Translate This Page
Fun:
Q: Teacher: What is the shortest month?
A: Student: May, it only has three letters.
Idioms in English Language
Meaning:
An idiom is a phrase or saying that is commonly used in
everyday
English to express certain ideas or opinions.
Understanding English
idioms is important because they
require a deeper familiarity of the
English language to
comprehend what someone means when they use them
in conversation.
Idioms may seem complicated at first, but they can actually
be a lot of fun to learn. If you’re interested in building your
English skills,
read on to find out why idioms are so
important to your English language learning.
How to Use Idioms in Writing
Idioms
are a type of figurative language writers can use to
add dynamism and
character to otherwise stale writing.
Writers can also use idioms to:
Add humor:
Idiomatic expressions can help transform flat
descriptions with the
help of a funny turn-of-phrase. For
instance, rather than describing someone as not very smart,
you could say they are “not the sharpest tool
in the shed”
or “not the brightest star in the sky.” In addition to conveying
that the subject in question is not intelligent, the inherent
comparison of a person’s brain to a toolbox or a star is
unexpected and humorous.
Engage the reader:
By inserting an idiomatic phrase into
your writing, you force the
reader to shift from think inliterally
to abstractly. This can help
focus and excite the reader, as
they must activate a more conceptual
part of their brain to
comprehend the idiom’s meaning. For example, the
idiom
“biting off more than they can chew” describes someone
taking on a
challenging task. Using this idiom can
encourage the reader to conjure a
visual image in their
head.
Evoke a specific region:
Certain idioms can be unique to a
particular group of people or world
area. For instance, “that
dog won’t hunt” is a common idiom in the
Southern United
States that means something doesn’t work or make sense.
On the other hand, if someone were to refer to a mess or a
debacle as a
“dog’s dinner,” they are likely British. In fiction
writing, the
strategic employment of specific idioms can
often add a regional flavor
and authenticity to your
characters.
Share a point of view:
Idioms can express commonly
shared or universal ideas, so there are
often dozens of
idioms that apply to the same concept. However,
depending
on which idiom you choose, you can convey an entirely
different attitude or point of view
about the subject. For
example, several idioms express the concept of
death. If
you were to write that someone “passed away,” you are
using an
idiom to describe death in a graceful, delicate way.
Alternatively, you
could say that a person “kicked the
bucket,” a much cruder way of
describing the act of dying.
Though both idioms ultimately mean the same
thing, they
convey entirely different attitudes toward death.
Simplify complex ideas:
Often, idioms can help express a
large or abstract idea in a way that
is concise and easy to
understand. For instance, you could say that two
things are
impossible to compare to one another because they
possess
different traits or meanings. Or you could say it’s
like “comparing
apples to oranges.” In this case, using an
idiom helps express the same
idea in a much simpler way.
Click here to know more
~ A ~
A bit much
- If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
- A chain is no stronger than its weakest link
- This means that processes, organizations, etc, are vulnerable because the weakest person or part can always damage or break them.
- A day late and a dollar short
- (USA) If something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too little, too late.
- A fool and his money are soon parted
- This idiom means that people who aren't careful with their money spend it quickly. 'A fool and his money are easily parted' is an alternative form of the idiom.
- A fool at 40 is a fool forever
- If someone hasn't matured by the time they reach forty, they never will.
- A hitch in your giddy-up
- If you have a hitch in your giddy-up, you're not feeling well. ('A hitch in your gittie-up' is also used.)
- A lick and a promise
- If you give something a lick and a promise, you do it hurriedly, most often incompletely, intending to return to it later.
- A little bird told me
- If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.
- A little learning is a dangerous thing
- A small amount of knowledge can cause people to think they are more expert than they really are.eg. he said he'd done a course on home electrics, but when he tried to mend my table lamp, he fused all the lights! I think a little learning is a dangerous thing
- A long row to hoe
- Something that is a long row to hoe is a difficult task that takes a long time.
- A lost ball in the high weeds
- A lost ball in the high weeds is someone who does not know what they are doing, where they are or how to do something.
- A month of Sundays
- A month of Sundays is a long period of time: I haven't seen her in a month of Sundays.
- A OK
- If things are A OK, they are absolutely fine.
- A penny for your thoughts
- This idiom is used as a way of asking someone what they are thinking about.
- A penny saved is a penny earned
- This means that we shouldn't spend or waste money, but try to save it.
- A picture is worth a thousand words
- A picture can often get a message across much better than the best verbal description.
- A poor man's something
- Something or someone that can be compared to something or someone else, but is not as good is a poor man's version; a writer who uses lots of puns but isn't very funny would be a poor man's Oscar Wilde.
- A pretty penny
- If something costs a pretty penny, it is very expensive.
- A problem shared is a problem halved
- If you talk about your problems, it will make you feel better.
- A rising tide lifts all boats
- This idiom, coined by John F Kennedy, describes the idea that when an economy is performing well, all people will benefit from it.
- A rolling stone gathers no moss
- People say this to mean that that an ambitious person is more successful than a person not trying to achieve anything. Originally it meant the opposite and was critical of people trying to get ahead.
- A slice off a cut loaf is never missed
- Used colloquially to describe having sexual intercourse with someone who is not a virgin, especially when they are in a relationship. The analogy refers to a loaf of bread; it is not readily apparent, once the end has been removed, exactly how many slices have been taken.('You never miss a slice from a cut loaf' is also used.)
- A steal
- If something is a steal, it costs much less than it is really worth.
- A still tongue keeps a wise head
- Wise people don't talk much.
- A watched pot never boils
- Some things work out in their own time, so being impatient and constantly checking will just make things seem longer.
- A1
- If something is A1, it is the very best or finest.
- Abide by a decision
- If you abide by a decision, you accept it and comply with it, even though you might disagree with it.
- Abject lesson
- (India) An abject lesson serves as a warning to others. (In some varieties of English 'object lesson' is used.)
- About as useful as a chocolate teapot
- Someone or something that is of no practical use is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
- About face
- If someone changes their mind completely, this is an about face. It can be used when companies, governments, etc, change their position on an issue.
- Above board
- If things are done above board, they are carried out in a legal and proper manner.
- Above par
- Better than average or normal
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder
- This idiom means that when people are apart, their love grows stronger.
