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List 15 - Common Idioms

Common English idioms

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your English sound more native, so it's a good idea to master some of these expressions. The tables below are organized by how common the idioms are in American English. You can start by learning the very common English idioms, since these are the ones you'll encounter regularly watching American movies or TV, or visiting the United States. When you've mastered those, move on to rest. None of the idioms on this page are unusual or old fashioned, so you can be confident using any of them with native English speakers from all English-speaking countries.

The most common English idioms

These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in the United States. You will hear them in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.�

Idiom Meaning Usage
A blessing in disguise a good thing that seemed bad at first as part of a sentence
A dime a dozen Something common as part of a sentence
Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable as part of a sentence
Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to come at all by itself
Bite the bullet To get something unpleasant over with because it is inevitable as part of a sentence
Break a leg Good luck by itself
Call it a day Stop working for the day /  as part of a sentence
Cut somebody some slack Don't be so critical as part of a sentence
Cutting corners Doing something poorly in order to save time or money as part of a sentence
Easy does it Slow down by itself
Get out of hand Get out of control as part of a sentence
Get something out of your system Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on as part of a sentence
Get your act together Work better or leave by itself
Give someone the benefit of the doubt Trust what someone says as part of a sentence
Go back to the drawing board Start over as part of a sentence
Hang in there Don't give up by itself
Hit the sack Go to sleep as part of a sentence
It's not rocket science It's not complicated by itself
Let someone off the hook To not hold someone responsible for something as part of a sentence
Make a long story short Tell something briefly as part of a sentence
Miss the boat It's too late as part of a sentence
No pain, no gain You have to work for what you want by itself
On the ball Sharp, attentive, responsive, doing a good job as part of a sentence
Pull someone's leg To joke with someone as part of a sentence
Pull yourself together Calm down by itself
So far so good Things are going well so far by itself
Speak of the devil The person we were just talking about showed up! by itself
That's the last straw My patience has run out by itself
The best of both worlds An ideal situation as part of a sentence
Time flies when you're having fun You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun by itself
To get bent out of shape To get upset as part of a sentence
To make matters worse Make a problem worse as part of a sentence
Under the weather Sick as part of a sentence
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it Let's not talk about that problem right now by itself
Wrap your head around something Understand something complicated as part of a sentence
You can say that again That's true, I agree by itself
Your guess is as good as mine I have no idea by itself

Common English Idioms & Expressions

These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United States. You may not hear them every day, but they will be very familiar to any native English speaker. You can be confident using any of them when the context is appropriate.

Idiom Meaning Usage
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush What you have is worth more than what you might have later by itself
A penny for your thoughts Tell me what you're thinking by itself
A penny saved is a penny earned Money you save today you can spend later by itself
A perfect storm the worst possible situation as part of a sentence
A picture is worth 1000 words Better to show than tell by itself
Actions speak louder than words Believe what people do and not what they say by itself
Add insult to injury To make a bad situation worse as part of a sentence
Barking up the wrong tree To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place as part of a sentence
Birds of a feather flock together People who are alike are often friends (usually used negatively) by itself
Bite off more than you can chew Take on a project that you cannot finish as part of a sentence
Break the ice Make people feel more comfortable as part of a sentence
By the skin of your teeth Just barely as part of a sentence
Comparing apples to oranges Comparing two things that cannot be compared as part of a sentence
Costs an arm and a leg Very expensive as part of a sentence
Do something at the drop of a hat Do something without having planned beforehand as part of a sentence
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you Treat people fairly. Also known as "The Golden Rule" by itself
Don't count your chickens before they hatch Don't count on something good happening until it's happened. by itself
Don't cry over spilt milk There's no reason to complain about something that can't be fixed by itself
Don't give up your day job You're not very good at this by itself
Don't put all your eggs in one basket What you're doing is too risky by itself
Every cloud has a silver lining Good things come after bad things by itself
Get a taste of your own medicine Get treated the way you've been treating others (negative) as part of a sentence
Give someone the cold shoulder Ignore someone as part of a sentence
Go on a wild goose chase To do something pointless as part of a sentence
Good things come to those who wait Be patient by itself
He has bigger fish to fry He has bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now by itself
He's a chip off the old block The son is like the father by itself
Hit the nail on the head Get something exactly right by itself
Ignorance is bliss You're better off not knowing by itself
It ain't over till the fat lady sings This isn't over yet by itself
It takes one to know one You're just as bad as I am by itself
It's a piece of cake It's easy by itself
It's raining cats and dogs It's raining hard by itself
Kill two birds with one stone Get two things done with a single action by itself
Let the cat out of the bag Give away a secret as part of a sentence
Live and learn I made a mistake by itself
Look before you leap Take only calculated risks by itself
On thin ice On probation. If you make another mistake, there will be trouble. as part of a sentence
Once in a blue moon Rarely as part of a sentence
Play devil's advocate To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument as part of a sentence
Put something on ice Put a project on hold as part of a sentence
Rain on someone's parade To spoil something as part of a sentence
Saving for a rainy day Saving money for later as part of a sentence
Slow and steady wins the race Reliability is more important than speed by itself
Spill the beans Give away a secret as part of a sentence
Take a rain check Postpone a plan as part of a sentence
Take it with a grain of salt Don’t take it too seriously as part of a sentence
The ball is in your court It's your decision / responsibility by itself
The best thing since sliced bread A really good invention as part of a sentence
The devil is in the details It looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are problems by itself
The early bird gets the worm The first people who arrive will get the best stuff by itself
The elephant in the room The big issue, the problem people are avoiding as part of a sentence
The whole nine yards Everything, all the way. as part of a sentence
There are other fish in the sea It's ok to miss this opportunity. Others will arise. by itself
There's a method to his madness He seems crazy but actually he's clever by itself
There's no such thing as a free lunch Nothing is entirely free by itself
Throw caution to the wind Take a risk as part of a sentence
You can't have your cake and eat it too You can't have everything by itself
You can't judge a book by its cover This person or thing may look bad, but it's good inside by itself

Less Common Yet Familiar English Idioms & Proverbs

These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday conversation. If you haven't mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you're already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English.

Idiom Meaning Usage
A little learning is a dangerous thing People who don't understand something fully are dangerous by itself
A snowball effect Events have momentum and build upon each other as part of a sentence
A snowball's chance in hell No chance at all as part of a sentence
A stitch in time saves nine Fix the problem now because it will get worse later by itself
A storm in a teacup A big fuss about a small problem as part of a sentence
An apple a day keeps the doctor away Apples are good for you by itself
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder. by itself
As right as rain Perfect as part of a sentence
Bolt from the blue Something that happened without warning as part of a sentence
Burn bridges Destroy relationships as part of a sentence
Calm before the storm Something bad is coming, but right now it's calm as part of a sentence
Come rain or shine No matter what as part of a sentence
Curiosity killed the cat Stop asking questions by itself
Cut the mustard Do a good job as part of a sentence
Don't beat a dead horse Move on, this subject is over by itself
Every dog has his day Everyone gets a chance at least once by itself
Familiarity breeds contempt The better you know someone the less you like him by itself
Fit as a fiddle In good health as part of a sentence
Fortune favours the bold Take risks by itself
Get a second wind Have more energy after having been tired as part of a sentence
Get wind of something Hear news of something secret as part of a sentence
Go down in flames Fail spectacularly as part of a sentence
Haste makes waste You'll make mistakes if you rush through something by itself
Have your head in the clouds Not be concentrating as part of a sentence
He who laughs last laughs loudest I'll get you back for what you did by itself
Hear something straight from the horse's mouth Hear something from the person involved as part of a sentence
He's not playing with a full deck He's dumb by itself
He's off his rocker He's crazy by itself
He's sitting on the fence He can't make up his mind by itself
It is a poor workman who blames his tools If you can't do the job, don't blame it on others by itself
It is always darkest before the dawn Things are going to get better by itself
It takes two to tango One person alone isn't responsible. Both people are involved. by itself
Jump on the bandwagon Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing as part of a sentence
Know which way the wind is blowing Understand the situation (usually negative) as part of a sentence
Leave no stone unturned Look everywhere as part of a sentence
Let sleeping dogs lie Stop discussing an issue as part of a sentence
Like riding a bicycle Something you never forget how to do as part of a sentence
Like two peas in a pod They're always together as part of a sentence
Make hay while the sun shines Take advantage of a good situation as part of a sentence
On cloud nine Very happy as part of a sentence
Once bitten, twice shy You're more cautious when you've been hurt before by itself
Out of the frying pan and into the fire Things are going from bad to worse by itself
Run like the wind Run fast as part of a sentence
Shape up or ship out Work better or leave by itself
Snowed under Busy as part of a sentence
That ship has sailed It's too late by itself
The pot calling the kettle black Someone criticizing someone else he is just as bad as part of a sentence
There are clouds on the horizon Trouble is coming by itself
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones People who are morally questionable shouldn't criticize others by itself
Through thick and thin In good times and in bad times as part of a sentence
Time is money Work quickly by itself
Waste not, want not Don't waste things and you'll always have enough by itself
We see eye to eye We agree by itself
Weather the storm Go through something difficult as part of a sentence
Well begun is half done Getting a good start is important by itself
When it rains it pours Everything is going wrong at once by itself
You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar You'll get what you want by being nice by itself
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink You can't force someone to make the right decision by itself
You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs There's always a cost to doing something by itself

More Idioms with Examples

about time – beyond words
 -    
1. about time To mean something should have happened earlier or about now.
It’s about time I had my hair cut.
2. above all Most importantly.
Above all, I would like to thank you all for volunteering your services.
3. above average Better than average.
The boss is very pleased with her as her work has always been above average.
4. above board Honest and legal and not deceiving.
They doubt the deal was above board when it was negotiated in secret.
5. above par Better than normal.
Her performance was hailed by critics as above par.
6. above/beyond reproach Not deserving any blame or criticism.
His conduct had always been above reproach.
7. above suspicion To be not suspected.
Family members of the murdered person are not above suspicion according to the police.
8. acid test A means to find out whether something can be believed.
His constant strong feeling of loyalty to his spouse was the acid test of his faithfulness.
9. a first Something that happens or is done for the first time. The highest level of university degree one can get in Britain.
The triplet delivery is a first for the new hospital.
My grandmother had a first in Economics from this university.
10. Achilles’ heel A weak point or vulnerable spot of someone or something.
The team’s Achilles’ heel is its poor defense, and it is expected to lose in the final.
11. after all Something that needs to be considered; in spite of something that had been said or done.
You shouldn’t have talked to her like that – after all, she’s your only sister.
She decided to come along with us after all.
12. against time To complete a task, etc. within a time-limit.
We’re working against time to finish the project.
13. ahead of  In front of; before.
One of us has to call the restaurant ahead of time to make the dinner reservation.
14. alive with Swarming with.
The carrion was alive with maggots.
15. all along During the entire time while something was happening.
She knew all along that her husband kept a string of mistresses.
16. all but Almost.
It was all but dark when our train pulled into the city.
17. all for Strongly support or in favour of something.
Most members are all for the club moving out of the city because it’s too expensive.
18. all gone Used up or finished.
Someone had eaten all my peanuts; they are all gone.
19. all in Very tired; exhausted.
What had you been doing? You look all in.
20. all of Not more than.
He took all of ten minutes to finish the two pizzas.
21. all out Using as much of one’s effort as possible.
We went all out to get it done before the deadline.
22. all over Everywhere; finished.
“Where had you been? We looked all over for you.”
It’s all over – I have lost all my money and I’m not playing anymore.
23. all right Good or okay; beyond doubt; used to express agreement or consent.
Our new house is all right, but it’s a bit small.
We are late all right; the train is no longer here.
“You can call him tomorrow.” “All right, I will call him in the afternoon.”
24. all set Ready or prepared to do something.
I was all set to leave when the rain started falling.
25. all square With all accounts settled, and no money owed.
Here’s the amount due to you; we’re all square now.
Having equal scores in a game.
Both teams are all square at two goals each at half-time.
26. all talk Talking about doing something without actually doing it.
He said one week ago that he would help me with the research work, and he’s still saying it. He’s all talk and no action.
27. all that To a high degree.
She isn’t all that enthusiastic about going to all-night party, not that she’s married.
28. all there Mentally incompetent or unable to think clearly.
Having listened to what he said, we don’t think he’s quite all there.
29. all told As a complete total; in all.
All told, it took twelve men to pull the baby rhino out of the muddy pond.
There were fifteen of them at the discussion all told.
30. all wet To be completely wrong.
That’s not the professor; you are all wet.
31. along with Together with someone or something.
My uncle went to the beach along with his daughter and dog.
32. answer for To take responsibility for something; to speak for somebody.
We will all have to answer for our wrongdoings in our next lives.
I think she likes to join the discussion, but I can’t really answer for her.
33. any longer In the past but not now; anymore
We have to do something. We can’t ignore water leaking from the roof any longer.
34. any moment Very soon.
The plane should be arriving at any moment now.
35. appear as To play a role in a film, play, etc.
She appeared as a toothless witch in her first comedy film.
36. as against When compared with something else.
Her candidacy for president was supported by 35 percent of the senior party members as against 57 percent of young members.
37. as ever Usually; in the same way as always.
As ever, he’s the last one to arrive.
38. as for With regard to.
We all have decided to go. As for him, he’s still deciding.
39. as if In a manner that it is true or false.
The stranger looked at me as if he knew me.
40. as is The existing state as at the particular time.
All the items are being auctioned off as is.
41. as of The time or date when something begins.
As of next month, the lunch time will be cut from one hour to fifty minutes.
42. as one At the same time; together.
The audience rose as one to give her a standing ovation for her performance.
43. as such In the true or exact meaning of the word or phrase.
They don’t have children as such, but they do have an adopted child.
44. as yet Until now.
We haven’t decided to buy our own house as yet, but are likely to do so in the near future.
45. aside from Except for; in addition to.
The skin rash continues to appear on my legs but aside from that I’m a perfectly healthy person.
Aside from being beautiful, she is also highly intelligent.
46. at all To make a statement or question more forceful.
Why blame me; it’s wasn’t my fault at all.
47. at bay At a distance.
The policemen had to keep the rioters at bay until reinforcement arrived.
48. at best Taking the most hopeful view.
At best we found his speech slightly long-winded.
49. at ease Relaxed and comfortable.
She never feels at ease driving in the rain.
50. at first At the beginning.
We were casual friends at first, but soon we developed a special liking for each other.
51. at gunpoint Under threat of injury or death from a gun.
We were forced at gunpoint to hand over all our money.
52. at hand Close by or readily accessible; near in time or about to happen.
We have three staff at hand to attend to the needs of the inmates.
53. at hazard At risk.
Your health is at hazard unless you give up heavy smoking.
54. at heart One’s true character and not what one may appear to be.
Both her parents are septuagenarians but they are still young at heart.
55. at issue,  (Matter, subject, question, problem, etc.) under discussion or in dispute.
56. at it Engaging in some activity.
The quarrelsome couple are at it again. When will they stop arguing?
57. at large Not having been captured; in general.
Police issued pictures of the escaped prisoner who is still at large.
More information regarding the program of vaccination should be made available to the public at large.
58. at last In the end, after a long wait.
They have ended their argument at last!
59. at least Not less/fewer than; used to show something could be worse; used to indicate the minimum that one could do.
The witness said there were at least four people in the armed gang that robbed the bank.
The meal was expensive, but at least the food was adequate and superb.
You could at least have given her a smile even if you didn’t want to talk to her.
60. at leisure In a slow and relaxed or unhurried way; not working.
We often have our evening meal at leisure at the same restaurant.
He likes to sit on his rocking chair at leisure.
61. at length For a long time; after a long period of time.
He went on at some length about his trip abroad.
At length, we decided to call it a night and went to bed.
62. at liberty Not in captivity or confinement; free to do something.
After spending twelve years in prison, he is now at liberty to lead a normal life.
Only the senior managers are at liberty to speak to reporters about the company’s affairs.
63. at loggerheads In total disagreement or bitter dispute.
The woman is at loggerheads with the man over a parking space.
64. at most Not more than a specified number or amount.
Each time we jogged three kilometers at most.
65. at odds. In conflict or disagreement.
The brothers are always at odds about whose car should be put in the garage.
66. at once At the same time; immediately.
If we all talk at once, who will be listening?
She was so angry with me that she told me to leave her house at once.
67. at peace  Dead.
He is at peace now after a long illness.
68. at play Playing (at the present time).
We can hear the noisy children at play.
69. at present At this time; now.
At present he is sleeping.
70. at random Not in any order.
Ten names were selected at random from the list of volunteers.
71. at rest  Not moving or active; dead; in a relaxed and comfortable state.
You must not unfasten your safety belt until the rollercoaster is at rest.
It is utterly unfair that she’s at rest at such a young age.
You can set your mind at rest by thinking positively.
72. at risk In a situation where something bad or dangerous could happen.
Your job is at risk if you keep turning up late for work.
73. at sea  In a ship on the sea.
I felt seasick on the first day at sea on my cruise.
74. at stake Might be lost; at risk.
The cause of the new disease is still unknown, putting many lives at stake.
75. at times Occasionally but not usually.
I feel quite lonely at times.
76. at that  Used to provide additional information 
The arrested man is a murderer, and a serial one at that.
77. at will Whenever and in whatever way one wants.
The animals have their own enclosures where they were allowed to roam at will.
78. at work Working (at the present time); having an effect or influence.
My dad is at work on the farm.
They believe there are evil forces at work trying to undermine the stability of the state.
79. at worst Used to show the most negative or unpleasant result.
At worst, he can only get a fine for the offense.
80. bad blood Feelings of hate between two people or groups.
There’s been a lot of bad blood between the two families since their parents’ days.
81. bad/badly off Having little money; in a bad or difficult situation or condition.
We are not too bad off compared to our younger days.
The family was so badly off they could only dream of eating in a restaurant.
We had no idea how bad off they were until they told us.
At that time, he was so badly off that he had to stay in bed all the time.
82. bear fruit To produce successful result or a reward.
Her hard work bore fruit as she passed the exam with flying colors.
83. bear watching To deserve close observation.
It will bear watching the behavioral problems in these children.
84. beat it To leave quickly or tell someone to leave quickly.
The looters beat it when the police arrived.
Beat it! I’m trying to get this done.
85. before long Soon.
Before long, the whole area was flooded.
86. below average Lower than the usual standard.
His test results are well below average.
87. below par Not as good as normal.
The rocking boat is making me feel a little below par. I think I am getting seasick.
88. bent on Determined to have or do something.
He was bent on realizing his life’s ambition.
89. beside oneself Feeling some very strong emotion.
She was beside herself with joy when he told her the news.
90. bet on To place a bet on someone or something.
We bet on the horse which came in last.
91. better half Wife or husband.
I’m not going alone; my better half is coming along.
92. better off Having more money; in better condition.
We are better off now than we used to be when we started working.
We would be better off if we sold off the loss-making business.
93. beyond (one’s) depth In water that is too deep; too advanced for one’s understanding or capabilities.
He swam out beyond his depth to get the ball that was fast floating away.
I failed in the two subjects as they were really beyond my depth.
94. beyond help A condition that cannot be made better.
Their terminally ill grandmother is beyond help.
95. beyond (one’s) ken Not within the range of one’s knowledge or understanding.
Why her husband chose to leave her is beyond her ken.
96. beyond me Not being able to understand something.
How an intelligent guy like him having a long history of academic failure is beyond me.
97. beyond (one’s) means More than one can afford.
Presently, a sailing yacht is well beyond our means.
98. beyond measure More than can be quantified.
The abundance of foods and drinks served out in the grand wedding dinner is beyond measure.
99. beyond repair No able to be restored or fixed.
The gearbox was damaged beyond repair.
100. beyond words More than one can say.
She was thankful beyond words for the public donations towards her medical surgery.
We are grateful beyond words to the volunteers who come forward to offer their help.
The visitors were visibly shocked beyond words by the conditions they witnessed in the refugee camps.