Idioms

English is the official universal language. It is, by far, the language of international trade, finance, diplomacy, etc. It is used not only in English spoken countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and The United Kingdom but worldwide. It has a rich vocabulary, with many words borrowed from other languages. It is also one of the easiest languages to learn because: (1) its widespread use in many countries; (2) its alphabet only consists of 26 letter; (3) its relatively simple grammar; (4) the vast selection of English resources to learn from, including TV shows, radio, movies, videogames, music, podcasts, books, apps, and websites.

What is an idiom?

An idiom is a phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning that is different from its literal meaning. Native speakers use idioms to make their speech more colorful and expressive. They use them much more than they are actually aware of. They are a common feature of many languages and are often used in everyday conversation and writing.

Idioms can be challenging for language learners because they are not always easy to understand, may not translate well to other languages or make sense to other cultures. However, they are an important part of a language. They can help to convey meaning and add flavor, humor, and style to your English. If you want to speak English fluently, you need to learn some English idioms, such as break a leg (good luck), pull yourself together (calm down), it’s a piece of cake (it’s very easy), or it costs an arm and a leg (it’s very expensive).

Perhaps, you may want to read our free e-book A day at the zoo. It is packed with idioms.

Some examples are:

• You nailed it! You hit the nail on the head. The idiom actually means that you were absolutely right.


• Yeah, of course, when pigs fly. In other words, it is impossible, it is not going to happen. Curiosity kills the cat, but it also leads us to new paths. “Curiosity killed the cat” is often used to warn someone not to try to find out more about something that may be best left alone. It implies that being too curious or inquisitive can sometimes lead to danger, trouble or misfortune.


• Don’t bite off more than you can chew. What the idiom actually means is that you should not take on more than you can handle, in other words, you need to know and accept your limitations.

• She looks as awkward as a cow on roller skates (clumsy, out of place). S/he is as quiet as a mouse (shy), as stubborn as a mule (very stubborn), as fat as a pig/cow (overweight -it’s very rude and offensive).


• I put my foot in my mouth. The idiom means that I have said something foolish, tactless, or offensive that I regret.

• The boy who cried wolf. The Boy Who Cried Wolf is one of Aesop’s Fables. It teaches about the importance of not raising false alarms and of always telling the truth.


• It’s raining cats and dogs, which means it is raining very heavily.


• Have you ever spilled the beans on someone else’s secret? The idiom is another way of asking “Have you ever given away a secret?”

• The old fellow kicked the bucket. This is an idiomatic sentence that means the man died or passed away.

Where can I find more idioms?

• The free dictionary’s idioms and phrases boasts the largest collection of English idioms and slang in the world. It contains more than 60,000 entries.
• You can use The Idiom Site to find out the meanings of idioms and common sayings, such as add fuel to the fire (whenever something is done to make a bad situation even worse than it already is), a leopard can’t change his spot (you cannot change who you are) or don’t count your chickens before they hatch (don’t rely on it, don’t assume that something will happen or be successful until it actually happens).
• Idioms has a great collection of idioms with comprehensive meanings, examples, and origin details.
• The Idiom Connection lists idioms alphabetically and by theme with their meanings and example sentences.
• Besides, you can search videos for idioms, sayings, and other expressions in YouGlish. It will give you unbiased answers about how English is spoken by real people and in context.