✅40 Commonly Used and Popular English Idioms
A blessing in disguise
Meaning: A good thing that initially seemed bad
A dime a dozen
Meaning: Something that is very common, not unique
Adding insult to injury
Meaning: To make a bad situation even worse
Beat around the bush
Meaning: Avoid sharing your true viewpoint or feelings because it is uncomfortable
Beating a dead horse
Meaning: giving time or energy to something that is ended or over
Bite the bullet
Meaning: To get an unfavorable situation or chore over with now because it will need to get
finished eventually
Best of both worlds
Meaning: The choice or solution has all of the advantages of two contrasting things at the
same time
Biting off more than you can chew
Meaning: Not having the capacity to take on a new assignment or task that is just too taxing
By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: Just barely making it
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Meaning: Not judging something by its initial appearance
Doing something at the drop of a hat
Meaning: Doing something at the moment of being asked
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning: Not to count on something happening until after it’s already happened
Caught between a rock and a hard place
Meaning: Making a choice between two unpleasant choices
Costs an arm and a leg
Meaning: Something that is overpriced or very expensive
Cutting corners
Meaning: Not performing a task or duty correctly in order to save time or money
Devil’s advocate
Meaning: To take the side of the counter-argument, or offer an alternative point of view
Feeling under the weather
Meaning: Not feeling well, or feeling sick
Fit as a fiddle
Meaning: Being in good health
Getting a taste of your own medicine
Meaning: Being treated the way that you have been treating others
Getting a second wind
Meaning: Having energy again after being tired
Giving the benefit of the doubt
Meaning: Believing someone’s story without proof even though it may seem unbelievable
Giving someone the cold shoulder
Meaning: ignoring someone
Going on a wild goose chase
Meaning: doing something pointless
Heard it on the grapevine
Meaning: Hearing rumors about someone or something
Hitting the nail on the head
Meaning: Performing a task with exactness
Killing two birds with one stone
Meaning: Accomplishing two different tasks in the same undertaking
Letting someone off the hook
Meaning: Not holding someone responsible for something
Letting the cat out of the bag
Meaning: Sharing information that was intended to be a secret
No pain, no gain
Meaning: You have to work hard in order to see results
On the ball
Meaning: Doing a good job, being prompt, or being responsible
Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that doesn’t happen very often
Piece of cake
Meaning: A task or job that is easy to complete
Pulling someone’s leg
Meaning: Joking with someone
Speak of the devil
Meaning: When the person you have just been talking about arrives
Stealing someone’s thunder
Meaning: Taking credit for someone else’s achievements
Straight from the horse’s mouth
Meaning: Reading or hearing something from the source
The last straw
Meaning: The last difficulty or annoyance that makes the entire situation unbearable
The elephant in the room
Meaning: An issue, person, or problem that someone is trying to avoid
Throwing caution to the wind
Meaning: Being reckless or taking a risk
Your guess is as good as mine
Meaning: To not know something
20 Familiar English Idioms
A snowball effect
Meaning: Something has momentum and builds on each other, much like rolling a snowball
down a hill to make it bigger
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Meaning: Apples are healthy and good for you
Burning bridges
Meaning: Damaging a relationship beyond repair
Every dog has his day
Meaning: Everyone gets their chance to do something big
Fit as a fiddle
Meaning: Excellent health
Go down in flames
Meaning: To fail in a spectacular manner
Getting a second wind
Meaning: Having energy again after being tired or worn out.
✅Top 10 Idioms on Body Parts
1. Stiff Upper Lip
To remain brave under adverse conditions
2. Tight-Lipped
Unwilling to speak about an event
3. Music to Ears
Soothing to your ears
4. By the skin of your teeth
succeed in doing something by a narrow margin
5. Keep your chin up
Be courageous in adverse conditions
6. Catch eye
come to one's notice
7. See eye to eye
to agree with someone completely
8. Pull the wool over eyes
to deceive someone
9. Upper hand
to exercise authority
10. Dab Hand
adept or skillful
11. Backhanded compliment
A compliment that works as an insult.
12. Sticky fingers
A strong inclination towards stealing.
13. Pat on the back
To receive praise upon good work.
14. Foot the bill
to pay the bills
15.Neck and Neck
Extremely near
16. Yoke around neck
Trouble for someone
17. Cost an arm and a leg
Very expensive.
18. Tongue in cheek
say something jokingly while being serious
19. Green around the gills
A person who looks sick
20. Foam at the mouth
Get extremely angry.
