COMMONLY USED ENGLISH IDIOMS WITH MEANINGS

A List of the most commonly used English idiomsA hot potatoSpeak of an issue which many people are talking about and which is usually disputedA penny for your thoughtsCaught between two stoolsWhen someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.Costs an arm and a l[r]

get the go-ahead - to receive a signal to start something The construction company got the go-ahead to begin work on the new stadium. get the goods on (someone) - to find out true but often negative information about someone I think that I have got the goods on the man and will talk to the police s[r]

When the man gets going he will never stop complaining. get hold of (someone) - to find a person so that you can speak with him or her I tried to get hold of my brother last week but he was out of town. get hold of (something) - to get possession of something "If you get hold of a dictionar[r]

get (someone or something) out of one's mind/head - to manage to forget about someone or something It took me several months to get my old girlfriend out of my mind. get (something) out in the open - to make something public We had a frank discussion in order to get everything out in the open. get[r]

give (someone) a break - to give someone a chance We decided to give the woman a break and not complain about her bad manners. give (someone) a bum steer - to make a misleading suggestion The store owner gave the police a bum steer when he told them where the robber may have gone. give (someone) a[r]

Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 268 go haywire - to become damaged, to stop working properly At first, things were going well but later our plans began to go haywire. go hog-wild - to behave wildly The little boys went hog-wild during the birthday party. go in for (something) - to choose something as one'[r]

from cradle to grave - from birth to death The government looks after its citizens with good medical care from cradle to grave. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 212 from dawn to dusk - from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun The farmworkers worked from dawn to dusk everyday in order to[r]

one's flesh and blood - a close relative She is my flesh and blood so I felt terrible when she got into trouble. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 195 flesh (something) out - to make something more detailed or bigger We worked hard during the weekend to flesh out our agreement. a flight of fancy - an idea[r]

sometimes she has none. eke out (a living) - to earn one's living with difficulty My uncle was unable to eke out a living on the farm so he sold it. elbow grease - the effort and strength to clean something We will have to use a lot of elbow grease to clean the kitchen. elbow room - enough[r]

We divided the cost of the trip fifty-fifty. Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 185 fight against time - to hurry to do something quickly, a fight to do something quickly The rescue party was fighting against time to save the men who were trapped in the coal mine. fight tooth and nail - to fight fiercely or[r]

- great freedom to do something We had a free hand to design the sports program for the university. a free translation - a translation that is not totally accurate The newspaper printed a free translation of what the foreign diplomat said. freeload - to accept food and housing at the expense of an[r]

- to go to an event by oneself (without a date - usually used for men) I decided to go stag to the wedding. go steady with (someone) - to date the same person all the time (usually used for teenagers) My sister has been going steady with her boyfriend for two years. go[r]

hold one`s fire - keep back arguments or facts, keep from telling something I tried to hold my fire during the meeting and save the rest of the information until next week. hold one's head up - keep one's dignity and pride The basketball players were able to hold their heads up even though they los[r]

Mr_doody2004@yahoo.com 321 have one`s feet on the ground - be practical or sensible The new sales manager really has his feet on the ground. have one's finger in too many pies - be involved in too many things The woman has her finger in too many pies and is unable to do her work well. have one's[r]

employees. (the) high life - a luxurious existence They have been living the high life since they moved to Las Vegas. high man on the totem pole - the top person of an organization My father is the high man on the totem pole in his company and has a very good job. high on (something) - intoxicate[r]

- a very disobedient or unruly child The little boy is a holy terror and his parents never want to take him anywhere. the honeymoon is over - the initial period of friendship and cooperation between two groups is over The honeymoon was over for the new President after several months. a honky-tonk[r]

- used when someone makes an unfriendly look or frowns at someone If looks could kill then the horrible way that the woman looked at me would have killed me instantly. if so - if that is the case The lawyer said that he wants to meet us this afternoon but if so then we will not have any docu[r]

- not be involved with someone or something My aunt will have nothing to do with most members of her family. have nothing/none to spare - not have extra of something We had none to spare so we were unable to give any books to the hospital. have on (something) - be wearing something "[r]

- wait, continue listening on the telephone "Hang on for a minute while I go and get some paper and a pen." hang on (someone's) every word - listen with complete attention to everything someone says The audience hung on every word of the speaker. hang on to (something) - hold tightly, keep[r]

gravy train - a job that gives one much money compared with what you do The cleaning contract was a gravy train. We worked for 3 hours but we got paid for 8 hours. gray area - something difficult to define or put into a particular category, something that is not clear Some of the legal issue[r]