CETP - IDIOMS in English - Notes for IFS - Sem 2 - Section 4

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 IDIOM: 

a group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words

‘Let the cat out of the bag’ is an idiom meaning to tell a secret by mistake

Here are some commonly used idioms:

• Break a leg - This is a way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance or presentation.
• Piece of cake - When something is very easy, we say it's a piece of cake.
• Cost an arm and a leg - When something is very expensive, we say it costs an arm and a leg.
• Hit the nail on the head - When someone gets something exactly right, we say they've hit the nail on the head.
• Kill two birds with one stone - When someone accomplishes two things at once, we say they've killed two birds with one stone.
• A chip on your shoulder - This means someone is holding onto a grudge or has a bad attitude.
• Spill the beans - This means to reveal a secret or information that was meant to be kept private.
• Cry over spilt milk - This means to be upset over something that has already happened and can't be changed.
• The ball is in your court - This means it's your turn to take action or make a decision.
• Barking up the wrong tree - This means someone is pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action.

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How to use idioms in the IELTS Speaking test

7 Everyday English Idioms and Where They Come From 

Meaning of Idiom and Important Information

1. A blessing in disguise
2. A chip on your shoulder
3. A dime a dozen
4. A piece of cake
5. A taste of your own medicine
6. Actions speak louder than words
7. All ears
8. All thumbs
9. An arm and a leg
10. Back to the drawing board
11. Barking up the wrong tree
12. Beat around the bush
13. Bite the bullet
14. Break a leg
15. Butterflies in your stomach
16. By the book
17. Caught between a rock and a hard place
18. Don't judge a book by its cover
19. Drop a dime
20. Easy as pie
21. Every cloud has a silver lining
22. Feather in your cap
23. Fish out of water
24. Fit as a fiddle
25. Get a taste of your own medicine
26. Give someone the cold shoulder
27. Go the extra mile
28. Good things come to those who wait
29. Have a blast
30. Hit the nail on the head
31. In a nutshell
32. In hot water
33. It's raining cats and dogs
34. Jump on the bandwagon
35. Keep your chin up
36. Kill two birds with one stone
37. Let the cat out of the bag
38. Live and learn
39. Long shot
40. More than meets the eye
41. On cloud nine
42. Once in a blue moon
43. Piece of work
44. Pull someone's leg
45. Put all your eggs in one basket
46. Quit cold turkey
47. Scratch the surface
48. See eye to eye
49. Speak of the devil
50. Time flies when you're having fun

FIND the Meaning and Test Your Sentence Making with the 50 Idioms!!!

A blessing in disguise - something that seems bad but turns out to be good

Example: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise because it forced me to start my own business.

A dime a dozen - something that is common and easy to find

Example: Those cheap sunglasses are a dime a dozen at the convenience store.

A piece of cake - something that is very easy to do

Example: This math problem is a piece of cake; I can solve it in two minutes.

Actions speak louder than words - what someone does is more important than what they say

Example: I don't believe him when he says he'll help me; actions speak louder than words.

All ears - eager to listen

Example: Tell me what happened at the party; I'm all ears.

All thumbs - clumsy or awkward

Example: I'm all thumbs when it comes to using chopsticks.

Beat around the bush - to avoid talking about something directly

Example: Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think.

Bite the bullet - to endure something difficult or painful

Example: I know the surgery will be painful, but I'll just have to bite the bullet and get it over with.

Break a leg - a way to wish someone good luck

Example: Break a leg on your audition tomorrow!

Butterflies in my stomach - a feeling of nervousness or anxiety

Example: I always get butterflies in my stomach before a big presentation.

Cost an arm and a leg - to be very expensive

Example: That fancy car cost him an arm and a leg.

Cry over spilled/spilt milk - to worry about something that cannot be changed

Example: Don't cry over spilled/spilt milk; just focus on how to fix the problem.

Cut corners - to do something quickly or cheaply without doing it properly

Example: I can't cut corners on this project or it won't turn out well.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch - don't assume something will happen before it actually does

Example: Don't count your chickens before they hatch; we still have to win the game.

Drop the ball - to fail to do something that was expected or promised

Example: I dropped the ball on the project deadline and now my boss is mad.

Get cold feet - to become nervous or hesitant about doing something

Example: I was going to propose to my girlfriend, but I got cold feet and didn't do it.

Go the extra mile - to do more than what is required or expected

Example: I'm going to go the extra mile and finish this project early.

Hit the nail on the head - to be exactly right about something

Example: You hit the nail on the head with that observation.

In hot water - to be in trouble or face consequences

Example: I'm in hot water with my boss because I missed the deadline.

It's raining cats and dogs - it's raining very heavily

Example: Bring an umbrella; it's raining cats and dogs outside.

Kick the bucket - to die

Example: He kicked the bucket after a long battle with cancer.

Let the cat out of the bag - to reveal a secret

Example: I accidentally let the cat out of the bag and told my friend about the surprise party.

Make a long story short - to summarize something quickly

Example: To make a long story short, we decided to cancel the trip.