Idiomatic expressions are special phrases whose meanings are different from the actual meanings of the words they contain. They make the English language more colorful, expressive, and natural. Learning these expressions helps students and learners understand everyday conversations, movies, books, and speeches more easily. They also make your own speaking and writing sound more fluent and confident. In this article, you will learn some common idiomatic expressions in English with their meanings and pictures to make learning simple and enjoyable. These expressions will help you express ideas clearly and connect better with others in real-life situations.
Explore Idiomatic Expressions with Their Meaning
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break the ice | To start a conversation in a friendly way |
| Bite the bullet | To accept something unpleasant |
| Hit the nail on the head | Describe something accurately |
| Spill the beans | Reveal a secret |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Disclose something accidentally |
| A blessing in disguise | Something good that seemed bad initially |
| Piece of cake | Something very easy |
| Under the weather | Feeling sick |
| Burn the midnight oil | Work late at night |
| Once in a blue moon | Something rare |
| The ball is in your court | It’s your turn to act |
| On thin ice | Taking a risk |
| Pull someone’s leg | Joke with someone |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Very expensive |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Take with a grain of salt | Don’t take something too seriously |
| Back to square one | Start over |
| Cut corners | Do something badly to save time or money |
| Through thick and thin | Support someone in good and bad times |
| Jump on the bandwagon | Join something popular |
Explore Idiomatic Expressions with Their Meaning
Master Idiomatic Expressions and Their Images
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break a leg | Good luck |
| Go the extra mile | Put in extra effort |
| In a pickle | In a difficult situation |
| Cry over spilled milk | Worry over something that cannot be changed |
| Put all your eggs in one basket | Rely on one thing |
| Burn bridges | Destroy relationships |
| Keep your chin up | Stay positive |
| Over the moon | Extremely happy |
| On cloud nine | Very happy |
| Let sleeping dogs lie | Avoid restarting old conflicts |
| Backseat driver | Someone giving unwanted advice |
| Head in the clouds | Daydreaming |
| The icing on the cake | Something that makes a good situation better |
| Beat around the bush | Avoid saying something directly |
| A dime a dozen | Very common |
| Pull yourself together | Calm down |
| By the skin of your teeth | Barely succeed |
| Bite off more than you can chew | Take on too much |
| Rome wasn’t built in a day | Good things take time |
| Eleventh hour | At the last possible moment |
Master Idiomatic Expressions and Their Images
100 Idiomatic Expressions in English with Meanings
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Throw in the towel | Give up |
| Out of the blue | Unexpectedly |
| Under the radar | Not noticed |
| Cut to the chase | Get to the point |
| Read between the lines | Understand the hidden meaning |
| Off the hook | Free from trouble |
| The early bird catches the worm | Being early gives advantages |
| Fish out of water | Uncomfortable in a situation |
| Bite your tongue | Avoid saying something |
| A slap on the wrist | A light punishment |
| At the drop of a hat | Immediately |
| Apple of one’s eye | Someone cherished |
| Get cold feet | Become nervous |
| In the nick of time | Just in time |
| Go cold turkey | Stop abruptly |
| Kick the bucket | Die |
| Put your foot in your mouth | Say something embarrassing |
| Rule of thumb | General principle |
| Out of your depth | Beyond your abilities |
| Throw caution to the wind | Take a risk |
100 Idiomatic Expressions in English with Meanings
Idiomatic Expression with Their Meanings
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| On the ball | Alert and efficient |
| Up in the air | Uncertain |
| Go down in flames | Fail badly |
| Keep your eyes peeled | Be alert |
| Play it by ear | Decide as you go |
| Take the plunge | Commit to something risky |
| Bend over backwards | Try hard to help |
| Break even | Neither lose nor gain |
| Call it a day | Stop working |
| Back to the drawing board | Start over |
| Get the ball rolling | Start something |
| In a nutshell | In short |
| Sit on the fence | Be undecided |
| Hit the sack | Go to sleep |
| On cloud seven | Extremely happy |
| Keep your nose clean | Avoid trouble |
| By and large | Generally speaking |
| Off the cuff | Without preparation |
| On the fence | Undecided |
| Out of the woods | Out of trouble |
Idiomatic Expression with Their Meanings
Popular Idiomatic Expression and Meanings
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A picture paints a thousand words | A visual conveys more than words |
| Break the news | Tell important news |
| Go for broke | Risk everything |
| The best of both worlds | Enjoying two advantages |
| Call the shots | Be in control |
| Back to basics | Return to fundamentals |
| A penny for your thoughts | Asking what someone is thinking |
| Out of sight, out of mind | Forgotten when not present |
| Let your hair down | Relax and enjoy |
| Under your belt | Achieved something |
| Bend the rules | Be flexible with rules |
| The tip of the iceberg | A small part of a bigger problem |
| Keep someone at arm’s length | Keep someone away |
| On the same page | In agreement |
| Under the gun | Under pressure |
| To hit the jackpot | To succeed greatly |
| Cut the mustard | Meet expectations |
| The whole nine yards | Everything possible |
| Bite the dust | Fail or die |
| A blessing in disguise | Something good that seemed bad initially |
Popular Idiomatic Expressions in English and Meanings
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