Idioms/Saying Explanation To have ants in your pants.
For example:
Theres a test tomorrow, and he cant concentrate or keep still. He looks like hes got ants in his pants.
To unable to keep still because you are very excited or worried about something To badger someone
For example:
Dont let people badger you into having a drink.
To pester someone into during something To be like a bear with sore head
For example:
My husband is like a bear with sore head before he gets his cup of tea in the morning.
To be in bad mood A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
For example:
I would stay with your current firm, rather than look for something better. After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Having something for certain is better than the possibility of getting something better. The early bird catches the worm.
For example:
Ill go to work early tomorrow. After all, the early bird catches the worm.
If you do something in a timely manner you will succeed. A birds eye view
For example:
If you look like at google Maps you can get a birds eye view of your street.
The appearance of something seen from above Birds of a feather flock together
For example:
At the party, all the teenagers gathered in the kitchen. Birds of a feather flock together.
People who have similar characters or similar interests will choose to spend time together. To kill two birds with one stone
IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 3 For example:
I went to the dentist, and asked him to fill the molar, and remove the wisdom tooth at the same time. Might as well kill two birds with one stone. Two solve two problems with one single action To be like a bull in china shop
For example:
Dont let him touch those glass baubles; hes like a bull in a china shop.
To be clumsy A cat nap
For example:
I always have a cat nap after lunch.
A short sleep, during the day To be like a cat on a hot tin roof
For example:
Shes waiting for her boyfriend to call, and shes been like a cat on a hot tin roof all day.
To be nervous and unable to keep still A fat cat
For example:
Too many fat cats have made money out of the recession.
Someone who is very rich and powerful A scaredy-cat
For example:
Its only a little spider, dont be such a scaredy- cat.
Someone who is frightened for no reason The cats whiskers
For example:
She thought she was the cats whiskers when she got the party in the play.
When someone thinks theyre better than everyone else Has the cat got your tongue?
For example:
Why are you being so quiet? Cat got your tongue?
Said when someone isnt saying anything IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 4 To let the cat out of the bag
For example:
Everybody knows about the redundancies, someone let the cat out of the bag.
To reveal a secret To look like the cat that got the cream
For example:
I guess you passed your exam. You look like the cat that got the cream.
To look very pleased and a bit smug about something To put a cat among the pigeons
For example:
When the photos showed him kissing a young woman, it really put the cat among the pigeons
To cause trouble Not enough room to swing the cat
For example:
In our old flat there wasnt enough room to swing a cat.
Used to describe a place that is very small Its raining cats and dogs!
For example:
We had to run for shelter when it started raining cats and dogs.
Its raining very heavily Look what the cats dragged in!
For example:
Look what the cats dragged in! You look terrible!
An insulting way of saying that someone has just arrived and they dont look good To be a chicken or To be chicken or To be chicken livered.
For example:
She wouldnt get on the waltzers, because she said theyre dangerous. Shes such a chicken.
Someone who is cowardly A cuckoo in the nest
For example:
Someone who is part of a group but is different and often disliked, or a problem that grows quickly and crowds out everything else IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 5 The new manager is a real cuckoo in the nest. Hes causing more problems than hes solving. Living in cloud cuckoo land
For example:
He thinks the recession wont affect his business. Hes living in cloud cuckoo land.
Used to describe someone who has ideas of plans that are completely unrealistic A dog and pony show
For example:
His campaign was a real dog and pony show, but he still didnt win the election.
A show or other event that has been organized in order to get peoples support or to persuade them to buy something A shaggy dog story
For example:
The way he kept going on led me to suspect it was a shaggy dog story.
A joke or story thats obviously not true or has a silly ending To be like dog with two tails
For example:
When we found out we had won the contract, our manger was like a dog with two tails.
To be very happy To be dog-eared
For example:
I wont lend her any more books; the last one she gave back to me was dog-eared.
If something is dog-eared, it is in bad condition To be dog tired
For example:
The party went on till 4am. I was dog tired the next day.
To be exhausted A dead duck
For example:
The police admitted that they were giving up, the case was a dead duck.
A failure The elephant in the room
For example:
A problem or situation that everyone knows about nut no one mentions IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 6 Her blindness was the elephant in the room. A cold fish
For example:
Her husband is a real cold fish, its impossible to tell whether hes happy or not.
Someone who doesnt dhow how they feel A different kettle of fish
For example:
Oh! They want to place an order? Thats a different kettle of fish. Of course Ill talk to them
A different matter or issue To be as sly as a fox
For example:
He managed to get all his money out before the bank collapsed. Hes a sly old fox.
To be sneakily clever To get someones goat
For example:
The whole time I was singing she didnt stop talking. She really got my goat.
To upset someone A dark horse
For example:
I was surprised when he sat down to play the piano. I didnt know he could! Hes a real dark horse.
A person who is secretive and often does something surprising To close (shut) the stable door after the horse has bolted
For example:
Giving the banks billions of dollars, is like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
To try to fix something after the problem has occurred To eat like a horse
For example:
He had two helpings of everything. He eats like a horse!
To eat a lot Straight from the horses mouth
For examples:
To hear something interesting from someone IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 7
The rumor is true, the company will announce a large contract today, I heard it straight from the horses mouth; the managing director told me. actually involved Mutton dressed (up) as lamb
For example:
Shes over fifty and should really stop wearing miniskirts if she doesnt want to look like mutton dressed as lamb
Used to describe a woman who is dressed in a style that is more suitable for much younger woman To put cat among pigeons
For example:
When the photos showed him kissing a young woman, it really put the cat among the pigeons
To cause trouble A dog and pony show
For example:
His campaign was a real dog and pony show, but he still didnt win the election
A show or other event that has been organized in order to get peoples support to persuade them to buy something To be like a rabbit in headlights
For example:
As I walked into the exam room, I was like a rabbit in the headlights
To be so frightened or surprised that you cannot move or think To pull the rabbit out of the hat
For example:
He really pulled a rabbit out of the hat by getting those orders
To Surprise everyone by suddenly doing something clever A wolf in sheeps clothing
For example:
I wouldnt borrow any money off him if I were you. Hes a real wolf in sheeps clothing
Someone who is dangerous, but pretends to be harmless Even a blind Squirrel can find a nut once in a while
For example:
I was surprised when he came up with the solution, I didnt think he was that clever. I guess that even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while
Sometimes people can be correct just by being lucky IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 8 To have a tiger by the tail
For example:
Trying to deal with the problem of drugs on the streets is like grabbing a tiger by the tail
To have become associated with something powerful and potentially dangerous To talk turkey
For example:
We need to solve this problem and the only way well do it is to talk turkey
To speak frankly and openly To cry wolf
For example:
Dont take any notice of him, hes always crying wolf
To raise a false alarm about something The early bird catches the worm
For example:
Ill go to work early tomorrow. After all, the early bird catches the worm
If you do something in a timely manner you will succeed To knock ones head against a brick wall
For example:
I have been knocking my head against a brick wall trying to solve this weeks Mind Bender
To waste time trying to do something with little or no success To bank on something / someone
For example:
You can always bank on friends to help you
Something or Someone you can be sure of To lock the barn door after the horse has bolted
For example:
Buying a burglar alarm after the break in was like locking the barn door after the horse had bolted
To be careful or try to make something safe when it is too late To be banging/hitting your head against a brick wall
For example:
Trying to get them to do their homework is like banging my head against a brick wall
To keep asking someone to do something which they never do IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 9 Like a ton of bricks
For example:
The news of the accident hit me like a ton of bricks
To be affected strongly or forcefully by Something You cant make bricks without straw
For example:
Its no good trying to build a website if you dont know any html, you cant make bricks without a straw
You cannot do something correctly without the necessary materials/knowledge To burn your bridges
For example:
When he handed in his resignation he had burnt his bridges.
To do something that makes it impossible for you to change your plans and go back to the situation you were in before. Rome wasnt built in a day
For example:
Its taken me years to build this site, and Im still not finished! Still, Rome wasnt built in a day.
It takes a long time to do an important job Castles in the air
For example:
She is always building castles in the air and is very unrealistic
To have day dreams To be in doghouse
For example:
He was really in the doghouse after borrowing his fathers car without permission
To be in trouble To hold the fort
For example:
He has been holding the fort at his company while his boss is on vacation
To cope in an emergency, often by acting as a temporary substitute Close to home
For example:
What the fortune teller said about my past life hit
To be near to someones personal feelings, wishes or interests IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 10 close to home, it was uncanny Make oneself at home
For example:
I always make myself at home when I visit my in- laws
To act as if you were at home House of cards
For example:
The peace agreement between the two countries was like a house of cards and quickly fell apart
Something badly put together and easily knocked down, a poorly thought out plan/action On the house
For example:
The club was celebrating its anniversary so the drinks were on the house
Something provided free by a business especially in a bar or restaurant Put ones own house in order
For example:
The government should put its own house in order before it tells others what to do
Organize ones own private affairs To bring the house down
For example:
The last act was so good they brought the house down
To cause a lot of applause or laughter People who live in glass house shouldnt throw stones
For example:
He was always telling people to be honest and then he stole the money; he should know that people who live in glass houses shouldnt throw stones.
Do not complain about other people if you are as bad as they are Run-of-the-mill
For example:
Nothing extraordinary happened the whole day was very run-of-the-mill
Something that is ordinary or usual To go through the mill
IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Page 11 For example:
Since his divorce he was really gone through the mill To experience a difficult situation To go through the roof
For example:
When she saw how dirty his clothes were, his mother went through the roof
To become very angry, go into a rage To hit the roof
For example:
He hit the roof when he found out that his son had wrecked the family car.
To become very angry, go into a rage The elephant in the room
For example:
Her blindness was the elephants in the room
A problem or a situation that everyone knows about but no one mentions To be a tower of strength
For example:
He has been a real tower of strength all through the divorce
Someone who gives strong and reliable support A hole in the wall
For example:
1) We went for a drink at a little hole in the wall near the university last night 2) I went to the hole in the wall to get some cash
1) A small place to live, stay or work in
2) A cash Machine To climb the wall
For example:
The journey was so boring she was soon climbing the wall
To be so bored that you become anxious and frustrated