IDIOMS AND PROVERBS
1. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Meaning : Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for
more, because chances are you might losing everything.
2. A blessing in disguise
Meaning : Something good that isn’t recognized first
3. A chip on your shoulder
Meaning : being upset for something that happened in the past
4. A damp squib
Meaning : a complete failure
5. A dime a dozen
Meaning : anything that is common and easy to get
6. A fool and his money are easily parted
Meaning : it’s easy for a foolish person to lose his/her money
7. A house divided against itself cannot stand
Meaning : everyone involved must unify or it wont work
8. A leopard can’t change its spots
Meaning : you cannot change who you are
9. A lost cause
Meaning : A hopeless situation have no hope of a positive change
10. A man of straw
Meaning : A weak person
11. A penny saved is a penny earned
Meaning : by not spending money, you are saving money
12. A picture paints a thousand words
Meaning : A visual presentation is far more descriptive (描述) than words
13. A piece of cake
Meaning : a task that is easy
14. A taste of your own medicine
Meaning : when you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others
15. A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Meaning : a dangerous person pretending to be harmless
16. Above all
Meaning : mainly, especially
17. Actions speak louder than words
Meaning : it is better to actually do something than just talking about it
18. Add fuel to the fire
Meaning : Making a bad situation worse
19. Against the clock
Meaning : rushed and short on time
20. All in all
Meaning : considering everything
21. All in the same boat
Meaning : everyone is facing the same challenge
22. Apple to my eye
Meaning : someone who is cherished above others
23. At the drop of a hat
Meaning : willing to do something immediately
24. Bated breath
Meaning : in anxiety
25. Beating around the bash
Meaning : avoiding the main topic, not speaking directly about the issue
26. Bend over backwards
Meaning : willing to do anything, do whatever it takes to help
27. Between the cup and the lips
Meaning : on the point of achievement
28. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning : to take up a task that is too big to handle
29. Blood is thicker than water
Meaning : family bond is closer than anything else
30. Break a leg
Meaning : to say good luck to someone
31. By all means
Meaning : to use any possible methods
32. By leaps and bounds
Meaning : speedily (quickly)
33. Cats and dogs
Meaning : raining heavily
34. Chew someone out
Meaning : to verbally scold someone
35. Chip on the shoulder
Meaning : angry or sad today about something that happened in the past
36. Close call
Meaning : a narrow escape from danger
37. Cut to the chase
Meaning : leave out all the unnecessary details and go straight to the point
38. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning : don’t rely on something until you are sure of it
39. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning : do not put all your resources into one possibility
40. Drastic times require drastic measures
Meaning : when you are extremely desperate you have to take desperate actions
41. Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning : be optimistic (hopeful), even difficult times will lead to better days
42. Fair and wide
Meaning : equal opportunities to all
43. Far and wide
Meaning : everywhere
44. Fixed on your ways
Meaning : not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of doing
something
45. Flash in the pan
Meaning : something that shows potential or looks promising in the beginning but
fails to deliver
46. For good
Meaning : permanently, forever
47. For the time being
Meaning : temporarily, for now
48. Get up on the wrong side of the bed
Meaning : someone who is having a horrible day
49. Gird up the loin
Meaning : to get ready
50. Go out on a limb
Meaning : to put yourself in a tough situation to support someone or something
51. Go the extra mile
Meaning : going above and beyond whatever is required for the task
52. Great minds think alike
Meaning : intelligent people think like each other, to have the same opinion
53. Haste makes waste
Meaning : quickly doing things results in a poor ending
54. Have an axe to grind
Meaning : to have a dispute with someone
55. Heart and soul
Meaning : with full devotion, to put everything into one project
56. Hit the books
Meaning : to study, especially for an exam
57. Hit the hay / hit the sack
Meaning : to sleep
58. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning : to do or say something exactly right
59. Hush money
Meaning : a bribe
60. Icing on the cake
Meaning : when you already have it good and get something on top of what you
already have
61. Ill in ease
Meaning : uncomfortable or worried in a situation
62. In no time
Meaning : quickly, rapidly
63. In the bag
Meaning : to have something secured
64. In the heat of the moment
Meaning : overwhelmed of what’s happening in the moment
65. In vain
Meaning : useless
66. Ins and outs
Meaning : full detail
67. It is anyone’s call
Meaning : a competition where the results is hard to judge or predict
68. Keep an eye on
Meaning : to monitor or take care of someone
69. Keep your chin up
Meaning : to stay joyful in a tough situation
70. Know the ropes
Meaning : to understand the details
71. Leave no stone unturned
Meaning : make all possible efforts
72. Lend me your ear
Meaning : to politely ask for someone’s full attention
73. Let along
Meaning : and certainly not
74. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning : to share secrets that weren’t meant to be shared
75. Life and soul
Meaning : main support
76. Lock and key
Meaning : in a safe place
77. Make no bones about
Meaning : to state a fact so there are no doubts or objections
78. Might and main
Meaning : with all enthusiasm
79. Narrow-minded
Meaning : not willing to accept the ideas of others
80. Down-to-earth
Meaning : sensible and realistic
81. A bite at the cherry
Meaning : an opportunity to achieve something
82. Cutting corners
Meaning : doing something poorly in order to save time or money
83. Pull yourself together
Meaning : to calm down
84. Like a fish out of the water
Meaning : to be uncomfortable in a particular situation
85. Cash cow
Meaning : a good and easy way to earn money
86. Loaded for bear
Meaning : well prepared for challenges
87. Better late than never
Meaning : it is better to do something or arrive after the expected time than
not do it or arrive at all
88. To be closefisted
Meaning : be stingy
89. A perfect storm
Meaning : the worst possible situation
90. Judge a book by its cover
Meaning : to judge one by one’s appearance and not one’s personality
91. Golden opportunity
Meaning : the perfect chance
92. With flying colours
Meaning : with great or total success
93. Out of the blue
Meaning : randomly, without warning
94. Time to hit the road
Meaning : Time to depart
95. Around the clock
Meaning : all the time
96. A sunny smile
Meaning : a happy and friendly smile
97. Under the weather
Meaning : sick, ill
98. In the pink of health / As right as rain
Meaning : in a very good health
99. Hang in there
Meaning : don’t give up
100. A journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step
Meaning : it is important to take the first step to reach your goals
101. Better safe than sorry
Meaning : it is better to take precautions than to regret later
102. A stitch in time saves nine
Meaning : it is better to deal with problems immediately than letting them
become bigger
103. Early bird catches the worms
Meaning : one who start early gets the best chance to success
104. Honesty is the best policy
Meaning : being honest is the best characteristic
105. It is no use to cry over spilt milk
Meaning : you shouldn’t be upset over something that has happened already
106. Strike when the iron is hot
Meaning : grab the opportunity at the most favourable time
107. Laughter is the best medicine
Meaning : being happy is the best cure to any problems
108. Every dog has its day
Meaning : everyone will attain success at some point in their life
109. An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
Meaning : a child has similar characteristics as his/her parents
110. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today
Meaning : do not delay a task if you can do it immediately
111. Practice makes perfect
Meaning : you become better at a skill if you practise enough
112. A friend in need is a friend indeed
Meaning : true friends are those who help you when you need it
113. Rome wasn’t build in a day
Meaning : good work takes time
114. Two wrongs do not make a right
Meaning : someone’s wrong actions does not justify for acting in the same way
115. Look before you leap
Meaning : act after considering the possible consequences
116. Fortune favours the bold
Meaning : courageous actions will be rewarded
117. To kill two birds with one stone
Meaning : to finish two things at one time
118. Good things come to those who wait
Meaning : patience is rewarded
119. Once bitten, twice shy
Meaning : one unpleasant experience leads to caution
120. Birds of a feather flock together
Meaning : one tends to stick together with simple-minded people
121. It is never too late to mend
Meaning : it’s never too late to change bad habits
122. Time and tide wait for no man
Meaning : time is constantly slipping, so don’t procrastinate
123. Two heads are better than one
Meaning : it's helpful to have the advice or opinion of a second person
