English idioms
● “Bite off more than you can chew” Meaning: To try to do more than you can
manage. Example: “By agreeing to do two big projects at once, I bit off more
than I could chew.”
● “Beat around the bush” Meaning: To avoid talking about what’s important.
Example: “Please stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened.”
● “Cry over spilled milk” Meaning: To be upset about something that has
already happened and can’t be changed. Example: “Don’t cry over spilled milk;
let’s focus on fixing the problem.”
● “Get your act together” Meaning: To organise yourself and improve your
behaviour. Example: “You need to get your act together if you want to pass
this class.”
● “Kill two birds with one stone” Meaning: To solve two problems with one
action. Example: “By walking to work, I kill two birds with one stone: I save
money and get exercise.”
● “Let the cat out of the bag” Meaning: To reveal a secret by mistake. Example:
“I let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party when I asked her what
cake she likes.”
● “Pull someone’s leg” Meaning: To joke with someone by telling them
something that isn’t true. Example: “Don’t worry, I’m just pulling your leg; I
didn’t really sell your bike.”
● “Burn the midnight oil” Meaning: To work late into the night. Example: “I’ve
been burning the midnight oil to finish this project before the deadline.”
● “Bite the bullet” Meaning: To do something difficult or unpleasant that you
have been avoiding. Example: “I finally bit the bullet and went to the dentist
after waiting for months.”
● “Break a leg” Meaning: A way of wishing someone good luck, especially
before a performance. Example: “You’re going to do great in the play tonight.
Break a leg!”
● “Call it a day” Meaning: To stop working on something. Example: “We’ve done
a lot of work on the report. Let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow.”
● “Steal someone’s thunder” Meaning: To take attention away from someone
else’s achievement. Example: “I was about to share my good news, but my
sister stole my thunder by announcing her engagement.”
● “The ball is in your court” Meaning: It’s your turn to take action or make a
decision. Example: “I’ve made my offer; now the ball is in your court to
decide.”
● “Throw in the towel” Meaning: To give up. Example: “After trying for hours to
fix the computer, I threw in the towel and called an expert.”
● “Under the weather” Meaning: Feeling slightly ill. Example: “I’m feeling a bit
under the weather today; I might stay home and rest.”
● “Speak of the devil” Meaning: Said when someone appears just as you’re
talking about them. Example: “Speak of the devil! We were just talking about
you when you walked in.”
● “Once in a blue moon” Meaning: Very rarely. Example: “I only eat fast food
once in a blue moon; I usually cook at home.”
● “Catch someone red-handed” Meaning: To catch someone while they are
doing something wrong. Example: “The teacher caught the student
red-handed trying to cheat on the test.”
● “Barking up the wrong tree” Meaning: To look for something in the wrong
place or to blame the wrong person. Example: “If you think I took your book,
you’re barking up the wrong tree. I haven’t seen it.”
● “Jump on the bandwagon” Meaning: To join an activity that has become
popular. Example: “When healthy eating became popular, many people jumped
on the bandwagon.”
● “Like two peas in a pod” Meaning: Very similar or close. Example: “Those best
friends are like two peas in a pod; they do everything together.”
● “Ten a penny” Meaning: Very common and not special or valuable. Example:
“Empty promises are ten a penny; I need to see real actions.”
● “Go the extra mile” Meaning: To make an extra effort. Example: “Our teachers
always go the extra mile to help students understand difficult topics.”
● “Straight from the horse’s mouth” Meaning: Information from the person who
knows best. Example: “I heard about the university’s new policy straight from
the horse’s mouth – the vice-chancellor told us herself.”
● “Take with a pinch of salt” Meaning: To not completely believe something.
Example: “You should take his stories with a pinch of salt; he often
exaggerates.”
