American English Idioms Reference List

Understanding Idioms

• Idioms are phrases where the meaning differs from the literal interpretation.
• Learning idiomatic expressions enriches communication, providing depth and nuance.
• Familiarity with idioms helps in understanding colloquial language in daily conversations, literature, and media.
• Mastering idioms improves fluency and comprehension, enabling smoother interactions and cultural appreciation.

Common Idioms A-B

• A big shot: an important person; e.g., having lunch with an executive.
• A bone to pick: a complaint to address; e.g., dispute over plant care.
• A pain in the neck/rear: an annoying individual or situation; e.g., constant bother.
• A snap: very easy; e.g., making cookies from a mix.
• Across the board: affecting everyone or every situation; e.g., uniform attendance policy.
• Actions speak louder than words: behavior shows intentions more than verbal claims; e.g., volunteering highlights commitment.
• All ears: eager to listen; e.g., attentive during a conversation.
• All in the same boat: sharing similar circumstances; e.g., students facing the same deadline.
• As easy as pie: very simple; e.g., class expected to be straightforward.
• Back to the drawing board: return to the planning stage; e.g., reevaluating unsuccessful plans.
• Burn the midnight oil: stay up late working; e.g., preparing for deadlines.

Idioms C-D

• Call it a day: stop working for the day; e.g., completing tasks and going home.
• Catch some Z’s: go to sleep; e.g., needing rest after a tiring day.
• Caught red-handed: caught in the act of wrongdoing; e.g., cheating during an exam.
• Clean as a whistle: very clean; e.g., mopping daily for cleanliness.
• Clean slate: starting fresh; e.g., receiving a second chance after an apology.
• Cold feet: nervousness before significant events; e.g., feeling anxious before a wedding.
• Cold turkey: quitting a habit suddenly; e.g., stopping junk food abruptly.
• Cost an arm and a leg: very expensive; e.g., high cost of a luxury car.
• Crunch time: critical deadline approach; e.g., high-pressure periods before exams.
• Curiosity killed the cat: excessive curiosity can lead to trouble; e.g., risky exploration leading to danger.
• Days are numbered: limited time remaining for something; e.g., facing consequences in sports.

Idioms E-G

• Fall for it: being tricked; e.g., falling for a practical joke.
• Fly off the handle: losing temper unexpectedly; e.g., getting extremely angry in class.
• Follow in the footsteps of: imitating someone admired; e.g., taking a job like a respected parent.
• From scratch: starting from the beginning; e.g., making muffins without a mix.
• Get a kick out of something: enjoying something; e.g., delighting in friends’ happiness.
• Get with the program: becoming aware of what's important; e.g., needing to focus on tasks.
• Give one’s right arm: willingness to sacrifice greatly; e.g., helping those in need.
• Give someone a hand: to assist or applaud; e.g., helping with chores or celebrating achievements.
• Go against the grain: acting contrary to expectations; e.g., social protests.
• Go bananas: becoming extremely excited; e.g., celebrating a good exam result.

Idioms H-J

• Have one's hands full: being very busy; e.g., juggling multiple responsibilities.
• Hit the books: studying hard; e.g., reviewing materials before a test.
• Hit the nail on the head: being precisely accurate; e.g., correctly identifying reasons for fatigue.
• Hit the spot: satisfying a craving; e.g., enjoying a long-desired dessert.
• Hold your horses: urge for patience; e.g., awaiting food completion.
• In ages: after a long time; e.g., not seeing a movie in a long while.
• In over one’s head: taking on too much; e.g., balancing excessive responsibilities.
• In the nick of time: just in time; e.g., submitting an assignment right before the deadline.
• It’s a piece of cake: very easy task; e.g., finding an exam straightforward.
• John Hancock: signature; e.g., completing a contract with a signature.
• Jump the gun: acting prematurely; e.g., starting a story without approval.

Idioms K-M

• Know by heart: memorized information; e.g., familiarity with important contact numbers.
• Know the ropes: understanding how things work; e.g., new students learning procedures.
• Make ends meet: managing to survive financially; e.g., struggling with budget limitations.
• Scare the living daylights out of: greatly frightening someone; e.g., surprising someone unexpectedly.
• Sick as a dog: severe illness; e.g., experiencing discomfort from spoiled food.
• Skeleton in the closet: a secret; e.g., hidden family issues.
• Sleeping like a baby: sleeping soundly; e.g., enjoying deep sleep.
• Sleeping like a log: very deep sleep; e.g., not awakening until morning.
• Smell a rat: suspecting deceit; e.g., having doubts about a coworker’s intentions.
• Spick and span: immaculately clean; e.g., thoroughly cleaning a room.
• Stab in the back: betrayal; e.g., harming a friend’s trust.
• Stick one’s neck out: taking risks for others; e.g., supporting a controversial proposal.
• Sweet tooth: desire for sweets; e.g., craving for candies.

Idioms T-Z

• Talking in circles: unclear communication; e.g., repeating points without clarity.
• That does not hold water: unsupported reasoning; e.g., a flawed argument lacking evidence.
• That is a bunch of baloney: referring to nonsense; e.g., dismissing unfounded rumors.