IDIOMS

Idiom	Meaning	Example
A big gun	A person who has a lot of power or influence.	He’s a big gun in the industry and everyone respects his opinion.
A blessing in disguise	Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.	Losing that job was a blessing in disguise; it pushed me to start my own business.
A bolt from the blue	A sudden and unexpected event.	The news of his resignation was a bolt from the blue.
A bone of contention	A subject of disagreement or dispute.	The allocation of funds has been a bone of contention between the departments.
A bosom friend	A very close and trusted friend.	She’s my bosom friend; we’ve known each other since childhood.
A brown study	A mood of deep thought or melancholy.	He was in a brown study, thinking about his future.
A close shave	A narrow escape from danger.	It was a close shave; the car nearly hit me.
A dime a dozen	Something very common and not special.	Smartphones are a dime a dozen these days.
A hard nut to crack	A difficult problem or person to deal with.	The new project is a hard nut to crack, but we’re making progress.
A man of straw	A person with little power or substance.	He’s a man of straw and has no real influence in the company.
A penny for your thoughts	A way of asking someone what they are thinking.	You’ve been quiet for a while; a penny for your thoughts?
A piece of cake	Something that is very easy to do.	The test was a piece of cake for her.
A thorn in the flesh	A constant source of annoyance or trouble.	The persistent reporter was a thorn in the politician’s flesh.
A wee bit	A little bit.	I am a wee bit tired after the long walk.
Above board	Honest and open, without any tricks.	The deal was completely above board, with no hidden clauses.
Add fuel to the fire	To make a bad situation worse.	His comments only added fuel to the fire during the heated debate.
Alpha and omega	The most important or essential aspects of something.	He is the alpha and omega of the company, involved in every decision.
An acid test	A decisive test to prove the value of something.	The new policy’s effectiveness will be the acid test for the management.
An axe to grind	Having a strong opinion about something, often for personal gain.	He has an axe to grind with the manager over the promotion decision.
Apple of one’s eye	Someone who is cherished above all others.	His daughter is the apple of his eye.
At a snail’s pace	Very slowly.	The traffic was moving at a snail’s pace during rush hour.
At arm’s length	To keep a distance from someone or something.	He keeps everyone at arm’s length, not letting anyone get too close.
At daggers drawn	To be in a state of open hostility or conflict.	The two countries have been at daggers drawn for years over the border issue.
At home	To feel comfortable and relaxed in a place.	She feels at home in her new job.
At one’s beck and call	To be ready to obey someone’s orders at any time.	She has several assistants at her beck and call.
At one’s wits end	Completely puzzled and perplexed, not knowing what to do.	He was at his wits' end trying to solve the problem.
At sea	Confused or unsure about something.	He was at sea trying to understand the new software.
At sixes and sevens	In a state of confusion or disorder.	The office was at sixes and sevens after the sudden announcement.
At the eleventh hour	At the last possible moment.	They finished the project at the eleventh hour, just before the deadline.
Back to square one	To start over from the beginning.	The deal fell through, so we’re back to square one.
Ball is in your court	It’s now your responsibility to take action.	I’ve done my part, now the ball is in your court.
Bark up the wrong tree	To pursue the wrong course of action or wrong person.	If you think I'm responsible for the error, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Be in a tight corner	To be in a difficult or challenging situation.	She was in a tight corner after losing her job and her home.
Be on cloud nine	To be extremely happy.	She was on cloud nine after getting the job offer.
Beating around the bush	To avoid getting to the point.	She’s beating around the bush instead of giving me a straight answer.
Best of both worlds	To enjoy the advantages of two different things at the same time.	Working from home gives me the best of both worlds: flexibility and comfort.
Between the devil and the deep sea	Caught between two undesirable situations.	She was between the devil and the deep sea, having to choose between a pay cut or losing her job.
Bite off more than one can chew	To take on more responsibility than one can handle.	He bit off more than he could chew by accepting both projects at the same time.
Bite off more than you can chew	To take on more responsibility than one can handle.	He bit off more than he could chew by accepting both projects at the same time.
Bite the bullet	To endure a painful or unpleasant situation that is unavoidable.	He decided to bite the bullet and have the surgery.
Black and blue	Bruised and injured.	He was black and blue after the fight.
Blessing in disguise	Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.	Losing that job was a blessing in disguise; it pushed me to start my own business.
Break a leg	A way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.	Break a leg in your performance tonight!
Break the ice	To initiate conversation in a social setting.	She broke the ice at the party by asking everyone about their hobbies.
Bring to light	To reveal something that was previously unknown.	The investigation brought to light several new facts about the case.
Burn bridges	To destroy one’s connections or relationships with others.	He burned bridges with his former employer by leaving on bad terms.
Burn one’s fingers	To suffer the consequences of one’s actions.	He burned his fingers by investing in a risky venture.
Burn the midnight oil	To work late into the night.	She burned the midnight oil to finish her assignment before the deadline.
Bury the hatchet	To make peace and end a conflict.	They decided to bury the hatchet after years of arguing.
By fits and starts	In an inconsistent, sporadic manner.	The project moved by fits and starts due to the lack of resources.
By hook or by crook	By any means necessary, using any method.	He was determined to win the competition by hook or by crook.
By leaps and bounds	Very rapidly or significantly.	The company’s profits have grown by leaps and bounds this year.
Call a spade a spade	To speak plainly and directly about something unpleasant.	He always calls a spade a spade, never sugarcoating the truth.
Can’t judge a book by its cover	You can’t judge someone or something by their appearance alone.	He may look unassuming, but you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Cat and dog life	A life full of arguments and conflict.	They had a cat and dog life, always bickering about something.
Chew the cud	To think carefully about something for a long time.	He sat there chewing the cud, pondering over the decision.
Chip on your shoulder	To have a defensive or confrontational attitude.	He has a chip on his shoulder because of his troubled past.
Cock and bull story	An implausible or fabricated story.	He gave me some cock and bull story about why he was late.
Come hell or high water	No matter what happens.	I’ll finish this project come hell or high water.
Come off with flying colors	To be very successful or to achieve something with great success.	She came off with flying colors in her final exams.
Cost an arm and a leg	To be very expensive.	The concert tickets cost an arm and a leg, but it was worth it.
Cross one’s t’s and dot one’s i’s	To be thorough and meticulous in doing something.	Make sure you cross your t’s and dot your i’s on the report before submitting it.
Cry for the moon	To make an impractical or impossible demand.	Asking for a promotion after just one month on the job is like crying for the moon.
Cry over spilled milk	To waste time worrying about something that has already happened.	There’s no use crying over spilled milk; we should focus on fixing the problem.
Cut corners	To do something in the easiest, cheapest, or fastest way.	They cut corners on the project to save money, but it ended up causing problems.
Die in harness	To continue working until death.	He was dedicated to his work and died in harness, never considering retirement.
Feather one’s own nest	To make money in a dishonest or unethical way.	He’s accused of feathering his own nest by embezzling funds from the company.
Feeling a bit under the weather	Feeling slightly ill.	I’m feeling a bit under the weather today; I might have a cold.
Gain ground	To make progress or gain an advantage.	The company is gaining ground in the market with its new product.
Go the extra mile	To make an extra effort to achieve something.	She always goes the extra mile to ensure her clients are happy.
Golden handshake	A large sum of money given to someone when they leave a job.	He received a golden handshake when he retired from the company.
Hard and fast rules	Strict and unchangeable rules.	There are no hard and fast rules in art; creativity is key.
Harp on the same string	To keep repeating the same thing.	She keeps harping on the same string, complaining about the same issue every day.
Have a card up one’s sleeve	To have a secret advantage or plan.	She always has a card up her sleeve during negotiations.
Hear it on the grapevine	To hear a rumor or unofficial information.	I heard it on the grapevine that they’re planning to close the branch.
Hit the nail on the head	To be exactly right about something.	You really hit the nail on the head with your suggestion for improving sales.
Hit the sack	To go to bed.	I’m really tired; I’m going to hit the sack.
Hoping against hope	To continue to hope, even when things look bleak.	They were hoping against hope that the missing hikers would be found alive.
Icing on the cake	An additional benefit or positive aspect of something.	Getting a promotion was the icing on the cake after a great year at work.
In cold blood	To do something deliberately and without emotion.	The crime was committed in cold blood, with no sign of remorse.
In high spirits	To be in a very good mood.	She was in high spirits after receiving the good news.
In hot water	To be in trouble or in a difficult situation.	He’s in hot water with his boss for missing the deadline.
In the long run	Over a long period of time.	In the long run, investing in education pays off.
In the nick of time	Just in time, before it’s too late.	We arrived at the airport in the nick of time to catch our flight.
It takes two to tango	Both parties are responsible for the situation.	You can’t blame only one person for the argument; it takes two to tango.
Jump on the bandwagon	To join others in doing something that is currently popular.	He jumped on the bandwagon and started investing in cryptocurrencies.
Keep one at bay	To keep someone or something at a safe distance.	They installed a new security system to keep burglars at bay.
Keep one’s fingers crossed	To hope for good luck or a positive outcome.	I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I get the job.
Kill two birds with one stone	To achieve two things with a single action.	By attending the conference, I can kill two birds with one stone: learn new things and network with potential clients.
Last straw	The final problem or difficulty that leads to a tipping point.	His constant lateness was the last straw for his boss.
Laugh one’s head off	To laugh very loudly and heartily.	We laughed our heads off at the comedian’s jokes.
Leave no stone unturned	To do everything possible to achieve a goal.	We’ll leave no stone unturned in our search for the missing child.
Leave one in the lurch	To abandon someone in a difficult situation.	He left me in the lurch when he quit the project at the last minute.
Let the cat out of the bag	To reveal a secret by mistake.	He let the cat out of the bag and ruined the surprise party.
Like a cat on hot bricks	To be very nervous or restless.	He was like a cat on hot bricks waiting for the exam results.
Like a fish out of water	To feel out of place in a situation.	He felt like a fish out of water at the formal dinner.
Make a clean breast of it	To confess or admit to something.	He decided to make a clean breast of it and tell the truth about what happened.
Make up one’s mind	To decide what to do.	I need to make up my mind about whether to accept the job offer.
Mean business	To be serious about something.	She means business when she says she’ll quit if things don’t improve.
Nip in the bud	To stop something before it becomes a bigger problem.	We need to nip this issue in the bud before it gets worse.
No avail	With no result or success.	They searched for the lost document, but all efforts were to no avail.
On tenterhooks	To be very anxious or uncertain about something.	She was on tenterhooks waiting for the test results.
Once in a blue moon	Very rarely.	He visits his hometown once in a blue moon.
Out of the question	Not possible or not allowed.	Leaving early is out of the question; we have too much work to do.
Out of the way	In a remote or inconvenient location.	The cabin is out of the way, but it’s perfect for a peaceful weekend.
Out of the wood	Out of danger or difficulty.	The company is not out of the wood yet despite the recent profits.
Pay off old scores	To take revenge or settle an old disagreement.	He was determined to pay off old scores with his former business partner.
Piece of cake	Something that is very easy to do.	The test was a piece of cake for her.
Play second fiddle	To take a subordinate role to someone else.	He was tired of playing second fiddle to his more famous colleague.
Put a spoke in one’s wheel	To interfere with someone’s plans.	He put a spoke in her wheel by revealing her secrets to the boss.
Put the cart before the horse	To do things in the wrong order.	You’re putting the cart before the horse by planning the party before securing the venue.
Rain cats and dogs	To rain very heavily.	It was raining cats and dogs all night long, and the streets were flooded.
Rank and File	Ordinary members of an organization, not the leaders.	The rank and file of the company were not happy with the new policy.
Read between the lines	To understand the hidden or implied meaning.	You have to read between the lines to understand what she’s really saying.
See eye to eye	To agree with someone.	They finally saw eye to eye on the issue after discussing it for hours.
Show a clean pair of heels	To run away quickly.	The thief showed a clean pair of heels when the police arrived.
Sitting on the fence	To avoid taking sides in a dispute or argument.	She’s sitting on the fence and hasn’t decided which candidate to support.
Smell a rat	To suspect that something is wrong.	I smelled a rat when he offered to sell the car for such a low price.
Spill the beans	To reveal a secret.	She accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Spread like wildfire	To quickly become known by many people.	The news of the scandal spread like wildfire through the town.
Stick to one’s guns	To maintain one’s position or opinion, even when challenged.	She stuck to her guns and refused to change her story.
Take a leaf out of one’s book	To imitate or follow someone’s example.	You should take a leaf out of her book and manage your time better.
Take one to task	To criticize or scold someone.	The teacher took him to task for not completing his homework.
Take to one’s heels	To run away quickly.	The burglars took to their heels when the alarm went off.
The ball is in your court	It’s now your responsibility to take action.	I’ve done my part, now the ball is in your court.
The best of both worlds	To enjoy the advantages of two different things at the same time.	Working from home gives me the best of both worlds: flexibility and comfort.
The gift of the gab	The ability to speak easily and persuasively.	He has the gift of the gab, which makes him a great salesman.
The pros and cons	The advantages and disadvantages of something.	We need to consider the pros and cons before making a decision.
Through thick and thin	To support someone during both good and bad times.	She stood by him through thick and thin, no matter what happened.
Throw out of gear	To disrupt or stop the functioning of something.	The unexpected snowstorm threw the city’s transportation system out of gear.
To add insult to injury	To make a bad situation worse.	They broke my window, and to add insult to injury, they stole my car.
To be in the doldrums	To feel depressed or lack energy.	She’s been in the doldrums ever since she lost her job.
To beat about the bush	To avoid getting to the point.	Stop beating about the bush and tell me what’s wrong.
To bell the cat	To undertake a difficult or dangerous task.	Someone has to bell the cat and inform the boss of the problem.
To blow one’s own trumpet	To boast about one’s achievements.	He’s always blowing his own trumpet about how successful his business is.
To build castles in the air	To daydream or make unrealistic plans.	She’s always building castles in the air instead of focusing on reality.
To burn candle at both ends	To overwork oneself by doing too much.	He’s burning the candle at both ends, working two jobs and studying at night.
To burn one’s boats	To make a decision that cannot be undone.	By signing the contract, he burned his boats and committed to the deal.
To call someone names	To insult someone verbally.	They started calling each other names during the argument.
To cut a sorry figure	To make a poor or unimpressive appearance.	He cut a sorry figure at the meeting, unable to answer any questions.
To eat humble pie	To admit one’s mistake and apologize.	After being proven wrong, he had to eat humble pie and apologize.
To get rid of	To remove or dispose of something or someone.	We need to get rid of all the old files cluttering the office.
To make both ends meet	To manage to live within one’s income.	It’s hard to make both ends meet on such a low salary.
To move heaven and earth	To do everything possible to achieve something.	He moved heaven and earth to ensure the event was a success.
To play ducks and drakes	To behave recklessly or wastefully with resources.	He's playing ducks and drakes with his inheritance, spending it on useless items.
To sit on the fence	To avoid making a decision or taking a side.	He’s sitting on the fence and hasn’t decided which proposal to support.
To take the bull by the horns	To confront a problem directly and with courage.	She decided to take the bull by the horns and address the issue with her boss.
Tooth and nail	To fight very fiercely and determinedly.	The two competitors fought tooth and nail for the championship title.
Turn a deaf ear	To ignore or refuse to listen to someone.	She turned a deaf ear to his complaints and continued with her work.
Turn over a new leaf	To start behaving in a better way.	He’s turned over a new leaf and is now very responsible.
Under his thumb	Completely under someone's control.	She is under his thumb and does whatever he says.
Under the weather	Feeling slightly ill.	I’m feeling a bit under the weather today; I might have a cold.
Wash one’s dirty linen in public	To discuss private matters in public.	They shouldn’t wash their dirty linen in public by arguing in front of everyone.
With a high hand	To act in an authoritarian or domineering manner.	He managed the team with a high hand, not tolerating any dissent.