A–Z Popular American Idioms List with Meanings & Examples For IELTS/TOEFL

Idioms are a big part of the American way of speaking. You’ll hear them in everyday conversations, TV shows, movies, songs, and even in politics. They make English sound more natural, colorful, and fun. For example, instead of saying “I’m very tired,” an American might say “I’m running on fumes.” Or instead of “He is very rich,” you might hear “He is rolling in money.” Doesn’t that sound livelier and more interesting? That’s the real charm of idioms.

If you’re learning English or preparing for exams like IELTS, TOEFL, SSC or GRE, idioms can give you a real boost. They make your speaking and writing sound more natural, and they also help you understand native speakers better. Since idioms often show up in listening and reading tests, knowing them can be a huge advantage. Check out our Idioms practice paper for SSC exams.

In this article, we’ve put together a complete A–Z popular American idioms list with their meanings and examples. The idioms are organized alphabetically, so you can easily jump to any letter and explore.

If you’re looking for the most commonly used American idioms in daily life, check out our 50+ Daily Used American Idioms with Meanings & Examples.

A–Z Popular American Idioms with Examples

Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who wants to sound more fluent in English, knowing idioms will help. This guide will help you use idioms with confidence and make your conversations stand out than others. To make it easy, this A-Z Idioms list is divided alphabetically. Happy learning!

English Idioms Beginning with A

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
A Bit Much	More than is reasonable; excessive	His reaction was a bit much for such a small mistake.
A Bite at the Cherry	A good opportunity that isn’t available to everyone	She finally got a bite at the cherry when she was promoted.
A Busy Bee	A person who is always active	My mom is always working around the house—she’s a busy bee.
A Cat Has Nine Lives	Cats survive dangerous things easily	That cat fell from the roof and walked away—truly, a cat has nine lives.
A Cat Nap	A short sleep during the day	I took a cat nap before my evening shift.
A Cat in Gloves Catches No Mice	You can’t get what you need if you’re too careful	If you want success, take risks—a cat in gloves catches no mice.
A Cold Day in July	Something that will never happen	He’ll apologize? That’ll be a cold day in July.
A Cold Fish	Someone who is unemotional or distant	The manager is a cold fish—never smiles, never laughs.
A Cut Above	Slightly better than others	Her singing is a cut above the rest.
A Cut Below	Inferior in quality	The service at that restaurant is a cut below expectations.
A Day Late and a Dollar Short	Too delayed and insignificant to help	His advice was a day late and a dollar short.
A Dog in the Manger	Someone who prevents others from using something they don’t need	She won’t use the books herself but won’t lend them—such a dog in the manger.
A Few Sandwiches Short of a Picnic	Stupid or not very sane	He believes the Earth is flat—he’s a few sandwiches short of a picnic.
A Good Deal	A lot; to a large extent	She talks a good deal about her travels.
A Guinea Pig	Someone used in an experiment	The new software is being tested on us—we’re the guinea pigs.
A Hair’s Breadth	A very small distance	The car missed hitting me by a hair’s breadth.
A Home Bird	Someone who prefers staying home	I’m such a home bird—I love weekends indoors.
A Hundred and Ten Percent	More than the maximum effort	The team gave a hundred and ten percent in the finals.
A Lame Duck	A weak or unsuccessful person or business	The company turned into a lame duck after the recession.
A Leg Up	An advantage, a boost	Extra training gave her a leg up in the interview.
A Lemon	Something defective (often a car)	That used car turned out to be a lemon.
A Life of Its Own	Something that develops independently	The rumor took on a life of its own.
A Little Bird Told Me	Don’t want to reveal the source	A little bird told me you’re getting engaged.
A Lone Wolf	Someone who prefers to work alone	He’s a lone wolf—rarely attends team parties.
A Lot on One’s Plate	Having many responsibilities	She has a lot on her plate with work and studies.
A Notch Above	Superior in quality	This hotel is a notch above the others nearby.
A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned	Saving money is as valuable as earning	Remember, a penny saved is a penny earned.
A Penny for Your Thoughts	Asking what someone is thinking	You look quiet—a penny for your thoughts?
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words	A picture can explain more than words	This diagram proves that a picture is worth a thousand words.
A Plum Job	An easy and pleasant job that pays well	He landed a plum job at Google.
A Rare Bird	Something or someone unusual	A writer who never checks reviews is a rare bird.
A Scaredy-Cat	Someone who is easily frightened	Don’t be such a scaredy-cat, it’s only a spider!
A Second Bite at the Cherry	A second chance	The coach gave him a second bite at the cherry.
A Sight for Sore Eyes	Someone you are very happy to see	After weeks apart, she was a sight for sore eyes.
A Sitting Duck	Someone vulnerable	Without security, the office was a sitting duck.
A Snowball’s Chance in Hell	Almost no chance	He has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning.
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine	Fixing something early prevents bigger problems	Don’t delay repairs—a stitch in time saves nine.
A Stone’s Throw	A very short distance	The park is just a stone’s throw away.
A Storm in a Teacup	Overreacting to something small	Their fight was just a storm in a teacup.
A Tall Order	A difficult task	Finishing this in one day is a tall order.
A Week Is a Long Time in Politics	Situations change quickly	They say a week is a long time in politics.
Above and Beyond	Exceeding expectations	She went above and beyond to help her students.
Above Board	Open, honest	Their business dealings were above board.
Above the Law	Exempt from rules	The minister acts like he’s above the law.
Achilles’ Heel	A fatal weakness	Overconfidence was his Achilles’ heel.
Acid Test	A decisive test	The final exam is the acid test of your skills.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words	Deeds are more important than promises	He never brags—actions speak louder than words.
Add Fuel to the Fire	Make a bad situation worse	His comments only added fuel to the fire.
All Bark and No Bite	Full of threats but harmless	He talks tough but is all bark and no bite.
All Ears	Fully listening	Tell me the news—I’m all ears.
All in a Day’s Work	Normal and expected	Helping clients is all in a day’s work for us.
All Thumbs	Clumsy	I dropped the glass again—I’m all thumbs today.
Apple of One’s Eye	Someone cherished	His daughter is the apple of his eye.
At the Drop of a Hat	Instantly, without hesitation	He helps his friends at the drop of a hat.
At the Eleventh Hour	At the last possible moment	She submitted her paper at the eleventh hour.
At Wit’s End	Frustrated, out of solutions	I’m at my wit’s end with this project.

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English Idioms Beginning with B

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Back Against the Wall	In a very difficult situation	With his back against the wall, he had no choice but to fight.
Back in the Saddle	Return to normal activity after a break	After his surgery, he’s back in the saddle at work.
Back to Square One	Return to the starting point	The deal fell through, so we’re back to square one.
Back to the Drawing Board	Start again after a failure	The plan didn’t work, so it’s back to the drawing board.
Backseat Driver	Someone who gives unwanted advice	I can’t stand a backseat driver when I’m on the road.
Bad Apple	A troublemaker in a group	One bad apple can spoil the whole team.
Bad Blood	Resentment or hostility	There’s been bad blood between them since the argument.
Ball Is in Your Court	It’s your decision or responsibility	I’ve done my part—the ball is in your court now.
Ballpark Figure	Rough estimate	The contractor gave us a ballpark figure for the repairs.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree	Making a wrong assumption	If you think I’m guilty, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Beat Around the Bush	Avoid the main point	Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth.
Beat a Dead Horse	Waste time on something already settled	Arguing about that now is just beating a dead horse.
Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder	Different people see beauty differently	He loves that old car—beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Bed of Roses	Easy, comfortable life	Marriage isn’t always a bed of roses.
Bee in One’s Bonnet	An obsession with something	She’s got a bee in her bonnet about recycling.
Behind Closed Doors	Secretly, privately	The deal was made behind closed doors.
Behind the Eight Ball	In a tough or unfavorable situation	After missing the deadline, he was behind the eight ball.
Bend Over Backwards	Try very hard to help	She bent over backwards to make us comfortable.
Benefit of the Doubt	Believe someone’s story without proof	I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt this time.
Big Cheese	An important person	He’s the big cheese of the company.
Big Fish in a Small Pond	Someone important in a small group	He’s a big fish in a small pond at his local club.
Big Picture	The overall view	Don’t focus on small details—look at the big picture.
Bird’s Eye View	A general view from above	We got a bird’s eye view of the city from the tower.
Bite the Bullet	Face a difficult situation bravely	He had to bite the bullet and take the exam again.
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew	Take on more responsibility than you can handle	He bit off more than he could chew with that big project.
Bite the Hand That Feeds You	Harm someone who helps you	Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Black and Blue	Badly bruised	He was black and blue after the accident.
Black Market	Illegal buying and selling	Those items were sold on the black market.
Black Sheep	An outcast of the family or group	He’s the black sheep of the family.
Blessing in Disguise	Something good that seems bad at first	Losing that job was a blessing in disguise.
Blind Leading the Blind	Ignorant people leading others who are also ignorant	With no experience, it was the blind leading the blind.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water	Family bonds are stronger than others	He forgave his brother—blood is thicker than water.
Blow Off Steam	Release pent-up energy or emotion	He plays basketball to blow off steam after work.
Blow Hot and Cold	Keep changing one’s mind	She’s been blowing hot and cold about the move.
Blow the Whistle	Expose wrongdoing	The employee blew the whistle on corruption.
Blue Blood	Member of a wealthy or aristocratic family	He comes from a blue-blood family.
Blue-Collar Worker	A manual laborer	His dad was a blue-collar worker at the factory.
Bolt from the Blue	A sudden, unexpected event	The resignation was a bolt from the blue.
Bone to Pick	A grievance or issue	I have a bone to pick with you about yesterday.
Born with a Silver Spoon	Born into a wealthy family	She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
Break a Leg	Good luck (especially in theater)	Break a leg on your performance tonight!
Break the Ice	Start a conversation in a social setting	He told a joke to break the ice.
Bring Down the House	Get an enthusiastic applause	The comedian’s act brought down the house.
Bring Home the Bacon	Earn money for the family	He works hard to bring home the bacon.
Burn the Midnight Oil	Work late into the night	She burned the midnight oil before the exam.
Burn the Candle at Both Ends	Overwork or exhaust oneself	He’s burning the candle at both ends with two jobs.
Burst Your Bubble	Disappoint someone by breaking their illusion	I hate to burst your bubble, but that rumor isn’t true.
By the Book	Follow rules strictly	The lawyer does everything by the book.
By Word of Mouth	Spread by talking	The restaurant became famous by word of mouth.

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English Idioms Beginning with C

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Call It a Day	Decide that one has worked enough on something for the day	Let’s call it a day and finish the rest tomorrow.
Call It a Night	End an evening’s activities and go home	After dinner, we called it a night and went home.
Call the Shots	Make the important decisions in an organization	In this office, the manager calls the shots.
Call the Tune	Control or make important decisions	The investors called the tune during negotiations.
Can’t See the Forest for the Trees	Unable to see the big picture	He’s so focused on details that he can’t see the forest for the trees.
Can’t Swing a Dead Cat (In Place)	There are too many of something in one place	You can’t swing a dead cat in this city without hitting a coffee shop.
Carrot-and-Stick (Approach)	Reward and punishment tactic	The boss uses a carrot-and-stick approach to motivate employees.
Carry a Torch (for)	Continue loving someone after a breakup	He’s still carrying a torch for his ex-girlfriend.
Carry Coals to Newcastle	Do something unnecessary	Giving him advice on computers is like carrying coals to Newcastle.
Carry the Can	Take the blame for something you didn’t do	The intern carried the can for the team’s mistake.
Cash In One’s Chips	1. Take advantage of profit 2. Die	He cashed in his chips at the casino / Sadly, he cashed in his chips last year.
Cash-Strapped	In need of money	The company is cash-strapped after the failed project.
Cast the First Stone	To be the first to criticize	He cast the first stone even though he wasn’t innocent.
Castle in the Air	An unrealistic plan	His idea of retiring at 30 is just a castle in the air.
Cat Fight	A fight between women	The tabloids exaggerated the actresses’ argument into a cat fight.
Cat Got Your Tongue?	Why so quiet?	You’re unusually silent—cat got your tongue?
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof	Extremely nervous	She was like a cat on a hot tin roof before the interview.
Cat-and-Mouse	Playful but cruel teasing	The negotiations turned into a cat-and-mouse game.
Cat’s Paw	A person being used by someone else	He was just a cat’s paw in their scheme.
Catch One’s Death of Cold	Become very ill	Put on a coat, or you’ll catch your death of cold!
Catch Some Rays	Sunbathe	We spent the afternoon catching some rays at the beach.
Catch Someone’s Eye	Attract attention	That red dress really caught my eye.
Catch-22	A no-win situation	Without a car you can’t get a job, and without a job you can’t buy a car—it’s a Catch-22.
Caught Red-Handed	Caught in the act of wrongdoing	He was caught red-handed stealing money.
Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget	Expensive tastes beyond means	She has champagne taste on a beer budget.
Change Horses in Midstream	Change plans or leaders halfway	It’s risky to change horses in midstream.
Change of Heart	Change one’s opinion	She had a change of heart and decided not to move.
Change One’s Tune	Alter one’s opinion	He changed his tune after hearing the full story.
Changing of the Guard	Change in leadership	The company saw a changing of the guard last year.
Chase Rainbows	Pursue unrealistic goals	He’s chasing rainbows trying to become a movie star.
Cheap Shot	Unfair criticism	That comment was a cheap shot at her appearance.
Cherry-Pick	Select only the best	The coach cherry-picked players for the team.
Chew the Fat	Chat casually for a long time	We sat on the porch chewing the fat.
Chickens Come Home to Roost	Past actions have consequences	His lies finally caught up with him—the chickens came home to roost.
Child’s Play	Very easy	For her, solving the puzzle was child’s play.
Chill Out	Relax	Just chill out and enjoy the evening.
Chin Music	Meaningless talk	Stop the chin music and get to work.
Chin Up	Stay positive	Keep your chin up—you’ll get through this.
Chip off the Old Block	Resemble a parent	He’s a real chip off the old block, just like his father.
Chomp at the Bit	Be eager	The kids were chomping at the bit to open presents.
Chop Chop	Hurry up	Come on, chop chop, we’re late!
Chop Shop	Place where stolen cars are dismantled	The police raided a chop shop last night.
Chuck a Wobbly	Lose one’s temper (esp. in Australian English)	He chucked a wobbly when he lost the game.
Circle the Wagons	Defend as a group	The team circled the wagons against the criticism.
Claim to Fame	Unique feature	His only claim to fame is winning a pie-eating contest.
Clean Up Nicely	Look good when dressed well	Wow, you really clean up nicely in that suit!
Clear the Air	Resolve tension	They had a meeting to clear the air after the fight.
Clip Someone’s Wings	Limit someone’s freedom	The manager clipped his wings by reducing his budget.
Close, But No Cigar	Nearly successful	He was close, but no cigar in the championship game.
Cock and Bull Story	Unbelievable story	His excuse sounded like a cock and bull story.
Cock-A-Hoop	Extremely happy	She was cock-a-hoop after winning the award.
Cold Day in Hell	Something very unlikely	He’ll apologize? That’ll be a cold day in hell.
Cold Shoulder	Deliberate act of ignoring	She gave him the cold shoulder after the argument.
Come By Something Honestly	Acquire something fairly or inherit it	She came by her talent honestly—her parents are both musicians.
Come Clean	Confess	He came clean about cheating on the test.
Come Hell or High Water	No matter what	He’s determined to finish the marathon, come hell or high water.
Come Out in the Wash	Be resolved without harm	Don’t worry, it’ll all come out in the wash.
Come Out of the Closet	Reveal one’s secret (esp. sexuality)	He finally came out of the closet to his parents.
Come Out Swinging	Respond aggressively	The candidate came out swinging in the debate.
Come Rain or Shine	No matter what the circumstances	She jogs every morning, come rain or shine.
Come to Grips With	Face and deal with	She finally came to grips with her illness.
Come to Terms With	Accept	He came to terms with the loss of his job.
Coming Down the Pike	Likely to happen soon	There are new regulations coming down the pike.
Cook Someone’s Goose	Ruin someone’s plans	That mistake cooked his goose.
Cook Up a Storm	Cook a lot of food	She cooked up a storm for Thanksgiving dinner.
Cool as a Cucumber	Very calm	He stayed cool as a cucumber during the crisis.
Cool Cat	A fashionable, admired person	He’s such a cool cat with his sunglasses.
Cool Your Heels	Wait patiently	You’ll have to cool your heels until the manager arrives.
Couch Potato	Lazy person who watches TV	Don’t be such a couch potato—go outside!
Crash a Party	Attend uninvited	They tried to crash the wedding reception.
Crickets	Silence (esp. after a question or joke fails)	I told a joke, but all I got was crickets.
Cross to Bear	Ongoing burden	Caring for his sick father is his cross to bear.
Crunch the Numbers	Do financial calculations	The accountant is crunching the numbers.
Crunch Time	A critical, high-pressure period	It’s crunch time before the product launch.
Cry Over Spilt Milk	Regret something that can’t be undone	Don’t cry over spilt milk—it’s too late now.
Cry Uncle	To surrender or give up	The kids wrestled until one cried uncle.
Cry Wolf	Raise a false alarm	He cried wolf so many times, no one believed him.
Cry Your Eyes Out	Cry intensely	She cried her eyes out after the breakup.
Curiosity Killed the Cat	Warning not to be too inquisitive	Don’t ask too many questions—curiosity killed the cat.
Curled Up With a Good Book	Relaxed reading time	I love to spend Sundays curled up with a good book.
Cut (Someone) to the Quick	Deeply hurt emotionally	Her harsh words cut him to the quick.
Cut Corners	Do something cheaply/poorly	They cut corners on safety, and it caused problems.
Cut It Fine	Do something just in time	You cut it fine arriving right before the exam.
Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Face	Self-destructive behavior	Quitting your job without another offer is like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Cut Someone Some Slack	Be lenient	The teacher cut her some slack on the deadline.
Cut the Gordian Knot	Solve a complex problem quickly	He cut the Gordian knot by proposing a bold solution.
Cut the Mustard	Meet expectations	The new player didn’t quite cut the mustard.
Cut to the Chase	Get to the point	Let’s cut to the chase and discuss money.
Cut Your Teeth on Something	Gain early experience	He cut his teeth on local theater before going to Broadway.
Cutting-Edge	Innovative	The lab works with cutting-edge technology.

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English Idioms Beginning with D

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Dance to Someone’s Tune	Consistently follow someone’s directions or influence	The employees danced to the boss’s tune without question.
Dance with the Devil	Knowingly do something immoral	By joining that scheme, he was dancing with the devil.
Dark Horse	An unexpected competitor who surprises everyone	She was a dark horse in the competition and ended up winning.
Darken Someone’s Door (Step)	Make an unwanted visit	I hope he never darkens my doorstep again.
Dead Ahead	Directly in front	There’s a gas station dead ahead.
Dead as the Dodo	Completely extinct or outdated	That old technology is as dead as the dodo.
Dead Eye	A skilled marksman	The sheriff was known as a dead eye with his rifle.
Dead Heat	A tie in a competition	The race ended in a dead heat.
Dead of Winter	The coldest part of winter	We moved during the dead of winter.
Dead Ringer	A perfect lookalike	He’s a dead ringer for his grandfather.
Dead Run	Running at full speed	She caught the bus after a dead run.
Dead Shot	A skilled shooter	The hunter was a dead shot.
Dead to the World	Sleeping very deeply	After the trip, he was dead to the world.
Deep Pockets	Wealthy; having a lot of money	The new owner has deep pockets and plans to invest heavily.
Deliver the Goods	Provide what is expected	The new coach delivered the goods with a winning season.
Devil’s Advocate	Someone who argues another side for debate’s sake	He played devil’s advocate to test her arguments.
Dirty Look	A facial expression showing disapproval	She gave him a dirty look after his rude comment.
Do 12-Ounce Curls	Drink beer	He spent the night doing 12-ounce curls at the bar.
Dodge a Bullet	Narrowly avoid disaster	She dodged a bullet by not boarding that flight.
Doesn’t Amount to a Hill of Beans	Something unimportant	That argument doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.
Dog Days of Summer	The hottest part of summer	We stayed indoors during the dog days of summer.
Dog in the Manger	Someone who prevents others from using something they don’t need	He’s a dog in the manger—he won’t use it but won’t share it either.
Dog-and-Pony Show	A flashy presentation meant to impress	The product launch was more of a dog-and-pony show.
Dog-Eat-Dog	Ruthlessly competitive	The business world can be dog-eat-dog.
Dog-Tired	Extremely exhausted	After the hike, I was dog-tired.
Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk	Don’t waste time worrying about what’s done	It’s over—don’t cry over spilled milk.
Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover	Don’t judge based on appearances	She looks strict, but don’t judge a book by its cover.
Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth	Don’t criticize a gift	He gave you a free car—don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Donkey’s Years	A very long time	I haven’t seen him in donkey’s years.
Double-Dip	Get income improperly from two sources	He was caught double-dipping from two pension funds.
Double-Edged Sword	Something that has both advantages and disadvantages	Fame is a double-edged sword.
Down in the Dumps	Sad, depressed	She’s been down in the dumps lately.
Down the Drain	Wasted, lost	All our effort went down the drain.
Down the Road	In the future	We’ll discuss that down the road.
Down to Earth	Practical, realistic	She’s very down to earth despite her fame.
Down to the Wire	Until the last possible moment	The game went down to the wire.
Drag One’s Feet (or Heels)	To delay doing something	He dragged his feet about finishing the report.
Drain the Lizard	Slang for urinate	He excused himself to drain the lizard.
Draw a Blank	Fail to remember	I drew a blank on his name.
Draw a Line in the Sand	Set a clear boundary	She drew a line in the sand about working weekends.
Draw a Line Under (Something)	Conclude something	Let’s draw a line under this argument and move on.
Draw a Long Bow	Exaggerate or lie	His fishing stories always draw a long bow.
Draw the Line	Set a limit	I draw the line at lying to customers.
Dressed Up to the Nines	Dressed very elegantly	She was dressed up to the nines for the gala.
Drink the Kool-Aid	Accept ideas blindly	The followers drank the Kool-Aid without question.
Drive a Hard Bargain	Negotiate strongly	The dealer drove a hard bargain on the price.
Drive a Wedge Between	Cause division in a group	His gossip drove a wedge between the friends.
Drive Someone Up the Wall	Greatly annoy someone	His constant humming drives me up the wall.
Drop a Line	Write or contact someone	Drop me a line when you arrive.
Drop the Ball	Make a mistake, fail responsibility	He really dropped the ball on this project.
Dry Run	Practice attempt	They held a dry run of the presentation.
Dutch Courage	Alcohol-induced bravery	He needed Dutch courage before his speech.
Dutch Uncle	Someone who criticizes harshly	He spoke like a Dutch uncle about my mistakes.
Dyed-in-the-Wool	Firm in one’s beliefs	She’s a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of that party.

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English Idioms Beginning with E

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Eagle-Eyed	Having very sharp vision or noticing small details	The editor was eagle-eyed when spotting typos.
Early Bird	Someone who rises early or arrives before others	The early bird gets the worm.
Early Bird Special	A discount or deal offered to customers who arrive early	We took advantage of the early bird special at the restaurant.
Easy as Pie	Very simple or easy to do	The test was easy as pie.
Eat Crow	Admit one was wrong and accept humiliation	He had to eat crow after his prediction failed.
Eat Humble Pie	To acknowledge one’s mistake and apologize	She had to eat humble pie after her rude comments.
Eat Someone’s Lunch	Defeat someone thoroughly, especially in competition	The new startup is eating the big company’s lunch.
Eat Your Heart Out!	Expression telling someone to be jealous	I got front-row tickets—eat your heart out!
Eighty-Six	To cancel, discard, or eject someone	The bartender eighty-sixed the rowdy customer.
Elephant in the Room	An obvious problem no one wants to address	The budget crisis is the elephant in the room.
Elevator Music	Bland, background music	The lobby was filled with boring elevator music.
Elevator Pitch	A short persuasive presentation	She delivered her startup idea in a quick elevator pitch.
Eleventh Hour	At the very last moment	They reached an agreement at the eleventh hour.
End of One’s Rope	Running out of patience or energy	After days without sleep, I was at the end of my rope.
End of the Line	The conclusion of something	When the funding dried up, it was the end of the line for the project.
Enough Rope to Hang Oneself	Enough freedom to make mistakes	The boss gave him enough rope to hang himself on the project.
Even Steven	Equally balanced; tied	After the trade, they were even steven.
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining	Something good can come from a bad situation	Losing the job was tough, but every cloud has a silver lining.
Every Dog Has His Day	Everyone gets a chance at success eventually	Don’t worry, every dog has his day.
Every Man and His Dog	Everyone; a large number of people	Every man and his dog showed up at the sale.
Every Man for Himself	Act for your own benefit, with no regard for others	When the fire alarm rang, it was every man for himself.
Excused Boots	Exempt from a duty or responsibility	Because of his injury, he was excused boots during training.
Eye Candy	Attractive but superficial	The new movie is pure eye candy with little plot.
Eye for an Eye	A system of justice where punishment matches the crime	He wanted an eye for an eye after being cheated.
Eye of the Storm	The calm center of chaos	She remained calm in the eye of the storm.
Eyes Bigger Than One’s Stomach	Taking more food than one can eat	His eyes were bigger than his stomach at the buffet.
Eyes in the Back of One’s Head	Being very aware of what’s happening around	Teachers seem to have eyes in the back of their heads.

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English Idioms Beginning with F

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Face the Music	Dealing with consequences of one’s actions	He cheated in the exam and now he has to face the music.
Fall for Something (Hook, Line, and Sinker)	To be completely deceived	She fell for the scam hook, line, and sinker.
Fall in Love with Somebody	Start feeling love towards somebody	He fell in love with his best friend’s sister.
Fall Off the Wagon	To start drinking or using a substance again after quitting	After two years of sobriety, he fell off the wagon.
Fall on One’s Sword	To accept blame; to sacrifice oneself	The CEO fell on his sword after the company’s failure.
Fall Prey to	Be victimized by; be harmed by	Many investors fell prey to the online fraud.
Fancy Someone (British English)	To find someone very attractive	She really fancies the new guy at work.
Farther (On) Down the Road	Later, at some unspecified time	We’ll deal with those issues farther down the road.
Fashion-Forward	Quick to adopt new styles	She is so fashion-forward that everyone follows her looks.
Fat Cat	A wealthy and powerful executive	The fat cats of the industry rarely understand real struggles.
Father Figure	A mentor, someone who gives guidance	The coach was like a father figure to the players.
Feast Your Eyes On	Take great pleasure in looking at something	Feast your eyes on this beautiful painting.
Feather in One’s Cap	A special achievement or honor	Winning the award was a feather in her cap.
Feather One’s (Own) Nest	Gain wealth dishonestly using one’s position	The politician was accused of feathering his own nest.
Fed Up With	Out of patience; not willing to tolerate	She was fed up with his constant complaints.
Feel Like a Million Dollars	To feel great and healthy	After a good rest, I feel like a million dollars.
Feel On Top of The World	To feel very happy and healthy	He felt on top of the world after his promotion.
Fell off a Truck / Back of a Lorry	Probably stolen or obtained illegally	The goods must have fallen off the back of a lorry.
Fifteen Minutes of Fame	Short-lived popularity	His viral video gave him fifteen minutes of fame.
Fifth Wheel	An unnecessary person in a group	She felt like a fifth wheel on their date.
Fight Fire with Fire	Respond with the same methods being used against you	To beat the competitor, they fought fire with fire.
Fight Like Cat and Dog	To argue fiercely and constantly	The siblings fight like cat and dog.
Find One’s Voice	Become confident in speaking or expressing	She found her voice during the debate.
Find Your Feet	Adjust to a new situation	It took her months to find her feet in the new job.
Finger-Pointing	Blaming others	The project failed, and now there’s a lot of finger-pointing.
Fire in the Belly	Strong determination or ambition	The young player has fire in his belly to succeed.
First In, Best Dressed	The first to arrive has an advantage	Tickets sell fast—first in, best dressed!
Fish for Compliments	Try to get others to praise you	He kept fishing for compliments about his cooking.
Fish or Cut Bait	Decide or let others try	It’s time to fish or cut bait on this project.
Fish Out of Water	A person in unfamiliar surroundings	He felt like a fish out of water at the party.
Five-Finger Discount	Shoplifting	The boy was caught trying to take a five-finger discount.
Flash in the Pan	A short-lived success	His first film was just a flash in the pan.
Flat Broke	Having no money at all	After paying the rent, he was flat broke.
Flat Out Like a Lizard	Extremely busy (Aussie slang)	She’s been flat out like a lizard all week.
Flesh and Blood	Close relatives	He couldn’t betray his own flesh and blood.
Flew the Coop	Escaped or left	The prisoner flew the coop last night.
Flip-Flop	To change one’s opinion repeatedly	The politician kept flip-flopping on the issue.
Fly by the Seat of One’s Pants	To improvise without planning	He had no script and just flew by the seat of his pants.
Fly High	Be very successful (often temporarily)	The company has been flying high this year.
Fly Off The Handle	To lose temper suddenly	He flew off the handle when he heard the news.
Follow in Someone’s Footsteps	To do as someone else did	She followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a doctor.
Follow Your Heart	To act according to feelings and instincts	He decided to follow his heart and become an artist.
Food for Thought	Something that makes you think carefully	The teacher’s advice gave us food for thought.
For a Song	Very cheaply	He bought the old car for a song.
For Crying Out Loud	Expression of annoyance	Oh, for crying out loud, stop complaining!
For Xyz Reasons	For several reasons not worth detailing	We canceled the trip for xyz reasons.
Foul Play	Criminal or unfair actions	The police suspected foul play in the case.
Fourth Estate	The press or media	The fourth estate plays a big role in democracy.
Fox in the Henhouse	A dangerous or troublesome intruder	Hiring him is like putting a fox in the henhouse.
Freak Out	To react irrationally or panic	She freaked out when she lost her phone.
French Leave	To leave without permission	He took a French leave from work.
Freudian Slip	A slip of the tongue revealing true thoughts	Forgetting her name was a Freudian slip.
From Pillar to Post	From one place to another, aimlessly	They were sent from pillar to post for documents.
From Scratch	From the very beginning	She baked the cake from scratch.
From Soup to Nuts	Everything from beginning to end	The guide covers the process from soup to nuts.
From the Bottom of One’s Heart	Sincerely	I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
FUBAR	Completely messed up	The project was FUBAR from the start.
F*** (or Screw) the Dog (Pooch)	To make an embarrassing mistake	He really screwed the pooch on that deal.
Full Fathom Five	Lost deep at sea	The treasure was buried full fathom five.
Full of the Joys of Spring	Very happy and full of energy	She came back from holiday full of the joys of spring.

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English Idioms Beginning with G

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Game of Chicken	A conflict where neither side backs down for fear of seeming cowardly	The two drivers played a game of chicken on the highway.
Get a Charley Horse	To develop a cramp in the arm or leg	I got a charley horse while running.
Get a Word in Edgewise	Be able to say something while someone else is dominating the conversation	She talks so much that I can’t get a word in edgewise.
Get Along (with Someone)	To have a good relationship	He doesn’t get along with his neighbors.
Get Bent Out of Shape	To become angry or upset	Don’t get bent out of shape over a small mistake.
Get Carried Away	Become overly enthusiastic	She got carried away while shopping and spent too much.
Get In on the Ground Floor	Join or invest in something early	He got in on the ground floor of a successful start-up.
Get in Shape	Improve one’s physical condition	She joined the gym to get in shape.
Get Off Scot Free	Escape punishment	The criminal got off scot free because of lack of evidence.
Get One’s Ducks in a Row	Get everything organized	She got her ducks in a row before the meeting.
Get One’s Hands Dirty	Do the unpleasant parts of a job	The manager wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.
Get Someone’s Goat	To irritate someone deeply	His constant humming really gets my goat.
Get to Grips With	Begin to understand and deal with something	She finally got to grips with the new software.
Get the Ball Rolling	Start something	Let’s get the ball rolling on this project.
Get the Picture	Understand what’s happening	After a while, he got the picture and stopped arguing.
Get the Runaround	Receive vague or evasive answers	The company gave me the runaround when I asked for a refund.
Get the Sack	To be fired	He got the sack for being late too often.
Get the Third Degree	To be intensely questioned	The suspect got the third degree from the police.
Get Wind of	Hear about something	She got wind of the secret plan.
Get With the Program	Catch up with what everyone else is doing; stop resisting	You need to get with the program if you want to succeed.
Go Along (With)	Agree to something	He didn’t like the idea but went along with it.
Go Ape	Show wild excitement or anger	The kids went ape when they saw the magician.
Go Ballistic	Fly into a rage	Dad went ballistic when I crashed the car.
Go Bananas	Become irrational or excited	The fans went bananas when the team won.
Go Belly Up	Go bankrupt or fail	The company went belly up last year.
Go Berserk	Act crazy or uncontrollably	The crowd went berserk when the singer appeared.
Go Bonkers	Act irrationally or wildly	He went bonkers after hearing the shocking news.
Go Cold Turkey	Quit a habit suddenly	He quit smoking by going cold turkey.
Go Down in Flames	Fail spectacularly	The project went down in flames after the budget cuts.
Go Mental	Become extremely angry	She went mental when she found out the truth.
Go Nuclear	Use extreme measures; become very angry	The manager went nuclear over the missed deadline.
Go Nuts	Act crazy or irrational	He went nuts when he lost his phone.
Go Off Half-Cocked	Speak or act prematurely	Don’t go off half-cocked without knowing the facts.
Go Off the Deep End	Lose control, often with anger	He went off the deep end after hearing the insult.
Go Off the Rails	Start behaving strangely or badly	The project went off the rails after poor planning.
Go Out on a Limb	Take a risk	She went out on a limb to support her friend.
Go Pear-Shaped	To fail; go wrong	The plan went pear-shaped after the storm.
Go See a Man About a Dog	Euphemism for going to the bathroom	Excuse me, I need to see a man about a dog.
Go to the Dogs	Decline or become ruined	The old theater has gone to the dogs.
Go to the Mattresses	Prepare for battle or conflict	The rival gangs went to the mattresses.
Go the Extra Mile	Put in more effort than expected	She always goes the extra mile for her clients.
Go Under the Knife	Have surgery	He went under the knife for heart surgery.
Go Viral	Spread rapidly on the Internet	The funny video went viral overnight.
Go with the Flow	Accept things as they happen	On vacation, I just go with the flow.
Grab (Take) the Bull by the Horns	Deal with a problem directly	He grabbed the bull by the horns and confronted the issue.
Grasp (Grab) at Straws	Take desperate measures with little chance of success	He was grasping at straws to save his failing business.
Grease Monkey	A mechanic, especially an auto mechanic	The grease monkey fixed my car in no time.
Grease the Wheels	Make things run smoothly, often with money or favors	He greased the wheels to get faster approval.
Greasy Spoon	Cheap restaurant that mainly serves fried food	We had breakfast at a local greasy spoon.
Green Around the Gills	Looking sick	She looked green around the gills after the ride.
Green as Grass	Very inexperienced	The new intern is green as grass.
Grind One’s Teeth	To be very annoyed silently	She was grinding her teeth during the boring speech.
Guilty Pleasure	Enjoying something considered silly or low-quality	Reality TV is my guilty pleasure.
Guinea Pig	A test subject	The volunteers acted as guinea pigs for the new medicine.
Give and Take	A process of compromise	A healthy relationship requires give and take.
Give ’em Hell	To express something passionately	The coach told the players to go out and give ’em hell.
Give Lip Service To	Talk about supporting something without real action	The politician gave lip service to climate change.
Give One’s Two Cents	Offer an opinion	If I may give my two cents, I think we should wait.
Give Someone a Holler	Contact someone	Give me a holler if you need help.
Give Someone a Piece of Your Mind	Angrily express your opinion	She gave him a piece of her mind after the mistake.
Give Someone a Run for Their Money	Compete strongly with someone	The young athlete gave the champion a run for his money.
Give Someone an Earful	Scold or reprimand	The teacher gave the class an earful.
Give Someone the Cold Shoulder	Ignore someone intentionally	He gave me the cold shoulder at the party.
Give Someone the Old Heave-Ho	Fire or dismiss someone	They gave him the old heave-ho after poor performance.
Give Something a Whirl	Try something new	I’ve never skated before, but I’ll give it a whirl.
Give the Green Light	Approve something	The boss gave the green light for the new project.

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English Idioms Beginning with H

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Hail Mary	A desperate, last-ditch attempt	His business plan was a Hail Mary to save the company.
Hair of the Dog (That Bit You)	A small amount of the same alcohol that caused a hangover	He drank a beer in the morning as the hair of the dog.
Hands are Tied	Unable to act due to restrictions	I’d like to help, but my hands are tied by company policy.
Hands Down	Undoubtedly, without question	She is hands down the best singer in the group.
Hang It Up	To retire or stop doing something	After 30 years, he decided to hang it up.
Hang Tough	Stay firm and not give in	Despite the pressure, she decided to hang tough.
Hanging by a Thread	In serious danger of failing	The patient’s life was hanging by a thread.
Happy-Go-Lucky	Cheerful and carefree	He’s a happy-go-lucky guy who never worries.
Hard Nut to Crack	A difficult problem or person	This puzzle is a hard nut to crack.
Has the Cat Got Your Tongue?	Why are you silent?	You’ve been so quiet—has the cat got your tongue?
Hat Trick	Three successes in a row	He scored a hat trick in the football match.
Hatchet Job	A vicious attack on someone’s reputation	The article was nothing but a hatchet job on the actor.
Haul Over the Coals	To scold severely	The manager hauled him over the coals for being late.
Head in the Clouds	Out of touch with reality	He’s always got his head in the clouds.
Have a Ball	To have a very enjoyable time	We had a ball at the wedding.
Have a Bone to Pick	To have a grievance to discuss	I have a bone to pick with you about last night.
Have a Chip on One’s Shoulder	To be resentful or easily angered	He has a chip on his shoulder about his past.
Have a Dog in the Hunt	To have an interest in the outcome	I don’t care who wins—I don’t have a dog in the hunt.
Have a Lead Foot	Drive too fast	She has a lead foot and always gets speeding tickets.
Have a Lot on One’s Plate	Be very busy	He has a lot on his plate with work and studies.
Have a Lot Riding On	To depend heavily on something’s success	She has a lot riding on the results of this exam.
Have a Nose for Something	Natural talent or instinct	He has a nose for finding good investments.
Have a Screw Loose	To be slightly crazy	He must have a screw loose to try that stunt.
Have a Tough Row to Hoe	To face a difficult task	Farmers had a tough row to hoe during the drought.
Have a Whale of a Time	To enjoy oneself greatly	They had a whale of a time at the carnival.
Have an Ace Up One’s Sleeve	To have a hidden advantage	She has an ace up her sleeve for the negotiations.
Have Bigger Fish to Fry	Have more important matters to deal with	I can’t worry about this—I have bigger fish to fry.
Have Egg on Your Face	To be embarrassed	He had egg on his face after the mistake.
Have Foot-in-Mouth Disease	Say something embarrassing	He has foot-in-mouth disease whenever he speaks in public.
Have All the Aces	To be in a very strong position	In this deal, the company holds all the aces.
Have It Out with Someone	To argue openly to settle a dispute	She had it out with her roommate over the mess.
Have One Foot in the Grave	Be near death	The old man seemed to have one foot in the grave.
Have One Over the Eight	To be slightly drunk	He had one over the eight at the party.
Have One Too Many	To drink too much	He had one too many and started slurring.
Have One’s Cake and Eat It, Too	Want two incompatible things	You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Have Skin in the Game	To risk something personally	Investors want to see that founders have skin in the game.
Have Something in the Bag	To be certain of success	With her experience, the job is in the bag.
Have the Hots for Somebody	To be sexually attracted to someone	He clearly has the hots for his coworker.
Have the Time of Your Life	Have an extremely fun time	She had the time of her life on vacation.
Have Your Nose in the Air	To be snobbish or arrogant	He walks around with his nose in the air.
Have Your Say	To express your opinion	Everyone will get to have their say at the meeting.
Have Your Thumb Up Your Ass	Doing nothing, being idle	Stop sitting with your thumb up your ass and help me.
He Who Laughs Last Laughs Best	The ultimate winner is the one who matters	Don’t celebrate too soon—he who laughs last laughs best.
He Would Put Legs Under a Chicken	Very talkative	He would put legs under a chicken with his stories.
Head South	To decline or get worse	Sales started to head south after the new policy.
Head and Shoulders Above	Far superior	She is head and shoulders above her peers in writing.
Head Start	An advantage from the beginning	The early training gave her a head start.
Heads Up	Warning to prepare	Heads up! The boss is coming.
Heads Will Roll	People will be punished or fired	If sales don’t improve, heads will roll.
Hear Through the Grapevine	Learn through gossip	I heard through the grapevine that they’re moving.
Heart and Soul	With full effort and emotion	He put his heart and soul into the project.
Heavens Open	Heavy rain begins	The heavens opened and rain poured down.
Heavy Hitter	An important or influential person	He is a heavy hitter in the tech world.
Helicopter Parenting	Overprotective parenting	Helicopter parenting can harm children’s independence.
Hell for Leather	As fast as possible	They drove hell for leather to the hospital.
High as a Kite	Very intoxicated or high	He was high as a kite after the party.
Hightail It	To flee quickly	The thieves hightailed it out of town.
Highways and Byways	Traveling everywhere	They explored the highways and byways of Europe.
Hit a Wall	Stop progressing suddenly	The team hit a wall with the new design.
Hit It Out of the Park	Succeed brilliantly	Her presentation hit it out of the park.
Hit the Books	To study hard	I need to hit the books for tomorrow’s exam.
Hit the Ground Running	Begin effectively and energetically	The new CEO hit the ground running.
Hit the Hay	To go to bed	I’m tired—I’m hitting the hay.
Hit the Jackpot	Achieve great success	He hit the jackpot with his new business idea.
Hit the Nail on the Head	Be exactly right	Her analysis hit the nail on the head.
Hit the Road	To leave	We hit the road early in the morning.
Hit the Roof	To become extremely angry	Dad hit the roof when I broke the vase.
Hit the Sack	To go to bed	I’m exhausted, time to hit the sack.
Hit the Spot	Be very satisfying	That hot soup really hit the spot.
Hive Mind	Collective knowledge of a group	The online community works like a hive mind.
Hobson’s Choice	A choice of taking what’s offered or nothing	Staying here is a Hobson’s choice—you can’t change it.
Hold One’s Liquor	To drink without appearing drunk	He can really hold his liquor.
Hold One’s Peace	To stay silent	She held her peace during the argument.
Hold the Phone	Wait a moment	Hold the phone, that’s not what he said!
Hold Your Horses	Slow down, be patient	Hold your horses—we’re not ready yet.
Home Away from Home	A place you feel very comfortable	The café is my home away from home.
Home Truths	Unpleasant but true criticism	His speech delivered some home truths about politics.
Honor System	A trust-based payment or behavior system	The library works on the honor system.
Hot Mess	A person or situation in chaos	After the storm, the place was a hot mess.
Hot on the Heels (of)	In close pursuit	The police were hot on the heels of the suspect.
Hot Potato	A controversial or sensitive issue	The topic of religion is a political hot potato.

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English Idioms Beginning with I

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
I Wouldn’t Put It Past (Someone)	It’s quite possible that this person would do something	I wouldn’t put it past him to cheat in the exam.
If It Had Been a Snake, It Would Have Bitten Me	Something was very obvious, but I still missed it	I was looking for my phone, and it was on the table all along—if it had been a snake, it would have bitten me!
If the Shoe Fits, Wear It	If the description applies to you, accept it	He said lazy people won’t succeed, and if the shoe fits, wear it.
I’m All Ears	You have my full attention	Tell me what happened—I’m all ears.
In a Fog	Confused, not alert	After the long flight, I was in a fog all day.
In a Heartbeat	Immediately, without delay	I’d help you again in a heartbeat.
In a Jam	In trouble; in need of help	I’m in a jam—I locked my keys in the car.
In a New York Minute	Very quickly	She’d leave that job in a New York minute if she had another offer.
In a Nutshell	Briefly; in a few words	In a nutshell, we need more funds.
In a Pickle	In a difficult situation	He found himself in a pickle when his car broke down.
In a Rut	Stuck in routine, bored	I feel like I’m in a rut doing the same work every day.
In Broad Daylight	Very openly, without hiding	The robbery happened in broad daylight.
In Clover	In a financially comfortable situation	After his promotion, he’s living in clover.
In for a Penny, In for a Pound	Committed fully, despite risks	I already started the project, so in for a penny, in for a pound.
In Full Swing	At its busiest stage	The festival is now in full swing.
In His Cups	Drunk	He often talks nonsense when he’s in his cups.
In Hot Water	In serious trouble	He landed in hot water after missing the deadline.
In One Fell Swoop	All at once	The new law changed everything in one fell swoop.
In One’s Element	Comfortable; in a suitable situation	As a teacher, she’s in her element in the classroom.
In Someone’s Wheelhouse	In their area of expertise	Math is in his wheelhouse.
In Touch	In communication	Let’s stay in touch after college.
In the Blink of an Eye	Very quickly	The opportunity was gone in the blink of an eye.
In the Cards	Likely to happen	A promotion might be in the cards for her.
In the Crosshairs	Targeted for criticism or blame	The manager is in the crosshairs after the mistake.
In the Dark	Uninformed	We were kept in the dark about the decision.
In the Driver’s Seat	In control	After her success, she’s in the driver’s seat.
In the Hot Seat	Under pressure or scrutiny	The minister is in the hot seat over corruption charges.
In the Interim	In the meantime, between events	She managed the team in the interim.
In the Limelight	Receiving attention and publicity	The actor was in the limelight after the award.
In the Long Run	Over time	Exercise pays off in the long run.
In the Nick of Time	At the last moment	He caught the train in the nick of time.
In the Pipeline	Being developed	New projects are in the pipeline.
In the Red	Operating at a loss	The company has been in the red for months.
In the Same Boat	In a similar situation	We’re all in the same boat, waiting for results.
In the Toilet	In a bad condition	His business is in the toilet after the crisis.
In the Works	Being prepared	A new policy is in the works.
Iron Out	Resolve difficulties	They met to iron out their differences.
Is the Pope Catholic?	The answer is obviously yes	“Do you like pizza?” — “Is the Pope Catholic?”
It Never Rains but It Pours	Problems come all at once	First the car broke down, then I lost my phone—it never rains but it pours.
It Takes Two to Tango	Both people are responsible	Don’t just blame her; it takes two to tango.
It Won’t Fly	It won’t succeed or be accepted	That excuse won’t fly with the teacher.
Itchy Feet	Restlessness; desire to travel	After a year at home, I’ve got itchy feet.
It’s a Wash	Gains and losses cancel each other	We both lost and gained the same—so it’s a wash.
It’s All Greek to Me	Impossible to understand	This math problem is all Greek to me.
It’s No Skin off My Nose	It doesn’t affect me	Do what you want—it’s no skin off my nose.
It’s Not Over Till the Fat Lady Sings	Don’t give up yet	The match isn’t over till the fat lady sings.
It’s Not Rocket Science	It’s simple	Cooking rice isn’t rocket science.
I’ve Had It Up to Here	I’m out of patience	I’ve had it up to here with your excuses.

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English Idioms Beginning with J

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Jam Session	Playing improvised music in an informal setting	The musicians held a late-night jam session after the concert.
Jim Crow	The system of racial segregation in the American South before the Civil Rights Movement	Jim Crow laws kept schools segregated in the South.
Join the Club (excl.)	Expression of shared experience or sympathy	“I’m so tired of studying.” — “Join the club!”
Johnny on the Spot	Someone who is ready and available when needed	The technician was Johnny on the spot and fixed the issue quickly.
Johnny-Come-Lately	A newcomer; someone who joins late	The startup was dismissed as a Johnny-come-lately in the tech world.
Joyride	A fast, reckless ride for fun, often without permission	Teenagers were caught taking a joyride in a stolen car.
Judge a Book by Its Cover	To judge by appearance only	Don’t judge a book by its cover—she’s kinder than she looks.
Jump in with Both Feet	To start something enthusiastically and wholeheartedly	She jumped in with both feet when she started her new job.
Jump on the Bandwagon	To follow a popular trend	Many companies jumped on the bandwagon of online selling.
Jump Out of One’s Skin	To be extremely surprised or frightened	I nearly jumped out of my skin when the balloon popped.
Jump the Gun	To act too soon	He jumped the gun by announcing the project before it was ready.
Jump the Shark	To decline in quality after a peak, often in TV shows	The series jumped the shark after the main character left.
Jump the Track	To suddenly change direction or topic	The discussion jumped the track and turned into an argument.
Jump Through Hoops	To do a lot of difficult things to achieve something	Applicants had to jump through hoops to get the visa.
Jump to Conclusions	To decide something without enough evidence	Don’t jump to conclusions about her intentions.
Just Around the Corner	Happening soon	The holidays are just around the corner.
Just Desserts	The punishment or reward someone deserves	After cheating, he finally got his just desserts.
Just for Kicks	For fun; for no serious reason	We went skydiving just for kicks.
Just for the Record	To clarify or state something clearly	Just for the record, I never said that.
Just What the Doctor Ordered	Exactly what was needed	A relaxing holiday was just what the doctor ordered.
Justice Is Blind	Justice should be impartial	The statue with a blindfold shows that justice is blind.

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English Idioms Beginning with K

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Keep (Something) at Bay	Maintain distance from something harmful	She took vitamins to keep the flu at bay.
Keep a Stiff Upper Lip	Control one’s emotions in tough times	Even after losing, he kept a stiff upper lip.
Keep an Eye On	Watch something carefully	Please keep an eye on the kids while I cook.
Keep an Eye Peeled	Stay alert; be observant	Keep your eye peeled for a taxi.
Keep It Under Your Hat	Keep it secret	He told me about the promotion, but asked me to keep it under my hat.
Keep Someone at Arm’s Length	Avoid close involvement	She keeps her coworkers at arm’s length.
Keep Your Chin Up	Stay positive in difficult times	Keep your chin up—things will get better.
Keep Your Nose Clean	Stay out of trouble	He kept his nose clean after his release from prison.
Keep Your Powder Dry	Stay prepared and ready	Investors are keeping their powder dry for the right opportunity.
Keeping One’s Nose to the Grindstone	Work hard on something tedious	He kept his nose to the grindstone to finish the project.
Kick Ass / Kick Butt	1) Defeat badly; 2) Be excellent or highly effective	Their new product really kicks ass in the market.
Kick the Bucket	To die	The old man finally kicked the bucket last night.
Kick the Can Down the Road	Postpone a decision	Lawmakers kicked the can down the road again on the budget.
Kill a Fly With an Elephant Gun	Use excessive measures for a small problem	Suing them was like killing a fly with an elephant gun.
Kill the Goose That Laid the Golden Egg	Destroy a valuable source of profit	By overfishing, they killed the goose that laid the golden egg.
Kill Two Birds with One Stone	Achieve two results with one action	By shopping online, I killed two birds with one stone—saving time and money.
King of the Hill	The top person in a field	He’s the king of the hill in the tech industry.
Kink in One’s Neck	A cramp in the neck	I woke up with a kink in my neck.
Kiss and Make Up	Reconcile after an argument	They had a fight, but later kissed and made up.
Kith and Kin	Family and relatives	The festival was celebrated with kith and kin.
Knock on Wood / Touch Wood	Hope for continued good luck	I haven’t been sick all year—knock on wood!
Knock Some Sense Into	Teach someone a lesson (sometimes figuratively)	His coach knocked some sense into him after the loss.
Knock Someone’s Socks Off	Greatly impress someone	Her performance knocked everyone’s socks off.
Knock It Off	Stop doing something annoying	The teacher told the students to knock it off.
Knock Up	To make a woman pregnant	She got knocked up in college.
Knockout	An extremely attractive woman	The actress was a real knockout on the red carpet.
Know (Something) Like the Back of One’s Hand	Be very familiar with something	He knows New York like the back of his hand.
Knowledge Is Power	Being informed gives one an advantage	She studies hard because she believes knowledge is power.
Knee-Jerk Reaction	An automatic, emotional response	His angry tweet was just a knee-jerk reaction.

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English Idioms Beginning with L

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Larger Than Life	Conveying a sense of greatness, imposing	The actor’s larger than life personality made him a legend.
Last But Not Least	Not less important despite being mentioned last	Last but not least, I want to thank my parents for their support.
Laughter is the Best Medicine	Humor helps in recovery from stress or pain	Even during tough times, she believes laughter is the best medicine.
Learn the Ropes	To become familiar with a new job or task	It took me a few weeks to learn the ropes at my new office.
Leave Someone in the Lurch	Abandon someone in a difficult situation	His friends left him in the lurch when he needed money.
Lend an Ear	To listen attentively	She always lends an ear when I need advice.
Let Bygones Be Bygones	Forget past disagreements	After years of rivalry, they decided to let bygones be bygones.
Let Off Steam	Release anger or frustration harmlessly	He plays football on weekends to let off steam.
Let One’s Hair Down	Relax and enjoy freely	She let her hair down and danced at the party.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie	Avoid creating trouble by interfering	Don’t ask about his past; just let sleeping dogs lie.
Let the Cat Out of the Bag	Accidentally reveal a secret	She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Let the Genie Out of the Bottle	Release something powerful or uncontrollable	Once the idea went viral, it was like letting the genie out of the bottle.
Letter of the Law	Exact words of a law, not its intent	He followed the letter of the law but ignored its spirit.
Lick One’s Wounds	Rest after a defeat or setback	After losing the match, the team went home to lick their wounds.
Life is a Bowl of Cherries	Life is pleasant and enjoyable	For her, retirement is a bowl of cherries.
Light a Fire Under Someone	Motivate someone to work hard	The coach lit a fire under the team before the final match.
Light at the End of the Tunnel	Sign of hope after difficulties	After months of unemployment, he finally saw light at the end of the tunnel.
Like a Kid in a Candy Store	Overly excited in a new situation	He was like a kid in a candy store at the gadget expo.
Like a Moth to a Flame	Attracted to something dangerous	She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
Like Father, Like Son	Sons resemble their fathers in traits	He became a doctor just like his dad—like father, like son.
Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel	Very easy	Winning against that team was like shooting fish in a barrel.
Like Taking Candy from a Baby	Very easy	Cheating on the exam was like taking candy from a baby for him.
Like the Cat That Got the Cream	Looking very self-satisfied	He looked like the cat that got the cream after the promotion.
Like Two Peas in a Pod	Very similar, inseparable	The twin brothers are like two peas in a pod.
Lion’s Den	A dangerous or hostile place	Speaking against the boss felt like entering a lion’s den.
Lion’s Share	The biggest portion	She took the lion’s share of the cake.
Live Large	Live luxuriously	After winning the lottery, he started to live large.
Living in Cloud Cuckooland	Having unrealistic ideas	Anyone who thinks the project will finish in a week is living in cloud cuckooland.
Living on Borrowed Time	Living longer than expected	After his surgery, he felt he was living on borrowed time.
Living Under a Rock	Being ignorant of current events	You didn’t know about the elections? Have you been living under a rock?
Loaded for Bear	Fully prepared for problems	The lawyer went into the courtroom loaded for bear.
Loan Shark	A person who lends money at very high interest	He borrowed money from a loan shark and got into trouble.
Lock Horns	Get into conflict or argument	The two leaders locked horns over policy issues.
Long Shot	Something unlikely to succeed	Winning the championship was a long shot, but they tried.
Look the Other Way	Ignore wrongdoing	The guard looked the other way during the fight.
Look What the Cat Dragged In	Said when an unwelcome person arrives	Well, look what the cat dragged in—our late friend!
Loose Cannon	Someone unpredictable and reckless	The new employee is a loose cannon in meetings.
Lose It	Suddenly lose control of emotions	She completely lost it when she heard the bad news.
Lose One’s Touch	Lose a skill over time	He used to be a great singer, but he’s lost his touch.
Lose the Thread	Fail to follow a conversation or reasoning	I lost the thread of his long explanation.
Love at First Sight	Instant attraction to someone	They fell in love at first sight during college.
Love Rat	Someone unfaithful in a relationship	The tabloids called him a love rat after the scandal.
Love Someone With All of One’s Heart and Soul	To love deeply and completely	She loves her children with all her heart and soul.
Low-Hanging Fruit	The easiest tasks or goals	The company focused on low-hanging fruit to boost sales quickly.
Lower the Boom	To punish or reprimand severely	The principal lowered the boom on the cheating students.

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English Idioms Beginning with M

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Mad as a Box of Frogs	Extremely unstable or crazy	His wild plan made him seem mad as a box of frogs.
Mad as a Hatter	Mentally ill or eccentric	The old inventor was mad as a hatter but brilliant.
Main Squeeze	Committed romantic partner	He introduced her as his main squeeze at the party.
Make a Break for It	Try to escape	The thief made a break for it when the police arrived.
Make a Mountain out of a Molehill	Exaggerate a small problem	Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill—it’s just a scratch.
Make a Silk Purse out of a Sow’s Ear	Turn something inferior into something good	She made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear by renovating the old house.
Make Ends Meet	Have just enough money for expenses	With rising prices, it’s hard to make ends meet.
Make Hay While the Sun Shines	Take advantage of opportunities	He made hay while the sun shone and sold his crops quickly.
Make Love	Engage in sexual activity	The couple made love after their wedding.
Make Nice	Act friendly despite conflict	They made nice for the sake of the children.
Make One’s Mark	Gain recognition or success	She made her mark as a top lawyer in the city.
Make Someone’s Day	Do something to please someone	The gift really made her day.
Make Waves	Cause trouble or controversy	He made waves by questioning the manager’s decision.
Man Cave	Room or space reserved for a man	He spends weekends watching football in his man cave.
March to the Beat of Your Own Drum	Do things your own way	She always marched to the beat of her own drum in fashion.
Match Made in Heaven	Perfect couple or partnership	Their marriage seems like a match made in heaven.
May-December Marriage	Marriage with a big age difference	Their May-December marriage surprised their families.
Me Time	Personal time for relaxation	She needed some me time after a busy week.
Meeting of the Minds	Mutual understanding	The two companies reached a meeting of the minds.
Mend Fences	Repair a damaged relationship	He tried to mend fences with his old friend.
Mind One’s P’s and Q’s	Be careful with manners/details	When dining formally, mind your P’s and Q’s.
Miss the Boat	Miss an opportunity	He missed the boat by not applying on time.
Monday Morning Quarterback	Criticizing with hindsight	It’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback after the loss.
Month of Sundays	A very long time	I haven’t seen him in a month of Sundays.
More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys	Extremely fun	The kids found the carnival more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Mother Nature	Personification of the natural world	Mother Nature unleashed a powerful storm.
Move Heaven and Earth	Do everything possible	She moved heaven and earth to save her child.
Move the Needle	Create a significant change	The new campaign failed to move the needle in sales.
Move Up in the World	Become more successful	After the promotion, he felt he had moved up in the world.
Movers and Shakers	Influential people	The event was filled with movers and shakers in politics.
Much of a Muchness	Very similar	Both dresses are much of a muchness—choose either.
Mum’s the Word	Keep it a secret	“Mum’s the word about the surprise party,” she whispered.
Music to My Ears	Pleasant news	Her praise was music to my ears.
Mutton Dressed Up as Lamb	Older woman dressing too youthfully	She looked like mutton dressed as lamb in that outfit.
My Dogs Are Barking	My feet hurt	After walking all day, my dogs are barking.
My Old Man/My Old Lady	Informal for spouse	My old man is great at fixing things around the house.
My Way or the Highway	Do things one way or leave	The coach told the team it’s my way or the highway.
Man of Few Words	Someone who speaks little	He’s a man of few words but much wisdom.
Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees	Money is limited	She reminded her son that money doesn’t grow on trees.
Money Talks	Money influences people or decisions	In politics, money talks louder than words.
Monkey Business	Fooling around or dishonest activity	The teacher warned the kids to stop the monkey business.
Monkey on One’s Back	A serious burden or addiction	He’s been carrying a monkey on his back for years with gambling.
Movers and Shakers	Influential or powerful people	Movers and shakers gathered at the conference.
Much Obliged	Thank you (old-fashioned, American South)	“Much obliged for your help,” said the farmer.

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English Idioms Beginning with N

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Nail-Biter	A suspenseful or tense event	The match was a real nail-biter until the last second.
Nailing Jelly/Jello/Pudding to a Wall/Tree	An impossible or futile task	Trying to change his mind is like nailing Jello to a wall.
Neck and Neck	Very close in a competition	The two runners were neck and neck at the finish line.
Neck of the Woods	A particular region or neighborhood	We don’t see many celebrities in this neck of the woods.
Nest Egg	Money saved for the future	They built a nest egg for their retirement.
Never in a Million Years	Absolutely never	I’d never in a million years betray your trust.
Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth	Don’t criticize or question a gift	He shouldn’t have complained—it’s rude to look a gift horse in the mouth.
New Wrinkle	A new or unexpected development	The delay adds a new wrinkle to the project.
Nice Chunk of Change	A large amount of money	He inherited a nice chunk of change from his uncle.
Nickel and Dime	To bother about small amounts or unimportant details	The company nickel-and-dimes its employees with extra fees.
Nickel Tour	A brief, inexpensive introduction or explanation	Let me give you the nickel tour of the office.
Night Owl	Someone who stays up late at night	She’s a night owl and studies until 3 a.m.
Nine Times out of Ten	Almost always	Nine times out of ten, he arrives late.
Nine-to-Five Job	A routine office job	He left his nine-to-five job to start a business.
Nip in the Bud	Stop a problem before it grows	They nipped the rumor in the bud before it spread.
No-Brainer	An easy decision	Choosing the scholarship was a no-brainer.
No Dice	No chance; not possible	I asked for an extension, but it was no dice.
No Holds Barred	Without restrictions or rules	It was a no-holds-barred debate.
No Ifs, Ands, or Buts	No excuses allowed	You’re grounded—no ifs, ands, or buts.
No Love Lost Between	Mutual dislike	There’s no love lost between the two neighbors.
No Names, No Pack Drill	If nobody is identified, no one gets punished	No names, no pack drill—just keep quiet about it.
No Rhyme or Reason	No logical explanation	There’s no rhyme or reason to his decisions.
No Room to Swing a Cat	A very small space	That apartment is so small there’s no room to swing a cat.
No Shit, Sherlock	Sarcastic way of saying something is obvious	“The sun sets in the west.” — “No shit, Sherlock.”
No Skin off My Nose (Back)	It doesn’t affect me	Go ahead, do what you want—it’s no skin off my nose.
No Sweat	No problem; easy	Don’t worry about the favor—it’s no sweat.
No Tree Grows to the Sky	Growth cannot continue forever	Investors should remember no tree grows to the sky.
Not All It’s Cracked Up to Be	Not as good as expected	The new restaurant isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Not Cut Out for	Not suited for something	He’s not cut out for teaching.
Not Have a Cat in Hell’s Chance	No possibility of success	They don’t have a cat in hell’s chance of winning.
Not Have a Prayer	No chance of success	He doesn’t have a prayer against the champion.
Not Know Jack	Know nothing	He doesn’t know jack about cars.
Not Lift a Finger	Make no effort to help	She didn’t lift a finger during the move.
Not Mince Words	Speak bluntly	The critic didn’t mince words about the bad play.
Not My First Rodeo	I’ve done this before; I’m experienced	Don’t worry—I’ll handle it, this isn’t my first rodeo.
Not One’s Cup of Tea	Not something one enjoys	Hiking is not my cup of tea.
Not Playing with a Full Deck	Crazy; mentally deficient	That guy isn’t playing with a full deck.
Not Ready for Prime Time	Not fully prepared or good enough	The new software isn’t ready for prime time.
Not Sit Well With	Make someone uncomfortable	The decision didn’t sit well with the staff.
Not the Sharpest Tool in the Shed	Not very smart	He’s nice but not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Nothing to Write Home About	Ordinary; not impressive	The movie was okay, but nothing to write home about.
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained	Without risk, there’s no reward	He invested in the startup—nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Nuts and Bolts	Practical details	Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of the plan.
Nutty as a Fruitcake	Crazy; eccentric	The old man is nutty as a fruitcake.

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English Idioms Beginning with O

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Off the Cuff	Without preparation; spontaneous	She gave an off-the-cuff speech that impressed everyone.
Off the Hook	Free from blame or responsibility	Since the culprit confessed, you’re off the hook now.
Off the Record	Something said privately, not for official use	The minister spoke off the record about his resignation plans.
Off the Top of My Head	Saying something without deep thought or preparation	Off the top of my head, I’d suggest trying the new Italian restaurant.
On Cloud Nine	Extremely happy	She was on cloud nine after getting her dream job.
On Edge	Nervous, anxious, or tense	He’s been on edge since the exam results were announced.
On Pins and Needles	Anxious while waiting for something	She was on pins and needles waiting for the interview call.
On the Ball	Alert and quick to understand or react	Our new manager is really on the ball.
On the Fence	Unable to decide between two options	I’m still on the fence about moving to another city.
On the House	Provided free of charge	The drinks tonight are on the house.
On the Same Page	Having the same understanding or opinion	The team is finally on the same page about the project.
On Thin Ice	In a risky or dangerous situation	He’s on thin ice after missing so many deadlines.
Once in a Blue Moon	Something that happens very rarely	We go to the beach only once in a blue moon.
Open a Can of Worms	To create a complicated situation	Asking about his past opened a real can of worms.
Out of Hand	Out of control	The protest got out of hand quickly.
Out of Left Field	Unexpected, surprising	His suggestion to quit came out of left field.
Out of Pocket	To spend your own money	I had to pay for the repairs out of pocket.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind	Forgotten when not around	After she moved abroad, it was out of sight, out of mind.
Out of the Blue	Something unexpected	He showed up out of the blue after five years.
Out of the Woods	Out of danger	The patient is recovering but not out of the woods yet.
Over the Moon	Extremely delighted	She was over the moon after winning the scholarship.
Over the Top	Excessive or too much	His reaction was a bit over the top, don’t you think?
Over Your Head	Too difficult to understand	The lecture went completely over my head.

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English Idioms Beginning with P

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Pack Heat	Carry a gun	The gangster was caught packing heat.
Paddle One’s Own Canoe	Act independently, rely on yourself	She prefers to paddle her own canoe instead of depending on others.
Page-Turner	An exciting book, hard to put down	That thriller novel was a real page-turner.
Pain in the Ass/Neck	Something or someone annoying	This paperwork is such a pain in the neck.
Paint the Town Red	Go out partying	The team painted the town red after the big win.
Par for the Course	Typical, expected (often negative)	Delays are par for the course in government projects.
Pass the Buck	Shift responsibility to someone else	Stop passing the buck and fix the issue yourself.
Pass With Flying Colors	Succeed brilliantly	She passed the exam with flying colors.
Passing Fancy	A temporary interest	His interest in cooking turned out to be just a passing fancy.
Pay Through the Nose	Pay too much	We paid through the nose for those concert tickets.
Peaches and Cream	A perfect or smooth situation	Life isn’t always peaches and cream.
Pecking Order	Hierarchy of importance	He’s trying to move up in the company’s pecking order.
Pencil Something In	Make tentative arrangements	Let’s pencil in lunch for Friday.
Penny-Pinching	Being very frugal	Her penny-pinching habits annoy her friends.
Pep Talk	Encouraging speech	The coach gave the players a pep talk before the game.
Perfect Storm	Rare, disastrous combination	The recession and floods created a perfect storm for farmers.
Pet Peeve	Small thing that annoys someone	Loud chewing is my biggest pet peeve.
Pick a Fight	Provoke a conflict	He’s always trying to pick a fight with his brother.
Pick Up the Slack	Cover someone else’s work	When John left early, I had to pick up the slack.
Pick Up the Tab	Pay a group’s bill	Don’t worry, I’ll pick up the tab tonight.
Pie in the Sky	Unrealistic hope	His plan of becoming rich overnight is just pie in the sky.
Piece of Cake	Very easy	Solving that puzzle was a piece of cake.
Pin Someone Down	Force someone to make a decision	Reporters tried to pin the minister down on the issue.
Pinch Pennies	Spend money very carefully	They pinch pennies to save for a vacation.
Pink Slip	Job termination notice	Many employees received pink slips after the merger.
Pipe Dream	Unrealistic hope	Owning a private island is just a pipe dream.
Piping Hot	Very hot (food/drink)	Be careful, the soup is piping hot.
Pipped to the Post	Defeated narrowly	He was pipped to the post in the final race.
Pissing Contest	Useless argument or rivalry	The meeting turned into a pissing contest between the two managers.
Play Ball	Cooperate	The project can’t succeed unless everyone plays ball.
Play Cat and Mouse	Try to trick or trap someone	The detective played cat and mouse with the suspect.
Play Hardball	Act tough or aggressive	The company is playing hardball in negotiations.
Play It by Ear	Adapt as things happen	Let’s not plan too much, we’ll play it by ear.
Play the Percentages	Choose the safest option	In investments, he always plays the percentages.
Play the Ponies	Bet on horse racing	He lost money again playing the ponies.
Play With Fire	Take a dangerous risk	Lying to the boss is like playing with fire.
Play Your Cards Right	Handle a situation wisely	If you play your cards right, you’ll get promoted.
Point of No Return	A stage where reversal is impossible	Once the contract is signed, it’s the point of no return.
Point the Finger At	Blame someone	They pointed the finger at him for the mistake.
Poison Pill	A tactic to make something undesirable	The company used a poison pill to prevent takeover.
Pop One’s Clogs	Die (informal)	He popped his clogs peacefully at home.
Pop One’s Cork	Explode with anger	She popped her cork when she saw the mess.
Pop the Question	Propose marriage	He finally popped the question on Valentine’s Day.
Pot Calling the Kettle Black	Hypocritical accusation	You’re criticizing me for being late? That’s the pot calling the kettle black!
Pour Salt on the Wound	Make a bad situation worse	Losing the match and then being mocked was like pouring salt on the wound.
Powder Keg	A tense, explosive situation	The region is a political powder keg right now.
Powder One’s Nose	Euphemism for using the restroom (women)	She excused herself to powder her nose.
Preach to the Choir	Convince people who already agree	Telling doctors about health is like preaching to the choir.
Pretty Penny	Very expensive	That designer bag cost a pretty penny.
Price Yourself Out of the Market	Charge too high, losing buyers	The brand priced itself out of the market with high costs.
Puddle Jumper	Small plane for short trips	We flew in on a puddle jumper to the island.
Pull Out All the Stops	Do everything possible	They pulled out all the stops to make the wedding perfect.
Pull Strings	Use personal influence	She pulled some strings to get him the job.
Pull the Plug On	Stop or terminate something	Investors pulled the plug on the failing project.
Pull Yourself Together	Regain control of emotions	After crying, she pulled herself together and kept going.
Puppies and Rainbows	Ideal or perfect (often sarcastic)	Life isn’t always puppies and rainbows.
Puppy Dog Eyes	Begging, innocent look	The child gave his mom puppy dog eyes for candy.
Puppy Love	Adolescent, short-lived love	Their romance was just puppy love.
Pure as the Driven Snow	Innocent, chaste	She looked pure as the driven snow in her white dress.
Push the Envelope	Go beyond normal limits	The new artist pushed the envelope of creativity.
Pushing Up Daisies	Dead and buried	Without water, those plants will be pushing up daisies soon.
Put a Thumb on the Scale	Cheat to influence outcome	The election was rigged; someone put a thumb on the scale.
Put Down Roots	Settle somewhere	They finally put down roots in the countryside.
Put in One’s Two Cents	Share an opinion	May I put in my two cents on this topic?
Put Lipstick on a Pig	Make superficial improvements to something bad	Rebranding the product was just putting lipstick on a pig.
Put One’s Face On	Apply makeup	She put her face on before the party.
Put Out Feelers	Make informal inquiries	He put out feelers about changing jobs.
Put Someone on the Spot	Force immediate response	The journalist put the minister on the spot with tough questions.
Put That in Your Pipe and Smoke It	Accept what I say, like it or not	I won the game—put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Put the Best Face On	Emphasize the positive in a bad situation	She put the best face on the poor exam results.
Put the Brakes On	Slow or stop something	The government put the brakes on the project.
Put the Cart Before the Horse	Do things in the wrong order	Planning the wedding before the proposal is putting the cart before the horse.
Put the Cat Among the Pigeons	Do something that causes trouble	His question put the cat among the pigeons at the meeting.
Put the Genie Back in the Bottle	Try to reverse something that’s already out	Once the secret was revealed, it was impossible to put the genie back in the bottle.
Put the Pedal to the Metal	Go as fast as possible	He put the pedal to the metal on the highway.
Put Up with	Tolerate	She can’t put up with his rude behavior anymore.
Put Words Into Someone’s Mouth	Attribute opinions falsely	Don’t put words into my mouth—I never said that.
Put Your Foot Down	Use authority to stop something	She put her foot down and refused to allow smoking inside.
Put Your Foot in Your Mouth	Say something embarrassing	He really put his foot in his mouth at the party.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is	Prove your words with action or money	If you believe in the project, put your money where your mouth is.

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English Idioms Beginning with Q

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Quake in One’s Boots	Be very frightened	The child quaked in his boots when the dog barked.
Quarter Past	Fifteen minutes after the hour	The train leaves at a quarter past seven.
Quarter To/Of	Fifteen minutes before the hour	Let’s meet at a quarter to nine.
Queer the Pitch	Ruin or interfere with someone’s plans	His sudden arrival queered the pitch for our surprise party.
Quick as a Flash	Extremely fast	She answered the question quick as a flash.
Quick-and-Dirty	Done fast but not carefully	They gave a quick-and-dirty solution just to meet the deadline.
Quick Fix	An easy, temporary solution	This medicine is only a quick fix, not a cure.
Quick on the Draw	Reacting quickly, especially in speech or action	The reporter was quick on the draw with his questions.
Quick on the Uptake	Smart, able to understand things quickly	Don’t worry, he’s quick on the uptake.
Quick Study	Someone who learns fast	She’s a quick study and picked up the new software in a day.
Quid Pro Quo	A favor exchanged for something in return	The deal was based on quid pro quo arrangements.
Quiet as a Mouse	Very silent	The children were quiet as mice during the show.
Quit Cold Turkey	Stop a habit suddenly (esp. smoking/drugs)	He quit smoking cold turkey last year.
Quit While You’re Ahead	Stop before things get worse	You’ve won enough money; better quit while you’re ahead.
Quoted Out of Context	Repeat someone’s words in a misleading way	His speech was quoted out of context to create controversy.
Quote Unquote	Used ironically to show sarcasm or skepticism	He is a “quote unquote” expert in the field.
Question of Time	Something certain to happen sooner or later	It’s only a question of time before he gets promoted.
Question the Motives	Doubt someone’s intentions	People began to question his motives after the donation.
Queue Up	Line up or wait in sequence	Fans queued up outside the stadium for tickets.
Quick Buck	Money earned fast, often dishonestly	He’s always looking for a way to make a quick buck.
Quick Temper	Tendency to get angry quickly	Be careful, he has a quick temper.
Quiet Before the Storm	Calm period before trouble begins	The office was silent, the quiet before the storm of deadlines.
Quench One’s Thirst	Satisfy thirst (literal/figurative)	A glass of water quenched my thirst after the run.
Quick Wit	Ability to make clever remarks instantly	Her quick wit makes her popular at parties.

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English Idioms Beginning with R

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Race Against Time	To rush to meet a deadline	The rescue team was in a race against time to save the miners.
Rain Cats and Dogs	Rain heavily	It’s raining cats and dogs outside, don’t forget your umbrella.
Rain on Someone’s Parade	Spoil someone’s plans	I don’t want to rain on your parade, but the event got canceled.
Raise Hackles	Make someone angry	His rude comments raised everyone’s hackles.
Raise One’s Voice	Talk loudly	She raised her voice to be heard over the noise.
Raise Red Flags	Warn of trouble ahead	The irregular reports raised red flags for investigators.
Raise the Bar	Increase standards	The new smartphone raises the bar for the industry.
Raise the Roof	Make a lot of noise in celebration	The fans raised the roof when their team scored.
Rake Over the Coals	Scold severely	The manager raked him over the coals for being late.
Rake Over the Ashes	Revisit an old dispute	Let’s not rake over the ashes of that argument again.
Rank and File	Ordinary members of a group	The rank and file supported the union’s decision.
Read Between the Lines	Detect hidden meaning	If you read between the lines, you’ll see he’s not happy.
Read the Riot Act	Warn someone strictly to improve behavior	The teacher read the riot act to the noisy students.
Read the Tea Leaves	Predict the future from signs	Economists try to read the tea leaves of the stock market.
Rear Its Ugly Head	A problem appearing again	Inflation reared its ugly head last year.
Rear of the Pack	To lag behind	The team finished at the rear of the pack.
Rearrange the Deck Chairs on the Titanic	Make small changes while ignoring a big problem	Fixing minor policies is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Red Carpet Treatment	Special honors or privileges	The celebrity got the red carpet treatment at the event.
Red Flag	A warning sign	His aggressive behavior was a red flag.
Red Herring	A misleading clue	The mystery novel was full of red herrings.
Red Meat	Rhetoric that excites a core audience	The candidate’s speech served up plenty of red meat.
Red Tape	Bureaucratic obstacles	Starting a business here involves too much red tape.
Red-Light District	Area known for prostitution	The police increased patrols in the red-light district.
Reinvent the Wheel	Waste effort on something already solved	Don’t reinvent the wheel—use the existing system.
Riding High	Enjoying success	She’s riding high after her book became a bestseller.
Right as Rain	Completely fine	After a good night’s sleep, he felt right as rain.
Right Under One’s Nose	In an obvious place	The keys were right under my nose on the table.
Right-Hand Man	Chief assistant	The CEO relies heavily on his right-hand man.
Ring a Bell	Sound familiar	His name rings a bell, but I can’t place him.
Rip-Off	Something overpriced or a scam	That designer bag is a total rip-off.
Rob Peter to Pay Paul	Solve a problem by creating another	He robbed Peter to pay Paul by using one credit card to pay another.
Rob the Cradle	Date someone much younger	People criticized him for robbing the cradle.
Rock and a Hard Place	Stuck between two bad options	She’s between a rock and a hard place with that decision.
Rock Bottom	Lowest possible point	After losing his job, he felt he hit rock bottom.
Rock the Boat	Disrupt a stable situation	Don’t rock the boat when things are going well.
Roll Out the Red Carpet	Give a grand welcome	The town rolled out the red carpet for the president.
Roll the Dice	Take a risky chance	He rolled the dice by investing in a startup.
Roll With the Punches	Adapt to difficulties	Life is tough, but you have to roll with the punches.
Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day	Big projects take time	Be patient—Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Rookie Mistake	Beginner’s error	Forgetting to save the file was a rookie mistake.
Rotten Apple	A bad person who corrupts others	One rotten apple can spoil the whole group.
Rotten to the Core	Entirely corrupt	The organization was rotten to the core.
Rub It In	Make someone feel worse about a mistake	Stop rubbing it in, I already know I failed.
Rub Someone’s Nose In	Remind someone of their failure	She rubbed his nose in the missed opportunity.
Rubber-Stamp	Approve without thought	The committee just rubber-stamped the proposal.
Rule of Thumb	General guideline	A good rule of thumb is to back up your files weekly.
Run a Tight Ship	Manage strictly and efficiently	The new principal runs a tight ship at the school.
Run Circles Around	Perform much better than someone	The rookie ran circles around the veteran players.
Run in the Family	A trait shared in a family	Musical talent runs in their family.
Run Into a Buzzsaw	Face unexpected, overwhelming problems	The company ran into a buzzsaw with the new regulations.
Run of the Mill	Ordinary, average	The movie was just a run-of-the-mill comedy.
Run Off at the Mouth	Talk too much	He tends to run off at the mouth during meetings.
Run on Empty	Continue with no energy	After working late all week, I’m running on empty.
Run on Fumes	Operate with little energy left	By the end of the marathon, she was running on fumes.
Run Out of Gas	Lose energy or enthusiasm	The project ran out of gas after funding dried up.
Run Out of Steam	Lose energy or momentum	The team ran out of steam in the final quarter.
Run the Gamut	Cover a wide range	The play runs the gamut of emotions.
Run the Table	Win everything	He ran the table at the pool tournament.
Run Wild	Act without control	The kids ran wild at the park.

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English Idioms Beginning with S

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Sacred Cow	A person or thing that is beyond criticism	In that office, the old manager is a sacred cow—no one dares question him.
Saving Grace	Something that makes a bad situation better	Her honesty was the saving grace in an otherwise weak interview.
Scare the Living Daylights Out of Someone	Frighten someone severely	The loud thunder scared the living daylights out of the kids.
Scorched Earth Policy	Ruthless and destructive tactics	The company used a scorched earth policy to wipe out competitors.
Screw the Pooch	To make a serious mistake	He really screwed the pooch by missing that important deadline.
School of Hard Knocks	Life lessons learned from hardship	Growing up poor taught him lessons from the school of hard knocks.
Second Banana	A person in a subordinate role	He was always the second banana to the star actor.
Second Stringer	A substitute, not the first choice	She’s a second stringer, but still plays well when given a chance.
Second Wind	Renewed energy	After a short break, I got my second wind and continued running.
See Eye to Eye	To agree completely	The partners didn’t see eye to eye on the new policy.
Seize the Bull by the Horns	To face a problem directly	She seized the bull by the horns and spoke to her boss about the issue.
Seize the Day	Take advantage of opportunities	You only live once—seize the day!
Sell Like Hotcakes	To sell very quickly	The new phones are selling like hotcakes.
Set in Stone	Fixed and unchangeable	The rules are not set in stone; we can still adjust them.
Set the Bar High	To set a high standard	The teacher set the bar high for the new students.
Set the World on Fire	Do something amazing	His music set the world on fire in the 1990s.
Shake the Dust Off Your Feet	To leave a place behind completely	He shook the dust off his feet and never returned to that town.
Shape Up or Ship Out	Improve behavior or leave	The coach told the players to shape up or ship out.
Sharp as a Tack	Mentally very quick	The new assistant is sharp as a tack.
Shell Game	A form of trickery	The business deal turned out to be just a shell game.
Shift Gears	Change what you are doing	Let’s shift gears and talk about something positive.
Shipshape and Bristol Fashion	Neat and orderly	The house was shipshape and Bristol fashion for the guests.
Shoot from the Hip	Speak or act without thinking	He often shoots from the hip during meetings.
Shoot Off One’s Mouth	Talk without thinking	Don’t shoot off your mouth about the plan yet.
Shoot Oneself in the Foot	To harm oneself by mistake	He shot himself in the foot by lying to his boss.
Short Fuse	A quick temper	Be careful—he has a short fuse.
Shot Across the Bow	A warning sign	The protest was a shot across the bow to the government.
Show One’s True Colors	Reveal one’s true self	He showed his true colors when he betrayed his friend.
Show Your Cards	Reveal your plans	The company showed its cards during the merger talks.
Sick and Tired Of	Extremely annoyed	I’m sick and tired of your excuses.
Sick as a Dog	Very ill	I was sick as a dog last weekend.
Sight for Sore Eyes	A welcome sight	After a long journey, home was a sight for sore eyes.
Silver Bullet	A simple solution to a difficult problem	There’s no silver bullet for poverty.
Simmer Down	Calm down	The teacher asked the students to simmer down.
Sink or Swim	Fail or succeed on your own	In this new job, it’s sink or swim.
Sitting Duck	An easy target	Without protection, they were sitting ducks.
Sitting Pretty	In a good position	With her savings, she’s sitting pretty after retirement.
Six Feet Under	Dead	He’s been six feet under for years.
Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other	Two choices that are the same	Whether we go today or tomorrow, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Slam Dunk	A guaranteed success	That idea was a slam dunk.
Sleep Like a Baby	Sleep soundly	After the exam, I slept like a baby.
Sleep with the Fishes	To be killed (often by mafia)	The gangster warned him he’d be sleeping with the fishes.
Slippery Slope	A risky path that leads to trouble	Skipping classes is a slippery slope to failure.
Smell a Rat	Suspect something wrong	I smell a rat in this deal.
Smoking Gun	Clear evidence	The email was the smoking gun in the fraud case.
Speak of the Devil	The person you were talking about appears	Speak of the devil—here comes Ramesh now!
Spick and Span	Very clean and neat	The room was spick and span for the guests.
Spill the Beans	Reveal a secret	She spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Spin a Yarn	Tell a long story	He loves spinning a yarn about his travels.
Spoiling for a Fight	Eager to argue or fight	He looked like he was spoiling for a fight.
Stab Someone in the Back	To betray someone	She stabbed her friend in the back by taking credit for the work.
Stand One’s Ground	Refuse to back down	He stood his ground in the argument.
Start with a Clean Slate	Begin again without past issues	After the fight, they started with a clean slate.
Steal Someone’s Thunder	Take credit from someone else	The new product launch stole their thunder.
Step Up One’s Game	Improve performance	He needs to step up his game to stay on the team.
Step Up to the Plate	Take responsibility	It’s time to step up to the plate and accept the challenge.
Stick Your Nose into Something	Interfere in someone else’s matters	Stop sticking your nose into my business.
Sticky Wicket	A tricky situation	Negotiating this deal is a sticky wicket.
Storm in a Teacup	A big fuss over something unimportant	The argument was just a storm in a teacup.
Straight Arrow	An honest person	Everyone trusts him; he’s a straight arrow.
Strike a Chord	To connect with feelings	His speech struck a chord with the audience.
Swan Song	A final performance before retirement or death	That play was his swan song.
Sweep Under the Carpet	To hide a problem	They tried to sweep the scandal under the carpet.
Sweet Dreams!	A wish for someone to sleep well	Goodnight, sweet dreams!
Sweeten the Deal	To make an offer better	They sweetened the deal with extra benefits.
Swim Against the Tide	To act against the majority	He often swims against the tide in his opinions.
Sword of Damocles	A constant threat or danger	Living under debt is like having the sword of Damocles above your head.

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English Idioms Beginning with T

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Take (Someone) to the Cleaners	Swindle; defeat badly	The scammer took him to the cleaners and stole all his savings.
Take a Deep Dive (Into)	Explore something extensively	Let’s take a deep dive into the data before making decisions.
Take a Flyer	Take a speculative risk	He took a flyer on that new stock and luckily made a profit.
Take a Gander	Have a look	Take a gander at that beautiful sunset.
Take a Hike	Go away	I told the rude salesman to take a hike.
Take a Powder	Leave suddenly, often to avoid trouble	He took a powder before the police arrived.
Take a Rain Check	Postpone or decline now but suggest later	I can’t join tonight, but I’ll take a rain check.
Take Five (Ten)	Take a short break	Let’s take five before we continue.
Take It Easy	Relax, don’t worry	Take it easy, everything will be fine.
Take It on the Chin	Endure hardship bravely	He took it on the chin after losing the match.
Take It or Leave It	No room for negotiation	The price is final—take it or leave it.
Take Someone to Task	Strongly criticize	She was taken to task for being late.
Take Something with a Pinch of Salt	Don’t fully believe	Take his stories with a pinch of salt.
Take the Cake	Be the most extreme example	That excuse really takes the cake!
Take the Edge Off	Lessen something negative	A hot tea took the edge off her stress.
Take the Fifth	Refuse to answer (legal context)	The witness took the fifth during questioning.
Take the Gloves Off	Be aggressive	The debate turned nasty when they took the gloves off.
Take the High Road	Act with integrity	Even when insulted, she took the high road.
Take the Mickey (Out of Someone)	Tease or mock	They were just taking the mickey out of him.
Take the Shine Off	Diminish enjoyment	The rain took the shine off the wedding day.
Take the Starch Out of (Someone)	Reduce confidence	The defeat took the starch out of the team.
Take the Wind Out of Someone’s Sails	Reduce confidence unexpectedly	Her criticism took the wind out of his sails.
Take Your Life in Your Hands	Take extreme risks	Driving drunk is taking your life in your hands.
Take Your Medicine	Accept punishment without protest	He took his medicine after breaking the rule.
Take Your Time	Don’t rush	Take your time with the exam.
Taste of Your Own Medicine	Suffer what you inflicted	He got a taste of his own medicine when no one helped him.
Teach an Old Dog New Tricks	Change old habits (usually negative)	You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
Tear One’s Hair Out	Be very worried or frustrated	She’s tearing her hair out over the project delay.
Tear-Jerker	A very emotional movie or book	That film was a real tear-jerker.
Tee Many Martoonies	Too many martinis (drunk)	He slurred his words after tee many martoonies.
Tell It to the Marines	Expression of disbelief	You think I’ll believe that? Tell it to the marines!
Tempest in a Teapot	Big fuss over nothing	Their argument was just a tempest in a teapot.
Ten a Penny	Very common	Cheap souvenirs are ten a penny here.
Ten to One	Very likely	Ten to one he’ll be late again.
Test the Waters	Try something cautiously	Let’s test the waters before launching the new product.
Tie the Knot	Get married	They tied the knot after five years of dating.
Tighten the Screws	Increase pressure	The manager tightened the screws on deadlines.
Tight-Lipped	Secretive	He was tight-lipped about the investigation.
Till the Cows Come Home	For a very long time	She can argue till the cows come home.
Time is Money	Time is valuable	Stop wasting time—time is money.
Tip of the Iceberg	Small part of a bigger issue	The missing files were just the tip of the iceberg.
Tip One’s Hand	Reveal information	He tipped his hand about his strategy.
TLC (Tender Loving Care)	Gentle attention	The old car just needs some TLC.
To Be a Peach	Very good or helpful person	Thanks for helping—you’re a peach!
To Be Smitten With Someone	Be strongly attracted	He’s completely smitten with her.
To Be Someone’s One and Only	To be their true love	She was his one and only.
To Be the Apple of Someone’s Eye	Be deeply loved	His daughter is the apple of his eye.
To Bear Fruit	Be successful	The hard work is finally bearing fruit.
To Carpool	Share a car ride	We carpool to the office every day.
To Each His Own	Everyone has different tastes	He likes pineapple pizza—well, to each his own.
To Get Cold Feet	Become nervous or hesitant	She got cold feet before the wedding.
To Have a Chip on One’s Shoulder	Be combative or angry	He always has a chip on his shoulder about authority.
To Have Butterflies in Your Stomach	Feel nervous	She had butterflies in her stomach before the exam.
To Have One for the Road	Last drink before leaving	We had one for the road before heading home.
To Pay an Arm and a Leg	Be very expensive	That luxury car cost an arm and a leg.
To Pop One’s Cherry	Do something for the first time	He popped his cherry on stage last night.
To Pull Someone’s Leg	Joke with someone	Don’t worry, I was just pulling your leg.
To Run Hot and Cold	Be inconsistent	He runs hot and cold in relationships.
To the Letter	Follow instructions exactly	She followed the recipe to the letter.
Toe the Line	Follow the rules	Employees must toe the line in this company.
Tone-Deaf	Insensitive to feelings	His rude comment showed he’s tone-deaf.
Tongue-in-Cheek	Said jokingly	His tongue-in-cheek remark made everyone laugh.
Too Busy Fighting Alligators to Drain the Swamp	Too busy with small problems to focus on the big one	The team was too busy fighting alligators to drain the swamp.
Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth	Too many people make things worse	The project failed because too many cooks spoiled the broth.
Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians	Too many leaders, not enough workers	The office has too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
Too Many to Shake a Stick At	A large number	The store has gadgets too many to shake a stick at.
Toot Your Own Horn	Brag	He loves to toot his own horn about his successes.
Top Banana	The boss, leader	He’s the top banana in the company.
Toss a Wrench Into	Cause problems	The strike tossed a wrench into production.
Touch Base	Briefly meet or connect	Let’s touch base tomorrow about the project.
Touch One’s Heart	Deeply move someone	The story touched everyone’s heart.
Touch Water	Be launched (of a boat)	The ship finally touched water last week.
Tough Cookie	A strong or determined person	She’s a tough cookie, she won’t give up easily.
Tough Sledding	Difficult progress	It’s been tough sledding during the negotiations.
Train Wreck	A complete disaster	His presentation was a train wreck.
Trash Talk	Insult your opponent	The boxers exchanged trash talk before the fight.
Tread Water	Make no progress	The company has been treading water for years.
Trial Balloon	Test reaction to an idea	They floated a trial balloon about tax reform.
Trip the Light Fantastic	Dance gracefully	The couple tripped the light fantastic at the ball.
Turn a Blind Eye	Ignore something wrong	The teacher turned a blind eye to cheating.
Turn on a Dime	Change quickly	The car can turn on a dime.
Turn Someone Inside Out	Upset deeply	The tragedy turned her inside out.
Turn Something on Its Head	Reverse or change completely	The new law turned the system on its head.
Turn Turtle	Capsize	The boat turned turtle in the storm.
Turn the Corner	Begin to improve	The patient has turned the corner after surgery.
Turn the Tables	Reverse a situation	She turned the tables by proving him wrong.
Turnabout is Fair Play	Getting the same treatment you gave	He teased me back—well, turnabout is fair play.
Twenty-Four Seven	Nonstop, all the time	The shop is open twenty-four seven.
Twist the Knife (in Deeper)	Make someone’s pain worse	He twisted the knife by mocking her loss.
Two a Penny	Very common	Cheap toys are two a penny at the fair.
Two Peas in a Pod	Two people very alike	The twins are like two peas in a pod.
Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF)	Relief at the weekend	TGIF—time to relax!
That Ship Has Sailed	Missed opportunity	I wanted that job, but the ship has sailed.
That’s Music to My Ears	Very pleasing to hear	Your approval is music to my ears.
That’s a Stretch	Hard to believe	Saying he’s the best player is a stretch.
That’s All She Wrote	That’s the end	We lost the case—that’s all she wrote.
The Apple Never Falls Far From the Tree	Children resemble parents	Like father, like son—the apple never falls far from the tree.
The Birds and the Bees	Talk about sex/reproduction	Parents explained the birds and the bees to their kids.
The Cat is Out of the Bag	Secret is revealed	The cat is out of the bag about the party.
The Coast is Clear	Safe to proceed	The coast is clear—let’s go!
The Cherry on the Cake	Final perfect touch	Winning the award was the cherry on the cake.
The Deck is Stacked Against You	Unfair conditions	With no resources, the deck was stacked against them.
The Jig is Up	The trick is discovered	They caught him—the jig is up.
The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same	Change doesn’t alter reality	Politics prove the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The Only Game in Town	The only option	That hospital is the only game in town.
The Powers That Be	People in authority	The powers that be decided to cut costs.
The Real McCoy	The genuine thing	That diamond is the real McCoy.
The Story Has Legs	People stay interested	The scandal still has legs in the media.
The Time is Ripe	Right moment	The time is ripe for reforms.
The Walls Have Ears	Be careful, others may hear	Speak softly, the walls have ears.
The Whole Enchilada	Everything	He wants the whole enchilada, not just part.
The Whole Shebang	The entire thing	We bought the whole shebang.
The World is Your Oyster	Many opportunities await	With your talent, the world is your oyster.
There but for the Grace of God Go I	Could easily have been me	Seeing the homeless man, he thought, there but for the grace of God go I.
There’s More Than One Way to Skin a Cat	Multiple ways to solve a problem	Don’t worry, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.
There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch	Nothing is truly free	He learned there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Thin on the Ground	Rare	Good jobs are thin on the ground here.
Think Big	Be ambitious	Entrepreneurs need to think big.
Think Outside the Box	Be creative	Try to think outside the box for solutions.
Think Tank	Group of experts	The policy was designed by a think tank.
Third Rail	Dangerous, untouchable subject	In politics, pensions are the third rail.
Third Time’s a Charm	Success after two failures	He finally won—third time’s a charm!
Thirty-Thousand-Foot View	Broad overview	The CEO gave a thirty-thousand-foot view of the strategy.
This Has (X) Written All Over It	Perfect for someone	That dress has your name written all over it.
This Is Not Your Father’s ___	Modern version	This is not your father’s computer—it’s much faster.
Three Sheets to the Wind	Very drunk	He staggered out, three sheets to the wind.
Through the Grapevine	Through gossip	I heard the news through the grapevine.
Through Thick and Thin	In good and bad times	They stayed friends through thick and thin.
Throw a Wet Blanket on	Discourage	His comments threw a wet blanket on the celebration.
Throw a Wrench Into	Cause disruption	The delay threw a wrench into our plans.
Throw Caution to the Wind	Act recklessly	She threw caution to the wind and invested all her money.
Throw Down the Gauntlet	Issue a challenge	He threw down the gauntlet to his rival.
Throw Elbows	Be aggressive	Players were throwing elbows on the court.
Throw in the Towel	Give up	After two failures, he threw in the towel.
Throw Someone for a Loop	Surprise someone	The question threw me for a loop.
Throw Someone Under the Bus	Betray to save yourself	He threw his colleague under the bus to keep his job.
Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water	Discard something valuable with the bad	Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water when revising policies.
Throw the Book At	Punish severely	The judge threw the book at the criminal.
Throw the Fight	Intentionally lose	The boxer was accused of throwing the fight.
Thumbs-Up	Sign of approval	The boss gave a thumbs-up to the idea.

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English Idioms Beginning with U

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
U Turn	A complete change of opinion, direction, or behavior	The minister made a U-turn on his earlier statement after public criticism.
Ugly Duckling	An awkward child or person who grows into someone beautiful or successful	She was considered an ugly duckling at school, but now she’s a famous model.
Under (Below) the Radar	Not easily noticed; hidden from public attention	The small company grew under the radar before suddenly becoming popular.
Under Someone’s Spell	Fascinated or entranced by someone	He was completely under her spell and did whatever she asked.
Under the Impression	Believing something (often mistakenly)	I was under the impression that the meeting was tomorrow, not today.
Under the Table	Secretly, unofficially, often involving money	He was paid under the table to avoid taxes.
Under the Weather	Feeling sick or unwell	I can’t come to work today, I’m feeling a bit under the weather.
Under Wraps	Kept secret; not revealed	The project was kept under wraps until the official launch.
University of Life	Learning through real-world experiences, not formal education	He never went to college, but he graduated from the university of life.
Until the Cows Come Home	For a very long time	You can argue until the cows come home, but my decision won’t change.
Until You’re Blue in the Face	Repeating something without success	You can complain until you’re blue in the face, but nothing will change.
Up a Creek	In serious trouble or difficulty	Without funding, the project will be up a creek.
Up for Grabs	Available to anyone	The last ticket is up for grabs.
Up in Arms	Very angry and protesting	Residents are up in arms about the new construction project.
Up in the Air	Uncertain, not yet decided	Our holiday plans are still up in the air.
Up to One’s Neck	Almost overwhelmed by something	I’m up to my neck in paperwork this week.
Up to Scratch	Meeting the required standard	His work wasn’t up to scratch, so it was rejected.
Up to Snuff	Meeting an acceptable level of quality	The hotel wasn’t up to snuff, so we left early.
Up the Ante	Increase risks, stakes, or demands	The company decided to up the ante by offering higher salaries.
Up the Duff	Pregnant (British slang)	She was shocked to find out she was up the duff.
Upset the Apple Cart	Spoil or ruin an arrangement or plan	His sudden resignation upset the apple cart.
Use One’s Head	To think carefully, to apply common sense	Come on, use your head before making such a big decision.

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English Idioms Beginning with V

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Vale of Tears	The world in general, seen as a sad or difficult place	Life in the big city can feel like a vale of tears at times.
Vicious Circle	A problem that worsens itself in a cycle	Poverty often creates a vicious circle that is hard to escape.
Victory Lap	A public celebration or recognition after a success	The team took a victory lap after winning the championship.
Virgin Territory	Something unexplored physically or intellectually	The explorers ventured into virgin territory in the Amazon rainforest.
Vote with One’s Feet	To show disapproval by leaving or not participating	Employees voted with their feet after the company introduced unfair policies.
Vanishing Act	When someone disappears unexpectedly	He pulled a vanishing act just before the meeting started.
Variety is the Spice of Life	Different experiences make life more interesting	I like trying new foods because variety is the spice of life.
Vent One’s Anger	Express one’s anger openly	She vented her anger on her colleagues after the project failed.
Vest in Someone	To give someone power, authority, or responsibility	The board vested in him the authority to make major decisions.
View with Suspicion	To distrust or doubt something	The committee viewed the new proposal with suspicion.
Voice Concern	To express worry or objection	Parents voiced concern about the school’s safety measures.
Volley of Questions	A rapid series of questions	The politician faced a volley of questions from reporters.
Vow to Do Something	To promise firmly	He vowed to help his friend no matter what.

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English Idioms Beginning with W

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Waiting in the Wings	Ready to assume responsibilities but not yet active	She’s been waiting in the wings for the CEO position for years.
Waka-Jumping	Changing political parties	The senator was criticized for waka-jumping after joining the rival party.
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee	Stop deluding yourself	It’s time you wake up and smell the coffee about your failing business.
Wake Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed	Be grumpy or ill-humored	He woke up on the wrong side of the bed and snapped at everyone.
Walk on Eggshells	Act carefully to avoid offending someone	We had to walk on eggshells around the boss after the argument.
Walk the Plank	Be forced to resign a position	The manager was made to walk the plank after the scandal.
Wandering Eye	Desire people outside a committed relationship	He was known for his wandering eye, which caused problems in his marriage.
Wash Your Hands of (Something)	Refuse to take responsibility	After the project failed, he washed his hands of it completely.
Water Under the Bridge	Something in the past not worth worrying about	The argument is water under the bridge now.
Watering Hole	A bar or place where drinks are served	They met at their favorite watering hole after work.
Weekend Warrior	Someone active in sports only on weekends	He’s a weekend warrior, playing football every Saturday.
We’ll Cross That Bridge When We Come to It	Deal with a problem when it arises	Don’t worry about the budget cuts; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Welsh (Welch) on a Deal	Not observe an agreement	He tried to welsh on the deal, refusing to pay.
Wet Behind the Ears	Inexperienced, immature	She’s wet behind the ears, but she’s learning fast.
Wet Blanket	Someone who spoils fun	Don’t be such a wet blanket at the party.
Wet Your Whistle	Have a drink	Let’s wet our whistles before the game.
What Do You Make of (Him)?	Ask for evaluation	What do you make of his sudden change in attitude?
What Goes Around Comes Around	Treatment you give returns to you	Karma is real: what goes around comes around.
What’s Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander	Fair treatment for all	If he can take a day off, she can too—what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
When Hell Freezes Over	Never	He’ll apologize when hell freezes over.
When In Doubt, Leave It Out	Omit something if unsure	When editing your essay, remember: when in doubt, leave it out.
When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do	Follow local customs	While traveling, he tried to follow the rule: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When It Rains, It Pours	Problems come in groups	First the car broke down, then the fridge stopped working—when it rains, it pours.
When Pigs Fly	Never	She’ll clean her room when pigs fly.
When the Chips Are Down	When a situation is urgent or difficult	He proved his loyalty when the chips were down.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road	Where ideas meet reality	The project will succeed when the rubber meets the road.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way	Strong desire can overcome obstacles	If you want to start your business, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire	Signs indicate truth	Rumors about the scandal are probably true—where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Whisper Sweet Nothings	Say romantic, meaningless words	He whispered sweet nothings in her ear.
Whistle in the Dark	Be unrealistically confident	He was whistling in the dark about passing the exam.
Whistle Past the Graveyard	Stay optimistic despite danger	They whistled past the graveyard during the risky climb.
Whistling Dixie	Being unrealistically optimistic	He’s whistling Dixie about the company’s future.
White Elephant	Something unwanted or costly	The old mansion was a white elephant he couldn’t maintain.
Who’s She, the Cat’s Mother?	Why does she think highly of herself?	She walked in and demanded respect—who’s she, the cat’s mother?
Wild Goose Chase	Futile search or task	Finding the old records was a wild goose chase.
Window Dressing	Misleading appearance to make things look better	The company’s report was mostly window dressing.
Window Shop	Look without buying	She spent the afternoon window shopping downtown.
Witch Hunt	Unfair persecution	The investigation turned into a witch hunt.
With Bells On	Eagerly and willingly	He arrived with bells on for the party.
Work One’s Fingers to the Bone	Work very hard	She worked her fingers to the bone to meet the deadline.
Worn to a Frazzle	Exhausted	After the hike, we were worn to a frazzle.
Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead	Absolutely would not do something	I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that outfit.
Writing (Handwriting) on the Wall	Signs of coming disaster	The company’s bankruptcy was the writing on the wall.

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English Idioms Beginning with X

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
X Marks the Spot	The exact location of something important	The treasure map said “X marks the spot” where the gold is buried.
X-Factor	A special, unique quality that makes someone or something stand out	Her confidence is the X-factor that makes her a great performer.
X-Ray Vision	Ability to see through things metaphorically	He seems to have X-ray vision when it comes to people’s motives.
X on the Map	A notable location or important place	The town may be small, but it’s an X on the map for tourists.
X Out	To delete, cross out, or eliminate	Please X out any errors before submitting the form.
X-Files Situation	Something mysterious or unexplained	The sudden disappearance was like an X-Files situation.
X in the Equation	A missing element that must be considered	The budget was the X in the equation that we couldn’t ignore.
X Marks the Beginning	A starting point for something important	The ribbon-cutting ceremony was X marks the beginning of the festival.
X-Factor Team	A team with an unpredictable advantage or skill	Their defense is strong, but their X-factor team can turn the game around.
X Years Young	Polite or playful way to state someone’s age	Happy 50th birthday! You’re 50 years young, not old.

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English Idioms Beginning with Y

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Year In, Year Out	Annually without change	He works hard year in, year out to provide for his family.
You Can Lead a Horse to Water, but You Can’t Make It Drink	You can provide someone an opportunity, but you can’t force them to take it	I gave him all the study materials, but you can lead a horse to water, and he still won’t study.
You Can Say That Again!	I completely agree	“That was the best movie of the year!” – “You can say that again!”
You Can Take It to the Bank	Absolutely guaranteed	Her success in this field is solid—you can take it to the bank.
You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover	Appearances can be deceiving	Don’t underestimate him—you can’t judge a book by its cover.
You Can’t Make an Omelet (Omelette) Without Breaking Eggs	Difficult tasks require some sacrifice	Starting your own business isn’t easy—you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.
You Can’t Make Fish of One and Fowl of the Other	People must be treated equally	In this company, you can’t make fish of one and fowl of the other; everyone is paid fairly.
You Know the Drill	You are familiar with the procedure	It’s our first day at the factory—don’t worry, you know the drill.
You Snooze, You Lose	If you delay, you miss opportunities	The sale ended quickly; you snooze, you lose.
Young at Heart	Maintaining a youthful outlook regardless of age	My grandmother may be 80, but she’s still young at heart.
Your Guess Is as Good as Mine	I don’t know	When it comes to stock prices, your guess is as good as mine.
Your Mileage May Vary	Results may differ	This method works for some people, but your mileage may vary.
Your Number Is Up	You are going to die or face misfortune	The villain’s number is up in the final scene.
You’re Driving Me Nuts	You’re making me crazy or frustrated	Stop tapping on the table—you’re driving me nuts!
Yours Truly	Me (sign-off or reference)	Yours truly, John Smith.

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English Idioms Beginning with Z

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Zero In On	Focus closely on something; take aim at something	The marketing team zeroed in on the key demographic for their campaign.
Zig When One Should Be Zagging	To make an error; to choose an incorrect course	He zigged when he should have been zagging and lost the client’s trust.
Zip One’s Lip	Be quiet	I’ll tell you a secret, but you need to zip your lip.
Zonked Out	Extremely tired or asleep	After the 12-hour hike, I was completely zonked out.
Zombie	Someone moving slowly, lethargic, or inattentive	After staying up all night, he walked into the office like a zombie.
Zest for Life	Great enthusiasm for life	Even in her 80s, she still has a zest for life.
Zig-Zag	Move with sharp turns or twists	The car zig-zagged through traffic to avoid an accident.
Zip It	Be quiet	“Zip it!” said the teacher when the students were talking too much.
Zero Tolerance	No acceptance for violations	The school has a zero tolerance policy for bullying.
Zero Sum Game	A situation where one’s gain is another’s loss	Negotiations can be a zero-sum game if both sides are unwilling to compromise.
Zone Out	Become inattentive or distracted	I tend to zone out during long meetings.

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A–Z Popular American Idioms List with Meanings & Examples For IELTS/TOEFL

A–Z Popular American Idioms with Examples

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