English (Idioms) Flashcards
Break the ice
To initiate conversation in a social setting to reduce tension.
Bite the bullet
To endure a painful situation that is unavoidable.
Burn the midnight oil
To study or work late into the night.
Caught between a rock and a hard place
To face a difficult choice between two undesirable options.
Hit the nail on the head
To describe exactly what is causing a situation; to be exactly right.
Let the cat out of the bag
To reveal a secret.
Piece of cake
Something very easy to accomplish.
Once in a blue moon
Something that happens very rarely.
Under the weather
Feeling ill or unwell.
Kick the bucket
To die (usually used humorously).
Cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive.
The ball is in your court
It is your turn to take action.
Throw in the towel
To give up; to admit defeat.
Burn the candle at both ends
To work excessively hard and exhaust oneself.
A blessing in disguise
Something that seems bad at first but results in something good.
Barking up the wrong tree
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
All bark and no bite
Someone who is outwardly aggressive but not actually so.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Don’t assume success before it actually happens.
Every cloud has a silver lining
There is something good in every bad situation.
When pigs fly
Something that will never happen.
The early bird catches the worm
Those who start early have an advantage.
More than meets the eye
There is more to something than what appears on the surface.
A dime a dozen
Something very common and not of much value.
At the drop of a hat
Immediately, without any hesitation.
