English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms do not always make sense literally, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.
Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your English sound more native, so it’s a good idea to master some of these expressions. The tables below are organized by how common the idioms are in American English. You can start by learning the very common English idioms, since these are the ones you’ll encounter regularly watching American movies or TV, or visiting the United States. When you’ve mastered those, move on to rest. None of the idioms on this page are unusual or old fashioned, so you can be confident using any of them with native English speakers from all English-speaking countries.
English idioms
The most common English idioms
These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in the United States. You will hear them in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.
IDIOM |
MEANING |
USAGE |
A blessing in disguise | A good thing that seemed bad first | as part of a sentence |
A dime a dozen | Something common | as part of a sentence |
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree | Kids are like their parents(usually used negatively) | as part of a sentence |
The apple of his eye | his favorite girl, the girl he desires | as part of a sentence |
Beat around the bush | Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable | as part of a sentence |
Better late than never | better to arrive late than not to come at all | by itself |
Bite the bullet | To get something over with because it is inevitable | as part of a sentence |
Break a leg | Good luck | by itself |
Call it a day |
Stop working on something | as part of a sentence |
Cut somebody some slack | Don’t be critical | as part of a sentence |
Cutting corners | Doing something poorly in order to save time or money | as part of a sentence |
Easy does it | Slow down | by itself |
Get out of hand | Get out of control | as part of a sentence |
Get something out of your system | Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on | as part of a sentence |
Get your act together | Work better or leave | by itself |
Give someone the benefit of the doubt | Trust what someone says | as part of a sentence |
Go back to the drawing board | Start over | as part of a sentence |
Hanging in there | Don’t give up | by itself |
Hit the sack English idioms |
Go to sleep English idioms |
as part of a sentence |
It’s not rocket science | It’s not compicated | by itself |
Let someone off the book | To not hold someone responsible for something | as part of a sentence |
Make a long story short | Tell something briefly | as part of a sentence |
Miss the boat | It’s too late | as part of a sentence |
no pain, no gain | You have to work for what you want | as part of a sentence |
On the ball | Doing a good job | as part of a sentence |
pull something’s leg | To joke with someone | as part of a sentence |
pull yourself together | Calm down | by itself |
So far so good | Things are going well so far | by itself |
Speak of the devil | The person we were just talking about showed up! | by itself |
That’s the last straw | My patience has run out | by itself |
The best of both worlds | An ideal situetion | as part of a sentence |
Time flies when you’re having fun | You don’t notice how long something lasts when it’ s fun | by itself |
To get bent out of shape |
To get upset English idioms |
as part of a sentence |
To make matters worse | Make a problem worse | as part of a sentence |
Under the weather | Sick | as part of a sentence |
We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it | Let’s not talk about that problem right now | by itself |
Wrap your head around something | Understand something complicated | as part of a sentence |
You can say that again | That’s true, I agree | by itself |
You guess is as good as mine | I have no idea | by itself |
English idioms
Common English idioms & expressions
These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United States. You may not hear them every day, but they will be very familiar to any native English speaker. You can be confident using any of them when the context is appropriate
IDIOM |
MEANING |
USAGE |
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush | What you have is worth more than you might have later | by itself |
A penny for your thoughts | Tell me what you’re thinking | by itself |
A penni saved is a penny earned | Money you save today you can spend later | by itself |
A perfect storm |
The worst possible situation English idioms |
as part of a sentence |
A picture is worth 1000 words | Better possibto show than tell | by itself |
Actions speak louder than words | Believe what people do and not what they say | by itsef |
Add insult toinjury | To make a bad situation worse | as part of a sentence |
Barking up the wrong tree | To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place | as party of a sentence |
Birds of a feather flock together English idioms |
people who are alike are often friends(usually used negatively) | by itself |
Bite off more than you can chew | Take on a project that you cannot finish | as part of a sentence |
Break the ice | Make people feel more comfortable | as part of a sentence |
By the skin of your teeth | just barely | as part of a sentence |
Comparing apples to oranges | Comparing two things that cannot be compared | as part of a sentence |
Do something at the drop of hat | Do something without having planned beforehand | as part of a sentence |
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch | Don’t count on something good happening until it’s be fixed | by itself |
Costs an arm and a leg | Very expensive | as part of a sentence |
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you | Treat people fairly. Also know as “The Golden Rule” | by itself |
English idiomsDon’t cry over spilt milk |
English idiomsthere’s no reason to reason to complain about something that can’t be fixed |
by itself |
Don’t pul all your eggs in one basket | What you’re doing is too risky | by itself |
Every cloud has a silver lining | Good thing come after bad things | by itself |
Get a taste of your own medicine | Get trated the way you’ve been treating others(negative) | as part of a sentence |
Don’t give up your day job English idioms |
You are not good at this | by itself |
Give someone the cold shoulder | Ignore someone | as part of a sentence |
Go on a wild goose chase | To do something pointless | as part of a sentence |
Good things come to those who | Be patient | by itself |
He has bigger fish to fry | He has Bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now | by itself |
He’s chip off the old block | The son is like the father | by itself |
Hit the nail on the head | Get something exactly right | by itself |
Ignorance is bliss | You are better off not knowing | by itself |
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings | This isn’t over yet | by itself |
It takes one to know one | You are just as bad as I am | by itself |
It’s piece of cake English idioms |
It’s easy | by itself |
It’s raining cats and dogs | It’s raining hard | by itself |
Kill two birds with one stone | Get two things done with a single action | by itself |
Let the cat out of the bag | Give away a secret | as part of a sentence |
live and learn | I made a mistake | by itself |
Look before you leap | Take only calculated risk | by itself |
On thin ice English idioms |
On probation. If you make another mistake there will be trouble | as part of a sentence |
Once in a blue moon | Rarely | as part of a sentence |
Play devil’s advocate | To arque the opposite, just for the sake of argument | as part of a sentence |
Put something on ice | Put a projet on hold | as part of a sentence |
Rain on someone’s parade | To spoil something | as part of a sentence |
Saving for a rainy day | Saving money for later | as part of a sentence |
Slow and steady wins the race | Reliability is more important than speed | by itself |
Spill the beans | Give away a secret | as part of a sentence |
Take a rain check | postpone a plane | as part of a sentence |
English idiomsTake it with a grain of salt |
Don’t take it too seriously |
as part of a sentence |
The ball is in your court | It’s your decision | by itself |
The best thing sience sliced bread | A really good invention | as part of a sentence |
The devil is in the details | ıt looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are problems | by itself |
The early bird gets the worm | The first people who arrive will get the best stuff | by itself |
The elephant in the room | The big issue, the problem people are avoiding | as part og a sentence |
The whole nine yards | Everything all the way | as part of a sentence |
The are other fish in the sea | It’s ok to miss this opportunity. others will arise. | by itself |
There’s a method to his medness | He seems crazy but actually he’s clever | by itself |
There’s no such thing as a free lunch | nothing is entierly free | by itself |
Throw caution to the wind | Take a risk | as part of a sentence |
You can’t have your cake and eat it too | You can’t have everything | by itself |
Youcan’t junde a book by its cover | This person or thing may look bad, but it’s good inside | by itself |
English idioms
Learn 20 idioms in English that will make you sound like a native English speaker. These British and American idioms (expressions) will help you build your vocabulary and speaking skills
Familiar English idioms & proverbs
These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday conversation. If you haven’t mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you’re already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English.
Idiom |
Meaning |
Usage |
A little learning is a dangerous thing | People who don’t understand something fully are dangerous | by itself |
A snowball’s effect English idioms |
Events have momentum and build upon each other | as part of a sentence |
A snowball’s chance in hell | No chance at all | as part of a sentence |
Astitch in time saves nine | Fix the problem now becouse it will get worse later | by itself |
A storm in a teacup | A big fuss about a small problem | as part of a sentence |
An apple a day keeps the doctor away | Apples are good for you | by itself |
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure | You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder | by itself |
As right as rain | Perfect | as part of a sentence |
Bold from the blue | Something that happend without warning | as part of a sentence |
Burn bridges | Destroy relationships | as part of a sentence |
English idiomsCalm before the storm |
Something bas is coming, but right now it’s calm |
as part of a sentence |
Come rain or shine | No matter what | as part of a sentence |
Curiosity killed the cat | Stop asking questions | by itself |
Cut the mustrad | Do a good job | as part of a sentence |
Don’t beat a dead horse | Move on, this subject is over | by itself |
Every dog has his day | Everyone gets a chance at leats once | by itself |
Familiarity breeds contempt | The better you know someone the less you like him | by itself |
Fit as a fiddle English idioms |
ın good health | as part of a sentence |
fortune favours the bold | Take risks | by itslef |
Get second wind | have more energy after having been tired | as part of a sentence |
Get wind of something | Hear news of something secret | as part of sentence |
Go down in flames English idioms |
fail spectacularly | as part of a sentence |
Haste makes waste | You’ll make mistakes if you rush through something | by itself |
Have your head in the clouds | Not be concentrating | as part of a sentence |
He who laughs last laughs loudest | I’ll get you back for what you did | by itself |
Hear something straight from the horse’s mouth | Hear something from the person involved | as part of a sentence |
He’s not playing with a full deck | He’s dumb | by itself |
He’s sitting on the fence | He can’t make up his mind | by itself |
He’s off his rocker | He’s crazy | by itself |
It is a poor workman who blames his tools | If you can’t do the job, don’t blame it on others | by itself |
It is always darkest before the dawn | Things are going to get better | by itself |
English idiomsIt takes two to dango |
English idiomsOne person alone isn’t responsible. Both people are involved |
by itself |
Jumb on the bandwagon | Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing | as part of a sentence |
Know wich way the wind is blowing | Understand the sitation(usually negative) | as part of a sentence |
Leave no stone unturned | Look everywhere | as part of a sentence |
Let sleeping dogs lie | Stop discussing an issue | as part of a sentence |
Like riding a bicycle | Something you never forget how to do | as part of a sentence |
Like two peas in pod | They’re always together | as part of a sentence |
English idioms
Exercise-2
Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list.
1. once in a blue moon | 6. do without |
2. come down with | 7. say that again |
3. be on the safe side | 8. every other |
4. well worth the trouble | 9. inns and outs |
5. under the weather | 10. as a rule |
English idioms
1. Although it’s warm today, I think you should take a sweater, just to …….. . |
2. A: What do you usually do on weekends, Fred? B: …….. I stay at home, but next weekend I’m going to San Francisco with a friend. |
3. I forgot my notebook for class but I think I can …….. it. |
4. A: You’re looking a bit tired today. |
B: Well, I think I’m …….. the flu. |
5. I don’t have physics every day. I have it …….. day. |
6. Reynaldo is an excellent tour guide because he knows all …….. of travelling. |
7. Since Alberto does not like the ballet we only go …….. . |
8. A: The weather is absolutely perfect today. B: You can …….. ! |
9. I’m sorry I won’t be able to go to the art exhibit with you tonight, I’m feeling …….. . 10. A: Did you have a hard time finding grandmother’s birthday present? B: Yes, but when I saw her expression when she opened it, I knew it was …….. . |
1. 3 | 2.. 10 | 3. 6 | 4. 2 | 5. 8 | 6. 9 | 7. 1 | 8. 7 | 9. 5 | 10. 4 |
English idioms
Exercise-3
Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list.
1. as a rule | 6. come up with |
2. get in touch with | 7. a fish out of water |
3. come up with | 8. at all |
4. Think nothing of it | 9. as a matter of fact |
5. get rid of | 10. few and far between |
English idioms
1. A: Thank you so much for helping me get my car started. B: …….. . It was no problem at all. |
2. A: Do you get pay raises where you work? B: Yes, but they are …….. . |
3. Michael felt like …….. because he was the only man in a room full of women. |
4. A: I’ve got a great idea for our class reunion. B: I knew you’d …….. something. |
5. A: Is this story boring you? B: Not …….. . I find it fascinating. |
6. …….. , Carlos is very punctual, but he was late tonight. |
7. A: You’re probably too tired to play another game ofracquetball, right? B: I’m not that tired, really. …….. , I’d enjoy another game. |
8. How did you …….. such a strange idea? |
9. A: That old paint that you have stored in your garage is a fire hazard. B: You’re right. I should …….. it. |
10. A: Has Fred …….. you lately? B: No, he hasn’t. I don’t think he has my new telephone number. |
1. 4 | 2.10 | 3. 7 | 4. 6 | 5. 8 | 6. 1 | 7. 9 | 8. 3 | 9. 5 | 10. 2 |
Exercise-4
Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list.
1. right away | 6. make a point of |
2. give a hand with | 7. take it easy |
3. out of the question | 8. for the time being |
4. make up one’s mind | 9. in the long run |
5. few and far between | 10. for good |
English idioms
1. There are so many interesting dishes on the menu that it’s hard for me to …….. which one I want. |
2. A: I’m nervous about my interview. B: …….. . You’ll make a better impression if you’re relaxed. |
3. A: Why do we need to get gas now? We have quite a bit left. B: This highway goes through some empty country, and gas stations are …….. . |
4. A: Are you moving to Baltimore …….. ? B: No, just …….. . I’ll be back here in a month or two. |
5. Can you …….. me …….. this luggage? It’s too heavy for me to carry myself. |
6. The company may lose some money now, but …….. , this is a good investment. |
7. Write down your ideas …….. . If you wait to write them down, you may forget them. |
8. A: You did a fine job on this research paper, especially on the bibliography. B: Thanks. I …….. getting the bibliography exactly right. |
9. A: What did Professor Spencer say when you asked him if the final exam could be postponed? B: He said that it was …….. because there’s no time to reschedule the test. |
1. 4 | 2. 7 | 3. 5 | 4. 10 | 5. 2 | 6. 9 | 7. 1 | 8. 6 | 9. 3 |
English idioms
Exercise-5
Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list. Change the
verb to the correct tense when necessary.
1. watch out | 6. pick out |
2. look after | 7. keep on |
3. put off | 8. try out |
4. count on | 9. look into |
5. run into | 10. talk over |
English idioms
1. I …….. Caroline in the coffee shop. |
2. …….. for snakes! |
3. A: Who …….. that tie for you? B: No one. I chose it myself. |
4. A: What are you going to do about your tropical fish while you’re out of town? B: I’ve asked my sister to …….. them for me. |
5. A: Should we stop and spend the night at this motel? B: No, let’s …….. driving for a few more miles. |
6. The police are …….. the crime. |
7. The couple had to …….. the wedding because the bride was sick. |
8. I wish I’d …….. this calculator before I bought it. It doesn’t seem to be working. |
9. I’m not sure if this is a suitable topic for a research paper. I need to …….. it …….. with my teacher before I start writing. |
10. Can you …….. the students? |
1. 5 | 2. 1 | 3. 6 | 4. 2 | 5. 7 | 6. 9 | 7. 3 | 8.8 | 9.10 | 10.4 |
English idioms
Exercise-6
Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list. Change the verb to the correct tense when necessary.
1. care for | 6. count on |
2. find out | 7. look after |
3. hold up | 8. call on |
4. bring up | 9. figure out |
5. drop our of | 10. check out |
English idioms
1. They …….. their children to be honest. |
2. I can …….. my car. It’s very dependable and never breaks down. |
3. A: Did you rent this videotape? B: No, I …….. it …….. the library. |
4. That saleswoman …….. her clients at least once a month because she thinks personal contact is important. |
5. Who …….. your cat while you were out of town? |
6. It took me hours to …….. how to record programs on my VCR. |
7. Ben had to …….. the university because of financial problems. |
8. A: How did you …….. where Warren lives? B: I just looked up his address in the phone book. |
9. Albert …….. his grandfather |
10.A: What …….. your flight? B: There was a big snowstorm in Denver that delayed a lot of flights. |
1. 4 | 2. 6 | 3. 10 | 4. 8 | 5. 1 | 6. 9 | 7. 5 | 8. 2 | 9. 7 | 10. 3 |
English idioms
Exercise-7
Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list. Change the verb to the correct tense when necessary.
1. watch out | 6. count on |
2. care of | 7. look after |
3. hold on | 8. run into |
4. pick out | 9. figure out |
5. turn in | 10. get through |
English idioms
1. Marcia’s sister …….. her baby while Marcia is at work. |
2. I asked my teacher to …….. the mistakes that I made in my essay so that I could correct them. |
3. I …….. my old friend Leslie downtown yesterday. I hadn’t seen her for months. |
4. If you’re on a crowded bus or subway car, you must …….. for pickpockets. |
5. I’ll never be able to …….. all these books on Professor Grey’s reading list. |
6. The wind is starting to blow. You’d better …….. to your hat. |
7. Lucy doesn’t …….. sweets. Why don’t you get her a basket of fruit? |
8. A: Do you happen to have a red notebook and an umbrella here?B: No, but why don’t you give me your phone number in case someone …….. them ? |
9. A: Are you coming to my party tomorrow? B: Yes, you can …….. me. |
10. Roberto, could you help me, please? I can’t …….. how to put my little sister’s new bicycle together. |
1. 7 | 2. 4 | 3. 8 | 4. 1 | 5. 10 | 6. 3 | 7. 2 | 8. 5 | 9. 6 | 10. 9 |
Exercise-8
Can you complete each sentence in the list with the appropriate phrase from the second?
1. The telephone operator put through | A. lack of hard works |
2. I have put by | B. by their younger brothers and sisters |
3. She was dreadfully put out | C. his shoulder, playing Rugby |
4. If it rains we shall have to put off | D. enough money for a winter holiday |
5. How can you put up with | E. your address before I forget it |
6. George has put out | F. the barbecue in the garden tonight |
7. I must put down | G. the noise and fumes of town life |
8. We would be happy to put you up | H. I shall stop smoking |
9. We put his failure down to | I. by his unkind remarks |
10. If cigarettes are put up | J. if you would like to stay the night |
11 .Older children are often put upon | K. a warm jumper and heavy coat |
12. When he began to shiver he decided to put on | L. the call from London |
1.L | 2.D | 3. | 4.F | 5.G | 6.? | 7.E | 8.J | 9.A | 10.? |
11.? | 12.? |