Essential English Idioms and Common Expressions Explained

Popular English Idioms and Their Meanings

Improve your fluency with this comprehensive list of common English idioms, expressions, and their definitions, complete with occasional Spanish translations for better understanding.

Everyday Actions and Behaviors

• Not very good at doing something: ALL THUMBS
• Make a positive change: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF
• Depend on someone: COUNT ON SOMEONE
• Sleep very soundly: SLEEP LIKE A LOG
• Teasing someone: PULLING SOMEONE’S LEG
• Tell a secret: SPILL THE BEANS
• Stop nagging or reminding someone about something: GET OFF SOMEONE’S BACK
• Make people feel comfortable: BREAK THE ICE
• Have good luck: BREAK A LEG
• Take a chance: GO OUT ON A LIMB
• Promise to do something at a later date: TAKE A RAIN CHECK
• Stop or wait: HOLD YOUR HORSES
• Enjoy something very much: HAVE A BALL
• Search everywhere: TURN THE HOUSE UPSIDE DOWN
• Study: HIT THE BOOKS
• Work on a difficult or lengthy task: WADE THROUGH
• Ignore someone: GIVE SOMEONE THE COLD SHOULDER
• Apologize: EAT YOUR WORDS
• To go to bed: HIT THE HAY
• Dressed fashionably: DRESSED TO THE NINES
• To refuse to talk: CLAM UP
• Listen carefully: LEND AN EAR
• Leave a good first impression: PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

Emotions and Feelings

• Very pleased: TICKED PINK
• Become ill with a cold: CATCH A COLD — COGER FRÍO
• Waiting more food than one can eat: EYES BIGGER THAN THE STOMACH
• In trouble: IN THE DOGHOUSE
• Calm, not nervous: COOL AS A CUCUMBER
• Nervous: BUTTERFLIES IN THE STOMACH
• Be in a bad mood: GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED
• In trouble: IN HOT WATER
• Feeling sad: DOWN IN THE DUMPS — SENTIRSE TRISTE
• Make someone feel very sad: BREAK SOMEONE’S HEART
• Very jealous: GREEN WITH ENVY
• Fake tears or fake sadness: CROCODILE TEARS
• Not feeling well: UNDER THE WEATHER
• Blissfully happy: ON CLOUD NINE
• Remain cheerful in a difficult situation: KEEP YOUR CHIN UP
• To be very surprised: KNOCK OVER WITH A FEATHER

Descriptive Idioms and Personalities

• Practical or modest: DOWN-TO-EARTH
• Kind and generous nature: HEART OF GOLD
• A lot of money: AN ARM AND A LEG
• Good gardening skills: GREEN THUMB
• A boss: TOP BANANA
• Someone who appears to be harmless but is really dangerous: WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING
• A person who is very intelligent: SMART COOKIE
• The hottest: DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
• Someone who tries to be perfect: GOODY TWO-SHOES
• Someone who lies around and barely moves: COUCH POTATO
• The informal spreading of messages, gossips, or rumors: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
• People who are close: PEAS IN A POD
• A hopeless or confusing situation: WILD GOOSE CHASE
• Directing your efforts toward the wrong person or thing: BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE

Other Useful Expressions

• Delayed until later: ON THE BACK BURNER
• Very easy: PIECE OF CAKE
• Raining heavily: RAINING CATS AND DOGS