ENGLISH
IDIOMS
An idiom (idiomatic expression) is a phrase with a culturally understood meaning that differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest. For example, English speakers would understand the phrase "to kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. They would also understand when each meaning is being used in context.
An idiom is not to be confused with other figures of speech such as a metaphor, which invokes an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel" ); a simile, which invokes an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); and hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., like "missed by a mile" ). Idioms are also not to be confused with proverbs, which are simple sayings that express a truth based on common sense or practical experience.
Here's a list with some of the most common English idioms:
- A OK
- A penny for your thoughts
- Actions speak louder than words
- Add insult to injury
- Alive and kicking
- All ears
- All eyes on me
- All in your head
- All over the place
- Ants in the pants
- Around the clock
- Asleep at the switch
- At each other's throats
- Average Joe
- Back on square one
- Back to the drawing board
- [to] bad-mouth
- Ball is in your court
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Be glad to see the back of [someone]
- Beat around the bush
- Behind bars
- Best thing since sliced bread
- Better safe than sorry
- Big Apple
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Bite the dust
- Blessing in disguise
- Blow your mind
- Bob's your uncle
- Break a leg
- Call it a day
- Call the shots
- Change of heart
- Come clean
- Curiosity killed the cat
- Cut corners
- Cut someone some slack
- Cutting edge
- Dead meat
- Dead wrong
- Devil's advocate
- Dime a dozen
- Dog eat dog
- Dog-eared
- Don't judge a book by its cover
- Don't put all your eggs in one basket
- Don't quit your day job
- Down-to-earth
- Drop [someone] a line
- Easy as pie
- Eat your heart out
- Elbow grease
- Elephant in the room
- Elvis has left the building
- Feel a bit under the weather
- Feel blue
- Fit for a king
- Five o'clock shadow
- Four-eyes
- Get a grip
- Get the picture?
- Give me five
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- Go nuts
- Go with the flow
- Have a heart
- Heads will roll
- High as a kite
- Hit the books
- Hit the sack/hay
- Hot air
- Hot potato
- If you'll pardon my French
- In the making
- It ain't over till the fat lady sings
- It takes two to tango
- It's your funeral
- John/Jane Doe
- Jump on the bandwagon
- Keep something at bay
- Keep your ear to the ground
- Keep your shirt/pants on!
- Kick in the teeth
- Kill two birds with one stone
- Last straw
- Let bygones be bygones
- Let your hair down
- Like a fish out of water
- Like peas in a pod
- Like there's no tomorrow
- Mind the gap
- More than meets the eye
- My hands are tied
- Neck and neck
- [my] neck of the woods
- No strings attached
- Not my cup of tea
- [It's] not rocket science
- Off the chart
- Off the record
- Off the wall
- On a roll
- On the run
- One-trick pony
- Oops-a-daisy
- Over [someone's] head
- Paint the town red
- Paper tiger
- Pick up the tab
- Piece of cake
- Play hardball
- Pull [someone's] leg
- Put a sock in it
- Queen bee
- Rain on your parade
- Raining cats and dogs
- See eye to eye
- Serve/do time
- Sight for sore eyes
- Smarty pants
- Smell a rat
- Snug as a bug in a rug
- Speak of the devil
- Spill the beans
- State of the art
- Steal [someone's] thunder
- Stick-in-the-mud
- Tables are turned
- Take a hike
- Take down a peg
- Talk of the town
- Taste of [someone's] own medicine
- Think outside the box
- Up for grabs
- Vicious circle
- Wake-up call
- Walk in the park
- Water under the bridge
- What's up?
- Whatever floats your boat
- When hell freezes over
- Whole nine yards
- Wouldn't be caught dead
- Wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole
- You're toast
- Your call
- Your guess is as good as mine
- X-rated
- Zip it
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