1.

A blessing in disguise
A good thing that seemed bad at first

Losing that job was a blessing in disguise.

2. A picture is worth 1000 words.

A picture tells a story just as well as, if not better than, written words

Please could you sketch out a fl oorplan? A picture is worth a thousand

words.

3. A piece of cake
Really easy

The exam was a piece of cake!

4. Actions speak louder than words.

What someone actually does means more than what they say they will do

I’m going to wait for him to show me he loves me because acti ons speak
louder than words.

5. Add insult to injury.

To act in a way that makes a bad situation worse.

I was late and, to add insult to injury, I forgot my keys.

6. As cheap as chips
Really cheap

Don’t worry about paying me back -they were as cheap as chips!

7. Barking up the wrong tree

To be wrong about the way to achieve something or the reason for something

I think you’re barking up the wrong tree. Rather than reading the textbook
cover to cover, you should try the SQRRR method.
8. Beat around the bush
Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable

I’m not going to beat around the bush. I hate your boyfriend.

9. Better late than never

It is better to arrive or do something later than expected than to not arrive or not do
something at all

Wow! She fi nally turned up! Bett er late than never!

10. Bite off more than you can chew

To try to do something that is too difficult or too much for you

I have bitt en off more than I can chew with this 100 idioms video!

11. Bite the bullet

To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult to be brave in a difficult situation

I’m going to bite the bullet and quit my job.

12. Break a leg

Good luck

Break a leg tonight! You’re an amazing actor!

13. Break the ice

To make people who have not met each other before feel more relaxed and comfortable

I’ve organised a fun game to help us all break the ice!

14. To call it a day

To stop what you are doing because you think you have done enough or do not want to do
any more

I’m exhausted – I think I’m going to call it a day!

15. Cost an arm and a leg

To be very expensive
 That coat looks like it cost you an arm and a leg!

16. Cut corners

To do something in the fastest, easiest, or cheapest way

This report is of poor quality. I think the author may have cut some corners.

17. Cut somebody some slack

To give someone additional freedom

Because it was the last day of class, the teachers cut the students some
slack.

18. Don’t give up your day job

Used for telling somebody that you don’t think they’re very good at something

Your drum solo was very entertaining, buy don’t give up the day job!

19. Put all your eggs in one basket

To depend for success on a singles person o plan

I’m applying for several jobs because I don’t want to put all of my eggs in
one basket.

20. Easy does it

Used to tell someone to do something carefully and slowly

Easy does it! Don’t spill that paint!

21. Every cloud has a silver lining

Every negative has a positive

Every cloud has a silver lining. Aft er being made redundant I found my
dream job!

22. Get a taste of your own medicine

Get treated the way you’ve been treating other people
 The nasty prison warden got a taste of his own medicine aft er being thrown
in jail.

23. To get out of hand

To become difficult to control

Over Christmas, our spending got a litt le out of hand.

24. To get something out of your system

To get rid of a wish or emotion, especially a negative one, by allowing yourself to express it

I went and bought that dress I was thinking about all day – I had to get it
out of my system!

25. To get your act together

To start to organise yourself so that you do things in an effective way

My desk is a complete mess. I need to get my act together!

26. To give someone the benefit of the doubt

To decide that you will believe someone, even if you are not sure that what they’re saying is
true

She said she was late because her train was cancelled, and we gave her the
benefi t of the doubt

27. To give someone the cold shoulder

To ignore someone

I think Sally is giving me the cold shoulder!

28. To go back to the drawing board

To start planning something again because the first plan failed

Well that didn’t work! Let’s go back to the drawing board.

29. Good thing come to those who wait

Be patient
 Stop rushing me! Good things come to those who wait!

30. Hang in there

Said as a way to tell people to not give up hope, even though difficulties.

Final exams are tough, but hang in there and it’ll be ok.

31. To hit the nail on the head

To get something exactly right

You’ve hit the nail on the head. That is the route we should have taken!

32. To hit the sack (Hay)

To go to bed

I’m ti red – Do you mind if I hit the sack?

33. Ignorance is bliss

You’re better off not knowing

I could ask my boss if she’s planning to fi re me, but ignorance is bliss.

34. In a nutshell
In the fewest possible words

In a nutshell, everything went wrong.

35. It takes one to know one

You’re just as bad as I am

You’re such a gossip! It takes one to know one!

36. It’s not rocket science.

Used to say that you don’t think something is very difficult or hard to understand

I don’t understand how you can’t work out how to use the washing
machine! It’s not rocket science.
37. To jump on the bandwagon
To join an activity, trend or opinion that has become popular

I’ve jumped on the bandwagon and downloaded Fortnite.

38. To keep one’s chin up

To keep one’s spirits high

I’m trying to keep my chin up aft er receiving that rejecti on lett er.

39. To kill two birds with one stone

Get two things done with a single action

We could kill two birds with one stone by stopping off at the bakery on the
way home from the butcher’s.

40. To leave no stone unturned

Try every possible course of action in order to get something done

He left no stone unturned in his search for his natural mother.

41. To let sleeping dogs lie

To leave a situation as it is, in order to not make it worse

I think we should let sleeping dogs lie and avoid confronti ng her about her
issues.

42. To let someone off the hook

To allow (someone who has been caught doing something wrong or illegal) to go unpunished

This is the third ti me you’ve been caught speeding and I don’t think they’re
going to let you off the hook.

43. To let the cat out of the bag

To reveal a secret

Don’t let the cat out of the bag cause the party is a surprise!
44. To make a long story short
Used to indicate that you are providing just basic facts and information in order to reduce
the length of a story

To make a long story short, I cancelled the party because of fi nancial

problems.

45. To miss the boat

To be too slow to take advantage of an opportunity

I waited too long for the house prices to drop and I missed the boat.

46. Neck of the woods

The area where someone comes from, or the area where you are

I’m surprised to see you in this neck of the woods.

47. No pain, no gain

Suffering is necessary in order to achieve something

I’ve been going to the gym twice a day and my muscles ache – but no pain
no gain!

48. Not one’s cup of tea

Someone doesn’t like or isn’t interested in something

I’m sorry but line-dancing really isn’t my cup of tea.

49. Off the top of one’s head

From memory, without a lot of thought or consideration

Off the top of my head, I think she’s been engaged ti mes.

50. On the ball

Alert to new idea, methods, and trends

I like hanging out with younger people – it keeps me on the ball.

51. On thin ice

On probation, if you make another mistake, there will be trouble.
 I’m on thin ice aft er my behaviour at the offi ce party.

52. Once in a blue moon

Rarely, very infrequently

I only go to the cinema once in a blue moon, but when I do go, I really enjoy
it.

53. Out of someone’s league

Too good or expensive for someone to have

My crush is completely out of my league.

54. To play devil’s advocate

To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument

I don’t want to play devil’s advocate but are you really going out dressed
like that?

55. To play something by ear

To plan something in an improvised way (instead of planning ahead), deciding what to do as
the plan develops

Instead of booking a table this weekend shall we just play it by ear?

56. To pull someone’s leg

To playfully deceive someone

Are you actually leaving your job or are you pulling my leg?

57. Pull yourself together

Recover control of your emotions

I need to pull myself together and stop crying!

58. To rain on someone’s parade

To spoil something

I don’t want to rain on your parade but I think you’ve made a huge mistake
in your thesis.
59. To rock the boat
To d or say something that could cause a problem or disturbance

The team is getti ng on really well at moment so let’s not rock the boat.

60. To save something for a rainy day

To save something (usually money) for when you need it

I think you should save that bonus for a rainy day.

61. To see eye to eye

To agree

I really don’t see eye to eye with my grandma.

62. To shed light on something

To reveal information about or to clarify something

Please could you shed some light on your absence yesterday.

63. To sit on the fence

To avoid making a decision or choice

I am sitti ng on the fence, I really can´t choose between these 2 adorable

puppies.

64. To sit tight

Refrain from taking action or changing one’s mind

The estate agent advised us to sit ti ght and neither buy nor sell.

65. To smell a rat

To begin to suspect trickery or deception

When she passed away, investi gators were called in and soon smelt a rat.
66. So far so good
Used to say that something (such as a plan or project) is progressing well with no problems
up to the present

How is the new job? So far so good!

67. Someone wouldn’t be caught dead

Someone dislikes something very much

I wouldn’t be caught dead in a dress like that!

68. Someone’s heart is in the right place

Someone only has good intentions

He is very strict with his students, but his heart is in the right place.

69. Someone’s jaw drops

Someone is very surprised

When I saw him in his suit, my jaw dropped!

70. Someone’s pride and joy

A person or thing that gives someone a lor of satisfaction and happiness

Her vegetable garden is her pride and joy.

71. Someone’s true colours

The kind of person someone really is rather than what they appear be

I thought he was really nice, but then he was rude to the waiter and showed
his true colours.

72. Something rings a bell

Something is familiar or that you’ve heard something before

I don’t know him personally, but the name rings a bell.

73. Speak of the devil

Said when a person appears just after being mentioned
 Stephanie is so mean.

Speak of the devil – she’s just liked my Instagram post!

74. To spill the beans

Give away a secret

Go on, spill the beans! I need to know how your date went!

75. To steal someone’s thunder

To take attention or praise away from someone else’s accomplishments by outdoing them
with your own

She stole my thunder when she announced her pregnancy at my wedding!

76. To stick to one’s guns

To refuse to change your opinions or beliefs about something

You need to sti ck to your guns and stop listening to what he says!

77. To take something with a pinch/grain of salt

To not take something too seriously

I think you need to take anything that Marti n says with a pinch of salt.

78. To take the mickey

To make fun of

Are you taking the mickey of my mum?

79. The ball is in your court

It’s your decision

The ball is in your court regarding the locati on of the next event.

80. The best of both worlds

A situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of who different things
 She works in the city but lives in the countryside, so she can enjoy best of
both worlds.

81. The best thing since sliced bread

A really great invention

This spark is the best thing since sliced bread!

82. The devil is in the details

It looks good from afar, but when you look more closely, there are problems

The illustrati ons looked fi ne at fi rst glance, but the devil is in the details!

83. The early bird gets the worm

The people who arrive first will get the best stuff

Let’s head to the sales at 6am – the early bird gets the worm!

84. The elephant in the room

The big issue, the problem that people are avoiding

I think we should address the elephant in the room – your hideous shoes.

85. The last straw

The last in a series of unpleasant events that makes you feel like you can’t continue

She’s always been rude to me, but it was the last straw when she started
insulti ng my mother.

86. There are plenty more fish in the sea

It’s ok to miss this opportunity because other will arise

Just forget about him – there are plenty more fi sh in the sea!

87. There’s a method to someone’s madness

Someone appears crazy but actually they have a plan

My bedroom seems messy but there is method to my madness.

88. There’s no such thing as a free lunch
Nothing is entirely free

I wonder what he wants from me? There’s no such thing as a free lunch!

89. Through thick and thin

Under all circumstances, no matter how difficult

He stuck with her through thick and thin.

90. To throw caution to the wind

Take a risk

I think you should throw cauti on to the wind and go on that date!

91. To make matters worse

With the result that a bad situation is made worse

She accidently sent a romanti c message to her family WhatsApp group, and
to make matt ers worse it included a picture.

92. To twist someone’s arm

To convince someone to do what you want

I didn’t want to go out tonight, but Felicity twisted my arm!

93. Under the weather

Slightly unwell or in low spirits

I don’t think I’ll come tonight because I’m feeling a bit under the weather.

94. Up in the air

(Of a plan or issue) Still to be settled; unresolved.

The fate of our house purchase is sti ll up in the air!

95. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it
An expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal
with it if it happens

Don’t worry about the car breaking down – we’ll cross that bridge when we
come to it.

96. To wrap your head around something

To find a way to understand or accept (something)

I sti ll can’t wrap my head around why she would do that!

97. You can say that again

Used to express emphatic agreement

The weather has been terrible, you can say that again!

98. You can’t have your cake and eat it too

You can’t have everything

You need to choose between the two opti ons – You can’t have your cake
and eat it too!

99. You can’t judge a book by its cover

Don’t judge what’s on the outside

She may look scruff y but don’t judge a book by its cover.

100. You live and you learn

You learn from your mistakes

I know I failed the interview but you live and you learn.