Idioms & Meaning

Idiomswithmeaning

What is idioms mean? - Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that cannot be taken literally. In other words, when used in everyday language, they have a meaning other than the basic one you would find in the dictionary. Every language has its own idioms. Learning them makes understanding and using a language a lot easier and more fun!

A

A Blessing In Disguise:  Something good that isn't recognized at first.

A Leopard Can't Change His Spots:  You cannot change who you are.

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words:  A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

A Piece of Cake:  A task that can be accomplished very easily

All Bark And No Bite:  When someone is threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a fight.

B  

Barking Up The Wrong Tree:  A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.

Back To Square One:  Having to start all over again.

Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:  To take on a task that is way to big.

Blood Is Thicker Than Water: The family bond is closer than anything else.

Break A Leg:  A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck', but rather the opposite.

 C

Come Hell Or High Water:  Any difficult situation or obstacle.

Cross Your Fingers:  To hope that something happens the way you want it to.

Curiosity Killed The Cat:  Being Inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.

Cry Wolf: Intentionally raise a false alarm

Close but no Cigar: To be very near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short.

D

Devil's Advocate:  Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without believing in that particular side of the arguement. It can also mean one who presents a counter argument for a position they do believe in, to another debater.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch:  Don't rely on it until your sure of it.

Drive someone up the wall:  To irritate and/or annoy very much

Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth:  When someone gives you a gift, don't be 

ungrateful.

E 

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining:  Be optomistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

Elvis has left the building:  The show has come to an end. It's all over

F

Flesh and Blood: This idiom can mean living material of which people are made of, or it can refer to someone's family.

From Rags To Riches: To go from being very poor to being very wealthy.

 G

Go Out On A Limb: Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.

Good Samaritan:  Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no discussion for compensation, and no thought of a reward

Gut Feeling: A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may not be right.

H

Hat Trick:  When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game. This idiom can also mean three scores in any other sport, such as 3 homeruns, 3 touchdowns, 3 soccer goals, etc.

He Lost His Head: Angry and overcome by emotions.

Hit The Nail on the Head: Do something exactly right or say something exactly right.

I 

In The Heat Of The Moment:  Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

It's A Small World: You frequently see the same people in different places.

Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools: You are more likely to get in trouble if you have nothing to do.

J 

Jaywalk: Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk.

K 

Keep body and soul together: To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to keep yourself alive.

Knock On Wood: Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.

L 

Let The Cat Out Of The Bag: To share a secret that wasn't suppose to be shared.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: To avoid restarting a conflict.

Like a chicken with its head cut off: To act in a frenzied manner.

M

Method To My Madness: Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason.

Mum's the word: To keep quiet. To say nothing.

N 

Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You: Don't hurt anyone that helps you.

New kid on the block: Someone new to the group or area

O

Off On The Wrong Foot: Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.

On The Same Page: When multiple people all agree on the same thing.

Out Of The Blue: Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.

Out On A Limb: When someone puts them self in a risky situation.

 P

Pick up your ears: To listen very carefully

Practice Makes Perfect: By constantly practicing, you will become better.

Pulling Your Leg: Tricking someone as a joke.

 Q

Queer the pitch: Destroy or ruin a plan

 R 

Ring Fencing: Seperated usual judgement to guarantee protection, especially project funds.

Rise and Shine: Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.

Rome Was Not Built In One Day: If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time.

Rule Of Thumb: A rough estimate.

Run out of steam: To be completely out of energy.

S

Skid Row: The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.

Smell A Rat: To detect someone in the group is betraying the others.

Smell Something Fishy: Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it..

T 

The Whole Nine Yards: Everything. All of it.

Third times a charm: After no success the first two times, the third try is a lucky one.

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.

U

 Under the weather: Feeling ill or sick.

Up a blind alley: Going down a course of action that leads to a bad outcome.
Use Your Loaf: Use your head. Think smart.

V 

Van Gogh's ear for music: Tone deaf.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life: The more experiences you try the more exciting life can be

W 

Wag the Dog: A diversion away from something of greater importance.

Water Under The Bridge: Anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore.

X 

X marks the spot: A phrase that is said when someone finds something he/she has been looking for

                                                   Y 

You Are What You Eat: In order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods.

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover: Decisions shouldn't be made primarily on appearance.

You Can't Take it With You: Enjoy what you have and not what you don't have, since when you die you cannot take things (such as money) with you.

Z

Zero Tolerance: No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked.