イディオム・慣用表現

it is now your turn or responsibility to act or decide (passing responsibility to another)

Said when it is now someone else's turn or responsibility to take action or make a decision.

to avoid talking about something directly or to delay getting to the point (evasive communication)

Used to describe talking around a topic without addressing it directly, often to avoid discomfort.

an obvious problem that everyone notices but avoids discussing (unacknowledged tension)

Refers to an obvious problem or sensitive issue that everyone is aware of but no one wants to discuss.

to get to the important point without wasting time (skipping preliminaries)

Used to ask someone to get straight to the important point without preamble.

something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good (hindsight on misfortune)

Describes a misfortune that turns out to have unexpected benefits.

very rarely; almost never (extreme infrequency)

Used to describe something that happens very rarely.

said when someone you were just talking about appears (coincidental arrival)

Said when a person appears just as they are being talked about.

the final small problem that makes a situation intolerable (breaking point)

Refers to the final problem in a series that makes a situation unbearable.

to be very expensive (exorbitant cost)

Used to say that something is extremely expensive.

to be mistaken about the cause of something or pursuing the wrong solution (misdirected effort)

Used when someone is pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action or accusing the wrong person.

a situation offering the advantages of two different options at the same time (dual benefit)

Describes a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two different things at once.

to reveal a secret, usually by accident (accidental disclosure)

Used when someone accidentally reveals a secret.

to describe or identify something exactly right (precise accuracy)

Used when someone describes or identifies something exactly and accurately.

something very easy to do (effortless task)

Used to say that something is very easy to do.

to work or study late into the night (sustained late effort)

Used to describe working or studying late into the night.

a small visible part of a much larger hidden problem (understated scale)

Refers to a small, visible part of a much larger problem.

to give up or admit defeat (surrender after struggle)

Used when someone gives up or admits defeat, originally from boxing.

feeling slightly ill or unwell (mild sickness)

Used to say that someone feels slightly ill or unwell.

to ease tension and get a conversation started in an awkward social situation (initiating rapport)

Used to describe doing or saying something to relieve tension and start a conversation among strangers.

to tease someone by telling them something untrue as a joke (playful deception)

Used to describe teasing or joking with someone by telling them something untrue.

to reveal secret information (disclosing hidden facts)

Used to describe revealing secret information, often prompting someone to tell what they know.

in agreement; sharing the same understanding (mutual alignment)

Used to describe people who share the same understanding or agreement about something.

the most important point or fundamental factor (essential takeaway)

Refers to the most important point or the essential factor in a discussion.

to achieve two aims with a single action (efficient double benefit)

Used to describe accomplishing two goals with a single action.

other people's circumstances always seem more desirable than your own (envy of others)

Used to express that other people's situations always seem better than one's own.

don't assume success before it actually happens (premature optimism)

A warning not to rely on something good happening before it actually does.

those who act early gain an advantage (reward for promptness)

Used to say that those who act promptly or arrive early have an advantage.

to make a bad situation even worse (compounding harm)

Used to introduce something that makes a bad situation even worse.

to be quite expensive (notable cost)

Used to say that something is quite expensive.

to be very different from (often worse than) something (stark contrast)

Used to say that something is very different from, and usually inferior to, something else.

to join something only because it has become popular or successful (following a trend)

Used to describe joining an activity or trend because it has become popular or successful.

to be left in a difficult position without help or support (abandonment)

Used to describe being left in a difficult situation without help or resources.

to understand a hidden or implied meaning (inferring the unstated)

Used to describe understanding a hidden or implied meaning beyond the literal words.

to make a great effort to help or please someone (going to extremes)

Used to describe making a great effort to help or please someone.

to be resentful or quick to take offence, often over a past grievance (lingering bitterness)

Used to describe someone who is resentful or easily offended, often because they feel they've been treated unfairly.

to do something poorly to save time or money (compromising quality)

Used to describe doing something cheaply or quickly by neglecting proper procedures, often at the expense of quality.

to look exactly like someone else (strong physical resemblance)

Used to say that someone looks exactly like another person.

to become deeply and distractingly absorbed in a complex topic or search (getting lost in detail)

Used to describe getting absorbed in an increasingly complex or distracting pursuit, often online.

a difficult, unpleasant, or exasperating person (critical character judgement)

Used, often disapprovingly, to describe a difficult, unpleasant, or unusual person.

to betray or blame someone to protect yourself (self-serving betrayal)

Used to describe betraying or sacrificing someone to protect or benefit oneself.

what is normal or to be expected in a given situation (typical occurrence)

Used to say that something, usually negative, is normal or expected in a given situation.

to take on more than you can handle (overcommitment)

Used to describe taking on a task that is too big or difficult to manage.

to avoid disturbing a situation that could cause trouble (leaving well alone)

Used to advise leaving a situation alone to avoid stirring up trouble.

to want two desirable but mutually exclusive things at once (impossible double benefit)

Used to describe wanting two incompatible things at the same time.

something with both major benefits and major drawbacks (double-edged quality)

Used to describe something that has both significant advantages and disadvantages.

to confront a difficult situation boldly and directly (decisive action)

Used to describe dealing with a difficult situation in a direct and confident way.

to be forced to choose between two equally bad options (dilemma)

Used to describe being faced with two equally undesirable choices.

to choose to trust someone or assume good intent despite doubt (charitable assumption)

Used to describe choosing to believe someone's account or assume good intentions despite uncertainty.

a past problem that is now over and forgiven (bygone conflict)

Used to describe past events or conflicts that are over and no longer worth worrying about.

to make more effort than is required (exceeding expectations)

Used to describe making more effort than is expected or required.

to be born into wealth and privilege (inherited advantage)

Used to describe someone born into a wealthy and privileged family.

to argue a contrary position for the sake of discussion (testing an argument)

Used to describe arguing an opposing position for the sake of debate, not necessarily out of personal belief.

to be extremely happy or elated (euphoria)

Used to describe being extremely happy.

to waste time regretting something that cannot be undone (pointless regret)

Used to advise against being upset over something that has already happened and cannot be changed.

to make peace and end a dispute (reconciliation)

Used to describe making peace and ending a quarrel or conflict.

an excellent innovation or thing (often said half-jokingly) (great invention)

Used, often with light irony, to describe something regarded as an excellent innovation.

what you do matters more than what you say (deeds over talk)

Used to say that what people do is more telling than what they say.

to act prematurely, before the proper time (hasty action)

Used to describe acting too soon, before the right time or before all the facts are known.

to have more important matters to deal with (greater priorities)

Used to say that someone has more important things to do or concentrate on.

to decide to stop working on something (ending an activity)

Used to say that it is time to stop working on something, for now or for good.

to return to the starting point after a failure (no progress made)

Used to describe having to start again from the beginning after a failure or setback.

to avoid committing to a decision or taking sides (indecision)

Used to describe avoiding making a decision or taking sides in a dispute.

something can only be judged by actually trying it (results prove worth)

Used to say that the real value or quality of something can only be judged by trying or experiencing it.

to be abandoned in a difficult situation when you needed help (let down)

Used to describe being abandoned in a difficult situation, especially when help was expected.

to stop a problem early before it grows (preventive action)

Used to describe stopping a problem at an early stage before it can develop.

to risk everything on a single plan or option (concentrated risk)

Used to warn against risking everything on a single venture or option.

to rain very heavily (downpour)

Used to describe very heavy rain. Somewhat dated but still widely understood and used informally.

to accept the unpleasant consequences of your actions (accountability)

Used to describe accepting the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.

to be in the same difficult situation as others (shared predicament)

Used to describe being in the same difficult situation as others.

to keep a deliberate distance to avoid close involvement (cautious detachment)

Used to describe deliberately keeping a distance from someone or something to avoid involvement.

to force yourself to endure something difficult or unpleasant (steeling oneself despite reluctance)

Used when someone forces themselves to do something unpleasant or difficult that they have been avoiding.

everything; the full extent of something (complete and total)

Used to mean everything, the full extent, all of it.

a lot of unnecessary fuss about something trivial (overreaction)

Describes a great deal of fuss or anger about a trivial matter. Chiefly British.

to treat something with skepticism rather than believing it fully (cautious doubt); British English — the American equivalent is 'take with a grain of salt'

Used to advise treating information with skepticism or not believing it completely. British variant of 'grain of salt'.

to misunderstand something completely (mistaken interpretation)

Used when someone misunderstands a situation or what someone meant. Chiefly British.

to be in a risky or precarious situation (at risk of trouble)

Used to describe being in a risky or precarious situation, often where further mistakes will have consequences.

someone who is greatly loved and cherished by another (treasured person)

Used to describe a person who is cherished above all others.

very common and of little value because so plentiful (commonplace)

Used to say that something is very common and therefore of little value. Chiefly American but widely understood.

a person or thing that is dangerous or harmful but appears harmless or friendly (hidden menace)

Used to describe someone who appears harmless or friendly but is actually dangerous or deceitful.

to be extremely expensive (very high cost)

Used to say that something is extremely expensive. Chiefly British.

to avoid getting to the point (British English; American: beat around the bush)

British English variant of the idiom meaning to avoid talking about something directly.

to treat something with cautious doubt (American English; British: take with a pinch of salt)

American English variant of the idiom meaning to treat something with skepticism rather than believing it fully.

a big fuss over something trivial (American English; British: a storm in a teacup)

American English variant of the idiom for a lot of unnecessary fuss about something trivial.

very common and of little worth (British English; American: a dime a dozen)

British English variant of the idiom meaning very common and of little value because so plentiful.

to waste time on pointless regret (American English; British: cry over spilt milk)

American English spelling variant of the idiom meaning to waste time regretting something that cannot be undone.