0% found this document useful (0 votes)
57 views11 pages

Commom Idiom

The document provides a list of idiomatic expressions along with their meanings and example sentences. Each idiom illustrates a common phrase used in English to convey specific ideas or sentiments. The expressions cover a wide range of topics, from personal relationships to financial situations.

Uploaded by

Min Theim
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
57 views11 pages

Commom Idiom

The document provides a list of idiomatic expressions along with their meanings and example sentences. Each idiom illustrates a common phrase used in English to convey specific ideas or sentiments. The expressions cover a wide range of topics, from personal relationships to financial situations.

Uploaded by

Min Theim
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1.

A chip off the old block:


o Meaning: Someone who is very similar to their parent, especially in character.
o "His son is a chip off the old block; he's just as stubborn as his father."
o "You can tell she's a chip off the old block with her musical talent."
o "Like his dad, he's a real chip off the old block."
2. A dime a dozen:
o Meaning: Very common and inexpensive.
o "Those kinds of smartphones are a dime a dozen these days."
o "Talented singers are a dime a dozen in this city."
o "Good coffee shops are a dime a dozen here."
3. A fool and his money are soon parted:
o Meaning: A foolish person quickly loses their money.
o "He lost his inheritance quickly; a fool and his money are soon parted."
o "If you keep making bad investments, a fool and his money are soon parted."
o "That saying is true, a fool and his money are soon parted."
4. A little bird told me:
o Meaning: Someone told me a secret (without revealing who).
o "A little bird told me that you're getting married!"
o "I heard a little bird told me about the new project."
o "Well, a little bird told me you got the promotion."
5. All bark and no bite:
o Meaning: Someone who makes threats but won't act on them.
o "He sounds scary, but he's all bark and no bite."
o "Don't worry about him; he's all bark and no bite."
o "The dog next door is all bark and no bite."
6. All in the same boat:
o Meaning: In the same difficult situation as others.
o "We're all in the same boat with this new policy."
o "The company cuts affected everyone; we're all in the same boat."
o "During the recession, we were all in the same boat."
7. Apple of one's eye:
o Meaning: Someone or something that is very loved or cherished.
o "His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye."
o "That car is the apple of my eye."
o "She's the apple of her grandmother's eye."
8. As cool as a cucumber:
o Meaning: Calm and composed, especially in a difficult situation.
o "Despite the pressure, he remained as cool as a cucumber."
o "She handled the emergency as cool as a cucumber."
o "He walked in, cool as a cucumber, like nothing happened."
9. At the drop of a hat:
o Meaning: Immediately, without hesitation.
o "He's always ready to go fishing at the drop of a hat."
o "She can change her plans at the drop of a hat."
o "They can mobilize the team at the drop of a hat."
10. Backseat driver:
o Meaning: Someone who gives unwanted advice or instructions.
o "I don't need a backseat driver telling me how to drive."
o "My brother is such a backseat driver."
o "Nobody likes a backseat driver."
11. Bad blood:
o Meaning: Feelings of hatred or animosity.
o "There's bad blood between those two families."
o "The argument created bad blood between them."
o "Years of bad blood have led to this rivalry."
12. Behind the scenes:
o Meaning: In private, without public knowledge.
o "A lot of work happens behind the scenes to make the event a success."
o "She prefers to work behind the scenes, away from the spotlight."
o "The real decisions were made behind the scenes."
13. Below the belt:
o Meaning: Unfair or cruel.
o "His comment about her weight was really below the belt."
o "That accusation was way below the belt."
o "He fought dirty and went below the belt."
14. Bend over backwards:
o Meaning: To try very hard to help someone, often to an extreme.
o "She bent over backwards to help me with the project."
o "I'm willing to bend over backwards to make this work."
o "He bent over backwards trying to please everyone."
15. Big shot:
o Meaning: An important or influential person.
o "He became a big shot in the industry."
o "She's a big shot at that company."
o "Don't let him intimidate you; he's just a big shot."
16. Black sheep:
o Meaning: Someone who is different from the rest of the family or group and is
considered a disgrace.
o "He's always been the black sheep of the family."
o "She felt like the black sheep at the reunion."
o "Every family has a black sheep."
17. Blow your own trumpet:
o Meaning: To brag or boast about one's own accomplishments.
o "He's always blowing his own trumpet about his achievements."
o "It's not polite to blow your own trumpet."
o "If you don't blow your own trumpet, nobody else will."
18. Bottom line:
o Meaning: The most important thing.
o "The bottom line is that we need to cut costs."
o "The bottom line is, can we meet the deadline?"
o "The bottom line is profit."
19. Bring home the bacon:
o Meaning: To earn money for the family.
o "She works long hours to bring home the bacon."
o "He's the one who brings home the bacon in their family."
o "It's important to bring home the bacon."
20. Burst someone's bubble:
o Meaning: To destroy someone's illusion or happy belief.
o "I didn't want to burst her bubble, but I had to tell her the truth."
o "His negative feedback burst my bubble."
o "I hate to burst your bubble, but it's not going to work out."
21. By a long shot:
o Meaning: By a great margin.
o "He won the race by a long shot."
o "This is the best movie of the year by a long shot."
o "She's the smartest student by a long shot."
22. Can of worms:
o Meaning: A situation that is more complicated than it seems at first.
o "That investigation opened up a whole can of worms."
o "We don't want to open that can of worms."
o "This issue is a real can of worms."
23. Carry a torch for someone:
o Meaning: To be in love with someone who doesn't love you.
o "He's been carrying a torch for her for years."
o "She still carries a torch for her ex-boyfriend."
o "It's hard to move on when you carry a torch for someone."
24. Cash cow:
o Meaning: A business or product that generates a lot of profit.
o "That product line is our cash cow."
o "The new franchise became a cash cow for the company."
o "We need to find our next cash cow."
25. Catch-22:
o Meaning: A situation in which you are trapped because of contradictory rules or
conditions.
o "He's in a Catch-22 situation with his job."
o "The rules create a Catch-22 for the applicants."
o "It's a Catch-22; he can't win either way."
26. Chew the fat:
o Meaning: To chat or talk casually for a long time.
o "They sat down to chew the fat over coffee."
o "We spent the afternoon just chewing the fat."
o "Let's get together and chew the fat sometime."
27. Chicken feed:
o Meaning: A small or insignificant amount of money.
o "That amount of money is chicken feed to him."
o "They offered me chicken feed for the project."
o "It's not much; it's just chicken feed."
28. Cold feet:
o Meaning: To become nervous or afraid to do something.
o "He got cold feet before the wedding."
o "She had cold feet about the big move."
o "I almost got cold feet, but I went through with it."
29. Come up smelling like roses:
o Meaning: To emerge from a bad situation with your reputation intact.
o "Despite the scandal, he came up smelling like roses."
o "She managed to come up smelling like roses after the investigation."
o "He always seems to come up smelling like roses."
30. Cook someone's goose:
o Meaning: To ruin someone's plans or chances.
o "He tried to cook my goose by revealing my secret."
o "That mistake really cooked his goose."
o "If you're not careful, you'll cook your own goose."
31. Crocodile tears:
o Meaning: Fake or insincere sadness.
o "She shed crocodile tears at the funeral."
o "His apology was full of crocodile tears."
o "Don't fall for his crocodile tears."
32. Cut to the chase:
o Meaning: To get to the point quickly, without wasting time.
o "Let's cut to the chase and discuss the main issue."
o "I'll cut to the chase; we're firing you."
o "Can we cut to the chase? I don't have much time."
33. Devil's advocate:
o Meaning: Someone who takes a position they don't necessarily agree with for
the sake of argument.
o "I'm just playing devil's advocate to make you think."
o "He often plays devil's advocate in meetings."
o "To play devil's advocate, what if the opposite is true?"
34. Dog days of summer:
o Meaning: The hottest days of summer.
o "The dog days of summer are almost here."
o "We try to stay indoors during the dog days of summer."
o "The city is really quiet during the dog days of summer."
35. Don't put all your eggs in one basket:
o Meaning: Don't risk everything on one single plan or venture.
o "Don't put all your eggs in one basket; diversify your investments."
o "She learned not to put all her eggs in one basket after the market crash."
o "It's wise not to put all your eggs in one basket."
36. Down and out:
o Meaning: Destitute, without hope or means.
o "He was down and out after losing his job."
o "The shelter helps the down and out."
o "She's been down and out for a while now."
37. Draw a blank:
o Meaning: To fail to recall something.
o "I drew a blank when they asked me the question."
o "My mind drew a blank during the exam."
o "He drew a blank trying to remember her name."
38. Dressed to kill:
o Meaning: Dressed in very impressive or attractive clothing.
o "She was dressed to kill for the party."
o "He looked like a million bucks; he was dressed to kill."
o "They were all dressed to kill at the gala."
39. Drop a bombshell:
o Meaning: To reveal shocking or surprising news.
o "He dropped a bombshell when he announced his resignation."
o "The news dropped a bombshell on the community."
o "She dropped a bombshell about her past."
40. Dutch courage:
o Meaning: Courage gained from drinking alcohol.
o "He needed some Dutch courage before his speech."
o "His bravado was just Dutch courage."
o "A little Dutch courage helped him ask her out."
41. Eat humble pie:
o Meaning: To admit that you were wrong and apologize.
o "He had to eat humble pie after his prediction was wrong."
o "She was forced to eat humble pie and apologize."
o "It's never easy to eat humble pie."
42. Eleventh hour:
o Meaning: At the last possible moment.
o "The deal fell through at the eleventh hour."
o "We made the changes at the eleventh hour."
o "He always submits his work at the eleventh hour."
43. Face the music:
o Meaning: To accept the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
o "He had to face the music for his mistakes."
o "It's time to face the music and accept the consequences."
o "She knew she had to face the music."
44. Fair-weather friend:
o Meaning: Someone who is only your friend when things are going well.
o "He turned out to be a fair-weather friend."
o "She realized who her fair-weather friends were during the crisis."
o "I need real friends, not fair-weather friends."
45. Feather in your cap:n
o Meaning: An achievement to be proud of.
o "Getting this award is a real feather in your cap."
o "That promotion is another feather in her cap."
o "It's quite a feather in your cap to have achieved so much."
gave us a lot of f Meaning: In excellent physical condition.*ood for thought."* "His
speech provided some serious food for thought."* "This issue is definitely food for
thought."* Meaning: Something to think about.
46. For a song:
* "I bought this antique for a song at the flea market."
* "He got the car for a song."
* "They sold the house for a song."
* Meaning: At a very low cost.
47. From scratch:
* "We built the business from scratch."
* "She made the cake from scratch."
* "The project had to be started from scratch."
* Meaning: From the beginning, without any prior work.
48. Get a word in edgewise:
* "It's hard to get a word in edgewise when he's talking."
* "She talked so much I couldn't get a word in edgewise."
* "In that meeting, nobody could get a word in edgewise."
* Meaning: To manage to say something despite someone else talking a lot.
49. Get down to brass tacks:
* "Let's get down to brass tacks and discuss the budget."
* "It's time to get down to brass tacks and make a decision."
* "The meeting will get down to brass tacks quickly."
* Meaning: To get to the main point; to discuss the essentials.
50. Get off on the wrong foot:
* "They got off on the wrong foot during their first meeting."
* "I think we got off on the wrong foot with our new neighbors."
* "It's hard to recover when you get off on the wrong foot."
* Meaning: To start a relationship or situation badly.
51. Get up on the wrong side of the bed:
* "He must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today."
* "She's been grumpy all morning; she probably got up on the wrong side of the
bed."
* "If you get up on the wrong side of the bed, try to turn your day around."
* Meaning: To be in a bad mood.
52. Give and take:
* "A good relationship requires give and take."
* "There needs to be more give and take in this negotiation."
* "It's all about give and take."
* Meaning: A willingness to compromise.
53. Go against the grain:
* "His decision went against the grain of company policy."
* "She always goes against the grain."
* "It can be tough to go against the grain."
* Meaning: To do something differently from the norm.
54. Go bananas:
* "The crowd went bananas when the band came on stage."
* "He's going to go bananas when he hears the news."
* "The kids went bananas over the new toys."
* Meaning: To become very excited or go crazy.
55. Go for broke:
* "He decided to go for broke and bet everything."
* "In this situation, we have to go for broke."
* "She's willing to go for broke to achieve her dreams."
* Meaning: To risk everything in one attempt.
56. Go through the roof:
* "The prices of houses have gone through the roof."
* "His anger went through the roof."
* "The company's profits went through the roof this year."
* Meaning: To increase rapidly; to become very angry.
57. Have a blast:
* "We had a blast at the party."
* "I hope you have a blast on your vacation."
* "The kids had a blast at the amusement park."
* Meaning: To enjoy yourself very much.
58. Have a heart of gold:
* "She has a heart of gold; she's always helping others."
* "He's known for having a heart of gold."
* "You can always count on someone with a heart of gold."
* Meaning: To be very kind and generous.
59. Have a whale of a time:
* "We had a whale of a time at the beach."
* "They had a whale of a time on their trip."
* "I hope you have a whale of a time at the concert."
* Meaning: To enjoy yourself very much.
60. High and dry:
* "The deal fell through, leaving us high and dry."
* "We were left high and dry without any support."
* "He wouldn't leave his friends high and dry."
* Meaning: In a helpless situation, abandoned.
61. Hold your horses:
* "Hold your horses; we're not ready yet."
* "Just hold your horses a minute."
* "Hold your horses, and I'll explain everything."
* Meaning: Wait a moment.
62. If the shoe fits, wear it:
* "If the shoe fits, wear it; if you're guilty, then admit it."
* "That comment applies to you? Well, if the shoe fits, wear it."
* "He knew the criticism was valid, and if the shoe fits, wear it."
* Meaning: If a remark applies to you, accept it.
63. In deep water:
* "He's in deep water with the new project."
* "The company is in deep water financially."
* "She found herself in deep water after the mistake."
* Meaning: In serious trouble.
64. In the driver's seat:
* "She's in the driver's seat now that she's the boss."
* "He's in the driver's seat of his own destiny."
* "With this new deal, we're in the driver's seat."
* Meaning: In control of a situation.
65. It takes two to tango:
* "Remember, it takes two to tango in any relationship."
* "It takes two to tango; you're both responsible."
* "This argument isn't one-sided; it takes two to tango."
* Meaning: Both parties involved are responsible for a situation.
66. Keep a stiff upper lip:
* "He tried to keep a stiff upper lip during the crisis."
* "She kept a stiff upper lip, despite her disappointment."
* "It's important to keep a stiff upper lip in tough times."
* Meaning: To remain brave and not show emotion in a difficult situation.
67. Keep your ear to the ground:
* "Keep your ear to the ground for any new developments."
* "I'm keeping my ear to the ground about the new job openings."
* "To succeed in this industry, you need to keep your ear to the ground."
* Meaning: To pay attention to rumors and news.
68. Kick the can down the road:
* "The government keeps kicking the can down the road on this issue."
* "We can't keep kicking the can down the road forever."
* "They decided to kick the can down the road and deal with it later."
* Meaning: To postpone dealing with a problem.
69. Know the ropes:
* "It takes a while to learn and know the ropes in a new job."
* "She knows the ropes around here."
* "He'll teach you how to know the ropes."
* Meaning: To understand how things are done.
70. Lay down the law:
* "The boss had to lay down the law to get things under control."
* "My parents laid down the law about curfew."
* "It's time to lay down the law and set some boundaries."
* Meaning: To set rules and enforce them strictly.
71. Leave no stone unturned:
* "We'll leave no stone unturned in our search for the missing documents."
* "The detective left no stone unturned."
* "To find the best solution, we need to leave no stone unturned."
* Meaning: To try every possible way to find something or solve a problem.
72. Lend an ear:
* "I'm here to lend an ear if you need someone to talk to."
* "Thanks for lending an ear to my problems."
* "Sometimes, all you need is someone to lend an ear."
* Meaning: To listen to someone with sympathy.
73. Long shot:
* "Winning the lottery is a long shot, but people still try."
* "It's a long shot, but we're hoping for the best."
* "He knew it was a long shot, but he went for it anyway."
* Meaning: Something that has a very low probability of happening.
74. Look like a million bucks:
* "She looked like a million bucks in her new dress."
* "He always looks like a million bucks at formal events."
* "You look like a million bucks tonight!"
* Meaning: To look very attractive or expensive.
75. Lose your shirt:
* "He lost his shirt in the stock market crash."
* "If you invest in that, you could lose your shirt."
* "I almost lost my shirt gambling."
* Meaning: To lose a lot of money.
76. Make a mountain out of a molehill:
* "You're making a mountain out of a molehill; it's not that serious."
* "She tends to make a mountain out of a molehill about everything."
* "Don't make a mountain out of a molehill; let's stay focused on the real issues."
* Meaning: To exaggerate the importance of something.
77. Make hay while the sun shines:
* "We need to make hay while the sun shines and finish the project."
 "This is a great opportunity; we should make hay while the sun shines."
o "They're making hay while the sun shines and expanding their business."
o Meaning: To take advantage of a good opportunity.
81. Meet your Waterloo:
* "This project became his Waterloo."
* "That defeat was his Waterloo."
* "Every great leader eventually meets their Waterloo."
* Meaning: To encounter your final defeat or downfall.
82. Mend fences:
* "They need to mend fences after that argument."
* "It's time to mend fences and move forward."
* "I'm trying to mend fences with my neighbor."
* Meaning: To restore a relationship after a quarrel.
83. Money to burn:
* "They seem to have money to burn."
* "If I had money to burn, I'd travel the world."
* "He spends like he has money to burn."
* Meaning: To have a lot of money to spend.
84. More power to you:
* "You're starting your own business? More power to you!"
* "If you can convince him, more power to you."
* "You're taking on that challenge? More power to you."
* Meaning: An expression of encouragement or approval.
85. Mum's the word:
* "Mum's the word; don't tell anyone."
* "Can you keep a secret? Mum's the word."
* "About the surprise party, mum's the word."
* Meaning: Keep this a secret.
86. Needle in a haystack:
* "Finding that document is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
* "It's like finding a needle in a haystack to find the perfect candidate."
* "The missing piece is like a needle in a haystack."
* Meaning: Something that is very difficult to find.
87. Not playing with a full deck:
* "I think he's not playing with a full deck."
* "She's a bit eccentric; some say she's not playing with a full deck."
* "You have to wonder if he's not playing with a full deck."
* Meaning: Not very intelligent or mentally stable.
88. Old hat:
* "That style of music is old hat now."
* "That technology is old hat."
* "His ideas are a bit old hat."
* Meaning: Outdated or old-fashioned.
89. On the house:
* "The drinks are on the house tonight."
* "This meal is on the house."
* "It's on the house as a gesture of goodwill."
* Meaning: Free of charge.
90. On the tip of my tongue:
* "Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't remember it."
* "I know the answer; it's right on the tip of my tongue."
* "The word was on the tip of my tongue, but it escaped me."
* Meaning: Something that you know but cannot immediately recall.
91. Paint the town red:
* "Let's go out and paint the town red tonight!"
* "They went out to paint the town red after the victory."
* "We're going to paint the town red for his birthday."
* Meaning: To go out and celebrate wildly.
92. Pass with flying colors:
* "She passed the exam with flying colors."
* "He passed the test with flying colors."
* "They passed the inspection with flying colors."
* Meaning: To succeed easily and impressively.
93. Pay through the nose:
* "We had to pay through the nose for those tickets."
* "He paid through the nose to get his car repaired."
* "Don't go there; you'll pay through the nose."
* Meaning: To pay a very high price.
94. Piece of cake:
* "The test was a piece of cake."
* "Learning to ride a bike is a piece of cake."
* "This project is a piece of cake for me."
* Meaning: Very easy.
95. Pigs might fly:
* "He'll clean his room when pigs might fly."
* "Yeah, right, pigs might fly!"
* "If that ever happens, pigs might fly."
* Meaning: Something that will never happen.
96. Pull strings:
* "He had to pull strings to get the job."
* "I might be able to pull some strings to get you in."
* "She knows people who can pull strings."
* Meaning: To use your influence to get something.
97. Put your best foot forward:
* "Always put your best foot forward in an interview."
* "He wanted to put his best foot forward on the first date."
* "It's important to put your best foot forward."
* Meaning: To make the best possible first impression.
98. Sweep under the rug:
* "They tried to sweep the scandal under the rug."
* "We can't just sweep this problem under the rug."
* "Don't sweep your mistakes under the rug; learn from them."
* Meaning: To hide or ignore a problem or mistake.
99. Take with a grain of salt:
* "Take his advice with a grain of salt."
* "You have to take what he says with a grain of salt."
* "I took the news with a grain of salt."
* Meaning: To not take something too seriously.
100. The whole nine yards:
* "He went the whole nine yards to make the party a success."
* "We gave it the whole nine yards."
* "She decorated the house for Christmas, the whole nine yards."
* Meaning: Everything; the complete amount.

You might also like