Editing Language/English/Vocabulary/Funny-English-Idioms

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then publish the changes below to finish undoing the edit.

Latest revision Your text
Line 1: Line 1:
<div class="pg_page_title">Exploring the Quirkiest and Most Amusing English Idioms  </div>
== TO UNDERSTAND ENGLISH AS IT IS SPOKEN IN REAL LIFE, you have to be familiar with idioms. They are used so much in everyday English that it is important to be aware of them. ==


[[File:Funny idioms.jpg|thumb]]
'''1. As Cool As a Cucumber:'''


[[File:English-Language-PolyglotClub.jpg|thumb]]
very
calm or very calmly, especially when this is surprising.


To truly grasp the intricacies of conversational English, getting acquainted with idioms is a must. These quirky phrases are an essential part of the English language, often adding color, nuance, and a dash of humor to everyday conversations.
Example:
She walked in as cool as a cucumber, as if nothing had happened.


Idioms are not just linguistic decorations; they serve as cultural signposts and can often reveal insights into a society's values, beliefs, and collective sense of humor. Using idioms appropriately can also make your language more vibrant and relatable, so don't shy away from incorporating them into your vocabulary.
'''2. Hold Your Horses:'''


PS: After diving into the world of funny English idioms with this lesson, consider broadening your language skills further with these related topics:
used
to tell someone to stop and consider carefully their decision or opinion
about something.


__TOC__
Example:
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Difference-between-ROBBER%2C-BURGLAR%2C-MUGGER-and-THIEF|Differences between ROBBER, BURGLAR, MUGGER, and THIEF]]
Just hold your horses, Bill! Let’s think about this for a moment.
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Words-ending-with-the-suffix-less|Words Ending with the Suffix "-less"]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/French-words-used-in-English|French Words Used in English]]


These additional lessons will not only enhance your vocabulary but also provide you with a more comprehensive understanding of the English language and its idiosyncrasies.
'''3. Kick the Bucket:'''


==Hold Your Horses==
a
euphemistic, informal, or slang term meaning ‘to die’.


*Meaning: used to tell someone to stop and consider carefully their decision or opinion about something.
Example:
*Example: Just hold your horses, Bill! Let’s think about this for a moment.
Charlie finally kicked the bucket. He had cancer, you know.


==As Cool As a Cucumber==
'''4. Blue in the Face:'''


*Meaning: very calm or very calmly, especially when this is surprising.
weakened
*Example: She walked in as cool as a cucumber, as if nothing had happened.
or tired after trying many times.


==Kick the Bucket==
Example:
*Meaning: a euphemistic, informal, or slang term meaning ‘to die’.
You can tell her to clean her room until you are blue in the face, but she
*Example: Charlie finally kicked the bucket. He had cancer, you know.
won’t do it.


==Blue in the Face==
'''5. Storm in a Teacup:'''
*Meaning: weakened or tired after trying many times.
*Example: You can tell her to clean her room until you are blue in the face, but she won’t do it.


==Storm in a Teacup==
a
*Meaning: a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important.
lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important.
*Example: My brother and sister had a big argument about the television yesterday, but it was just a storm in a teacup.


==Bob’s Your Uncle==
Example:
*Meaning: used to mean that something will happen very quickly and simply.
My brother and sister had a big argument about the television yesterday, but it
*Example: Just tell them you’re a friend of mine and, Bob’s your uncle, you’ll get the job.
was just a storm in a teacup.


==Head In The Clouds==
'''6. Bob’s Your Uncle:'''
*Meaning: living in a fantasy. To be separate from reality, to dream.
*Example: He’s not right for this role, he has his head in the clouds.


==Dead As A Doornail==
used
*Meaning: completely dead.
to mean that something will happen very quickly and simply.
*Example: The fox in the road was as dead as a doornail.
==A Piece Of Cake==
*Meaning: something very easy to do.
*Example: The test was a piece of cake.
==Heart In Your Mouth==
*Meaning: feeling nervous or scared.
*Example: My heart’s in my mouth ever time it rings.
==Walking On Air==
*Meaning: To feel very good or confident about something
*Example: After completing the examination she felt like she was walking on air.


==Live Hand To Mouth==
Example:
*Meaning: Because of economic constraints to be forced to live in a very frugal manner
Just tell them you’re a friend of mine and, Bob’s your uncle, you’ll get the
*Example: After he lost his job Steve was forced to live hand to mouth.
job.


==To Need Something Like You Need A Hole In The Head==
'''7. Head In The Clouds:'''
*Meaning: Said when one receives, experiences, and/or desires to acquire something that is utterly unwanted, unnecessary, or otherwise detrimental.
*Example: Said to a woman who owns 10 cats: "You need another cat like you need a hole in the head."


==Have One's Ducks In A Row==
living
*Meaning: To have things well organized; have things pertaining to a task, an event, etc., in order
in a fantasy. To be separate from reality, to dream.
*Example: You had best have your ducks in a row in time for today's presentation to the Board of Trustees!


==Be A Stone's Throw Away==
Example:
*Meaning: To be in near or very near proximity to a different place.
He’s not right for this role, he has his head in the clouds.
*Example: You live in Los Angeles? Why then you're just a stone's throw away from Santa Monica!


==A few screws loose==
'''8. Dead As A Doornail:'''
*Meaning: Crazy/mentally unstable.
*Example: "That fella has a few screws loose, we ought to throw him into a mental institution"


==Half baked==
completely
*Meaning: Poorly planned out/Stupid idea.  
dead.
*Example: "What a half-baked plan."


==Shake a leg!==
Example:
*Meaning: Hurry up!
The fox in the road was as dead as a doornail.


==It's not Rocket Science==
'''9. A Piece Of Cake:'''
*Meaning: It's easy.  
*Example: "Clean it when you're done using it! It's not rocket science!"


==Hit the sack==
something
*Meaning: Go to sleep.  
very easy to do.
*Example: "I'm so tired... time to hit the sack"


==Stepping on eggshells==
Example:
*Meaning: Be overly cautious so as to not cause trouble.
The test was a piece of cake.
*Example: "You're very volatile. I'm constantly stepping on eggshells around you."


==[Skating] on thin ice==
'''10. Heart In Your Mouth:'''
*Meaning: To be very close to causing trouble.  
*Example: "Don't try my patience! You're skating on thin ice!"


==Have a cow==
feeling
*Meaning: Overreact/become enraged/panic.  
nervous or scared.
*Example: "Don't have a cow! I'm only joking."


==Burning daylight==
Example:
*Meaning: Wasting time/Running out of time.
My heart’s in my mouth ever time it rings. 
*Example: "Shake a leg! We're burning daylight!"
 
==Thick as a plank==
*Meaning: Simple minded/Stupid.
*Example: "You're as thick as a plank!"
 
==Head in the sand==
*Meaning: Willfully ignorant of imminent danger.
*Example: "Those politicians have their heads in the sand!"
 
==Rubbing two brain cells together==
*Meaning: Exerting your tiny brain to think about something simple.
*Example: "He couldn't rub two brain cells together."
 
==Connect the dots==
*Meaning: Come to a logical conclusion using pieces of evidence.
*Example: "By connecting the dots, we found who the real murderer was."
 
==Read between the lines==
*Meaning: Become aware of obscure information being implied by other pieces of information.
*Example: "She said nothing was wrong, but in an moody tone. I read between the lines that she was upset with me."
 
==Pardon my French==
*Meaning: Please pardon my use of crude or foul words.
*Example: "Pardon my French, but we're %&!@ed"
 
==Don't make mountains out of molehills==
*Meaning: Don't overreact to something minor.
*Example: "It was just a joke! Don't make mountains out of molehills"
 
==Can of worms==
*Meaning: A burden that you could have easily avoided.
*Example: "I opened up a can of worms when I said she was fat. She was upset with me for a week!"
 
==Cat's out of the bag==
*Meaning: Hidden information has been revealed.
*Example: "He knows our little secret.. cat's out of the bag"
 
==The jig is up==
*Meaning: A scheme has been foiled.
*Example: "POLICE! The jig is up! Everybody Run!"
 
==Don't put all your eggs in one basket==
*Meaning: Don't use all of your assets for one thing because you might accidentally waste/lose it all.
*Example: "Don't put all your eggs in one basket, save up your money!"
 
==Bite the bullet==
*Meaning: To do something right now because it is inevitable.
*Example: "Just bite the bullet and rip that band aid off"
 
==Are you pulling my leg?==
*Meaning: are you messing with me at my expense?
 
==Be A Monkey's Uncle==
*Meaning: To be very surprised by something/experience an unexpected phenomenon.
*Example: "Why I'll be a monkey's uncle! That parrot knows the words to a song by The Beatles!"
 
==Liked to die==
*Meaning: Be surprised by something/someone.
*Example: "When she showed up at that party I liked to die -- she was the last person I expected to see."
 
==Hell's Bells==
*Meaning: Not likey.
*Example: "Hell's bells we're letting you stay out past 10:00pm!"
 
==The Rabbit Done Died==
*Meaning: To test positive for pregnancy.
*Example: "Mary told me she saw the doctor today and learned that the rabbit done died."
 
 
==Barking Up The Wrong Tree==
*Meaning: Pursuing a mistaken or misguided line of thought or course of action.
*Example: If you think I stole your lunch, you’re barking up the wrong tree—I was out all day.
 
==Spill the Beans==
*Meaning: To reveal a secret.
*Example: Alright, spill the beans—who told you about the surprise party?
 
==When Pigs Fly==
*Meaning: Something that will never happen.
*Example: He'll clean his room when pigs fly.
 
==Cry Over Spilt Milk==
*Meaning: Complaining about a loss or failure from the past.
*Example: There’s no use crying over spilt milk—it’s already done.
 
==Bite Off More Than You Can Chew==
*Meaning: To take on a task that is way too big.
*Example: I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to complete this project in only two weeks.
 
==Let the Cat Out of the Bag==
*Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret.
*Example: I let the cat out of the bag about their surprise party.
 
==Not My Cup of Tea==
*Meaning: Not something one enjoys or prefers.
*Example: Skydiving is not my cup of tea.
 
==The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread==
*Meaning: A very good invention or innovation; a good idea or plan.
*Example: Smartphones are the best thing since sliced bread.
 
==Curiosity Killed the Cat==
*Meaning: Being inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation.
*Example: Don’t ask about his divorce—curiosity killed the cat!
 
==Burning the Candle at Both Ends==
*Meaning: Working late into the night and starting early the next day.
*Example: She’s been burning the candle at both ends preparing for the meeting.
 
 
 
 
==Sources==
Comments on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/agj9zm/what_are_the_funniest_english_idioms/
 
{{#seo:
|title=Top Funniest English Idioms
|description=What are the funniest English Idioms to learn? Feel free to edit this page and add more expressions.
|og:image=https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/images/7/76/Funny_idioms.jpg
}}
 
[[Category:English/Intermediate]]
[[Category:English/Vocabulary]]
 
==Other Lessons==
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Useful-English-Idioms|Useful English Idioms]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Alike|Alike]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Phrasal-Verbs-and-their-Equivalent|Phrasal Verbs and their Equivalent]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Commonly-Confused-Words|Commonly Confused Words]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Cause-vs-Purpose|Cause vs Purpose]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Difference-between-ROBBER,-BURGLAR,-MUGGER-and-THIEF|Difference between ROBBER, BURGLAR, MUGGER and THIEF]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Colors|Colors]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Common-phrases|Common phrases]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Appear|Appear]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Astronomy|Astronomy]]
<span links></span>

Please note that all contributions to Polyglot Club WIKI may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see PolyglotClub-WIKI:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

Cancel Editing help (opens in new window)
Retrieved from "https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/English/Vocabulary/Funny-English-Idioms"