Every language has its own idioms and expressions and the English language has a lot of phrases that is useful to learn. Idioms are words, phrases or proverb that aren’t meant to be taken literally and usually have a cultural meaning behind them and its meanings cannot be directly translated. Most of the English idioms are offering advices but also contain some underlying principles and values.
Here are the most common English idioms and phrases that will enrich your English vocabulary and make you sound like a native speaker.
To add insult to injury : to make a situation worse.
You can’t judge a book by its cover: to not judge someone or something based solely on appearance.
Break a leg: means ‘good luck’ (often said to actors before they go on stage).
To hit the nail on the head: to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
A blessing in disguise: A misfortune that eventually results in something good happening later on.
Call it a day: Stop working on something.
Let someone off the hook: To allow someone, who have been caught, to not be punished.
No pain no gain: You have to work hard for something you want.
Bite the bullet: Decide to do something unpleasant that you avoided doing.
Getting a taste of your own medicine: Being treated the same unpleasant way you have treated others.
Giving someone the cold shoulder: To ignore someone.
The last straw: The final source of irritation for someone to finally lose patience.
The elephant in the room: A matter or problem that is obvious of great importance but that is not discussed openly.
Stealing someone’s thunder: Taking credit for someone else achievements.
Back against the wall: forced to do something you would rather not.
Beat around the bush: avoid saying something.
A dime a dozen: something common.
To step up one's game: to work harder.
Buy it: believe in something.
On the line: to risk something.
Add fuel to fire: make something worse.
Hang in there: not to give up.
Fair and square: to do things in a fair ways.
Bigger fish to fry: there's something more important to take care of.
Chip off the old block: to be similar to one's parents in one way or overall.
By the skin of one's teeth: to barely get something done.
Cut to the chase: get directly to the point
Face the music: to accept reality.
Jump on the bandwagon: to follow a trend.
Pull one's leg: to lie.
When pigs fly: something that will never happen.
Speak of the devil: this means that the person you’re just talking about actually appears at that moment.
See eye to eye: to agree with someone.
Once in a blue moon: an event that happens infrequently.
To cost an arm and a leg: something is very expensive.
A piece of cake: something is very easy.
Let the cat out of the bag :to accidentally reveal a secret.
To feel under the weather: to not feel well.
To kill two birds with one stone: to solve two problems at once.
To cut corners: to do something badly or cheaply.
Get familiar with these idioms and it's meaning to avoid being clueless whenever it's been used on you.
© Olarewaju Aishat Olamide
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