Top 100 English idioms

spill the beans To reveal a secret or disclose private information, usually accidentally or before the right moment. bite the bullet To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult that you have been putting off. break the ice To do or say something that relieves initial awkwardness and gets a conversation or event started. under the weather Slightly ill or not feeling well. a piece of cake Something very easy to do. cost an arm and a leg To be extremely expensive. let the cat out of the bag To reveal a secret, usually carelessly or by mistake. once in a blue moon Very rarely; almost never. the ball is in your court It is now your turn to act or make the next decision. burn the midnight oil To work or study late into the night. barking up the wrong tree Pursuing a mistaken idea or blaming the wrong person or cause. beat around the bush To avoid saying something directly; to approach a topic indirectly. kill two birds with one stone To achieve two goals with a single action. a blessing in disguise Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be beneficial. cut corners To do something in the cheapest or easiest way, sacrificing quality or safety. hit the nail on the head To describe a situation or problem exactly right. miss the boat To lose an opportunity by being too slow to act. pull someone's leg To tease someone playfully by making them believe something untrue. speak of the devil Said when a person appears just as they are being talked about. the last straw The final small problem that makes a situation unbearable. throw in the towel To give up; to admit defeat. in hot water In trouble; facing punishment or serious criticism. practice makes perfect Repeated practice is the way to master a skill. don't judge a book by its cover Do not judge the worth of something or someone by appearance alone. get out of hand To become uncontrollable; to escalate beyond what was intended. a dime a dozen (US) Anything that is common, inexpensive, and easy to get or available anywhere. back to the drawing board Revising something (such as a plan) from the beginning, typically after it has failed. best of both worlds A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits. break a leg A wish of good luck to theatre performers before going on stage, due to the belief amongst those in theatre that being wished "good luck" is call it a day To declare the end of a task. cold feet Not going through with an action, particularly one which requires long term commitment, due to fear, uncertainty and doubt. couch potato A lazy person. elephant in the room An obvious, pressing issue left unaddressed due to its sensitive nature. fish out of water Refers to a person who is in unfamiliar, and often uncomfortable surroundings. head over heels Be smitten, infatuated. off the hook To escape a situation of responsibility or obligation, or, less frequently, danger. through thick and thin Through all obstacles in a path; in good times and bad times. to steal someone's thunder To preempt someone and rob them of gravitas or attention. To take credit for something someone else did. the whole nine yards Everything; all the way. actions speak louder than words Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review. barking dogs seldom bite People who threaten or complain loudly often don't take action. better late than never Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review. blood is thicker than water Family ties are stronger than any other relationship curiosity killed the cat Excessive curiosity can lead to trouble or danger easier said than done Plans are simpler to propose than to execute every cloud has a silver lining Bad situations have some good aspects haste makes waste Rushing leads to mistakes and loss it takes two to tango Both share responsibility. let sleeping dogs lie Avoid reviving a past conflict or issue no pain, no gain Effort and struggle are necessary for success once bitten, twice shy Having been hurt once, someone is more cautious next time. out of the frying pan and into the fire To move from a bad situation to a worse one the early bird catches the worm Those who act early have an advantage over others. time flies Time passes quickly. add insult to injury Make a bad situation worse. birds of a feather People with similar interests. devil's advocate Someone who argues against an idea to test its validity face the music Deal with the negative consequences of something. go down in flames Fail completely and dramatically go the extra mile Do more than what is required or expected jump on the bandwagon Follow popular trend. keep an eye on Watch or monitor someone or something closely leave no stone unturned To thoroughly investigate or search every possible option on cloud nine Very happy. on the ball Performing well and being in control of a situation on thin ice In a precarious or risky situation out of the blue By surprise. rain cats and dogs Rain heavily. see eye to eye Have similar views. sit on the fence Avoid making a decision. smell a rat Suspect that something is wrong or deceitful so far so good Everything is going well up to this point third wheel An unwanted or awkward person in a group of two throw caution to the wind Be reckless. tip of the iceberg A small part of a larger, often hidden problem up in the air Unresolved. wear one's heart on one's sleeve Openly show one's feelings or emotions when in Rome, do as the Romans do Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review. when pigs fly something is extremely unlikely to happen wolf in sheep's clothing Someone who appears harmless but has evil intentions word of mouth Information or recommendation spread by people talking to each other hit the sack To go to bed. you can't have your cake and eat it too You cannot enjoy two things that are mutually exclusive