Weather plays a significant role in our daily lives and conversations. Understanding and using weather-related idioms and phrasal verbs can make your English more vivid and engaging. Here are 20 expressions related to weather, complete with meanings and example sentences, to enhance your vocabulary.
1. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling ill
Example: I’m feeling under the weather today.
2. Rain on someone’s parade
Meaning: Ruin someone’s plans
Example: Don’t rain on my parade with bad news.
3. Take a rain check
Meaning: Postpone something
Example: Can we take a rain check on dinner?
4. Come rain or shine
Meaning: No matter what
Example: I’ll be there, come rain or shine.
5. Save for a rainy day
Meaning: Save for future need
Example: You should save for a rainy day.
6. Storm in a teacup
Meaning: Exaggerated fuss
Example: It’s just a storm in a teacup, don’t worry.
7. Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: There’s good in bad
Example: Remember, every cloud has a silver lining.
8. It never rains but it pours
Meaning: Multiple troubles
Example: First the car broke down, then I lost my job – it never rains but it pours.
9. Be on cloud nine
Meaning: Extremely happy
Example: She was on cloud nine after the promotion.
10. Chase rainbows
Meaning: Pursue the impossible
Example: Stop chasing rainbows and get realistic.
11. Throw caution to the wind
Meaning: Act recklessly
Example: She threw caution to the wind and quit her job.
12. Break the ice
Meaning: Start conversation
Example: He told a joke to break the ice.
13. Calm before the storm
Meaning: Peace before trouble
Example: This is just the calm before the storm.
14. In the eye of the storm
Meaning: Center of trouble
Example: He was in the eye of the storm during the scandal.
15. Go with the wind
Meaning: Follow fate
Example: Just go with the wind and see where it takes you.
16. Have your head in the clouds
Meaning: Be unrealistic
Example: Stop daydreaming and get your head out of the clouds.
17. Make hay while the sun shines
Meaning: Take advantage
Example: Make hay while the sun shines and finish your work early.
18. On thin ice
Meaning: In a risky situation
Example: You’re on thin ice with your boss.
19. Snowball effect
Meaning: Escalating problem
Example: The situation quickly turned into a snowball effect.
20. Take by storm
Meaning: Captivate entirely
Example: The new movie took audiences by storm.
