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Level: B2

List of English Idioms and Expressions

Over 100 of the most common English idioms and expressions, each with a clear definition — so you can sound more natural and fluent in everyday English.

  • A blessing in disguise – something good that isn't recognized at first.
  • A couch potato – someone who watches TV all day.
  • A fish out of water – someone who feels uncomfortable in a new place.
  • A green thumb – a talent for gardening.
  • A hot potato – controversial or sensitive issue.
  • A lemon – a car (or another product) that keeps breaking down.
  • A little bird told me – someone I won't name told me.
  • A long shot – something that is very unlikely to succeed.
  • A night owl – someone who stays up late.
  • A pain in the neck – a very annoying person or thing.
  • A penny for your thoughts – asking someone what they are thinking about.
  • A piece of cake – very easy.
  • A red flag – a warning sign.
  • A slap on the wrist – a very mild punishment.
  • A toss-up – a result that is still unclear and can go either way.
  • Add insult to injury – make a bad situation even worse.
  • Against the clock – rushed and short on time.
  • All of a sudden – something that happens very quickly and unexpectedly.
  • An ax to grind – a private or selfish reason for doing something.
  • An early bird – a morning person; someone who gets up early.
  • At the drop of a hat – willing to do something immediately, on the slightest signal or urging.
  • Back to square one – having to start all over again.
  • Back to the drawing board – when an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.
  • Be sick and tired of – to be very annoyed with something that keeps happening.
  • Beat a dead horse – to force an issue that has already ended.
  • Beat around the bush – avoiding the main topic.
  • Bend over backwards – do whatever it takes to help.
  • Break the ice – to help people who don't know each other feel relaxed and start talking.
  • Bring home the bacon – to earn money for the family.
  • Burn the midnight oil – to work or study late at night.
  • Call it a night – to stop an activity for the rest of the night.
  • Catch-22 – a situation in which a desired outcome is impossible no matter what choice is made.
  • Caught between two stools – when it is difficult to choose between two alternatives.
  • Caught red-handed – caught while doing something wrong.
  • Come a long way – make a lot of progress and improvement.
  • Cool as a cucumber – very calm, even in a difficult situation.
  • Cost an arm and a leg – to be very expensive.
  • Cut corners – to do something in the fastest or cheapest way.
  • Cut it out! – stop doing something bad.
  • Cut to the chase – leave out unnecessary details and just get to the point.
  • Devil's advocate – one who takes a position just for the sake of argument.
  • Don't cry over spilled milk – don't be upset about a small mistake that you can't change.
  • Down to the wire – something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds.
  • Draw a line in the sand – establish a limit beyond which things will not be accepted.
  • Feeling blue – sad.
  • For crying out loud! – expresses frustration or annoyance with somebody or something.
  • From the horse's mouth – to hear something from the authoritative or dependable source.
  • Get cold feet – to feel too scared to go ahead with something.
  • Get over it – to move beyond something that is bothering you.
  • Get the ball rolling – get a process started.
  • Give someone the cold shoulder – to ignore someone on purpose.
  • Give the green light – to give permission to start.
  • Go the extra mile – going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.
  • Go with the flow – to relax and accept what happens.
  • Good Samaritan – one who helps others when they are in need, with no thought of a reward.
  • Green with envy – very jealous.
  • Gut feeling – a personal, intuitive feeling or response, especially when something may not be right.
  • Have a lot on your plate – to have many things to do.
  • Have butterflies in your stomach – to feel nervous.
  • Have your head in the clouds – to be dreaming and not paying attention.
  • Head over heels – very much in love.
  • Hear it through the grapevine – to hear news from other people, like a rumor.
  • High five – slapping raised palms together to celebrate.
  • Hit the books – to study; prepare for class.
  • Hit the nail on the head – do something or say something exactly right.
  • Hocus pocus – in general, a term used in magic or trickery.
  • Hold your horses – wait and be patient.
  • I'm all ears – I'm ready to listen.
  • In a nutshell – in a few words.
  • In ages – for a very long time.
  • In hot water – in trouble; in difficulties.
  • In the blink of an eye – so fast that you barely notice it.
  • In the doghouse – in trouble with someone.
  • In the same boat – in the same difficult situation as other people.
  • It's a small world – said when you meet someone you know in a place you didn't expect.
  • It's all Greek to me – I can't understand it at all.
  • Keep your chin up – stay positive in hard times.
  • Keep your fingers crossed – to hope for good luck.
  • Kick the bucket – to die.
  • Kill two birds with one stone – accomplish two tasks with only one effort.
  • Learn the ropes – to learn how to do a new job.
  • Lend a hand – to help; to give assistance.
  • Let sleeping dogs lie – to avoid restarting a conflict.
  • Let the cat out of the bag – to share a secret that wasn't supposed to be shared.
  • Long time, no see! – an expression used to greet someone who you have not seen for a long time.
  • Look like a million dollars – to be very well dressed; to look great.
  • Loose cannon – someone whose actions are unpredictable and uncontrollable.
  • Lose your head – to become upset, confused or overly emotional about something.
  • Lose your shirt – to lose all of or most of your money.
  • Miss the boat – to be too late; lose the opportunity; fail to take action.
  • Money talks – money has influence and power.
  • Mumbo jumbo – nonsense or meaningless speech or writing.
  • My lips are sealed – I won't tell anyone.
  • Nest egg – savings set aside for future use.
  • Not my cup of tea – not something I like.
  • Off the hook – freed from a blame or obligation; having avoided a difficult situation.
  • On cloud nine – extremely happy.
  • On the ball – quick to understand and react; alert.
  • On the same page – in agreement about the plan.
  • Once in a blue moon – something that happens very rarely.
  • Once in a while – sometimes, not very often.
  • Out of the blue – something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.
  • Over my dead body – when you absolutely will not accept or allow something to happen.
  • Over the top – very excessive; outrageously overdone.
  • Paint the town red – to go out and have a great time.
  • Poker face – a face with no expression.
  • Pull someone's leg – to joke with someone by telling them something untrue.
  • Pull the plug – to stop something; to bring something to an end.
  • Rain or shine – whatever the weather is; no matter what.
  • Raining cats and dogs – raining very hard.
  • Rule of thumb – a useful principle, basic rule that is usually but not always correct.
  • Run out of steam – to be completely out of energy.
  • Save for a rainy day – to save money for a hard time in the future.
  • Saved by the bell – rescued from a danger at the last possible moment.
  • Scapegoat – a person who is blamed for other people's mistakes.
  • See eye to eye – be in agreement.
  • Sit on the fence – undecided about an issue; not able to make a decision.
  • Sleep on it – wait until the next day before making an important decision.
  • Speak of the devil! – said when the person you are talking about suddenly appears.
  • Spill the beans – to tell a secret.
  • Start from scratch – to do it all over again from the beginning.
  • Take it easy – goodbye; calm down; relax.
  • Take it with a grain of salt – don't believe it completely.
  • The ball is in your court – your turn to speak or act next.
  • The best of both worlds – get the benefits and advantages of two different things.
  • The black sheep – the family member the others are not proud of.
  • The elephant in the room – a big problem that no one talks about.
  • The last straw – the last little burden or problem that causes everything to collapse.
  • The tip of the iceberg – a small part of a big problem.
  • The whole nine yards – everything, all of it.
  • Think outside the box – to have new and creative ideas.
  • Time out – stop; take a break; calm down.
  • Turn a blind eye – to ignore something you know is real and pretend you do not see it.
  • Twenty-four/seven – all the time; continuous operation.
  • Under the weather – feeling a little sick.
  • Up in the air – not decided yet.
  • Up to the minute – the most recent.
  • Walk on eggshells – to try hard not to upset someone.
  • When pigs fly – something that will never ever happen.
  • You bet! – sure, yes, of course.
  • Zero tolerance – no bad behavior is accepted at all.