Break a leg: A superstitious way to say ‘Good Luck’ without saying ‘Good Luck’, 84. Buy a lemon: To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops running after you drive it 85. By & by: Gradually 86. By all means: Certainly, definitely, naturally (also: of course. ; using any possible way or method 87. By far: By a great margin, clearly 88. By fits and starts: Irregularly 89. By heart: By memorizing 90. By hook or by crook: By any means 91. By leaps and bound: speedily 92. By oneself: Alone, without assistance 93. By the way: Incidentally 94. Call a spade a spade: Straight talks 95. Can’t cut the mustard: Someone who isn’t adequate enough to compete or participate 96. Cast iron stomach: Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects with eating anything 97. Cats and bull story: Untrue story 98. Cats and dogs: Heavy rain 99. Charley horse: stiffness in the leg/ A leg cramp 100. Chew someone out: Verbally scold someone 101. Chip on his shoulder: Angry today about something that occurred in the past 102. Chow down: To eat 103. Clear: cut: Clearly stated, definite, apparent 104. Close but no cigar: To be near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short 105. Close call: A situation involving a narrow escape from danger 106. Cock and bull story: An unbelievable tale, untrue story 107. Come hell or high water: Any difficult situation or obstacle 108. Crack someone up: To make someone laugh 109. Cross your fingers: To hope that something happens the way you want it to 110. Cry wolf: Intentionally raise a false alarm 111. Cup of joe: A cup of coffee 112. Curtain lecture: A reproof by wife to her husband 113. Cut and dried: Ready made form 114. Cut to the chase: Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point 115. Dark horse: One who was previously unknown and is now prominent 116. Day in and day out: Continuously, constantly 117. Dead Ringer: 100 % identical, a duplicate 118. Devil’s advocate: Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that 119. Dog days of summer: The hottest day of the summer season 120. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch: Don’t rely on it until you sure of it 121. Don’t look a gift horse in the month: When someone gives you a gift, don’t be ungrateful 122. Don’t pull all your eggs in one basket: Do not pull all your resources in one possibility 123. Doozy: Something outstanding 124. Down to the wire: Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds 125. Drastic times call for drastic measures: When you are extremely desperate you need to take extremely desperate actions 126. Drink like a fish: To drink very heavily, drinking anything 127. Dry run: Rehearsal 128. Egg on: To urge somebody 129. Eighty six: A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to throw away 130. Elvis has left the building: The show has come to an end. It’s all over 131. Ethnic cleansing: Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale 132. Ever and anon: Now and then 133. Every cloud has a silver lining: Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days 134. Every other (one. : Every second (one. , alternate (ones.)) 135. Everything but the kitchen sink: Almost everything and anything has been included 136. Excuse my French: Please forgive me for cussing 137. Fabian policy: Policy of delaying decisions 138. Face:to:face: Direct, personal; directly, personally (written without hyphens. 139. Fair and wide: Equal opportunity to all 140. Far and wide: Every where 141. Few and far between: Not frequent, unusual, rare 142. Field day: An enjoyable day or circumstance 143. Fifty: fifty: Divided into two equal parts 144. Finding your feet: To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing 145. Finger licking good: To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing 146. Fire and brimstone: A very tasty food or meal 147. Fire and fury: Fearful penalties 148. First and foremost: Extreme enthusiasm 149. Fishy: doubtful: Highest priority 150. Fixed in your ways: Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing something 151. Flash in the pan: Something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver 152. Flea market: A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell inexpensive goods 153. Flesh and blood: This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to human nature 154. Flip the bird: To raise your middle finger at someone 155. Foam at the mouth: To be enraged and show it 156. Fools’ Gold: Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold 157. Foot the bill: Bear expenses 158. For good: Permanently, forever 159. For once: This one time, for only one time 160. For sure: Without doubt . 161. For thetime being: Temporarily . 162. Free and easy: Natural and simple 163. French kiss: An open mouth kiss where tongues touch 164. From now on: From this time into the future 165. From rags to riches: To go from very poor to being very wealthy 166. Fuddy: duddy: An old:fashioned and foolish type of person 167. Full monty: This idiom can mean either, “The whole thing” or “Completely nude” 168. Funny farm: A mental institutional facility 169. Gall and wormwood: Source of irritation 170. Get down to brass tacks: To become serious about something 171. Get over it: To move beyond something that is bothering you 172. Get up on the wrong side of the bed: Someone who is having a horrible day 173. Get your walking papers: Get fired from the job 174. Gird up the loin: To be ready 175. Give and take: Compromise, cooperation between people 176. Give him the slip: To get away from, to escape 177. Give in:Surrender 178. Go down like a lead balloon: To be received badly by an audience 179. Go for broke: To gamble everything you have 180. Go out on a limb: Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/ something 181. Go the extra mile: Going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand 182. Good Samaritan: Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for 183. Graveyard shift: Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8.00 184. Great minds think alike: Intelligent people think like each other 185. Green room:The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a TV or radio show 186. Gut feeling: A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right 187. Had better: Should, ought to, be advisable to 188. Hand a gloves: Very intimate friends 189. Hard and fast: Certain 190. Hard of hearing: Partially deaf, not able to hear well 191. Haste makes waste: Quickly doing things results in a poor ending 192. Hat Trick: When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. 193. Haughty and naughty: Arrogant and naughty 194. Have an axe to grind: To have a dispute with someone 195. Have got: To have, to possess 196. Have got to: Must. 197. He lost his head: Angry and overcome by emotions 198. Head and shoulder: Superior 199. Head over heels: Very excited and/ or joyful, especially when in love 200. Heart and soul: With full devotion 201. Hell in a hand basket: Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster 202. Helter Shelter:Here and there 203. Herculean task: A tedious job 204. High five: Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture 205. High on the Hog: Living in luxury 206. Hitbelow the belt: Contrary the principles of fairness 207. Hit the books: To study, especially for a test or exam 208. Hit the hay: Go to bed or go to sleep 209. Hit the nail on the head: Do something exactly right or say something exactly right 210. Hit the sack: Go to bed or go to sleep 211. Hither and thither: Here and there 212. Hocus Pocus: In general, a term used in magic or trickery 213. Hold your horses: Be patient 214. Hole and cornerpolicy: A secret policy for an evil purpose 215. Hornet’s nest: Raise controversy 216. Hue and cry: Great noise 217. Hush money: A bribe 218. Icing on the cake: When you already have it good and get something on top of what you already have 219. Idle hands are the devil’s tools: You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do 220. Ifit’s not one thing, it’s another: When one thing goes wrong, then another, and another… 221. Ill at ease: Uncomfortable or worried in a situation 222. In a hurry: Hurried, rushed. 223. In case:In order to be prepared if the meaning is in order to be prepared if something happens 224. In hand: Under firm control, well managed 225. In like Flynn: To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic 226. In no time: Very quickly, rapidly 227. In the bag: To have something secured 228. In the buff: Nude 229. In the heat of the moment: Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment 230. In the long run: Eventually, after a long period of time 231. In the worst way: Very much, greatly 232. Intime to: Before the time necessary to do something 233. In touch: Having contact 234. In vain: Useless, without the desired result 235. In your face: An aggressive and bold confrontation 236. Ins and outs: Full detail 237. Inside out: With the inside facing the outside 238. Intents and purposes: Practically 239. It figures: It seems likely, reasonable, or typical 240. It takes two to tango: A two person conflict where both people are at fault 241. It’s a small world: You frequently see the same people in different places 242. Itanyone’s call:A competition where the outcome is difficult to judge or predict 243. Ivory tower: Imaginary world 244. Ivy league: Since 1954 the Ivy league has been the following universities: Columbia, Brown, Cornell 245. Jaywalk: Crossing the street (from the middle. without using the crosswalk 246. Joshing me: Tricking me 247. Keep an eyeon him: You should carefully watch him. Keep an eye on 248. Keep bodyand soul together: To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive 249. Keep your chin up: To remain joyful in a tough situation 250. Kick thebucket: Die 251. Kith and kin: Blood relatives 252. Kitty:corner: Diagonally across. Sometimes called Catty: Corner as well 253. Knock on Wood: Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck 254. Know the ropes: To understand the details 255. Last but not least: An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last person mentioned is also very important 256. Last straw: The final event in a series of unacceptable actions 257. Latin and Greek: Unable to understand 258. Leave no stone unturned: Make all possible efforts 259. Lend me your ear: To politely ask for someone’s full attention 260. Length and breadth: All over 261. Let along: and certainly not (also: not to mention, to say nothing of. 262. Let the cat out of the bag: To share a secret that wasn’t suppose to be shared 263. Level playing field: A fair competition where no side has an advantage 264. Life and soul: Main support 265. Like achicken and its head cut off: To act in a frenzied manner 266. Liquor someone up: To get someone drunk 267. Little by little: Gradually, slowly. 268. Live:wire:Energetic 269. Loaves and fish: Material interests 270. Lockand key: In safe place 271. Long in the tooth: Old people or horses. 272. Loose cannon: Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept in check 273. Make no bones about: To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections 274. Method to my madness: Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason 275. Might and main: With all enthusiasm 276. Milk and water: Weak 277. More or less: Approximately, almost, somewhat, to a certain degree 278. Mumbo Jumbo: Nonsense or meaningless speech 280. Mum’s the word: To keep quiet, To say nothing 280. Narrow:minded: Not willing to accept the ideas of others. Home Back |