Idiom

An **idiom** is a common phrase which means something different from its literal meaning but can be understood because of their popular use.

Idioms are difficult for someone not good at speaking the language. Some idioms are only used by some groups of people or at certain times. The idiom _shape up or ship out_, which is like saying _improve your behavior or leave if you don't_, might be said by an employer or supervisor to an employee, but not to other people.

Idioms are not the same thing as slang. Idioms are made of normal words that have a special meaning known to almost everyone. Slang is usually special words, or special meanings of normal words that are known only to a particular group of people.

To learn a language a person needs to learn the words in that language, and how and when to use them. But people also need to learn idioms separately because certain words together or at certain times can have different meanings. In order to understand an idiom, one sometimes needs to know the culture from which the idiom comes.

To know the history of an idiom can be useful and interesting. For example, most native British English speakers know that "No room to swing a cat" means "there was not much space" and can use the idiom properly. However, few know this is because 200 years ago sailors were punished by being whipped with a "cat o' nine tails". A big space was cleared on the ship so that the person doing the whipping had room to _swing the cat_.

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be understood from the dictionary definitions of each word taken separately. The linguist's term for the real meaning of an idiom is the ***subtext***.

## Definition

Idioms are phrases or expressions that have a figurative meaning different from their literal interpretation. They are commonly used in everyday language to convey a specific idea, often with cultural or historical significance. Idioms are not meant to be taken literally, and their meaning can be understood only by familiarizing oneself with their usage and context.

## Some common idioms

- _Break a leg_
- A way to wish someone good luck.
- _To live it up_
- To enjoy life, to live widely
- _To kick the bucket_
- To die.
- _Shape up or ship out_
- Used to tell someone that they should leave if they don't improve their behavior or performance
- _Learn the ropes_
- Learn and often perfect the skills of a craft, job, etc.
- _Mad as a hatter
- Mentally unstable, especially as the result of poisoning.
- _To shed crocodile tears_
- To cry about something but without actually caring.
- _Wild goose chase_
- A useless journey or pursuit.
- _Nothing burger_
- An idea or promise without substance_
- _There's no room to swing a cat_
- There is not a lot of space.
- _To pay through the nose_
- To pay a lot of money, more than is normal.
- _Cost an arm and a leg_
- Be extremely expensive.
- _To bark up the wrong tree_
- To choose the wrong course of action.
- _To spill the beans_
- To tell a secret.
- _It's raining cats and dogs_
- It's raining heavily.
- _To get into hot water_
- To get into trouble.
- _Skate on thin ice_
- To disregard caution.
- _Chicken-hearted_
- Frightened or cowardly
- _To chicken out_
- Not doing a thing, because of fear.
- _Top dog_
- Leader.
- _To smell a rat_
- To think that something is wrong.
- _To give up_
- To quit.
- _To give up on_
- To stop believing in something or someone.
- _I could eat a horse_
- I am very hungry.
- _To be on top of the world_
- To be really happy.
- _Once in a blue moon_
- Rarely
- _Wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole!_ (Or _barge pole_ in British English)
- Not wanting anything to do with something or someone.
- _Avoid like the plague_
- Avoid at any cost.
- _Miss the boat_
- Be too late for a chance or opportunity.
- _Child's play_
- Easy to do.
- _Cakewalk_
- Something easy to accomplish.
- _Chinese puzzle_
- Extremely difficult task.
- _Castle in the clouds_ or _pie in the sky_
- An impossible or improbable dream, project, etc.
- _Hit the sack_
- To go to bed
- _Get\give the sack_
- Dismiss or be dismissed from one's employment.
- _The whole nine yards_
- Everything
- _Bells and whistles_
- All the unnecessary luxuries, features, etc
- _Turn a blind eye \ deaf ear_
- To ignore.
- _Cry wolf_
- Report a false emergency.
- One's _cup of tea_
- What someone prefers.
- Not for _all the tea in China_

Less common idioms include:
- _Safe as houses_
- Very safe and secure.

## Idioms which have unclear meaning

Articles by Oxfam and the BBC have said that many idioms in English are unclear, or ambiguous. Many are understood differently in different countries. Many of the examples are taken from face-to-face talk, but may also apply in written reports.

### Examples

- _Satisfactory_ (in a report, or in an assessment) might mean _not_ satisfactory.
- _I hear what you say_. Might mean _I'm listening_, but more likely _I totally disagree_.
- _With the greatest respect_. May mean _You are quite wrong_. 68% of British thought it meant "I think you are an idiot", whereas 49% of Americans thought it meant "I am listening to you".
- _I'll bear it in mind_. In a survey 55% of British thought it meant _I've forgotten it already_. 43% of Americans thought it meant _I will probably do it_.

Vocables are sounds that are not proper words, but mean something, and are often ambiguous. One is a long drawn-out sound _hmmmmmm_.

One suggestion is that these idioms are used to smooth over difficult areas in social interaction. They cover passive-aggressive statements which might cause more conflict if openly expressed.

## Related pages

- Proverb