Familiar English Idioms And Proverbs
Quote from Sunday on ,These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday conversation. If you haven't mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you're already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English.
Idiom Meaning Usage A little learning is a dangerous thing People who don't understand something fully are dangerous by itself A snowball effect Events have momentum and build upon each other as part of a sentence A snowball's chance in hell No chance at all as part of a sentence A stitch in time saves nine Fix the problem now because it will get worse later by itself A storm in a teacup A big fuss about a small problem as part of a sentence An apple a day keeps the doctor away Apples are good for you by itself An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder. by itself As right as rain Perfect as part of a sentence Bolt from the blue Something that happened without warning as part of a sentence Burn bridges Destroy relationships as part of a sentence Calm before the storm Something bad is coming, but right now it's calm as part of a sentence Come rain or shine No matter what as part of a sentence Curiosity killed the cat Stop asking questions by itself Cut the mustard Do a good job as part of a sentence Don't beat a dead horse Move on, this subject is over by itself Every dog has his day Everyone gets a chance at least once by itself Familiarity breeds contempt The better you know someone the less you like him by itself Fit as a fiddle In good health as part of a sentence Fortune favours the bold Take risks by itself Get a second wind Have more energy after having been tired as part of a sentence Get wind of something Hear news of something secret as part of a sentence Go down in flames Fail spectacularly as part of a sentence Haste makes waste You'll make mistakes if you rush through something by itself Have your head in the clouds Not be concentrating as part of a sentence He who laughs last laughs loudest I'll get you back for what you did by itself Hear something straight from the horse's mouth Hear something from the person involved as part of a sentence He's not playing with a full deck He's dumb by itself He's off his rocker He's crazy by itself He's sitting on the fence He can't make up his mind by itself It is a poor workman who blames his tools If you can't do the job, don't blame it on others by itself It is always darkest before the dawn Things are going to get better by itself It takes two to tango One person alone isn't responsible. Both people are involved. by itself Jump on the bandwagon Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing as part of a sentence Know which way the wind is blowing Understand the situation (usually negative) as part of a sentence Leave no stone unturned Look everywhere as part of a sentence Let sleeping dogs lie Stop discussing an issue as part of a sentence Like riding a bicycle Something you never forget how to do as part of a sentence Like two peas in a pod They're always together as part of a sentence Make hay while the sun shines Take advantage of a good situation as part of a sentence On cloud nine Very happy as part of a sentence Once bitten, twice shy You're more cautious when you've been hurt before by itself Out of the frying pan and into the fire Things are going from bad to worse by itself Run like the wind Run fast as part of a sentence Shape up or ship out Work better or leave by itself Snowed under Busy as part of a sentence That ship has sailed It's too late by itself The pot calling the kettle black Someone criticizing someone else he is just as bad as part of a sentence There are clouds on the horizon Trouble is coming by itself Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones People who are morally questionable shouldn't criticize others by itself Through thick and thin In good times and in bad times as part of a sentence Time is money Work quickly by itself Waste not, want not Don't waste things and you'll always have enough by itself We see eye to eye We agree by itself Weather the storm Go through something difficult as part of a sentence Well begun is half done Getting a good start is important by itself When it rains it pours Everything is going wrong at once by itself You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar You'll get what you want by being nice by itself You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink You can't force someone to make the right decision by itself You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs There's always a cost to doing something by itself
Source: https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-idioms/
These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday conversation. If you haven't mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you're already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English.
Idiom | Meaning | Usage |
---|---|---|
A little learning is a dangerous thing | People who don't understand something fully are dangerous | by itself |
A snowball effect | Events have momentum and build upon each other | as part of a sentence |
A snowball's chance in hell | No chance at all | as part of a sentence |
A stitch in time saves nine | Fix the problem now because it will get worse later | by itself |
A storm in a teacup | A big fuss about a small problem | as part of a sentence |
An apple a day keeps the doctor away | Apples are good for you | by itself |
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure | You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder. | by itself |
As right as rain | Perfect | as part of a sentence |
Bolt from the blue | Something that happened without warning | as part of a sentence |
Burn bridges | Destroy relationships | as part of a sentence |
Calm before the storm | Something bad is coming, but right now it's calm | as part of a sentence |
Come rain or shine | No matter what | as part of a sentence |
Curiosity killed the cat | Stop asking questions | by itself |
Cut the mustard | Do a good job | as part of a sentence |
Don't beat a dead horse | Move on, this subject is over | by itself |
Every dog has his day | Everyone gets a chance at least once | by itself |
Familiarity breeds contempt | The better you know someone the less you like him | by itself |
Fit as a fiddle | In good health | as part of a sentence |
Fortune favours the bold | Take risks | by itself |
Get a second wind | Have more energy after having been tired | as part of a sentence |
Get wind of something | Hear news of something secret | as part of a sentence |
Go down in flames | Fail spectacularly | as part of a sentence |
Haste makes waste | You'll make mistakes if you rush through something | by itself |
Have your head in the clouds | Not be concentrating | as part of a sentence |
He who laughs last laughs loudest | I'll get you back for what you did | by itself |
Hear something straight from the horse's mouth | Hear something from the person involved | as part of a sentence |
He's not playing with a full deck | He's dumb | by itself |
He's off his rocker | He's crazy | by itself |
He's sitting on the fence | He can't make up his mind | by itself |
It is a poor workman who blames his tools | If you can't do the job, don't blame it on others | by itself |
It is always darkest before the dawn | Things are going to get better | by itself |
It takes two to tango | One person alone isn't responsible. Both people are involved. | by itself |
Jump on the bandwagon | Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing | as part of a sentence |
Know which way the wind is blowing | Understand the situation (usually negative) | as part of a sentence |
Leave no stone unturned | Look everywhere | as part of a sentence |
Let sleeping dogs lie | Stop discussing an issue | as part of a sentence |
Like riding a bicycle | Something you never forget how to do | as part of a sentence |
Like two peas in a pod | They're always together | as part of a sentence |
Make hay while the sun shines | Take advantage of a good situation | as part of a sentence |
On cloud nine | Very happy | as part of a sentence |
Once bitten, twice shy | You're more cautious when you've been hurt before | by itself |
Out of the frying pan and into the fire | Things are going from bad to worse | by itself |
Run like the wind | Run fast | as part of a sentence |
Shape up or ship out | Work better or leave | by itself |
Snowed under | Busy | as part of a sentence |
That ship has sailed | It's too late | by itself |
The pot calling the kettle black | Someone criticizing someone else he is just as bad | as part of a sentence |
There are clouds on the horizon | Trouble is coming | by itself |
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones | People who are morally questionable shouldn't criticize others | by itself |
Through thick and thin | In good times and in bad times | as part of a sentence |
Time is money | Work quickly | by itself |
Waste not, want not | Don't waste things and you'll always have enough | by itself |
We see eye to eye | We agree | by itself |
Weather the storm | Go through something difficult | as part of a sentence |
Well begun is half done | Getting a good start is important | by itself |
When it rains it pours | Everything is going wrong at once | by itself |
You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar | You'll get what you want by being nice | by itself |
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink | You can't force someone to make the right decision | by itself |
You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs | There's always a cost to doing something | by itself |
Source: https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-idioms/