Idioms, Phrases and Proverbs

An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the
dictionary definition of the individual words.

1. Rack your brains - To rack one's brains is to strain mentally to recall or to understand
something
2. Over the moon - very happy or delighted.

3. Piece of cake - A straightforward task that can easily be accomplished

4. A feather in one's cap - A symbol of honour and achievement

5. A red rag to a bull - A deliberate provocation, sure to bring about an adverse reaction.

6. A skeleton in the closet - A secret source of shame, potentially ruinous if exposed,

which a person or family makes efforts to conceal.
7. A stone's throw - A short distance

8. Achilles' heel - A weak or vulnerable factor

The legend of Achilles has it that he was dipped into the river Styx by his mother Thetis in
order to make him invulnerable. His heel wasn't covered by the water and he was later
killed by an arrow wound to his heel
9. Adam's ale – Water

10. Acid test - A sure test, giving an incontestable result

11. As alike as two peas in a pod - Two identical items or people

12. As the crow flies - In a direct line, without any of the detours caused by following a

road

13. A bed of roses - A pleasant or easy situation

14. Blue blood - The blood that which flows in the veins of old and aristocratic families

15. A bolt from the blue - A complete surprise, like a bolt of lightning from a blue sky

16. A cock and bull story - A fanciful and unbelievable tale

17. Donkey's years - A very long time

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18. Every cloud has a silver lining - Every bad situation has some good aspect to it. This
proverb is usually said as an encouragement to a person who is overcome by some
difficulty and is unable to see any positive way forward
19. Face the music - Accept the unpleasant consequences of one's actions

20. Fall from grace - To fall from position of high esteem

21. Fight fire with fire - Respond to an attack by using a similar method as one's attacker

22. Jump the gun - Begin something before preparations for it are complete

23. Lock, stock and barrel - The whole thing

24. Lose your marbles - Lose your wits

25. Make hay while the sun shines - Make the most of one's opportunities while you have

the chance

26. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth - Don't be ungrateful when you receive a gift

27. Mind your Ps and Qs - Be on your best behaviour; be careful of your language

28. Paper tiger - A person who appears to have power but is in reality ineffectual

29. To live from hand to mouth - To obtain food and other necessaries as want compels,
without previous provision
30. A drop in the bucket - A very small proportion of the whole

31. Work against the clock - to work very fast because you know you only have a limited
period of time to do something
32. Don't count your chickens before they hatch - Don't assume that you'll get the things
you want until you have them.
33. Play ducks and drakes - To behave recklessly; to idly squander (waste) one's wealth
Ducks and drakes is the old English name for the pastime of skimming flat stones on the
surface of water to make them bounce as many times as possible.
34. Raining cats and dogs - Raining very heavily

35. Monkey Business - silliness, games or nonsense

36. Packed like sardines - Extremely crowded

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37. To end in smoke - Something that produces no concrete or positive result

38. Apple of an eye - usually someone, cherished above others

39. Play ostrich - ignore something that is obvious

40. Rule of thumb - A means of estimation made according to a rough and ready practical
rule, not based on science or exact measurement.

41. Through thick and thin - Through all forms of obstacle that are put in one's way
42. Every dog has its day - Everyone gets a chance eventually
43. To keep your head above water – to be just able to live within your means and go on
with your life

44. To look down your nose – to look at someone with dislike and scorn

45. To raise your eyebrows – to express surprise, doubt, displeasure or disappointment

46. All eyes or ears – to be extra alert

47. Feel the pinch/ be pinched – to suffer discomfort because of lack of money; suffer
extreme hardships

48. Break or keep one’s word - to do or not to do as promised

49. Chained to the oars – to be compelled to work hard

50. Cold feet – suddenly feel nervous, afraid or panic

51. Come down on someone like a ton of brick – scold someone real bad

52. Rule of the thumb – A means of estimation made according to a rough and ready
practical rule

53. Save one’s neck / skin – to be careful and cautious about protecting oneself

54. Sleep like a log – sound / deep sleep

55. Have no stomach for – lack the desire or courage for something

56. A head for figures – the ability to calculate easily & to be exceptionally good at
arithmetic

57. Make one scarce – disappear; difficult to find

58. A pat on the back – appreciate or recognize one’s work

59. A penny for your thoughts – asking a person (lost in thought) to share his thoughts

60. One horse town – a small, insignificant, boring place

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61. Fish in troubles waters – to take advantage of a difficult situation

62. Rise with the lark – wake up early

63. Have another fish to fry – to intend to do something more interesting

64. Holy Mackerel - (mackerel is a dark fish with a silver belly) To be a little surprised. A
sign of exclamation

65. Cool as a cucumber – calm, unruffled when faced with a difficult situation

66. Jack of all master of none - A person who is competent with many skills, but is not
necessarily outstanding in any particular one.

67. Dressed to kill – dressed perfectly (at times over dressed)

68. Feel under the weather - to feel unwell or unhappy

69. To feel / look small – Feel humiliated, foolish, insignificant

70. Luck favors the brave - You will have good luck if you carry out your plans boldly

71. Dressed like a peacock – dressed beautifully

72. Every day is not a Sunday - We cannot relax every day of the week
73. A white elephant - A burdensome possession; creating more trouble than it is worth

74. Null and void - Having no legal force; invalid; of no consequence

75. To cry over spilt milk - To be unhappy about what cannot be undone
76. Ins and outs - The intricate details of a situation, decision, or process
77. Pipe dream - An unrealistic hope or fantasy

78. Black and white - A very clear choice that causes no confusion
79. Like a bull in a China shop - If someone behaves like a bull in a China shop, they are
clumsy when they should be careful.

80. Clip someone's wings - to do something to restrict the freedom of the other person

81. Come hell or high water - to do it something in spite of the difficulties involved

82. Till the cows come home - to do something for a long time

83. Cut from the same cloth - very similar in character or behavior

84. Eager beaver - a person who is hardworking and enthusiastic, sometimes considered
overzealous

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85. Eagle eyes - someone who has eagle eyes see or notices things more easily than
others

86. Music to your ears - the information you receive makes you feel very happy

87. Elephant in the room - A problem that no one wants to discuss, but is so obvious that
it cannot be ignored

88. Poker face - showing no emotion at all.

89. Fair-weather friend - someone who acts as a friend when times are good, and is not
there when you are in trouble

90. Play second fiddle - If you play second fiddle to someone, to accept to be second in
importance to that person, or have a lower position.

91. Fine-tooth comb - To go over something with a fine-tooth comb means to examine it
closely and thoroughly so as not to miss any details.

92. Freudian slip - a mistake made by a speaker that is considered to reveal their true
thoughts or feelings.

93. Gift of the gab - To say that somebody has the gift of the gab means that they are able
to speak confidently and easily.

94. Give the rough edge of your tongue - to scold someone severely or speak to them
very aggressively or rudely.

95. Harebrained idea - an idea or suggestion that is considered to be silly, foolish or totally
impractical.

96. To spill the beans - to tell people secret information / disclose a secret or reveal
something prematurely

97. Familiarity breeds contempt - if you know someone very well you stop respecting
them because you have seen all of their bad qualities

98. Flighty person - someone who is indecisive and irresponsible

99. To take down the enemy - to kill the enemy

100. Dime a dozen - anything that is common and easy to get

101. Throw the baby out with the water - throw out the good things with the unwanted

102. Bark up the wrong tree - make a wrong choice

103. To take on the chin - to lay oneslef open to a dangerous counetr-attack when
attacking an opponent

104. To hide one’s light under a bushel - be modest about one’s achievements

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105. What’s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh - inherited characteristics cannot
be concealed

106. Brave men lived before Agamemnon - hero’s need writers to commemorate them if
they are to achieve eternal fame

107. Get cold feet - be nervous

108. Eat your words - take back what one says

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  License. This presentation is released under Creative Commons-A6ribute,on 4.0 License. You are
free to use, distribute and modify it, including for commercial purposes, provided you acknowledge
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