Discover the meanings and fascinating origins behind the quirky expressions that make English such a colorful language.
To endure a painful or unpleasant situation that is unavoidable.
Example Sentence
"I hate going to the dentist, but I just need to bite the bullet and make an appointment."
Etymology (Origin)
Before anesthesia was invented, soldiers were given a bullet to bite down on during surgery to help them endure the pain without screaming.
If you translate these word-for-word, they make no sense. Here's what they actually mean.
🌧️ 🐱 🐕
Raining animals
Raining very heavily.
🪶 ✈️
Flying with feathers
To be very fast or successful.
🦵 💥
Breaking a limb
Good luck (usually in theater).
The phrases you'll hear constantly in movies, TV shows, and conversations.
Something that is very easy to do.
To accidentally reveal a secret.
To join others in doing something fashionable.
To describe exactly what is causing a situation.
Something that happens very rarely.
A good thing that seemed bad at first.
The bizarre historical reasons we say the things we say.
Before cameras, portrait painters charged by the limb. Painting a face was cheap, but painting arms and legs took more time and paint, making it much more expensive.
In 15th century Scotland, a law stated that if someone butchered an animal that didn't belong to him, he had to be caught with the animal's blood on his hands to be convicted.
Pirates would sail under false flags (colors) to get close to enemy ships. Right before attacking, they would hoist their true pirate flag, revealing their real identity.
In Ancient Greece, people voted using white and black beans. If the jar was accidentally knocked over, the beans were spilled, revealing the secret vote prematurely.
Explore our extensive dictionary using different filters and categories.
Take this 50-question quiz to test your vocabulary knowledge.
1. What does it mean to 'read between the lines'?
2. If someone uses a 'broad brush', how do they describe something?
3. If you 'jump the gun,' what have you done?
4. What does 'once in a blue moon' mean?
5. What does it mean to 'bury your head in the sand'?
6. If a secret 'comes to light', what has happened?
7. What does it mean to 'eat your hat'?
8. If you can't 'get a word in edgewise', the other person is:
9. If a couple is 'on the rocks', what is their status?
10. If you have something 'down to a fine art', what have you done?
11. If you are 'bummed out,' how do you feel?
12. What does it mean when everyone is 'on the same page'?
13. If you and your boss 'see eye to eye,' what is your relationship like?
14. If 'it takes two to tango', what is true?
15. What does it mean to 'fight fire with fire'?
16. What does it mean to be 'at your wits' end'?
17. What is a 'rule of thumb'?
18. What does it mean to "see a man about a horse"?
19. What is a 'red herring'?
20. What does the idiom 'on the same page' mean?
21. What does 'by and large' mean?
22. If someone is 'on cloud nine', how do they feel?
23. If someone is a 'pain in the neck,' what are they?
24. If a product 'sells like hotcakes', what is it doing?
25. If someone is a 'fair-weather friend', what are they like?
26. If a person 'eclipses' someone else, they...
27. If you finally 'get the hang of' driving, what have you done?
28. What does 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' mean?
29. If a trend is 'old hat', it is:
30. If someone tells you to 'get your act together', they want you to:
31. What does it mean to 'get over someone'?
32. What is a 'rule of thumb'?
33. What does 'bad blood' refer to?
34. If something 'stands the test of time,' what happens to it?
35. What does a 'blue-chip' client represent to a business?
36. What does it mean to 'go ballistic'?
37. If you do something 'until the cows come home,' how long do you do it?
38. What does 'fit as a fiddle' mean?
39. If you have 'two strikes against you,' what is your situation?
40. What does the idiom 'bite the bullet' mean?
41. If you are 'under the weather', how do you feel?
42. What does it mean to 'play devil's advocate'?
43. If someone is 'on the mend', what are they doing?
44. What is 'sleight of hand'?
45. If a business 'goes belly up', what has happened?
46. What does it mean to "learn the ropes"?
47. What does it mean to 'bring out the big guns'?
48. What does it mean to 'pull the trigger' on a decision?
49. What does it mean when something 'rings a bell'?
50. What does 'vote with your feet' mean?
Idioms are expressions whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal definitions of the words that make them up. For example, if someone says 'it's raining cats and dogs', they mean it is raining heavily, not that animals are falling from the sky.
Idioms are essential because native English speakers use them constantly in daily conversation, writing, and movies. Learning idioms helps you understand natural English, sound more fluent, and grasp the cultural context of the language.
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning is different from the literal words (e.g., 'spill the beans' means to reveal a secret). A proverb is a short, well-known saying that gives advice or states a universal truth (e.g., 'A penny saved is a penny earned').
The best way to learn idioms is by understanding the context in which they are used rather than just memorizing lists. Reading English books, watching TV shows, and practicing with our idiom quizzes above can make learning them fun and natural.
No, idioms usually cannot be translated word-for-word into other languages because they are culturally specific. Translating them literally often results in nonsense, so it is important to learn their actual figurative meanings.
