Common English Idioms and Phrases

Idioms and Phrases

• Hold in abeyance means in suspense; for example, university results being held pending further notice.
• Absolve of means to be free from blame; for example, the police absolving someone of all blame.
• Access to refers to the means to approach; for example, students having free access to the library.
• Account for means to give a reason; for example, teachers accounting for student failure.
• Achilles' heel refers to a weakness; for example, greed being someone's weak point.
• Ad nauseam means again and again; for example, a topic being discussed repeatedly.
• All agog means very keen; for example, fans being eager to see an actress.
• Aim at means directed; for example, an advertisement being targeted at children.
• Alive to means knowing or being aware of; for example, the modern generation being aware of technology.
• Alter ego refers to a close friend; for example, someone referring to a friend as their alter ego.
• Apples and oranges are two opposite things; for example, terrorism and peace being opposites.
• At one's beck and call means ready to help; for example, a minister wanting someone available to help them.
• Autumn of life refers to old age; for example, someone reaching old age.
• Averse to means having a great dislike; for example, someone disliking criticism.
• Back the wrong horse means supporting the wrong choice; for example, never backing the wrong choice.
• Backfire means to have an opposite effect; for example, a plan backfiring and disappointing someone.
• Bag of nerves means timid and tense; for example, someone being described as a bag of nerves.
• Balmy days refer to pleasant times; for example, childhood memories.
• Bank on means depend on; for example, "I can always bank on my friends".
• Barrage of questions means "many"; for example, "The reporter shot a barrage of questions at the Minister".
• Bell the cat means to tackle danger; for example, "Who is ready to bell the cat?"
• Bend one's knees means submit, yield; for example, "India will never bend its knees to any other country".
• Blanket ban means complete; for example, "We should impose a blanket ban on smoking in public".
• Blessing in Disguise refers to something good that initially seemed bad.
• Bonanza time means the time to make profit; for example, "Pongal is bonanza time for all businessmen".
• Cardinal point means a chief quality; for example, "Honesty was the cardinal point of Gandhi's life".
• Carte blanche means full freedom.
• Chill out means to spend time aimlessly.
• Claw one's way out means to recover; for example, "By hard work, we can claw our way out of any crisis".
• Cut-throat competition means tough competition.
• Crowning glory means the best part.
• A Cut above implies being superior.
• Dance to one's tune means completely follow another's order.
• De novo means anew, again.
• De rigueur means in fashion.
• Dicey business means dangerous thing; for example, "Dictatorship is a dicey business".
• Dilly-dally means waste time aimlessly; for example, "The teacher asked the students not to dilly-dally but study for the exams".
• Dollar diplomacy refers to using money power to influence other countries.
• Donkey's years means since a very long time.
• Draconian law refers to a severe and tough law.
• Easier said than done means difficult to put into practice.
• Epoch-making means great, significant.
• Eyesore describes something ugly.
• Face the music means face the bad results of an action.
• Fair and square means completely.
• Fall in with means agree to.
• Feast one's eyes on means look at with pleasure.
• Feather one's nest means make illicit money.
• Feel the pulse means know.
• Fizzle out means end or fail.
• Gargantuan status means very high.
• Glimmer of hope means slight, faint.
• Glitterati refers to the elite and fashionable people.
• Grapple with means to face a problem.
• Ground reality refers to the basic reality.
• Grease the palm means to bribe a person.
• Gruelling work schedule refers to a tiring schedule.
• Galvanise the masses means energise or activate them.
• Generate euphoria means to create great excitement.
• Ghost of a chance means no chance.
• A Hallmark refers to a special feature.
• Hassle-free means without trouble.
• Hawkish policy refers to an aggressive policy.
• Heart-breaking means causing distress.
• Hire and fire means employ for a short time.
• Hone up means sharpen, make more efficient.
• Ill at ease means uncomfortable.
• Iron hand means with ruthlessness.
• In absentia means not present.
• In tow means accompanying.
• In tandem means one after another
• Jeering crowd means rude and mocking.
• Jaws of death implies a narrow escape.
• Kick in the teeth means a great setback.
• Lame duck means unsuccessful man.
• Man of honour refers to someone of right action and conduct.
• Man of straw means a bogus person.
• Nip in the bud means kill in the beginning.
• Opt out means not to participate.
• Oil the wheels means to make smooth.
• On the same wavelength means equal or of the same type.
• Optical illusion means not in existence.
• Pare down means cut off, reduce.
• Pigeon-hearted means timid, weak.
• Play down something means minimize, lessen.
• Plumb new depths means get worse.
• Push the panic button means require immediate help.
• Quantum jump means abrupt change.
• A rainbow coalition is a formation of different parties.
• Ride for a fall means resulting in defeat.
• A rough ride means bad time.
• Rule the roost means in total control.
• Sandwiched between means squeezed between.
• Second to none means incomparable, best.
• Skeletons in the cupboard are dirty secrets.
• A tall order is an unacceptable demand.
• Under the umbrella means protection.
• Volte-face means make a turn around.
• White elephant is a useless possession.
• Zero in means fix one's attention.

Proverbs

• Flattery is not gold.
• To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first.
• Sweet are the food of fools.
• Stitch in time saves nine.
• A rolling stone gathers no moss.
• Cleanliness is next to godliness.
• Familiarity breeds contempt.
• Necessity is the mother of invention.
• Patience and perseverance will overcome mountains.
• Bad workmen complains of their tools.
• Look before you leap.
• As you sow ,so you reap.
• A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
• New brooms sweep clean.
• What cannot be cured, must be endured
• Waste not, want not.
• Do unto others as you would be done by.
• Even the wicked hate wickedness
• One swallow does not make a summer.
• Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
• The apparel oft proclaims the man.
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave
• Birds of a feather flock together.
• Where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise.
• The path of duty is the way to glory.
• As you think, so you become.
• Life is not a bed of roses.
• Blood is thicker than water.
• Know a man by the company he keeps.
• Prevention is better than cure.
• Rome was not built in a day.
• Better late than never.
• as you make your bed so you must lie.
• Too many cooks spoil the broth.
• Make hay while the sun shines.
• Where there's a will, there's a way.
• Still waters run deep.
• Empty vessels make the most noise.
• Every cloud has a silver lining.
• Spare the rod and spoil the child.
• Pride goes before a fall.
• United we stand, divided we fall.
• A burnt child dreads the fire.
• Do not put all your eggs in one basket.
• Slow and steady wins the race.
• Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
• Necessity is the mother of invention.
• An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
• He who follows two hares catches neither.
• The early bird catches the worm.
• All roads lead to Rome.
• A live ass is better than a dead lion.
• Open rebuke is better than secret love.
• The pen is mightier than the sword.
• A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend.
• Time and tide wait for no man.
• Wisdom is too high, look before you leap.
• Give every man thy ear,but few thy voice.
• A great fortune in the hands of one who knows not what to do is a great misfortune.
• The dog that bites does not bark.
• They always talk, who never think.
• Man proposes, God disposes.
• Fools rush in where angels fear to dread.
• He that climbs too high, is sure to fall
• A friend in need is a friend indeed.
• A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.
• Industry will keep you from want
• A drowning man will catch at a straw.
• Time makes worst enemies, God disposes.
• Man proposes to be father of the man.
• Speech is silver, silence is golden.
• To err is human, to forgive is divine.
• The child is friends.