Friends, while talking and writing in English, sometimes, to write a long description in a concise form, the IDIOMS are used, and this has become part of English prose/literature. Here are 50 such idioms, with their meaning in plain language, that every adult should know.
1 Break the ice– to relieve tension or get conversation started in an awkward situation.
2 Bite the bullet– to endure a painful or unpleasant task courageously.
3 Hit the nail on the head– to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
4 Let the cat out of the bag– to reveal a secret, often unintentionally.
5 Kill the two birds with one stone– to achieve two aims with a single shot.
6 Barking up the wrong tree– to pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
7 Piece of cake– something very easy to do.
8 Cost of an arm or leg– to be very expensive.
9 Cut corners– to do something poorly or cheaply.
10 Under the weather– feeling unwell or sick.
11 The ball is in your court– It’s your turn to take action or make a decision.
12 Back to square one– to have to start over again.
13 A blessing in disguise– something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.
14 A dime a dozen– very common and of little value.
15 Beat around the bush– to avoid talking about what’s important.
16 Better late than never– it’s better to do something late than not do it all.
17 Bite off more than you can chew– to take on more responsibility than you can manage.
18 Actions speak louder than words– what people do is more important than what they say.
19 Apple of my eye– someone who is cherished above all others.
20 His bark is worse than his bite– someone’s threat are worse than their action.
21 Burn bridges– to destroy one’s relationship or opportunities.
22 Call it a day– to stop working on something.
23 Cry over spilled milk– to be upset about something that can not be changed.
24 Devil’s advocate– someone who argues a point for the sake of debate.
25 Every cloud has a silver lining- every bad situation has some positive aspect.
26 Get out of hand- to become uncontrolled.
27 Give the benefit of doubt– to choose to believe someone’s statement, without proof.
28 Hit the sack– go to bed.
29 In the blink of an eye– very quickly, in a very short time.
30 Jump on the bandwagon– to join others in doing something that is currently popular.
31 Keep your chin up– to remain cheerful and hopeful in difficult circumstances.
32 Let sleeping dogs lie– to avoid interfering in a situation that is currently causing no problem.
33 Miss the boat– to miss an opportunity.
34 Off the cuff– without preparation, spontaneously.
35 Once in a blue moon– very rarely.
36 Out of the blue– unexpectedly, without warning.
37 Pull someone’s leg– to tease or joke with someone.
38 On the ball– alert, knowledgeable, and competent.
39 On thin ice– in a risky or precarious situation.
40 Rome wasn’t built in a day– important things take time to complete.
41 Rain on someone’s parade– to spoil someone’s plan or enjoyment.
42 Saved by the bell– rescued from a difficult situation at the last moment.
43The best of both the words– enjoying two desirable but normally incompatible things at once.
44 Through thick and thin– in both good and bad time.
45 Times flies when you are having fun– time seems to pass quickly when you are enjoying yourself.
46 Twist someone’s arm– to persuade someone to do something they are reluctant to do.
47 Up in the air– undecided or unresolved.
48 When pigs fly– something that will never happen.
49 You can’t judge book by its cover– you shouldn’t judge someone or something by appearance alone.
50 Your guess is as good as mine– I have no more idea than you do.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
1st May 2025