130 Idioms That You Should Know

Idioms are phrases that have a figurative meaning different from the literal meaning of the individual words.

They are an intrinsic part of language, adding color and deeper understanding to communication.

Let’s explore some popular idioms from A to Z and understand their meanings.

What is an Idiom?

An idiom is a common expression that has a figurative meaning, usually understood within a particular language or culture.

The meaning of an idiom cannot be inferred from the literal meaning of the words that make it up. Instead, idioms have a meaning that is often historically rooted in culture and context.

A to Z Idioms List

A

1. A Blessing In Disguise – Something good that isn’t recognized initially.
2. A Chip On Your Shoulder – Being upset for something that happened in the past.
3. A Dime A Dozen – Very common and not valuable.
4. A Piece Of Cake – Very easy.
5. Actions Speak Louder Than Words – What you do is more important than what you say.

B

1. Back To The Drawing Board – Start over.
2. Bite Off More Than You Can Chew – Take on a task that is too big.
3. Break The Ice – Make people feel comfortable.
4. Burn The Midnight Oil – Work late into the night.
5. Butterflies In My Stomach – Feeling nervous.

C

1. Call It A Day – Stop working on something.
2. Caught Between A Rock And A Hard Place – Making a choice between two unpleasant options.
3. Cut To The Chase – Leave out all the unnecessary details and get to the point.
4. Cry Over Spilled Milk – Complain about a loss from the past.
5. Curiosity Killed The Cat – Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.

D

1. Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch – Don’t assume something before it happens.
2. Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket – Don’t risk everything on a single venture.
3. Down To The Wire – Get to the very end of something.
4. Draw The Line – Set a limit.
5. Dog Days Of Summer – The hottest days of the summer season.

E

1. Elvis Has Left The Building – The show has come to an end.
2. Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining – Be optimistic, something good comes from a bad situation.
3. Every Dog Has His Day – Everyone gets a chance someday.
4. Easier Said Than Done – Not as easy as it appears.
5. Elephant In The Room – A big problem or issue that everyone is avoiding.

F

1. Face The Music – Accept the consequences.
2. Feel A Bit Under The Weather – Feeling slightly ill.
3. Finding A Needle In A Haystack – Virtually impossible to find.
4. Fish Out Of Water – Someone in an uncomfortable situation.
5. Fit As A Fiddle – In good physical health.

G

1. Get A Taste Of Your Own Medicine – Get treated the way you’ve been treating others.
2. Get Out Of Hand – Lose control.
3. Get Your Act Together – Work better or leave.
4. Give Someone The Cold Shoulder – Ignore someone on purpose.
5. Go On A Wild Goose Chase – Waste time looking for something that doesn’t exist.

H

1. Haste Makes Waste – Quickly doing something can result in mistakes.
2. Hit The Nail On The Head – Exactly right.
3. Hold Your Horses – Be patient.
4. Home Stretch – The final part of a journey.
5. Hot Potato – A controversial issue.

I

1. Ignorance Is Bliss – Sometimes it is better not to know.
2. It’s A Piece Of Cake – Very easy task.
3. In The Heat Of The Moment – Overwhelmed by what is happening at the moment.
4. It Takes Two To Tango – Actions or communications need more than one person.
5. I’m All Ears – You have my full attention.

J

1. Jack Of All Trades, Master Of None – A person who can do many things but is an expert in none.
2. Jump On The Bandwagon – Join a popular activity or trend.
3. Just What The Doctor Ordered – Exactly what was needed.
4. Jumping The Gun – Start something too soon.
5. Juggle Many Balls In The Air – Attempting to handle many things at once.

K

1. Keep Your Eyes Peeled – Be on the alert.
2. Kick The Bucket – Die.
3. Knee Jerk Reaction – An immediate reaction without considering details.
4. Knock On Wood – Hope for good luck.
5. Know The Ropes – Be informed about the details of a situation.

L

1. Lend Me Your Ear – Listen to me.
2. Let The Cat Out Of The Bag – Reveal a secret.
3. Low Hanging Fruit – The easiest task or opportunity.
4. Look Before You Leap – Think before you act.
5. Lose Your Touch – Become less skilful than before.

M

1. Make A Long Story Short – Tell something briefly.
2. Miss The Boat – Miss an opportunity.
3. Mum’s The Word – Keep quiet.
4. My Cup Of Tea – Something you like.
5. Make The Cut – Be chosen to be part of a group.

N

1. New Kid On The Block – Someone new to the group or area.
2. Not Rocket Science – Not difficult to understand.
3. Not Out Of The Woods Yet – Not yet free from problems.
4. Nip It In The Bud – Stop something before it becomes a problem.
5. No Pain, No Gain – You have to work hard for something good to happen.

O

1. Off The Hook – Free from obligation or trouble.
2. On The Same Page – In agreement.
3. Out Of The Blue – Unexpectedly.
4. Over The Moon – Extremely happy.
5. Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire – Go from a bad situation to a worse one.

P

1. Piece Of Cake – Very easy task.
2. Pull Yourself Together – Calm down.
3. Put All Your Eggs In One Basket – Risk everything on one venture.
4. Put The Cart Before The Horse – Do things in the wrong order.
5. Practice Makes Perfect – You have to practice to become good at something.

Q

1. Quit Cold Turkey – Suddenly stop something, usually a bad habit.
2. Quality Time – Time spent giving someone your full attention.
3. Quick On The Uptake – Understand something quickly.
4. Quarrel With Bread And Butter – Argue over something that is very important to you.
5. Queue Up – Line up.

R

1. Rain On Someone’s Parade – Ruin someone’s plans.
2. Read Between The Lines – Understand the hidden meaning.
3. Raining Cats And Dogs – Raining heavily.
4. Run Out Of Steam – Lose energy.
5. Round The Clock – All day and all night.

S

1. Saved By The Bell – Rescued from a difficult situation.
2. Sit On The Fence – Not making a decision or choice.
3. Spill The Beans – Reveal a secret.
4. Steal Someone’s Thunder – Take attention away from someone else.
5. Straight From The Horse’s Mouth – Directly from the source.

T

1. Take It With A Grain Of Salt – Don’t take it too seriously.
2. The Ball Is In Your Court – It’s your decision now.
3. The Best Of Both Worlds – An ideal situation.
4. Through Thick And Thin – Through good times and bad times.
5. Tie The Knot – Get married.

U

1. Under The Weather – Feeling a bit ill.
2. Up In The Air – Uncertain.
3. Use Your Loaf – Think carefully.
4. Under Your Nose – Easily seen or found.
5. Uphill Battle – A difficult task or challenge.

V

1. Vanish Into Thin Air – Disappear without a trace.
2. Variety Is The Spice Of Life – Different experiences make life more interesting.
3. Vote With Your Feet – Show dissatisfaction by leaving.
4. Voice In The Wilderness – A solitary opinion.
5. Vicious Circle – A chain of events in which the response to one difficulty creates a new problem.

W

1. Walk A Mile In Someone’s Shoes – Understand someone’s experiences.
2. Wash Your Hands Of Something – Refuse to take responsibility.
3. Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve – Show your emotions openly.
4. When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do – Follow local customs.
5. Wild Goose Chase – A futile search.

X

1. X Marks The Spot – The exact location.
2. X Factor – A noteworthy special talent or quality.
3. Xenophobic – Fear of foreigners or strangers.
4. Exceed Expectations – Go beyond what is required or expected.
5. Exact Revenge – Get revenge precisely.

Y

1. Yank Your Chain – Tease or fool someone.
2. Yellow-Bellied – Cowardly.
3. You Are What You Eat – Your diet influences your health and body.
4. You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover – Don’t judge something based on appearance.
5. Your Guess Is As Good As Mine – I don’t know either.

Z

1. Zero Tolerance – No acceptance of rule-breaking.
2. Zig-Zag – Move back and forth in sharp turns.
3. Zoom In – Focus closely on something.
4. Zoned Out – Daydream or not pay attention.
5. Zip Your Lip – Stay quiet or stop talking.

Conclusion

Idioms enrich our language and offer vivid ways to express thoughts. Understanding idioms can make our language more colorful and engaging.

FAQs

What Are Idioms?

Idioms are phrases with meanings that are not predictable from the usual meanings of their constituent elements.

Why Should We Learn Idioms?

Learning idioms helps in understanding language nuances, making speech more engaging, and improving language proficiency.

Are Idioms Universal?

No, idioms are often culture-specific and might differ between languages.

How Can We Use Idioms Effectively?

Understand the context and use idioms where they fit naturally into conversation or writing.