Most Popular Idioms List |  | Index of Common Phrases
|  | # GoEnglish.com's Most Popular List of Idioms and Phrases
Send Me The GoEnglish Weekly Preview of English Idioms
A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush "Dan has asked me to go to a party with him. What if my boyfriend finds out?" Reply: "Don't go. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." A Blessing In Disguise "My car broke down again, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise; I've been wasting too much time driving around anyway." A Chip On Your Shoulder "What's bothering that guy?" Answer: "Nothing; he's just got a chip on the shoulder." A Dime A Dozen "I don't need friends like him; they are a dime a dozen." A Drop In The Bucket "I'd like to do something to change the world but whatever I do seems like a drop in the bucket." A Fool And His Money Are Easily Parted Example: "Her husband can't seem to hold onto any amount of money; he either spends it or loses it. A fool and his money are easily parted." A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned "I'm going to give you $20 but I want you to put it in the bank; a penny saved is a penny earned!" A Piece Of Cake "Do you think you will win your tennis match today?" Answer: "It will be a piece of cake." A Shot In The Dark "That was such a difficult question! How did you get it right?" Reply: "I just took a shot in the dark." A Slap On The Wrist "He should be in jail for what he did, but he got off with just a slap on the wrist." A Slip Of The Tongue "Be careful talking to the police tomorrow; one slip of the tongue could get us into big trouble." A Taste Of Your Own Medicine "It looks like she got a taste of her own medicine." A Toss-Up "Do you think they'll make it one time?" Answer: "I really don't know. It's a toss-up." A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing "Don't trust the salespeople at that store; they are all wolves in sheep's clothing!" About Face "Do an about face, get back in that bathroom, and brush your teeth!" Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder "The time we spend apart has been good for us; absence makes the heart grow fonder." Actions Speak Louder Than Words "Don't tell me how to do this; show me! Actions speak louder than words." Add Fuel To The Fire "I would like to do something to help, but I don't want to add fuel to the fire." Against The Clock "We worked against the clock all day to get this report done by 5PM." Against The Grain "I jog at this track everyday and there is always that one guy who has to go against the grain and run in the opposite direction." All Bark And No Bite "The new manager threatened to fire me but I know he won't do it; he is all bark and no bite." All Greek "Did you understand what he just said?" Reply: "Nope. It was all Greek to me." All In The Same Boat "We can't fight against each other; we need to work together. We're all in the same boat!" All That Glitters Is Not Gold "Be careful when shopping for your new car; all that glitters is not gold!" All Thumbs "Hey! You are pouring my coffee on the table!" Reply: "Oh, I'm so sorry! I have been all thumbs today." An Arm And A Leg "Be careful with that watch; it cost me an arm and a leg." An Axe To Grind "I have an axe to grind with you." Answer: "Oh no; what did I do wrong?" Arm In Arm "What a nice afternoon. We walked arm in arm along the beach for hours." Around The Block "You kids are too young to fall in love: Wait until you have been around the block a time or two." As Blind As A Bat "Without his glasses, my father is as blind as a bat." As High As A Kite "The ball got stuck up there on the roof. It's as high as a kite." As Light As A Feather "Wow, you lift that box so easily!" Reply: "Oh, come on. It is as light as a feather." At The Drop Of A Hat "Would you travel around the world if you had the money?" Answer: "At the drop of a hat." At Wit's End "We have been at wit's end trying to figure out how we are going to pay our taxes." Back To The Drawing Board "It looks like my plan to kill the weeds in the garden has failed. Back to the drawing board." Barking Up The Wrong Tree "I have been trying to solve this math problem for 30 minutes but I think I've been barking up the wrong tree." Beat A Dead Horse "There's no use in beating a dead horse." Beating Around The Bush "If you want to ask me, just ask; don't beat around the bush." Bend Over Backwards "We bent over backwards to help him, and he never even thanked us!" Better Late Than Never "Sorry I was late for the meeting today; I got stuck in traffic." Answer: "That's okay; better late than never." Between A Rock And A Hard Place "I'd like to help you but I am stuck between a rock and a hard place." Birds Of A Feather Flock Together "Look; the volleyball players are eating at the same table together, as always." Answer: "Birds of a feather flock together." Bite Off More Than You Can Chew "I thought I could finish this report within one month, but it looks like I have bitten off more than I can chew." Bite Your Tongue "Whenever that professor says something I don't like, I have to bite my tongue." Blood Is Thicker Than Water "When my best friend and my brother got in a fight I had to help my brother; blood is thicker than water." Break Down "Did your car break down again?" Break In "They broke in to my apartment when I was gone, and they took everything!" Break The Tie "Whoever wins in Florida will have enough votes to break the tie." Burn Your Bridges "I wish you hadn't been rude to that man just now; he is very important in this town and you shouldn't go around burning bridges." Burning The Candle At Both Ends "Ever since this new project started I have been burning the candle at both ends. I can't take much more of it." Burning The Midnight Oil "Our son has been working hard preparing for his final exams!" Answer: "Yes, he's been up each night burning the midnight oil." Call It Off "Tonight's game was called off because of the rain." Can't Cut The Mustard "Bob dropped out of medical school; he couldn't cut the mustard." Cold Turkey "I want to quit drinking right now. As of this moment, I am going cold turkey." Come Hell Or High Water "Will you be at the family reunion next year?" Answer: "Yes- we'll be there, come hell or high water!" Cross Your Fingers "Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best!" Cry Over Spilt Milk "Let's not go crying over spilt milk." Cry Wolf "That kid on the other team just fell down; it looks like he might be hurt!" Answer: "He's not hurt; he's just crying wolf." Curiosity Killed The Cat "Hey, I wonder what's down that street; it looks awfully dark and creepy." Answer: "Let's not try to find out. Curiosity killed the cat." Dead Heat "It looks like were going to have to find another way to decide a winner. That one was a dead heat." Dog-Eat-Dog "I have been in this business for twenty years. It's dog-eat-dog; the competition is always trying to steal your customers." Don't Count Your Chickens Until They're Hatched "Next Friday I will be able to pay you back that money I owe you." Answer: "I won't be counting my chickens..." Don't Look A Gift Horse In The Mouth "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth! When you buy your own beers you can decide what brand you want." Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket "The best way to gamble is to only bet small amounts of money and never put all your eggs in one basket." Down To The Wire "It looks like this race is going to come right down to the wire!" Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures "Sales have been slow and we had to let go three of our employees; drastic times call for drastic measures." Dry Spell "Sam is a great salesman, though lately he's been having a bit of a dry spell." Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining "I found a new job after all and I like this one much better than the last!" Answer: "You see, every cloud has a silver lining." Everything But The Kitchen Sink "Whenever we go camping my wife wants to bring everything but the kitchen sink!" Fair And Fair Alike "Michael stayed home to take care of your sister last night, so tonight it is your turn. Fair and fair alike." Finding Your Feet "Don't worry about it. We will help you while you are finding your feet." Fixed In Your Ways "Sometimes it is hard to accept that your parents are fixed in their ways." Flash In The Pan "What a great first year he had, but after that... nothing!" Answer: "Just another flash in the pan." From Rags To Riches "My uncle is a real rags to riches story." Get Over It "I was very sick yesterday, but I got over it quickly." Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed "Don't start yelling at me just because you got up on the wrong side of the bed." Give Him The Slip "My brother will be at the movie tonight. Afterwards, let's give him the slip and go to a party." Go For Broke "The way to be successful is to decide exactly what you want, then go for broke." Great Minds Think Alike "I have decided that this summer I am going to learn how to scuba dive." Answer: "Me too! I have already paid for the course. Great minds think alike!" Haste Makes Waste "You should always take your time when doing your taxes and check your numbers very carefully; haste makes waste." Have No Idea "I can't find my keys. I have no idea where I put them." He Lost His Head "Okay- I'll tell you what happened. But don't lose your head." Head Over Heels "I have been head over heels about my girlfriend since the day I met her." Icing On The Cake "I've been accepted by the university, and they've offered me a position on the basketball team!" Answer: "That's wonderful! Icing on the cake." Idle Hands Are The Devil's Tools "It makes me nervous to see those kids outside just standing around; idle hands are the devils tools!" If It's Not One Thing, It's Another "First the car broke down, and now I can't find my keys! If it's not one thing, it's another!" In And Out "I know this city in and out." In Over Your Head "Go ahead and lead the meeting today; I'll help you out if you get in over your head." In The Dark "Did you know that today was her birthday?" Answer: "No, I was in the dark." In The Doghouse "You kids will be in the doghouse with your mother after that mess you made in her garden!" In The Heat Of The Moment "Sorry about what I said; I got caught up in the heat of the moment." It Takes Two To Tango "Her husband is awful; they fight all the time." Answer: "It takes two to tango." It's A Small World "Hey, it's funny seeing you here." Reply: "It's a small world." Its Anyone's Call "Who do you think will win this election?" Answer: "Its anyone's call." Keep An Eye On Him "I have to run to the bathroom. Can you keep an eye on my suitcase while I am gone?" Labor Of Love "Taking care of this dog is a labor of love." Lend Me Your Ear "Friends, Romans, countrymen; lend me your ear." Let Bygones Be Bygones "You and I have had our disagreements; let's let bygones be bygones." Let Sleeping Dogs Lie "I wanted to ask her what she thought of her ex-husband, but I figured it was better to let sleeping dogs lie." Let The Cat Out Of The Bag "Bob didn't tell anyone that he was sick, but his wife let the cat out of the bag." Mad As A Hatter "Everybody in my family knew that our uncle was as mad as a hatter." Method To My Madness "Give me a moment to explain; there is method to my madness." Neck And Neck "They're coming around the final corner. They're neck and neck!" Neither A Borrower, Nor A Lender Be "Could you lend me twenty dollars?" Answer: "Sorry, neither a borrower nor a lender be." Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You "We have been your best customers for years. How could you suddenly treat us so rudely? You should never bite the hand that feeds you." Nose Out Of Joint "We were only joking; don't get your nose out of joint." Not A Chance "Do you think you will be able to finish your report by five o'clock today?" Answer: "Not a chance. I'll be busy in meetings all day." Off Limits "Guns are off limits within New York City." Off On The Wrong Foot "Let's try to start on time tomorrow and get off on the right foot." Off The Hook "You're lucky; it turns out that Dad never heard you come in late last night." Answer: "Great, that means I'm off the hook!" On Pins And Needles "Jean was on pins and needles the whole time her father was in the hospital." On The Fence "Has he decided whether he will take the job yet?" Answer: "No, he's still on the fence." On The Same Page "Before we make any decisions today, I'd like to make sure that everyone is on the same page." On Top Of The World "What a great time we had that night; we were on top of the world!" On Your Last Leg "I would be glad to sell you my car, but I must tell you that it is on its last leg." On Your Mind "You have been on my mind all day." One For The Road "Bartender- I'll have one more whiskey for the road." Out And About "Where have you been all day?" Answer: "Oh, out and about." Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind "I meant to read that book, but as soon as I put it down, I forgot about it." Answer: "Out of sight, out of mind." Out Of The Blue "Why did she do that?" Answer: "I have no idea. It was completely out of the blue." Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire "I didn't like that job because I was working too hard. Yet in this new job I work even harder!" Answer: "Out of the frying pan and into the fire." Out Of The Woods "Joe was sick two weeks ago and we were very worried, but now it looks like he is out of the woods." Out Of Your Element "He is a great tennis player on the hard courts, but he is out of his element on grass." Out On A Limb "I want this project to succeed just as much as you do, but I am not willing to go out on a limb." Out On The Town "Do you want to join us tonight? We're going out on the town." Over My Dead Body "All of my friends are going out to the lake tonight and I'm going too!" Answer: "Over my dead body you are!" Par For The Course "I get sick every time I travel." Answer: "That's just par for the course." Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish "We've worked so hard to save money that if we took a vacation now it would be penny-wise, pound-foolish." People Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones "Look at what time it is... you are late again!" Answer: "Hey, how often are you not on time? People who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Practice Makes Perfect "You see how quickly you are getting better at the piano! Practice makes perfect!" Practice What You Preach "Good managers always lead by example and practice what they preach." Preaching To The Choir "You don't need to tell me this project is important; you're preaching to the choir." Protest Too Much "Do you think he is telling the truth?" Answer: "I think he protests too much." Pulling Your Leg "I want to ask you a question and I would like an honest answer; no pulling my leg." Put Your Best Foot Forward "I want you to get out on that field and put your best foot forward!" Put Your Foot In Your Mouth "Let's all be very careful what we say at the meeting tomorrow. I don't want anyone putting their foot in their mouth." Raise Cain "Have you two boys been out raising cain again?" Rock The Boat "Everybody wants to go except for you. Why do you have to rock the boat?" Roll Out The Red Carpet "We are all so excited about your coming home that we're going to roll out the red carpet." Rome Was Not Built In One Day "It is taking me a long time to write this computer program." Answer: "Rome was not built in one day." Round About "Well, I know how to get there in a round about way, but maybe we should check the map." Rub Salt In An Old Wound "Oh please, let's not rub salt in old wounds!" Second Nature "It has always been second nature for me to draw with both hands." Shake A Leg "They are waiting outside in the car; let's shake a leg!" Sick As A Dog "I heard you were uncomfortable yesterday." Answer: "Uncomfortable? I was as sick as a dog!" Sink Or Swim "When we interview new teachers, we just put them in with the students and see how they do. It's sink or swim." Six Of One, A Half-Dozen Of The Other Example: "I say she's a stewardess. She says she's a flight attendant. It's six of one, a half-dozen of the other." Skeletons In The Closet "I had only known her for one week. How could I know what skeletons she had in her closet?" Split Down The Middle "The election is split down the middle with no clear winner at the moment." Start From Scratch "How are you going to build your business?" Answer: "Just like everyone else does: starting from scratch." The Apple Of Your Eye "Even when they were young, she was always the apple of his eye." The Ball Is In Your Court "My uncle helped me to get an interview at his company, now the ball is in my court." The Best Of Both Worlds "My wife and I bought one house in Paris and one in New York; it gives us the best of both worlds." The Bigger They Are The Harder They Fall "Are you worried that he might be too strong?" Answer: "No I'm not. He is big, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall." The Devil Is In The Details "I can sketch a basic outline of the plan for you and it may look very simple, but the devil is in the details." The Early Bird Catches The Worm "I always arrive at work 30 minutes early; the early bird catches the worm!" The Ends Justify The Means "I agree with your goal, but the ends do not justify the means." The Jury Is Out "Its hard to say if what we did was the right thing. The jury is still out on it." The Pot Calling The Kettle Black "Here comes the guy who is always late for work." Answer: "Aren't you the pot calling the kettle black?" The Pros And Cons "I've considered the pros and cons and I've decided: it is going to be expensive, but I still want to go to college." The Sky Is The Limit "After I graduate from business school, the sky's the limit!" The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back "You've been rude to me all day, and I've had it. That's the last straw!" The Writing On The Wall "Can't you see the writing on the wall?" Third Wheel "You two go on ahead without me. I don't want to be the third wheel." Tie The Knot "Did you hear about Dan and Jenny? They finally decided to tie the knot!" To Err Is Human, To Forgive Divine "I will never forgive my mother for what she has done!" Answer: "Don't be angry at her. To err is human, to forgive divine." Tooth And Nail "That was a tough match; they fought us tooth and nail!" Truer Words Were Never Spoken "The earlier I get up, the better the day I have." Answer:" Truer words were never spoken." Turn Over A New Leaf "I'm turning over a new leaf; I've decided to quit smoking." Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right "That boy pushed me yesterday and I am going to get him back today!" Answer: "No you are not! Two wrongs do not make a right." Two's Company; Three's a Crowd "Why did you have to bring your sister? Two's company; three's a crowd!" Under The Gun "Everyone at the office has been working under the gun since the new manager arrived." Under The Weather "What's wrong?" Answer: "I'm a bit under the weather." Up Against "We have been up against stronger opponents in the past." Up For Grabs "Quick- that table is up for grabs; let's get it before someone else does." Variety Is The Spice Of Life Example: "We were originally planning to go to Mexico on our vacation this year - like we did last year - but we decided to go to Egypt instead. Variety is the spice of life!" Water Under The Bridge "Aren't you still angry about what he said?" Answer: "No, that was a long time ago. It's all water under the bridge." Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve "My brother always lets you know how he feels; he wears his heart on his sleeve." What They Don't Know Won't Hurt Them "Don't tell your father what happened; what he doesn't know won't hurt him." When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do "Are you sure we should eat this with our hands?" Answer: "Why not? All of these people are eating it that way. When in Rome, do as the Romans do!" When It Rains, It Pours "Sometimes we have no customers for two or three hours then suddenly we get 20 people all at once; when it rains, it pours!" When Pigs Fly "Would you ever take her on a date?" Answer: "Sure- when pigs fly!" Wine And Dine "That man is really is really crazy about my sister. He has been wining and dining her all month." With Your Back Up Against The Wall "I'm sorry I can't help you; I've got my back up against the wall." Without A Doubt "Are you going to watch the game tomorrow?" Answer: "Without a doubt!" Word Of Mouth "Where did you hear about that?" Answer: "Just word of mouth." You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover "He dresses in plain clothing and drives an ordinary car. Who would know he is the richest man in town? You can't judge a book by its cover!" Your Guess Is As Good As Mine "Excuse me, what time does the bus arrive?" Answer: "Your guess is as good as mine; I almost never take the bus." A Babe In The Woods "What do you know? You are just a babe in the woods." A Bed Of Roses "Working here is no bed of roses." A Big Fish In A Small Pond "He's just a big fish in a small pond." A Big Frog In A Small Pond "He's just a big frog in a small pond" A Bitter Pill To Swallow "Spending a week in the psychiatric hospital was a bitter pill to swallow, but Jake really needed to do it." A Blessing In Disguise "When I first lost that job, I was upset. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise." A Breath Of Fresh Air "I love having this new student in my class. His positive attitude is a breath of fresh air." A Bundle Of Nerves "I have to give a speech tomorrow, and I am a bundle of nerves." A Card "My uncle Bob is a real card." A Case In Point "Jane called. She will be late for this morning's meeting." Reply: "Case in point. We really cannot rely on her." A Case Of Mistaken Identity "Are you sure you are not Don Johnson?" Reply: "Really, I am not. It must be a case of mistaken identity." A Change Of Pace "What would you like me to make for dinner?" Reply: "Let's have sushi, for a change of pace." A Change Of Scenery "I just got back from Florida." Reply: "That must have been a change of scenery." A Chip Off The Old Block "Did you meet Bill's son at the picnic yesterday? He's just like Bill!" Reply: "He's a chip off the old block." A Copycat "Stop copying my answers. You copycat!" (rude) A Cut Above Someone Or Something "I love this restuarant. It is a cut above." A Dream Come True "Becoming a movie star was a dream come true." A Fan Of Someone "Are you a Dodger''s fan?" Reply: "No, I don't like baseball." A Foregone Conclusion "I knew they would lose. It was a foregone conclusion." A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed "Hey buddy, how's it going? You look good. I love your jacket. Do you think you can give me a ride home?" Reply: "A friend in need is a friend indeed." A Game That Two Can Play "She told the teacher what I did, but that's a game that two can play." A Ghost Of A Chance "Do you think he has a chance to win?" Reply: "He doesn't have a ghost of a chance." A Given "I always knew that we would get married. It was a given." A Known Fact "That guy is a ganster? Are you sure?" Reply: "Of course I'm sure. It's a known fact." A Labor Of Love "You don't mind taking care of that dog?" Reply: "It is a labor of love." A Last Ditch Effort "I thought for sure we would lose but we made one last ditch effort and tied the game." A Leading Question "That is a leading question. I am not going to answer it." A Lick Of Work "He was born wealthy, and he has never done a lick of work in his life." A Little Bit "Are you hungry?" Reply: "A little bit. You?" A Piece Of The Action "I heard you guys are going to play a joke on Jim. I want a piece of the action." A Piercing Scream "I was walking down Broad Street when suddenly I heard this piercing scream." A Pillar Of Strength "My mother is a pillar of strength." A Place To Call One’s Own "After renting for all these years, I really want a place to call my own." A Ripe Old Age "At the ripe old age of 45, I feel like I am just starting my life." A Ripple Of Excitement "On election day you could feel a ripple of excitement." A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss "Why don't you get married and have a family?" Reply: "A rolling stone gathers no moss." A Rule Of Thumb "I don't invite people to my home unless I know them well, as a rule of thumb." A Sense Of Urgency "Can't you see that we are losing this game? Let's have a sense of urgency." A Shot In The Arm "We were really falling apart, but that goal gave us a shot in the arm." A Word To The Wise "Here's a word to the wise: Do not go down that street at night." Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty "What that police officer did to save her life was above and beyond the call of duty." Above Average "Are you a very good tennis player?" Reply: "I'm above average." Above Suspicion "In this case, no one person is above suspicion. Not even the president." Acknowledge Receipt Of Something "As soon as you get the package, please call me to acknowledge receipt." Across The Board "We will have a 10 percent pay cut across the board." Act High And Mighty "What are you acting so high and mighty about." Add Insult To Injury "First he drives into my car. Then, to add insult to injury he says I'm parked in the wrong spot." Address Someone As Something "I'm not one of your college friends. Address me as your father." Advise Against Something "Do you recommend that I talk with the boss?" Reply: "I would advise against it." After Hours "Sorry, we don't see patients after hours." Ahead Of Schedule "My software project is ahead of schedule." Alive And Kicking "How is your grandfather doing?" Reply: "He is alive and kicking." All For The Best "Did you hear they broke up?" Reply: "It is probably all for the best. They were not getting along well." All Gone "Are there any more cookies?" Reply: "All gone." All In One Piece "Be careful. I want you home all in one piece." All In The Family "I'm going to tell you about your uncle, but let's keep this all in the family." All Kidding Aside "All kidding aside, I really do like her." All Out War "It used to be they occastionally fired a missle. Now it's all out war." All Over "Is the game still on?" Reply: "No, it's all over." All Systems Are Go "Are you ready?" Reply: "All systems are go." All Talk And No Action "John promised he would be here." Reply: "He is all talk and no action." All The Rage "Do you like this scarf? It is all the rage." All Told "How much money is missing?" Reply: "All told, 300 dollars." As An Aside "As an aside: Is anyone hungry?" As Drunk As A Skunk "Don't go out drinking with Henry. He'll get you as drunk as a skunk." At The Present Time "Are you hiring new people?" Reply: "Not at the present time." At This Juncture "Are you going to buy the ABC company?" Reply: "No. Not at this juncture." Back And Forth "What fun could it be playing tennis? They just hit the ball back and forth all day." Back Down From Someone Or Something "If I were you, I would back down. It is not worth fighting about." Back East "We just can't wait to move back east." Back In Circulation "John, where have you been? It is good to see you back in circulation." Back Off From Someone Or Something "I guess I made her angry. She told me to back off and leave her alone." Back Order Something "We don't have them in your size today. But I would be glad to back order them for you." Back Out Of Something "Didn't Bob say he was coming?" Reply: "Yes, He backed out." Back Someone Or Something Up "I told my mom we were at the baseball game last night. Back my up." Back The Wrong Horse "Who did you bet on in the superbowl?" Reply: "Arizona." Answer: "Ouch. You backed the wrong horse." Back To Square One "After all that work, they decided not to hire me." Reply: "Back to square one." Bad As All That "I've heard it is the worst place to go to school." Reply: "It's not as bad as all that." Bad Mouth Someone Or Something "You are one of my best friends. I would never bad mouth you." Bail Out Of Something "Did the pilot die in the crash?" Reply: "No. He bailed out, and lived." Bail Someone Or Something Out "He got thrown in jail for drunk driving, but his father bailed him out." Bait And Switch "I thought I was buying a new one." Reply: "It looks like they gave you the bait and switch." Bark Up The Wrong Tree "If you are looking for someone to lend you money, don't talk to me. You're barking up the wrong tree." Bathed In Light "There she stood by the window, bathed in light." Batten Down The Hatches "A big rain storm is coming. We need to batten down the hatches." Battle Something Out "I really don't mind where we go. I'll let you two battle it out." Bawl Someone Out "I asked her if she could stay late, and she bawled me out." Be A Heartbeat Away From Something "If the president dies, who becomes the new president?" Reply: "The vice president. He's a heartbeat away from the presidency." Be All Ears "Would you like to hear what I did today." Reply: "I'm all ears." Be All Things To All People "Public relations is a tough job. I have to be all things to all people." Be Easier Said Than Done "We should dig a garden in the back yard. That would be great." Reply: "Easier said than done." Be Game "Do you want to see a movie?" Reply: "I'm game." Be Into Something "You don't want to sing this song?" Reply: "I'm not into it right now." Be Off "Have a good day, you guys. I'm off." Reply: "Goodbye." Be Swimming In Something "Do you have any ketchup left?" Reply: "We are swimming in it." Be The Spitting Image Of Someone "People say I am the spitting image of my mother." Bear Fruit "Did your meeting bear fruit?" Bear In Mind That Something Is So "Would you like to order dinner?" Reply: "Bear in mind that I do not speak French." Beat A Path To Someone’s Door "I don't see anyone beating a path to your door." Beat Around The Bush "Has he said that he wants to marry you?" Reply: "No, but he has been beating around the bush." Beating Him At His Own Game "She was the star of our school's tennis team, and I still beat her." Reply: "You beat her at her own game." Before You Know It "Enjoy your freedom! Before you know it, you'll be married and settling down with children." Beg To Differ With Someone "You think I am old? I beg to differ." Behind Someone’s Back "Those two went to the boss, and they did it behind my back." Behind The Times "My grandfather wears black socks with his shorts." Reply: "He is so behind the times." Belabor The Point "I know we've talked about this already, and I hate to belabor the point, but I still don't think you are understanding me." Better Safe Than Sorry "Should I bring my umbrella?" Reply: "Better safe than sorry." Answer: "Okay. I'll go get it." Biting The Bullet "Hurry mom, I really have to go to the bathroom." Reply: "We won't be there for another 20 minutes. Bite the bullet." Blowing Your Own Trumpet "Is Deb still talking about the deal she made?" Reply: "Yes, she's blowing her own trumpet." Blowing Your Top "Steve is in our office and he just found out about the deal." Reply: "I can hear him blowing his top." Breaking Even "Sell that stock now, while you are still breaking even." Breaking New Ground "Noone in our family has ever married a foreigner. You are breaking new ground." Breaking The Bank "You really should not be buying this ring. You are breaking the bank." Breaking The Ice "This was an awful party until John showed up and broke the ice." Breaking The News "It is the goal of every great reporter to break the news." Bring Home The Bacon "I go to work every day to bring home the bacon." Bring Up The Rear "There you are again Schmidt, bringing up the rear." Bringing Home The Bacon "You work a lot of hours at this job." Reply: "I have to. I am bringing home the bacon." Bringing It Home "Taking care of my grandfather is really bringing home the importance of good health care." Brush Up On Something "Are you going to brush up on your Spanish before you go to Mexico?" Buck Up "Buck up. It will be okay." Call A Meeting "If I call a meeting for Thursday, will you be there?" Call A Spade A Spade "You can call him a nice guy if you want to but I am calling a spade a spade; that guy is a jerk. Call It A Day "It's time to go home. Let's call it a day." Call It A Night "You guys are going to another bar? Not me. I'm calling it a night." Call It Quits "It is getting dark outside. Let's call it quits." Call Someone Names "You are a jerk!" Reply: "You don't have to call me names." Call Someone Or Something Off "I thought you had a date tonight?" Reply: "We called it off." Call The Dogs Off "I already gave you your money. Call the dogs off." Call The Meeting To Order "Everyone quiet down so we can call this meeting to order." Call The Roll "Everyone be quiet. I'm going to call the roll." Call The Shots "I'm calling the shots here. You will do what I say." Calling Your Bluff "They say they will fire me if I skip work today, but I am calling their bluff." Can You Imagine "This car only cost me $500. Can you imagine?" Cannot Help Doing Something "When she said that, I couldn't help laughing." Can’t Carry A Tune "Sing with us!" Reply: "Sorry. You wouldn't want me to. I can't carry a tune." Can’t Do Anything With Someone Or Something "Your teacher is frustrated. She says she can't do anything with you." Can’t Help But Do Something "When she said that, I couldn't help but laugh." Can’t Hold A Candle To Someone "You are a good tennis player. But you can't hold a candle to my sister." Can’t Make Heads Or Tails Out Of Someone Or Something "I'm looking at your computer program right now, but I can't make heads or tails out of it." Cap And Gown "I love this photo of you and your friends in cap and gown." Capable Of Doing Something "Did you hear about the farmhouse murders?" Reply: "Who could be cabable of such a thing?" Carried Away "You cleaned everything. Even the dog." Reply: "Yes. I got kind of carried away." Carry A Secret To One’s Grave "Please, you must not tell anyone what happened." Reply: "I will carry your secret to my grave." Carry A Secret To The Grave "Please, you must not tell anyone what happened." Reply: "I will carry it to the grave." Carry On Without Someone Or Something "If anything ever happens to me, I want you to carry on without me." Carry Weight "What I say carries weight around here." Carrying It A Bit Too Far "It is okay to make jokes during class, but you are carrying it a bit too far." Cash And Carry "Sorry, but there is nowhere to eat here. It is cash and carry." Cease And Desist Police officer says: "Sir, I want you to cease and desist from what you are doing." Change My Mind "I thought you didn't like her?" Reply: "Well, I changed my mind." Changing Your Tune "She always said she would never get married, but now she's the one getting married." Reply: "She has changed her tune." Clear The Table "Everyone is done eating. Would you like to clear the table?" Clearing The Air "You've been living here for two months and you still don't have a job. We need to clear the air." Climbing On The Bandwagon "Look who's climbing on the bandwagon." Coming Clean "You ate that piece of cake I was saving, didn't you? Come clean." Coming In Handy "I'm glad you brought your knife." Reply: "Yes, it really comes in handy." Coming To The Crunch "We have had three weeks to write this paper. Now we are coming to the crunch." Cutting Corners "They cut a lot of corners when they built this house. Now have so many problems to fix." Cutting Your Losses "I bought this stock at 50 dollars a share, and it is down to 40. I am going to cut my losses." Digging Your Own Grave "Talking to the boss like that, you are digging your own grave." Doing As You're Told "I want to stay up. I am not tired." Reply: "Do as you are told and go to bed right now." Doing The Honors "Who cuts the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner at your house?" Reply: "My father does the honors." Doing The Trick "My motorcycle is not running well." Reply: "Try replacing the oil. That might do the trick." Doing Wonders "We hired her to clean our house once a week and she has done wonders." Doing Your Homework "John is an excellent lawyer. He always does his homework." Don't Put The Cart Before The Horse "Hey! First we attatch it, then we put on the chains. Don't put the cart before the horse." Down The Hatch "You want me to drink this whole thing?" Reply: "That's right. Down the hatch!" Down The Street "Where does your grandmother live?" Reply: "She's just down the street." Down The Tubes "What happened to your plans for tonight?" Reply: "Down the tubes." Down With Some Disease "I can't come to work today. I'm down with the flu." Downhill All The Way "School has been difficult, but now that we have finished our exams it is downhill all the way." Drag One’s Feet "I've wanted to start yoga for months. I've just been dragging my feet." Draw A Blank "Do you remember how to say that word in Spanish?" Reply: "I'm drawing a blank." Draw Blood "Ouch! I cut myself." Reply: "Let me see. Did it draw blood?" Drawing Attention "He dresses that way because he likes to draw attention." Driving A Hard Bargain "Twenty thousand dollars is a lot of money. You drive a hard bargain." Dropping A Brick "The boss came in and dropped a real brick. He said they are planning to close our office." Dropping Names "I dated an actress in New York who was constantly dropping names." Reply: "Oh no, I can't stand name-dropping." Drunk As A Skunk "Did you see Jean last night?" Reply: "Yeah. She was as drunk as a skunk." Early To Bed Early To Rise Makes A Man Healthy Wealthy And Wise "All of his life, my grandfather went to bed early and got up with the sun." Reply: "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise." Expecting A Child "My wife and I are expecting our first child." Reply: "Congratulations!" Expense Is No Object "This year I want the company party to be fantastic. Expense is no object." Explain Oneself "Please listen. I am trying to explain myself." Express One’s Anger "I would like to express my anger about what happened last night." Extend Credit To Someone "I want that couch, but I really cannot afford it." Reply: "We will extend you credit." Extend Your Sympathy To Them "Jane lost her mother this week. We must remember to exend our sympathy to her." Fair And Square "You cheated!" Reply: "I did not cheat! I beat you fair and square." Familiarity Breeds Contempt "Those two have been living together for too long. They don't speak a word to each other." Reply: "Familiarity breeds contempt." Forbidden Fruit "The boss's daughter may be pretty, but remember that she is forbidden fruit." Generous To A Fault "My gradfather's was generous to a fault. He gave away all of his money." Reply: "But he did help a lot of people." Get A Rain Check On Something "He was going to take me to the park, but it rained, so I got a rain check." Get At The Heart Of The Matter "I asked him to stop wasting time and get at the heart of the matter." Give And Go "If you have the ball and Andy is open, just give and go." Give Someone A Rain Check On Something "He was going to take me to the park, but it rained, so he gave me a rain check." Give Someone The Third Degree "That judge really gave that guy the third degree, didn't she?" Go Fly A Kite "Oh- not you again!" Reply: "Hey, why don't you go fly a kite?" Going All The Way "The Bears have a good team this year. Do you think they'll go all the way?" Hanging On Your Coattails "Doesn't it bother you to have someone like that hanging on to your coattails?" I Don't Belong Here "This is a high school dance and I am 25 years old. I don't belong here." If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It "Do you think Tiger Woods should change his golf swing?" Reply: "Are you kidding? If it ain't broke, don't fix it." If You Can't Beat Them Join Them "When did you change teams?" Reply: "Hey: If you can't beat them, join them." If You Can't Stand The Heat Get Out Of The Kitchen "I wanted this job at first, but now I don't know if I can handle it." Reply: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." In Awe Of Someone Or Something "I am in awe of you." In Big Trouble "When mom gets home and finds out what you did, you guys are in big ("biiiiiiig") trouble." In For Trouble "If you do that again, you are in for trouble." In The Meantime "You can start working full-time as soon as you get your license. In the meantime, you are welcome to start training." In The Middle Of Nowhere "You are 30 minutes late and I have been standing here waiting for you in the middle of nowhere." In The Money "Now he's a professional basketball player." Reply: "He's in the money." In Your Hair "You're not going to wear that, are you?" Reply: "Hey, why don't you get out of my hair?" Jumping On The Bandwagon "My grandfather jumped on the bandwagon and got himself an email account." Keep Someone At Arm's Length "You can work with him if you want, but I would keep him at arms length." Like Two Peas In A Pod "He and his sister are like two peas in a pod." Little Black Book "Don't tell me you're going to write her down in your little black book." Looking For Trouble "If you leave your glass on the edge of the table like that, you are looking for trouble." Losing Streak "We are on a five game losing streak." Reply: "Have we lost five games without a win? That is not good." Misery Loves Company "She's not happy, so she wants the rest of us to suffer too!" Reply: "Misery loves company." Money Does Not Grow On Trees "Why are you buying such expensive presents? Money does not grow on trees, you know!" Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention "You will find a way to do it. When you have to, you do." Reply: "Necessity is the mother of invention." Never Been So Lucky "I got off the bus in West Seattle, turned around, and you were there. I've never been so lucky." No Pain No Gain "To play at that level, you are going to have to practice all of the time, you know." Reply: "No pain, no gain." On Your Toes "In ice hockey you have to be agressive and stay on your toes." Out Of Your League "She'll never go out with you. She's out of your league." Over My Head "Did you get that last question on the test?" Reply: "No, it was over my head." Paying The Price "If you drink and drive, you will pay the price." Running The Table "She shot first, and she ran the table. So I never had a chance." Shouting Match "Two players were having a shouting match, so we had to stop the game." Slow As Molasses In January "Would you hurry up and get ready? You are as slow as molasses in January." Speak Highly Of Someone Or Something "I met your teacher. He speaks highly of you." Take A Look At Someone Or Something "Take a look at that car. Isn't it beautiful?" Take A Look For Someone Or Something "Have you seen my watch?" Reply: "I haven't seen it, but I will take a look for it around my house." Take A Nap "Every day after lunch my grandfather takes a nap." Take A Rain Check On Something "We were planning to go to the park, but it rained, so we took a rain check." Take The Bull By The Horns "That was a tough situation. Thanks for taking the bull by the horns." The First Step Is Always The Hardest "I have always wanted to write a novel, but I can never decide on a topic." Reply: "The first step is always the hardest." The Game Is Afoot "Jim just saw a beautiful girl he wants to meet." Reply: "The game is afoot!" The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side Of The Fence "I wish our house were as big as theirs." Reply: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." The Real Reason "Tell me the real reason you left that school." The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions "Really, I never meant to hurt anybody..." Reply: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." The Squeeky Wheel Gets The Oil "Every time that baby cries, they just run around and give him whatever he wants." Reply: "The squeeky wheel gets the oil." There's No Place Like Home "It feels so good to be home." Reply: "There's no place like home." Tooting Your Own Horn "Oh there you go again, tooting your own horn." Turning Up Your Nose "We invited them to dinner but they turned up their nose at us." Two Heads Are Better Than One "Come on, we can figure out a way to do this! Two heads are better than one." Under Age "What are those kids doing smoking cigarettes? They are under age." Up To "So what have you been up to lately?" Welcome Someone With Open Arms "You should definitely go visit my parents. They will wecome you with open arms" What Comes Around Goes Around "He lied to his girlfriend for years. Now she has left him for another man." Reply: "What comes around goes around." Why Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today "Just do it now, so you don't have to do it on the weekend. Why put of 'till tomorrow what you can do today?" Would Give One’s Right Arm For Someone Or Something "I would give my right arm for a car like that." Year After Year "Year after year, you say you are going to move." You Can Lead A Horse To Water But You Can't Make It Drink "I told her exactly what to do, but she didn't listen to me." Reply: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks "I have been trying to teach my dad to use the computer, but he is never going to get it." Reply: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." You Have To Take The Good With The Bad "I love living in this city, but it is rather polluted." Reply: "You have to take the good with the bad." You Need That Like You Need A Whole In The Head "Would you like to buy my old truck?" Reply: "I need that like a whole in the head." You Reap What You Sow "He has been treating other people like that for years. Now it happens to him." Reply: "You reap what you sow." You Scratch My Back And I’ll Scratch Yours "I would really appreciate it if you introduce me to him... You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." Beating Him At His Own Game "He was the star of our school's tennis team, and I still beat him." Reply: "You beat him at his own game." Biting The Bullet "Hurry mom, I really have to go to the bathroom." Reply: "We won't be there for another 20 minutes. Bite the bullet." Blowing Your Own Trumpet "Is Deb still talking about the deal she made?" Reply: "Yes, she's blowing her own trumpet." Blowing Your Top "Steve is in our office and he just found out about the deal." Reply: "I can hear him blowing his top." Breaking Even "Sell that stock now, while you are still breaking even." Breaking New Ground "Noone in our family has ever married a foreigner. You are breaking new ground." Breaking The Bank "You really should not be buying this ring. You are breaking the bank." Breaking The Ice "Jane throws great parties, and she is really good at breaking the ice." Breaking The News "It is the goal of every great reported to break the news." Bringing Home The Bacon "I work day and night to bring home the bacon." Brought Home "We knew the economy was bad. Bob losing his job really brought it home." Calling Your Bluff "They say they will fire me if I skip work today, but I am calling their bluff." Carry Weight "What I say carries weight around here." Carrying It A Bit Too Far "It is okay to make jokes during class, but you are carrying it a bit too far." Caught In The Act "You kids were going to take those cookies, weren't you?" Reply: "Yes, we were caught in the act." Changing Your Tune "She always said she would never get married, but now she's the one getting married." Reply: "She has changed her tune." Clearing The Air "You've been living here for two months and you still don't have a job. We need to clear the air." Climbing On The Bandwagon "Look who's climbing on the bandwagon." Come Clean About It "You ate that piece of cake I was saving, didn't you? Come clean." Coming To The Crunch "We have had three weeks to write this paper. Now we are coming to the crunch." Cutting Corners "They cut a lot of corners when they built this house. Now have so many problems to fix." Cutting Your Losses "I bought this stock at 50 dollars a share, and it is down to 40. I'm going to cut my losses." Do The Trick "My motorcycle is not running well." Reply: "Try replacing the oil. That might do the trick." Do Wonders "We hired her to clean our house once a week and she has done wonders." Doing As You're Told "I want to stay up. I am not tired." Reply: "Do as you are told and go to bed right now." Doing The Honors "Who cuts the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner at your house?" Reply: "My father does the honors." Doing Your Homework "John is an excellent lawyer. He always does his homework." Driving A Hard Bargain "Twenty thousand dollars is a lot of money. You drive a hard bargain." Dropping A Brick "The boss came in and dropped a real brick. He said they are planning to close our office." Dropping Names "I dated an actress in New York who was constantly dropping names." Reply: "Oh no, I can't stand name-dropping." It Comes In Handy "I'm glad you brought your knife." Reply: "Yes, it really comes in handy." Jumping On The Bandwagon "My grandfather jumped on the bandwagon and got himself an email account." Never Been So Lucky "I got off the bus in West Seattle, turned around, and you were there. I've never been so lucky." You Are Looking For Trouble "If you leave your glass on the edge of the table like that, you are looking for trouble." Better Safe Than Sorry "Should I bring my umbrella?" Reply: "Better safe than sorry." Answer: "Okay. I'll go get it." Call A Spade A Spade "You can call him a nice guy if you want to but I am calling a spade a spade; that guy is a jerk. Don't Put The Cart Before The Horse "Hey! First we attatch it, then we put on the chains. Don't put the cart before the horse." Familiarity Breeds Contempt "Those two have been living for together for too long. They don't speak a word to each other." Reply: "Familiarity breeds contempt." Go Fly A Kite Example: "Oh- not you again!" Reply: "Why don't you go fly a kite?" If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them "When did you change teams?" Reply: "Hey: If you can't beat them, join them." If You Can't Stand The Heat, Get Out Of The Kitchen "I wanted this job at first, but now I don't know if I can handle it." Reple: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." In Your Hair "You're not going to wear that, are you?" Reply: "Hey, why don't you get out of my hair?" Misery Loves Company "She's not happy, so she wants the rest of us to suffer too!" Reply: "Misery loves company." Money Does Not Grow On Trees "Why are you buying such expensive presents? Money does not grow on trees, you know!" Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention "You will find a way to do it. When you have to, you do." Reply: "Necessity is the mother of invention." No Pain, No Gain "To play at that level, you are going to have to practice all of the time, you know." Reply: "No pain, no gain." Take The Bull By The Horns "That was a tough situation. Thanks for taking the bull by the horns." The First Step Is Always The Hardest "I have always wanted to write a novel, but I can never decide on a topic." Reply: "The first step is always the hardest." The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side Of The Fence "I wish our house were as big as theirs." Reply: The grass i always greener on the other side of the fence." The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions "Really, I never meant to hurt anybody..." Reply: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." The Squeeky Wheel Gets The Oil "Every time that baby cries, they just run around and give him whatever he wants." Reply: "The squeeky wheel gets the oil." There's No Place Like Home "It feels so good to be home." Reply: "There's no place like home." Tooting Your Own Horn "Oh there you go again, tooting your own horn." Two Heads Are Better Than One "Come on, we can figure out a way to do this! Two heads are better than one." Up To "So what have you been up to lately?" Why Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today "Just do it now, so you don't have to do it on the weekend. Why put of 'till tomorrow what you can do today?" You Can Lead A Horse To Water, But You Can't Make It Drink "I told her exactly what to do, but she didn't listen to me." Reply: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks "I have been trying to teach my dad to use the computer, but he is never going to get it." Reply: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." You Have To Take The Good With The Bad "I love living in this city, but it is rather polluted." Reply: "You have to take the good with the bad." You Reap What You Sow "He has been treating other people like that for years. Now it happens to him." Reply: "You reap what you sow." You Scratch My Back, I'll Scratch Yours "I would really appreciate it if you introduce me to him... You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." Most Popular Idioms List Index of Common Phrases <!-- google_ad_client = "pub-5603149013302932"; /* 336x280, created 8/29/10 */ google_ad_slot = "6086098878"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> Send Me The GoEnglish Weekly Preview of English Idioms Your e-mail address: Any question or comment: GoEnglish.com teaches the meaning of English idioms and phrases. For native and non-native English speakers of all ages. To start (or stop) receiving the GoEnglish.com Weekly Preview of English Idioms at any time please enter your name in the form above or send an email to Subscribe<at>GoEnglish.com (or Unsubscribe<at>GoEnglish.com). We always respect your privacy by never sharing an email address. All content is copyrighted by GoEnglish.com, illustrations by Rita Tseng, written by Adam Sullivan. Adam is an experienced English teacher with a degree in English from Cornell University. Your questions are welcome. Thanks, Adam<at>GoEnglish.com Link to this page: <a href="http://www.goenglish.com/idioms.asp">"The Most Popular Idioms List" at GoEnglish.com</a> |  |