Idioms Flashcards
Over 50 of the most common English-language idioms. Learn them and feel savvier socially!
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
ad nauseam
To continue to a sickening or excessive degree; from Latin “to [the point of] nausea”
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
all thumbs
Clumsy
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
alma mater
The school or university that one graduated from
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
baker’s dozen
Thirteen; in the past, bakers provided an extra roll for each dozen sold
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
beat around the bush
To avoid an issue or topic
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
bite the bullet
To endure an unpleasant situation or circumstance
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
break the ice
To remove tension when meeting people for the first time
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
bury the hatchet
To make peace; to agree to end a quarrel.
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
butter someone up
To excessively praise or flatter someone
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
chip off the old block
People who closely resemble their parents in some aspect
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
climb on the bandwagon
To join a particular cause or political party
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
cold feet
To be too afraid to complete an action
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
cold shoulder
To ignore someone on purpose
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
crème de la crème
The best of the best
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
déjà vu
The sense that one’s present experience has already occurred in the past when it hasn’t
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
draw the line
To establish a limit
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
elbow grease
Intense physical effort
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
eleventh hour
The last minute
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
ergo
Word of Latin origin meaning “therefore”
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
face the music
To accept unpleasant consequences for wrongdoing
Which idiom means the following?
To continue to a sickening or excessive degree; from Latin “to [the point of] nausea”
ad nauseam
Which idiom means the following?
Clumsy
all thumbs
Which idiom means the following?
The school or university that one graduated from
alma mater
Which idiom means the following?
Thirteen; in the past, bakers provided an extra roll for each dozen sold
baker’s dozen
Which idiom means the following?
To avoid an issue or topic
beat around the bush
Which idiom means the following?
To endure an unpleasant situation or circumstance
bite the bullet
Which idiom means the following?
To remove tension when meeting people for the first time
break the ice
Which idiom means the following?
To make peace; to agree to end a quarrel.
bury the hatchet
Which idiom means the following?
To excessively praise or flatter someone
butter someone up
Which idiom means the following?
People who closely resemble their parents in some aspect
chip off the old block
Which idiom means the following?
To join a particular cause or political party
climb on the bandwagon
Which idiom means the following?
To be too afraid to complete an action
cold feet
Which idiom means the following?
To ignore someone on purpose
cold shoulder
Which idiom means the following?
The best of the best
crème de la crème
Which idiom means the following?
The sense that one’s present experience has already occurred in the past when it hasn’t
déjà vu
Which idiom means the following?
To establish a limit
draw the line
Which idiom means the following?
Intense physical effort
elbow grease
Which idiom means the following?
The last minute
eleventh hour
Which idiom means the following?
Word of Latin origin meaning “therefore”
ergo
Which idiom means the following?
To accept unpleasant consequences for wrongdoing
face the music
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
fly off the handle
To suddenly become enraged
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
get something off one’s chest
to confess something; to unburden oneself
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
get up on the wrong side of the bed
To be unpleasant because the day started badly
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
grain of salt
To treat a piece of information with skepticism
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
gung-ho
Extremely enthusiastic
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
in hot water
In deep trouble
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
Indian summer
A period of unusually warm weather during the fall season
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
John Hancock
A signature; refers to John Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
kick the bucket
To die
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
know the ropes
To understand the intricacies of an operation very well
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
lowbrow
Vulgar, uncultured
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
make ends meet
To earn just enough income to provide for basic needs
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
make my day
To make someone really happy
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
no-brainer
An extremely easy task that requires little thought
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
nouveau riche
An offensive term for someone who recently becomes rich and spends money conspicuously
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
pay through the nose
To pay an unreasonably high price for something
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
p.c.
Abbreviation for “politically correct”. Refers to social, political, and educational changes made to correct historical injustices towards race, gender, ethnic background, and sexual orientation.
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
play it by ear
To improvise
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
pop the question
To propose marriage
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
pull somebody’s leg
To tease someone
Which idiom means the following?
To suddenly become enraged
fly off the handle
Which idiom means the following?
to confess something; to unburden oneself
get something off one’s chest
Which idiom means the following?
To be unpleasant because the day started badly
get up on the wrong side of the bed
Which idiom means the following?
To treat a piece of information with skepticism
grain of salt
Which idiom means the following?
Extremely enthusiastic
gung-ho
Which idiom means the following?
In deep trouble
in hot water
Which idiom means the following?
A period of unusually warm weather during the fall season
Indian summer
Which idiom means the following?
A signature; refers to John Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence
John Hancock
Which idiom means the following?
To die
kick the bucket
Which idiom means the following?
To understand the intricacies of an operation very well
know the ropes
Which idiom means the following?
Vulgar, uncultured
lowbrow
Which idiom means the following?
To earn just enough income to provide for basic needs
make ends meet
Which idiom means the following?
To make someone really happy
make my day
Which idiom means the following?
An extremely easy task that requires little thought
no-brainer
Which idiom means the following?
An offensive term for someone who recently becomes rich and spends money conspicuously
nouveau riche
Which idiom means the following?
To pay an unreasonably high price for something
pay through the nose
Which idiom means the following?
Abbreviation for “politically correct”. Refers to social, political, and educational changes made to correct historical injustices towards race, gender, ethnic background, and sexual orientation.
p.c.
Which idiom means the following?
To improvise
play it by ear
Which idiom means the following?
To propose marriage
pop the question
Which idiom means the following?
To tease someone
pull somebody’s leg
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
quid pro quo
A fair exchange
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
raining cats and dogs
Raining very heavily
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
rule of thumb
A practical principle that comes from experience and not meant to be reliable for every situation
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
run of the mill
Common, ordinary
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
second wind
A second surge of energy after a period of exhaustion
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
see eye to eye
To be in agreement
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
shalom
A Hebrew word that means both “hello” and “goodbye”
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
sit on the fence
To remain neutral, to not take a side in an argument
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
sitting duck
An easy target
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
smell a rat
To sense something is suspicious
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
steal someone’s thunder
To undermine someone’s accomplishments
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
take the cake
To be extremely good or outstanding; sometimes used in a derogatory manner
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
throw down the gauntlet
To issue a challenge
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
throw in the towel
To quit or give up
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
thumbs up (down)
To approve or disapprove, respectively
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
time is of the essence
When something must be done immediately
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
touch and go
Precarious or uncertain
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
turn over a new leaf
To begin again; to have a fresh start
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
upper crust
Upper class
What is the meaning of the following idiom?
wet blanket
A negative person who spoils other people’s joy
Which idiom means the following?
A fair exchange
quid pro quo
Which idiom means the following?
Raining very heavily
raining cats and dogs
Which idiom means the following?
A practical principle that comes from experience and not meant to be reliable for every situation
rule of thumb
Which idiom means the following?
Common, ordinary
run of the mill
Which idiom means the following?
A second surge of energy after a period of exhaustion
second wind
Which idiom means the following?
To be in agreement
see eye to eye
Which idiom means the following?
A Hebrew word that means both “hello” and “goodbye”
shalom
Which idiom means the following?
To remain neutral, to not take a side in an argument
sit on the fence
Which idiom means the following?
An easy target
sitting duck
Which idiom means the following?
To sense something is suspicious
smell a rat
Which idiom means the following?
To undermine someone’s accomplishments
steal someone’s thunder
Which idiom means the following?
To be extremely good or outstanding; sometimes used in a derogatory manner
take the cake
Which idiom means the following?
To issue a challenge
throw down the gauntlet
Which idiom means the following?
To quit or give up
throw in the towel
Which idiom means the following?
To approve or disapprove, respectively
thumbs up (down)
Which idiom means the following?
When something must be done immediately
time is of the essence
Which idiom means the following?
Precarious or uncertain
touch and go
Which idiom means the following?
To begin again; to have a fresh start
turn over a new leaf
Which idiom means the following?
Upper class
upper crust
Which idiom means the following?
A negative person who spoils other people’s joy
wet blanket