What Are Idioms?
Idioms are figurative phrases that are a part of written and colloquial English. While a majority of them are figurative, some idioms are literal in their meaning. Idioms are used to embellish speech or a piece of writing and are considered a part of informal language. Therefore, they should not be used in academic writing assignments, essay rewriting, or any other form of formal writing or communication.
Examples of idioms:
| Idiom | Meaning | Sentence |
| Stick to your guns | Refuse to change or compromise | Jessie recorded his statement with the police and stuck to his guns when they interrogated him. |
| Bite the bullet | Doing something unpleasant despite being hesitant about it | Annie decided to bite the bullet and clean her room to avoid another fight with her mother. |
| Like two peas in a pod | Similar | Though Linda and Linette were born two years apart, it seemed like they were two peas in a pod. |
| Hold your horses | An appeal to show patience or wait | “Hold your horses, Bill! I’m not done yet. I need to buy a few more things,” Amanda said. |
| Break a leg | Used for wishing someone good luck | “Break a leg, Jerry!”, Larry said enthusiastically when he saw his comedian friend backstage. |
Types of Idioms
Idioms are an important aspect of the figurative language used by native English speakers as part of their everyday, informal communication. Most fictional writers use idioms to make their writing appealing to readers. Idioms are also used to deliver humor or convey a complex idea in a unique manner.
The most commonly used types of idioms are:
Prepositional Idioms
As the name suggests, idioms that contain a preposition or prepositional phrase are called prepositional idioms.
Examples:
| Idiom | Meaning | Sentence |
| Devoid of | Lacking | Joe’s voice was devoid of emotions. |
| Shut down | To close permanently | We are shutting down our shop next month. |
| Comply with | To conform | We are willing to comply with the industry standards. |
| Back off | To withdraw | The burglar backed off on seeing a gun in the resident’s hand. |
| Prevent from | To ensure something doesn’t happen | The guards failed to prevent the fans from entering the field. |
Note: The highlighted words in the above examples are prepositions.
Binomial Idioms
Binomial idioms are made up of words that are opposite in meaning.
Examples:
| Idiom | Meaning | Sentence |
| Black and white | A situation where it’s difficult to judge right from wrong | Gun control is complicated and is by no means a black-and-white issue. |
| Dos and don’ts | Rules that pertain to someone’s actions | She clearly outlined the office dos and don’ts for her employees to follow. |
| Dead or alive | A type of legal punishment where someone can be apprehended dead or alive | The police are on the lookout for the shooter and they want him dead or alive. |
| Back and forth | Unable to reach a decision or conclusion | The House is still divided on the budget decision after going back and forth for over a week. |
| Ins and outs | Details or facts related to something | I’m yet to fully learn the ins and outs of my sales job. |
Pure Idioms
Idioms that have been in use for a long time with forgotten origins are called pure idioms.
Examples:
| Idiom | Meaning | Sentence |
| Raining cats and dogs | A heavy downpour | It’s raining cats and dogs in London today. |
| Fit as a fiddle | In good health | Jimmy works out every day and is fit as a fiddle. |
| Smell a rat | Suspicious | Although Michelle swore she didn’t steal the money, Leon smelled a rat. |
| Once in a blue moon | Rarely | Amanda only sings once in a blue moon. |
| Piece of cake | Easy | The project we worked on last summer was a piece of cake. |
Proverbs
Proverbs are idioms that state a truth or offer a piece of advice. Unlike other types of idioms, proverbs are self-explanatory and straightforward.
Examples:
- Action speaks louder than words.
- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
- All’s well that ends well.
- The early bird catches the worm.
- Look before you leap.
Euphemisms
Euphemisms are idioms that are less direct than actual idioms. They are a group of words or phrases used to replace offensive, harsh, or provocative phrases.
Examples:
| Euphemism | Meaning | Sentence |
| Kicked the bucket | Died | John kicked the bucket last week. |
| Big-boned | Fat | Jill has been a big-boned girl since birth. |
| Let go | Fired | The company let go of more than 2000 people owing to the recession. |
| Put down | Euthanize | They had to put down their 18-year-old dog Sandy last month. |
| Enhanced interrogation | Torture | Enhanced interrogation techniques like waterboarding have been criticized by the Human Rights Council. |
Clichés
Clichés are idioms that are so overused that they signify a lack of originality. Clichés are considered stereotypical phrases. It’s best to avoid clichés in writing and speech.
Examples:
| Cliché | Meaning | Sentence |
| All that glitters is not gold | Not everything is the way it appears to be | “She isn’t as honest as she seems to be. Remember, all that glitters is not gold,” Peter warned Polly. |
| Read between the lines | Guess something that isn’t said outright | “Don’t just read the policy document, make sure you read between the lines as well,” my dad said. |
| Ignorance is bliss | Unawareness about something unpleasant doesn’t trouble the person who is unaware | “I was happily unaware of my health issue until it was accidentally diagnosed. I was ignorant and ignorance was bliss,” Eric lamented. |
| The pot calling the kettle black | Someone who has flaws shouldn’t accuse others of the same | “Frank calling me lazy is like the pot calling the kettle black,” Freddie said. |
| Kiss and make up | To sort out a conflict | “It’s about time you both kiss and make up. I’m tired of witnessing your argument,” my mom said to us. |
The origin of idioms is unclear to this day. However, it’s believed that they have been passed down from generation to generation mostly through speech and written texts.
