An integral part of everyday English are English idioms, proverbs and sayings. They are quite common in both written and spoken English. Idioms are generally not to be taken literally. To understand this layer of language, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the meaning and use of each specific idiom. At first glance, this may seem like a tedious task, but learning idioms is very interesting, especially if you compare English idioms with phraseological units in your native language.
When you learn to use common idioms and expressions, you will be able to speak English more fluently. Learn a few of these expressions, they will definitely come in handy. The tables below compile the most common idioms in American English. You can start by learning the most common English idioms, as you will come across them regularly while watching American movies or TV, or when you travel to the United States. Once you've mastered them, you can move on. None of the idioms on this list are rare or old fashioned, so you can feel confident using any of them with native English speakers from all English speaking countries.
The most common English idioms
In America, these English idioms are among the most common in everyday speech. You will hear them in movies and TV shows. Use them and your English will become even more like native speakers.
| Idiom | Meaning | Application |
|---|---|---|
| A blessing in disguise | A good thing that seemed bad at first glance | as part of an offer |
| A dime a dozen | Something simple, common | as part of an offer |
| Beat around the bush | Avoid speaking directly, usually because it is embarrassing | as part of an offer |
| Better late than never | Better late than never | as part |
| Bite the bullet | Get over something because it's inevitable | as part of an offer |
| Break a leg | Good luck! | on one's own |
| Call it a day | Stop working on something | as part of an offer |
| cut somebody some slack | Don't be too critical | as part of an offer |
| cutting corners | Doing something unimportant to save time or money | as part of an offer |
| Easy does it | Slow down, do something slower | on one's own |
| get out of hand | Get out of control, lose control | as part of an offer |
| Get something out of your system | Do what you have been thinking about to move on | as part of an offer |
| Get your act together | Do a better job or quit | on one's own |
| Give someone the benefit of the doubt | Believe what someone say | as part of an offer |
| Go back to the drawing board | start over | as part of an offer |
| hang in there | Do not give up | on one's own |
| Hit the sack | go to sleep | as part of an offer |
| It's not rocket science | This is not difficult | on one's own |
| Let someone off the hook | Stop making anyone responsible for anything | as part of an offer |
| Make a long story short | Tell briefly | as part of an offer |
| miss the boat | Too late | as part of an offer |
| No pain, no gain | You have to work to get what you want | on one's own |
| On the ball | Do your job well | as part of an offer |
| Pull someone's leg | joke with someone | as part of an offer |
| Pull yourself together | Take it easy | on one's own |
| so far so good | So far everything is going well | on one's own |
| Speak of the devil | The one we were talking about showed up. | on one's own |
| That's the last straw | My patience is over | on one's own |
| The best of both worlds | Ideal Situation | as part of an offer |
| Time flies when you're having fun | When it's fun, time flies by | on one's own |
| To get bent out of shape | get upset | as part of an offer |
| To make matters worse | make the problem worse | as part of an offer |
| under the weather | Unhealthy | as part of an offer |
| We'll cross that bridge when we come to it | Let's not talk about this problem right now. | on one's own |
| wrap your head around something | understand something difficult | as part of an offer |
| You can say that again | It's true, I agree. | on one's own |
| Your guess is as good as mine | I have no idea | on one's own |
Common English idioms and expressions
In America, this is one of the most common English idioms in everyday speech. You can hear them in movies and TV shows, and they are very useful in getting your English closer to that of native speakers. Feel free to use them in the appropriate context.
| Idiom | Meaning | Application |
|---|---|---|
| A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush | A bird in the hand is better than a bird in the sky | on one's own |
| A penny for your thoughts | Tell me what you think | on one's own |
| A penny saved is a penny earned | The money you save today can be spent later | on one's own |
| A perfect storm | Worst possible situation | as part of an offer |
| A picture is worth 1000 words | It's better to show than to tell | on one's own |
| Actions speak louder than words | Believe in people's deeds, not words | on one's own |
| Add insult to injury | make matters worse | as part of an offer |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Make mistakes, look for solutions in the wrong place | as part of an offer |
| Birds of a feather flock together | People who are similar in something are often friends / Two pair of boots (used more often in a negative context) | on one's own |
| Bite off more than you can chew | Take on a project you can't finish on your own | as part of an offer |
| Break the ice | Let people feel more comfortable | as part of an offer |
| By the skin of your teeth | With great difficulty, barely | as part of an offer |
| Comparing apples to oranges | Comparing two incomparable things | as part of an offer |
| Costs an arm and a leg | Very expensive | as part of an offer |
| Do something at the drop of a hat | Do something unplanned | as part of an offer |
| Do unto others as you would have them do unto you | Treat people fairly. Known as the "golden rule" | on one's own |
| Don't count your chickens before they hatch | Don't rely on a happy outcome until the event has happened. | on one's own |
| Don't cry over spilt milk | No reason to complain about what can't be changed | on one's own |
| Don't give up your day job | You are not very good at this. | on one's own |
| Don't put all your eggs in one basket | What you are doing is too risky | on one's own |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Good follows bad | on one's own |
| Get a taste of your own medicine | You are treated the way you treat others (with a negative connotation) | as part of an offer |
| Give someone the cold shoulder | ignore anyone | as part of an offer |
| Go on a wild goose chase | Doing something is pointless | as part of an offer |
| Good things come to those who wait | be patient | on one's own |
| He has bigger fish to fry | He's got bigger things to do than we're talking about right now. | on one's own |
| He's a chip off the old block | Son as father | on one's own |
| Hit the nail on the head | Understand something very accurately | on one's own |
| Ignorance is bliss | You better not know | on one's own |
| It ain't over till the fat lady sings | It's not over yet | on one's own |
| It takes one to know one | You're as bad as me | on one's own |
| It's a piece of cake | It's simple | on one's own |
| It's raining cats and dogs | Heavy rain | on one's own |
| Kill two birds with one stone | Do two things at once (Kill two birds with one stone) | on one's own |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Give out a secret | as part of an offer |
| Live and learn | I made a mistake | on one's own |
| Look before you leap | Think twice before taking risks | on one's own |
| On thin ice | Conditionally. If you make another mistake, there will be problems. | as part of an offer |
| Once in a blue moon | Seldom | as part of an offer |
| Play devil's advocate | Assert the opposite just for the sake of preserving the argument | as part of an offer |
| put something on ice | Put a project on hold | as part of an offer |
| Rain on someone's parade | spoil something | as part of an offer |
| Saving for a rainy day | Set aside money for the future | as part of an offer |
| Slow and steady wins the race | Reliability is more important than speed | on one's own |
| Spill the beans | Reveal the secret | as part of an offer |
| Take a rain check | Postpone the plan | as part of an offer |
| Take it with a grain of salt | Don't take it too seriously | as part of an offer |
| The ball is in your court | It's your decision | on one's own |
| The best thing since sliced bread | Really good invention | as part of an offer |
| The devil is in the details | Looks good from a distance, but if you look closely, you will see problems | on one's own |
| The early bird gets the worm | Those who come first get the best | on one's own |
| The elephant in the room | The big problem, the problem everyone avoids | as part of an offer |
| The whole nine yards | Everything from start to finish | as part of an offer |
| There are other fish in the sea | Even if the opportunity is missed, there will be others. | on one's own |
| There's a method to his madness | He looks crazy, but he's actually smart. | independent |
| There's no such thing as a free lunch | Nothing is absolutely free (Free cheese is only in a mousetrap). | on one's own |
| Throw caution to the wind | take a risk | as part of an offer |
| You can't have your cake and eat it too | You can't have everything | on one's own |
| You can "t judge a book by its cover | A person or thing may seem ugly on the outside, but they are good on the inside (Don't judge a book by its cover) | on one's own |
Famous English idioms and proverbs
These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and understood by native English speakers, but are generally not used in everyday speech. If you haven't mastered the more common idioms yet, it's best to start with them. But if you are already familiar with these expressions, the idioms below will spice up your English.
| Idiom | Meaning | Application |
|---|---|---|
| A little learning is a dangerous thing | People who don't fully understand something are dangerous. | on one's own |
| A snowball effect | Events by inertia are layered one on top of the other (Snowball) | as part of an offer |
| A snowball's chance in hell | No chances | as part of an offer |
| A stitch in time saves nine | Fix the problem now, otherwise it will get worse later | on one's own |
| A storm in a teacup | Big buzz around a small problem (Make a molehill) | as part of an offer |
| An apple a day keeps the doctor away | apples are good for health | on one's own |
| An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure | You can prevent the problem now with a little effort. Eliminating it later will be more difficult. | on one's own |
| As right as rain | Fine | as part of an offer |
| Bolt from the blue | What happens without warning | as part of an offer |
| Burn bridges | destroy relationships | as part of an offer |
| Calm before the storm | Something bad is coming, but at the moment everything is calm (Calm before the storm) | as part of an offer |
| Come rain or shine | No matter what | as part of an offer |
| Curiosity killed the cat | Stop asking questions | on one's own |
| Cut the mustard | Do a favor | as part of an offer |
| Don't beat a dead horse | That's it, this topic is closed. | on one's own |
| Every dog has his day | Everyone gets a chance at least once | on one's own |
| Familiarity breeds contempt | The more you know someone, the less you like them | on one's own |
| Fit as a fiddle | Be healthy and strong | as part of an offer |
| Fortune favors the bold | To risk | on one's own |
| Get a second wind | Got a second wind | as part of an offer |
| get wind of something | Hear about something secret | as part of an offer |
| Go down in flames | Fail miserably (of failure) | as part of an offer |
| Haste makes waste | You will make mistakes if you rush | on one's own |
| Have your head in the clouds | to be distracted | as part of an offer |
| He who laughs last laughs loudest | I will repay you with the same Montea | on one's own |
| Hear something straight from the horse's mouth | Hear something firsthand | as part of an offer |
| He "s not playing with a full deck | He is stupid | on one's own |
| He's off his rocker | He is crazy | on one's own |
| He's sitting on the fence | He can't decide | on one's own |
| It is a poor workman who blames his tools | If you can't get the job done, don't blame others | on one's own |
| It is always darkest before the dawn | Next will be better | on one's own |
| It takes two to tango | One person is not responsible, both are involved | on one's own |
| jump on the bandwagon | Follow the trend, do what everyone else does | as part of an offer |
| Know which way the wind is blowing | Understand the situation (usually with a negative connotation) | as part of an offer |
| Leave no stone unturned | look around carefully | as part of an offer |
| Let sleeping dogs lie | Stop discussing the issue | as part of an offer |
| Like riding a bicycle | Something you will never forget how to do | as part of an offer |
| Like two peas in a pod | They are always together, inseparable | as part of an offer |
| Make hay while the sun shines | Take advantage of a good situation | as part of an offer |
| On cloud nine | Very happy | as part of an offer |
| Once bitten, twice shy | You are more careful after being hurt | on one's own |
| Out of the frying pan and into the fire | Things go from bad to worse | on one's own |
| Run like the wind | run fast | as part of an offer |
| shape up or ship out | Do a better job or quit this job | on one's own |
| snowed under | Busy | as part of an offer |
| That ship has sailed | Too late | on one's own |
| The pot calling the kettle black | Criticizing someone, we show you in the same light | as part of an offer |
| There are clouds on the horizon | Trouble is coming | on one's own |
| Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones | People with a bad reputation should not criticize others | on one's own |
| Through thick and thin | IN Good times and in bad | as part of an offer |
| time is money | work fast | on one's own |
| Waste not, want not | Do not scatter things, and you will always have enough of everything | on one's own |
| We see eye to eye | We agree | on one's own |
| Weather the storm | Go through something hard | as part of an offer |
| well begun is half done | A good start is half the battle (very important) | on one's own |
| When it rains it pours | Everything goes wrong from the start | on one's own |
| You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar | You will get everything you want if you are pleasant in communication | on one's own |
| You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink | You can't force someone to make the right decision | on one's own |
| You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs | You have to pay for everything | on one's own |
Often in English speech you can hear phrases or expressions that confuse any foreigner for whom English is not a native language. These are idioms, or phraseological units, which for English-speaking people are an integral part of daily communication. And if you decide to improve your knowledge of English, pay attention to 20 idioms that are found in quite often. Some of them will make you smile.
20 common idioms
A Chip on Your Shoulder
No, this does not mean that a piece of something fell on your shoulder. “To have a chip on one’s shoulder” means resentment for a past failure, as if passing through a destroyed building, a piece of it remained with a person for many years.
Bit Off More Than You Can Chew
This idiom means something akin to when you bite into a huge piece of a sandwich and as a result you cannot move your jaws to chew it. That is, take on more than what you can handle successfully. For example, your agreement to create 10 sites in a week, when you can normally only do 5.
You Can't Take It With You
The point of this idiom is that you can't take anything with you when you die, so don't constantly deny yourself everything, or save things for a special occasion. You Can't Take It With You encourages you to live in the now, because in the end your things will outlive you.
Everything But the Kitchen Sink
This expression means that almost everything was packed/taken/stolen. For example, if someone says “The thieves stole everything but the kitchen sink!” this means that the thieves stole everything they could carry with them. In fact, it is very difficult to lift and carry the sink with you.
Over My Dead Body
Most of us will understand this phrase. An idiom that has the same meaning as the Russian expression "Only over my corpse."
Tie the Knot
The meaning is to get married. The phrase is left over from the tradition of tying the hands of newlyweds with a ribbon so that their lives would be held together for years to come.
Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover
Literally, this phrase can be translated as "do not judge a book by its cover." It is used when they want to explain that things are not always what they seem at first glance, and even if the first impression was not positive, sometimes you should give it another chance.
When Pigs Fly
Akin to our phrase "when the cancer whistles on the mountain", only with a different hero. The idiom means "never".
A Leopard Can't Change His Spots
The meaning of the phrase: "you are what you are." A man cannot change who he really is in the depths of his soul, just as a leopard cannot change the pattern on his skin.
Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
That is, express your emotions freely, as if your heart were outside the body.
Bite Your Tongue!
Another great phrase is “bite your tongue” (mild expression). Used when a person is recommended. Goes along with the next idiom.
Put a sock in it
And this expression is sharper - it means "shut up." The idea is clear - if you put a sock in your mouth, a person will not be able to speak. Probably used when the previous idiom didn't work.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
The point is that if several dogs are sleeping peacefully after a fight, it is better to leave them alone. The idea is that you should not stir up old disputes / hot topics, as they can turn the quarrel back on.
Foam at the Mouth
Describes a condition where a person hisses and growls foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. Our counterpart is "to be furious."
A Slap on the Wrist
Means a very lenient punishment. A slap on the wrist won't cause much pain, but will be a good deterrent to misbehaving again.
You Are What You Eat
An idiom, the literal translation of which is firmly entrenched in our language. "You are what you eat".
It's a Piece of Cake!
Means it's incredibly easy. What could be easier than eating a piece of cake?
It Takes Two to Tango
The point is that one person cannot dance the tango. So, if something happened in a case in which 2 people took part, and two are responsible for the result.
Head Over Heels
Idiom means "to be incredibly joyful and in a good mood, especially in love (similar meaning -" up to the ears "). How to go down a hill on wheels, fly upside down.
An Arm and a Leg
A great phrase meaning too high a price for something. When the price is so high that you have to sell a part of your body to afford it.
Do you love idioms?
Personally, I love idioms, because with the help of them you can “dig into” the language and get acquainted with the peculiarities of the people who came up with these strange expressions. I often draw in my head a picture of what this or that idiom means, and next to it is a picture of a literal translation. In addition to often uplifting results, this method also helps to visually memorize new expressions and then use them in speech.
Is there anything to add? Write your favorite (or not so) idioms in the comments.
How often did you come across expressions in English that simply did not make sense when translated into Russian? For example, when you hear the phrase "horse around", the first thing you think of is a horse. In fact, it was about fooling around.
And there are many such examples. Such expressions are called idioms, and the English use them quite often. By memorizing the most common of them, you can make your speech brighter and livelier.
So, let's look at some idioms that are most often found in English speech. Let's break them down by topic.
Weather
"When two English people meet, they first talk about the weather." This saying of Samuel Johnson, expressed several centuries ago, is relevant to this day. It is not surprising that a large part of the idioms is related to the topic of weather.
- rain cats and dogs- pour like a bucket
- face like thunder- darker than clouds
- storm in a teacup- a storm in a teacup, much ado about nothing
- chase rainbows- chase the unattainable
- lightning fast- lightning fast
- have one's head in the clouds- soar in the clouds
- be snowed under- be overworked
- be under the weather- to be unwell
- twist in the wind- languish
- under a cloud- under suspicion
- as right as rain- All right
- for a rainy day- for a rainy day
- bolt from the blue- like snow on the head
- throw caution to the winds- stop worrying
- weather the storm- survive hard times
- sail close to the wind- walk along the edge of the abyss
- on cloud nine- on the seventh heaven
- shoot the breeze- talk about nonsense
- in a fog- confused
- go down a storm- succeed
Money
An equally popular topic of interest is, of course, money. We offer you to get acquainted with the most common "money" idioms.
- a piece of the pie- share
- grave train- Easy Money
- bring home the bacon- to provide for the family, to succeed
- make ends meet- make ends meet
- hit the jackpot- break the jackpot
- be in the red- to be in debt
- make a bundle- make a lot of money
- bet your bottom dollar- guarantee something
- look like a million dollars- look your best
- cost a pretty penny- cost a lot of money
- go Dutch- pay your share
- nest eggs- stash
- golden handshake- big severance pay
- cheapskate- miser
- be flush with money- bathe in luxury
- at all costs- at any price
- live beyond one's means- living beyond one's means
- break the bank- spend a lot
- cost a fortune- cost a fortune
- on the breadline- below the poverty line
Time
"Time is money". This famous saying can often be heard among the English. It confirms their extremely careful attitude to time. No wonder many idioms are dedicated to him.
- once in a blue moon- very rarely
- behind the times- obsolete
- time flies- time flies
- the big time- big success
- around the clock- around the clock
- dwell on the past- live in the past
- have the time of one's life- have a great time
- crack of dawn- with sunrise
- run out of time- dry up
- in the blink of an eye- in an instant
- like clockwork- without interruption
- for donkey's years- from time immemorial
- pressed for time- be in a hurry
- give someone a hard time- scold
- be ahead of time- get ahead
- to have a whale of a time- have a great time
- go with the times- to keep up with the times
- on the spur of the moment- with a swoop
- broad daylight- in broad daylight
- catch unawares- be taken by surprise
Animals
There is hardly a people more loving pets than the British. Therefore, animals take pride of place not only in the homes of the British, but also in speech.
- monkey business- meaningless work
- smell a rat- smell bad
- top dog- winner
- cash cow- a source Money, Milch cow
- eager beaver- hard worker, business sausage
- black sheep- White crow
- elephant in the room- I didn’t notice the elephant, it’s obvious
- when pigs fly- when the cancer hangs down
- like a cat on a hot tin roof- be out of your element
- in the dog house- out of favor
- be as busy as a bee- work like a bee
- let a cat out of the bag- let the cat out of the bag
- horse around- to be fooling around
- as poor as a church mouse- poor as a church mouse, penniless
- lion's share of something- the lion's share
- eat like a horse- have a voracious appetite
- have a tiger by the tail- defy fate
- hear it straight from the horse's mouth- from the source
- butterflies in the stomach- neither alive nor dead
- like water off a duck's back- like water off a duck's back
| Original | Translation |
| - Mark, who do you think we should give some bonus for the previous month? - I don't know. Who are the main candidates? - So, there are Lucy, Michael and Judy. - I think that Lucy works a lot, but she is a black sheep of the team. Yes, I agree with you. What do you think about Michael? - It seems to me that he is an eager beaver. - But he is in the dog house, isn't he? - Yes, our boss doesn't like him. And what about Judy? - I like her. She is always as busy as a bee. - You "re right. She deserves our company" s bonus. |
- Mark, who do you think we should give the bonus for the last month? - I do not know. Who are the main contenders? - So, this is Lucy, Michael and Judy. - I think Lucy works a lot, but she White crow in a team. - Yes, I agree with you. What do you think of Michael? - I think he hard worker. - But he out of favor, is not it? - Yes, our boss doesn't like him. And what about Judy? - I like her. She always working like a bee. - You're right. She deserves company bonuses. |
Food
Despite the fact that English cuisine does not shine with variety, the number of idioms dedicated to food is considerable. We present you the most common "delicious" idioms.
- egghead- smart ass
- big cheese- influential person
- potato couch- loafer
- tough cookie- hooligan
- top banana- leader
- bad apple- scoundrel
- eat one's words- take back your words
- the apple of one's eye- apple of an eye
- hard nut to crack- hard task, tough nut to crack
- in a nutshell- briefly
- have egg on one's face- look stupid
- as cool as a cucumber- cold-blooded
- be full of beans- be energetic
- as slow as molasses- very slow
- chew the fat- sharpen fringes
- sell like hot cakes- be selling like hot cakes
- take something with a pinch of salt- do not trust
- bite off more than one can chew- overestimate your abilities
- cry over spilt milk- grieve about the irreparable
- hot potato- actual topic
| Original | Translation |
| - Tom, who do you think may be in charge of this project? - I "m not sure, but I think that Jack will cope with it easily. - If I were you, I wouldn't be so sure. Sometimes he is a coach potato. - Yes, but last time he tried to solve a very big problem of the company. - I agree. However, I think that he bit off more than he could chew. - But he has great advantages. He is a very sociable and reliable person. - Ok, I will think about his nomination. |
- Tom, who do you think will be able to lead this project? - I'm not sure, but I think Jack can handle him easily. I wouldn't be so sure if I were you. He sometimes messing around. - Yes, but the last time he tried to solve a very big problem in the company. - Agree. However, I think that he overestimated his abilities. But it also has great advantages. He is a very sociable and reliable person. - Okay, I'll think about his appointment. |
We hope that these idioms will help you diversify your speech. And the teachers of our school will be happy to sort out with you all the subtleties of their use.
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