Idioms in English with Examples: An idiom is an expression or phrase whose meaning does

not relate to the literal meaning of its words. However, students often confuse proverbs with
idioms. But, one should know that proverbs are well-known for stating a piece of advice or
general fact. For example, a picture worth a thousand words is a proverb – a general truth.
Now, let us consider the idiom ‘bite off more than you can chew‘. What you meant is that you
are trying to do something too hard for you. You can even order essays online for in-depth
insights into various idioms. In the meantime, read this blog to learn more than useful and
common idioms with examples and meanings.
What are Idioms in English?

A set of words, or another way, a phrase, that has a meaning beyond the words’ literal
meanings are known as idioms. The Cambridge Dictionary defines an idiom as “a group of
words in a fixed order that has a particular meaning that is different from the meanings of
each word on its own,” while the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an idiom as “a statement
in the usage of a language that is distinctive to itself either in having a meaning that cannot be
deduced from the conjoined meanings of its constituents” (e.g., up in the air for “undecided”)
or in its grammatically unconventional word usage (e.g., give way).

Idioms and their Meanings

Why Use Idioms in Sentences?

The fact that one cannot just rely on the meaning of individual words to grasp what the full
phrase means is the sole thing that makes studying idioms a time-consuming process.

Idioms should not be utilized in writing for academic or professional purposes. In a more
lighthearted setting, idioms may add personality to your work or speaking. Idioms can also be

used to convey sarcasm or puns.

The only issue is that it would be meaningless or have no impact on a group of individuals
who are unfamiliar with the idiom you are implying. Therefore, you should always make sure
that the audience you are using idioms with can understand their meaning.
Examples of Idioms and Their Meaning

Have you come across commonly used idioms in English while watching TV shows or
movies? As idioms do not always make literal sense, students should be familiar with their
meanings and how to use them. This may appear to be a lot of work, but idioms are fun!

So, here’s a list of the top 100 common idioms with their meanings and sentence examples:

List of Idiom Meaning

Beat around the bush To avoid talking about what’s important

Get your act together Get organized and do things effectively

Hit the sack Go to sleep

Your guess is as good as mine I do not know

Good things come to those who wait To have patience

Back against the wall Stuck in a difficult circumstance with no esca

Up in arms Being grumpy or angry about something

Scrape the barrel Making the most of the worst situations or th

Burn your boats/bridges Doing something that makes it impossible to

the original state.
 Break fresh/new ground Doing something that has never been done b

Sell like hot cakes Quick sellout

Run around in circles Putting efforts into something that is not a w

result

On cloud nine Being very happy

Left out in the cold Being ignored

Blow hot and cold Alternate inconsistently between moods and

Cut corners Doing something in an easier and least expe

manner

Boil the ocean Taking up an almost impossible or overly am

project

Keep an ear to the ground Staying informed about everything

Eat like a horse Eating too excessively

A snowball effect The aspect of momentum in every event and

build upon each other

Knit One’s Brows Someone who pulls their eyebrows together w

frustrated

Pie in the Sky An unrealistic or impossible goal or dream

Important Tip to Learn Idioms

It is comparatively easier to remember words unlike idioms because idioms (phrases) contain
3 or more words. And, remembering a chain of words and then speaking them in the correct
sequence is not easy. But, one thing you can do is to repeat the idiom and its meaning a few
times loudly and then use it in 2 to 3 different sentences.
List of Most Difficult Idioms with Examples

Idioms are used as figurative language, i.e. the use of words imaginatively and unusually. If
you want to know some interesting idioms and phrases in English, check out the list given
below:

1. In for a penny, in for a pound

Meaning: That someone is intentionally investing his time or money for a particular project or
task.
Example: When Athlead was booming, Jim was in for a penny and in for a pound, that’s how
dedicated he was.

2. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush

Meaning: An opportunity in hand, currently, is better than a prospect in the future, because

time never repeats itself.

Example: The detective apprehended 3 criminals and saw another one running but didn’t
chase him, because she knew a bird in one hand was better than two in the bush.

3. Chip off the old block

Meaning: A person is similar in behaviour or actions to his parents.
Example: When grandmother saw her grandson collecting coins like her son used to do, she
knew he was a Chip off the old block.

4. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Meaning: Treat people the same way you want to be treated.
Example: I felt Peter was a little cold today towards that homeless man, he should do unto
others as he would have them do unto him, because who knows about time.

5. Don’t cry over spilt milk

Meaning: Don’t cry over what has happened as it can not be fixed.
Example: Walter failed his examination but his dad came and said just one thing, “Son, Don’t
cry over spilt milk.”

6. Every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning: Bad things one day eventually lead to good things.
Example: See, yesterday you were so morose as your phone was stolen but look at you today,
you got a promotion. Is it rightly said that every cloud has a silver lining?

7. Beside yourself with joy

Meaning: To be extremely happy.

Example: I can see that you are beside yourself with joy on being selected for the job,
congratulations.

8. Fair and square

Meaning: Being direct or fair.
Example: To tell you fair and square, I did everything that I was meant to do, but I still feel
unfulfilled.

9. Having an Ace up the sleeve

Meaning: Have an advantage that is currently being withheld for future purposes.
Example: Brian kept quiet at the board meeting, who knew he had an Ace hidden up his sleeve
the whole time?

10. A black sheep

Meaning: Being a disgrace to the family.
Example: They don’t talk about Olive anymore, turns out he was the Black sheep for the family,
and he married someone else while he was still married to his fiancé.
11. Hook, line and sinker
Meaning: Doing something or trying to achieve something with thoroughness and passion.
Example: I have set my mind to go through the spreadsheets by Monday and I am working for
it Hook, line and sinker.

12. Looking to your laurels

Meaning: Do not be lost in your achievements and lose sight of what is supposed to happen.
Example: Look at your laurels but do not rest on them.

13. Bear a grudge

Meaning: To continue to feel angry or unfriendly toward someone or something because of a
particular past incident.
Example: I Bear a grudge against him for not taking me into confidence.

14. By the skin of your teeth

Meaning: To just barely get by or make it.
Example: Lester made the dance team By the skin of his teeth, you see the audition gates were
about to get closed.

15. Down for the count

Meaning: Tired; giving up.
Example: My pet dog is down for the count after playing the whole day with the frisbee.

16. Draw the line

Meaning: To stop before a point where something okay gets not okay.
Example: Hey buddy, that’s enough, Draw the line before someone comes and beats you to a
pulp.

17. Easier said than done

Meaning: Not as easy as it appears to be.
Example: Listen, losing weight is easier said than done, many people lack commitment.

18. Break a leg

Meaning: Saying good luck to someone.
Example: Hey Barry, it’s time for you to get on the stage and present your monologue, break a

leg.

19. Up a creek without a paddle

Meaning: In an unlucky situation.
Example: Dan tried to dine and dash yesterday at a Chinese place but he was stopped by the
waiters, guess he was up a creek without a paddle yesterday.

20. Give it a whirl

Meaning: To give something a try.
Example: I am terrified of skydiving, but I think once in my life, I will give it a whirl.

21. Fish out of water

Meaning: To be out of your comfort zone.
Example: Tom felt like a fish out of water when his girlfriend took him to a Star Wars
convention in LA.

22. In the fast lane

Meaning: A life filled with excitement.
Example: When Chris turned forty, he decided to live his life in the fast lane and quit his job for
his hobbies.

23. Go the extra mile

Meaning: To make an extra effort.
Example: He was willing to go the extra mile for the love of his life, Mia.
24. Snug as a bug in a rug

Meaning: Warm and cozy.

Meaning: The baby looks as snug as a bug in a rug next to her mother.

25. Step up your game

Meaning: To start performing better
Example: Jennifer better step up her game if she wants to make big in Basketball.

26. To not see the wood for the trees

Meaning: To be so involved in trivial matters that you don’t get the important facts.
Example: He always argues on the silliest topics, it’s like he can’t see wood for the trees.

27. Lose your marbles

Meaning: To go insane.
Example: Our mailman has lost his marbles, every day he drops Mr. Smith’s mail on our door.

28. Straight from the Horse’s mouth

Meaning: Directly from the person involved.
Example: Listen to the news straight from the horse’s mouth, his factory burned down right in
front of his eyes.

29. Crying Wolf

Meaning: To ask for help when you don’t need it.
Example: You have been a crying Wolf so many times that no one believes you now.

30. Palm off

Meaning: Pass off something as genuine when it is spurious.
Example: This shopkeeper always palms off old stock to the customers.

31. Has bigger fish to fry

Meaning: Has more important work to do.
Example: Please don’t bother me today with any calls, I have bigger fish to fry.

32. Look before you leap

Meaning: Calculate the risks before advancing towards a possibility.
Example: You can’t just sell all of your shares when the market is low, look before you leap,
Trump is coming tomorrow, and the shares may grow.

33. On thin ice

Meaning: In a precarious or risky situation.
Example: Andy played hooky from work for a week saying he was sick, and now his boss said
that he is on thin ice.

34. Play devil’s advocate

Meaning: To argue, just for the sake of it.
Example: He was not agreeing to back off as if he was playing devil’s advocate.

35. Rain on someone’s parade

Meaning: To spoil a moment.
Example: He told his wife that he didn’t want to rain on her parade, but they had to shift their
vacation dates.

36. Take a rain check

Meaning: Postpone a plan.
Example: He asked me whether I would like to have dinner with his family, but I had a thing so
I said, rain check.

37. Take it with a grain of salt

Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously.
Example: She tells great tales but we take whatever she says with a grain of salt.

38. Like a cakewalk

Meaning: Such an easy task.
Example: Everyone took hours to write the code but Adam did it like a cakewalk.

39. Throw caution to the wind

Meaning: Take a risk.
Example: The caretaker threw caution to the wind by taking a sick baby outside.

40. Penny-wise and Pound foolish

Meaning: Careful in trivial matters but wasteful or extravagant in large matters.
Example: That man eats Ramen noodles daily for dinner but for his dog, he throws a big party.
He is indeed penny-wise and pound-foolish.

41. The whole nine yards

Meaning: Everything, all the way.
Example: I want to know everything there is to know about this merger, the whole nine yards of
the deal.

42. The best thing since sliced bread

Meaning: A really good invention.
Example: Bluetooth is officially the best thing since sliced bread.

43. Bite off more than you can chew

Meaning: Take on difficult work that is beyond your capabilities.
Example: Andrew told his boss that he would triple the sales but in reality, he bit off more than
he can chew and now all of us are in trouble.

44. Play by the ear

Meaning: To improvise.
Example: I just went to Canada and did everything playing by the ear, no itinerary, no
schedules.

45. Ignorance is bliss

Meaning: You are better off not knowing some things.
Example: His wife always asked him what it was he did late at night, turned out, he was insider
trading. But she knew nothing about this so she won’t be convicted, sometimes ignorance is
bliss.

46. Put something on ice

Meaning: To put something on hold.
Example: As per the boss’ order, Michael has put his personal matters on ice.

47. You can say that again

Meaning: That’s absolutely true.

Example: “The Earth is bleeding”, you can say that again, pal.

48. Bite the bullet

Meaning: To get something over with because it is inevitable.
Example: Vik was diagnosed with second-stage cancer but he didn’t want to get
chemotherapy. By the will of his wife, he bit the bullet.

49. Go back to the drawing board

Meaning: Start over.
Example: It is not too late to go back to the drawing board and assess your mistakes.

50. Call it a day

Meaning: Stop working on something.
Example: Ah! So if we didn’t complete the puzzle today, let’s call it a day and come back again
tomorrow.

51. Beating Around the Bush

Meaning: To talk about unnecessary things.
Example: When I asked my secretary about the missing file and documents, she was beating
around the bush.

52. Be in a Tight Corner

Meaning: Being in a difficult situation.
Example: Radha’s low grades despite her constant efforts have put her in a very tight corner.

53. At the 11th Hour

Meaning: At the last moment.

Example: While leaving for Shimla, Harshit kept his mobile phone charger in the bag at the
11th hour.

54. Swan Song

Meaning: The last piece of work of an artist before his/her death.
Example: This painting was M.F Hussain’s swan song.
55. Wild Goose Chase
Meaning: Futile Chase
Example: Catching the two thieves together on a jam-packed road was no less than a wild
goose chase for the policeman.

56. Bury the Hatchet

Meaning: Ending a quarrel to make peace.
Example: My father buried the hatchet by equally dividing the pasta between me and my
sister.

57. To Bell the Cat

Meaning: To face a risk.
Example: He belled the cat when he was trying to escape the prison.

58. Turn a deaf ear

Meaning: To ignore what someone is saying.
Example: Whenever her mother complained of her excessive use of her mobile phone, Anu
turned a deaf ear.

59. At Sea
Meaning: Confused
Example: I was at sea while choosing a lehenga for my sister’s wedding at Manish Malhotra’s
store.

60. To be in the doldrums

Meaning: To be in a low spirit
Example: When I got to know about the increasing cases of COVID-19 in my area, I was in the
doldrums.
61. Hit the books
Meaning: Going to study
Example: I won’t be able to come for dinner as I have to hit the books for my half-yearly
examinations.

62. Twist someone’s arm

Meaning: To convince someone
Example: I was not planning to come to the party but by reminding me of all the good food
you twisted my arm!

63. Stab someone in the back

Meaning: To betray a close person
Example: My uncle trusted his driver so much but he stabbed him in the back when he saw all
the money bags.

64. Go cold turkey

Meaning: To quit or stop addictive or dangerous behaviour

Example: No one could believe that my father left eating sweets! He went cold turkey when the
doctors told him that he had diabetes.

65. Ring a bell

Meaning: Sounds familiar
Example: Why does this name ring a bell in my head? Was this girl in my school?

66. Cut to the chase

Meaning: Getting to the important point
Example: As the submissions were to be made tonight, the boss cut to the chase and asked us
to start working.
67. Blow off steam
Meaning: Experiencing strong feelings like anger or stress
Example: Shina went running to blow off steam as she had a huge fight with her mother.

68. Face the music

Meaning: Face the reality
Example: Shikha asked her husband to not run away from the problem and just face the
music once!

69. To have sticky fingers

Meaning: Thief
Example: The cashier had a sticky finger, he stole around $2000 and ran away from the bank.

70. Break the bank

Meaning: To be very expensive
Example: I had to break the bank to buy these shoes!

71. Face the music

Meaning: Confront the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.
Example: We have done it and now it’s time to face the music!

72. It is always darkest before the dawn

Meaning: Things will get better
Example: I know you have gone through the worst, but remember it is always darkest before
the dawn.

73. Jump the gun

Meaning: To act on something promptly before the right time
Example: I think I jumped the gun by sending the email before they told me the time.
74. Wear your heart on your sleeve
Meaning: Expressing yourself too openly
Example: She wears her heart on her sleeve and often gets hurt.

75. Cut no ice

Meaning: Fail to make an impact
Example: Your poetry cuts no ice with me

76. Light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning: Seeing signs of improvement in the future

Example: I see the light at the end of the tunnel for my relationship with her

77. Through thick and thin

Meaning: Through good and bad times
Example: Books and music stay by your side through thick and thin.

78. Cry for the moon

Meaning: To ask for something that is rather difficult
Example: You are crying for the moon for this concert’s tickets!

79. Read between the lines

Meaning: Understanding the real message behind something
Example: If you try to read between the lines, her song is actually about Nizagara

80. Don’t give up a day’s job

Meaning: You are not very good at something or you could not do it professionally
Example: I love painting, but I shouldn’t give up a day’s job just yet.
List of Unique Idioms to Improve Your Vocabulary

Here are the most common 20 idioms with their meanings and sentences:

1. A left-handed compliment
Meaning: Saying something insulting in the form of appreciative words.

Example: Her words on my blog seem like a left-handed compliment.

2. Once in a blue moon

Meaning: Not very often
Example: I visit her place once in a blue moon

3. Call a spade a spade

Meaning: Talking frankly
Example: I will not lie about it and call a spade a spade.

4. Flesh and blood

Meaning: Referring to someone in the family or human nature
Example: It’s flesh and blood to feel such strong emotions at this time.

5. Jam on the brakes

Meaning: Press brakes of a vehicle suddenly
Example: I had to jam on the brakes when I saw the deer.

6. Notch up
Meaning: To win or create a record
Example: One Direction notched up the finale with their amazing voice!
7. A slap on the wrist
Meaning: Just a small punishment
Example: You will get a slap on the wrist for painting this wall but don’t dare to do it again.

8. Knee Jerk Reaction

Meaning: A quick response
Example: The statement was just a knee-jerk reaction.

9. Once bitten, twice shy

Meaning: Afraid of doing something again
Example: Once bitten twice shy, he can’t ski.

10. Forty winks

Meaning: A short nap
Example: I will be just in for forty winks, I promise.

11. Up for grabs

Meaning: Available for everyone
Example: This pizza slice is up for grabs!

12. Old as the hills

Meaning: Someone very old
Example: The man looks as old as the hills.

13. Back to square one

Meaning: Start all over again
Example: Your mistake brought us back to square one.
14. Round the bend
Meaning: Crazy

Example: My neighbour is around the bend, don’t try to mess with her.

15. Against the clock

Meaning: Rushed
Example: I have to hurry for the meeting, I am against the clock.

16. Black and blue

Meaning: Something bruised
Example: What happened? Your eyes look black and blue.

17. Have the blues

Meaning: Sad
Example: After meeting her, I am feeling the blues.

18. Be glad to see the back of

Meaning: Happy when someone leaves
Example: Tomorrow, I will be glad to see the back of her.

19. Blackout
Meaning: Faint
Example: I blacked out after two drinks.

20. Get in Shape

Meaning: To become strong or fit
Example: I need to make a proper schedule to get in shape before the graduation ceremony.