Common Idioms with Examples- Idioms and Their Meaning

Have to come across commonly used idioms in English while watching American TV
series or movies? English expressions, proverbs and idioms play an important role in
everyday English both written and spoken. As idioms do not always make literal sense,
students should be familiar with their meanings and how to use them. This may appear
to be a lot of work, but idioms are fun! It is often called a manner of speaking that
sounds more native, so it’s really useful to master some of these expressions.

So, here’s a list of the top 100 common idioms with their meanings and sentence
examples:

Idiom Idioms Meaning

Beat around the bush To avoid talking about what’s important
Get your act together Get organized and do things effectively
Hit the sack Go to sleep
Your guess is as good as mine I do not know
Good things come to those who To have patience
wait
Back against the wall Stuck in a difficult circumstance with no escape
Up in arms Being grumpy or angry about something
Scrape the barrel Making the most of the worst situations or things because you can’t do any
about it
Burn your boats/bridges Doing something that makes it impossible to go back to the original state.
Break fresh/ new ground Doing something that has never been done before
Sell like hot cakes Quick sellout
Run around in circles Putting efforts into something that is not a worthwhile result
On cloud nine Being very happy
Left out in the cold Being ignored
Blow hot and cold Alternate inconsistently between moods and actions
Cut corners Doing something in an easier and least expensive manner
Boil the ocean Taking up an almost impossible or overly ambitious project
Keep an ear to the ground Staying informed and updated about everything
Eat like a horse Eating too excessively
A snowball effect The aspect of momentum in every event and how they build upon each othe
Important Tip to Learn Idioms with Examples and their meanings:
It is comparatively easier to remember words unlike idioms because idioms (phrases)
contain 3 or more words. And, remembering a chain of words and then speaking them
in the correct sequence is not easy. But, one thing you can do is to repeat the idiom and
its meaning a few times loudly and then use it in 2 to 3 different sentences.
Also Read: grass is greener on the other side

21. In for a penny, in for a pound

Meaning: That someone is intentionally investing his time or money for a particular

project or task.
Example: When Athlead was booming, Jim was in for a penny and in for a pound, that’s
how much dedicated he was. 

Also Read: go on a wild goose chase meaning

22. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush

Meaning: An opportunity in hand, currently, is better than a prospect in the future,

because time never repeats itself.
Example: The detective apprehended 3 criminals and saw another one running but
didn’t chase him, because she knew a bird in one hand is better than two in the bush.

Also Read: so far so good meaning

23. Chip off the old block

Meaning: A person is similar in behaviour or actions to his parents.

Example: When grandmother saw her grandson collecting coins like her son used to do,
she knew he was a Chip off the old block.

24. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Meaning: Treat people the same way you want to be treated.

Example: I felt Peter was a little cold today towards that homeless man, he should do
unto others as he would have them do unto him, because who knows about time.

25. Don’t cry over spilt milk

Meaning: Don’t cry over what has happened as it can not be fixed.

Example: Walter failed his examination but his dad came and said just one thing,
“Son, Don’t cry over spilt milk.”

26. Every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning: Bad things one day eventually lead to good things.
Example: See, yesterday you were so morose as your phone was stolen but look at you
today, you got a promotion. Is it rightly said that every cloud has a silver lining.

27. Beside yourself with joy

Meaning: To be extremely happy.

Example: I can see that you are beside yourself with joy on being selected for the job,
congratulations. 

28. Fair and square

Meaning: Being direct or fair.

Example: To tell you fair and square, I did everything that I was meant to do, but I still
feel unfulfilled. 

29. Having an Ace up the sleeve

Meaning: Have an advantage that is currently being withheld for future purposes. 

Example: Brian kept quiet at the board meeting, who knew he had an Ace hidden up his
sleeve the whole time.

30. A black sheep

Meaning: Being a disgrace for the family.

Example: They don’t talk about Olive anymore, turns out he was the Black sheep for the
family, he married someone else while he was still arranged to his fiancé. 

31. Hook, line and sinker

Meaning: Doing something or trying to achieve something with thoroughness and

passion.
Example: I have set my mind to go through the spreadsheets by Monday and I am
working for it Hook, line and sinker.

32. Looking to your laurels

Meaning: Not be lost in your achievements and losing the sight of what is supposed to
happen.
Example: Look to your laurels but do not rest on it. 

33. Bear a grudge

Meaning: To continue to feel angry or unfriendly for someone or something because of

a particular past incident.
Example: I Bear a grudge against him for not taking me into confidence.

34. By the skin of your teeth

Meaning: To just barely get by or make it.

Example: Lester made the dance team By the skin of his teeth, you see the audition
gates were about to get closed.

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35. Down for the count

Meaning: Tired; giving up.

Example: My pet dog is down for the count after playing the whole day with the frisbee.

Also Read: Speak of the Devil Meaning

36. Draw the line

Meaning: To stop before a point where something okay gets not okay.
Example: Hey buddy, that’s enough, Draw the line before someone comes and beats
you to a pulp.

37. Easier said than done

Meaning: Not as easy as it appears to be.

Example: Listen, losing weight is easier said than done, many people lack commitment. 

38. Break a leg
Meaning: Saying good luck to someone.
Example: Hey Barry, it’s time for you to get on the stage and present your
monologue, break a leg.

39. Up a creek without a paddle

Meaning: In an unlucky situation.

Example: Dan tried to dine and dash yesterday at a Chinese place but he was stopped
by the waiters, guess he was up a creek without a paddle yesterday.

40. Give it a whirl

Meaning: To give something a try.

Example: I am absolutely terrified of skydiving, but I think once in my life, I will give it a
whirl.

41. Fish out of water

Meaning: To be out of your comfort zone.

Example: Tom felt like a fish out of water when his girlfriend took him to a Star Wars
convention in LA.

42. In the fast lane

Meaning: A life filled with excitement.

Example: When Chris turned forty, he decided to live his life in the fast lane and quit his
job for his hobbies.

43. Go the extra mile

Meaning: To make an extra effort.

Example: He was willing to go the extra mile for the love of his life, Mia.

44. Snug as a bug in a rug

Meaning: Warm and cosy.

Meaning: The baby looks as snug as a bug in a rug next to her mother.

45. Step up your game

Meaning: To start performing better

Example: Jennifer better step up her game if she wants to make big in Basketball.
Idioms are used as a figurative language, i.e. the use of words in an imaginative and
unusual manner. Take a look at more idioms with examples.

46. To not see the wood for the trees

Meaning: To be so involved in trivial matters that you don’t get the important facts.
Example: He always argues on the silliest topics, it’s like he can’t see wood for the
trees.

47. Lose your marbles

Meaning: To go insane.
Example: Our mailman has lost his marbles, every day he drops Mr. Smith’s mail on our
door. 

48. Straight from the Horse’s mouth

Meaning: Directly from the person involved.

Example: Listen to the news straight from the horse’s mouth, his factory burned down
right in front of his eyes. 

49. Crying Wolf

Meaning: To ask for help when you don’t need it.

Example: You have cried Wolf so many times that no one believes you now.

50. Palm off

Meaning: Pass off something as genuine when it is spurious.

Example: This shopkeeper always palms off old stock to the customers.

51. Has bigger fish to fry

Meaning: Has more important work to do.

Example: Please don’t bother me today with any calls, I have bigger fish to fry.

52. Look before you leap

Meaning: Calculate the risks before advancing towards a possibility.
Example: You can’t just sell all of your shares when the market is low, look before you
leap, Trump is coming tomorrow, it is possible the shares will grow.

53. On thin ice

Meaning: In a precarious or risky situation.

Example: Andy played hooky from work for a week saying he was sick, now his boss
said that he is on very thin ice.

54. Play devil’s advocate

Meaning: To argue, just for the sake of it.

Example: He was not agreeing to back off, as if he was playing devil’s advocate.

55. Rain on someone’s parade

Meaning: To spoil a moment.

Example: He told his wife that he doesn’t want to rain on her parade, but they had to
shift their vacation dates.

56. Take a rain check

Meaning: Postpone a plan.
Example: He asked me whether I would like to have dinner with his family, but I had a
thing so I said, rain check.

57. Take it with a grain of salt

Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously.

Example: She tells great tales but we take whatever she says with a grain of salt. 

58. Like a cakewalk

Meaning: So easy task.

Example: Everyone took hours to write the code but Adam did it like a cakewalk.

59. Throw caution to the wind

Meaning: Take a risk.
Example: The caretaker threw caution to the wind by taking a sick baby outside. 
Also Read: Every dog has its day

60. Penny-wise and Pound foolish

Meaning: Careful in trivial matters but wasteful or extravagant in large matters.

Example: That man eats Ramen noodles daily for dinner but for his dog, he threw a big
party. He is indeed penny-wise and pound-foolish.

61. The whole nine yards

Meaning: Everything, all the way.

Example: I want to know everything there is to know about this merger, the whole nine
yards of the deal.

62. The best thing since sliced bread

Meaning: A really good invention.

Example: Bluetooth is officially the best thing since sliced bread. 

63. Bite off more than you can chew

Meaning: Take on a difficult work that is beyond your capabilities. 

Example: Andrew told his boss that he will triple the sales but in reality, he bit off more
than he can chewand now all of us are in trouble.

64. Play by the ear

Meaning: To improvise.
Example: I just went to Canada and did everything by the ear, no itinerary, no schedules.

65. Ignorance is bliss

Meaning: You are better off not knowing some things.

Example: His wife always asked him what it was he did late at night, turned out, he was
insider trading. But she knew nothing about this so she won’t be convicted,
sometimes ignorance is bliss. 

66. Put something on ice

Meaning: To put something on hold.
Example: As per the boss’ order, Michael has put his personal matters on ice.

67. You can say that again

Meaning: That’s absolutely true.

Example: “The Earth is bleeding”, you can say that again, pal.

68. Bite the bullet

Meaning: To get something over with because it is inevitable.

Example: Vik was diagnosed with second stage cancer but he didn’t want to get
chemotherapy. By the will of his wife, he bit the bullet.

69. Go back to the drawing board

Meaning: Start over.
Example: It is not too late to go back to the drawing board and assess your mistakes.

70. Call it a day

Meaning: Stop working on something.

Example: Ah! So what we didn’t complete the puzzle today, let’s call it a day and come
back again tomorrow. 

71. Beating Around the Bush

Meaning: To talk about unnecessary things. 

Example: When I asked my secretary about the missing file and documents, she
was beating around the bush. 

72. Be in a Tight Corner. 

Meaning: Being in a difficult situation. 

Example:  Radha’s low grades despite her constant efforts has put her in a very tight
corner. 

73. At the 11th Hour

Meaning: At the last moment. 

Example: While leaving for Shimla, Harshit kept his mobile phone charger in the bag at
the 11th hour. 
74. Swan Song

Meaning: The last piece of work of an artist before his/her death. 

Example: This painting was M.F Hussain’s swan song.

75. Wild Goose Chase

Meaning: Futile Chase 
Example: Catching the two thieves together on a jam-packed road was no less than
a wild goose chase for the policeman. 

76. Bury the Hatchet

Meaning: Ending a quarrel to make peace.

Example: My father buried the hatchet by equally diving the pasta between me and my
sister. 

77. To Bell the Cat

Meaning: To face a risk.

Example: He belled the cat when he was trying to escape the prison.

78. Turn a deaf ear

Meaning: To ignore what someone is saying. 

Example: Whenever her mother complained of her excessive use of mobile phone,
Anu turned a deaf ear. 

79. At Sea

Meaning: Confused  
Example: I was at sea while choosing a lehenga for my sister’s wedding at Manish
Malhotra’s store. 

80. To be in the doldrums

Meaning: To be in a low spirit

Example: When I got to know about the increasing cases of COVID 19 in my area, I
was in the doldrums. 

81. Hit the books

Meaning: Going to study
Example: I won’t be able to come for dinner as I have to hit the books for my half-yearly
examinations. 

82. Twist someone’s arm

Meaning: To convince someone

Example: I was not planning to come to the party but by remaining me of all the good
food you twisted my arm!

83. Stab someone in the back

Meaning: To betray a close person

Example: My uncle trusted his driver so much but he stabbed him at the back when he
saw all the money bags.

Also Read: No Pain No Gain Meaning

84. Go cold turkey

Meaning: To quit or stop addictive or dangerous behaviour

Example: No one could believe that my father left eating sweets! He went cold
turkey when the doctors told him that he has diabetes. 

Also Read: a pain in the neck idiom meaning

85. Ring a bell

Meaning: Sounds familiar
Example: Why does this name ring a bell in my head? Was this girl in my school? 

Also Read: fit as a fiddle meaning

86. Cut to the chase

Meaning: Getting to the important point

Example: As the submissions were to be made tonight, boss cut to the chase and asked
us to start working. 

Also Read: No man is an island

87. Blow off steam

Meaning: Experiencing strong feelings like anger or stress
Example: Shina went running to blow off steam as she had a huge fight with mother. 

Also Read: come rain or shine idiom meaning

88. Face the music

Meaning: Face the reality

Example: Shikha asked her husband to not run away from the problem and just face the
music once!

89. To have sticky fingers

Also Read: When Pigs Fly Idiom Meaning

Meaning: Thief
Example: The cashier had a sticky finger, he stole around $2000 and ran away from the
bank. 

Also Read: Break the ice meaning

90. Break the bank

Meaning: To be very expensive

Example: I had to break the bank to but these shoes!

Also Read: it takes two to tango meaning

91. Face the music

Meaning: Confront the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.

Example: We have done it and now it’s time to face the music!

Also Read: Elephant in the Room Meaning

92. It is always darkest before the dawn

Meaning: Things will get better

Example: I know you have gone through the worst, but remember it is always darkest
before the dawn.

Also Read: On top of the world meaning

93. Jump the gun

Meaning: To act on something promptly before the right time

Example: I think I jumped the gun by sending the e-mail before they tell the time.

Also Read: The Last Straw Meaning

94. Wear your heart on your sleeve

Meaning: Expressing yourself too openly

Example: She wears her heart on her sleeve and often gets hurt.

Also Read: let sleeping dogs lie idiom meaning

95. Cut no ice

Meaning: Fail to make an impact

Example: Your poetry cuts no ice with me.

Also Read: blue in the face meaning

96. Light at the end of tunnel

Meaning: Seeing signs of improvement in the future

Example: I see the light at the end of the tunnel for my relationship with her.

Also Read: Add Insult to Injury Meaning

97. Through thick and thin

Meaning: Through good and bad times

Example: Books and music stay by your side through thick and thin.

Also Read: a dime a dozen idiom meaning

98. Cry for the moon

Meaning: To ask for something that is rather difficult

Example: You are crying for the moon for this concert’s tickets!

99. Read between the lines

Meaning: Understanding the real message behind something
Example: If you try to read between the lines, her song is actually about nizagara

Also Read: A Piece of Cake Meaning

100. Pour out one’s heart

Meaning: To express openly

Example: I can’t pour my heart out to you if you are too distracted by everything around
you.

101. A left-handed compliment

Meaning: Saying something insulting in the form of appreciative words.
Example: Her words on my blog seem like a left-handed compliment.
102. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Not very often
Example: I visit her place once in a blue moon.
103. Call a spade a spade
Meaning: Talking frankly
Example: I will not lie about it and call a spade a spade.
104. Flesh and blood
Meaning: Referring to someone in family or human nature
Example: It’s flesh and blood to feel such strong emotions at this time.
105. Jam on the brakes
Meaning: Press brakes of a vehicle suddenly
Example: I had to jam on the brakes when I saw the deer.
106. Notch up
Meaning: To win or create a record
Example: One Direction notched up the finale with their amazing voice!
107. A slap on the wrist
Meaning: Just a small punishment
 Example: You will get a slap on the wrist for painting this wall but don’t dare to do
it again.
108. Knee Jerk Reaction
Meaning: A quick response
Example: The statement was just a knee jerk reaction.
109. Once bitten, twice shy
Meaning: Afraid of doing something again
Example: Once bitten twice shy, he can’t ski.
110. Forty winks
Meaning: A short nap
Example: I will be just in for forty winks, I promise.
111. Up for grabs
Meaning: Available for everyone
Example: This pizza slice is up for grabs!
112. Old as the hills
Meaning: Someone very old
Example: The man looks as old as the hills.
113. Back to square one
Meaning: Start all over again
Example: Your mistake brought us back to square one.
114. Round the bend
Meaning: Crazy
Example: My neighbour is round the bend, don’t try to mess with her.
115. Against the clock
Meaning: Rushed
Example: I have to hurry for the meeting, I am against the clock.
116. Black and blue
Meaning: Something bruised
Example: What happened? Your eyes look black and blue.
117. Have the blues
Meaning: Sad
Example: After meeting her, I am feeling the blues.
118. Be glad to see the back of
Meaning: Happy when someone leaves
Example: Tomorrow, I will be glad to see the back of her.
119. Black out
Meaning: Faint
Example: I blacked out after two drinks.
120. Get in Shape
Meaning: To become strong or fit
Example: I need to make a proper schedule to get in shape before the graduation
ceremony.