English idioms are extremely common and understanding them is key to understanding the language as a whole. These Engish idioms are widely used and can help make your language more colorful and expressive.
Actions speak louder than words
– what people do is more important than what they say
All ears
– listening carefully and attentively
All that glitters is not gold
– something that looks valuable or attractive on the outside may not be so on the inside.
Add fuel to the fire
– when you do or say something that makes a miserable situation even worse
An arm and a leg
– very expensive
Apple of my eye
– someone or something that is very special to you
To be on the same page
– to have a shared understanding or agreement
The ball is in your court
– it’s your turn or responsibility to take action
Barking up the wrong tree
– pursuing the wrong course of action or making a wrong assumption.
Better late than never
– better to arrive late than not to come at all
Bite the bullet
– to force yourself to perform an unpleasant or difficult action or to be brave in a difficult situation
Beat around the bush
– to treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally,
to delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant
To bite off more than you can chew
– to try to do something that is too difficult for you
Break a leg
– a way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.
Break the ice
– to do or say something that makes people who do not know each other feel more comfortable
Burn bridges
– to destroy all possible ways of going back to that situation
Call it a day
– to stop working on something or end an activity
A cloud on the horizon
– trouble is coming
Comparing apples to oranges
– comparing two things that are fundamentally different and, therefore, shouldn’t be compared
Cry wolf
– to keep asking for help when you do not need it
Curiosity killed the cat
– said to warn someone not to ask too many questions about something
Cut corners
– to save money or time when doing something by not including some parts, actions, or details, so that the result is not as good as it could be
The devil’s advocate
– a person who expresses an opinion that disagrees with others
Don’t cry over spilled milk
– don’t waste time worrying about things that have already happened and can’t be changed
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
– don’t risk everything on the success of one venture
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
– don’t make plans based on something that might not happen
Don’t judge a book by its cover
– don’t judge someone or something based solely on appearance
Drop in the bucket
– a very small or unimportant amount
Draw the line
– set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept
Easy come, easy go
– said when something, especially money, is easily got and then soon spent or lost
Early bird catches the worm
– being early or punctual leads to success.
The elephant in the room
– the big issue, the problem people are avoiding
Every cloud has a silver lining
– said to emphasize that every difficult or unpleasant situation has some advantage
Face the music
– to accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions
Fair and square
– in an honest way and without any doubt
Feeling under the weather
– feeling sick or unwell
Fish out of water
– feeling uncomfortable in a particular situation
Fortune favors the bold
– who take risks often reap great rewards
To get under my skin
– to irritate or upset someone
Get out of hand
– when a situation gets out of control
Give someone the cold shoulder
– to intentionally ignore or treat someone with indifference
Good things come to those who wait
– be patient
Go the extra mile
– to make an additional effort or do more than what is expected
Go round in circles
– to keep doing or talking about the same thing without achieving anything
Go up in smoke
– something has failed or been destroyed
Go with the flow
– be relaxed and accept a situation
Have your back to/against the wall
– to have very serious problems that limit the ways in which you can act
Hit the nail on the head
– find exactly the right answer
In the same boat
– facing the same problems or challenges
It’s not rocket science
– it’s not difficult to understand
It’s raining cats and dogs
– it’s raining heavily.
I’ll/we’ll cross that bridge when I/we come/get to it
– you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens
Jump on the bandwagon
– to join an activity that has become very popular or to change your opinion to one that has become very popular
Keep an eye on the ball
– telling someone to pay attention to a situation
Keep your chin up
– stay positive and optimistic
Keep eye on the ball
– to give your attention to what you are doing at the time
Kill two birds with one stone
– achieving two goals with a single action
The last straw
– the final, intolerable thing that causes a reaction
Let the cat out of the bag
– accidentally reveal a secret
Look before you leap
– think carefully about the possible risks and effects before you decide to do something
Lose your touch
– to no longer have the ability to do things that one was able to do successfully in the past
Make a long story short
– summarize a lengthy story or explanation
Miss the boat
– this phrase is used to describe when you let an opportunity or deadline pass by.
Needle in a haystack
– something very difficult to find
No pain, no gain
– you have to work for what you want
On thin ice
– in a dangerous or risky situation with much margin for error
Once in a blue moon
– this phrase is used to describe something that doesn’t happen often.
Once bitten, twice shy
– said when you are frightened to do something again because you had an unpleasant experience doing it the first time
Out of the frying pan into the fire
– said when you move from a bad or difficult situation to one that is worse
Over the moon
– extremely happy or delighted
A penny for your thoughts
– used to ask someone what they are thinking about
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
– you should not criticize other people for bad qualities in their character that you have yourself
A perfect storm
– the worst possible situation
Piece of cake
– something very easy to do
Piece of pie
– a share of something, especially profits or success
The pot calling the kettle black
– a situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares
Put the cart before the horse
– to do things in the wrong order
Put your foot in your mouth
– to say or do something that you should not have, esp. something that embarrasses someone else
Put your money where your mouth is
– to show by your actions and not just your words that you support or believe in something
Read between the lines
– understand a deeper or hidden meaning in something
Rome wasn’t built in a day
– important things take time to accomplish
Rule of thumb
– a general guideline or rule
To run in the family
– a trait or characteristic shared among family members
See eye to eye
– agreeing with someone
To sell like hot cakes
– to be bought quickly and in large numbers
Skeleton in the closet
– a hidden or embarrassing secret
Spill the beans
– to tell people secret information
Shoot the bull
– have a casual conversation or chat
Sit on the fence
– avoid making a decision or choice
A snowball effect
– a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Steer clear of
– avoid something or someone
A storm in a teacup
– a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important
Take it with a pinch of salt
– believe only part of something
Time flies
– time passes quickly
Time is money
– you should not waste time, because you could be using it to earn money
When pigs fly
– something that is highly unlikely to happen
A watched pot never boils
– time seems to pass more slowly when you’re waiting for something
When in Rome, do as the Romans do
– adapt to local customs and behaviors
You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs
– achieving something often involves sacrifice or difficulty
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours
– used to tell someone that if they help you, you will help them
Your guess is as good as mine
– neither of us knows the answer
Zero tolerance
– no acceptance or forgiveness for a particular behavior or action
