Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

English > Idioms > Flashcards

Idioms Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

A blessing in disguise

A

a good thing that seemed bad at first

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

A dime a dozen

A

Something common

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Beat around the bush

A

Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Better late than never

A

Better to arrive late than not to come at all

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Bite the bullet

A

To get something over with because it is inevitable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Break a leg

A

Good luck

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Call it a day

A

Stop working on something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Cut somebody some slack

A

Don’t be so critical

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Cutting corners

A

Doing something poorly in order to save time or money

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Easy does it

A

Slow down

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Get out of hand

A

Get out of control

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Get something out of your system

A

Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Get your act together

A

Work better or leave

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Give someone the benefit of the doubt

A

Trust what someone says

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Go back to the drawing board

A

Start over

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Hang in there

A

Don’t give up

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Hit the sack

A

Go to sleep

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

It’s not rocket science

A

It’s not complicated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Let someone off the hook

A

To not hold someone responsible for something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Make a long story short

A

Tell something briefly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Miss the boat

A

It’s too late

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

No pain, no gain

A

You have to work for what you want

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

On the ball

A

Doing a good job

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Pull someone’s leg

A

To joke with someone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Pull yourself together

A

Calm down

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

So far so good

A

Things are going well so far

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Speak of the devil

A

The person we were just talking about showed up!

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

That’s the last straw

A

My patience has run out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

The best of both worlds

A

An ideal situation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Time flies when you’re having fun

A

You don’t notice how long something lasts when it’s fun

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

To get bent out of shape

A

To get upset

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

To make matters worse

A

Make a problem worse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Under the weather

A

Sick

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it

A

Let’s not talk about that problem right now

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Wrap your head around something

A

Understand something complicated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

You can say that again

A

That’s true, I agree

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Your guess is as good as mine

A

I have no idea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

A

What you have is worth more than what you might have later

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

A penny for your thoughts

A

Tell me what you’re thinking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

A penny saved is a penny earned

A

Money you save today you can spend later

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

A perfect storm

A

the worst possible situation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

A picture is worth 1000 words

A

Better to show than tell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Actions speak louder than words

A

Believe what people do and not what they say

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Add insult to injury

A

To make a bad situation worse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Barking up the wrong tree

A

To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Birds of a feather flock together

A

People who are alike are often friends (usually used negatively)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Bite off more than you can chew

A

Take on a project that you cannot finish

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Break the ice

A

Make people feel more comfortable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

By the skin of your teeth

A

Just barely

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Comparing apples to oranges

A

Comparing two things that cannot be compared

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Costs an arm and a leg

A

Very expensive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Do something at the drop of a hat

A

Do something without having planned beforehand

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

A

Treat people fairly. Also known as “The Golden Rule”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

A

Don’t count on something good happening until it’s happened.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Don’t cry over spilt milk

A

There’s no reason to complain about something that can’t be fixed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Don’t give up your day job

A

You’re not very good at this

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

A

What you’re doing is too risky

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

Every cloud has a silver lining

A

Good things come after bad things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Get a taste of your own medicine

A

Get treated the way you’ve been treating others (negative)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

Give someone the cold shoulder

A

Ignore someone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Go on a wild goose chase

A

To do something pointless

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

Good things come to those who wait

A

Be patient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

He has bigger fish to fry

A

He has bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now

64
Q

He’s a chip off the old block

A

The son is like the father

65
Q

Hit the nail on the head

A

Get something exactly right

66
Q

Ignorance is bliss

A

You’re better off not knowing

67
Q

It ain’t over till the fat lady sings

A

This isn’t over yet

68
Q

It takes one to know one

A

You’re just as bad as I am

69
Q

It’s a piece of cake

A

It’s easy

70
Q

It’s raining cats and dogs

A

It’s raining hard

71
Q

Kill two birds with one stone

A

Get two things done with a single action

72
Q

Let the cat out of the bag

A

Give away a secret

73
Q

Live and learn

A

I made a mistake

74
Q

Look before you leap

A

Take only calculated risks

75
Q

On thin ice

A

On probation. If you make another mistake, there will be trouble.

76
Q

Once in a blue moon

A

Rarely

77
Q

Play devil’s advocate

A

To argue the opposite, just for the sake of argument

78
Q

Put something on ice

A

Put a projet on hold

79
Q

Rain on someone’s parade

A

To spoil something

80
Q

Saving for a rainy day

A

Saving money for later

81
Q

Slow and steady wins the race

A

Reliability is more important than speed

82
Q

Spill the beans

A

Give away a secret

83
Q

Take a rain check

A

Postpone a plan

84
Q

Take it with a grain of salt

A

Don’t take it too seriously

85
Q

The ball is in your court

A

It’s your decision

86
Q

The best thing since sliced bread

A

A really good invention

87
Q

The devil is in the details

A

It looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are problems

88
Q

The early bird gets the worm

A

The first people who arrive will get the best stuff

89
Q

The elephant in the room

A

The big issue, the problem people are avoiding

90
Q

The whole nine yards

A

Everything, all the way.

91
Q

There are other fish in the sea

A

It’s ok to miss this opportunity. Others will arise.

92
Q

There’s a method to his madness

A

He seems crazy but actually he’s clever

93
Q

There’s no such thing as a free lunch

A

Nothing is entirely free

94
Q

Throw caution to the wind

A

Take a risk

95
Q

You can’t have your cake and eat it too

A

You can’t have everything

96
Q

You can’t judge a book by its cover

A

This person or thing may look bad, but it’s good inside

97
Q

A little learning is a dangerous thing

A

People who don’t understand something fully are dangerous

98
Q

A snowball effect

A

Events have momentum and build upon each other

99
Q

A snowball’s chance in hell

A

No chance at all

100
Q

A stitch in time saves nine

A

Fix the problem now because it will get worse later

101
Q

A storm in a teacup

A

A big fuss about a small problem

102
Q

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

A

Apples are good for you

103
Q

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

A

You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder.

104
Q

As right as rain

A

Perfect

105
Q

Bolt from the blue

A

Something that happened without warning

106
Q

Burn bridges

A

Destroy relationships

107
Q

Calm before the storm

A

Something bad is coming, but right now it’s calm

108
Q

Come rain or shine

A

No matter what

109
Q

Curiosity killed the cat

A

Stop asking questions

110
Q

Cut the mustard

A

Do a good job

111
Q

Don’t beat a dead horse

A

Move on, this subject is over

112
Q

Every dog has his day

A

Everyone gets a chance at least once

113
Q

Familiarity breeds contempt

A

The better you know someone the less you like him

114
Q

Fit as a fiddle

A

In good health

115
Q

Fortune favours the bold

A

Take risks

116
Q

Get a second wind

A

Have more energy after having been tired

117
Q

Get wind of something

A

Hear news of something secret

118
Q

Go down in flames

A

Fail spectacularly

119
Q

Haste makes waste

A

You’ll make mistakes if you rush through something

120
Q

Have your head in the clouds

A

Not be concentrating

121
Q

He who laughs last laughs loudest

A

I’ll get you back for what you did

122
Q

Hear something straight from the horse’s mouth

A

Hear something from the person involved

123
Q

He’s not playing with a full deck

A

He’s dumb

124
Q

He’s off his rocker

A

He’s crazy

125
Q

He’s sitting on the fence

A

He can’t make up his mind

126
Q

It is a poor workman who blames his tools

A

If you can’t do the job, don’t blame it on others

127
Q

It is always darkest before the dawn

A

Things are going to get better

128
Q

It takes two to tango

A

One person alone isn’t responsible. Both people are involved.

129
Q

Jump on the bandwagon

A

Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing

130
Q

Know which way the wind is blowing

A

Understand the situation (usually negative)

131
Q

Leave no stone unturned

A

Look everywhere

132
Q

Let sleeping dogs lie

A

Stop discussing an issue

133
Q

Like riding a bicycle

A

Something you never forget how to do

134
Q

Like two peas in a pod

A

They’re always together

135
Q

Make hay while the sun shines

A

Take advantage of a good situation

136
Q

On cloud nine

A

Very happy

137
Q

Once bitten, twice shy

A

You’re more cautious when you’ve been hurt before

138
Q

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

A

Things are going from bad to worse

139
Q

Run like the wind

A

Run fast

140
Q

Shape up or ship out

A

Work better or leave

141
Q

Snowed under

A

Busy

142
Q

That ship has sailed

A

It’s too late

143
Q

The pot calling the kettle black

A

Someone criticizing someone else he is just as bad

144
Q

There are clouds on the horizon

A

Trouble is coming

145
Q

Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones

A

People who are morally questionable shouldn’t criticize others

146
Q

Through thick and thin

A

In good times and in bad times

147
Q

Time is money

A

Work quickly

148
Q

Waste not, want not

A

Don’t waste things and you’ll always have enough

149
Q

We see eye to eye

A

We agree

150
Q

Weather the storm

A

Go through something difficult

151
Q

Well begun is half done

A

Getting a good start is important

152
Q

When it rains it pours

A

Everything is going wrong at once

153
Q

You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar

A

You’ll get what you want by being nice

154
Q

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink

A

You can’t force someone to make the right decision

155
Q

You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs

A

There’s always a cost to doing something

English (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions