Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Idioms
Idioms
Idioms
break new ground – do something innovative which is considered an advance or positive benefit
make your mark – become famous and successful
get to grips with something - deal with (a problem or a subject)
come out of your shell - to be more sociable; to become less shy and more friendly
tighten your belt – cut your expenditure, to make budget cuts
keep a low profile - to avoid attracting attention to yourself
get your act together – organize yourself in the manner required in order to achieve something
take somewhere by storm - to be suddenly extremely successful in a place or popular with someone:
e.g. As everyone knows, the Beatles took the US by storm.
put your oar in - to say or do something that annoys other people because they have not asked you
to join their conversation or activity:
e.g. No one asked him to help - he's always sticking his oar in.
catch someone off guard – to surprise someone, esp. in a way that makes the person feel confused or
uncertain:
e.g. The news caught her completely off guard – she didn't know what to say.
go out of the window - If a quality, principle, or idea goes out of the window, it does not exist any more:
e.g. Then people start drinking and sense goes out of the window.
put something on ice - If a plan is on ice, a decision has been made to delay it for a period of time:
e.g. Both projects are on ice until the question of funding is resolved.
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e.g. I was shocked to the core by what Gerry said, as I had absolutely no idea of what had been going
on.
at a loose end – having nothing to do; not knowing what to do.
e.g. If you are at a loose end, why not come round and see us this evening?
in a tight corner - to be in a difficult situation
out on a limb – isolated or stranded; without support.
e.g. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that France will win World Cup in 2002.
economical with the truth – used euphemistically to describe a person or statement that lies or
deliberately withholds information
e.g. Politicians can be rather economical with the truth, preferring not to give any bad news.
thin (or thick) on the ground – existing (or not existing) in large numbers or amounts
e.g. Tickets for Radiohead’s concert next month are very thin on the ground.
be at loggerheads with someone - to strongly disagree (with someone):
e.g. The Chancellor is at loggerheads with the prime minister over public spending.
pie in the sky – something that is agreeable to contemplate but very unlikely to be realized
e.g. Faye’s always having ridiculous ideas – they are all pie in the sky.
be quick (or slow) off the mark – be fast (or slow) in responding to a situation or understanding
something.
e.g. The press was really quick of the mark and there was full coverage of the scandal the next
day.
get something off your chest – say something that you have wanted to say for a long time, resulting in
a feeling of relief.
e.g. If you are feeling worried or upset you should talk to someone and get it off your chest.
give sb the cold shoulder - to deliberately ignore someone in an unfriendly way:
e.g. I tried to be pleasant to her but she gave me the cold shoulder.
give your right arm - If you say that you would give your right arm to do or have something, you mean
you would like it very much:
e.g. I'd give my right arm for the opportunity to study abroad for a year.
sb's eyes are bigger than their belly/stomach - something that you say when someone has taken
more food than they can eat
e.g. Can't you finish all your food Billy? Your eyes were bigger than your stomach.
stand on your own (two) feet – be or become self-reliant or independent
e.g. She'll have to get a job and learn to stand on her own two feet sooner or later.
hot on sb’s heels - following someone very closely:
e.g. She ran down the steps with a group of journalists hard on her heels.
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pull sb’s leg - to try to persuade someone to believe something that is not true as a joke:
e.g. He didn’t really mean what he said. I think he was just pulling your leg.
keep somebody on their toes - to force someone to continue giving all their attention and energy to
what they are doing
e.g. The teacher does tests without warning, just to keep the class on their toes.
week at the knees – overcome by a strong emotion. If you go weak at the knees, you lose your strength and
feel you are going to fall over, usually because of seeing or talking about either someone you are very
attracted to or because of something unpleasant or frightening:
e.g. The thought of kissing him made me go weak at the knees.
jump/leap out of your skin - to be extremely surprised by something:
e.g. The loud noise made me jump out of my skin.
be skin and bone(s) - to be extremely thin:
e.g. If she loses anymore weight she'll be just skin and bones.
bite your tongue – make a desperate effort to avoid saying something
e.g. I wanted to tell him exactly what I thought of him, but I had to bite my tongue.
skeleton in the/your cupboard/closet - an embarrassing secret:
e.g. Most families have one or two skeletons in the cupboard.
by the skin of your teeth - If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeeded
in doing it:
e.g. He escaped from the secret police by the skin of his teeth
young at heart - thinking and behaving as if you are younger than you really are:
e.g. Dad might be nearly 90 but he's still young at heart.
keep your hair on - said to tell someone to stop being so angry or upset:
e.g. Keep your hair on! Your car isn't badly damaged!
get blood out of/from a stone – to make someone give or tell you something, when it is extremely
difficult because of the character or mood of the person or organization are dealing with:
e.g. I asked him to lend me the money, but it was like trying to get blood out of a stone.
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be in a (pretty/right) pickle - to be in a difficult situation
e.g. And when you are really in a pickle, remember to stay calm and think positive.
the icing on the cake - something that makes a good situation even better:
e.g. I was just content to see my daughter in such a stable relationship but a grandchild, that
really was the icing on the cake.
not be sb's cup of tea - If something or someone is not your cup of tea, they are not the type of
thing or person that you like:
e.g. Thanks for inviting me, but ballet isn't really my cup of tea.
have your cake and eat it - to have or do two good things at the same time that are impossible to have
or do at the same time:
You can't have your cake and eat it - if you want more local services, you can't
expect to pay less tax.
be as nice as pie - if someone is nice as pie, they are friendly to you when you are expecting them not to
be:
e.g. I came in this morning expecting him to be furious with me and he was nice as pie.
a smart cookie - someone who is clever and good at dealing with difficult situations
e.g. If anyone can make this company succeed, it's Kathy - she's one smart cookie.
don't put all your eggs in one basket – don't risk everything on the success of one venture
e.g. Don't invest all your money in one company. It's never a good idea to put all your eggs in one
basket.
another/a second bite of the cherry - another opportunity to do something:
e.g. He missed a medal in the 100 metres, but will get a second bite of the cherry in the
400 metres.
small peanuts – small amount of money
e.g. My salary is just small peanuts compared to what some people earn.
be the best thing since sliced bread - to be an excellent person or thing
e.g. According to them, the new software is the best thing since sliced bread.
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it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do something (ALSO you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to do
something) - it is easy to do or understand something:
e.g. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you treat her well, she'll be happier.
get your head around something - to be able to understand something (usually negative)
e.g. He's tried to explain the rules of the game dozens of times but I just can't get my head
around them.
be quick/slow on the uptake - If someone is quick/ slow on the uptake they understand
things easily/with difficulty:
e.g. He's a bit slow on the uptake, so you may have to repeat the instructions a fewtimes.
not the sharpest knife – another way to tell that somebody is not the brightest person in
attendance.
e.g. He’s is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
use your loaf - used to tell someone in a slightly angry way that they should think more
carefully about what they are doing
be as thick as two short planks - to be very stupid
e.g. He might be good-looking but he's as thick as two short planks.
one sandwich short of a picnic - not very smart; lacking intelligence.
e.g. Poor Bob just isn't too bright. He's one sandwich short of a picnic.
no flies on sb - If you say there are no flies on someone, you mean that they cannot easily be deceived.
be no fool (ALSO be nobody's fool) - to not be stupid or easily deceived:
e.g. I notice Ed didn't offer to pay for her - he's no fool.
be like a fish out of water - to feel awkward because you are in a situation that you have
not experienced before or because you are very different from the people around you
e.g. I felt like a fish out of water when I started in this company.
have butterflies (in your stomach) - to feel very nervous, usually about something you are
going to do:
e.g. I had terrible butterflies before I gave that speech.
make a pig's ear of sth - to do something badly, wrongly, or awkwardly:
e.g. He's made a real pig's ear of that bookcase he was supposed to be making.
take the bull by the horns - to do something difficult in a brave and determined way:
e.g. Why don't you take the bull by the horns and tell him to leave?
wild-goose chase - a search that is completely unsuccessful and a waste of time because the
person or thing being searched for does not exist or is somewhere else:
e.g. After two hours spent wandering in the snow, I realized we were on a wild goose chase
have a bee in your bonnet - to keep talking about something again and again because you think it
is very important:
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e.g. She never stops talking about dieting - she's got a real bee in her bonnet about it.
let the cat out of the bag - to allow a secret to be known, usually without intending to:
e.g. I was trying to keep the party a secret, but Mel went and let the cat out of the bag.
till/until the cows come home - for a very long time:
e.g. I could sit here and argue with you till the cows come home, but it wouldn't solve anything.
cock-and-bull story - a story that is obviously not true, especially one given as an excuse: e.g. He gave
me some cock-and-bull story about having to be at his cousin's engagement party.
as the crow flies - describes a distance when measured in a straight line between two points or
places:
e.g. My house is quite near as the crow flies, but there's no direct road.
hold your horses - used to tell someone to stop and consider carefully their decisions
or opinion about something:
e.g. Just hold your horses, Bill! Let's think about this for a moment.
have kittens - to be very worried, upset, or angry about something:
e.g. My mother nearly had kittens when I said I was going to buy a motorbike.
crocodile tears - tears that you cry when you are not really sad or sorry
e.g. That's crocodile tears, you are just faking.
the hair of the dog (that bit you) - an alcoholic drink taken as a cure the morning after
an occasion when you have drunk too much alcohol
e.g. Bill, still feeling the effects of the previous evening, had suggested that we go into a bar
because he needed a hair of the dog
dark horse - a person who keeps their interests and ideas secret, especially someone who has
a surprising ability or skill:
e.g. Anna's such a dark horse - I had no idea she'd published a novel.
go to the dogs – deteriorate shockingly, especially in behaviour or morals:
e.g. If you read our media or watch TV, you would think that the country is going to the dogs.
be no spring chicken - to be no longer young
don't count your chickens before they're hatched - said to emphasize that you cannot depend on
something happening before it has happened
lone wolf - loner
TRUE COLOURS
black look - an expression on your face that is full of anger and hate:
e.g. She gave me a black look.
a black mark against someone – something that someone has done that is disliked or
disapproved of by other people.
e.g. If I'm late for work again, it will be another black mark against me.
black eye - an area of skin around the eye that has gone dark because it has been hit:
e.g. He had a fight at school and came home with a black eye.
black market - illegal trading of goods that are not allowed to be bought and sold, or that there are
not enough of for everyone who wants them:
e.g. They blamed high taxes for the growth of a black market in cigarettes.
a black day - a day when something very unpleasant or sad happens (usually + for )
e.g. A bomb went off early this morning. This is a black day for the peace process.
black sheep - a person who has done something bad that brings embarrassment or shame to his
or her family:
e.g. He's the black sheep of the family.
red herring - a fact, idea, or subject that takes people's attention away from the central point
being considered:
e.g. The police investigated many clues, but they were all red herrings.
red alert - the state of being ready to deal with) a sudden dangerous situation: e.g.
The army was on red alert against the possibility of an attack.
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the red carpet - a long, red floor covering that is put down for an important guest to walk on
when he or she visits somewhere and receives a special official welcome, or a special welcome of
this type:
e.g. We'll roll out the red carpet for the senator.
red tape - official rules and processes that seem unnecessary and delay results:
e.g. We must cut through the red tape.
grey matter - a person's intelligence:
e.g. It's not the sort of movie that stimulates the old grey matter much.
grey area - a situation that is not clear or where the rules are not known:
e.g. The difference between gross negligence and recklessness is a legal grey area.
the men in grey suits - men in business or politics who have a lot of power and influence although the
public does not see them or know about them
e.g. As usual, it is the men in grey suits who will decide the future of the industry.
white elephant - something that has cost a lot of money but has no useful purpose
white lie - a lie that is told in order to be polite or to stop someone from being upset by thetruth
white Christmas - a Christmas when it snows:
e.g. Do you think we might have a white Christmas this year?
black mark - the fact of people noticing and remembering something that you have done
wrong or failed to do:
e.g. If I'm late for work again, it will be another black mark against me.
until you are blue in the face - If you say or shout something until you are blue in the face, you
are wasting your efforts because you will get no results:
e.g. You can tell her to tidy her room until you are blue in the face, but she won't do it.
look at/see sth through rose-coloured/tinted glasses - to see only the pleasant things about
a situation and not notice the things that are unpleasant:
e.g. She's always looked at life through rose-tinted glasses.
green fingers - the ability to make plants grow
e.g. I wouldn't say I've got green fingers. In fact, all my plants seem to die.
once in a blue moon - not very often:
e.g. My sister lives in Alaska, so I only see her once in a blue moon.
give the green light to sth - to give permission for someone to do something or for something
to happen:
e.g. The council has given the green light to the new shopping development.
paint the town red - to go out and enjoy yourself in the evening, often drinking a lot of alcohol and
dancing:
e.g. Jack finished his exams today so he's gone out to paint the town red.
the pot calling the kettle black - something you say that means someone should not
criticize another person for a fault that they have themselves: e.g.
Elliott accused me of being selfish. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
the boys in blue - a humorous name for the police
black and blue - with dark marks on your skin caused by being hit or having an accident:
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e.g. His arm was black and blue
send sb to Coventry - If a group of people send someone to Coventry, they refuse to speak to that
person, usually as a punishment for having done something to upset the group.
e.g. The other children said they'd send him to Coventry if he told the teacher
would not do sth for all the tea in China - used to say that nothing could persuade you to do
something:
e.g. I wouldn't take that job for all the tea in China.
it's all Greek to me - a way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written
e.g. I’ve read this chapter twice, but I’m afraid it’s all Greek to me.
carry/take coals to Newcastle - to supply something to a place or person that already has a lot of
that particularthing:
e.g. Exporting pine to Scandinavia seems a bit like carrying coals to Newcastle.
luck of the Irish - luck associated with the Irish people. Also said as a catch phrase for any kind of
luck.
e.g. I can’t believe he won the game. He has the luck of the Irish, that boy.
go Dutch - to agree to share the cost of something, especially a meal:
e.g. I don’t want you to pay for my meal as well as your own. Let’s go Dutch.
Rome wasn't built in a day - said to emphasize that you cannot expect to do important things in
a shor tperiod of time
e.g. Don’t try to rush things. Rome wasn’t built in a day, you know.
excuse/pardon my French! - said when you are pretending to be sorry for using a word that may be
considered offensive:
e.g. I’ve had a bloody awful day. Oops, pardon my French!
Murphy's law - the principle that if it is possible for something to go wrong, it will go wrong
e.g. The bus is always late but today when I was late it came on time - that's Murphy's
law I suppose!
Hobson's choice - a situation in which it seems that you can choose between different things or
actions, but there is really only one thing that you can take or do: e.g.
It's a case of Hobson's choice, because if I don't agree to their terms, I’’ll lose my job.
Bob's your uncle - used to mean that something will happen very quickly and simply: e.g.
Just tell them you're a friend of mine and, Bob's your uncle, you'll get the job.
Parkinson's law - the idea that any piece of work will increase to fill as much time as you have to do it
in
Uncle Sam - the US, or its government, sometimes represented by an image of a tall, thin man with
a white beard and a tall hat
the Midas touch - If someone has the Midas touch, they are financially successful in everything they do.
Jack the Lad - a confident and not very serious young man who behaves as he wants to without
thinking about other people
e.g. Three children with three different women? Well, he always was a bit of a Jack the Lad.
be as happy as Larry - to be very happy and to have no worries.
Old Bill - a policem
Achilles heel - a small fault or weakness in a person or system that can result in failure: e.g.
A misbehaving minister is regarded as a government's Achilles heel and is expected to resign.
Shanks’s pony - walking, as a way of travelling:
e.g. As there's no public transport, I suppose we'll have to use shanks's pony.
not know sb from Adam - to have never met someone and not know anything about them:
e.g. Why should she lend me money? She doesn't know me from Adam.
Pandora's box - something that creates a lot of new problems that you did not expect:
e.g. Sadly, his reforms opened up a Pandora's box of domestic problems.
Prince Charming - A woman's Prince Charming is her perfect partner:
e.g. How much time have you wasted sitting around waiting for Prince Charming to appear?
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the real McCoy - the original or best example of something:
e.g. The caviar was the real McCoy too - not the stuff we buy in the supermarket at home.
lead/live the life of Riley - to live an easy and comfortable life, without any need to work
hard
a plain Jane - a woman or girl who is not attractive:
e.g. If she'd been a plain Jane, she wouldn't have had all the attention.
Jekyll and Hyde - a person with two very different sides to their personality, one good and the
other evil:
e.g. The professor was a real Jekyll and Hyde - sometimes kind and charming, and at
other times rude and obnoxious.
IT'S AS EASY AS ABC
be as easy as abc - to be very easy e.g. You won't have any problems assembling your new bed - it's as
easy as abc.
as keen as mustard - very eager and interested in everything
be like two peas in a pod - to be very similar
e.g. You can tell they're brothers at a glance - they're like two peas in a pod.
be as easy as falling off a log - to be very easy
e.g. She said writing stories was as easy as falling off a log for her.
be as stubborn as a mule - to be very stubborn
be (as) fit as a fiddle - to be very healthy and strong:
e.g. My grandmother's 89, but she's as fit as a fiddle.
(as) cool as a cucumber - very calm or very calmly, especially when this is surprising:
e.g. She walked in as cool as a cucumber, as if nothing had happened.
be (as) busy as a bee - to be moving about quickly doing many things
be (as) flat as a pancake - to be very flat:
e.g. The countryside around Cambridge is as flat as a pancake.
go/turn beetroot (red) - to have a red face because you are embarrassed:
e.g. Whenever I talked about his past life, he would go beetroot.
(as) blind as a bat - unable to see well:
e.g. I'm as blind as a bat without my glasses.
be (as) daft as a brush - to be very silly:
e.g. He's a nice enough boy, but he's as daft as a brush.
in a flash (ALSO quick as a flash) - quickly or suddenly:
e.g. He answered the question as quick as a flash.
as warm as toast - very warm and cosy.
e.g. It was cold outside but we were as warm as a toast..
as pretty as a picture - very pretty
e.g. In her new dress, se looked as pretty as a picture.
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e.g. We need to order some more of those umbrella. They’re selling like hot cakes.
spread like wildfire - If disease or news spreads like wildfire, it quickly affects or becomes known by
more and more people:
e.g. The rumour spread like a wildfire.
shake like a leaf - to shake a lot because you are nervous or frightened
e.g. Before I had to sing my solo I was shaking like a leaf.
grinning like a Cheshire cat - a very wide smile
e.g. What’s he so pleased about? He’s been grinning like a Cheshire cat all morning.
run round like a headless chicken - to be very busy doing a lot of things, but in a way that is not
very effective:
e.g. She was running like a headless chicken trying to get everything done.
go out like a light - to go to sleep very quickly or to become unconscious very quickly
e.g. I was so tired, I went out like a light.
hide like rhinoceros – nothing bothers him/her
e.g. He doesn’t care what people say about him. He’s got a hide like a rhinoceros.
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