Alt Idiomas

50 Most Commonly Used Idioms

50 Most Commonly Used Idioms

A List of the most commonly used English idioms

 

A hot potato

Speak of an issue which many people are talking about and which is usually disputed

A penny for your thoughts

A way of asking what someone is thinking

Actions speak louder than words

People’s intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say

Add insult to injury

To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation

An arm and a leg

Very expensive or costly. A large amount of money

At the drop of a hat

Meaning: without any hesitation; instantly

Back to the drawing board

When an attempt fails and it’s time to start all over

Ball is in your court

It is up to you to make the next decision or step

Barking up the wrong tree

Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person

Be glad to see the back of

Be happy when a person leaves

Beat around the bush

Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue

Best of both worlds

Meaning: All the advantages

Best thing since sliced bread

A good invention or innovation. A good idea or plan

Bite off more than you can chew

To take on a task that is way too big.

Blessing in disguise

Something good that isn’t recognized at first

Burn the midnight oil

To work late into the night, alluding to the time before electric lighting

Can’t judge a book by its cover

Cannot judge something primarily on appearance

Caught between two stools

When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives

Costs an arm and a leg

This idiom is used when something is very expensive

Cross that bridge when you come to it

Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before

Cry over spilt milk

When you complain about a loss from the past

Curiosity killed the cat

Being Inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation

Cut corners

When something is done badly to save money

Cut the mustard

To succeed; to come up to expectations; adequate enough to compete or participate

Devil’s Advocate

To present a counter argument

Don’t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched

This idiom is used to express “Don’t make plans for something that might not happen”

Don’t give up the day job

You are not very good at something. You could definitely not do it professionally

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Do not put all your resources in one possibility

Drastic times call for drastic measures

When you are extremely desperate you need to take drastic actions

Elvis has left the building

The show has come to an end. It’s all over

Every cloud has a silver lining

Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days

Far cry from

Very different from

Feel a bit under the weather

Meaning: Feeling slightly ill

Give the benefit of the doubt

Believe someone’s statement, without proof

Hear it on the grapevine

This idiom means ‘to hear rumors’ about something or someone

Hit the nail on the head

Do or say something exactly right

Hit the sack / sheets / hay

To go to bed

In the heat of the moment

Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment

It takes two to tango

Actions or communications need more than one person

Jump on the bandwagon

Join a popular trend or activity

Keep something at bay

Keep something away

Kill two birds with one stone

This idiom means, to accomplish two different things at the same time

Last straw

The final problem in a series of problems

Let sleeping dogs lie

Do not disturb a situation as it is – since it would result in trouble or complications

Let the cat out of the bag

To share information that was previously concealed

Make a long story short

Come to the point – leave out details

Method to my madness

An assertion that, despite one’s approach seeming random, there actually is structure to it

Miss the boat

This idiom is used to say that someone missed his or her chance

Not a spark of decency

Meaning: No manners

Not playing with a full deck

Someone who lacks intelligence

Off one’s rocker

Crazy, demented, out of one’s mind, in a confused or befuddled state of mind, senile

On the ball

When someone understands the situation well

Once in a blue moon

Meaning: Happens very rarely

Picture paints a thousand words

A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words

Piece of cake

A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple

Put wool over other people’s eyes

This means to deceive someone into thinking well of them

See eye to eye

This idiom is used to say that two (or more people) agree on something

Sit on the fence

This is used when someone does not want to choose or make a decision

Speak of the devil!

This expression is used when the person you have just been talking about arrives

Steal someone’s thunder

To take the credit for something someone else did

Take with a grain of salt

This means not to take what someone says too seriously

Taste of your own medicine

Means that something happens to you, or is done to you, that you have done to someone else

To hear something straight from the horse’s mouth

To hear something from the right  source

Whole nine yards

Everything. All of it

Wouldn’t be caught dead

Would never like to do something

Your guess is as good as mine

To have no idea, do not know the answer to a question