An idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal definition of its individual words. These figurative expressions, such as "break the ice" or "piece of cake," have a culturally understood meaning that differs from their literal interpretation.

Herein we have a list of 100+ idioms, along with their meanings:

  1. Ad Hoc – appointed for a special purpose

Sentence: An ad hoc committee was formed to solve the issue.

  1. Apple of Discord – a cause of dispute

Sentence: The property became an apple of discord among the brothers.

  1. After one’s own heart – sharing similar tastes

Sentence: He is a teacher after my own heart.

  1. Apple of one’s eye – very dear person or thing

Sentence: Her son is the apple of her eye.

  1. All in All – considering everything; on the whole; overall

Sentence: All in all, it was a successful event.

  1. Add fuel to the fire – make a bad situation worse

Sentence: His rude comment added fuel to the fire.

  1. At the 11th hour – at the last moment

Sentence: He submitted the assignment at the 11th hour.

  1. At Sea – confused

Sentence: I was at sea during the math exam.

  1. At Home – comfortable

Sentence: She feels at home in this environment.

  1. At an arm’s length – keep distance

Sentence: He keeps strangers at an arm’s length.

  1. At the bottom of – root cause

Sentence: Fear is at the bottom of his anger.

  1. A bed of thorns – full of difficulties

Sentence: His life was a bed of thorns.

  1. At Stake – in danger

Sentence: His reputation is at stake.

  1. Back Out – withdraw

Sentence: He backed out of the deal.

  1. Bag and Baggage – with all belongings

Sentence: They left the house bag and baggage.

  1. Bread and Butter – livelihood

Sentence: Teaching is his bread and butter.

  1. By Hook or Crook – by any means

Sentence: He wanted to pass the exam by hook or crook.

  1. Beside the Mark – irrelevant

Sentence: His comment was beside the mark.

  1. To bell the cat – face a risky task

Sentence: He volunteered to bell the cat.

  1. Burn the candle at both ends – overwork / hard work

Sentence: He burned the candle at both ends during exams.

  1. A bed of roses – easy life

Sentence: Life is not a bed of roses.

  1. Burn the midnight oil – work late

Sentence: She burns the midnight oil daily.

  1. Beggar’s Description – beyond description

Sentence: The beauty of the valley is beggar’s description.

  1. To be in good books – be favoured / they are pleased with you

Sentence: He is in the teacher’s good books.

  1. Break the ice – start conversation

Sentence: He told a joke to break the ice.

  1. Born with a silver spoon – born rich

Sentence: She was born with a silver spoon.

  1. Beat the air – useless effort

Sentence: Arguing with him is beating the air.

  1. A black sheep – bad member of group

Sentence: He is the black sheep of the family.

  1. A cool head – calm nature

Sentence: She kept a cool head in crisis.

  1. Crocodile’s tears – fake sympathy

Sentence: His apology was crocodile’s tears.

  1. Capital Punishment – death penalty

Sentence: The criminal received capital punishment.

  1. Close-fisted man – stingy person; one who is extremely reluctant to spend or share their money

Sentence: He is a close-fisted man.

  1. Under a cloud – in disgrace / under suspicion

Sentence: He is under a cloud after the scandal.

  1. Call a spade a spade – speak frankly

Sentence: She always calls a spade a spade.

  1. Cock-and-Bull story – false story

Sentence: His excuse was a cock-and-bull story.

  1. Catch red-handed – caught in act

Sentence: The thief was caught red-handed.

  1. Clean slate – fresh start

Sentence: He started with a clean slate.

  1. Bashed to the ground – fail completely

Sentence: His plan was bashed to the ground.

  1. Dance to one’s tune – obey completely

Sentence: He always dances to his boss’s tune.

  1. Eyewash – deceit

Sentence: His explanation was eyewash.

  1. An eye for an eye – tit for tat

Sentence: He believes in an eye for an eye.

  1. End in smoke – fail

Sentence: Their efforts ended in smoke.

  1. Fair Play – justice

Sentence: We believe in fair play.

  1. From hand to mouth – very little money

Sentence: They live from hand to mouth.

  1. Fool’s paradise – false happiness

Sentence: He lived in a fool’s paradise.

  1. Feather in one’s cap – achievement

Sentence: Winning the prize was a feather in his cap.

  1. Fish out of water – uncomfortable

Sentence: I felt like a fish out of water there.

  1. Feel at home – feel comfortable

Sentence: I feel at home here.

  1. Follow in someone’s footsteps – imitate someone

Sentence: He followed in his father’s footsteps.

  1. Fan the flames – worsen situation

Sentence: His words fanned the flames of anger.

  1. Far Reaching – having big impact

Sentence: The decision had far reaching effects.

  1. Gala Day – celebration day

Sentence: The school had a gala day.

  1. Good for Nothing – useless

Sentence: He is good for nothing.

  1. Grease the Palm – bribe

Sentence: He tried to grease the palm of officials.

  1. Get into hot water – get into trouble

Sentence: He got into hot water for cheating.

  1. Go through fire and water – make effort

Sentence: She will go through fire and water for success.

  1. Give ear – listen carefully

Sentence: The teacher gave ear to students.

  1. Back upon one’s words – break promise

Sentence: He backed upon his words.

  1. Get at the bottom of it – find truth

Sentence: The police got at the bottom of it.

  1. Hallmark – sign of quality

Sentence: Honesty is his hallmark.

  1. Hard nut to crack – difficult task

Sentence: The problem is a hard nut to crack.

  1. It’s high time – right time

Sentence: It’s high time to study.

  1. Hang in the balance – uncertain

Sentence: His future hangs in the balance.

  1. In and Out – full detail

Sentence: I know the matter in and out.

  1. In black and white – written

Sentence: Get the agreement in black and white.

  1. Jeer at – mock

Sentence: They jeered at his mistake.

  1. Jack of all trades – many skills

Sentence: He is a jack of all trades.

  1. Lame Excuse – weak excuse

Sentence: That is a lame excuse.

  1. Lose one’s head – become angry

Sentence: He lost his head in anger.

  1. Leave no stone unturned – try everything / try hard

Sentence: We left no stone unturned.

  1. Live up to – meet expectations

Sentence: He lived up to his promise.

  1. In lieu of – instead of

Sentence: He gave money in lieu of gift.

  1. Man of Letters – educated person

Sentence: He is a man of letters.

  1. Make a fortune – become rich

Sentence: He made a fortune in business.

  1. Meet halfway – compromise

Sentence: They agreed to meet halfway.

  1. Mind your own business – don’t interfere

Sentence: Mind your own business.

  1. Move Heaven and Earth – try very hard

Sentence: He moved heaven and earth to win.

  1. Out and Out – completely

Sentence: He is out and out honest.

  1. Over and Above – in addition

Sentence: He got bonus over and above salary.

  1. Off and On – sometimes

Sentence: He visits off and on.

  1. On and On – continuously

Sentence: He talked on and on.

  1. Open secret – known to all

Sentence: It is an open secret.

  1. Part and Parcel – essential part

Sentence: Discipline is part and parcel of life.

  1. Read between the lines – find hidden meaning

Sentence: You should read between the lines.

  1. Red rag to a bull – provocation

Sentence: His words were a red rag to a bull.

  1. Share the white feather – show cowardice

Sentence: He shared the white feather.

  1. Swan Song – last work

Sentence: This movie is his swan song.

  1. Stand by – support

Sentence: I will stand by you.

  1. Snake in the grass – hidden enemy

Sentence: He is a snake in the grass.

  1. Through and Through – completely

Sentence: He is honest through and through.

  1. In the twinkling of an eye – instantly

Sentence: He disappeared in the twinkling of an eye.

  1. Take French Leave – leave without permission

Sentence: He took French leave from office.

  1. Take the plunge – take risk

Sentence: He took the plunge into business.

  1. To the letter – exactly

Sentence: Follow the rules to the letter.

  1. Underdog – weaker competitor

Sentence: The team was an underdog.

  1. Ups and Downs – good and bad times

Sentence: Life has ups and downs.

  1. Uphill Task – difficult work

Sentence: Passing the exam was an uphill task.

  1. Under the thumb of – controlled by

Sentence: He is under the thumb of his boss.

  1. Up to the Mark – satisfactory

Sentence: His work is up to the mark.

  1. A Piece of Cake – very easy

Sentence: The exam was a piece of cake.

  1. Beat around the bush – avoid direct talk

Sentence: Don’t beat around the bush.

  1. Let the cat out of the bag – reveal secret

Sentence: He let the cat out of the bag.

  1. Through thick and thin – in all situations

Sentence: She supported him through thick and thin.

  1. Add insult to injury – make worse

Sentence: His joke added insult to injury.

  1. Cock and bull story – false story

Sentence: It was a cock and bull story.

  1. Know the ropes – know how to do

Sentence: He knows the ropes well.

  1. With one voice – unanimous

Sentence: They agreed with one voice.

  1. Take to heart – feel deeply

Sentence: He took the criticism to heart.

  1. Bone of contention – cause of dispute

Sentence: Money is a bone of contention.

  1. Half baked – poorly planned

Sentence: It was a half baked idea.

  1. Bark at the moon – useless complaint

Sentence: His protest was barking at the moon.

  1. Against the tide – opposite opinion

Sentence: He worked against the tide.

  1. At daggers drawn – in conflict

Sentence: They are at daggers drawn.

  1. Gallows bird – criminal type person

Sentence: He was treated like a gallows bird.

  1. Man of words – truthful person

Sentence: He is a man of words.

  1. Slip of tongue – speaking mistake

Sentence: It was a slip of tongue.

  1. Null and void – invalid

Sentence: The contract is null and void.

  1. Act of God – natural disaster

Sentence: Flood is an act of God.

  1. Brush with the law – legal trouble

Sentence: He had a brush with the law.

  1. At one’s fingertips – complete knowledge

Sentence: She has the data at her fingertips.

  1. Blow one’s trumpet – boast

Sentence: He always blows his trumpet.

  1. As fit as a fiddle – very healthy

Sentence: She is as fit as a fiddle.

  1. Take up the cudgels – support strongly

Sentence: He took up the cudgels for justice.

  1. Cry over spilt milk – regret irreversibly

Sentence: Don’t cry over spilt milk.

  1. Down and out – very poor

Sentence: He was down and out.

  1. Hard-nosed attitude – strict approach

Sentence: He has a hard-nosed attitude.

  1. White elephant – useless costly thing

Sentence: The building became a white elephant.

  1. Bring to light – reveal

Sentence: The truth was brought to light.

  1. Cold Feet – nervous

Sentence: He got cold feet before the exam.

  1. Couch potato – very lazy TV watcher

Sentence: He is a couch potato