IDIOMS CATEGORY “B” (80 IDIOMS)

1. A bad hair day = A day on which everything seems to go wrong.

2. a penny for your thoughts = A way of asking what someone is thinking
3. a red herring = unimportant matter introduced into a discussion to divert attention from the
main subject. Ex. Make sure he answers all your questions. Don't let him confuse you with
any red herring.
4. a red-letter day = an important or memorable day because something good happened on it.
5. acquired taste = Something that you dislike when you first taste it, but begin to like after
trying it several times, is an acquired taste. Ex. Tony has always loved olives, but for me it was
an acquired taste.
6. ants in my pants = People who have ants in their pants are very restless or excited about
something.
Ex. I wish he'd relax. He's got ants in his pants about something today.
7. apple of your eye = A person, usually a child, who is the apple of your eye is one for whom
you have great affection. Ex. My grandson is the apple of my eye.
8. apple-pie order = If something is in apple-pie order, it is well organized or in perfect order.
Ex. They made sure the house was in apple-pie order before their parents arrived back
home.
9. as fit as a fiddle = A person who is as fit as a fiddle is in an excellent state of health or
physical condition. Ex. My grandfather is nearly ninety but he's as fit as a fiddle.
10. bat out of hell = If something moves like a bat out of hell, it moves very quickly.
Ex. He grabbed the envelope and ran like a bat out of hell.
11. bats in the belfry =If you say that somebody has bats in the belfry, you mean that they are
eccentric or crazy. Ex. He comes up with the craziest ideas - he's got bats in the belfry!
12. be in the red = have no money in one's bank account.
13. be like a red rag to a bull = be likely to make somebody
angry. Ex. Mentioning his ex-wife's name was like a red rag to
a bull.
14. be up to my eyes = be extremely busy.
Ex. I'm sorry I didn't call you yesterday, but I was up to my eyes in work.
15. bear with a sore head = If someone is behaving like a bear with a sore head, they are
very irritable and bad-tempered.
Ex. When his team lost the match, Brad was like a bear with a sore head.
16. bee in her bonnet = Someone who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea which
constantly occupies their thoughts.
Ex. She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York.
17. bee's knees = To say that someone/something is the bee's knees means that you think they
are exceptionally good.
Ex. If you say "Chloe thinks she's the bee's knees" you mean that Chloe has a high opinion
of herself.
18. bitten by the bug = If you develop a sudden interest or enthusiasm for
something. Ex. My dad decided to take up golf and was immediately bitten by the
bug.
19. blow the whistle = If you report an illegal or socially-harmful activity to the authorities,
and give information about those responsible for it, you blow the whistle, or you are a
whistle- blower.
20. break the back of the beast = If someone breaks the back of the beast, they succeed
in overcoming a major difficulty.
Ex. After hours of effort, the technicians finally broke the back of the beast and turned the
electricity back on again.
21. brown as a berry = To say that someone is as brown as a berry means that they are
very tanned.
Ex. Judy came back from her holiday as brown as a berry.
22. butter somebody up = When you butter someone up, you flatter them or you are very nice to
them, especially if you want to obtain something.
Ex. He was so keen to get the job that he spent his time buttering up the boss.
23. call the tune = The person who calls the tune makes all the important decisions and is in
control of the situation. Ex. He shows a lot of authority but in fact it's his wife who calls
the tune.
24. cast an eye over something = look quickly over something.
25. chime in = If you chime in, you interrupt or join a conversation, especially to repeat or
agree with something.
Ex. While I was explaining to the bus driver what had happened, the other passengers chimed
in and gave their version.
26. drum --- into your head = If you teach something to someone through constant repetition,
you drum it into their head.
Ex. When we were kids at school, multiplication tables were drummed into our heads.
27. eager beaver = The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hardworking and enthusiastic,
sometimes considered overzealous.
Ex. The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and last to leave. He's a real eager
beaver!
28. face the music =When a person has to accept the unpleasant consequences of their actions.
Ex. He was caught stealing. Now he has to face the music.
29. fine tuning = Small changes to something to improve it or make it work better are called fine-
tuning.
Ex. We are still fine tuning our new website and appreciate your patience.
30. fold her in your arms = hold somebody closely by putting one's arms around him.
31. for the birds = When you consider something is uninteresting, useless or not to be
taken seriously.
Ex. As far as I'm concerned, his theory is for the birds.
32. full of beans = A person who is full of beans is lively, healthy and
active. Ex. He may be getting old but he's still full of beans.
33. get back on your feet = recover.
Ex. While being ill for two weeks, his mother helped her to get back on his feet.
34. get cold feet = stop doing something because one becomes afraid of the
consequences. Ex. He was about to break into the house, but he got cold feet at the
last minute.
35. get your fingers burnt = suffer financially as a result of being
careless. Ex. He got his fingers burnt dabbling in the stock market.
36. give someone a hand = help someone.
37. go bananas = If someone becomes very emotional and starts behaving in a crazy way, they
go bananas.
Ex. If you announce that you are going to drop out of school, your parents will go bananas!
38. go for a song = If something goes for a song, it is sold at an unexpectedly low price.
39. have a hand in something = be partly responsible for
something. Ex. The party was great, I bet he had a hand in it.
40. have eyes in the back of her head = be alert, notice everything going on around
one. Ex. The teacher knows everything we do, she must have eyes in the back of her
head!
41. have her feet on the ground = be realistic.
Ex. She's no dreamer, she has her feet firmly on the ground.
42. have my back against the wall = be in a difficult position and forced to defend oneself.
John had his back against the wall; he was fired and everyone was against him.
43. have somebody on the brain = think repeatedly about someone or something.
44. jazz something up = If you jazz something up, you add something to try to improve it or
make it more stylish.
Ex. The dress needs a scarf or a necklace to jazz it up.
45. keep my fingers crossed = wish for luck.
Ex. I have my final exam today, so keep your fingers crossed!
46. keep my head above water = keep out of debt.
Ex. I'm managing to keep my head above water, even though I'm not earning much.
47. keep your eyes skinned = remain alert.
Ex. Nobody should see that I'm doing this, so keep your eyes peeled and tell me if someone
is coming.
48. kill two birds with one stone = When you succeed in doing two things at the same
time. Ex. By studying on the train on the way home, Claire kills two birds with one stone.
49. make head or tail of something = understand.
Ex. The student's essay is full of mistakes, I can't make head or tail of it!
50. music to my ears = It means that the information you receive makes you feel very
happy. Ex. His compliments were music to my ear.
51. not lift a finger = to not make any effort to help someone.
Ex. He can see that I'm busy, but he doesn't lift a finger.
52. on the ball = When someone understands the situation well.
53. paint the town red = to go out to bars or clubs to enjoy
yourself. Ex. It's a great night, let's paint the town red!
54. piece of cake = To refer to something as a piece of cake means that you consider it to be
very easy.
Ex. The English test was a piece of cake!
55. put your best foot forward = do one's best.
Ex. If you want to pass the exam, you'll have to put your best foot forward.
56. put your foot in it = do or say something foolish.
Ex. Why did you tell her about it? You always put your foot in it!
57. rack my brain about something = think hard to remember something or to find a
solution. Ex. I've been racking my brain all day and still can't remember her name.
58. red flag to a bull = It means that it is sure to make someone very angry or upset.
59. ring a bell = If something rings a bell, it sounds familiar, but you don't remember the exact
details.
Ex. John Bentley? The name rings a bell but I don't remember him.
60. roll out the red carpet = to give a special welcome to an important visitor.
Ex. We haven't seen Uncle Jones for years, so when he arrives tomorrow from Europe, we'll be
rolling out the red carpet.
61. see red = become very angry. Her criticisms were enough to make anyone see red.
62. sing a different tune = If someone sings a different tune, they change their opinion
about something or their attitude towards something.
Ex. He had no consideration for people out of work until he lost his own job; now he's singing a
different tune.
63. slice of the cake (or pie) = When people feel entitled to a share of the profits or benefits,
they want a (larger) slice of the cake.
Ex. Since profits are higher this year, the workers feel they deserve a bigger slice of the cake.
64. snug as a bug in a rug = This is a humorous way of saying that you are warm and
comfortable. Ex. Wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa, Sophie looked as snug as a bug in a
rug.
65. sound like a broken record = Someone who says the same thing again and again sounds like
a broken record. Ex. Dad! Stop telling me to be careful when I drive. You sound like a broken
record!
66. spill the beans = If you spill the beans, you reveal a secret or talk about something
private. Ex. Come on! Spill the beans! What did he say?
67. start off on the right foot = make a good/bad start.
Ex. The new student started off on the wrong foot with the teacher by answering back rudely.
68. strike the right note = If you strike (or hit) the right note, you do something
suitable or appropriate.
Ex. He struck the right note with his future mother-in-low when he brought her a
book on gardening - her favourite hobby!
69. strike a false note = If you strike a false note, you do something wrong or
inappropriate. Ex. He struck a wrong note when he arrived at the cocktail party
wearing old jeans.
70. Taste of your own medicine = Means that something happens to you, or is done to you,
that you have done to someone else
71. that takes the biscuit! = This expression refers to something very annoying or
irritating. Ex. After waiting for an hour, we were told there no seats left. That took
the biscuit!
72. tickle the ivories = This is a humorous way of talking about playing the piano.
Ex. My grandfather loves playing the piano. He tickles the ivories whenever he gets the
chance.
73. To cost an arm and a leg’– something is very
expensive. Ex. “Fuel these days costs and arm and a
leg.”
74. To cut corners – to do something badly or cheaply.
Ex. “They really cut corners when they built this bathroom; the shower is leaking.”
75. To hit the nail on the head – to describe exactly what is causing a situation or
problem. Ex. “He hit the nail on the head when he said this company needs more
HR support.”
76. To kill two birds with one stone – to solve two problems at once.
Ex. “By taking my dad on holiday, I killed two birds with one stone. I got to go away but
also
spend time with him.”
77. twist someone round his little finger = have someone under one's influence.
Ex. She can twist him round his little finger, so she will convince him to go to the party.
78. When pigs fly’ – something that will never
happen. Ex. “When pigs fly she’ll tidy up her
room.”
79. with your tongue in your cheek = not intending to be taken seriously.
80. You can’t judge a book by its cover – to not judge someone or something based
solely on appearance.