List of Idioms (Essentials) 1

be bound to
judging by appearances
the apple of somebody's eye
day in, day out
once in a blue moon
come to an end
go off the deep end
miss the boat
all of a sudden
have one's heart set on
to end; to stop
happening every day
to fail to use an opportunity
to suddenly become very angry or emotional
to make judgements based on the way sb/sth looks
very rarely
suddenly
to desire greatly, to be determined to
certain or likely to happen
a person or thing that is loved more than any other

List of Idioms (Essentials) 2

keep your fingers crossed
come out of your shell
in full swing
head over heels in love
keep up with the Joneses
over the hill
be in the same boat
bark up the wrong tree
come rain or shine
in the nick of time
loving somebody very much
to want the same things that other people have
to make the wrong choice and waste one's effort
to be in the same difficult situation
no matter how hard it is to do
to become less shy and more confident
just in time before something bad happens
to hope for good news
old and therefore no longer useful or attractive
having reached a very lively level
 have/get cold feet
break new ground
icing on the cake
pull someone's leg
save something for a rainy day
on the spur of the moment
make a mountain out of a molehill
on second thoughts
out of this world
rain cats and dogs
something extra that makes a good thing even better
without planning, immediately
to save something, especially money
to make an unimportant matter seem important
very good, excellent
to make new discoveries
to become anxious
after thinking about something again
to rain very hard
to play a joke on somebody

List of Idioms (Essentials) 4

pluck up (the) courage
come in handy
face the music
paint the town red
be in two minds about something
live from hand to mouth
have butterflies in one's stomach
pull a long face
let the cat out of the bag
bring the house down
to accept and deal with the unpleasant result of sth
to be unable to decide what you think about sb/sth
to have a great time; to go out drinking, dancing etc.
to have a nervous feeling in your stomach
to reveal a secret
to have hardly enough money to survive
to look very disappointed and sad
to force yourself to be brave
to get great approval and applause from an audience
to be useful
List of Idioms (Essentials) 5
not make head or tail of something
take to something like a duck to water
get a kick out of something
speak your mind
 put a brave face on something
be snowed under
call it a day
beat around the bush
cost an arm and a leg
draw the line at something
to decide to stop working
to pretend that you feel confident when you do not
to enjoy something a lot
to refuse to do something; to set a limit
to become used to something very easily
to be very expensive
having a lot of work to do
to avoid saying sth by talking about other things
to be unable to understand something
to say what you think; to state your opinion
List of Idioms (Essentials) 6
get something off your chest
sell like hot cakes
be all fingers and thumbs
sweep something under the carpet
have (time) off
find fault with
actions speak louder than words
know sth like the back of your hand
not (enough) room to swing a cat
put your foot in it
to keep secret
to criticize, to complain about something
to be extremely awkward or clumsy
to know something completely
to express one's true feelings
not very much space
to say or do something that upsets
to have free time
what you do is more significant than what you say
to sell quickly or in great numbers
List of Idioms (Essentials) 7
follow in somebody's footsteps
have a chip on your shoulder
not look a gift horse in the mouth
keep a low profile
leave somebody to their own devices
make a name for yourself
a narrow escape
in no time at all
burn the candle at both ends
take your breath away
to behave so that people do not notice you
 to leave somebody alone to do as they wish
to refuse something that is given to you for nothing
to surprise or shock
a dangerous situation
to do the same as someone has done before you
to work very hard and stay up very late at night
in a very short time
to become famous, get a reputation
to be angry for a long time
List of Idioms (Essentials) 8
hit the ceiling/roof
make your day
easier said than done
green with envy
go up in smoke
in the long run
keep yourself to yourself
be lost for words
a slip of a tongue
by the skin of your teeth
very jealous
concerning a longer period in the future
to suddenly become very angry
just barely
to be completely burnt
something that is said by mistake
to cause someone's day to be pleasant or happy
unable to think of anything to say
to avoid meeting people socially
much more difficult than it sounds
List of Idioms (Essentials) 9
keep up appearances
make yourself at home
put all your eggs in one basket
catch somebody red-handed
be in the doldrums
cast/run your eye over
in other words
know something inside out
hit the road
keep/bear in mind
to catch somebody while they are doing sth wrong
to feel relaxed and comfortable
used to introduce an explanation of something
to be a state or period of sadness or depression
to be very familiar with something
to start a journey/trip
to hide sth bad by pretending that nothing is wrong
to read it or look at something quickly
 to remember, not to forget
to depend completely on one thing to get success
List of Idioms (Essentials) 10
be well-off
get on one's nerves
an old flame
shake a leg
dressed to kill
have a sweet tooth
in the same boat
might as well
run in the family
not take kindly to something/somebody
in one's best clothes and looking good
to annoy or disturb
in the same situation
to be a common feature in a particular family
to like sweets very much
to hurry up
to be rich
because there is nothing better
to not like something/somebody
a former lover
List of Idioms (Proverbs) 1
When the cat's
Never judge
One swallow
Experience
All's well
Money is
Beauty is
Actions speak
Still waters
A bad workman
that ends well
the root of all evil
doesn't make a summer
only skin-deep
always blames his tools
away the mice will play
run deep
is the best teacher
louder than words
a book by its cover
List of Idioms (Proverbs) 2
Accidents
Money doesn't
A friend in need
The end
 Every why
Where there's life
Practice
Necessity is
A good beginning
It never rains
will happen
there's hope
has a wherefore
but it pours
justifies the means
the mother of invention
makes perfect
grow on trees
makes a good end
is a friend indeed
List of Idioms (Colloquial Expressions) 1
The food at the restaurant is very good.
'Of course, you can have it.'
Come on, Greg.
I'm not going to the party
'Meet me at six.'
Stop making that noise!
'Thanks for your assistance, Keith.'
'What would you like? Vodka, wine, beer, cognac?'
'How many litres of blood is there in a human body?'
Come on in Jack
'Come again?' 'At six o'clock. Okay?'
'What? For keeps?'
'You're welcome.'
For heaven's sake.
and that's that.
'You've got me there.'
Mind you, it isn't cheap.
and make yourself at home.
'You name it, we've got it all.'
Get a move on or we'll be late for work.
List of Idioms (Colloquial Expressions) 2
'I've failed my exam.' 'I'm sorry to hear that Peter'
'Do you promise not to be late?'
You know what I think,
'I don't really want to go to the cinema tonight.'
The shop will have closed
Yesterday I was at the local pub
Phil says he can levitate.
'This coin is more than 800 years old.'
I am completely indifferent.
'Happy Christmas!'
if you don't step on it.
 'Cross my heart!'
Can you beat that?
'Imagine that!'
'Suit yourself.'
'And the same to you Carol.'
'Better luck next time.'
and all the drinks were on the house.
I couldn't care less.
but it's up to you now.
Idioms (Colours) 15
catch somebody red-handed
get the green light
in black and white
once in a blue moon
be in someone's black books
off colour
green with envy
out of the blue
be in the pink
see red
in writing
unwell, unhealthy
without any warning, by surprise
to get the permission to start or continue something
to be in disgrace or in disfavour with someone
to become very angry
very jealous
to catch somebody while they are doing sth wrong
to be in good health
hardly ever, rarely
Idioms (Parts of the body)
keep an eye on
have a change of a heart
lie through one's teeth
lend a hand
pull a long face
poke one's nose into something
get something off one's chest
keep your fingers crossed
put your foot in it
have your head in the clouds
to get angry
to have a change in your opinion
to say something embarrassing that upsets sb
to help
to tell sb something that you know is false
to not know the facts of a situation
to watch someone or something closely
to tell someone about sth that has been worrying you
 to hope that something will happen the way you want
to interfere with sth; to be nosy about sth
Idioms (Nature)
take by storm
be (all) at sea
walk on air
cost the earth
be in deep (hot) water
make a night of it
come rain or shine
down-to-earth
look like nothing on earth
break the ice
practical and sensible
to be confused about sth and not sure what to do
to have a good time during an evening
to cost very much
to attempt to become friends with someone
to receive a tremendous approval
irrespective of what happens
to be in serious trouble
to look very strange
to be in high spirits, happy
Idioms (Animals)
bark up the wrong tree
hold one's horses
let sleeping dogs lie
put the cat among the pigeons
take the bull by the horns
until the cows come home
play cat and mouse with
the lion's share
the black sheep of the family
not enough room to swing a cat
to face a difficult situation directly and with courage
to wait, to be patient
the worst or most unpopular member of a family
to cause trouble
to try to do sth in a way that will not be successful
not very much space
to tease, provoke
for a long time, until very late
the biggest part of
to leave something alone if it might cause trouble
Idioms (Time)
have the time of one's life
in the long run
behind the times
the small hours
 in the nick of time
the moment of truth
at all times
pressed for time
at the eleventh hour
take your time
just in time
concerning a longer period in the future
needing time, in a hurry
the very early hours of the morning
to do something slowly or without hurrying
the time when you have to do or decide something
have a fantastic experience
the latest possible time
always
old-fashioned
Idioms (Health)
be in a family way
kick a habit
on the mend
as pale as a ghost
beat somebody black and blue
be on your last legs
a bag of bones
die with one's boots on
a picture of health
a bundle of nerves
to hit somebody until they are covered with bruises
to break or stop a bad habit
a very thin person or animal
a very nervous or anxious person
pregnant, going to have a baby
to be very weak or in bad condition
extremely pale
to die while you are still involved in your work
in a very healthy condition
getting better after an illness or injury