Welcome to our blog post about idioms! Idioms are phrases that mean something different from the words they use. We’ll explain 20 fun idioms so even kids can understand what they mean and see how to use them in sentences.
Clever Idioms
Here are 20 clever idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: Reveal a secret.
Example: He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
2. Wild goose chase
Meaning: A pointless search.
Example: Looking for that old toy was a wild goose chase.
3. Cry wolf
Meaning: Give false alarm.
Example: She cried wolf too many times.
4. Fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable.
Example: I felt like a fish out of water at the new school.
5. Cold turkey
Meaning: Stop abruptly.
Example: He quit smoking cold turkey.
6. Cat got your tongue?
Meaning: Why aren’t you talking?
Example: What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?
7. Raining cats and dogs
Meaning: Raining heavily.
Example: It’s raining cats and dogs out there!
8. Chicken out
Meaning: Too scared to do something.
Example: He chickened out at the last minute.
9. Hold your horses
Meaning: Wait and be patient.
Example: Hold your horses, dinner’s almost ready.
10. Smell a rat
Meaning: Suspect something wrong.
Example: I smell a rat with this deal.
11. Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: Solve two problems at once.
Example: Shopping while walking the dog kills two birds with one stone.
12. Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: Avoid causing a problem.
Example: Don’t ask him about the car accident—let sleeping dogs lie.
13. The elephant in the room
Meaning: An obvious, unspoken issue.
Example: We need to address the elephant in the room.
14. Monkey around
Meaning: Play or fool around.
Example: Stop monkeying around and get to work.
15. Bull in a china shop
Meaning: Someone very clumsy.
Example: He’s like a bull in a china shop.
16. Like a moth to a flame
Meaning: Attracted to something harmful.
Example: He’s drawn like a moth to a flame to fast cars.
17. Ants in your pants
Meaning: Can’t stay still.
Example: You’ve got ants in your pants today!
18. Snake in the grass
Meaning: A hidden enemy.
Example: Watch out, he’s a snake in the grass.
19. Eat like a bird
Meaning: Eat very little.
Example: She eats like a bird.
20. As blind as a bat
Meaning: Very poor sight.
Example: Without my glasses, I’m as blind as a bat.
