The English language is full of idioms (over 15,000). Native speakers of English use idioms all the time, sometimes without realizing that they are doing so. Often idioms confuse those not already familiar with them. Students of a new language must learn its idiomatic expressions the way they learn its other vocabulary. In fact many natural language words have idiomatic origins, but have been sufficiently assimilated so that their figurative senses have been lost.
On this page you can find a collection of some of the most popular english idioms:
- put in my Two cents - to express their views on any issue;
I Just Wanted to put in my Two cents. / I just wanted to voice my opinion /. - Rain Cats and dogs - raining very heavily, rain pelting rain
We Can not Go out - it's Raining Cats and dogs and the Streets Are flooded. / We can not go - rain pelting rain and the streets are flooded /. - Christmas carol - "Christmas carol" means any Christmas song. By definition, "carol" means "joyous song or hymn, but the word" carol "is rarely used alone.
"A Christmas Carol" IS the title of a work by Famous Charles Dickens. / "Christmas Song" is the title of famous works of Charles Dickens /. - know-it-All - a man who always has an answer to every question; smarty (iron.)
"Hey Ben, stop Being such a know-it-All and let someone else Give Their Opinion." / Hey Ben, do not be such a smarty pants and let others speak their minds. / - a Pipe Dream - something that can only dream of, but not to take place in reality; chimera
Most people for a journey Round the world IS only a Pipe Dream. / For most people a world tour is just a chimera /. - to BE / Fall head over heels in Love - Falling hard, I'm completely overwhelmed by his love for someone, I am madly in love
Stacy and Robert head over heels Are in Love and they're planning to get married next month. / Stacy and Robert are madly in love and plan to marry next month. / - to cost an arm and a Leg - I have a very high price; cost terribly expensive;
Everything in that fancy department store costs an arm and a leg./ All this luxury department store seems terribly expensive. / - out of the Blue - without warning, surprising
Right out of the blue my sister decided to quit her job and go abroad.
/ Quite surprising my sister decided to leave work and go abroad. / - Have egg on One's Face - in an awkward / stupid situation, exposed
My colleague Frank ended up with egg on his face, when we all found out he had been lying.
/ My colleague Frank fell into an awkward position when all knew that was lied to /. - Monkey business - 1) unethical or illegal activity, fraud, swindling, 2) funny or stupid actions
He should stop That Monkey business and TRY to do the job the correct Way. / He should stop this dishonesty and to try to do the job honestly. / - hit the Road - pull off, put off (obikn. drive)
"It's getting late, so I think to hit the road."
/ It's getting late, so I think to go /. - Solid booked - this idiom is used most often in the round. business when all seats in the hotel, plane or train are reserved. We can use it to tell someone that day an e firmly committed.
"The hotel was booked solid from Dec 23 to Jan 6. ' / All the places in the hotel were booked from 23 December to 6 January. / - Take a flight - 1. I'm leaving, go to 2. go / depart by plane
IF you Do not Like the Way I Live, you Can Take a flight. / If you do not like how I live, you can go /. - in cold Blood - action performed exceptionally cool and cruelty
WAS the Woman murdered in cold Blood. / woman was killed with extreme cruelty. / - at the end of One `S rope - on the verge of opportunities for dealing with a situation
I am at the end of my rope about what to do with my son. He refuses to do his homework. / At the end of the forces I have to my son. He refuses to homework /. - in the Driver's seat - the term is used both literally ( UK English ), and figuratively ( mostly in English AM ). Figuratively means that someone monitor the situation.
He WAS in the Driver's seat After Being Assigned to lead the Project. / Having been appointed to manage the project, things were under his control. / - quick / fast buck (AM.) - Money earned quickly and easily (and unfairly ponyakota)
IS this company only interested in making a quick buck. / This company is only interested in earning quick and easy money /. - under the Weather - do not feel good (but not serious)
I'm Feeling under the Weather so I'm going to bed Early Tonight. / I do not feel well, so I'll go to bed early tonight. / - Go to up / end in smoke - I'm vain, do not give any result, scat (for hope, etc.)
Our Discussion ended in smoke. / Our discussion ended unsuccessfully. / - Drop to (someone) a line - write / send a note or letter to someone
I'll Drop you a line When I get to Singapore. / I will send you a letter when he came to Singapore /. - to BE for the high jump ( sl ) - Call. flounder, flat my job ( Originaly army slang. )
When your mom out Finds That you broke her favorite vase, you'll BE for the high jump. / When your mother know that you broke your favorite vase will trouble /. - add up - it seems reasonable or logical
I Do not understand his Behaviour - it Just doesn't add up. / I do not understand his behavior - just do not seem logical. / - from rags to riches = from Poverty to wealth - from poverty to riches
My neighbours went from rags to riches when they won the jackpot.
/ My neighbors moved from poverty to riches when they won the jackpot. / - a Bolt from the Blue = Unexpected and usually unwelcome event - unexpected and usually unpleasant event; thunderbolt
The News That Are they getting divorced CAME Like a Bolt from the Blue. / news that they divorce came as a thunderbolt. / - to run short (of a supply) [to Become insufficient; Not to Have Enough] - shortage, inadequate I am, finish
1. Our money IS running short. / Money does not reach us. /
2. We're running short of provisions. / ca Provisions of our toner /. - Baptism of (by) Fire [First the experience of something, something usualy difficult, frightening, etc.] - test, first, usually an unpleasant experience into something (stress, difficulty, experience fear, etc.)
First my day job at the New WAS a True Baptism of Fire. / My first day of new job was a real challenge. / - to dice with Death (to do something Very Risky and dangerous) - defy death, playing with death
You're dicing with Death driving the car so fast on the Icy Road. / You play with death, causing the car as fast on icy road. / - at the end of One's Tether (Br.E) (US at the end of One's rope) (HAVING reached the Limit of One's Patience, strength Or mental resources, etc.) - the end of its forces; exhausted
I'm at the end of my Tether, and IF the phone rings Once More, I'll Scream! / I'm at the end of their forces and if the phone rings once again scream! / - Go to to great / All / Any lengths (TRY to All the Possible ways of achieving something, Even IF it Means going EXPECTED Or Beyond Boundaries Accepted) - I am ready for anything (to accomplish something)
Some people Go to great lengths to achieve Their goals. / Some people will do anything to achieve their goals. / - snowed under (to Have Too Much work) - to have a lot of work, overwhelmed (busy) with work
I Have Been snowed under with work During the last Two weeks. / In the past two weeks I was overwhelmed with work /. - Take (something) Lying down (to accept Or Suffer (something) Without arguing, complaining Or trying to avoid it) - take something humble; pass by without reacting
I won't take this insult lying down. Shall I see my lawyer Immediately. / will not be passed this insult. Will immediately see my lawyer. / - back to the drawing Board (to Start again from the Very Beginning and make plans New) - again from scratch, scratch
The teacher didn't Like Our Project, We Need to so Go back to the drawing Board. / teacher does not like our project, so you tend to scratch /. - making Hay while statement * the sun shines (to Take advantage of a Brief opportunity while statement it IS Still There) - embrace (maximum) from / case as long as possible
I Have to make Hay while statement the sun shines and the Paint the Fence while statement Weather IS Good. / You can take advantage of the moment and to paint the fence while the weather is nice. /
* Hay / Hay / - The saying Comes from farming communities. There would often be only a short time in which the hay would be ready to cut - reap too soon, and the hay would be too green. Reap too late, and you run the risk of rain ruining it all. - from pillar to post (IF someone goes from pillar to post, they Are Forced to Keep Moving from One Place to Another; usually a Person in Trouble, difficulty, etc.; someone Looking for help) - from one place to another ( he loved. a man in trouble, difficulty, etc., someone who tries to solve a problem, finding help);
He HAD to move from pillar to post in search of a job. / He had to move from one place to another in search of work /.
* Derived from real tennis and referring to the way the ball is sent wildly about the court - Enough IS Enough ( Means it IS time something to stop Or someone should stop doing something; this idiom IS often used When someone Can no Longer tolerate Any Situation Or Another Person's Behavior; usually used as an Angry response ) - enough is enough, my patience is run
You should stop making silly excuses for your behavior! Enough IS Enough! / should stop with these silly excuses to justify their behavior! My patience is exhausted! / - Absence Makes the heart fonder Grow (When people Are Apart, Their Love grows Stronger; the lack of something increases the Desire for it) - the separation makes the heart loves, the time spent in separation increases chuvsvata; absence of someone or something reinforces the longing for it
The time my girlfriend and I spend apart has been good for us. Absence Makes the heart Grow fonder. / time during which my friend and I spent separated us good. Separation increases feelings /.
* Origin: The Roman poet Sextus Propertius gave us the earliest Form of this saying in Elegies : "Always Toward Absent lovers Love's tide flows Stronger."Also, in Thomas Haynes Bayly's (1797-1839) popular Song "Isle of Beauty" , Published posthumously in 1850: "Absence Makes the heart Grow fonder, Isle of Beauty, Fare thee Well!" . - Feel / look Like a million dollars - Feel Good Extremely / Very attractive look
The summer vacation is coming soon and I feel like a million dollars.
Susan looks like a million dollars with this new hairstyle and the beautiful red dress she bought yesterday. - Have a crush (on someone) - Have strong Feelings of Love for someone (Sometimes for a Woman / MAN you've never Met) - tumble your someone (someone you might not even met her);
When I was at the high school, I had a crush on a famous singer.