COMMON IDIOMS – Derived from various sources - refrence

Common Idioms Definitions

It cost me an arm and a leg to take my trip to Australia. Very expensive

I was over the moon when he asked me to marry him. Extremely pleased or happy

You are taking your IELTS test next week?? Aren’t you jumping the gun. Doing or starting something too early
You’ve only just started studying.
He comes round to see me once in a blue moon. Happening very rarely

He’s got a chip on his shoulder. Feeling inferior or having a grievance

about something
I reckon getting a band 7 in IELTS will be a piece of cake! I’m very good at Very easy
English.
The money sent by comic relief to help poverty in Africa is just a drop in the A very small part of something much
ocean. They need far more than this. bigger
Getting a low score the first time I took IELTS was a blessing in disguise. It Something positive that isn’t recognized
forced me to study extremely hard so I got a much better score the next time. until later

We have to actually do something about global warming. Actions speak louder It’s better to actually do something
than words. rather than just talking about it

I bumped into Jenny in town the other day. It's a small world. Meeting someone you would not have
expected to
Common Idioms Definitions

Oh well, I got 5.5 in IELTS again. Back to the drawing When an attempt to do something fails and it's time to
board! start all over again using different methods

I hate my job so much I can’t bare going to work, but if I Having two very bad choices.
quit I don’t think I can get another job. I’m really stuck /
caught between a rock and a hard place. (note: stuck/caught can be omitted)

I have to bite my tongue so I don’t say what I really Wanting to say something but stopping yourself.
think of him!

Come on, cut to the chase. We haven’t got all day! Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the
point

Are you putting all of your savings into that company? Putting all of ones resources into one possibility
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Try not to worry about it. Every cloud has a silver lining. Believing that every bad situation has a positive side /
eventually leads to something good

It was difficult when I moved to another country but I To become comfortable in what you are doing
eventually found my feet.

My parents are very fixed in their ways. They won’t start Not wanting to change from the normal ways of doing
using the internet. things

I think he got up on the wrong side of the bed this To refer to someone who is having a bad day
morning. He is in a terrible mood.

My mother will always go the extra mile to help people. Doing much more than is required when doing
something

Common Idioms Definitions

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. That’s the Say exactly the right thing
reason he didn’t get the job.

Today’s going so badly. If it’s not one thing, it’s the When everything seems to be going wrong
other.

I just said it in the heat of the moment. I was angry. I Saying or doing something suddenly without thinking
know I shouldn’t have. about it

Keep an eye on him. I think he may cheat in the exam. Watch someone or something carefully

Have you heard? John down the road has kicked the Died
bucket.

I don’t want to argue with him again. It’s better to let Avoid a conflict
sleeping dogs lie.

I told him what gift you have bought him for his Tell someone something that you were not supposed to
birthday. Sorry, I didn’t mean to let the cat out of the
bag.

Don’t tell her what you really think of her if she’s Hurt or upset someone who is helping you
helping you with your English! Don’t bite the hand that
feeds you.

I’m not sure which party he is going to vote for. Not making a firm decision between different choices
He’s sitting on the fence.

Everything she does is very over the top. She can’t just Excessive
have a few drinks – se has to get really drunk.

Common Idioms Definitions

Let’s keep studying for IELTS. Practice makes perfect. Continuously doing something to improve

Don’t get upset about what he said. He’s just pulling Joking around
your leg.

Sorry but I think I’ll take a rain check on that. To decline an offer that you will take up later

As a rule of thumb, I don’t study at weekends. I spend Principal that is strictly adhered / kept to
the time with my family.
I can smell a rat. He said he has a PhD but he can’t even To sense that something is not right
remember which university he studied at.

She’s the spitting image of her mother. To look exactly like someone else

The ball's in your court now. What are you going to do? Telling someone it's now their turn to make a decision

Unfortunately I think he’ll be studying for IELTS until For a very long time
the cows come home. His English is very poor.

It was all tongue-in-cheek. He didn’t really mean what Something said in humour rather than seriously
he said.

She’s feeling under the weather today so she won’t be Unwell

going to work.

ommon Idioms Definitions

We've had some big disagreements over the years, but Things from the past that are not
it’s all water under the bridge now. We get on fine. important anymore

You are what you eat so it’s better to have a healthy diet. If you eat bad food, you’ll be unhealthy, if
you eat good food, you’ll be healthy

You can’t judge a book by its cover. I need to get to The belief that outside appearances do not
know him before I decide what he is like. reveal what someone or something is
really like

We're really working against the clock now. We must Not having enough time to do something
hurry.

Why are we bothering? We're flogging a dead horse. Attempting to continue with something
Our online business is making no money, so we should that is finished / over
move on and do something else.

I bent over backwards to help him. I hope he Doing all you can to help someone
appreciates it.

So you have the IELTS test today?? Break a leg. Good luck

Ok, I'm playing devil's advocate here, but if marijuana is To put forward a side in an argument that
legalized, isn't it more likely young people will smoke it? may not be your own in order to show the
counter-argument / ensure all sides are
discussed

Hold your horses! We haven't won anything yet. Telling someone who is getting ahead of
themselves to wait / be patient

Annoying or irritating som

She is driving me up the wall. She won't stop talking.
 • Hive of activity – a place where a lot is happening
New York is a hive of activity. There’s always something to do, even at night!
• Second to none – the best, better than everything else
I truly believe my town is second to none. It’s just a great place to live!
• Middle of nowhere – a place that is very remote, far from any city/town
I was born in the middle of nowhere. The nearest shop was 20 miles away!
• Hustle and bustle – To have many activities, a crowded and modern place
I love living in London. I always wanted the hustle and bustle of a big city.
• A stone’s throw (from) – very close to
My apartment is just a stone’s throw from the centre of Paris.
2. Work
• Go the extra mile – to do more than is expected of you
I’m a hard worker and always go the extra mile to make sure my team does well.
• Pull one’s weight – to do a fair share of the work
There’s always one guy at work who doesn’t pull his weight.
• Follow one’s heart – do what you feel is right for you
After university, I decided to follow my heart and become a doctor.
• Raise one’s game – improve the standard of your work or performance
When I started working at Nike HQ, I really had to raise my game!
• On the dole – receiving unemployment benefit from the state welfare system
When I was between jobs, I was on the dole for about 6 months.
3. Sport & fitness
• In perfect shape – be very fit, in top physical condition
I’m not in perfect shape these days, but I used to run marathons regularly.
• Make the cut – be selected, meet the right standard
I tried out for the local hockey team last year, but I didn’t make the cut.
• Give it one’s best shot – try one’s hardest
Our football team lost in the final, but at least we gave it our best shot!
• Couch potato – lazy person who likes to lie around on the sofa
I’ve been a couch potato during lockdown! I really should join the gym now.
5. Relationships
• Get on like a house on fire – to get along really well with someone
I was apprehensive about living with my colleague Juan, but now we get on like a house on fire.
• Rub each other up the wrong way – not get on well, argue, clash
Me and my sister have always rubbed each other up the wrong way. I guess we’re just very different people.
• On the same wavelength – to click, have a great understanding
John’s my best friend. We’re just on the same wavelength.
6. Home
• There’s no place like home – home is a very special place
I love living away at university, but there’s no place like home.
• Fly the nest – leave family home forever
I’m not ready to fly the nest yet. I want to find a good job and apartment first.
• Get on the property ladder – buy first house
Mortgages are a big responsibility, but I think it’s important to get on the property ladder as early as possible.
• Creature comforts – household items that give added comfort
I can’t do without my creature comforts – a comfy bed, electric blanket and widescreen TV in the bedroom!
• Get homesick – miss home badly when away
I used to get homesick all the time, but now I’m used to living abroad.
7. Technology
• Go viral – quickly become popular on the internet
The company’s Youtube clip went viral and boosted sales by 200%.
• Not rocket science – not difficult or overly complicated
Some say even basic coding is super hard, but it’s not rocket science.
• Run out of steam – lose momentum, decrease in popularity
To be honest, I think Facebook has run out of steam. Instagram is way more popular these days.
8. Music
• One-hit wonder – person/band that had only one hit song
Many bands become famous for a great song, but are never seen again. I guess it’s easier to be a one-hit wonder!
• On full blast – at maximum volume
I like putting my music on full blast, but my neighbours always complain!
• Be into (a type of music) – like, enjoy listening to
I used to be into heavy metal, but I’m more into drum’n’bass right now.
9. Movies
• Be on the edge of one’s seat – very excited, nervous
The new Bond movie had us on the edge of our seats.
• Live up to the hype – to be as good as people hoped it will be
I was sure the new Marvel movie was going to be a disappointment, but it really lived up to the hype!
• A household name – famous person who everyone knows
Because of his great success as an actor, Robert De Niro has become a household name.
10. Travel
• Hit the road – to start a journey or leave a place
If I’m going on a long journey, I always like to hit the road early and beat the traffic.
• Off the beaten track – far from civilisation, away from people/tourists
Whenever I travel, I prefer to stay off the beaten track. I hate touristy places!
• Travel light – to bring few items on a trip
I’m only going for the weekend, so I plan to travel light.
• Everything but the kitchen sink – a lot of items/things
When my Australian friend comes to stay, she brings everything but the kitchen sink!
• Live out of a suitcase – travel a lot, and therefore be limited to the contents of a suitcase
My job involves so much travelling that I practically live out of a suitcase.
11. Study
• Hit the books – to study
I can’t party with my friends much because I need to hit the books.
• Learn (something) by heart – to memorise something
When you’re at Med School like me, you have to learn a lot of anatomical terms by heart.
• Pass with flying colours – to pass a test easily and with a high score
At school, I struggled with Maths while others passed with flying colours.
• Teacher’s pet – the teacher’s favourite student
I have to admit I definitely was the teacher’s pet at school!
• Take it one step at a time – do something slowly and methodically
In my experience, it’s not easy to learn a new language. You just have to take it one step at a time.
• Bookworm – someone who reads a lot, a geek
My brother reads 5 hours a day. He is such a bookworm!
12. Environment
• The great outdoors – all outdoor space, wild nature
We all need to escape the city and enjoy the great outdoors from time to time.
• Neck of the woods – area
We often go camping, but I had never been to that neck of the woods before.
13. Money
• Throw money down the drain – waste money
When you rent an apartment, you’re basically throwing money down the drain!
• Keep the wolf from the door – have just enough money to buy food/essentials
My grandparents were not rich. In fact, they barely had enough money to keep the wolf from the door.
• Live from hand to mouth – to spend all your daily wage on essentials
Many families in the poorer parts of my country live from hand to mouth.
• On a shoestring (budget) – do something without spending a lot of money
I’m going travelling around Europe on a shoestring this summer because I don’t have a lot of money.
• In the money – rich, have a lot of cash
If I’m working as a top lawyer in 5 years from now, I really will be in the money.
• Strapped for cash – be poor, not have a lot of money
When I was a uni student, I was always strapped for cash!
14. Likes & dislikes
• Not my cup of tea – something that is not to your taste
Art galleries are not my cup of tea. I always get bored and head to the nearest café!
• Up one’s street – like it, suits
I’m not into horror movies at all. I’d say rom coms are more up my street.
15. Changes
• Turn over a new leaf – change the way you behave and become a better person
I think New Year’s resolutions are good if you want to turn over a new leaf.
• Take stock (of something) – To think carefully about a situation so that you can decide what to do about it
In my opinion, we all need to take stock of what is happening with climate change today. Then we can make positive
changes together.
• Kick the habit – stop doing something harmful that you have done for a long time
I’ve been biting my nails for years, but I really want to kick the habit.
• Water under the bridge – about an event that has passed and is not important or relevant now, forgotten/forgiven
I used to fight with my sister when we were kids, but it’s all water under the bridge now.
• Find one’s feet – get used to a place or situation, settle/adjust
When I first moved to the UK, it took me several months to find my feet.
• A dime a dozen – Anything that is common and easy to get
• Between the cup and the lips – On the point of achievement
• Blue blood – Member of high class society
• A damp squib – Complete failure
• Head Over Heels – Very excited
• An iron hand – By force
• An eyewash – A pretence
• At the drop of a hat – Willing to do something immediately
• At one’s wits end – In a state where one does not know what to do
• Burn the midnight oil – Work or study hard
• Hand over fist – Quickly and continuously
• At daggers drawn – Bitterly hostile
• All at sea – State of confusion
• To play ducks and drakes – To act foolishly or inconsistently
• To bell the cat – To face the risk
• At sixes and seven – Persons who are having different opinions
• Feather one’s own nest – Make money unfairly
• Turn over a new leaf – Change for the better
• Tooth and nail – With all one’s power
• Smell a rat – Suspect something foul
• At one’s beck and call – Under his control
• Bolt from the blue – A complete surprise
• With flying colors – Doing exceptionally well
• Stick to one’s guns – Stick to one’s guns
• Hard and fast – Very strict
• Beat around the bush – Avoid coming to the point
• Chew the cud – Ponder over something
• Kick the bucket – Die
• Spill the beans – To disclose a secret
• By leaps and bounds – Rapidly
• Ever and anon – Now and then, occasionally
• Bone of contention – Cause of an argument
• A man of straw – A weak person
• Golden handshake – A big sum of money given to a person when he/she leaves a company or retires
• To die in harness – To die while in duty
• Add fuel to the fire – To aggravate the situation
• Be on cloud nine – Very happy
• A bolt from the blue – Something unexpected
• Know the ropes – To understand the details
• To give vent to – Express
• Jump the bandwagon – Jump the bandwagon
• Cry over spilled milk – Complaining about a loss or failure from the past
• A mare’s nest – A false invention
 • Behind closed doors – Doing something secretly
• Come hell or high water – Possible obstacles in your path
• Back to Square One – To go back to the beginning
• Blessing in disguise – Something good and useful that did not initially seem that way
• Icing on the cake – Something that turns good into great
• Cost an arm and a leg – Be very expensive
• Up in Arms – Very angry
• Black and blue – Full of Bruises

S.No Idioms and Phrases Meaning

1. A blessing in disguise A good thing that initially seemed bad

2. A dime a dozen Something that is very common, not unique

3. Adding insult to injury To make a bad situation even worse

4. Beat around the bush Avoid sharing your true viewpoint or feelings because it is
uncomfortable
5. Beating a dead horse Giving time or energy to something that is ended or over

6. Bite the bullet To get an unfavorable situation or chore over with now because it will
need to get finished eventually
7. Best of both words The choice or solution has all of the advantages of two contrasting
things at the same time
8. Biting off more than you can Not having the capacity to take on a new assignment or task that is
chew just too taxing
9. By the skin of your teeth Just barely making it

10. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover Not judging something by its initial appearance

11. Doing something at the drop of Doing something at the moment of being asked
a hat
12. Don’t count your chickens Not to count on something happening until after it’s already happened
before they hatch
13. Caught between a rock and a Making a choice between two unpleasant choices
hard place
14. Costs an arm and a leg Something that is overpriced or very expensive

15. Cutting corners Not performing a task or duty correctly in order to save time or money

16. Devil’s advocate To take the side of the counter-argument, or offer an alternative point
of view
17. Feeling under the weather Not feeling well, or feeling sick

18. Fit as a fiddle Being in good health

19. Getting a taste of your own Being treated the way that you have been treating others
medicine
20. Getting a second wind Having energy again after being tired

21. Giving the beneath of the doubt Believing someone’s story without proof even though it may seem
unbelievable
22. Giving someone the cold Ignoring someone
shoulder
23. Going on a wild goose chase Doing something that is pointless

24. Heard it on the grape wine Hearing rumors about someone or something

25. Hitting the nail on the head Hearing rumors about someone or something

26. Killing two birds with one stone Accomplishing two different tasks in the same undertaking

27. Letting someone of the hook Not holding someone responsible for something

28. Letting the cat out of the bag Sharing information that was intended to be a secret

29. No pain, No gain You have to work hard in order to see results

30. On the ball Doing a good job, being prompt, or being responsible

31. Once in a blue moon Something that doesn’t happen very often

32. Piece of cake A task or job that is easy to complete

33. Pulling someone’s leg Joking with someone

34. Speak of the devil When the person you have just been talking about arrives

35. Stealing someone’s thunder Taking credit for someone else’s achievements

36. Straight from the horse’s mouth Reading or hearing something from the source

37. The last straw The last difficulty or annoyance that makes the entire situation
unbearable
38. the elephant in the room An issue, person, or problem that someone is trying to avoid

39. Throwing caution to the wind Being reckless or taking a risk

40. Your guess is as good as mine To not know something