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Proverbs & Idioms > Idioms > Flashcards

Idioms Flashcards

Over 50 of the most common English-language idioms. Learn them and feel savvier socially!

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

ad nauseam

A

To continue to a sickening or excessive degree; from Latin “to [the point of] nausea”

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2
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

all thumbs

A

Clumsy

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3
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

alma mater

A

The school or university that one graduated from

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4
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

baker’s dozen

A

Thirteen; in the past, bakers provided an extra roll for each dozen sold

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5
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

beat around the bush

A

To avoid an issue or topic

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6
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

bite the bullet

A

To endure an unpleasant situation or circumstance

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7
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

break the ice

A

To remove tension when meeting people for the first time

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8
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

bury the hatchet

A

To make peace; to agree to end a quarrel.

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9
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

butter someone up

A

To excessively praise or flatter someone

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10
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

chip off the old block

A

People who closely resemble their parents in some aspect

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11
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

climb on the bandwagon

A

To join a particular cause or political party

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12
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

cold feet

A

To be too afraid to complete an action

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13
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

cold shoulder

A

To ignore someone on purpose

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14
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

crème de la crème

A

The best of the best

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15
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

déjà vu

A

The sense that one’s present experience has already occurred in the past when it hasn’t

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16
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

draw the line

A

To establish a limit

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17
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

elbow grease

A

Intense physical effort

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18
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

eleventh hour

A

The last minute

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19
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

ergo

A

Word of Latin origin meaning “therefore”

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20
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

face the music

A

To accept unpleasant consequences for wrongdoing

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21
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To continue to a sickening or excessive degree; from Latin “to [the point of] nausea”

A

ad nauseam

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22
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Clumsy

A

all thumbs

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23
Q

Which idiom means the following?

The school or university that one graduated from

A

alma mater

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24
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Thirteen; in the past, bakers provided an extra roll for each dozen sold

A

baker’s dozen

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25
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To avoid an issue or topic

A

beat around the bush

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26
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To endure an unpleasant situation or circumstance

A

bite the bullet

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27
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To remove tension when meeting people for the first time

A

break the ice

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28
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To make peace; to agree to end a quarrel.

A

bury the hatchet

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29
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To excessively praise or flatter someone

A

butter someone up

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30
Q

Which idiom means the following?

People who closely resemble their parents in some aspect

A

chip off the old block

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31
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To join a particular cause or political party

A

climb on the bandwagon

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32
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To be too afraid to complete an action

A

cold feet

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33
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To ignore someone on purpose

A

cold shoulder

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34
Q

Which idiom means the following?

The best of the best

A

crème de la crème

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35
Q

Which idiom means the following?

The sense that one’s present experience has already occurred in the past when it hasn’t

A

déjà vu

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36
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To establish a limit

A

draw the line

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37
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Intense physical effort

A

elbow grease

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38
Q

Which idiom means the following?

The last minute

A

eleventh hour

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39
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Word of Latin origin meaning “therefore”

A

ergo

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40
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To accept unpleasant consequences for wrongdoing

A

face the music

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41
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

fly off the handle

A

To suddenly become enraged

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42
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

get something off one’s chest

A

to confess something; to unburden oneself

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43
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

get up on the wrong side of the bed

A

To be unpleasant because the day started badly

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44
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

grain of salt

A

To treat a piece of information with skepticism

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45
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

gung-ho

A

Extremely enthusiastic

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46
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

in hot water

A

In deep trouble

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47
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

Indian summer

A

A period of unusually warm weather during the fall season

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48
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

John Hancock

A

A signature; refers to John Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence

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49
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

kick the bucket

A

To die

50
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

know the ropes

A

To understand the intricacies of an operation very well

51
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

lowbrow

A

Vulgar, uncultured

52
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

make ends meet

A

To earn just enough income to provide for basic needs

53
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

make my day

A

To make someone really happy

54
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

no-brainer

A

An extremely easy task that requires little thought

55
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

nouveau riche

A

An offensive term for someone who recently becomes rich and spends money conspicuously

56
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

pay through the nose

A

To pay an unreasonably high price for something

57
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

p.c.

A

Abbreviation for “politically correct”. Refers to social, political, and educational changes made to correct historical injustices towards race, gender, ethnic background, and sexual orientation.

58
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

play it by ear

A

To improvise

59
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

pop the question

A

To propose marriage

60
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

pull somebody’s leg

A

To tease someone

61
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To suddenly become enraged

A

fly off the handle

62
Q

Which idiom means the following?

to confess something; to unburden oneself

A

get something off one’s chest

63
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To be unpleasant because the day started badly

A

get up on the wrong side of the bed

64
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To treat a piece of information with skepticism

A

grain of salt

65
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Extremely enthusiastic

A

gung-ho

66
Q

Which idiom means the following?

In deep trouble

A

in hot water

67
Q

Which idiom means the following?

A period of unusually warm weather during the fall season

A

Indian summer

68
Q

Which idiom means the following?

A signature; refers to John Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence

A

John Hancock

69
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To die

A

kick the bucket

70
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To understand the intricacies of an operation very well

A

know the ropes

71
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Vulgar, uncultured

A

lowbrow

72
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To earn just enough income to provide for basic needs

A

make ends meet

73
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To make someone really happy

A

make my day

74
Q

Which idiom means the following?

An extremely easy task that requires little thought

A

no-brainer

75
Q

Which idiom means the following?

An offensive term for someone who recently becomes rich and spends money conspicuously

A

nouveau riche

76
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To pay an unreasonably high price for something

A

pay through the nose

77
Q

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.

A

p.c.

78
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To improvise

A

play it by ear

79
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To propose marriage

A

pop the question

80
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To tease someone

A

pull somebody’s leg

81
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

quid pro quo

A

A fair exchange

82
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

raining cats and dogs

A

Raining very heavily

83
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

rule of thumb

A

A practical principle that comes from experience and not meant to be reliable for every situation

84
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

run of the mill

A

Common, ordinary

85
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

second wind

A

A second surge of energy after a period of exhaustion

86
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

see eye to eye

A

To be in agreement

87
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

shalom

A

A Hebrew word that means both “hello” and “goodbye”

88
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

sit on the fence

A

To remain neutral, to not take a side in an argument

89
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

sitting duck

A

An easy target

90
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

smell a rat

A

To sense something is suspicious

91
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

steal someone’s thunder

A

To undermine someone’s accomplishments

92
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

take the cake

A

To be extremely good or outstanding; sometimes used in a derogatory manner

93
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

throw down the gauntlet

A

To issue a challenge

94
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

throw in the towel

A

To quit or give up

95
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

thumbs up (down)

A

To approve or disapprove, respectively

96
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

time is of the essence

A

When something must be done immediately

97
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

touch and go

A

Precarious or uncertain

98
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

turn over a new leaf

A

To begin again; to have a fresh start

99
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

upper crust

A

Upper class

100
Q

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

wet blanket

A

A negative person who spoils other people’s joy

101
Q

Which idiom means the following?

A fair exchange

A

quid pro quo

102
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Raining very heavily

A

raining cats and dogs

103
Q

Which idiom means the following?

A practical principle that comes from experience and not meant to be reliable for every situation

A

rule of thumb

104
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Common, ordinary

A

run of the mill

105
Q

Which idiom means the following?

A second surge of energy after a period of exhaustion

A

second wind

106
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To be in agreement

A

see eye to eye

107
Q

Which idiom means the following?

A Hebrew word that means both “hello” and “goodbye”

A

shalom

108
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To remain neutral, to not take a side in an argument

A

sit on the fence

109
Q

Which idiom means the following?

An easy target

A

sitting duck

110
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To sense something is suspicious

A

smell a rat

111
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To undermine someone’s accomplishments

A

steal someone’s thunder

112
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To be extremely good or outstanding; sometimes used in a derogatory manner

A

take the cake

113
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To issue a challenge

A

throw down the gauntlet

114
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To quit or give up

A

throw in the towel

115
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To approve or disapprove, respectively

A

thumbs up (down)

116
Q

Which idiom means the following?

When something must be done immediately

A

time is of the essence

117
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Precarious or uncertain

A

touch and go

118
Q

Which idiom means the following?

To begin again; to have a fresh start

A

turn over a new leaf

119
Q

Which idiom means the following?

Upper class

A

upper crust

120
Q

Which idiom means the following?

A negative person who spoils other people’s joy

A

wet blanket

Proverbs & Idioms (2 decks)

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