100 Most Common Idioms
Barking up the wrong tree
1. A blessing in disguise
A good thing that seemed bad a 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 floorplan a
picture is worth a thousand words
3. A piece of cake
Really easy
That exam was a piece of cake.
4. Action speaks 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 actions 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 paying me back
They were as cheap as chips!
7.
To be wrong about the way to achieve
something/reason
I think you’re barking up the 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 not to do something at
all
wow she finally turned up! Better 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 bitten off more than I can with this
100 idioms video!
11. Bite the bullet
to force yourself to do something 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 Your drum solo was entertaining but don’t
To make people who have not met each give up your day job.
other before feel more relaxed and
comfortable 19. Put all your eggs in one basket
To depend for success on a single person
I’ve organized a fun game to help us all or plan
break the ice!
I’m applying for several jobs because I
14. To call it a day don’t want to put all of my eggs in one
To stop what you are doing because you basket.
think you have done enough or do not
want to do any more. 20. Easy does it
Used to tell someone to do something
I’m exhausted I think I’m going to call it a carefully and slowly
day
Easy does it! Don’t spill that paint
15. Cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive 21. Every cloud has a silver lining
Every negative has a positive
That coat looks like it cost you an arm and
a leg Every cloud has a silver lining
-after being redundant I found my job!
16. Cut corners
To do something in the fastest, easiest or 22. Get a taste of your own medicine
cheapest way Get treated the way you’ve been treating
other people
This report is of poor quality
-I think the author may have cut some The nasty prison warden got a taste of his
corners. own medicine after being thrown in jail.

17. Cut somebody some slack 23. To get out of hand

To give somebody additional freedom To become difficult to control

Because it was the last day of class, the Over Christmas, our spending got a little
teachers cut the students some slack. out of hand

18. Don’t give up your day job 24. To get something out your system
Used for telling somebody that you don’t To get rid of a wish or emotion, especially
think they’re very good at something 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 organize 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
benefit 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 things 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
To go to bed
I’m tired -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
fire 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 a 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 squid game.
38. To keep one’s chin up
To keep one’s spirit high
I’m trying to keep my chin up
After receiving that rejection letter.
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 confronting 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 time 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
Because the party is a surprise!
44. To make a long story short
Use 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 financial 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 5 times.
50. On the ball
Alert to new ideas, 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 after my behavior at the
office 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
I only go to the cinema once in a blue
moon, but when I do go I really enjoy it.
54. To play devil’s advocate
To argue 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 do or say something that could cause
a problem or disturbance
The team is getting on really well at the
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 sitting 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 tight
and neither buy nor sell.
65. To smell a rat
To begin to suspect trickery or deception
When she passed away, investigators
were called in and soon smell 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 lot
of satisfaction and happiness
Her vegetable garden is her pride and joy!
71. Someone’s true colors
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 colors.
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 stick 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
Martin 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
location of the next event.
80. The best of both worlds
A situation in which you can enjoy the
advantages of two different things
She works in the city but lives in the
countryside, so she can enjoy best of both
worlds.
81. The best thing sliced bread
A really great invention
This spork 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 illustrations looked fine at first 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 insulting
my mother.
86. There are plenty more fish in the sea
It’s ok to miss this opportunity because
others will arise
Just forget about him- there are plenty
more fish 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 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 caution 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 romantic message
to her family WhatsApp group, and to
make matters 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 still 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 still 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 I too

You can’t have everything

You need to choose between the two

options-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 scruffy 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.