20 Expressions with Alliteration

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Alliteration is repeating the same (or similar sounds) at the beginning of words -
hey - “similar sounds” - that’s an example. Alliteration is often used in poetry and
music because it helps the phrase flow nicely - and we also have a number of
common expressions that use it. Today you’ll learn 20 of them!

BATED BREATH

If you’re waiting for something with bated breath, it means you’re very anxious or
excited, very eager to get or find out what you are waiting for.

• We all waited with bated breath to find out who had won first place in the
competition.

COOKIE-CUTTER
Describing something with the adjective cookie-cutter means it is exactly the
same as others of the same type; there is nothing different about it.

• I’m not a fan of that neighborhood – it’s street after street of cookie-cutter
houses; there’s no diversity.

DAREDEVIL
A person who is a daredevil takes
dangerous risks because they enjoy the
adrenaline – like people who do
motorcycle stunts.

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FATHER FIGURE

A man who is NOT your father, but who you respect and admire, and who has
influenced and guided your life, is a father figure.

• My parents are divorced and I’ve never had much contact with my dad, but
my uncle has been a father figure in my life.

GAS GUZZLER

A car that requires a lot of gasoline and uses up gasoline quickly is a gas guzzler.

HALFHEARTED / WHOLEHEARTED

If you make a halfhearted attempt to do something, it means you don’t give it

100% of your effort.

The word wholehearted means you are 100% committed, enthusiastic, and
devoted.

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 • She made a halfhearted attempt to write a book, but she gave up after
finishing a few chapters.
• This political candidate has my wholehearted support.

ADD INSULT TO INJURY

To add insult to injury means to make a bad

situation even worse or more humiliating.

• I was running late for a date – and

then, to add insult to injury, a car
drove past and splattered me with
mud.

JUMP FOR JOY

To jump for joy means to show great happiness and excitement.

• My kids jumped for joy when I told them we were going to Disney World.

LABOR OF LOVE

A labor of love is some work that you are not

being paid for (or being paid very badly), but
you do it because you love it, or you are doing
it for someone you love.

• The old woman spends hours making

clothing to donate to poor children – it’s
a real labor of love.

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023

MIND OVER MATTER

This idiomatic expression means that your thoughts are stronger than the physical
reality. A personal trainer at the gym might say, “Come on, you can do ten more
push-ups… mind over matter!”

NECK AND NECK

If two competitors are neck and neck, it means that they are so close that it is
hard to tell who’s winning.

• The two leading presidential candidates are neck and neck; the election will
be decided by just a few votes.

COST A PRETTY PENNY

If something costs a pretty penny, it means it cost a LOT of money!

• They took a three-week vacation in a luxury hotel? That must have cost a
pretty penny.

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023

RAVE REVIEWS

If a film, performance, CD, or product gets rave reviews, it means that people are
evaluating it and saying EXCELLENT things about it.

• The author’s new novel is getting rave reviews – many say it’s the best
book of her career.

SORRY SIGHT

A sorry sight is something that is sad, pitiful, or unpleasant to look at.

• The old abandoned cathedral is now covered in graffiti- a sorry sight.

STAND THE TEST OF TIME

If something stands the test of time, it means it continues to work well for a long
time.

• They’ve been married for 50 years. Their relationship has stood the test of
time.

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023

VICE VERSA

The expression vice versa means “the reverse of the previous statement is true,
too.”

• I respect him, and vice versa. (he respects me, too.)

WORK WONDERS

If something works wonders, it means it is surprisingly and amazingly beneficial.

• This laundry detergent works wonders for getting stains out of clothing.

A WORD TO THE WISE

This expression is used before you give an important piece of advice.

• A word to the wise – don’t spend everything you earn; you should save up
some money for emergencies.

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s expressions with

alliteration! I’ve got a great course to help you
learn idioms and informal expressions - it’s called
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learn common idioms, you’ll also get to practice
them and send in your homework for correction
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EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023