Idioms & Expressions
Everyday idioms and set phrases that don't translate literally.
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81 words
Definitions in: English- 1to flog a dead horseidiominformal
Used to describe wasting effort on a cause or task that is already hopeless or settled.
He keeps bringing up the merger, but honestly he's flogging a dead horse — the board killed it months ago.
He keeps bringing up the merger, but honestly he's wasting his breath — the board killed it months ago.
- 2to put the cart before the horseidiomneutral
Used when someone does things in the wrong order, tackling a later step before a prerequisite one.
Designing the logo before we've even decided what the company does is putting the cart before the horse.
Designing the logo before we've even decided what the company does is doing things backwards.
- 3a wild goose chaseidiomneutral
Used for a search or pursuit that is hopeless and ends up wasting time.
The anonymous tip sent the detectives on a wild goose chase across half the city.
The anonymous tip sent the detectives on a hopeless pursuit across half the city.
- 4to grasp at strawsidiomneutral
Used when someone desperately tries any unlikely option because better ones are unavailable. Also 'clutch at straws'.
Blaming the weather for the company's collapse is just grasping at straws.
Blaming the weather for the company's collapse is just desperate excuse-making.
- 5to make a mountain out of a molehillidiominformal
Used to criticise someone for exaggerating the importance of a trivial problem.
It was one typo in the email — stop making a mountain out of a molehill.
It was one typo in the email — stop blowing it out of proportion.
- 6a bull in a china shopidiominformal
Used for a clumsy or tactless person who causes damage in a situation requiring delicacy.
Don't let him handle the negotiation — he's a bull in a china shop and will offend everyone.
Don't let him handle the negotiation — he's hopelessly tactless and will offend everyone.
- 7to have a bone to pick with someoneidiominformal
Used when you want to confront someone about a grievance or complaint.
I've got a bone to pick with you — why did you tell everyone about my new job?
I have a complaint to raise with you — why did you tell everyone about my new job?
- 8to play your cards close to your chestidiomneutral
Used to describe someone who keeps their plans or intentions secret.
The CEO is playing her cards close to her chest about who'll be promoted.
The CEO is being very secretive about who'll be promoted.
- 9to have an ace up your sleeveidiominformal
Used for a hidden advantage or resource kept in reserve for the right moment.
They seemed to be losing the bid, but the firm had an ace up its sleeve: an exclusive patent.
They seemed to be losing the bid, but the firm had a secret advantage: an exclusive patent.
- 10to hit below the beltidiominformal
Used when someone says or does something unfairly hurtful, breaking the unwritten rules of fair conduct.
Bringing up his divorce during a work argument really hit below the belt.
Bringing up his divorce during a work argument was a genuinely unfair blow.
- 11to throw your hat in the ringidiomneutral
Used when someone formally announces they are entering a competition or contest, especially for a position.
After months of speculation, she finally threw her hat in the ring for the leadership.
After months of speculation, she finally declared herself a candidate for the leadership.
- 12to roll with the punchesidiominformal
Used to describe adapting calmly to difficulties and setbacks as they come.
Freelancing is unpredictable, so you learn to roll with the punches.
Freelancing is unpredictable, so you learn to take setbacks in your stride.
- 13to take it on the chinidiominformal
Used when someone accepts criticism, defeat or misfortune bravely and without complaint.
He was passed over for the promotion but took it on the chin and congratulated his rival.
He was passed over for the promotion but accepted it gracefully and congratulated his rival.
- 14to go the whole hogidiominformal
Used when someone does something completely and without restraint, holding nothing back.
If we're redecorating, let's go the whole hog and replace the flooring too.
If we're redecorating, let's go all out and replace the flooring too.
- 15to eat humble pieidiominformal
Used when someone is forced to admit they were wrong and apologise, suffering humiliation.
After insisting the figures were right, he had to eat humble pie when the audit proved him wrong.
After insisting the figures were right, he had to humbly admit his mistake when the audit proved him wrong.
- 16to eat your wordsidiominformal
Used when someone is proven wrong and has to retract what they confidently said.
You said they'd never finish on time — looks like you'll have to eat your words.
You said they'd never finish on time — looks like you'll have to take that back.
- 17a bitter pill to swallowidiomneutral
Used for an unpleasant fact or outcome that is hard to accept.
Being overlooked after all those years was a bitter pill to swallow.
Being overlooked after all those years was very hard to accept.
- 18the writing on the wallidiomneutral
Used for clear signs that something, usually bad, is going to happen. Biblical in origin.
When they cancelled the project, the staff saw the writing on the wall and started job-hunting.
When they cancelled the project, the staff read the warning signs and started job-hunting.
- 19an Achilles' heelidiomneutral
Used for a single weakness or vulnerable point in an otherwise strong person or thing. From Greek mythology.
His temper is his Achilles' heel; it has cost him several jobs.
His temper is his one fatal flaw; it has cost him several jobs.
- 20a Catch-22idiomneutral
Used for a paradoxical situation where you cannot escape because of mutually conflicting conditions. From Joseph Heller's novel.
You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience — it's a complete Catch-22.
You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience — it's a complete no-win bind.
- 21a Trojan horseidiomneutral
Used for something that appears harmless or beneficial but conceals a hidden, harmful purpose. From the Trojan War legend.
Critics called the free-trade clause a Trojan horse for deregulation.
Critics called the free-trade clause a hidden vehicle for deregulation.
- 22to cross the Rubiconidiomformalliterary
Used for taking an irreversible, decisive step from which there is no going back. From Julius Caesar's march on Rome.
By signing the declaration, the colonies had crossed the Rubicon.
By signing the declaration, the colonies had passed the point of no return.
- 23a swan songidiomliterary
Used for a final performance, work or achievement before retirement or death.
The concert was the conductor's swan song after forty years on the podium.
The concert was the conductor's farewell performance after forty years on the podium.
- 24a fool's errandidiomneutral
Used for a task that is pointless and has no hope of success.
Trying to please everyone on the committee is a fool's errand.
Trying to please everyone on the committee is a hopeless task.
- 25a labour of loveidiomneutral
Used for work done for the pleasure or devotion it brings rather than for reward.
Restoring the old cottage was a labour of love that took him a decade.
Restoring the old cottage was a passion project that took him a decade.
- 26a baptism of fireidiomneutral
Used for a very difficult first experience of something, especially a new job or role.
Her first day as a nurse during the outbreak was a real baptism of fire.
Her first day as a nurse during the outbreak was a real trial by ordeal.
- 27the lion's shareidiomneutral
Used for the largest part or majority of something. From Aesop's fables.
The marketing department took the lion's share of the budget this year.
The marketing department took the biggest portion of the budget this year.
- 28a red herringidiomneutral
Used for a misleading clue or piece of information that diverts attention from the real issue.
The missing watch turned out to be a red herring; the real motive was money.
The missing watch turned out to be a false lead; the real motive was money.
- 29a damp squibidiominformal
Used for something that is expected to be impressive but turns out to be a disappointing anticlimax. British English.
After all the hype, the launch event was a bit of a damp squib.
After all the hype, the launch event was rather an anticlimax.
- 30to be at loggerheadsidiomneutral
Used when two parties are in stubborn disagreement or conflict.
The two ministers have been at loggerheads over the budget for weeks.
The two ministers have been in bitter dispute over the budget for weeks.
- 31to pass the buckidiominformal
Used when someone shifts responsibility or blame to another person instead of accepting it.
Whenever something goes wrong, he just passes the buck to his assistant.
Whenever something goes wrong, he just shifts the blame to his assistant.
- 32a loose cannonidiominformal
Used for an unpredictable person who may cause damage if left unchecked.
They kept him away from the press because he was such a loose cannon.
They kept him away from the press because he was so unpredictable.
- 33the black sheep of the familyidiominformal
Used for a family member regarded as a disgrace or oddity compared with the others.
As the only one without a degree, he always felt like the black sheep of the family.
As the only one without a degree, he always felt like the family outsider.
- 34a hard nut to crackidiominformal
Used for a difficult problem to solve, or a person who is hard to get to know or persuade. Also 'a tough nut to crack'.
The encryption proved a hard nut to crack, even for the experts.
The encryption proved very difficult to break, even for the experts.
- 35to take the wind out of someone's sailsidiominformal
Used when something suddenly deflates a person's confidence, enthusiasm or momentum.
Her calm rebuttal completely took the wind out of his sails.
Her calm rebuttal completely deflated him.
- 36to be cut from the same clothidiomneutral
Used to say two people are very similar in character or outlook.
Father and son are cut from the same cloth — both stubborn to the core.
Father and son are very much alike — both stubborn to the core.
- 37a fair-weather friendidiomneutral
Used for someone who is only a friend during good times and disappears when trouble comes.
When I lost my job, I found out who my real friends were and who were just fair-weather friends.
When I lost my job, I found out who my real friends were and who were only fair-weather ones.
- 38to swallow your prideidiomneutral
Used when someone sets aside their dignity or ego to do something difficult, like apologising or asking for help.
He had to swallow his pride and ask his younger brother for a loan.
He had to set aside his ego and ask his younger brother for a loan.
- 39to have egg on your faceidiominformal
Used when someone is left looking foolish or embarrassed because of a mistake.
The newspaper had egg on its face after printing the wrong election result.
The newspaper was left looking foolish after printing the wrong election result.
- 40to be caught red-handedidiominformal
Used when someone is discovered in the very act of doing something wrong.
The thief was caught red-handed with the jewellery in his pocket.
The thief was caught in the act with the jewellery in his pocket.
- 41a stick in the mudidiominformalpejorative
Used for a boring, old-fashioned person who resists change or fun.
Come on, don't be such a stick in the mud — one drink won't hurt.
Come on, don't be such a killjoy — one drink won't hurt.
- 42the bee's kneesidiominformalhumorous
Used to describe something or someone excellent or outstanding. British English, slightly dated and often playful.
He thinks his new sports car is the bee's knees.
He thinks his new sports car is absolutely fabulous.
- 43to take the biscuitidiominformal
Used when something is the most surprising, annoying or outrageous example of its kind. British English; American equivalent is 'take the cake'.
I've heard some excuses, but blaming the dog for the missing report really takes the biscuit.
I've heard some excuses, but blaming the dog for the missing report is the absolute limit.
- 44a flash in the panidiomneutral
Used for a sudden success or thing that fails to last or be repeated.
Critics dismissed her debut hit as a flash in the pan, but she's still topping the charts.
Critics dismissed her debut hit as a one-off fluke, but she's still topping the charts.
- 45to have a finger in every pieidiominformal
Used for someone who is involved in many different activities or businesses, sometimes intrusively.
From property to restaurants, she's got a finger in every pie in this town.
From property to restaurants, she's involved in everything in this town.
- 46a chip off the old blockidiominformal
Used for a child who closely resembles a parent in character or appearance.
Little Tom is fixing bikes already — a real chip off the old block.
Little Tom is fixing bikes already — just like his father.
- 47to gild the lilyidiomformalliterary
Used when someone tries to improve something already beautiful or perfect, making it worse or excessive.
The dish was perfect; adding truffle oil was gilding the lily.
The dish was perfect; adding truffle oil was excessive embellishment.
- 48to be hoist by your own petardidiomformalliterary
Used when someone is harmed by their own scheme intended to harm others. From Shakespeare's Hamlet.
He spread the rumour to discredit a rival, only to be hoist by his own petard when it was traced back to him.
He spread the rumour to discredit a rival, only to be ruined by his own scheme when it was traced back to him.
- 49a feather in your capidiomneutral
Used for an achievement or honour that one can be proud of.
Winning that contract is a real feather in her cap.
Winning that contract is a real achievement to her credit.
- 50to have your head in the cloudsidiominformal
Used for someone who is impractical, daydreaming, or out of touch with reality.
He'll never run a business with his head in the clouds like that.
He'll never run a business being so impractical and dreamy.
- 51to be down in the dumpsidiominformal
Used to describe feeling sad, low or depressed.
She's been a bit down in the dumps since the holiday ended.
She's been a bit low since the holiday ended.
- 52to be in the doghouseidiominformalhumorous
Used when someone is in disgrace or trouble, usually with a partner or close person.
I forgot our anniversary, so I'm well and truly in the doghouse.
I forgot our anniversary, so I'm thoroughly out of favour.
- 53to be on tenterhooksidiomneutral
Used to describe being in a state of anxious, suspenseful waiting.
We were on tenterhooks all night waiting for the election results.
We were in nervous suspense all night waiting for the election results.
- 54a sitting duckidiominformal
Used for a person or thing that is an easy, defenceless target.
Without a firewall, the company's servers were sitting ducks for hackers.
Without a firewall, the company's servers were easy prey for hackers.
- 55your bark is worse than your biteproverbinformal
Used to say that someone seems more aggressive or threatening than they actually are.
The old foreman shouts a lot, but his bark is worse than his bite.
The old foreman shouts a lot, but he's harmless underneath.
- 56to let the chips fall where they mayidiomneutral
Used to express doing what is right and accepting whatever consequences follow.
I'll tell them the truth and let the chips fall where they may.
I'll tell them the truth and accept whatever happens.
- 57a stitch in time saves nineproverbneutral
Used to advise dealing with a problem promptly to prevent it from becoming much bigger.
Fix that small leak now — a stitch in time saves nine.
Fix that small leak now — prompt action saves bigger repairs later.
- 58too many cooks spoil the brothproverbneutral
Used to say that when too many people are involved in a task, the result suffers.
Let's keep the planning team small — too many cooks spoil the broth.
Let's keep the planning team small — too many people will ruin it.
- 59the pot calling the kettle blackidiominformal
Used to point out hypocrisy when someone criticises a fault they themselves have.
Him calling me disorganised is a bit the pot calling the kettle black.
Him calling me disorganised is rather hypocritical.
- 60people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stonesproverbneutral
Used to warn that you should not criticise others for faults you share.
Before you criticise his spending, remember that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Before you criticise his spending, remember not to condemn faults you share.
- 61every cloud has a silver liningproverbneutral
Used to express that even bad situations have some positive aspect.
I lost the job, but every cloud has a silver lining — now I've started my own business.
I lost the job, but there's always an upside — now I've started my own business.
- 62to make hay while the sun shinesproverbneutral
Used to advise taking advantage of favourable conditions while they last.
Tourists are flooding in this summer, so the shops are making hay while the sun shines.
Tourists are flooding in this summer, so the shops are cashing in while they can.
- 63to strike while the iron is hotproverbneutral
Used to advise acting decisively at the most opportune moment.
They're impressed with your pitch — strike while the iron is hot and ask for the deal now.
They're impressed with your pitch — act now while the moment is right and ask for the deal.
- 64don't look a gift horse in the mouthproverbinformal
Used to advise against being critical or ungrateful about something received for free.
The car's old, but it was free — don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
The car's old, but it was free — don't be ungrateful about it.
- 65a bird in the hand is worth two in the bushproverbneutral
Used to say that it is better to keep what you have than risk it for something better but uncertain.
Take the offer on the table; a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Take the offer on the table; a guaranteed gain beats a risky one.
- 66when in Rome, do as the Romans doproverbneutral
Used to advise adapting to local customs when in an unfamiliar place.
I don't usually nap in the afternoon, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
I don't usually nap in the afternoon, but you should follow local custom.
- 67the apple doesn't fall far from the treeproverbneutral
Used to say that children tend to resemble their parents in character or behaviour.
Like his father, he became a lawyer — the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Like his father, he became a lawyer — children take after their parents.
- 68there's no smoke without fireproverbneutral
Used to suggest that rumours usually have some basis in truth.
They deny the merger talks, but there's no smoke without fire.
They deny the merger talks, but such rumours rarely arise from nothing.
- 69familiarity breeds contemptproverbformal
Used to say that knowing someone or something too well can lead to a loss of respect or interest.
Working with your heroes can be disillusioning — familiarity breeds contempt.
Working with your heroes can be disillusioning — knowing them too well erodes admiration.
- 70fortune favours the boldproverbformalliterary
Used to encourage taking courageous risks, suggesting that the brave are rewarded. Of Latin origin.
She quit her job to launch the venture, trusting that fortune favours the bold.
She quit her job to launch the venture, trusting that courage is rewarded.
- 71necessity is the mother of inventionproverbformal
Used to say that difficult situations inspire ingenious solutions.
With no proper tools, they improvised brilliantly — necessity is the mother of invention.
With no proper tools, they improvised brilliantly — need breeds ingenuity.
- 72a Pyrrhic victoryidiomformalliterary
Used for a victory won at so great a cost that it is effectively a defeat. Named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus.
They won the lawsuit, but the legal fees made it a Pyrrhic victory.
They won the lawsuit, but the legal fees made it a hollow, ruinous triumph.
- 73to throw a spanner in the worksidiominformal
Used when an unexpected problem or interference disrupts a plan that was going smoothly. British English; the American variant is 'throw a wrench in the works'.
Everything was on schedule until the supplier went bust and really threw a spanner in the works.
Everything was on schedule until the supplier went bankrupt and really derailed the plan.
- 74to open Pandora's boxidiomneutral
Used when an action unleashes many complicated, unforeseen and unwelcome problems. From Greek mythology.
Questioning the inheritance opened a Pandora's box of old family feuds.
Questioning the inheritance unleashed a flood of old family feuds.
- 75to know the ropesidiominformal
Used when someone understands the details and procedures of a job or activity. Nautical in origin. Related: 'learn the ropes', 'show someone the ropes'.
Ask Priya — she's been here for years and really knows the ropes.
Ask Priya — she's been here for years and really knows how things work.
- 76a cash cowidiominformalbusiness jargon
Used for a product, business or venture that generates steady, substantial profit. Common in business contexts.
The flagship software remains the company's biggest cash cow.
The flagship software remains the company's biggest money-maker.
- 77to throw a wrench in the worksverb phraseneutralAmerican English
American English idiom for disrupting or derailing a plan with an unexpected obstacle (also 'throw a monkey wrench in the works').
Just when everything was on track, the new regulations threw a wrench in the works.
Just when everything was going smoothly, the new regulations derailed the plan.
- 78to take the cakeverb phraseinformalAmerican English
American English idiom for being the most outrageous or absurd instance of something.
Of all the flimsy excuses I've heard, that one really takes the cake.
Of all the weak excuses I've heard, that one is the most outrageous.
- 79a labor of lovenoun phraseneutralAmerican English
American English spelling of the expression for work done out of passion rather than for pay.
Restoring the vintage car was a labor of love that took him three years.
Restoring the vintage car was devoted, unpaid work that took him three years.
- 80fortune favors the boldphraseneutralAmerican English
American English spelling of the proverb that the courageous are rewarded.
She quit her steady job to launch the startup—fortune favors the bold, as they say.
She quit her steady job to launch the startup—boldness brings success, as they say.
- 81to eat crowverb phraseinformalAmerican English
American English idiom for being forced to admit a mistake humiliatingly.
After his confident prediction flopped, the pundit had to eat crow on live television.
After his confident prediction failed, the pundit had to humiliatingly admit his error on live television.
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Idioms are where a language comes alive – and where learners often get left behind. This pack pulls back the curtain on the fixed expressions, proverbs and figurative phrases native speakers reach for without thinking. Taking your English past the literal, it helps you catch the real meaning behind an everyday phrase and drop the right one into a conversation yourself.