Idioms are special expressions that carry meanings different from the exact words used, and they make a language more colorful and interesting. American idioms are commonly used in daily conversations, movies, and books, which makes them very useful to learn for students and English learners. For example, phrases like “break the ice” or “hit the books” do not mean what they say directly but have a deeper meaning in context. In this blog post, we will explore popular American idioms in English with their meanings and pictures to help learners understand and use them with ease in everyday situations.
Explore American idioms in English with Pictures
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break the ice | Start a conversation easily |
| Hit the books | Begin studying seriously |
| Under the weather | Feeling sick |
| Piece of cake | Very easy task |
| Spill the beans | Reveal a secret |
| Bite the bullet | Face something difficult |
| The ball is in your court | It’s your decision now |
| Call it a day | Stop working for now |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Very expensive |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rare |
| Hit the sack | Go to sleep |
| A blessing in disguise | Something good in disguise |
| Beat around the bush | Avoid the main point |
| Burn the midnight oil | Work late at night |
| Hit the nail on the head | Say something exactly right |
| Jump on the bandwagon | Follow a trend |
| Keep an eye on | Watch carefully |
| Make ends meet | Manage expenses |
| On the same page | Agree with each other |
| Throw in the towel | Give up |
Explore American idioms in English with Pictures
100 American Idioms in English and images
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break a leg | Good luck |
| Cold feet | Nervous before doing something |
| Cut to the chase | Get to the point |
| Down to earth | Practical and humble |
| Easier said than done | Harder to do than say |
| Get out of hand | Become difficult to control |
| Go the extra mile | Put in more effort |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Keep your chin up | Stay positive |
| Light at the end of the tunnel | Hope after difficulty |
| Make a long story short | Tell briefly |
| No pain, no gain | Hard work is needed for success |
| On cloud nine | Extremely happy |
| Out of the blue | Unexpectedly |
| Play it by ear | Decide as things happen |
| Rome wasn’t built in a day | Success takes time |
| The tip of the iceberg | Small part of a bigger issue |
| Time flies | Time passes quickly |
| Under pressure | Feeling stressed |
| Zip your lip | Stay quiet |
100 American Idioms in English and images
Essential American Idioms and Meanings in English
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Add fuel to the fire | Make a bad situation worse |
| All ears | Listening carefully |
| At the drop of a hat | Immediately |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Blaming the wrong person |
| Bite off more than you can chew | Take on too much |
| Cross that bridge when you come to it | Deal with problems later |
| Don’t cry over spilled milk | Don’t worry about the past |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Good comes after bad |
| Face the music | Accept the result |
| Give someone the cold shoulder | Ignore someone |
| Go down in flames | Fail badly |
| Hang in there | Don’t give up |
| In the nick of time | At the last moment |
| Jump the gun | Start too early |
| Keep your word | Do what you promised |
| Leave no stone unturned | Try everything possible |
| Out of the woods | Free from trouble |
| Pull yourself together | Calm down |
| Speak of the devil | The person appears while being talked about |
| Up in the air | Uncertain |
Essential American Idioms and Meanings in English
Popular Idiom in English and Their Meanings
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A dime a dozen | Very common |
| Actions speak louder than words | What you do matters more |
| At your wits’ end | Very stressed |
| Back to square one | Start over |
| Barking mad | Very crazy |
| By the skin of your teeth | Just barely |
| Don’t put all your eggs in one basket | Don’t depend on one plan |
| Drop the ball | Make a mistake |
| Easy as pie | Very simple |
| Fall flat | Fail completely |
| From scratch | Start fresh |
| Get your act together | Improve your behavior |
| Go with the flow | Adjust easily |
| Hit the road | Leave |
| In black and white | Clear and written |
| Keep your fingers crossed | Hope for the best |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Share a secret |
| Out of this world | Amazing |
| Read between the lines | Understand the hidden meaning |
| Small talk | Casual conversation |
Popular Idioms in English and Their Meanings
American Idiom with Their Meaning
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Step up your game | Improve performance |
| Think outside the box | Be creative |
| Turn a blind eye | Ignore something |
| Under your nose | Very obvious |
| Burn bridges | End relationships permanently |
| Cold turkey | Quit suddenly |
| Cut corners | Do something cheaply or carelessly |
| Drive someone crazy | Annoy greatly |
| Eye opener | Something surprising |
| Fish out of water | Uncomfortable in a situation |
| Go for broke | Take a big risk |
| Hit rock bottom | Reach the lowest point |
| In over your head | Too much responsibility |
| Jack of all trades | Skilled in many areas |
| Keep it simple | Don’t complicate |
| Leave someone hanging | Not give an answer |
| On the fence | Unable to decide |
| Put all your cards on the table | Be honest |
| Ring a bell | Sound familiar |
| Throw caution to the wind | Take a risk |
American Idioms in English with Their Meanings
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