90 Common English Idiomatic Expressions
Compiled by Ali Hosseinipour
- A piece of mind
Definition: To express one’s thoughts or opinions honestly and directly, often to relieve stress or frustration.
Example Sentence: I gave him a piece of my mind after he made that thoughtless comment. - A taste of your own medicine
Definition: To experience the same negative treatment or behavior that one has inflicted on others.
Example Sentence: After constantly interrupting others, he finally got a taste of his own medicine. - All ears
Definition: Paying full attention and eager to listen or hear what someone has to say.
Example Sentence: Tell me all about your trip; I’m all ears! - All in a day’s work
Definition: Something that is considered routine or normal within the scope of one’s job or responsibilities.
Example Sentence: Dealing with difficult customers is all in a day’s work for customer service representatives. - Back to the drawing board
Definition: To start over because a plan or attempt has failed.
Example Sentence: The project didn’t go as planned, so it’s back to the drawing board. - Beat around the bush
Definition: Avoiding the main topic or not getting to the point in a conversation.
Example Sentence: Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think. - Bend over backwards
Definition: To make a significant effort or go to great lengths to accommodate or help someone.
Example Sentence: She bent over backwards to make sure the event was a success. - Bide one’s time
Definition: To wait patiently for the right opportunity to take action.
Example Sentence: He decided to bide his time and wait for a better job offer. - Bite off more than one can chew
Definition: To take on a task or responsibility that is too big or challenging to handle.
Example Sentence: She agreed to complete the project, but I think she has bitten off more than she can chew. - Bite the bullet
Definition: To face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination.
Example Sentence: I had to bite the bullet and apologize for my mistake. - Blessing in disguise
Definition: Something that initially appears to be a problem but later turns out to be beneficial.
Example Sentence: Losing my job was a blessing in disguise because it led me to a better opportunity. - Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth
Definition: To be born into a wealthy or privileged family.
Example Sentence: He has never had to work for anything; he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. - Break a leg
Definition: A way of wishing someone good luck, especially before a performance or event.
Example Sentence: Break a leg in your audition! - Break the ice
Definition: To initiate a conversation or interaction with someone in a friendly manner.
Example Sentence: He told a joke to break the ice at the party. - By the skin of one’s teeth
Definition: Narrowly; only just succeeding or avoiding failure.
Example Sentence: He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth. - Call it a day
Definition: To stop working or doing something for the rest of the day.
Example Sentence: We’ve been working for hours; let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow. - Catch someone red-handed
Definition: To catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal.
Example Sentence: The security camera caught the thief red-handed stealing the jewelry. - Catch someone’s eye
Definition: To attract someone’s attention or be noticeable.
Example Sentence: The colorful display caught my eye as I walked past the store. - Cost a fortune
Definition: To be extremely expensive.
Example Sentence: The designer handbag she bought must have cost a fortune. - Cost a pretty penny
Definition: To be very expensive.
Example Sentence: The designer dress must have cost a pretty penny. - Cost an arm and a leg
Definition: To be very expensive.
Example Sentence: Buying a new car can cost an arm and a leg. - Cut corners
Definition: To take shortcuts or do something in a way that saves time or money but may not be as effective or safe.
Example Sentence: Don’t cut corners when building this bridge; it needs to be safe. - Cut someone some slack
Definition: To be lenient or give someone some leeway in a situation.
Example Sentence: He’s been going through a tough time; let’s cut him some slack. - Cut the mustard
Definition: To meet or exceed the necessary standards or expectations.
Example Sentence: Her performance at the competition really cut the mustard. - Cut to the chase
Definition: To get to the main point or important information without unnecessary details.
Example Sentence: Let’s cut to the chase and discuss the key issues. - Cut to the quick
Definition: To deeply hurt or offend someone’s feelings.
Example Sentence: Her harsh words cut him to the quick. - Dead as a doornail
Definition: Completely and unmistakably dead.
Example Sentence: The old car was dead as a doornail; it wouldn’t start no matter what we tried. - Down in the dumps
Definition: Feeling sad, depressed, or in low spirits.
Example Sentence: Ever since the breakup, she’s been down in the dumps. - Fish out of water
Definition: To feel uncomfortable or out of place in a particular situation or environment.
Example Sentence: Growing up in the city, he felt like a fish out of water when he visited the countryside. - Get a kick out of
Definition: To find something highly enjoyable or amusing.
Example Sentence: He gets a kick out of watching funny videos online. - Get the ball rolling
Definition: To start or initiate a process or activity.
Example Sentence: Let’s get the ball rolling on this project by scheduling a meeting. - Get the hang of
Definition: To become skilled or proficient at something through practice or experience.
Example Sentence: After a few tries, I finally got the hang of riding a bike. - Give someone a hand
Definition: To help or assist someone.
Example Sentence: Can you give me a hand with these heavy boxes? - Give someone the benefit of the doubt
Definition: To believe someone’s statement or explanation, even though it’s not certain.
Example Sentence: I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and trust that he’s telling the truth. - Go down in flames
Definition: To fail or be unsuccessful in a dramatic or spectacular manner.
Example Sentence: Despite their efforts, the project went down in flames. - Go the extra mile
Definition: To put in extra effort or do more than what is expected to achieve a goal.
Example Sentence: She always goes the extra mile to make sure her projects are successful. - Go the whole nine yards
Definition: To put in maximum effort or do everything possible.
Example Sentence: For her birthday, he went the whole nine yards and planned a surprise party. - Go with the flow
Definition: To adapt to a situation or follow the prevailing trend without resistance.
Example Sentence: I usually go with the flow and see where life takes me. - Grin from ear to ear
Definition: To smile very broadly, showing extreme happiness or excitement.
Example Sentence: When she saw the surprise, she was grinning from ear to ear. - Have a heart of gold
Definition: To be kind, compassionate, and generous by nature.
Example Sentence: She has a heart of gold; she’s always helping others in need. - Hit the ground running
Definition: To start a project or task with great energy and enthusiasm.
Example Sentence: She joined the team and hit the ground running, making an immediate impact. - Hit the hay
Definition: To go to bed or go to sleep.
Example Sentence: I’m exhausted; I think it’s time to hit the hay. - Hit the nail on the head
Definition: To accurately identify or address a problem or issue.
Example Sentence: You hit the nail on the head with your suggestion; it’s exactly what we needed. - Hold your horses
Definition: A way of telling someone to be patient or to wait for a moment.
Example Sentence: Hold your horses! We’ll be there in a minute. - In hot water
Definition: In trouble or facing a difficult or unpleasant situation.
Example Sentence: After breaking the window, he knew he was in hot water with his parents. - In the dark
Definition: Uninformed or unaware of something.
Example Sentence: I’m completely in the dark about the plans for the party. - In the loop
Definition: To be informed or included in the latest information or updates about a situation.
Example Sentence: She likes to keep everyone in the loop about project developments. - In the nick of time
Definition: Just in time; at the last possible moment before it is too late.
Example Sentence: He arrived in the nick of time to catch his flight. - Jump on the bandwagon
Definition: To join a popular trend or follow a widely accepted opinion or practice.
Example Sentence: After seeing everyone try the new diet, she decided to jump on the bandwagon. - Jump the gun
Definition: To act or make a decision too quickly, before the appropriate time.
Example Sentence: He jumped the gun and announced the news before it was officially confirmed. - Keep an eye on
Definition: To watch or monitor someone or something closely.
Example Sentence: Could you keep an eye on my bag while I go grab a coffee? - Keep something at bay
Definition: To prevent or keep something (usually negative) from causing harm or becoming a problem.
Example Sentence: Regular exercise helps to keep health issues at bay. - Kick the bucket
Definition: A humorous way of saying someone has passed away or died.
Example Sentence: He always joked that he would kick the bucket if he had to do that. - Let sleeping dogs lie
Definition: To avoid stirring up old or potentially troublesome issues or conflicts.
Example Sentence: I decided not to bring up the topic again; it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie. - Let the cat out of the bag
Definition: To accidentally or purposely reveal a secret or confidential information.
Example Sentence: She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party. - Live and let live
Definition: To accept people’s differences and choices without interfering or judging.
Example Sentence: They have different opinions, but they believe in living and letting live. - Make a long story short
Definition: To summarize or provide the main points of a story or situation in a concise manner.
Example Sentence: To make a long story short, we missed the train and had to take a taxi. - Make a mountain out of a molehill
Definition: To exaggerate or make a small problem seem much bigger than it actually is.
Example Sentence: She tends to make a mountain out of a molehill when things don’t go as planned. - Nip it in the bud
Definition: To address or solve a problem at an early stage before it becomes more serious.
Example Sentence: As soon as we noticed the issue, we decided to nip it in the bud. - On cloud nine
Definition: Feeling extremely happy or joyful.
Example Sentence: After receiving the promotion, she was on cloud nine for weeks. - On the ball
Definition: Alert, attentive, and quick to understand or respond to a situation.
Example Sentence: She is always on the ball and never misses a detail. - On the same page
Definition: In agreement or having the same understanding about something.
Example Sentence: We need to make sure we’re all on the same page before starting the project. - On thin ice
Definition: In a precarious or risky situation where one’s actions could have serious consequences.
Example Sentence: After missing several deadlines, he knew he was on thin ice at work. - Out of the blue
Definition: Unexpectedly or without any warning.
Example Sentence: She called me out of the blue after not speaking for years. - Piece of cake
Definition: Something that is very easy to do or accomplish.
Example Sentence: The math problem was a piece of cake for her. - Play it by ear
Definition: To handle a situation or make a decision based on how things develop, without a specific plan.
Example Sentence: We don’t have a set agenda; let’s play it by ear. - Play second fiddle
Definition: To have a subordinate or less important role or position.
Example Sentence: He was used to playing second fiddle in the company. - Pull one’s weight
Definition: To contribute one’s fair share of effort or work in a group or team.
Example Sentence: Everyone needs to pull their weight to ensure the project is completed on time. - Pull someone’s leg
Definition: To tease or joke with someone in a playful manner.
Example Sentence: He wasn’t really angry; he was just pulling your leg. - Rain or shine
Definition: Regardless of the weather conditions; in any circumstances.
Example Sentence: The event will take place, rain or shine. - Ride shotgun
Definition: To sit in the front passenger seat of a vehicle.
Example Sentence: She always likes to ride shotgun when we go on road trips. - Ride the wave
Definition: To enjoy a period of success or positive circumstances.
Example Sentence: He has been riding the wave of his recent achievements. - See eye to eye
Definition: To agree or have the same opinion as someone else.
Example Sentence: They finally saw eye to eye on the best approach to the project. - Speak of the devil
Definition: When a person you were just talking about suddenly appears.
Example Sentence: Speak of the devil, there’s Sarah! - Spill the beans
Definition: To accidentally or purposely reveal secret or confidential information.
Example Sentence: She spilled the beans about the surprise party. - Take it with a grain of salt
Definition: Not to take something too seriously or to be skeptical about its accuracy.
Example Sentence: He tends to exaggerate, so I take his stories with a grain of salt. - Take the bull by the horns
Definition: To face a difficult or challenging situation directly and with confidence.
Example Sentence: Instead of avoiding the issue, he decided to take the bull by the horns and address it. - Throw in the towel
Definition: To give up or surrender, often after facing difficulties or challenges.
Example Sentence: After hours of trying, he finally threw in the towel and admitted defeat. - Turn a blind eye
Definition: To ignore or pretend not to notice something, especially something wrong or inappropriate.
Example Sentence: The teacher turned a blind eye to the students passing notes in class. - Turn a deaf ear
Definition: To ignore or refuse to listen to someone or something.
Example Sentence: He turned a deaf ear to their complaints and continued with his plan. - Turn over a new leaf
Definition: To make a fresh start or begin behaving in a better or more positive way.
Example Sentence: After getting out of rehab, he was determined to turn over a new leaf. - Turn the tables
Definition: To reverse a situation, often to gain an advantage or change the course of events.
Example Sentence: With a sudden burst of energy, the underdog team turned the tables and won the game. - Turn the tide
Definition: To cause a significant change in the course or outcome of a situation.
Example Sentence: Their teamwork turned the tide of the game. - Under the weather
Definition: Feeling slightly unwell or not in good health.
Example Sentence: I’m feeling a bit under the weather today, so I’m going to stay home. - Up in the air
Definition: Uncertain or undecided; not yet settled.
Example Sentence: The date for the meeting is still up in the air. - Up to one’s neck in
Definition: Deeply involved or overwhelmed by a particular situation or task.
Example Sentence: She is up to her neck in work with the upcoming deadline. - Walk a tightrope
Definition: To navigate a situation that requires extreme caution and balance.
Example Sentence: Balancing work and personal life can feel like walking a tightrope. - Walk on air
Definition: To feel extremely happy or elated.
Example Sentence: After receiving the scholarship, she felt like she was walking on air. - Walking on eggshells
Definition: Being very cautious and careful about what you say or do, to avoid upsetting someone.
Example Sentence: After their argument, they were both walking on eggshells around each other. - Whet one’s appetite
Definition: Making one want something or stimulating one’s desire for something.
Example: After seeing the mouthwatering menu, the chef brought out a small sampler platter to whet our appetite before the main course arrived.