In every language, there are fun phrases called idioms that don’t mean what they exactly say. They use everyday words to express unique ideas and can be really amusing. This post explores some popular English idioms, what they mean, and how they are used in sentences.
Cultural Idioms
Here are 20 cultural idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Break a leg
Meaning: Good luck
Example: Break a leg in your audition tomorrow!
2. Piece of cake
Meaning: Very easy
Example: The test was a piece of cake.
3. Spill the beans
Meaning: Reveal a secret
Example: He spilled the beans about the surprise party.
4. Hit the books
Meaning: Start studying
Example: It’s finals week, time to hit the books.
5. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: Reveal a secret unintentionally
Example: She let the cat out of the bag about the wedding.
6. Costs an arm and a leg
Meaning: Very expensive
Example: This watch costs an arm and a leg.
7. Feeling under the weather
Meaning: Feeling sick
Example: I’m feeling under the weather today.
8. Bite the bullet
Meaning: Endure a painful experience
Example: I bit the bullet and visited the dentist.
9. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: Do something precisely right
Example: You hit the nail on the head with that idea.
10. When pigs fly
Meaning: Never
Example: I’ll move to Mars when pigs fly.
11. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work late into the night
Example: She’s burning the midnight oil to finish the report.
12. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: Have a mistaken notion
Example: You’re barking up the wrong tree with that idea.
13. The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your decision or responsibility
Example: The ball is in your court now, decide what you want.
14. Take it with a grain of salt
Meaning: Do not take it very seriously
Example: Take his advice with a grain of salt.
15. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Very rarely
Example: I only go to the cinema once in a blue moon.
16. Straight from the horse’s mouth
Meaning: Directly from the source
Example: I got the news straight from the horse’s mouth.
17. Miss the boat
Meaning: Miss an opportunity
Example: He missed the boat on that deal.
18. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: Complain about a loss from the past
Example: There’s no use crying over spilled milk.
19. Cut corners
Meaning: Do something poorly to save time or money
Example: They cut corners while building the shed.
20. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: Start again from the beginning
Example: It didn’t work, back to the drawing board.
