Have you ever heard someone say, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” and looked outside expecting animals to fall from the sky? Well… welcome to the colorful world of idioms.
Idioms make English lively, expressive, and sometimes confusing. If you truly want to sound natural, you need to understand 500 idioms and their meanings—not just memorize them, but know how to use them correctly.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn:
- What idioms and phrases really are
- Why idioms matter in daily communication
- A structured list of 500 idioms and their meanings
- Practice exercises
- A downloadable PDF version
So grab a cup of coffee. Let’s make English more fun.
What Are Idioms and Phrases?
Before diving into the full list of 500 idioms and their meanings, let’s clear something up.
What exactly is an idiom?
And how is it different from a phrase?
Good questions.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a group of words that has a meaning different from its literal meaning.
In simple terms, you can’t guess the meaning just by looking at the words.
For example:
| Idiom | Literal Meaning | Actual Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Break the ice | Break frozen water | Start a conversation |
| Hit the books | Strike books | Study seriously |
| Under the weather | Beneath the climate | Feeling sick |
| Spill the beans | Drop beans | Reveal a secret |
| Piece of cake | Slice of dessert | Very easy |
See the pattern?
Idioms are non-literal. That’s what makes them powerful and tricky.
They’re also called idiomatic expressions because their meaning depends on cultural usage.
What Is a Phrase?
A phrase is simply a group of words that work together but do not form a complete sentence.
Not all phrases are idioms.
For example:
- In the morning
- Very quickly
- On the table
These are phrases. But they are literal.
Now look at the difference:
| Feature | Idiom | Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Literal meaning | No | Yes |
| Cultural meaning | Yes | Not necessarily |
| Example | Kick the bucket | In the room |
“Kick the bucket” does not mean kicking anything. It means “to die.”
That’s an idiom.
Idiom vs Idiomatic Expression
Well, here’s the thing.
Many learners ask if there’s a difference between an idiom and an idiomatic expression.
In most cases, they mean the same thing.
However:
- Idiom = fixed expression with non-literal meaning
- Idiomatic expression = broader term that includes idioms and natural language patterns
So when you study idioms with meanings, you are learning how native speakers naturally communicate.
And that’s the real goal.
Importance of Idioms in Communication
You might wonder.
Do I really need to learn 500 idioms?
Short answer?
Yes—if you want to sound natural.
Here’s why.
Why Native Speakers Use Idioms So Often
Idioms make a speech:
- More expressive
- More emotional
- More memorable
- More culturally rich
Imagine saying:
“I am very nervous.”
Now compare it to:
“I have butterflies in my stomach.”
Which one sounds more natural?
Exactly.
Idioms bring language to life.
How Idioms Improve Fluency
When you use idioms correctly, you:
- Sound confident
- Speak more naturally
- Understand movies and books better
- Improve writing quality
Let’s compare:
| Without Idioms | With Idioms |
|---|---|
| I was very angry | I blew my top |
| It was easy | It was a piece of cake |
| He is very rich | He is loaded |
See the difference?
That’s why mastering 500 idioms and their meanings can seriously upgrade your English skills.
500 Idioms and Their Meanings
500 Idioms and Their Meanings List
Now we begin the heart of this guide—the actual collection of 500 idioms and their meanings.
To keep things simple and readable, I’ve organized them into groups. Let’s start with the first 100 common idioms used in daily conversation.
Common Idioms
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A blessing in disguise | Something good that seemed bad at first |
| 2 | A dime a dozen | Very common |
| 3 | Beat around the bush | Avoid the main topic |
| 4 | Better late than never | It is better to arrive late than not at all |
| 5 | Bite the bullet | Face a difficult situation bravely |
| 6 | Break the ice | Start a conversation |
| 7 | Burn the midnight oil | Work late into the night |
| 8 | Call it a day | Stop working |
| 9 | Cut corners | Do something cheaply or poorly |
| 10 | Easy does it | Slow down |
| 11 | Get out of hand | Become uncontrollable |
| 12 | Get your act together | Behave properly |
| 13 | Give someone the cold shoulder | Ignore someone |
| 14 | Go the extra mile | Do more than required |
| 15 | Hit the nail on the head | Be exactly right |
| 16 | In hot water | In trouble |
| 17 | It takes two to tango | Both people are responsible |
| 18 | Jump on the bandwagon | Follow a trend |
| 19 | Keep an eye on | Watch carefully |
| 20 | Kill two birds with one stone | Achieve two goals at once |
| 21 | Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal a secret |
| 22 | To make a long story short | Summarize briefly |
| 23 | Miss the boat | Miss an opportunity |
| 24 | No pain, no gain | Success requires effort |
| 25 | Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| 26 | On cloud nine | Very happy |
| 27 | Pull someone’s leg | Joke with someone |
| 28 | Put all your eggs in one basket | Risk everything on one plan |
| 29 | Rain on someone’s parade | Spoil someone’s plans |
| 30 | Read between the lines | Understand hidden meaning |
| 31 | See eye to eye | Agree completely |
| 32 | Sit on the fence | Avoid choosing sides |
| 33 | Spill the beans | Reveal a secret |
| 34 | Take it with a grain of salt | Don’t believe fully |
| 35 | The ball is in your court | It is your decision |
| 36 | The best of both worlds | Enjoy two advantages |
| 37 | The last straw | Final problem |
| 38 | Through thick and thin | In good and bad times |
| 39 | Time flies | Time passes quickly |
| 40 | Under the weather | Feeling sick |
| 41 | Up in the air | Not decided |
| 42 | Wrap your head around | Understand something complex |
| 43 | You can say that again | Strong agreement |
| 44 | Your guess is as good as mine | I don’t know |
| 45 | A tough nut to crack | Difficult problem |
| 46 | Back to square one | Start again |
| 47 | Barking up the wrong tree | Wrong assumption |
| 48 | Blow off steam | Release stress |
| 49 | Break a leg | Good luck |
| 50 | Burn bridges | Destroy relationships |
Daily Conversation Idioms
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Cry over spilled milk | Worry about past mistakes |
| 52 | Down-to-earth | Practical and realistic |
| 53 | Draw the line | Set a limit |
| 54 | Feel under the weather | Feel sick |
| 55 | Fish out of water | Feel uncomfortable |
| 56 | Get cold feet | Become nervous |
| 57 | Get the hang of it | Learn how to do something |
| 58 | Give it a shot | Try |
| 59 | Go broke | Lose all money |
| 60 | Go with the flow | Adapt easily |
| 61 | Hang in there | Stay strong |
| 62 | Hit the sack | Go to sleep |
| 63 | In the same boat | In the same situation |
| 64 | Keep your chin up | Stay positive |
| 65 | Leave no stone unturned | Try everything |
| 66 | Make ends meet | Manage finances |
| 67 | No strings attached | No conditions |
| 68 | On the same page | Agree |
| 69 | Out of the blue | Suddenly |
| 70 | Over the moon | Extremely happy |
| 71 | Play it by ear | Decide later |
| 72 | Put your foot down | Insist firmly |
| 73 | See the light | Understand |
| 74 | Speak of the devil | The person appears when mentioned |
| 75 | Take a rain check | Postpone |
| 76 | The whole nine yards | Everything |
| 77 | Throw in the towel | Give up |
| 78 | Under your nose | Clearly visible |
| 79 | Walk on eggshells | Be very careful |
| 80 | Watch your back | Be careful |
| 81 | A piece of cake | Very easy |
| 82 | At the drop of a hat | Immediately |
| 83 | Back to the drawing board | Start over |
| 84 | Bite off more than you can chew | Take too much responsibility |
| 85 | By the skin of your teeth | Barely succeed |
| 86 | Cut to the chase | Get to the point |
| 87 | Face the music | Accept consequences |
| 88 | Get over it | Move on |
| 89 | Go the distance | Complete something fully |
| 90 | In a nutshell | Briefly |
| 91 | Keep your cool | Stay calm |
| 92 | Let sleeping dogs lie | Avoid old conflicts |
| 93 | Make waves | Cause trouble |
| 94 | On thin ice | In a risky situation |
| 95 | Out of hand | Out of control |
| 96 | Put two and two together | Understand logically |
| 97 | Rock the boat | Disturb stability |
| 98 | Take the plunge | Take a big risk |
| 99 | Throw caution to the wind | Act recklessly |
| 100 | Up to you | Your choice |
Workplace and Success Idioms
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Ahead of the curve | More advanced than others |
| 102 | Back to the grind | Return to work |
| 103 | Ballpark figure | Rough estimate |
| 104 | Bite the hand that feeds you | Harm someone who helps you |
| 105 | Call the shots | Be in control |
| 106 | Climb the ladder | Get promoted |
| 107 | Cut above the rest | Better than others |
| 108 | Down to business | Get serious |
| 109 | Drop the ball | Make a mistake |
| 110 | Elephant in the room | Obvious problem ignored |
| 111 | Get the ball rolling | Start something |
| 112 | Go the extra mile | Do more than required |
| 113 | In the long run | Over time |
| 114 | Jump the gun | Act too soon |
| 115 | Keep your eye on the prize | Stay focused |
| 116 | Learn the ropes | Understand how something works |
| 117 | Level playing field | Fair situation |
| 118 | On the right track | Doing well |
| 119 | Pull your weight | Do your share |
| 120 | Raise the bar | Increase standards |
| 121 | Red tape | Too many rules |
| 122 | Run the show | Be in charge |
| 123 | Seal the deal | Finalize agreement |
| 124 | See the bigger picture | Understand overall situation |
| 125 | Set the record straight | Correct misinformation |
| 126 | Shoot for the stars | Aim high |
| 127 | Step up your game | Improve performance |
| 128 | Take the lead | Be first |
| 129 | Think outside the box | Be creative |
| 130 | Touch base | Make contact |
| 131 | Up to speed | Fully informed |
| 132 | Win win situation | Benefit for all |
| 133 | Work your way up | Progress gradually |
| 134 | Zero in on | Focus closely |
| 135 | Break even | No profit no loss |
| 136 | Burn out | Become exhausted |
| 137 | Cash cow | Profitable product |
| 138 | Corner the market | Control supply |
| 139 | Cut throat | Extremely competitive |
| 140 | Dead end job | No future growth |
| 141 | Full steam ahead | Move forward quickly |
| 142 | Get down to brass tacks | Focus on essentials |
| 143 | In the driver’s seat | In control |
| 144 | Keep your head above water | Survive financially |
| 145 | Learn by heart | Memorize |
| 146 | Make a name for yourself | Become famous |
| 147 | On the same wavelength | Think similarly |
| 148 | Put in the effort | Try hard |
| 149 | Raise eyebrows | Cause surprise |
| 150 | Sink or swim | Succeed or fail |
Emotional and Descriptive Idioms
Now let’s explore idioms related to feelings and personality. These idiomatic expressions make your English more vivid.
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 151 | All ears | Listening carefully |
| 152 | At your wit’s end | Very frustrated |
| 153 | Big headed | Arrogant |
| 154 | Blow your mind | Shock greatly |
| 155 | Butterflies in your stomach | Nervous feeling |
| 156 | Cold hearted | Unkind |
| 157 | Down in the dumps | Sad |
| 158 | Fed up | Tired or annoyed |
| 159 | Green with envy | Very jealous |
| 160 | Heart of gold | Very kind |
| 161 | Hot headed | Quick to anger |
| 162 | In high spirits | Happy |
| 163 | Jump for joy | Very excited |
| 164 | Keep a straight face | Not laugh |
| 165 | Lose your temper | Get angry |
| 166 | On edge | Nervous |
| 167 | Over the edge | Mentally unstable |
| 168 | Scared stiff | Very afraid |
| 169 | See red | Become angry |
| 170 | Soft hearted | Kind and gentle |
| 171 | Thick skinned | Not easily offended |
| 172 | Thin skinned | Easily offended |
| 173 | Walking on air | Extremely happy |
| 174 | Weak at the knees | Nervous or excited |
| 175 | With a heavy heart | Sadly |
| 176 | A ray of sunshine | Cheerful person |
| 177 | Bite your tongue | Avoid saying something |
| 178 | Break someone’s heart | Cause sadness |
| 179 | Cry your eyes out | Cry a lot |
| 180 | Feel blue | Feel sad |
| 181 | Get a grip | Calm down |
| 182 | Hard to swallow | Difficult to accept |
| 183 | In seventh heaven | Extremely happy |
| 184 | Keep your fingers crossed | Hope for luck |
| 185 | Make someone’s day | Make someone happy |
| 186 | Not in the mood | Unwilling |
| 187 | On cloud nine | Extremely happy |
| 188 | Pull yourself together | Calm down |
| 189 | Rub salt in the wound | Make pain worse |
| 190 | Shed light on | Clarify |
| 191 | Take to heart | Be deeply affected |
| 192 | The calm before the storm | Quiet before trouble |
| 193 | Tongue tied | Unable to speak |
| 194 | Wear your heart on your sleeve | Show emotions openly |
| 195 | All worked up | Very upset |
| 196 | Blow off steam | Release anger |
| 197 | Cry wolf | Give false alarm |
| 198 | Get under someone’s skin | Annoy someone |
| 199 | Go to pieces | Lose emotional control |
| 200 | Have mixed feelings | Feel uncertain |
Advanced Common Idioms
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 201 | A double edged sword | Has both good and bad effects |
| 202 | A far cry from | Very different from |
| 203 | A leopard can’t change its spots | People cannot change their nature |
| 204 | A storm in a teacup | Small problem exaggerated |
| 205 | Add fuel to the fire | Make situation worse |
| 206 | Against the clock | In a hurry |
| 207 | All in the same boat | In the same situation |
| 208 | An arm and a leg | Very expensive |
| 209 | Apple of my eye | Someone very precious |
| 210 | As cool as a cucumber | Very calm |
| 211 | At the eleventh hour | Last minute |
| 212 | Back against the wall | No escape |
| 213 | Bark is worse than bite | Not as bad as seems |
| 214 | Bend over backwards | Try very hard |
| 215 | Between a rock and a hard place | Difficult choice |
| 216 | Burn the candle at both ends | Overwork yourself |
| 217 | By leaps and bounds | Rapidly |
| 218 | Cry over spilled milk | Regret past events |
| 219 | Cut and dried | Already decided |
| 220 | Devil’s advocate | Argue opposite side |
| 221 | Every cloud has a silver lining | Something good in bad |
| 222 | Face value | Accept as true |
| 223 | Get out of hand | Lose control |
| 224 | Go against the grain | Act differently |
| 225 | Hit rock bottom | Reach lowest point |
| 226 | In deep water | In serious trouble |
| 227 | In the blink of an eye | Very quickly |
| 228 | It’s not rocket science | Not difficult |
| 229 | Jump the ship | Leave suddenly |
| 230 | Keep something at bay | Prevent danger |
| 231 | Leave someone high and dry | Abandon someone |
| 232 | Make a mountain out of a molehill | Exaggerate |
| 233 | No love lost | Mutual dislike |
| 234 | Off the record | Not official |
| 235 | On the fence | Undecided |
| 236 | Out of the frying pan into the fire | Worse situation |
| 237 | Pull the plug | Stop something |
| 238 | Put your money where your mouth is | Act on words |
| 239 | Rain cats and dogs | Heavy rain |
| 240 | Run out of steam | Lose energy |
| 241 | Saved by the bell | Saved at last moment |
| 242 | Sit tight | Wait patiently |
| 243 | The tip of the iceberg | Small visible part |
| 244 | Throw in the towel | Give up |
| 245 | Turn a blind eye | Ignore intentionally |
| 246 | Under your belt | Achieved |
| 247 | Up in arms | Angry |
| 248 | Weather the storm | Survive difficulty |
| 249 | When pigs fly | Impossible |
| 250 | You scratch my back I’ll scratch yours | Mutual help |
Cultural and Expressive Idioms
These idioms add color to storytelling and conversation.
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 251 | A chip on your shoulder | Holding a grudge |
| 252 | A penny for your thoughts | What are you thinking |
| 253 | Actions speak louder than words | Behavior matters more |
| 254 | Bark up the wrong tree | Wrong assumption |
| 255 | Bite the dust | Fail |
| 256 | Break the bank | Spend too much |
| 257 | Burning question | Important issue |
| 258 | Call it quits | Stop doing something |
| 259 | Clear the air | Remove tension |
| 260 | Cut to the chase | Get to point |
| 261 | Don’t count your chickens | Don’t assume success |
| 262 | Drive someone crazy | Annoy badly |
| 263 | Eye opener | Surprising fact |
| 264 | Face the facts | Accept truth |
| 265 | Fall through the cracks | Be forgotten |
| 266 | Get a taste of your own medicine | Receive same treatment |
| 267 | Give someone a hand | Help |
| 268 | Go cold turkey | Stop suddenly |
| 269 | Hang by a thread | Almost fail |
| 270 | Hit the jackpot | Big success |
| 271 | In cold blood | Without emotion |
| 272 | In the spotlight | Getting attention |
| 273 | Keep someone posted | Inform regularly |
| 274 | Leave no stone unturned | Try everything |
| 275 | Make up your mind | Decide |
| 276 | Not my cup of tea | Not my preference |
| 277 | On the ball | Alert |
| 278 | Out of the woods | Safe from trouble |
| 279 | Play with fire | Take risk |
| 280 | Put your foot in your mouth | Say wrong thing |
| 281 | Quick on the draw | Respond fast |
| 282 | Read the room | Understand mood |
| 283 | Rock bottom | Lowest level |
| 284 | See the writing on the wall | Predict failure |
| 285 | Take the heat | Accept blame |
| 286 | The bigger picture | Overall view |
| 287 | Think on your feet | Think quickly |
| 288 | Throw someone under the bus | Betray |
| 289 | Time is money | Time is valuable |
| 290 | Turn the tables | Reverse situation |
| 291 | Up the ante | Increase stakes |
| 292 | Walk the talk | Act on promises |
| 293 | Water under the bridge | Past issue |
| 294 | Wear many hats | Have many roles |
| 295 | You can’t judge a book by its cover | Appearances mislead |
| 296 | Zero tolerance | No acceptance |
| 297 | Add insult to injury | Make worse |
| 298 | At a crossroads | Facing decision |
| 299 | Behind closed doors | In private |
| 300 | Blow your own trumpet | Brag |
Rare and Advanced Idioms
Now we’re entering less common but powerful idioms. These enrich academic and literary English.
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | A feather in your cap | Achievement |
| 302 | A wild goose chase | Futile search |
| 303 | Above board | Honest |
| 304 | Achilles heel | Weakness |
| 305 | Across the board | Affecting everyone |
| 306 | All bark and no bite | All talk |
| 307 | At sixes and sevens | Confused |
| 308 | Back to the wall | Under pressure |
| 309 | Beat a dead horse | Waste effort |
| 310 | Blow hot and cold | Change attitude |
| 311 | Break new ground | Innovate |
| 312 | Bring home the bacon | Earn money |
| 313 | Burn your bridges | Destroy future options |
| 314 | By and large | Generally |
| 315 | Caught red handed | Caught in act |
| 316 | Come rain or shine | No matter what |
| 317 | Cross that bridge when you come to it | Deal later |
| 318 | Dead as a doornail | Completely dead |
| 319 | Don’t put all eggs in one basket | Avoid risk |
| 320 | Draw a blank | Forget |
| 321 | Every dog has its day | Everyone gets chance |
| 322 | Fair and square | Honest and direct |
| 323 | Feather your own nest | Benefit yourself |
| 324 | From scratch | From beginning |
| 325 | Get wind of | Hear rumor |
| 326 | Give the benefit of the doubt | Trust without proof |
| 327 | Go down in flames | Fail badly |
| 328 | In black and white | Written clearly |
| 329 | In hot pursuit | Following closely |
| 330 | Keep at bay | Prevent |
| 331 | Let bygones be bygones | Forgive |
| 332 | Make a beeline for | Go directly |
| 333 | Nip it in the bud | Stop early |
| 334 | On cloud seven | Very happy |
| 335 | Out of left field | Unexpected |
| 336 | Play second fiddle | Be less important |
| 337 | Put on airs | Pretend superiority |
| 338 | Raise the roof | Make noise |
| 339 | See eye to eye | Agree |
| 340 | Set in stone | Fixed |
| 341 | Take with a pinch of salt | Doubt |
| 342 | The ball is rolling | Process started |
| 343 | The jury is out | Decision not made |
| 344 | Throw down the gauntlet | Issue challenge |
| 345 | Tighten your belt | Spend less |
| 346 | Turn over a new leaf | Change behavior |
| 347 | Under the table | Secretly |
| 348 | Walk the extra mile | Do more |
| 349 | With flying colors | Successfully |
| 350 | Your days are numbered | End is near |
Advanced Idioms
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 351 | A cut above | Superior |
| 352 | A hard nut to crack | Difficult person |
| 353 | All in a day’s work | Normal routine |
| 354 | At loggerheads | In strong disagreement |
| 355 | Backseat driver | Unwanted adviser |
| 356 | Beat around the bush | Avoid main topic |
| 357 | Between the lines | Hidden meaning |
| 358 | Blow the whistle | Expose wrongdoing |
| 359 | Burn your fingers | Suffer consequences |
| 360 | By word of mouth | Spoken communication |
| 361 | Change of heart | New decision |
| 362 | Close shave | Narrow escape |
| 363 | Cry foul | Complain unfairness |
| 364 | Dig your heels in | Refuse to change |
| 365 | Down and out | Poor and hopeless |
| 366 | Draw the line | Set limit |
| 367 | Face the music | Accept blame |
| 368 | Fall on deaf ears | Be ignored |
| 369 | Fight tooth and nail | Fight strongly |
| 370 | Get cold feet | Become nervous |
| 371 | Give the cold shoulder | Ignore |
| 372 | Go down the drain | Be wasted |
| 373 | Hit below the belt | Act unfairly |
| 374 | In the dark | Uninformed |
| 375 | In the red | In debt |
| 376 | Keep your nose clean | Stay out of trouble |
| 377 | Leave it at that | Stop discussion |
| 378 | Make a splash | Attract attention |
| 379 | On edge | Nervous |
| 380 | Out of touch | Not informed |
| 381 | Play your cards right | Act wisely |
| 382 | Pull strings | Use influence |
| 383 | Put your heart into | Do passionately |
| 384 | Ride out the storm | Survive trouble |
| 385 | Rub shoulders with | Socialize with |
| 386 | See which way the wind blows | Observe trend |
| 387 | Sit on your hands | Do nothing |
| 388 | Stand your ground | Defend position |
| 389 | Take a back seat | Be less involved |
| 390 | The penny dropped | Finally understood |
| 391 | Throw in your lot with | Join |
| 392 | Under fire | Criticized |
| 393 | Walk on air | Very happy |
| 394 | Wet behind the ears | Inexperienced |
| 395 | With open arms | Warmly welcome |
| 396 | A bright spark | Intelligent person |
| 397 | Back to basics | Return to fundamentals |
| 398 | Come full circle | Return to beginning |
| 399 | Cut loose | Act freely |
| 400 | Down to the wire | Until last moment |
More Advanced Idioms
| No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | A fish out of water | Uncomfortable |
| 402 | A sight for sore eyes | Pleasant to see |
| 403 | All systems go | Ready to start |
| 404 | At face value | Accept without doubt |
| 405 | Back on your feet | Recovered |
| 406 | Bite your lip | Stay silent |
| 407 | Break even | No loss |
| 408 | Burn rubber | Drive fast |
| 409 | Call someone out | Confront publicly |
| 410 | Clear the decks | Prepare for action |
| 411 | Cut to the bone | Reduce severely |
| 412 | Drive home | Emphasize |
| 413 | Every now and then | Occasionally |
| 414 | Face the facts | Accept reality |
| 415 | Fall flat | Fail |
| 416 | Get a move on | Hurry |
| 417 | Get out of dodge | Leave quickly |
| 418 | Give it your best shot | Try hard |
| 419 | Go off track | Lose focus |
| 420 | Hold your horses | Wait |
| 421 | In a pickle | In trouble |
| 422 | In your shoes | In your situation |
| 423 | Keep your word | Keep promise |
| 424 | Knock it off | Stop it |
| 425 | Leave well enough alone | Avoid change |
| 426 | Make ends meet | Manage money |
| 427 | No sweat | Easy |
| 428 | Off the hook | Free from blame |
| 429 | On the house | Free of charge |
| 430 | Out of line | Improper |
| 431 | Pull the rug out | Remove support |
| 432 | Put up with | Tolerate |
| 433 | Read the fine print | Check details |
| 434 | Ring a bell | Sound familiar |
| 435 | Run out of time | Time finished |
| 436 | Saved your skin | Escaped trouble |
| 437 | Shoot the breeze | Casual talk |
| 438 | Sink your teeth into | Focus deeply |
| 439 | Smooth sailing | No problems |
| 440 | Speak your mind | Say opinion |
| 441 | Take it easy | Relax |
| 442 | The ballpark | Approximate area |
| 443 | Think twice | Reconsider |
| 444 | Throw your weight around | Use power unfairly |
| 445 | Tie the knot | Get married |
| 446 | Turn the page | Move on |
| 447 | Under your skin | Annoy |
| 448 | Up for grabs | Available |
| 449 | Wear out | Exhaust |
| 450 | Work against the clock | Rush |
| 451 | A long shot | Unlikely |
| 452 | At your fingertips | Easily available |
| 453 | Back to square one | Start again |
| 454 | Barking mad | Crazy |
| 455 | Blow things out of proportion | Exaggerate |
| 456 | Break the mold | Be different |
| 457 | Catch someone’s eye | Attract attention |
| 458 | Cost an arm and a leg | Very expensive |
| 459 | Cut corners | Do poorly |
| 460 | Down in flames | Fail badly |
| 461 | Get a second wind | Regain energy |
| 462 | Give someone the benefit of the doubt | Trust |
| 463 | Go for broke | Risk everything |
| 464 | Hit the books | Study |
| 465 | In a nutshell | Briefly |
| 466 | Keep your fingers crossed | Hope |
| 467 | Let off steam | Release stress |
| 468 | Make a long story short | Summarize |
| 469 | Not playing with a full deck | Not smart |
| 470 | On the bright side | Positive aspect |
| 471 | Out of pocket | Pay yourself |
| 472 | Play hardball | Be aggressive |
| 473 | Put your foot down | Be firm |
| 474 | Rock the cradle | Control secretly |
| 475 | See the light of day | Be published |
| 476 | Take the plunge | Take risk |
| 477 | The bottom line | Final result |
| 478 | Throw your hat in the ring | Compete |
| 479 | Up in smoke | Destroyed |
| 480 | Walk the plank | Be punished |
| 481 | A close call | Narrow escape |
| 482 | Back to the salt mines | Return to work |
| 483 | Burn the bridges | Destroy relationships |
| 484 | Come to grips with | Accept |
| 485 | Cut the mustard | Meet expectations |
| 486 | Down to earth | Practical |
| 487 | Get something off your chest | Confess |
| 488 | Go out on a limb | Take risk |
| 489 | Hit the roof | Become angry |
| 490 | In the same breath | At the same time |
| 491 | Keep your shirt on | Stay calm |
| 492 | Leave no trace | Remove evidence |
| 493 | Make a scene | Cause drama |
| 494 | On the dot | Exactly on time |
| 495 | Out of sight | Excellent |
| 496 | Put a lid on | Control |
| 497 | Run in the family | Hereditary |
| 498 | Speak volumes | Show clearly |
| 499 | Take a stand | Defend position |
| 500 | The icing on the cake | Extra benefit |
FAQs About 500 Idioms and Their Meanings
What are the most famous idioms?
Some of the most famous idioms include break the ice piece of cake once in a blue moon and spill the beans.
What is the hardest idiom in the world?
Idioms like kick the bucket or let the cat out of the bag can confuse learners because their literal meaning is completely different.
What is very rare in idioms?
Rare idioms are often culture specific or outdated. For example by hook or by crook is less common today.
What is the role of idioms in communication?
Idioms make speech expressive natural and emotionally rich. They help speakers connect culturally and socially.
Conclusion
Well here we are.
You’ve explored 500 idioms and their meanings in one complete guide.
That’s not just vocabulary. That’s fluency.
If you practice these idioms regularly your English will sound more natural more confident and more expressive.
Now it’s your turn.
Try using five idioms in conversation today.
And don’t forget to download the 500 idioms and their meanings PDF for easy revision and classroom use.
Happy learning.