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 hot potato – controversial or sensitive issue.
- A penny for your thoughts – asking someone what they are thinking about.
- A piece of cake – very easy.
- 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 Greek to me – meaningless and incomprehensible either due to complexity or imprecision.
- All in the same boat – when everyone is facing the same challenges.
- All of a sudden – something that happens very quickly and unexpectedly.
- An arm and a leg – very expensive; a large amount of money.
- An ax to grind – a private or selfish reason for doing something.
- 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 angry, bored or annoyed with something.
- 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 break social formality and to initiate conversation.
- Buy a lemon – to buy a car that constantly gives problems.
- 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.
- Come a long way – make a lot of progress and improvement.
- Costs 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.
- 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 a bit under the weather – feeling slightly ill.
- 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 over it – to move beyond something that is bothering you.
- Get the ball rolling – get a process started.
- Go the extra mile – going above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand.
- Good Samaritan – one who helps others when they are in need, with no thought of a reward.
- Gut feeling – a personal, intuitive feeling or response, especially when something may not be right.
- Head over heels – very excited and/or joyful, especially when in love.
- Hear it on the grapevine – receive information indirectly, similar to 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.
- 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.
- It's a small world – something you say when seeing the same people, events or situations in different places.
- Jaywalk – crossing the street without using the crosswalk.
- Kick the bucket – to die.
- Kill two birds with one stone – accomplish two tasks with only one effort.
- Learn the ropes – to learn the basics.
- 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.
- Long shot – highly unlikely.
- 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.
- Nest egg – savings set aside for future use.
- Off the hook – freed from a blame or obligation; having avoided a difficult situation.
- On the ball – to understand the situation well.
- 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.
- Poker face – a face with no expression.
- Pull the plug – to stop something; to bring something to an end.
- Pulling your leg – tricking someone as a joke.
- 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.
- Saved by the bell – rescued from a danger at the last possible moment.
- Scapegoat – someone else who takes the blame.
- 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! – reference to a person who appears unexpectedly while being talked about.
- Start from scratch – to do it all over again from the beginning.
- Take it easy – good-bye; calm down; relax.
- Take with a grain of salt – do not completely believe it.
- 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 last straw – the last little burden or problem that causes everything to collapse.
- The whole nine yards – everything, all of it.
- 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.
- Up to the minute – the most recent.
- When pigs fly – something that will never ever happen.
- You bet! – sure, yes, of course.
- Zero Tolerance – no crime or law breaking to be overlooked.