English idioms – the main ingredient of advanced English
DEFINITION:
Idioms are informal phrases where the meaning of the whole phrase cannot be understood from individual words. By another definition, idioms are phrases or expressions that usually have a figurative meaning.
Idioms with examples
You should always learn English idioms in examples from real-life sentences and situations.
Why?
Beacuse this way you will learn them faster and you will remember them better.
In every language, there are thousands of idioms and idiomatic expressions. In English, we have approximately twenty-five thousand (25,000) idioms.
Yes, that’s a huge number – therefore you will probably never learn them all.
But don’t get frustrated!
Several hundred of the most common and frequently used English idioms with examples are covered and explained on these pages 🙂
Our extensive list of idioms and phrases (scroll down) is extracted from English and American movies. So you can click on each phrase or idiom and see the whole sentence.
Some examples of commonly used idioms
This is a quick list with examples of my favorite English idioms and their meaning:
| IDIOM | MEANING |
| • ring a bell | when somebody looks familiar or something sounds familiar |
| • catch some rays | spending time sunbathing |
| • no brainer | situation when a decision is absolutely clear and doesn’t require any thinking |
| • cut corners | doing something easier way in order to save time, money or effort |
| • bite the bullet | to face a difficult situation with courage |
| • to have a beef with somebody | to have a personal problem with somebody |
| • cut the crap | frequently used phrase if you want to stop somebody who is talking complete nonsense |
| • blow out of the water | completely defeat or destroy somebody or win in certain situation |
| • keep in the dark | to be secretive and keep somebody uninformed about some facts |
| • high roller | person who earns and spends a lot of money |
| • to be on cloud nine | when somebody is extremely happy and satisfied |
Why should you learn English idioms?
Learning idioms can be fun – especially when you compare the meaning of an English idiom to a similar phrase in your native language.
Understanding and using English idioms is a sign of your proficiency and advanced knowledge of English. In addition to sounding “more native”, you will also have better understanding of your favorite movies and TV shows.
For example, if you use some explicit (= vulgar, inappropriate) idioms in a formal conversation (like with your employer), that would probably not be a good idea! The same applies in the opposite situation. Using too formal and polite idioms in an informal environment would also be rather inappropriate.
So in order to learn English idioms correctly, our website offers a lot of context. As a result, you will gain confidence to use them properly.
Our 2-step method:
In order to help you to understand correctly when somebody uses an idiom in a speech or conversation, we have created a concept based on examples from movies.
As you probably know, you can hear lots of idioms in American movies and TV shows.
The method is very simple, yet very effective.
STEP 1. Listen to idioms in short video samples in real-life situations
These are the examples of idioms that you will certainly hear in many conversations with English speakers on a daily basis.
So the best way to master them is to learn them in context in real sentences. And I am pretty sure that the best context is your favorite movie or TV show 🙂
STEP 2. Practice them in short exercises
Collocations | Idioms | Phrasal verbs | Words
LIST OF IDIOMS WITH MEANINGS
| (110 terms) | |
| take a dump | to defecate (slang) |
| whole way | everything |
| get in the sack | to have a sexual affair |
| say the word | ask for something (favor) |
| doom and gloom | very negative outlook, end of the world |
| way to go | used when something is the way it should be, expressing approval |
| sea legs | ability to keep balance on a ship |
| no rush | no need to hurry |
| set for life | to have enough money for the rest of life |
| cheeseball lines | rather stupid or corny talk |
| in one’s power | when someone has the ability to do something, in one’s hands |
| there/here’s the rub | there is the problem |
| high-roller (slang) | somebody who earns and spends a lot of money |
| long shot | something that has only small chance of success |
| hood rat | promiscuous woman from a poor neighborhood |
| at own peril | at own risk |
| make a stand | to express a strong opinion and make an effort to achieve a desired outcome |
| live out of a suitcase | to live only temporarily in many different locations |
| keep your chin up | to remain in good spirit in difficult situation |
| to be cool (with somebody) | not having any problem (with somebody) |
| off the beaten track/path | away from typical tourist areas |
| be on the table | another alternative that may be considered |
| give a go | to try something |
| hit the head | to go to the toilet to pee (slang) |
| lose (one’s) mind | go crazy, to lose control of emotions |
| to suck at something | to have very poor knowledge of something |
| let (somebody) off the hook | to forgive, relieve or to free somebody from the responsibility |
| final score | the last successful robbery |
| to be put together | elegant |
| put on hold | to pause the communication |
| shit the bed | to fail at something |
| make it | to survive |
| big time | when emphasizing a level of a situation |
| slip one’s mind | to forget about something |
| Don’t get flip with me! | Don't be insolent! |
| buy more time | to make more time available |
| press the button | to make woman excited (slang) |
| run like the wind blows | to run very fast |
| be in business | when something is operating OK |
| cerebral stud | highly intelligent man |
| old bag | grumpy old woman |
| set up on my own | to start own business, to become independent |
| make an ass out of yourself | to make a fool out of yourself |
| force (someone’s) hand | to push somebody to do something he/she wouldn't normally do |
| up to par | standard quality |
| be off something | to be out of some activity |
| shut one’s mouth | stop talking |
| watch your language | be careful what you say |
| keep plugging | to keep trying and making effort |
| big fish | important person |
| Life is a bitch | Life is unfair and bad |
| to fit like a round peg | to fit perfectly |
| put your hands together for (someone) | to clap hands, to applause |
| dissecting the eye | to watch something with an extreme interest (slang) |
| get back on one’s feet | regain control of one's life |
| drive crazy | to irritate somebody or make him/her angry |
| to have balls | to have courage |
| keep on leash | to control someone strictly |
| feel boobs | touching female breasts |
| one-night stand | sexual relationship for one night |
| hop in the sack | to start having a sexual pleasure |
| eat (somebody’s) head off | to attack verbally (slang) |
| to crush exams | to do very well on exams |
| in a row | constantly without interruption |
| be on (something) | working on something |
| to be sick and tired | to be completely dissatisfied with some situation |
| roll over in grave | when someone who has already died would be strongly disappointed about what is happening |
| grasp for anything | trying every possible option |
| in a good shape | in good physical condition |
| don’t count your chickens | don't make planes before all circumstances are figured out |
| no strings attached | some activity (usually relationship) where nothing is expected in return or no official attachment |
| be crazy about (someone) | to be strongly in love |
| hanky-panky | immoral, indecent and dishonest behavior |
| pick up where we left off | to continue where the previous activity was stopped |
| three sheets to the wind | drunk |
| sausage fest | party with the majority of male participants |
| Goody Two-Shoes | extremely decent young girl |
| to get laid | to have sex, copulation |
| give a shot | to try something again (one more time) |
| out of left field | unexpectedly and surprisingly |
| go nuts | to go crazy |
| to be cool (with somebody) | not having any problem (with somebody) |
| dirty-talk | vulgar talk, especially about sex |
| to have second thoughts | to be uncertain and undecided |
| kill the vibe | to destroy a good atmosphere |
| do the math | to calculate information in order to understand the situation |
| to have guts | to have a courage for some task |
| way too | too much |
| before the year’s up | before the year ends |
| high-rolling person | person with high income |
| be fine and dandy | to be OK and well |
| crock of shit | complete nonsense |
| let the good times roll | to have a good time (usually sex) |
| for keep | permanently |
| child’s play | easy situation |
| rumor has it | story or information that people are talking about |
| blow out of the water | to be much better in something than anybody else |
| to scare the shit out of (somebody) | to make someone to be really frightened |
| hot girl | pretty and sexy girl |
| jump off the page | to be significantly different from others |
| make a killing | to have a huge success |
| big roll | a lot of money |
| keep in dark | to keep secret, not to tell |
| wish on a star | to make a wish when a star is falling |
| cover the shift | when somebody works instead of other employee |
| leave to dead | to abandon somebody |
| free ride | something that is free |
| seeing somebody | to date somebody |
| pop the question | when a man asks a woman to marry him |
| hell of a lot | huge amount of something |