The most common idioms:
At all costs = at any costs: to do everything you can to achieve something regardless of the difficulty,
and expense involved.
E.g. His dream is to become a great lawyer at all costs.
E.g. They were determined to win the game at any cost.
As easy as pie: very easy. Very easy
E.g. The test is as easy as pie.
A Piece of Cake: Very easy
E.g. Today’s lesson was a piece of cake.
Actions speak louder than words: used for expressing that what you do something is more important
than just talking about it.
E.g. He usually talks about the importance of charity but never does anything. Actions speak louder than
words.
A hot potato: a controversial topic, issue or situation.
Money policy is fast becoming a hot potato.
Around the corner: coming very soon.
E.g. Tom is quite nervous because his exam is just around the corner.
Bump into somebody: meet somebody by chance.
E.g. I bumped into him at the pub a couple of days ago
Behind the times: expressing that something is not modern, old-fashioned, obsolete or out of date.
E.g. If you don’t want to fall behind the times, read the newspaper every day.
To be under the weather: do not feel well; feel sick.
E.g. Tom was feeling a bit under the weather today, so he chose to take the day off.
Back to the drawing board: to start doing something again.
E.g. I’ll go back to the drawing board if my proposal is not accepted.
Burn the midnight oil: to stay up late, to work late at night.
E.g. Tom is going to take his exams next week, so he’s burning the midnight oil.
Bare your heart: to reveal your secret thoughts and feelings to someone.
She decided to bare her heart through text messages to her closest friends.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
To be out of this world: to be extraordinary or impressive.
E.g. Views from the hotel room are out of the world.
To be dressed to kill: to be dressed beautifully (wearing very smart or fashionable clothes)
E.g. Lucy is always dressed to kill on every Saturday night.
To break the news: to disclose important information to someone.
E.g. I don’t want to break the news to him.
Bring home the bacon: to earn money by working to support the family.
E.g. Women are supposed to raise the children and men will bring home the bacon.
Cut it out!: stop it; stop doing that.
E.g. That music is really annoying. Cut it out!
Chill out: to relax; to calm down.
E.g. Chill out! We’ll get there on time!
Couch potato: somebody who is lazy and inactive.
E.g. He is a great couch potato; he can watch TV 24 hours a day.
Cold fish: an unfriendly person.
E.g. Sarah is a cold fish. She rarely talks to her colleagues.
To catch someone red-handed: to capture someone in the act.
He was caught red-handed using drugs.
Count on: to depend on someone to do what you want.
E.g. She is very busy, don’t count on her assistance
At the Crack of dawn: (a time) very early in the morning.
My mom got up at the crack of dawn.
Crocodile tears: tears or crying that are not sincere.
E.g. She showed her crocodile tears when her stepmother died.
Cost an arm and a leg: to t very expensive.
The movie is interesting, but the tickets cost an arm and a leg.
Can’t stand (someone or something): to hate or dislike someone or something very much.
I can’t stand traffic jam in rush hour.
Don’t judge a book by its cover: you shouldn’t judge someone or something only from their appearance.
That woman may look very slow and awkward, but don’t judge a book by its cover.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
Down in the dumps: feeling very unhappy, depressed, sad.
Tom has been feeling down in the dumps ever since he lost his job.
Drive someone crazy: to make him or her upset or annoyed.
Tom quit his job because his boss drove him crazy every time he went to work.
To drive someone nuts: to make someone very crazy or annoyed.
The fact that he’s over at her house everyday drives her nuts.
(to) do one’s best: to try your best (to try as hard as possible).
Although he was tired, he did his best.
Eager beaver: a very hardworking and enthusiastic person.
My boss is an eager beaver.
To eat like a bird: to eat very little.
Jane eats like a bird, no wonder she can keep herself so slim.
Figure something out: find a way to solve a problem.
I think Peter is smart enough to figure out what to do.
To face up to = to confront: to accept and deal with a difficult situation in a direct way.
He faces up to two years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Fool around: to behave in a silly way for fun.
Don’t fool around with matches.
To foot the bill: to pay the bill; to pay for something.
You paid for lunch last week. Let me foot the bill for dinner tonight.
Face the facts: accept that something is true (usually negative).
I think he needs to face the facts.
Freak out: to become very angry or lose control of yourself because of somebody or something.
e.g. When I saw the ghost, I freaked out.
Full of beans: a person who is lively, and full of energy.
He’s always full of beans in the morning.
For the time being: at the present; at the moment.
For the time being, I am studying Japanese.
From now on: from this moment and forever into the future.
From now on, employees can wear casual clothes to work every Thursday.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
Give someone a hand: to give someone help or assistance.
Could you give me a hand with these bags? I can’t make it to the sixth floor on my own!
(to) give someone a ring: to call someone on the telephone.
He gave her a ring for her birthday.
Give the green light: to grant permission.
My parents gave me the green light to go on the camping trip.
Go the extra mile: doing more than what is expected in order to achieve something.
Get in touch with somebody: to contact somebody by talking or writing.
I’ll get in touch with Tom by telephone tomorrow.
Get mixed up: become confused about something.
He got mixed up with the dates and went on the wrong day.
Get rid of something: to throw away something.
I decided to get rid of this old furniture.
Hit the hay = hit the sack: to go to bed.
I’m pretty tired. I think it’s time for me to hit the hay.
It’s raining cats and dogs: it’s raining a lot/ it is raining heavily.
It’s windy and is raining cats and dogs.
Keep one’s chin up: to be brave and cheerful even though you are in a difficult situation.
When you get bad news, you try to keep your chin up.
To keep someone posted: to keep someone informed.
Keep me posted on what happened.
Keep in mind: remember that.
Keep in mind to turn off the TV before you go to bed.
(to) look on the bright side: to think about the good/positive parts of a situation.
She tries to look on the bright side although her cat is very sick right now.
Let the cat out of the bag: to accidentally reveal a secret, usually without intending to.
He wanted his father’s present to be a secret, but his brother let the cat out of the bag.
Look like a million dollars: luxurious, gorgeous and beautiful.
Sarah looks like a million dollars in that new dress!
His house looks like a million dollars.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
Little by little: gradually
His French is improving little by little.
(to) make up one’s mind: to make a decision.
He can’t make up his mind at all.
Make someone blue = bump someone out: to make someone sad or sick.
It made him blue to have to stay home with his wife all day.
Over the moon: to be very pleased or happy about something.
Mary was over the moon about becoming a mother.
On cloud nine: extremely happy.
Lucy was on cloud nine after finally getting a job that she liked.
Once in a blue moon: very rarely/very seldom/almost never.
My son lives in Canada and he only comes to see us once in a blue moon.
Put yourself in somebody’s shoes: to imagine that you are in somebody’s situation or circumstances in
order to understand his/her feelings, opinion, or point of view.
If you put yourself in his shoes, I’m sure you don’t like her.
To pull yourself together: to get control of your emotions.
She’s finding it hard to pull herself together after the accident.
To pull one’s leg: to be kidding.
If you pull her leg like that again, she’ll never speak to you again.
To pop the question: to propose marriage (ask someone to marry you).
Mary said yes without a further thought when Tom popped the question.
To pull through: to get through an illness or a difficult situation.
The doctor is sure that she will pull through.
To pop in: to arrive without notice.
My neighbor popped in for a visit last night.
My mother popped in at seven o’clock to see if I was at home.
(to) put up with: to endure someone or something without complaint.
I can’t put up with her children any longer.
Paint the town red: to go out and have a great time.
We’re planning to paint the town red tonight.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
To pass with flying colors: to achieve, or accomplish something very successfully.
He is studying hard and he will pass the test with flying colors.
Raining cats and dogs: pouring rain, raining heavily.
It’s windy and is raining cats and dogs.
To ring a bell: to sound familiar.
I think I heard this song somewhere. It definitely rings a bell.
Run out of steam: to completely lose energy, motivation, or enthusiasm.
Peter started to run out of steam after running for 15 km.
(to) stab someone in the back: to betray someone who trusts you.
She almost died when her boyfriend stabbed her in the back.
Smell something fishy: to have a feeling of doubt or suspicion about someone or something.
I smell something fishy about this real estate deal.
Taste of our own medicine: When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.
E.g. You canceled the meeting with her, taste of our own medicine
Start from scratch: to do something again from the beginning.
Everything is completely ruined, so we should start from scratch.
To show one’s true colors: to reveal someone’s real personality.
When he tried to use a stolen credit card, he showed his true colors.
To take it easy: to rest or relax.
Take it easy, man! Don’t work so hard.
Tie the knot: to get married.
Bill and Sarah will tie the knot next month.
Under one’s breath: quietly; in a very quiet voice.
I heard his swear under his breath.
(to be) up in the air: to be uncertain.
Everything is up in the air at the moment because he didn’t get the job.
(to) wrap up: to finish (doing) something.
It’s 6 pm. Let’s wrap up this meeting so we can go home early tonight.
When pigs fly: When something never happens
e.g. He doesn’t attend the class. He will be fixed when pigs fly.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
A little bird told me
Notified from a source
A Blessing in disguise
Something good that isn't recognized at first.
A fool and his money are easily parted
It's easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money.
A picture paints a thousand words
A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
A blessing in disguise: a good thing that seemed bad at first
Beat around the bush: Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable
Better late than never: Better to arrive late than not to come at all
Bite the bullet: To get something over with because it is inevitable
Break a leg: Good luck
Call it a day: Stop working on something
Get out of hand: Get out of control
Get something out of your system: Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on
Get your act together: Work better or leave by itself
Go back to the drawing board: Start over
Hang in there: Don't give up
Hit the sack: Go to sleep
It's not rocket science: It's not complicated
Let someone off the hook: To not hold someone responsible for something
Miss the boat: It's too late
No pain, no gain: You have to work for what you want
Pull someone's leg: To joke with someone
Pull yourself together: Calm down
So far so good: Things are going well so far
Speak of the devil: The person we were just talking about showed up!
That's the last straw: My patience has run out
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
To have the best of both worlds: An ideal situation
Time flies: when you're having fun You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun
To make matters worse: Make a problem worse
Under the weather: Sick
We'll cross that bridge: when we come to it Let's not talk about that problem right now
Your guess is as good as mine: I have no idea by itself
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: What you have is worth more than what you
might have later
A penny saved is a penny earned: Money you save today you can spend
A picture is worth 1000 words: Better to show than tell
Actions speak louder than words: Believe what people do and not what they
Add insult to injury: To make a bad situation worse
Barking up the wrong tree: To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place
Bite off more than you can chew: Take on a project that you cannot finish
By the skin of your teeth: Just barely
Comparing apples to oranges: Comparing two things that cannot be compared
Do something at the drop of a hat: Do something without having planned beforehand
Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't count on something good happening until
it's happened.
Don't cry over spilt milk: There's no reason to complain about something that can't be fixed
Don't put all your eggs in one basket: What you're doing is too risky
Every cloud has a silver lining: Good things come after bad things
Get a taste of your own medicine Get treated the way you've been treating others (negative)
Give someone the cold shoulder: Ignore someone
Go on a wild goose chase: To do something pointless
Good things come to those who wait: Be patient
He has bigger fish to fry: He has bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about
now
It takes one to know one: You're just as bad as I am
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
It's a piece of cake: It's easy
It's raining cats and dogs: It's raining hard
Kill two birds with one: stone Get two things done with a single action
Let the cat out of the bag: Give away a secret
Look before you leap: Take only calculated risks
Once in a blue moon: Rarely
Play devil's advocate: To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument
Rain on someone's parade: To spoil something
Saving for a rainy day: Saving money for later
Slow and steady wins: the race Reliability is more important than speed
Spill the beans: Give away a secret
Take it with a grain of salt: Don’t take it too seriously
The ball is in your court: It's your decision
The best thing since sliced bread A really good invention
The devil is in the details: It looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are
problems
The early bird gets the worm: The first people who arrive will get the best stuff
The elephant in the room: The big issue, the problem people are avoiding as part of a sentence
The whole nine yards: Everything, all the way
There are other fish in the sea: It's ok to miss this opportunity. Others will arise.
There's a method to his madness: He seems crazy but actually he's clever
There's no such thing as a free: lunch Nothing is entirely free
Throw caution to the wind: Take a risk
You can't have your cake and eat it too You can't have everything
You can't judge a book by its cover: This person or thing may look bad, but it's good inside by
itself
A little learning is a dangerous: thing People who don't understand something fully are
dangerous
A snowball's chance in hell: No chance at all
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
A stitch in time saves nine Fix: the problem now because it will get worse later
A storm in a teacup: A big fuss about a small problem
An apple a day keeps the doctor away: Apples are good for you
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: You can prevent a problem with little effort.
Fixing it later is harder.
As right as rain: Perfect
Bolt from the blue: Something that happened without warning
Calm before the storm: Something bad is coming, but right now it's calm
Come rain or shine: No matter what
Cut the mustard: Do a good job
Don't beat a dead horse: Move on, this subject is over
Every dog has his day: Everyone gets a chance at least once
Familiarity breeds contempt: The better you know someone the less you like him
Fit as a fiddle: In good health
Fortune favors the bold: Take risks by itself
Get a second wind: Have more energy after having been tired
Get wind of something: Hear news of something secret
Haste makes waste: You'll make mistakes if you rush through something
Have your head in the clouds: Not be concentrating
He who laughs last laughs loudest: I'll get you back for what you did
Hear something straight from the horse's mouth: Hear something from the person involved
Get straight to the point: To get to the point
East or west home is the best: No where could be compared with your own country.
When pigs fly: When something never happens
He's off his rocker: He's crazy
He's sitting on the fence: He can't make up his mind
It is a poor workman who blames: his tools If you can't do the job, don't blame it on others by
It is always darkest before the dawn: Things are going to get better
It takes two to tango: One person alone isn't responsible. Both people are involved.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
Know which way the wind is blowing: Understand the situation (usually negative)
Let sleeping dogs lie Stop: discussing an issue
Like riding a bicycle: Something you never forget how to do
Make hay while the sun shines: Take advantage of a good situation
On cloud nine: Very happy
Once bitten, twice shy: You're more cautious when you've been hurt before
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Things are going from bad to worse
A Slap on the wrist: A very mild punishment
A Taste of your own medicine: When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others.
Add fuel to the fire: Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it is.
Against The Clock: Rushed and short on time
All bark and no bite: When someone is threatening and/or aggressive but not willing to engage in a
fight.
In the same boat: When everyone is facing the same challenges.
To cost an arm and a Leg: Very expensive. A large amount of money.
Apple of one’s eye: Someone who is cherished above all others.
At the drop of a hat: Willing to do something immediately.
Back to square one: Having to start all over again
Barking up the wrong Tree: A mistake made in something you are trying to achieve.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
Beat a dead horse: To force an issue that has already ended.
Beating around the Bush: Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.
Between a rock and a hard place: Stuck between two very bad options
Bite off more than you can chew: To take on a task that is way to big
Bite your tongue: To avoid talking
Blood is thicker than water: The family bond is closer than anything else.
Break A Leg: A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck', but rather the opposite
Can't cut the mustard : Someone who isn't adequate enough to compete or participate.
Cock and bull story: An unbelievable tale.
Come hell or high water: Any difficult situation or obstacle.
Crack someone up: To make someone laugh.
Cross one’s fingers: To hope that something happens the way you want it to.
Cry over split milk: When you complain about a loss from the past.
Every cloud has a silver lining: Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.
Excuse my French: Please forgive me for cussing.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
Get up on the wrong side of the bed: Someone who is having a horrible day.
Go out on a limb: Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/something.
Great minds think alike: Intelligent people think like each other.
Haste makes waste: Quickly doing things results in a poor ending.
Give a high five: Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture.
Hit the book: To study, especially for a test or exam.
Hit the sack: Go to bed or go to sleep.
Hold Your Horses: Be patient.
It takes two to tango: A two person conflict where both people are at fault.
It's a small world: You frequently see the same people in different places.
Keep an eye on him: You should carefully watch him.
Keep your chin up: To remain joyful in a tough situation
Lend me your ear: To politely ask for someone's full attention.
Let bygones be bygones: To forget about a disagreement or argument.
Let sleeping dog lie: To avoid restarting a conflict.
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
Let the cat out of the bag: To share a secret that wasn't suppose to be shared.
Never bite the hand that feeds you: Don't hurt anyone that helps you.
Smell a rat: To detect someone in the group is betraying the others.
Smell something fishy: Detecting that something isn't right and there might be a reason for it.
The ball is in your court: It is your decision this time.
To make a long story short: long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing
attention. Usually the story isn't shortened.
Under the weather: Feeling ill or sick.
When it rains, It pours: Said when bad things occur in large numbers
When pigs fly: Something that will never ever happen.
Don’t judge a book by its cover: Decisions shouldn't be made primarily on appearance.
Your guess is as good as mine: I have no idea
Prepared by: Zabihullah Mansoori
