Writing Idiom Table
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Usage in Writing |
|---|---|---|
| A blessing in disguise | A good thing that initially seemed bad | Losing that job was a blessing in disguise as it led to better opportunities. |
| Add fuel to the fire | To worsen a situation | His angry comments only added fuel to the fire of the debate. |
| At the drop of a hat | Without any hesitation; instantly | She’s always ready to help at the drop of a hat. |
| Beat around the bush | Avoiding the main topic; not speaking directly about the issue | Instead of beating around the bush, she came straight to the point. |
| Bite the bullet | To endure a painful experience | We have to bite the bullet and make the necessary budget cuts. |
| Break the ice | To initiate a social conversation or interaction | Icebreaker activities can help break the ice in a group discussion. |
| Burn the midnight oil | To work late into the night; to work overtime | He burned the midnight oil to finish the report on time. |
| Cut corners | To do something poorly or cheaply | Cutting corners on construction can lead to serious safety hazards. |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Every bad situation has some good aspect to it | Despite the economic crisis, every cloud has a silver lining, as new markets emerged. |
| Hit the nail on the head | To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem | The analysis hit the nail on the head when identifying the cause of the recession. |
| Leave no stone unturned | To look for something in every possible place | They will leave no stone unturned while investigating the case. |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely | I only go to the cinema once in a blue moon. |
| Pulling someone’s leg | Joking with someone | I was just pulling your leg when I said we had a test today. |
| Spill the beans | To reveal a secret or disclose information prematurely | The press spilled the beans about the company’s upcoming merger. |
| Take with a grain of salt | To not take something too seriously | The results of the study should be taken with a grain of salt due to its limitations. |
| The ball is in your court | It is your decision this time | The ball is in your court now; you have to decide whether to accept the deal. |
| The best of both worlds | To have the advantages of two different things at the same time | Working part-time and studying gives you the best of both worlds. |
| The elephant in the room | An obvious problem or controversial issue that no one wants to discuss | The article discussed the elephant in the room; the city’s crumbling infrastructure. |
| Throw in the towel | To give up; to surrender | After months of struggling, the entrepreneur had to throw in the towel and close her business. |
| When pigs fly | Something that will never happen | He plans to clean his house every day? When pigs fly! |
Speaking Idioms Table
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence or Scenario in Speaking |
|---|---|---|
| A penny for your thoughts | Asking someone to share their thoughts | “You’ve been quiet all evening, a penny for your thoughts?” |
| Actions speak louder than words | People’s actions are more conclusive than their words | “She always says she’ll donate, but actions speak louder than words.” |
| An arm and a leg | Very expensive or costly | “This car cost me an arm and a leg, but it’s worth it.” |
| Back to the drawing board | Start over again on a new design or plan | “Our proposal was rejected, so it’s back to the drawing board.” |
| Bite off more than one can chew | To take on a task that is too big | “I think I bit off more than I can chew with this project.” |
| Call it a day | Stop working on something | “We’ve been at this for hours. Let’s call it a day.” |
| Cat got your tongue? | Why are you not speaking? | “You haven’t said a word about the presentation. Cat got your tongue?” |
| Cry over spilled milk | Complaining about a loss or failure from the past | “I know you’re upset you didn’t get the promotion, but don’t cry over spilled milk.” |
| Get a taste of your own medicine | To receive the same treatment one has given others | “He finally got a taste of his own medicine when nobody helped him.” |
| Go the extra mile | To do more than what is expected of you | “She always goes the extra mile to ensure her customers are happy.” |
| Hit the books | To study very hard or begin studying with a lot of enthusiasm | “Finals are next week; it’s time to hit the books.” |
| Jump on the bandwagon | To follow a trend or join a popular activity | “Everyone’s started using that app; I might as well jump on the bandwagon.” |
| Let the cat out of the bag | To reveal a secret accidentally | “He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.” |
| On the ball | Doing a good job; being prompt and aware of things | “You’re really on the ball with these reports—well done!” |
| Out of the blue | Something happening unexpectedly | “I was surprised when, out of the blue, she asked me to travel with her.” |
| Piece of cake | Something that is very easy to do | “I thought the test would be difficult, but it was a piece of cake.” |
| Put all your eggs in one basket | To risk everything on a single opportunity | “Investing all your money in one company is like putting all your eggs in one basket.” |
| See eye to eye | To agree fully; to have the same opinion | “We don’t always see eye to eye on politics, but we respect each other.” |
| The tip of the iceberg | A small part of a much larger issue | “The issues we see now are just the tip of the iceberg.” |
| Under the weather | Feeling ill or sick | “I’m feeling a bit under the weather; I think I’ll stay home today.” |