English idioms: 25 common ones with meanings and examples
B1–C125 words
Idioms are the part of English you cannot translate. Each one is a small piece of culture with a fixed meaning, and the only reliable way to own them is repeated exposure over weeks.
Where you will use it: Conversation, films, podcasts and informal writing.
English idioms — The word list
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| break the ice | To make people feel relaxed at first.“A joke helped break the ice.” |
| hit the books | To study hard.“I need to hit the books this weekend.” |
| under the weather | Slightly ill.“She's a bit under the weather today.” |
| a piece of cake | Very easy.“The test was a piece of cake.” |
| cost an arm and a leg | To be very expensive.“That flat costs an arm and a leg.” |
| once in a blue moon | Very rarely.“We meet once in a blue moon.” |
| on the same page | In agreement.“Let's make sure we're on the same page.” |
| call it a day | To stop working for now.“It's late — let's call it a day.” |
| get the hang of | To learn how to do something.“You'll get the hang of it quickly.” |
| in the long run | Over a long period.“It saves money in the long run.” |
| keep an eye on | To watch carefully.“Keep an eye on the time.” |
| out of the blue | Unexpectedly.“He called me out of the blue.” |
| spill the beans | To reveal secret information.“Who spilled the beans about the party?” |
| miss the boat | To lose an opportunity by acting too late.“Apply today or you'll miss the boat.” |
| pull someone's leg | To joke by making someone believe something false.“Relax, I'm only pulling your leg.” |
| the ball is in your court | It is your turn to decide or act.“I've sent the offer; the ball is in your court.” |
| go the extra mile | To make more effort than expected.“She always goes the extra mile for customers.” |
| beat around the bush | To avoid saying something directly.“Stop beating around the bush and answer me.” |
| get cold feet | To become nervous before doing something.“He got cold feet before the interview.” |
| a blessing in disguise | Something that seems bad but brings a benefit.“Missing that train was a blessing in disguise.” |
| back to square one | Back to the beginning after a failed attempt.“The error sent us back to square one.” |
| cut corners | To do something cheaply or carelessly.“Don't cut corners on safety.” |
| learn the ropes | To learn how a job or activity works.“It took a week to learn the ropes.” |
| up in the air | Not yet decided.“Our holiday plans are still up in the air.” |
| worth a shot | Worth trying despite uncertain success.“The idea is worth a shot.” |
Useful learning tips
- Learn in small groupsTake five words at a time and review them before adding more.
- Say the examples aloudReading each sentence aloud connects spelling, sound and meaning.
- Write your own sentenceUse each word in a true sentence about your life or work.
How to study this list
Add five or six of these words a day rather than the whole list at once, keep the example sentence on the card, and review them when they come due. WordNest schedules each word across seven growing intervals — same day, then 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days — so the list is still with you months later. Read how spaced repetition works if you want the reasoning behind those numbers.
Studying english idioms pairs well with our English collocations list, essential phrasal verbs list and restaurant English vocabulary, or browse all free English word lists.
Related guides
Questions about this list
How can I practise English idioms?
Start with five words and say each example aloud. Then recall the word from its meaning and review it over several days.
Where can I use English idioms?
Conversation, films, podcasts and informal writing.
How many words are in this list?
This list contains 25 English words with definitions and example sentences. It is a starting set, not a complete syllabus.
Turn this list into flashcards
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