Interesting Idioms and Phrases in English with Meaning

Interesting idioms and phrases in English. Here is the list of interesting and useful idioms and phrases that are used in our daily routine conversation. You can download pdf of interesting idioms and phrases.

Interesting idioms and phrases in English

List of cool idioms with Meaning

Below is the list of some cool idioms:

Off day: a day on which you do not have to work: She is planning to the zoo on her off day.
Off-color: slightly ill: I have been feeling a bit off-color lately.
Off-hand: immediately, extempore: They decided off-hand to take a trip.
Oft the top of one’s head: from the knowledge, you have in your memory: I cannot tell you Alina’s mobile number off the top of my head but I can look up it for you.
On / At / Upon the point of: about to do something: The doctor came when he was on the point of death.
On account of: because of: He could not take the examination on account of illness.
On all hands: by everyone, universally: It was decided on all hands to take a trip.
On behalf of: for someone: I will sign the agreement on behalf of my brother.
On occasion: from time to time: He comes to see me on occasion.
On the air: broadcasting or being broadcast: The interview will be on the air tomorrow.
On the eve of: on the occasion: He was very happy on the eve of his birthday.
On the horns of a dilemma: to choose one of the two undesirable courses: He could save only one of two drowning sons. So, he was on the horns of a dilemma whom he should let drown.
On the score of: because of: He fell ill on the score of bad food.

Also Learn: List of Idioms used in daily life

Interesting Idioms – Infographic 1

idioms and phrases in english with meanings

interesting idioms

On the spur of the moment: suddenly, without planning: Hamlet killed Polonius on the spur of the moment.
On the whole: taking everything into consideration: On the whole, the novel is pretty good.
Once for all/Once and for all: completely and finally: Let us settle this problem once and for all.
One’s element: to feel very happy and comfortable in a situation: He in his element when he talks to a large group of people.
One’s marked: to fail to get one’s aim: You will miss your mark if you do not do your work honesty.
Open Pandora’s box: cause great difficulties: Dearness has opened a whole Pandora’s box of problems.
Out of date/out of fashion: of old-style: She does not like out of date
Out of sight: outside the area that you can see: She kept waving her hand until the car was out of sight.
Out of sorts: to be sick: He could not attend the class as he was out of sorts.
Out of the question: not possible, not allowed: It is out of the question for Joe to abuse anyone.
Out of the woods: out of danger: Though we are going ahead well, we are not out of the woods yet.
Outs and out: complete: He is out and out a gentleman.
Over and above: in addition to something, besides: The city is facing many other problems over and above bad roads.

Cool & Interesting Idioms – Infographic 2

cool idioms

Over and over again: repeatedly: The only way to learn the poem is to say yourself over and over again.
Overhead and ears: to be completely in debt/love: He is overhead and ears in love with Elena.
Pass as somebody or something: Pass for somebody or something: He speaks English so well, he could easily pass for an English man.
Pass muster: to reach an acceptable standard: His performance in the test could not pass muster.
Payback in the same coin / pay someone in his own coin: to treat someone as badly as they have treated you: He slapped me but I also paid him in coin by giving him a blow.
Pay/give lip service to: to pretend to agree with someone’s idea without really doing so: She has stopped even paying lip service to the rules of the office.
Plain sailing: easy, effortless: To become a doctor is not plain sailing for anyone.
Play a double game: to act fraudulently, to deceive: By supporting my enemy and sympathizing with me, he is playing a double game.
Play ducks and drakes: spend in the careless wasteful way: He played ducks and drakes with the money of his father.
Play second fiddle to: be in a lower rank or position than someone else: She plays second fiddle to her boss in this office.
Play truant: to run away from school without permission: He often plays truant from school.
Play with fire: do something dangerous: We are ready to play with fire for you.
Pocket an insult: bear insult without open resentment: He had to pocket an insult when he failed in the examination.

Funny & Interesting Idioms – Infographic 3

interesting idioms pdf

Poison one’s ears/ mind against someone: to report against someone: His stepmother poisoned his father’s mind/ears against him.
Poke one’s nose into: to interfere in the problems of others: She usually pokes her nose into the problems of others.
Pray through the nose for sth: to pay excessively: I found an elegant dress, but I had to pay through the nose for it.
Provided that: to say that something will only be possible if something else happens or is done: You will pass the examination provided that you worked hard.
Pull someone’s leg: to try as a joke to make somebody believe something which is not true: You do not really have a black mark on your nose, he is only pulling your leg.
Put the cart before the horse: to do things in the wrong order: He studies at night and sleeps all day long. He has put the cart before the horse.

Idioms Infographics 4

interesting idioms for kids

Rack your brains: to try hard to think of something: I racked my brains trying to remember his name.
Rank and file: ordinary workers: The rank and file of the party are losing their trust in the leadership now.
Read between the lines: to guess something that is not expressed directly: Reading between the lines, I think Elena wants to borrow money.
Red tape: unnecessary official procedure: He could not get his passport in time because of red tape.
Red-letter day: a memorable day: 14th August is a red-letter day for Pakistanis.