The meaning of an idiom is a way of speaking which comes naturally to native speakers. There are many idioms used in English daily, whether in a business context, in the media and in social conversations between friends. As a result, if you are preparing for English exams like TOEFL or IELTS it is highly recommended that you learn popular idioms. By learning idioms in English, you will be able to improve your scores for the speaking sections of TOEFL and IELTS as well as being able to understand better the materiel in the listening section. Here are 45 most useful idioms in English:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Every cloud has a silver lining<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Try and be as optimistic as you can be, however difficult you are finding the situation at the moment, better times will come in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Every cloud has a silver lining, you will find a new job very soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A hot potato<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: People talking about a current topic which cannot be agreed upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: The subject of Brexit is a hot potato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give someone the benefit of the doubt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Believe what the person is or has said, until there is proof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Give him the benefit of the doubt, he may not have been there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let sleeping dogs lie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Leave the situation as it is, do not get involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Let sleeping dogs lie, you were not there so you cannot comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once in a blue moon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Something happens extremely rarely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Once in a blue moon there will be an eclipse of the sun by the moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steal someone\u2019s thunder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Take the credit for a situation that someone else deserves<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: He stole his colleague\u2019s thunder about doing an excellent job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best of both words<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: A person has all the advantages of a given situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: They have the best of both words as they spend half the year in England. And the rest of the year in Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Do not plan something as the event may not occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Don\u2019t count your chickens before the eggs have hatched as the deal may not<\/p>\n\n\n\n happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It takes two to tango<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Two or more people could be involved in a situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: It takes two to tango, so there are more people involved in the problem<\/p>\n\n\n\n in the firm than you think. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your guess is as good as mine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: A person does not know the answer<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Your guess is as good as mine as to where they both went last night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See eye to eye<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To agree with someone else on a subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: We see eye to eye on how to progress the matter further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A picture paints a thousand words<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To make a presentation to visually show what you want to do or achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: The picture painted a thousand words of how he thought the firm should develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Catch someone off guard<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To catch someone by surprise<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: He was caught off guard when they asked him to be the new chairman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hear it on the grapevine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To hear rumours about a person or an event which may or may not have happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: She heard it on the grapevine that he had been promoted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get down to business<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To get the meeting started properly<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: As every member of the team is now here, we can get down to business and start the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back to square one<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To go back to the beginning and start again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: The project was not good enough. We need to go back to square one and start again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fifty fifty<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To divide something equally ie to divide in half<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Divide the cakes fifty fifty<\/p>\n\n\n\n Go the extra mile<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To do more than is expected of you<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: He went the extra mile to ensure everything was finished on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the same page<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Two people are in agreement about a situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: We are on the same page as to how to take the situation forward now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t rock the boat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Do not cause a problem or make an issue<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Don\u2019t rock the boat about the costs of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t upset the apple cart<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Rather like don\u2019t rock the boat, do not make a fuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example Don\u2019t upset the apple card by making a scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sky\u2019s the limit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: A person can achieve anything they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: The sky\u2019s the limit, work hard and you will progress to the top of the firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The elephant in the room<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: This relates to an obvious issue that is not being talked about<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Talk about the elephant in the room and deal with the major issue that needs to be discussed now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take the bull by the horns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Similar to the elephant in the room. Deal with the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Take the bull by the horns, you must sort out the major problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the black<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: The business is earning money and making a profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Finally, the business is in the black as we have had a good year and made<\/p>\n\n\n\n more profits than we thought we would make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the red<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: The business is not making any profit and so is losing money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: The business is in the red as they expanded too quickly and their overheads are too high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read between the lines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To understand something that may not be entirely clear<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Read between the lines, work out what is not being said at the meeting and sort out the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uphill battle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: There are many obstacles to sort out before we achieve what we want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: There is an uphill battle to win the contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No time to lose<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Something must be finished very soon<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: He has no time to lose as his project is due in first thing tomorrow morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Word and mouth:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: News which spreads very fast as people tell other people the same news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: The news spread by word and mouth that the new hotel was very successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throw in the towel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: To give up, leave or quit<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: He threw in the towel and left his job as he was unhappy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Absence makes the heart grow fonder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Being away for a while from someone or something makes you miss\/appreciate that person or situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Absence made his heart grow fonder and he realised he missed her terribly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A watch pot never boils<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: A situation or event can take far longer than expected. Don\u2019t keep watching for developments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: A watch pot never boils when you are waiting for something to cook more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Better late than never<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: It is better to finish something no matter how long it takes to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: He finally finished the paper. Better late than never as it was due last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Finish what needs to be finished today rather than tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Don\u2019t put off until tomorrow \u2013 finish the project today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good things come to those who wait<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Be patient. Good will come out of the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Good things come to those who wait. Your promotion will come soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Birds of a feather<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: People who are like minded often spend more time together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Those two are birds of a feather. No wonder they meet so often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no time like the present<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Do what you want to do now. Do not put off until tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: There is no time like the present. You need to finish your project and you have the time to finish it now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If it ain\u2019t broke don\u2019t fix it<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: If something is already or still working, leave it as it is as it is still working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: If it ain\u2019t broke don\u2019t fix it, the car still works so do not buy a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no such thing as a free lunch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Everything has a hidden cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: There is no such thing as a free lunch. He wants you to invest in his<\/p>\n\n\n\n Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Practice makes perfect<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Keep practising and you will become better at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: You will become a great tennis player. Practice makes perfect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When in Rome, do as the Romans do<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: When you are doing something new, act like others do in that situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Try eating English food when in England. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laughter is the spice of life, laugh on (also known as laughter is the best medicine)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Laughing can help us get through a difficult time in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Laughter is the spice of life, laugh on and we will help cheer you up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t judge a book by its cover<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Do not be quick to judge a person or a book \u2013 you might like the person more than you think you will\/you may enjoy the book more than you expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Don\u2019t judge a book by its cover. The book is excellent and I recommend that you try reading it again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Honesty is the best policy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning: Telling the truth is always the better option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example: Honesty is the best policy. Tell your manager you made a mistake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The meaning of an idiom is a way of speaking which comes naturally to native speakers. There are many idioms used in English daily, whether in a business context, in the media and in social conversations between friends. 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