A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: What you have is worth more than what you might have later.
A blessing in disguise: A good thing that seemed bad at first.
A dime a dozen: Something common.
A little learning is a dangerous thing: People who don't understand something fully are dangerous.
A penny for your thoughts: Tell me what you're thinking.
A penny saved is a penny earned: Money you save today you can spend later.
A perfect storm: The worst possible situation.
A picture is worth 1000 words: Better to show than tell.
A piece of cake: Something is very easy. Example-The English test was a piece of cake.
A snowball effect: Events have momentum and build upon each other.
A snowball's chance in hell: No chance at all.
A stitch in time saves nine: Fix the problem now because it will get worse later.
A storm in a teacup: A big fuss about a small problem.
Achilles Heel: A weakness or vulnerable point. When the hero Achilles was an infant, his sea-nymph mother dipped him into the river Styx to make him immortal. But since she held him by one heel, this spot did not touch the water and so remained mortal and vulnerable, and it was here that Achilles was eventually mortally wounded.
Actions speak louder than words: Believe what people do and not what they say.
Add insult to injury: To make a bad situation worse.
All Roads Lead to Rome: We use the expression to mean that there's more than one way to achieve an outcome.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away: Apples are good for you.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder.
As right as rain: Perfect.
Barking up the wrong tree: To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place.
Beat around the bush: Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable.
Bee in my bonnet: If you have a bee in your bonnet about something, you are obsessed with it and can't stop thinking about it. This phrase is often used when you are worried or angry about something. The word 'bonnet' refers to a kind of hat.
Better late than never: Better to arrive late than not to come at all.
Birds of a feather flock together: People who are alike are often friends (usually used negatively).
Bite off more than you can chew: Take on a project that you cannot finish.
Bite the bullet: To get something over with because it is inevitable.
Bolt from the blue: Something that happened without warning.
Break a leg: Means good luck (often said to actors before they go on stage). Example-Break a leg Sam, I’m sure your performance will be great.
Break the ice: Make people feel more comfortable.
Burn bridges: Destroy relationships.
Butter Someone Up: Mean excessively flattering someone, usually so that they'll do something for you.
By the skin of your teeth: Just barely.
Call it a day: Stop working on something.
Calm before the storm: Something bad is coming, but right now it's calm.
Carry a torch: If you say that someone is carrying a torch for someone else, you mean that they secretly admire them or love them. They secretly admire them or love them.
Come rain or shine: No matter what.
Comparing apples to oranges: Comparing two things that cannot be compared.
Costs an arm and a leg: Very expensive.
Crying wolf: It is also used when a person asks for help when he doesn't need it. For example: The governor says if our taxes are not doubled, he will have to close all of our schools. But he's just crying wolf.
Curiosity killed the cat: Stop asking questions.
Cut somebody some slack: Don't be so critical.
Cut the mustard: Do a good job.
Cutting corners: Doing something poorly in order to save time or money.
Do something at the drop of a hat: Do something without having planned beforehand.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you: Treat people fairly. Also known as The Golden Rule.
Don't beat a dead horse: Move on, this subject is over.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't count on something good happening until it's happened.
Don't cry over spilt milk: There's no reason to complain about something that can't be fixed.
Don't give up your day job: You're not very good at this.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket: What you're doing is too risky.
Easy does it: Slow down.
Every cloud has a silver lining: Good things come after bad things.
Every dog has his day: Everyone gets a chance at least once.
Familiarity breeds contempt: The better you know someone the less you like him.
Fit as a fiddle: In good health.
Fortune favors the bold: Take risks.
Get a second wind: Have more energy after having been tired.
Get a taste of your own medicine: Get treated the way you've been treating others (negative).
Get out of hand: Get out of control.
Get something out of your system: Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on.
Get wind of something: Hear news of something secret.
Get your act together: Work better or leave.
Give someone the benefit of the doubt: Trust what someone says.
Give someone the cold shoulder: Ignore someone.
Go back to the drawing board: Start over.
Go down in flames: Fail spectacularly.
Go on a wild goose chase: To do something pointless.
Good things come to those who wait: Be patient.
Hang in there: Don't give up.
Haste makes waste: You'll make mistakes if you rush through something.
Have your head in the clouds: Don't concentrate.
He has bigger fish to fry: He has bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now.
He who laughs last laughs loudest: I'll get you back for what you did.
He's a chip off the old block: The son is like the father.
He's not playing with a full deck: He's dumb.
He's off his rocker: He's crazy.
He's sitting on the fence: He can't make up his mind.
Hear something straight from the horse's mouth: Hear something from the person involved.
Hit the nail on the head: Get something exactly right.
Hit the sack: Go to sleep.
Ignorance is bliss: You're better off not knowing.
It ain't over till the fat lady sings: This isn't over yet.
It is a poor workman who blames his tools: If you can't do the job, don't blame it on others.
It takes one to know one: You're just as bad as I am.
It takes two to tango: One person alone isn't responsible. Both people are involved.
It's a piece of cake: It's easy.
It's not rocket science: It's not complicated.
It's raining cats and dogs: It's raining hard.
Jump on the bandwagon: Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing.
Kill two birds with one stone: Get two things done with a single action.
Know which way the wind is blowing: Understand the situation (usually negative).
Leave no stone unturned: Look everywhere.
Let sleeping dogs lie: Stop discussing an issue.
Let someone off the hook: To not hold someone responsible for something.
Let the cat out of the bag: To accidentally reveal a secret. Example-I let the cat out of the bag about their wedding plans.
Like riding a bicycle: Something you never forget how to do.
Like two peas in a pod: They're always together.
Live and learn: I made a mistake.
Look before you leap: Take only calculated risks.
Make a long story short: Tell something briefly.
Make hay while the sun shines: Take advantage of a good situation.
Miss the boat: It's too late.
No pain, no gain: You have to work for what you want.
On cloud nine: Very happy.
On the ball: Doing a good job.
On thin ice: On probation. If you make another mistake, there will be trouble.
Once bitten, twice shy: You're more cautious when you've been hurt before.
Once in a blue moon: Rarely. An event that happens infrequently. Example-I only go to the cinema once in a blue moon.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Things are going from bad to worse.
Pandora's Box: When someone talks about opening Pandora's box, it is not a good thing. Pandora's box is a source of trouble. For example, if you start dating your boss, your friends might say you're opening a Pandora's box.
Play devil's advocate: To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument.
Pull someone's leg: To joke with someone.
Pull yourself together: Calm down.
Put something on ice: Put a project on hold.
Rain on someone's parade: To spoil something.
Run like the wind: Run fast.
Saving for a rainy day: Saving money for later.
See eye to eye: This means agreeing with someone. Example-They finally saw eye to eye on the business deal.
Seize the Day: Make the most of today, because there's no guarantee you'll be around tomorrow. And even if you are, who knows what tomorrow will hold?
Shape up or ship out: Work better or leave.
Shotgun Marriage: An enforced or hurried wedding, especially because the bride is pregnant. A shotgun wedding is a wedding that is arranged to avoid embarrassment due to premarital sex possibly leading to an unintended pregnancy, rather than out of the desire of the participants.
Slow and steady wins the race: Reliability is more important than speed.
Snowed under: Busy.
So far so good: Things are going well so far.
Speak of the devil: The person we were just talking about showed up. Means that the person you’re just talking about actually turns up at that moment. Example-Hi Tom, speak of the devil, I was just telling Sara about your new car.
Spill the beans: Give away a secret.
Take a rain check: Postpone a plan.
Take it with a grain of salt: Don’t take it too seriously.
That ship has sailed: It's too late.
That's the last straw: My patience has run out.
The Writing is on the Wall: Means doom or misfortune is about to occur. For example, if two people are discussing the layoffs occurring in their company and one says to the other, The writing is on the wall for all of us, she means their jobs are likely to be eliminated, too.
The ball is in your court: It's your decision.
The best of both worlds: An ideal situation. Means you can enjoy two different opportunities at the same time. Example-By working part-time and looking after her kids two days a week she managed to get the best of both worlds.
The best thing since sliced bread: A really good invention.
The devil is in the details: It looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are problems.
The early bird gets the worm: The first people who arrive will get the best stuff.
The elephant in the room: The big issue, the problem people are avoiding.
The pot calling the kettle black: Someone criticizing someone else he is just as bad.
The whole nine yards: Everything, all the way.
There are clouds on the horizon: Trouble is coming.
There are other fish in the sea: It's ok to miss this opportunity. Others will arise.
There's a method to his madness: He seems crazy but actually he's clever.
There's no such thing as a free lunch: Nothing is entirely free.
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones: People who are morally questionable shouldn't criticize others
Through thick and thin: In good times and in bad times.
Throw caution to the wind: Take a risk.
Time flies when you're having fun: You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun.
Time is money: Work quickly.
To add insult to injury: To make a situation worse. Example-To add insult to injury the car drove off without stopping after knocking me off my bike.
To cost arm and leg: Something is very expensive. Example-Fuel these days costs and arm and a leg.
To cut corners: To do something badly or cheaply. Example-They really cut corners when they built this bathroom; the shower is leaking.
To feel under the weather: To not feel well. Example-I’m really feeling under the weather today; I have a terrible cold.
To get bent out of shape: To get upset.
To hit the nail on the head: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem. Example-He hit the nail on the head when he said this company needs more HR support.
To kill two birds with one stone: To solve two problems at once. Example-By taking my dad on holiday, I killed two birds with one stone. I got to go away but also spend time with him.
To make matters worse: Make a problem worse.
Under the weather: Sick.
Waste not, want not: Don't waste things and you'll always have enough.
We see eye to eye: We agree.
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it: Let's not talk about that problem right now.
Weather the storm: Go through something difficult.
Well begun is half done: Getting a good start is important.
When it rains it pours: Everything is going wrong at once.
When pigs fly: Something that will never happen. Example-When pigs fly she’ll tidy up her room.
Wrap your head around something: Understand something complicated.
You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar: You'll get what you want by being nice.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink: You can't force someone to make the right decision.
You can say that again: That's true, I agree.
You can't have your cake and eat it too: You can't have everything.
You can't judge a book by its cover: This person or thing may look bad, but it's good inside.
You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs: There's always a cost to doing something.
You can’t judge a book by its cover: Do not judge someone or something based solely on appearance. Example-I thought this no-brand bread would be horrible; turns out you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Your guess is as good as mine: I have no idea.
A bad apple: If you have a basket of apples and one of them is rotten, the rot can spread quickly to the rest. Idiomatically, a bad apple is a person who creates problems or is a bad influence on the other people in a group.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: What you have is worth more than what you might have later.
A blessing in disguise: a good thing that seemed bad at first.
A couch potato: A couch potato refers to someone who spends a lot of time sitting on the couch, watching TV.
A dime a dozen: Something common.
A drop in the bucket: If something is a drop in the bucket, it is a very small amount compared to what is needed or expected.
A hard nut to crack: Is it easy to crack open a nut? Well, a hard nut to crack refers to a person who’s difficult to get to know or get information out of. (Also appears as a tough nut to crack.):
A little learning is a dangerous thing: People who don't understand something fully are dangerous.
A penny for your thoughts: Tell me what you're thinking.
A penny saved is a penny earned: Money you save today you can spend later.
A perfect storm: the worst possible situation.
A picture is worth 1000 words: Better to show than tell.
A piece of cake: A piece of cake refers to a task or job that’s easy to do, like eating a delicious piece of cake! If you don’t prefer cake, you can also say it's as easy as pie.
A rising tide lifts all boats: Boats of all sizes float at the same level: if the water rises, all the boats rise with it. Usually this idiom refers to how a stable economy often benefits everyone.
A smart cookie: Here’s an easy one. A smart cookie is an intelligent person.
A snowball effect: Events have momentum and build upon each other.
A snowball's chance in hell: No chance at all.
A stitch in time saves nine: Fix the problem now because it will get worse later.
A storm in a teacup: A big fuss about a small problem.
A storm is brewing: This idiom is used in anticipation of trouble. Usually it means there’s been some kind of sign that this trouble is coming.
Actions speak louder than words: Believe what people do and not what they say.
Add insult to injury: To make a bad situation worse.
All ears: If someone is all ears, it means they are eagerly listening and paying full attention.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away: Apples are good for you.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder.
As cold as stone: Stones can be very cold. If you say that someone is just as cold, you’re saying that they are unemotional or not empathetic. Cold as ice has the same meaning.
As genuine as a three-dollar bill: This is an American idiom that is used to say something is fake. The U.S. never made three-dollar bills, so there’s no such thing as a genuine three-dollar bill.
As right as rain: Perfect.
Barking up the wrong tree: This means that efforts have been put into something that won’t produce the desired outcome. Picture a dog barking to scare a squirrel out of a tree…but the squirrel is hiding in a different tree.
Barking up the wrong tree: To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place.
Bear fruit: If a plan or effort bears fruit, it means it becomes successful and produces positive results.
Beat around the bush: Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable.
Beat around the bush: This means you spend a long time getting to the main point of what you’re actually trying to say.
Better late than never: Better to arrive late than not to come at all.
Between a rock and a hard place: This means that you are faced with a choice between two equally unsatisfactory options.
Birds of a feather flock together: People who are alike are often friends (usually used negatively).
Bite off more than you can chew: Take on a project that you cannot finish.
Bite the bullet: To bite the bullet is to endure a painful or difficult situation with courage and resilience, often involving facing uncomfortable emotions or challenges.
Bite the bullet: To get something over with because it is inevitable.
Blow off steam: If you’re experiencing some strong feelings and need to calm down, you can blow off steam by doing something to get rid of the stress.
Bolt from the blue: Something that happened without warning.
Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth: This refers to someone who comes from a wealthy and successful family.
Branch out: To branch out means to diversify or expand into new areas, much like the branches of a tree.
Bread and butter: Bread and butter are some of the most basic food items that one can live on. The idiom bread and butter refers to a job that makes the money you need to live and afford basic necessities like food, housing, etc.
Break a leg: Good luck.
Break even: This is the term you use when you’ve spent a certain amount of money, then earned roughly the same amount to balance it out.
Break the bank: If something breaks the bank, it means it is extremely expensive or costs more than one can afford.
Break the bank: This refers to something that is overly expensive—something that requires more money than you have.
Break the ice: Make people feel more comfortable.
Break the ice: To break the ice means to initiate a conversation or ease tension in a social situation.
Bring home the bacon: Bringing home the bacon means earning a living or providing financial support for one’s family.
Bring home the bacon: To bring home the bacon means to make an income or earn a living to support your family.
Burn bridges: Destroy relationships.
Burn the midnight oil: Burning the midnight oil means working late into the night, often due to strong determination or intense emotions related to a project or goal.
Bury your head in the sand: This one means that you’re trying to avoid a particular situation by pretending that it doesn’t exist. It refers to a popular myth that ostriches would stick their heads in the sand to hide when frightened.
Butter someone up: To butter someone up is to flatter someone in order to win their favor.:
Buy a lemon: To buy a lemon means to buy something (usually a motor vehicle) that doesn’t work well and is therefore worthless.
By the skin of your teeth: Just barely.
Call it a day: Stop working on something.
Calm before the storm: Something bad is coming, but right now it's calm.
Calm before the storm: The air may be still before a storm actually hits. To say there is a calm before the storm is basically saying that things may be peaceful now, but it won’t last.
Can’t see the forest for the trees: This means someone is unable to see the whole situation clearly because they’re looking too closely at small details.
Cash cow: A cash cow is a business or investment that generates a steady and significant income.
Castle in the sky: This one sounds a bit like something from a fairytale, which makes sense since it is a daydream or hope that’s not likely to come true. Building castles in the sky refers to fantasizing about an unrealistic future.
Chasing rainbows: Have you ever tried to chase a rainbow? If you have, you know catching it is an impossible task.:
Clear as mud: Mud is not a transparent substance, so this means that something is actually not clear at all.:
Come rain or shine: No matter the weather conditions, if something happens come rain or shine, it means it will occur without fail.
Come rain or shine: No matter what.
Compare apples and oranges: Apples are very different from oranges in both appearance and taste. This idiom is used to suggest that such different things are best considered for their own merits.
Comparing apples to oranges: Comparing two things that cannot be compared.
Cool as a cucumber: Cucumbers have a refreshing taste and leave you with a cool, calm feeling. If you’re cool as a cucumber, you’re someone who’s very calm and relaxed.
Cost an arm and a leg: If something costs an arm and a leg, it means it is very expensive, potentially causing financial strain and emotional stress.
Costs an arm and a leg: Very expensive.
Cry over spilled milk: Crying over spilled milk means to dwell on past mistakes or misfortunes, often implying that it’s unproductive to worry about things that cannot be changed.
Curiosity killed the cat: Stop asking questions.
Cut somebody some slack: Don't be so critical.
Cut the mustard: Do a good job.
Cut to the chase: When somebody tells you to cut to the chase, it means that you’ve been talking too long and you need to get to the point. Be careful how you use this idiom; it could be rude or disrespectful if used with someone like a boss or teacher.
Cutting corners: Cutting corners refers to trying to save money by finding cheaper or quicker ways of doing something, often with the risk of sacrificing quality.
Cutting corners: Doing something poorly in order to save time or money.
Do something at the drop of a hat: Do something without having planned beforehand.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you: Treat people fairly. Also known as The Golden Rule.
Don't beat a dead horse: Move on, this subject is over.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't count on something good happening until it's happened.
Don't cry over spilt milk: There's no reason to complain about something that can't be fixed.
Don't give up your day job: You're not very good at this.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket: What you're doing is too risky.
Down to earth: To be down to earth is to be modest, practical, unassuming and unpretentious.
Easy does it: Slow down.
Eat like a bird: How much does a bird eat? Not very much, right? To eat like a bird is to eat very little.
Eat like a horse: Now, a horse is much bigger than a bird. You’d be right to guess that to eat like a horse is to eat a lot.
Every cloud has a silver lining: A silver lining is the little bit of good that can be found in every situation, like sunlight peeking from behind a cloud.
Every cloud has a silver lining: Good things come after bad things.
Every dog has his day: Everyone gets a chance at least once.
Eyeball it: Sometimes you don’t need an exact measurement: a rough estimate is good enough. When you estimate an amount of something based on how it looks, you can say you’re eyeballing it.
Face the music: If someone tells you to face the music, they want you to deal with the reality of a situation and accept all the consequences.
Familiarity breeds contempt: The better you know someone the less you like him.
Feel under the weather: Feeling under the weather means to be unwell or not in good health, expressing a physical condition that can influence one’s emotional state.
Find your feet: If you find yourself in a new situation, like living in a new country and having to get used to a new college, you could say you need to find your feet.
Fit as a fiddle: In good health.
Food for thought: Food for thought refers to something that’s worth thinking carefully about.
Foot the bill: To foot the bill is to pay for something, usually a substantial expense.
Fortune favors the bold: Take risks.
Full of beans: If someone is full of beans, they are energetic, lively and enthusiastic.
Gain ground: If you’re gaining ground, you’re making good progress. This can mean physically crossing ground quickly, as in a race, or it can be figurative.
Get a second wind: Have more energy after having been tired.
Get a taste of your own medicine: Get treated the way you've been treating others (negative).
Get into deep water: This idiom is pretty close to the literal meaning: being in deep water means you’re in a tricky situation that is hard to escape.
Get out of hand: Get out of control.
Get over something: Imagine something happens that upsets you, but as time goes on, you stop feeling as strongly about it. This means that you’ve gotten over it: you no longer worry about it and it no longer affects you in a negative way.
Get something out of your system: Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on.
Get wind of something: Hear news of something secret.
Get your act together: Work better or leave.
Give someone the benefit of the doubt: Trust what someone says.
Give someone the cold shoulder: Ignore someone.
Go back to the drawing board: Start over.
Go cold turkey: To go cold turkey means to suddenly stop a (usually dangerous) behavior, such as drinking alcohol. A person who suddenly quits something addictive can suffer from pale skin and goosebumps, making them look like a cold, uncooked turkey.
Go down in flames: Fail spectacularly.
Go on a wild goose chase: To do something pointless.
Go with the flow: To go with the flow is to allow things to happen and accept them as they are, like a leaf floating along on the surface of a river.
Good things come to those who wait: Be patient.
Hang in there: Don't give up.
Haste makes waste: You'll make mistakes if you rush through something.
Have a sweet tooth: Do you like eating cakes, candy and other sweet-tasting food? If you do, then you can say you have a sweet tooth.
He has bigger fish to fry: He has bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now.
He who laughs last laughs loudest: I'll get you back for what you did.
Head in the clouds: Having your head in the clouds means being dreamy or not paying attention to reality.
Hear something straight from the horse's mouth: Hear something from the person involved.
Heart of gold: Having a heart of gold means being kind, generous and compassionate.
He's a chip off the old block: The son is like the father.
He's not playing with a full deck: He's dumb.
He's off his rocker: He's crazy.
He's sitting on the fence: He can't make up his mind.
Hit the books: Literally, hit the books means to physically hit your reading books, but this phrase is actually used to say that you’re going to study.
Hit the hay: If someone says they’re going to hit the hay, it means they are going to bed. It reflects a need for rest, possibly due to emotional exhaustion or weariness.
Hit the nail on the head: Get something exactly right.
Hit the sack: Go to sleep.
Hit the sack: The literal meaning of this would be physically hitting or beating a sack (a large bag), but idiomatically, it means you’re going to bed. You can also say hit the hay.
Ignorance is bliss: You're better off not knowing.
In a nutshell: To explain something in a nutshell means to describe it briefly and concisely.
In hot water: When someone is in hot water, they’re in a bad situation or serious trouble.
In the black: The opposite of being in the red is being in the black, which means that you’ve made more money than you spent.
In the eye of the storm: Being in the eye of the storm means being in the center of a difficult or chaotic situation.
In the red: In a traditional ledger book, debits (losses) are noted in red ink. To be in the red is to lose more money than you make.
In the same boat: Being in the same boat means sharing a similar situation or predicament with others, usually involving common emotions or challenges.
It ain't over till the fat lady sings: This isn't over yet.
It is a poor workman who blames his tools: If you can't do the job, don't blame it on others.
It is always darkest before dawn: Things are going to get better.
It takes one to know one: You're just as bad as I am.
It takes two to tango: One person alone isn't responsible. Both people are involved.
It's a piece of cake: It's easy.
It's not rocket science: It's not complicated.
It's raining cats and dogs: It's raining hard.
Jump on the bandwagon: Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing.
Jump on the bandwagon: When someone jumps on the bandwagon, they adopt a popular trend or activity, often influenced by the emotions or opinions of others.
Keep an eye on: To keep an eye on someone or something means to monitor or watch attentively.
Keep your chin up: If you’re having a hard time, a supportive friend might tell you to keep your chin up. This means they are encouraging you to stay positive and not let difficult circumstances get you down.
Kick the bucket: To kick the bucket is a euphemism for dying or passing away.
Kill two birds with one stone: Get two things done with a single action.
Know which way the wind is blowing: Understand the situation (usually negative).
Knuckle down: To knuckle down is to work hard or seriously at a task. If you tend to procrastinate, then you know when it’s time to do this.
Leave no stone unturned: Look everywhere.
Let sleeping dogs lie: Stop discussing an issue.
Let someone off the hook: To not hold someone responsible for something.
Let the cat out of the bag: Give away a secret.
Let the dust settle: This means you are allowing a situation to become calm after something exciting or unusual has happened.
Like riding a bicycle: Something you never forget how to do.
Like two peas in a pod: They're always together.
Live and learn: I made a mistake.
Living hand to mouth: This means you’re barely earning enough to survive: any money that comes into your hand is immediately spent on food to put in your mouth.
Look before you leap: Take only calculated risks.
Look like a million bucks: Bucks here is a slang term for dollars. If someone tells you that you look like a million bucks, it means you look absolutely fabulous!:
Lose your touch: No, this doesn’t mean you’ve lost your physical sense of touch. To lose your touch actually means to lose a skill you once had.
Lost at sea: Just as you’d be overwhelmed if you were stranded in the ocean, to be lost at sea is to feel unsure about what to do or that you don’t have any purpose or plan.
Make a long story short: Tell something briefly.
Make a mountain out of a molehill: A molehill is very small, so if you act like it’s the size of a mountain, you are exaggerating the severity of the situation.
Make ends meet: This refers to making enough money to cover the necessities, like buying food and paying the bills.
Make hay while the sun shines: Take advantage of a good situation.
Make waves: Much like dropping a stone into a pond to make ripples, to make waves is to cause trouble or change things in a dramatic way.
Many moons ago: This is one of those English expressions that’s a little bit formal or dated. You’ll most likely hear it in stories, or when someone is trying to create a dramatic effect. It means that something happened a long time ago.
Midas touch: This idiom comes from the story of King Midas, who turned everything he touched into gold. It’s used to say that someone is very successful in their business ventures and has an easy time making money.
Miss the boat: It's too late.
My essay is due tomorrow morning! I have to knuckle down and get it done tonight.
Nip something in the bud: This is to stop a bad situation from becoming worse by taking action at an early stage of its development.
No pain, no gain: You have to work for what you want.
Not one’s cup of tea: If something is not your cup of tea, it’s an activity you have no interest in, don’t do very well or don’t enjoy.
Off the chain: If you watch America’s Got Talent, you may have heard host Mel B exclaim that an act was off the chain! That means it was especially exciting or impressive—usually in a good way, though the expression can also mean out of control.:
On cloud nine: Being on cloud nine indicates a state of extreme happiness or euphoria, often resulting from positive emotions or experiences.
On cloud nine: Very happy.
On the ball: Doing a good job.
On the ball: If you’re on the ball, it means that you’re very quick to understand things or react quickly (and correctly) to a situation.
On thin ice: On probation. If you make another mistake, there will be trouble.
Once bitten, twice shy: You're more cautious when you've been hurt before.
Once in a blue moon: A blue moon comes every two to three years, so saying that something happens once in a blue moon is saying that it happens very rarely.
Once in a blue moon: Rarely.
Our plans for this weekend are up in the air until Jen tells us when she gets off of work.
Out of pocket: If someone is out of pocket, it means they have spent their own money, usually for work-related expenses.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Things are going from bad to worse.
Out of the frying pan into the fire: Moving from one difficult or challenging situation to an even worse one is described as going out of the frying pan into the fire.
Out of the woods: This means the worst part of a difficult situation is over, and the end goal is in sight.
Over the hill: If you’re getting older (especially over ) and can’t be as physically or socially active as you used to be, you might say you’re over the hill. Be careful with this idiom, though, since it’s rude to say it about someone else.
Packed like sardines: Packed like sardines describes a place or situation that’s very crowded, such as a concert hall or sports event.
Pay an arm and a leg for something: Use this one when you have to pay a lot of money for something. You can also say that something costs an arm and a leg.:
Pinch pennies: Pinching pennies involves being frugal or saving money by cutting unnecessary expenses.
Pitch in: This phrase may once have had a literal meaning to do with farm work (think pitchfork), but it isn’t used that way now. Figuratively speaking, it means to contribute (give) or to join in.
Play devil's advocate: To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument.
Play it by ear: If someone says they’re playing it by ear, it means they’re responding to circumstances as they develop without having a plan, like a musician jamming without a musical score.
Pour oil on troubled waters: If you pour oil into the sea, it has a calming effect on the waves. You shouldn’t do that in reality, but you can use this idiom to say that you’re trying to soothe the tension following an argument.
Pull someone's leg: To joke with someone.
Pull yourself together: Calm down.
Put one’s foot in one’s mouth: Putting one’s foot in one’s mouth means saying something unintentionally embarrassing or tactless.
Put something on ice: Put a project on hold.
Rain on someone's parade: To spoil something.
Rain or shine: If you are dedicated to getting something done no matter what, you are willing to do it rain or shine. This is one of the rare idioms that’s also often used literally, for outdoor events that will take place whether it rains or not.
Raining cats and dogs: When it’s raining cats and dogs, it’s raining very heavily.
Receive a kickback: If you receive a kickback, it means you are receiving money illegally, like a bribe.
Ring a bell: When someone says something that you may have heard before, but don’t remember entirely, you can use this phrase to let them know it’s familiar but you may need a reminder.
Rolling in dough: Rolling in dough means having a lot of money or being wealthy.
Rule of thumb: If you hear someone say as a rule of thumb, they mean that it’s a general, unwritten rule learned from experience, as opposed to exact guidelines.
Run like the wind: Run fast.
Sail close to the wind: This means to act just within the limits of what’s legally or socially acceptable. You may try to push boundaries and could sometimes cross the line.
Salt of the earth: If you are the salt of the earth, you are a good and honest person.
Saving for a rainy day: Saving money for later.
Sell like hotcakes: If a product or item is selling like hotcakes, it means it is selling very quickly and in large quantities.
Shape up or ship out: Work better or leave.
Shell out money: This means you hand out money to pay for something. It uses shell in the sense of shelling peas from a pod.
Sit tight: This does not mean you sit down and hold your body as tightly as you can. If a person tells you to sit tight, what they really want you to do is wait patiently.
Slow and steady wins the race: Reliability is more important than speed.
Snowed under: Being snowed under means being overwhelmed or inundated with a large amount of work or responsibilities.
Snowed under: Busy.
So far so good: Things are going well so far.
Speak of the devil: The person we were just talking about showed up!.
Spice things up: To spice things up means to make them more interesting or exciting.
Spill the beans: Give away a secret.
Spill the beans: To spill the beans is to accidentally or prematurely give out information that’s supposed to be kept secret.
Stab someone in the back: While it still hurts, the idiomatic meaning of this phrase is not nearly as painful as literally being stabbed. What this actually means is to hurt someone who trusted you by betraying them.:
Take a rain check: Postpone a plan.
Take it with a grain of salt: Don’t take it too seriously.
That ship has sailed: It's too late.
That's the last straw: My patience has run out.
The ball is in your court: It's your decision.
The best of both worlds: An ideal situation.
The best thing since sliced bread: A really good invention.
The devil is in the details: It looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are problems.
The early bird gets the worm: The first people who arrive will get the best stuff.
The elephant in the room: The big issue, the problem people are avoiding.
The grass is always greener on the other side: This idiom implies that other people’s situations or circumstances often seem better than one’s own.
The icing on the cake: The icing on the cake refers to something additional that makes a good situation even better.
The pot calling the kettle black: Someone criticizing someone else he is just as bad.
The tip of the iceberg: The majority of an iceberg is below the surface of the water. If someone says something is the tip of the iceberg, it means that there’s a lot more going on than what’s immediately obvious.
The whole nine yards: Everything, all the way.
There are clouds on the horizon: Trouble is coming.
There are other fish in the sea: It's ok to miss this opportunity. Others will arise.
There's a method to his madness: He seems crazy but actually he's clever.
There's no such thing as a free lunch: Nothing is entirely free.
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones: People who are morally questionable shouldn't criticize others.
Through thick and thin: In good times and in bad times.
Through thick and thin: When you’re loyal to someone, you support them no matter what happens, good or bad. This is an idiom you can use to say so.
Throw caution to the wind: If someone throws caution to the wind, they take risks without worrying about the consequences.
Throw caution to the wind: Take a risk.
Throw in the towel: If someone throws in the towel, they give up or surrender, often due to emotional exhaustion or the feeling that the effort is no longer worth it.
Throw money down the drain: To throw money down the drain is to waste money on something that is not worthwhile or doesn’t bring any value.
Time flies when you're having fun: You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun.
Time is money: Work quickly.
To ante up: Ante up comes from the game of poker, where players bet their money before the cards are dealt. Over time, the idiom has come to refer to any type of payment someone owes—not just in poker.
To be close-fisted: To be close-fisted (or closefisted) is to be reluctant to spend any money, almost like you’re physically gripping it in your fist. Other words for this could be stingy or cheap.
To be loaded: If someone is loaded, it means they have a lot of money.
To get bent out of shape: To get upset.
To give someone a run for their money: If you are competing with someone and you feel like you really had to work hard to outdo them, you can say they gave you a run for your money:: To pony up: This means you need to pay for something or settle a debt.
To go Dutch: This is used when everyone pays for their own meal at a restaurant. (Note that this may be perceived as offensive to or by Dutch people.):
To go from rags to riches: Rags here refers to old, tattered clothes. This means you’ve gone from being poor to having a lot of money.
To have sticky fingers: If you have sticky fingers, you probably steal a lot. This whimsical idiom suggests that other people’s valuables stick to you when you touch them.
To hold out an olive branch: If you’re holding out an olive branch, you’re extending a hand of friendship and offering peace to a rival.
To make matters worse: Make a problem worse.
To up the ante: A similar idiom to ante up is up the ante, which means raise the stakes. When people up the ante, they bet more money than the person before them. This is used similarly in everyday conversation, when someone raises a bet or agrees to do more.
Turn over a new leaf: If someone turns over a new leaf, it means they make a positive change in their behavior or lifestyle.
Twist someone’s arm: To twist someone’s arm would be rather painful if you took it literally, but it really means they’ve been convinced to do something they wouldn’t have done otherwise.
Under one’s thumb: If someone is under another person’s thumb, it means they are under that person’s control or influence.
Under the sun: This idiom refers to everything on Earth and is usually used as part of a superlative.
Under the weather: If you’re feeling under the weather, you’re not your usual self and could be feeling a little sick.:
Under the weather: Sick.
Up in the air: If someone tells you that things are up in the air, it means that a situation is uncertain or unsure. It’s as though a ball has been tossed upward, and no one knows exactly where it will land.
Walking on air: Use this if you feel very excited or happy. Over the moon, on cloud nine, in seventh heaven and in good spirits are a few more expressions you can use to talk about happiness.
Waste not, want not: Don't waste things and you'll always have enough.
We see eye to eye: We agree.
Weather a storm: It’s not exactly enjoyable to sit through a storm, so it makes sense that this idiom refers to enduring something that is difficult.
Weather the storm: Go through something difficult.
Well begun is half done: Getting a good start is important.
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it: Let's not talk about that problem right now.
When it rains it pours: Everything is going wrong at once.
When it rains, it pours: Bad luck tends to come in batches. This idiom illustrates the phenomenon with the idea that any rain will become a downpour.
Wrap your head around something: Understand something complicated.
You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar: You'll get what you want by being nice.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink: You can't force someone to make the right decision.
You can say that again: That's true, I agree.
You can't have your cake and eat it too: You can't have everything.
You can't judge a book by its cover: This person or thing may look bad, but it's good inside.
You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs: There's always a cost to doing something.
Your guess is as good as mine: I have no idea.
The ball is in your court: It’s up to you.
Spill the beans: To give away a secret.
Break a leg: To wish someone luck.
Pull someone’s leg: To play a practical joke.
Sat on the fence: To be undecided.
Through thick and thin: To be loyal no matter what.
It’s the best thing since sliced bread: It’s really, really good.
Take it with a pinch of salt: Don’t take it too seriously.
Come rain or shine: No matter what.
Go down in flames: To fail spectacularly.
You can say that again: That’s true.
See eye to eye: To agree completely.
Jump on the bandwagon: Following a trend.
As right as rain: Perfect.
Beat around the bush: What does it mean? Avoid saying something.
Hit the sack: How do you use it. This idiom is super easy to learn to use. ‘I’m exhausted, it’s time for me to hit the sack!’
Miss the boat: How do you use it. Use this when you let an opportunity or deadline pass by. ‘I forgot to apply for that study abroad program, now I’ve missed the boat.
By the skin of your teeth: Just barely.