Proverbs & Idioms

Question 1

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

Answer 1

Small steps, like good nutrition, can prevent poor health

Question 2

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Beggars can’t be choosers

Answer 2

People lacking other options are not entitled to be choosy

Question 3

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Better late than never

Answer 3

Better to do something after the deadline than to ignore it entirely

Question 4

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Better safe than sorry

Answer 4

Better to take preventative measures than to deal with the potential consequences

Question 5

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Answer 5

The things we already have in possession are more valuable than things we are uncertain of getting in the future

Question 6

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Carpe diem

Answer 6

Latin for “Seize the day” - Live life to the fullest extent

Question 7

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Close, but no cigar

Answer 7

Even being almost correct is still incorrect

Question 8

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Curiosity killed the cat

Answer 8

People should not be nosy

Question 9

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Answer 9

Also known as The Golden Rule - Treat other people how you would like to be treated

Question 10

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Don’t judge a book by its cover

Answer 10

Do not judge something based on how it looks

Question 11

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth

Answer 11

Never be ungrateful for any gift

Question 12

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Answer 12

Never put all of your efforts into one thing, or you could lose it all

Question 13

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence

Answer 13

People always believe that someone else has a better life than their own

Question 14

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Ignorance is bliss

Answer 14

Being unaware of something can keep you content

Question 15

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Knowledge is power

Answer 15

The more you know, the more control you have

Question 16

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Let bygones be bygones

Answer 16

Forget old problems and move forward

Question 17

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it

Answer 17

Worry about potential problems when they actually arise

Question 18

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Look before you leap

Answer 18

Know the task before agreeing to complete it

Question 19

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Misery loves company

Answer 19

Unhappy people derive pleasure from the unhappiness of others

Question 20

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

The more the merrier

Answer 20

The more people participating, the more fun something will be

Question 21

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

No rest for the weary

Answer 21

No matter how tired you are, you must continue working

Question 22

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

A picture is worth a thousand words

Answer 22

An image can conjure stronger emotions than words

Question 23

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Out of sight, out of mind

Answer 23

People and things not physically present become forgettable

Question 24

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Practice what you preach

Answer 24

Follow the same advice that you give to others

Question 25

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Slow but steady wins the race

Answer 25

Consistent effort leads to success

Question 26

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? There are plenty of fish in the sea

Answer 26

There are plenty of people in the world that you would be willing to be in a relationship with and that are willing to be in a relationship with you

Question 27

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Time heals all wounds

Answer 27

With time, people will forget arguments and recover from injuries

Question 28

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Time is money

Answer 28

Every moment spent has an opportunity cost. When you're not working, you're actually *losing* money (which you could have technically been earning if you *were* working).

Question 29

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Two heads are better than one

Answer 29

Two people solving a problem together are more effective than just one person

Question 30

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? When it rains, it pours

Answer 30

When bad or good things happen, it seems to happen all at once

Question 31

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Answer 31

Overcome obstacles by putting in even more effort

Question 32

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar

Answer 32

You can win more allies with compliments rather than aggression

Question 33

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink

Answer 33

You can give someone the necessary resources, but you can't force them to act

Question 34

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? You've made your bed, now lie in it

Answer 34

You must deal with the consequences of your actions

Question 35

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? The devil is in the details

Answer 35

When small details in plans are overlooked, they can cause greater problems later on

Question 36

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Don't cry over spilt milk

Answer 36

There's no use crying over something that has already happened and cannot be changed

Question 37

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? The early bird catches the worm

Answer 37

If you act early and don't procrastinate, you will be successful

Question 38

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Like a fish out of water

Answer 38

If you are in a situation that is new and unfamiliar, you will act as if you were a fish out of water

Question 39

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? A friend in need is a friend indeed

Answer 39

A friend who is there for you in a time of need is a true friend

Question 40

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Strike while the iron is hot

Answer 40

Take advantage of opportunities while they last

Question 41

# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Birds of a feather flock together

Answer 41

People who are similar tend to be attracted to each other

Question 42

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? ad nauseam

Answer 42

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

Question 43

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? all thumbs

Answer 43

Clumsy

Question 44

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? alma mater

Answer 44

The school or university that one graduated from

Question 45

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? beat around the bush

Answer 45

To avoid an issue or topic

Question 46

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? bite the bullet

Answer 46

To endure an unpleasant situation or circumstance

Question 47

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? break the ice

Answer 47

To remove tension when meeting people for the first time

Question 48

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? bury the hatchet

Answer 48

To make peace; to agree to end a quarrel.

Question 49

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? butter someone up

Answer 49

To excessively praise or flatter someone, often before asking them for a favor

Question 50

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? chip off the old block

Answer 50

People who closely resemble their parents in some aspect

Question 51

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? climb on the bandwagon

Answer 51

To join a particular cause or political party

Question 52

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? cold shoulder

Answer 52

To ignore someone on purpose

Question 53

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? crème de la crème

Answer 53

The best of the best

Question 54

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? déjà vu

Answer 54

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

Question 55

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? draw the line

Answer 55

To establish a limit

Question 56

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? elbow grease

Answer 56

Intense physical effort

Question 57

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? ergo

Answer 57

Word of Latin origin meaning "therefore"

Question 58

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? face the music

Answer 58

To accept unpleasant consequences for wrongdoing

Question 59

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? fly off the handle

Answer 59

To suddenly become enraged

Question 60

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? get something off one's chest

Answer 60

to confess something; to unburden oneself

Question 61

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? get up on the wrong side of the bed

Answer 61

To be unpleasant because the day started badly

Question 62

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? grain of salt

Answer 62

To treat a piece of information with skepticism

Question 63

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? gung-ho

Answer 63

Extremely enthusiastic

Question 64

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? in hot water

Answer 64

In deep trouble

Question 65

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? John Hancock

Answer 65

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

Question 66

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? know the ropes

Answer 66

To understand the intricacies of an operation very well

Question 67

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? make ends meet

Answer 67

To earn just enough income to provide for basic needs

Question 68

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? no-brainer

Answer 68

An extremely easy task that requires little thought

Question 69

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? p.c.

Answer 69

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

Question 70

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? play it by ear

Answer 70

To improvise

Question 71

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? pop the question

Answer 71

To propose marriage

Question 72

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? pull somebody's leg

Answer 72

To tease someone

Question 73

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? quid pro quo

Answer 73

A fair exchange

Question 74

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? raining cats and dogs

Answer 74

Raining very heavily

Question 75

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? rule of thumb

Answer 75

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

Question 76

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? run of the mill

Answer 76

Common, ordinary

Question 77

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? second wind

Answer 77

A second surge of energy after a period of exhaustion

Question 78

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? see eye to eye

Answer 78

To be in agreement

Question 79

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? shalom

Answer 79

A Hebrew word that means both "hello" and "goodbye"

Question 80

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? sit on the fence

Answer 80

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

Question 81

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? sitting duck

Answer 81

An easy target

Question 82

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? smell a rat

Answer 82

To sense something is suspicious

Question 83

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? steal someone's thunder

Answer 83

To undermine someone's accomplishments

Question 84

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? take the cake

Answer 84

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

Question 85

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? throw in the towel

Answer 85

To quit or give up

Question 86

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? thumbs up (down)

Answer 86

To approve or disapprove, respectively

Question 87

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? time is of the essence

Answer 87

When something must be done immediately

Question 88

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? touch and go

Answer 88

Precarious or uncertain

Question 89

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? turn over a new leaf

Answer 89

To begin again; to have a fresh start

Question 90

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? cold feet

Answer 90

To be too afraid to complete an action

Question 91

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? kick the bucket

Answer 91

To die

Question 92

# What is the meaning of the following idiom? throw down the gauntlet

Answer 92

To issue a challenge

Question 93

What is the easiest way to quickly master proverbs and idioms and become sharp as a whip in English?

Answer 93

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