Most Common English Idioms And Phrases
Here are most commonly used English idioms and phrases:
This expression means that what someone does is more important than what they say.
2. (to cost) an arm and a leg:
If something costs you an arm and a leg, it costs you a lot of money., to be very expensive
3. beat around the bush / beat about the bush:
to talk about something indirectly without coming to the meain point, often deliberately
4. a blessing in disguise:
used to describe something that at first seems bad, but results in something very good in the end
5. don't judge a book by its cover:
used to say that one should not form an opinion about someone or something based on a brief impression or outward appearance
6. every cloud has a silver lining:
used to say that every bad or unpleasant situation has some good aspect to it
7. kill two birds with one stone:
If someone kills two birds with one stone, they achieve two things with one action., to do two things with one action
8. once in a blue moon:
used to describe something that happens very rarely
Example Sentence:
used to describe something that happens very rarely
Example Sentence:
My elder brother lives in Australia. I only get to see him once in a blue moon, because it’s very expensive to fly there.
9. piece of cake:
If something is a piece of cake, it is very easy to do or achieve.
Example Sentence:
The Exam was a piece of cake.
10. speak/talk of the devil!:
used when the person you were just or are talking about arrives unexpectedly
used when the person you were just or are talking about arrives unexpectedly
11. steal someone's thunder:
to take the credit and praise for something that someone else has done
12. taste of your own medicine:
13. pull a rabbit out of a hat:
to do something unexpected that may have seemed impossible
14. get out of hand:
when you lose control of things, they get out of hand
Example Sentence:
The party got out of hand and the guests started to throw bottles at each other.
15. hang in there:
used to tell someone to wait and be patient
16. let the chips fall where they may:
to let something happen, no matter what happens next
17. freak out:
to become very angry, scared or excited
to do something unexpected that may have seemed impossible
14. get out of hand:
when you lose control of things, they get out of hand
Example Sentence:
The party got out of hand and the guests started to throw bottles at each other.
15. hang in there:
used to tell someone to wait and be patient
16. let the chips fall where they may:
to let something happen, no matter what happens next
17. freak out:
to become very angry, scared or excited
to study hard
Example sentence:
Do you want to come out tonight?
"I can’t. I have to hit the books because I have a big test tomorrow."
19. when pigs fly:
used to say that something will never happen
20. around the clock:
If something is open around the clock, it means it is open 24 hours a day.
21. ahead of time:
If something happens ahead of time, it happens early, before the set time, or with time to spare.
If you do something just in time, or just in the nick of time, you do it just before it is too late.
Example Sentence:
I got to the bus stop just in the nick of time and jumped on the bus just as it was leaving.
23. on time:
This means to not be late, arrive at the right time.
Example Sentence:
I got to the bus stop just in the nick of time and jumped on the bus just as it was leaving.
23. on time:
This means to not be late, arrive at the right time.
Example Sentence:
The buses here are never on time, it’s so annoying!
24. out of time:
This means there is no time left to do something. The time limit or deadline has been reached.
25. time is money:
This expression means that your time is a valuable commodity, so use it wisely because it could be used to earn money.
26. time for a change:
24. out of time:
This means there is no time left to do something. The time limit or deadline has been reached.
This expression means that your time is a valuable commodity, so use it wisely because it could be used to earn money.
26. time for a change:
This expression means to stop what you are doing and start doing something different with your life.
Example Sentence:
Are you looking for a new job? Yes, it's time for a change.
27. here today, gone tomorrow:
If you sat that something, such as money, happiness, and other desirable things, are here today, gone tomorrow, you mean that they do not last for very long but only for a short time
28. like there is no tomorrow:
to do something fast or energetically without thinking carefully as if there would never be another opportunity
29. from now on:
from this moment until some unknown time in the future
Example Sentence:From now on, I will be much more careful when I decide to trust someone.
30. it's high time:
You can say this when you think something should have been done already, and is overdue.
31. now or never (it's now or never):
used to say that something has to be done now because there will be no second chance
Example Sentence:
27. here today, gone tomorrow:
If you sat that something, such as money, happiness, and other desirable things, are here today, gone tomorrow, you mean that they do not last for very long but only for a short time
28. like there is no tomorrow:
to do something fast or energetically without thinking carefully as if there would never be another opportunity
29. from now on:
from this moment until some unknown time in the future
Example Sentence:From now on, I will be much more careful when I decide to trust someone.
30. it's high time:
You can say this when you think something should have been done already, and is overdue.
31. now or never (it's now or never):
used to say that something has to be done now because there will be no second chance
Example Sentence:
Go and propose her. It's now or never, she is leaving the country.
32. only time will tell:
This means that you can't predict how a thing will happen or what an outcome will be. The answer to a question, or the outcome of a situation, will only reveal itself with the passage of time. For instance, will Pakistan win the world-cup? Only time will tell.
32. only time will tell:
This means that you can't predict how a thing will happen or what an outcome will be. The answer to a question, or the outcome of a situation, will only reveal itself with the passage of time. For instance, will Pakistan win the world-cup? Only time will tell.
33. time heals all wounds / time is a great healer:
The expression means that as time passes by, all the feelings of emotional hurt and pain will eventually pass away.
34. too much (free) time on one's hands:
If you have too much (free) time on your hands, you have too much free time, and not enough things to do
35. in due course:
This means everything will happen as it is supposed to, at the appropriate time.
used to describe something that will happen very soon
37. a roof over your head:
used to mean a place to live
Example Sentence:He was so poor that he didn't have a roof over his head.
38. love at first sight:
If someone fall in love with someone the first time they see them, it is described as love at first sight.
39. all's fair in love and war:
behavior that is unpleasant or not fair is acceptable during an argument or competition.
If someone fall in love with someone the first time they see them, it is described as love at first sight.
39. all's fair in love and war:
behavior that is unpleasant or not fair is acceptable during an argument or competition.
40. an eye for an eye:
(also, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.)
something that you say which means that if someone does something wrong to someone , they should be punished by having the same thing done to them
41. apple of somebody's eye:
said about someone whom you love the most and you are very proud of
Example Sentence:
His son is the apple of his eye.
42. have money to burn:
If you say that someone has money to burn, you mean that they spend a lot of money on unnecessary things.
Example Sentence:
42. have money to burn:
If you say that someone has money to burn, you mean that they spend a lot of money on unnecessary things.
Example Sentence:
We need to shop wisely. We don't have money to burn.
43. money talks:
The expression 'money talks' suggests that with money people can do or get whatever they want.
44. the ball is in your court:
If you say that the ball is in someone's court, you mean that it is up to them to make the next decision or step.
Example Sentence: "The seller has offered us the house for $250,000; the ball is in our court. What should we do?"
45. over the moon:
extremely pleased and happy
43. money talks:
The expression 'money talks' suggests that with money people can do or get whatever they want.
44. the ball is in your court:
If you say that the ball is in someone's court, you mean that it is up to them to make the next decision or step.
Example Sentence: "The seller has offered us the house for $250,000; the ball is in our court. What should we do?"
45. over the moon:
extremely pleased and happy
46. couch potato:
used to describe a person who is very lazy and who watches too much TV
47. raining cats and dogs:
pouring, raining very heavily
Example Sentence:Where are you going, can’t you see it’s raining cats and dogs?
48. fall in love with someone:
If you fall in love with someone, you start to feel sexual attraction towards them and start to have feeling of love towards them.
Example Sentence:He has fallen in love with her.
49. blind date:
A blind date is one when two people who have never seen each other before going on a date.
50. cut class / play hooky / skip class:
If someone cut class, they miss a class without permission.
Labels: Phrasal Verbs
posted by ISMAIL ABDUL GHAFFAR @ December 03, 2014
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