Idioms in English. Idioms in English with translation and examples What are idioms in English examples

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Expressions that should not be taken literally.

These phrases should be known to everyone who wants to improve the level of spoken English and understand what is being said in conversation, films or books.

site collected idioms that are often found in the English language, which should not be translated literally, so as not to get into an awkward position.

• Against the clock- practically overtaking time - this means "doing something very quickly", in a short time.
• To eat one's word- you can not eat your words, but take your words back - quite.
• Break a leg- sometimes in films you can hear how someone advises the hero to "break his leg", in fact, this is a wish for good luck: no fluff, no feather!
• The apple of one's eye- literally translated scary, but the phrase means something like "the diamond of my soul", love someone very much and cherish like the apple of an eye.
• To feel it in one's bones- this is the case when you feel in your gut that something will happen. In Russian, premonition is felt in another place, in English - in bones.
• When the pigs fly- the phrase about flying pigs will remind many of the situation “when the cancer whistles on the mountain” or “after rain on Thursday”. That is, never.
• To scratch someone's back and that someone will scratch in return- this expression can literally be translated as “scratch the back of another so that he scratches you in return”, that is, a favor for a favor: to do a good deed to a person in the expectation that he will answer the same.
• To walk a mile in my shoes- this is not an offer to walk in someone else's shoes, you are asked to "be in my shoes", imagine yourself in someone else's place.
• To cost an arm and a leg- so they say when something is too expensive. You literally have to sell a body part to afford this thing.
• To count one's chickens before they hatch- count ahead of time for success, when nothing is clear yet. We have a similar expression "chickens are counted in the fall."
• It's raining cats and dogs- it's funny to imagine a rain of cats and dogs, but they say that when it pours like a bucket.
• Rat race- "rat race" - by and large, our whole life. It means "to be in a state of constant haste and competition", to chase success / money - who cares.
• In a nutshell if you want to tell something in brief, then this expression is perfect for speaking in a nutshell.
• The grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence)- can be translated as "it's good where we are not." Many have noticed that the neighbor's grass is always greener - this is the same feeling.
• Quick and dirty in our language there is the same capacious expression "cheap and cheerful".
• To shake a leg- so they say when you need to hurry up and do something faster: “move!”.
• Not your cup of tea this is not your element, ”when the soul does not lie to something or something cannot be done. Literally “not your cup of tea”, and you need to find your own.
• Curiosity killed the cat- an overly curious person can often hear this. In Russian - curious Varvara's nose was torn off at the market, not a single cat was hurt.
• To take the cake- do not rush to take the pie, it means "surpass everyone" (in a good or bad way). It vaguely resembles the Russian "take a pie from the shelf."
• A leopard cannot change its spots- just as a person cannot change his nature, he is “as he is”, so a leopard cannot change the spots on the skin. A good argument for those who do not want to change.
• Blood, sweat, and tears- expression means great effort or hard work. Literally "blood, sweat and tears": in Russian there is a close "seven sweats came down."
• Pushing the envelope is an expression about a person who always offers something new and goes beyond the usual.
• To save your breath literally “save your breath”, which means that you should not waste your energy and talk about what will not be useful. It is better to remain silent and not shake the air.
• To know where the bodies are buried - when you hear this, don't be alarmed - there is nothing about real burials in this sentence, the Russian equivalent: "that's where the dog is buried" means to understand what the essence of the matter is.

"Hold your horses!" is a rare case when an English idiom is translated into Russian word for word.

English idioms- this is an interesting, entertaining part of the language, but sometimes beginners pay too much attention to it. From this article, you will learn what idioms are, whether they are worth learning, what is the difference between the idiom and, and also where butterflies come from in the stomach and what kind of spoon it is, under which it sucks out of fear.

What are idioms?

Idioms or phraseological units- these are stable turns of speech, indecomposable combinations of words, understood, as a rule, in a figurative sense. The meaning of the entire expression is not determined by the meaning of its constituent words. Often the meaning of an idiom is difficult to guess, to understand from the words included in it, if you are not familiar with it.

For instance: to be in the same boat. Literally, it means: “to be in the same boat,” but the meaning of the idiom is different: “to be in the same situation, experience the same difficulties.”

I understand your problem. We are in the same boat. - I understand your problem. I am in the same position as you.

Idioms are called stable, indecomposable combinations because they are used in an unchanged form. For example, no one says to sit together in the same boat or to be in the same vessel. An idiom is used as a ready-made figurative template for some typical situation.

You can probably guess the meaning of the expression about the boat, especially when you hear it in context, but there are idioms whose meaning is impossible to guess.

I want to buy a Saturday night special but I'm scared to own it.

I'm sorry, what-? I want to buy... a saturday night special? saturday night special? maybe I'm afraid to go to the Saturday sale?

"Saturday night special" is a small pistol or revolver. Very roughly, the expression can be translated as “Saturday evening special dish”. It originated in the 1960s (now obsolete) and comes from the fact that often these cheap and affordable weapons were used during drunken brawls in bars, which most often happened on weekend evenings. Weapons were carried by many habitues of hot places, so it was not uncommon for someone to get a “special dish” during a conflict.

Sometimes insidious idioms come across - similar to Russian ones, but with a completely different meaning.

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Literally, it means “moss does not grow on a rolling stone.” By mistake, one might think that this is an analogue of our “water does not flow under a lying stone”, but the idiom about moss has a different meaning: a person who often changes his place of residence, occupation, will never settle down, will not settle down. Accordingly, the equivalent will be as follows: "whoever does not sit still, he will not make good."

It's funny to compare Russian and English idioms that describe the same phenomenon, but in different words. For example, in Russian a bad swimmer is compared with an ax, and in English with a stone:

I'm not taking you to the river. You swim like a stone. “I won’t take you to the river. You swim like an axe.

In Russian, we say about those who like to chat on the phone “hanging” on the phone, and in English - “sitting”.

I couldn't call you. My sister was sitting on the phone. - I couldn't call you, my sister was on the phone.

How many idioms are there in English?

There are thousands of idioms in the English language, but it is impossible to give an exact number, just as it is impossible to name the exact number of words in a language. For example, in the Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms (Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms, M. McCarthy, 1998) there are 5782 dictionary entries, but in fact this number says little.

English idioms are no less living units of speech than words, their number is constantly changing. Some idioms live for centuries, while others fall into disuse very quickly.

English idioms, proverbs, colloquial formulas, phrasal verbs and other similar units of speech

Idioms are easy to confuse with proverbs, various speech patterns, phrasal verbs. Even scientists sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between them.

Idioms are a variety formulaiclanguage(this term can be roughly translated as “communication formulas” or “speech patterns”) - stable, indecomposable expressions that should be understood and taught as a single unit of speech, and not a group of words.

These templates include:

1. Greetings and wishes (greetings and good wishes)

• How are you? - How are you?
• Have a good day! - Have a good day!

2. Prepositional groups or set expressions with prepositions (prepositional phrases)

• In a minute - in a minute.
• Once in a while - from time to time.

3. Proverbs, sayings, aphorisms (sayings, proverbs, quotations)

• Bad news travels fast - bad news travels fast.
• Buy the best and you only cry once - the miser pays twice (literally: buy the best and cry only once).

4.

• To look for - look for.
• To sign in - register.

5. Set phrases, collocations

• Blond hair - blond hair (the word "blond" is strongly associated with "hair")
• Deeply disappointed - deeply disappointed (“deeply” is the first thing “disappointed” is associated with)

6. Conversational speech formulas

• You've gotta be kidding! - You must be joking!
• You see what I'm saying? – Do you understand what I mean?

7. Idioms (idioms)

• A penny for your thought - What are you thinking about?
• To give the green light - Give the green light (permission).

Note: classification from the textbook “English Idioms in Use: Intermediate. Self-study and classroom use.” Michael McCarthy, Felicity O'Dell.

As you can see, the line between idioms and similar expressions is sometimes very difficult to draw. For example, the phrasal verb to look for(search) cannot be called an idiom in any way - there is nothing idiomatic in it, that is, some kind of figurative meaning. But the phrasal verb to sail through It is already easy to confuse with an idiom, because it has a figurative meaning.

To sail through- literally “sail through something”, that is, quickly overcome. Meaning: easy to handle. For instance:

to sail through exams - easy to pass exams.

Another case is proverbs. A proverb is essentially a special case of an idiom; an idiom expressing a universally recognized truth based on the experience of many generations, common sense, folk wisdom.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Literally: A bird in the hands is worth two birds in the bushes.

Analogue: Better a tit in the hands than a crane in the sky.

Apparently, this is why in dictionaries, and even more so in various collections of idioms on the Internet, not only idioms are often found, but everything that even remotely resembles them has at least a hint of idiomaticity, including individual words in a figurative sense .

How important is it to know English idioms?

Sometimes I come across the opinion that the idioms of the English language are almost a knowledge of the essentials, because in English they are very common.

To be honest, not very often.

I think that know idioms are really useful and interesting, but teach they don't really make sense. Consider two cases: knowledge of idioms for their use in speech and for understanding speech or text.

1. The use of idioms in speech

Many idioms have a stylistic coloring, are used in informal speech, and are characteristic of some social or age groups. Let's take an example from the Russian language. Two ninth-graders are talking in a labor lesson:

- Why are you beating your ass? Help me make a stool.

- Hold your pocket wider!

Can you imagine ninth graders talking like that? I can not. Maybe 50 years ago, but not now. Here's a more realistic example:

- What are you doing bullshit? Help me make a stool.

- Yeah, right now, ran away!

Inappropriate use of idioms can "make the day" for your interlocutors. It seems like they were trying to show off their minds, but it turned out that they sat down in a puddle. Therefore, idioms in speech should be used with caution only if you know exactly what they mean and in what situations they can be used. Especially if the conversation is businesslike, official.

There is such a linguistic bike. One foreign diplomat in the USSR, before an official meeting, asked the guide about the meaning of the phrase “all over Ivanovskaya”. They explained to him what it means “loudly”, earlier on the Ivanovskaya Square of the Kremlin, heralds proclaimed royal decrees, and it was necessary to shout loudly so that everyone could hear. But they did not explain to him that the expression eventually acquired a comic connotation, and the diplomat at the reception, raising his glass, said that he wanted to proclaim a toast “to the whole of Ivanovskaya”.

2. Understanding idioms

From my own experience, I can say that when communicating with native speakers, idioms are rare. Often found:

• colloquial clichés (to take a shower - take a shower, to make a suggestion - make an offer),
• phrasal verbs (to look after - look after, to work out - play sports),
• prepositional groups (wait for a while - wait a bit).

But these are idioms, that is, stable turns with a figurative meaning, like it rains cats and dogs(like a shower), when pigs fly(when cancer whistles on the mountain) - rarely. Your interlocutors understand that English is not your native language and try to speak without much difficulty.

By the way, many have noticed that when you talk to a foreigner in a company, you understand him well, but when they talk to each other, nothing is clear. Between themselves, people speak their usual language, without making allowance for the “foreignness” of the interlocutor, so their speech can be full of slang and incomprehensible jokes.

In films, TV shows, books, idioms are sometimes found, but usually the meaning is guessed from the context. For example, out of context it is impossible to understand the meaning of the expression: “Put your John Hancock here”. Who is John Hancock? But in the film, I came across this expression in context.

According to legend, D. Hancock put such a sweeping signature that King George III could read it without glasses.

The doctor gives the patient a document, a pen, points to a place for painting and says: “Put your John Hancock here.” The patient takes a pen and signs. It is clear that John Hancock is the signature. Then I read that John Hancock was one of the American politicians who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, leaving the most noticeable (“ministerial”, as they say in Russian) painting. Therefore, in America, the expression "John Hancock" has become an informal synonym for the word "signature".

Although sometimes, especially in the text, the idiom is completely impossible to understand. If you read a phrase in which all the words are understandable individually, but together they form some strange nonsense like “pot calling the kettle black” (pot calling the kettle black - who would say, whose cow would moo), you have exactly an idiom . But this happens quite rarely, you do not have to go into the dictionary of idioms twice per page of text.

English idiom dictionaries online

The easiest way to find the meaning of an idiom is to surf it in Yandex and see 2-3 results, because sometimes not quite correct definitions come across. But besides this obvious way, there are also dictionaries of idioms, for example:

An online dictionary of English idioms, or rather, a section of the dictionary dedicated to idioms. Convenient search by keywords, there are examples of use. Everything is in English.

A dictionary of slang, which in a few years has actually grown to a dictionary of everything that even slightly smacks of slang, idiomatics, figurativeness: sayings, proverbs, idioms, Internet memes, aphorisms, and so on. The advantage of the dictionary: it is maintained in a wiki mode, i.e. it is ruled by whoever wants, so the style is alive, and the examples are life. But this is also a drawback: you can stumble upon low-quality information. The article rating system helps you choose the right option.

A small note about translating English idioms

If you suddenly need to translate an idiom from English into Russian or vice versa, you need to take into account an important point: idioms are extremely rarely translated verbatim, usually you need to select equivalent expression from another language, or translate descriptively, given the context.

I will give examples.

1. The idiom is translated literally.

To give the green light. - Give the green light.

In both languages, the expression means "give permission", the literal translation is the exact equivalent. But this is rare.

2. You can find an equivalent for an idiom.

When the pigs fly. - When the cancer on the mountain whistles; after the rain on Thursday.

Both options correspond exactly to the meaning of the expression “when the pigs fly”: never.

3. It is impossible or difficult to find an equivalent for an idiom.

There are idioms for which it is difficult to find an analogue. A classic example is Khrushchev's "Kuzkin's Mother". In 1959, Khrushchev told Nixon: “We have means at our disposal that will have dire consequences for you. We will show you Kuz'kin's mother!” The translator Viktor Sukhodrev was not at a loss and translated the expression allegorically: “We’ll show you what’s what” (we will show you what is what).

Do I need to learn idioms?

If you have recently started studying English, you still have a small vocabulary, and reading a page of English text causes a headache, then actively learn, learn by heart English idioms are not needed. Idioms are a rather advanced part of the language, not a priority at the initial stage. If you memorize a list of 100 or 200 idioms, in practical terms, this will give you very little, since they are not so common, so you will beat your head thoroughly.

However, idioms are perceived by many as an interesting, curious part of the language, something like amazing facts or “did you know what…?” In this case, idioms can simply be read at your leisure, as something entertaining.

If you actively read, listen in English, then you will sometimes come across idioms. I think they are worth it memorize at the level of understanding, but it makes no sense to teach so hard as to be able to freely apply in speech - these are not so common and necessary expressions.

Fortunately, remembering idioms at the level of understanding is quite simple, thanks to their brightness, imagery, and sometimes an entertaining story of origin, because it is the unusual and bright that is best imprinted in memory.

Popular English idioms with translation - a selection from personal experience

In conclusion, I will give a selection of idioms that I had to get acquainted with in practice: I did not read them in the textbook, but heard from someone, met them while reading, and for some reason I remembered them. Here is my personal list of popular idioms.

• piece of cake- simpler than simple, simpler than a steamed turnip, lit.: a piece of cake.

I learned this expression as a child. In the movie Terminator 2, John Connor, the future savior of mankind, breaks into an ATM using some kind of electronic device and steals money from it. “Piece of cake,”- John says and runs away, and the translator says: "Easier than a steamed turnip."

• To ring a bell- to remind something, about something, lit.: to ring a bell.

The expression is used in interrogative form, for example:

Look at this photo, does it ring a bell? Look at this photo, does it remind you of anything?

The idiom met several times in the movies, in detective stories, and was remembered because of the imagery. The ringing of a bell, symbolizing a sudden thought.

• Rule of thumb- a simple rule, an approximate way of assessing, lit.: the rule of thumb.

Rule of thumb is a simple practical method for measuring something inaccurately. The expression likes to use the linguist Paul Nation - both in scientific papers and in lectures. For example (quoting from memory):

The rule of thumb is that a native speaker knows about 20,000 words. - An approximate guideline is this: a native speaker knows about 20,000 words.

Other examples:

I never weigh anything when I'm cooking. I just do it by rule of thumb. “I never weigh anything. I eyeball everything.

A good rule of thumb is that a portion of rice is two handfuls. – An approximate rule is this: a serving of rice is two handfuls.

The origin of the idiom is not precisely established. One version says that the “rule of thumb” came from the old way of measuring among carpenters - with a finger, not measuring instruments. Everyone's fingers, of course, are different, so this "roulette" was not very accurate, but it was easy to use. According to another version, the expression came from a law that allegedly existed in England, according to which a husband was allowed to beat his wife with a stick, but no thicker than his thumb.

• To have a crush on someone. - Fall in love with someone.

The expression is often found in teen comedies, teen literature, sitcoms such as "The Friends" or "How I met Your Mother".

Once the expression came across to me in a movie with a pirated translation. There was something like:

Billy had a crush on that girl. “One day Billy fell on that girl right on her head.

Well, how can you not remember that?

• Totally different ball game- Quite another matter, literally: another ball game.

I heard this expression only from one person, but many times. You know, some people have favorite words and phrases? Just such a case. One of my acquaintances in America, a kind elderly uncle who loved to utter wisdom and talk about the old days, very often said something like.

Las Vegas is fun but New Orleans is a totally different ball game! “Las Vegas is fun, but New Orleans is a whole different story!

• To make money- to earn, lit.: to make money.

I learned from the textbook that “to earn money” is “to earn money”. But when I began to communicate with foreigners, it turned out that they simply don’t speak like that. A much more common expression is: to make money.

You came here to make money, didn't you? You came to earn money, didn't you?

• To pay the bills- cover basic expenses, provide for oneself, lit.: pay bills.

In The Devil Wears Prada, a young journalist, Andrea, came to New York after university and got a job as an assistant to Miranda Priestley, the editor-in-chief of a popular fashion magazine. The job proved difficult and unpleasant due to Miranda's tough temper, but for Andrea it was a career opportunity.

While celebrating with friends, Andrea makes a toast: “To job that pays the rent”. The translation sounded like "for work that pays rent." Unsightly and strange toast, as it seemed to me.

Later I learned that there is an expression to pay the bills– cover basic expenses (housing, food, clothing). Moreover, it is usually used in the third person, in expressions like job that pays the bills- so they say about a job that may not be to their liking, but brings enough money to live on. In other words, about the work that you have to endure because of the money.

Being a waitress isn't so prestigious, but it pay the bills. - Working as a waitress is not so prestigious, but enough to live on.

Job that pays the rent- this is a variation of this expression (rent - rent for housing). At the party, Andrea complained that the work was not the most pleasant, and the boss was just the devil, but her friends convinced her that for this position “millions of girls are ready to kill”, it is worth suffering for the sake of future well-being. Andrea agreed and raised a glass to the new job she has to endure in order to not only earn a living, but secure a bright future for herself.

• Don't give up the day job- literally: do not quit your job (for the sake of this occupation), meaning: you are not so good at it (to quit your job).

Under day job understand the basic work, as opposed to part time job(part-time work, side job). Expression “Don't give up the day job” literally means that you should not quit your main job in order to get another job or do something else. So they can say if a person shares plans to become, for example, a professional artist, to earn a living from this, but the interlocutor doubts his talent very much:

– I want to become an artist. – I want to become an artist.

– Don't give up your day job. Just don't quit your job just yet.

I came across the expression on one English-language site, where issues of various creativity were discussed and, in particular, earning money through drawing, writing, etc. One of the participants advised everyone to “don't quit work”, for which he was pecked at by the offended community.

• Butterflies in the stomach- excitement, love, fading of the soul, goosebumps, sucked in the stomach, literally: butterflies in the stomach.

“Every time I see you, I get butterflies in my stomach. But it’s okay… The acid kills them almost instantly!”

“Butterflies in the stomach” is the case when a literally translated idiom has become entrenched in the language, has become common, and more recently.

A few years ago, I watched an interview with Natalia O'Shea (Helavisa), the leader of the Melnitsa group. Speaking, if I am not mistaken, about the creative process, she tried to explain a certain inspired state and said that it is difficult to describe, but in English there is a suitable expression “butterflies in the stomach” - butterflies in the stomach. Here it just conveys this feeling!

Later, the “butterflies” began to flutter through the pages in social networks and ceased to be a curiosity. Usually the newfangled Russian expression "butterflies in the stomach" is used in the sense of "feeling in love", although in English it has a broader meaning: a physical sensation in the stomach caused by excitement. That is, it can be not only love, but also, for example, excitement in front of the public.

Whenever I have to speak in public, I get butterflies in my stomach. - When I need to speak to the public, my soul stops with excitement.

In Russian there is an exact analogue of this expression: sucking under the spoon. In both cases, we mean quite a physiological sensation associated with compression of the gastric sac as a result of a reduction in blood flow (from stress, excitement, fear, etc.). However, depending on the context, it may be more appropriate to use a less anatomically accurate, but more appropriate equivalent: the soul freezes, goosebumps run, it takes your breath away.

• jump scare– in horror films: sudden frightening of the viewer, lit.: bouncing fright.

One of the most basic and powerful scary tools in the arsenal of horror movie and game creators, which is why I don't like this genre. In its most primitive form it looks like this.

The hero sneaks with a flashlight along the dark corridor of the castle\psychiatric hospital\vampire lair, the music pumps up a tense atmosphere. He goes to a large mirror on the wall, and then there is a rustle behind him and a shadow flickers. The hero turns around sharply and sees that it is just a mouse. He, exhaling, says: “Yes, it's just a damn mouse!”, Turns to the mirror, AND THERE !!! Plus a harsh, screeching sound effect. Such scarecrows make the viewer literally jump on the spot (apparently, this is where the name comes from).

The reception is hackneyed, among connoisseurs of the genre it is believed that it is resorted to in cheap horror films. In good horrors, they scare in much more subtle, deep ways, forcing you not only to jump occasionally, dropping popcorn, but to sit in suspense throughout the film, and by the end, simply burning the nervous system to the ground.

I got acquainted with this movie term when I watched the walkthrough of the super-terrible PT game on YouTube. In the comments, someone wrote that frequent use jump scare he was disappointed - such a good game and such a cheap reception.

• The bottom line- essence, summary, lit.: bottom line, introductory line.

Expression bottom line similar to the Russian "drawing the line" and means about the same: conclusion, conclusion. For example, a long article may end with the paragraph "Conclusion" (conclusion) or "The Bottom Line" (conclusion, conclusion). In scientific papers, they don’t write like that, because the expression has a colloquial, informal connotation.

The bottom line can also mean:

1. Main idea, summary.

It's hard to explain but bottom line is that they don't get along. “It’s hard to explain, but the point is, they don’t get along with each other.

1. The total amount in the financial document, profit or loss for the year.

How will the rise in interest rates affect our bottom line? How will the increase in interest rates affect annual income?

I most often came across the expression in the meaning of “conclusion” in educational articles and videos.

• street smart- worldly mind, smart in a street way, knowing life, lit.: street mind.

I heard the expression in a conversation with the American journalist John Alpert. Talking about how he began to make documentaries, he noted that he had never been super smart (super smart), except perhaps in everyday, street smart (street smart).

street smart- this is the mind that is acquired not at school and with books, but on the street, in life, in everyday life. It is also understood in a narrower sense: the ability to survive on the street.

If you spend your life reading books, you are not going to last in the real world. You gotta be street smart to survive. - If you read books all your life, you will not last in the real world. To survive, you need to know life.

The bottom line

Speaking about the beauty and richness of a particular language, they often turn to its phraseology, idioms, because idioms are closely related to the culture, history, and customs of native speakers. However, when learning a foreign language, especially at the initial stage, there is no need to give great importance to idioms - there are things that are more priority. In addition, due to their figurativeness, brightness, curious etymology, idioms are remembered without much difficulty, and some are easily deciphered without a dictionary.

An integral part of everyday English are English idioms, proverbs and sayings. They are quite common in both written and spoken English. Idioms are generally not to be taken literally. To understand this layer of language, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the meaning and use of each specific idiom. At first glance, this may seem like a tedious task, but learning idioms is very interesting, especially if you compare English idioms with phraseological units in your native language.

When you learn to use common idioms and expressions, you will be able to speak English more fluently. Learn a few of these expressions, they will definitely come in handy. The tables below compile the most common idioms in American English. You can start by learning the most common English idioms, as you will come across them regularly while watching American movies or TV, or when you travel to the United States. Once you've mastered them, you can move on. None of the idioms on this list are rare or old fashioned, so you can feel confident using any of them with native English speakers from all English speaking countries.

The most common English idioms

In America, these English idioms are among the most common in everyday speech. You will hear them in movies and TV shows. Use them and your English will become even more like native speakers.

Idiom	Meaning	Application
A blessing in disguise	A good thing that seemed bad at first glance	as part of an offer
A dime a dozen	Something simple, common	as part of an offer
Beat around the bush	Avoid speaking directly, usually because it is embarrassing	as part of an offer
Better late than never	Better late than never	as part
Bite the bullet	Get over something because it's inevitable	as part of an offer
Break a leg	Good luck!	on one's own
Call it a day	Stop working on something	as part of an offer
cut somebody some slack	Don't be too critical	as part of an offer
cutting corners	Doing something unimportant to save time or money	as part of an offer
Easy does it	Slow down, do something slower	on one's own
get out of hand	Get out of control, lose control	as part of an offer
Get something out of your system	Do what you have been thinking about to move on	as part of an offer
Get your act together	Do a better job or quit	on one's own
Give someone the benefit of the doubt	Believe what someone say	as part of an offer
Go back to the drawing board	start over	as part of an offer
hang in there	Do not give up	on one's own
Hit the sack	go to sleep	as part of an offer
It's not rocket science	This is not difficult	on one's own
Let someone off the hook	Stop making anyone responsible for anything	as part of an offer
Make a long story short	Tell briefly	as part of an offer
miss the boat	Too late	as part of an offer
No pain, no gain	You have to work to get what you want	on one's own
On the ball	Do your job well	as part of an offer
Pull someone's leg	joke with someone	as part of an offer
Pull yourself together	Calm down	on one's own
so far so good	So far everything is going well	on one's own
Speak of the devil	The one we were talking about showed up.	on one's own
That's the last straw	My patience is over	on one's own
The best of both worlds	Ideal Situation	as part of an offer
Time flies when you're having fun	When it's fun, time flies by	on one's own
To get bent out of shape	get upset	as part of an offer
To make matters worse	make the problem worse	as part of an offer
under the weather	Unhealthy	as part of an offer
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it	Let's not talk about this problem right now.	on one's own
wrap your head around something	understand something difficult	as part of an offer
You can say that again	It's true, I agree.	on one's own
Your guess is as good as mine	I have no idea	on one's own

Common English idioms and expressions

In America, this is one of the most common English idioms in everyday speech. You can hear them in movies and TV shows, and they are very useful in getting your English closer to that of native speakers. Feel free to use them in the appropriate context.

Idiom	Meaning	Application
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	A bird in the hand is better than a bird in the sky	on one's own
A penny for your thoughts	Tell me what you think	on one's own
A penny saved is a penny earned	The money you save today can be spent later	on one's own
A perfect storm	Worst possible situation	as part of an offer
A picture is worth 1000 words	It's better to show than to tell	on one's own
Actions speak louder than words	Believe in people's deeds, not words	on one's own
Add insult to injury	make matters worse	as part of an offer
Barking up the wrong tree	Make mistakes, look for solutions in the wrong place	as part of an offer
Birds of a feather flock together	People who are similar in something are often friends / Two pair of boots (used more often in a negative context)	on one's own
Bite off more than you can chew	Take on a project you can't finish on your own	as part of an offer
Break the ice	Let people feel more comfortable	as part of an offer
By the skin of your teeth	With great difficulty, barely	as part of an offer
Comparing apples to oranges	Comparing two incomparable things	as part of an offer
Costs an arm and a leg	Very expensive	as part of an offer
Do something at the drop of a hat	Do something unplanned	as part of an offer
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you	Treat people fairly. Known as the "golden rule"	on one's own
Don't count your chickens before they hatch	Don't rely on a happy outcome until the event has happened.	on one's own
Don't cry over spilt milk	No reason to complain about what can't be changed	on one's own
Don't give up your day job	You are not very good at this.	on one's own
Don't put all your eggs in one basket	What you are doing is too risky	on one's own
Every cloud has a silver lining	Good follows bad	on one's own
Get a taste of your own medicine	You are treated the way you treat others (with a negative connotation)	as part of an offer
Give someone the cold shoulder	ignore anyone	as part of an offer
Go on a wild goose chase	Doing something is pointless	as part of an offer
Good things come to those who wait	be patient	on one's own
He has bigger fish to fry	He's got bigger things to do than we're talking about right now.	on one's own
He's a chip off the old block	Son as father	on one's own
Hit the nail on the head	Understand something very accurately	on one's own
Ignorance is bliss	You better not know	on one's own
It ain't over till the fat lady sings	It's not over yet	on one's own
It takes one to know one	You're as bad as me	on one's own
It's a piece of cake	It's simple	on one's own
It's raining cats and dogs	Heavy rain	on one's own
Kill two birds with one stone	Do two things at once (Kill two birds with one stone)	on one's own
Let the cat out of the bag	Give out a secret	as part of an offer
Live and learn	I made a mistake	on one's own
Look before you leap	Think twice before taking risks	on one's own
On thin ice	Conditionally. If you make another mistake, there will be problems.	as part of an offer
Once in a blue moon	Rarely	as part of an offer
Play devil's advocate	Assert the opposite just for the sake of preserving the argument	as part of an offer
put something on ice	Put a project on hold	as part of an offer
Rain on someone's parade	spoil something	as part of an offer
Saving for a rainy day	Set aside money for the future	as part of an offer
Slow and steady wins the race	Reliability is more important than speed	on one's own
Spill the beans	Reveal the secret	as part of an offer
Take a rain check	Postpone the plan	as part of an offer
Take it with a grain of salt	Don't take it too seriously	as part of an offer
The ball is in your court	It's your decision	on one's own
The best thing since sliced ​​bread	Really good invention	as part of an offer
The devil is in the details	Looks good from a distance, but if you look closely, you will see problems	on one's own
The early bird gets the worm	Those who come first get the best	on one's own
The elephant in the room	The big problem, the problem everyone avoids	as part of an offer
The whole nine yards	Everything from start to finish	as part of an offer
There are other fish in the sea	Even if the opportunity is missed, there will be others.	on one's own
There's a method to his madness	He looks crazy, but he's actually smart.	independent
There's no such thing as a free lunch	Nothing is absolutely free (Free cheese is only in a mousetrap).	on one's own
Throw caution to the wind	take a risk	as part of an offer
You can't have your cake and eat it too	You can't have everything	on one's own
You can "t judge a book by its cover	A person or thing may seem ugly on the outside, but they are good on the inside (Don't judge a book by its cover)	on one's own

Famous English idioms and proverbs

These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and understood by native English speakers, but are generally not used in everyday speech. If you haven't mastered the more common idioms yet, it's best to start with them. But if you are already familiar with these expressions, the idioms below will spice up your English.

Idiom	Meaning	Application
A little learning is a dangerous thing	People who don't fully understand something are dangerous.	on one's own
A snowball effect	Events by inertia are layered one on top of the other (Snowball)	as part of an offer
A snowball's chance in hell	No chances	as part of an offer
A stitch in time saves nine	Fix the problem now, otherwise it will get worse later	on one's own
A storm in a teacup	Big buzz around a small problem (Make a molehill)	as part of an offer
An apple a day keeps the doctor away	apples are good for health	on one's own
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure	You can prevent the problem now with a little effort. Eliminating it later will be more difficult.	on one's own
As right as rain	Fine	as part of an offer
Bolt from the blue	What happens without warning	as part of an offer
Burn bridges	destroy relationships	as part of an offer
Calm before the storm	Something bad is coming, but at the moment everything is calm (Calm before the storm)	as part of an offer
Come rain or shine	No matter what	as part of an offer
Curiosity killed the cat	Stop asking questions	on one's own
Cut the mustard	Do a favor	as part of an offer
Don't beat a dead horse	That's it, this topic is closed.	on one's own
Every dog ​​has his day	Everyone gets a chance at least once	on one's own
Familiarity breeds contempt	The more you know someone, the less you like them	on one's own
Fit as a fiddle	Be healthy and strong	as part of an offer
Fortune favors the bold	To risk	on one's own
Get a second wind	Got a second wind	as part of an offer
get wind of something	Hear about something secret	as part of an offer
Go down in flames	Fail miserably (of failure)	as part of an offer
Haste makes waste	You will make mistakes if you rush	on one's own
Have your head in the clouds	to be distracted	as part of an offer
He who laughs last laughs loudest	I will repay you with the same Montea	on one's own
Hear something straight from the horse's mouth	Hear something firsthand	as part of an offer
He "s not playing with a full deck	He is stupid	on one's own
He's off his rocker	He is crazy	on one's own
He's sitting on the fence	He can't decide	on one's own
It is a poor workman who blames his tools	If you can't get the job done, don't blame others	on one's own
It is always darkest before the dawn	Next will be better	on one's own
It takes two to tango	One person is not responsible, both are involved	on one's own
jump on the bandwagon	Follow the trend, do what everyone else does	as part of an offer
Know which way the wind is blowing	Understand the situation (usually with a negative connotation)	as part of an offer
Leave no stone unturned	look around carefully	as part of an offer
Let sleeping dogs lie	Stop discussing the issue	as part of an offer
Like riding a bicycle	Something you will never forget how to do	as part of an offer
Like two peas in a pod	They are always together, inseparable	as part of an offer
Make hay while the sun shines	Take advantage of a good situation	as part of an offer
On cloud nine	Very happy	as part of an offer
Once bitten, twice shy	You are more careful after being hurt	on one's own
Out of the frying pan and into the fire	Things go from bad to worse	on one's own
Run like the wind	run fast	as part of an offer
shape up or ship out	Do a better job or quit this job	on one's own
snowed under	Busy	as part of an offer
That ship has sailed	Too late	on one's own
The pot calling the kettle black	Criticizing someone, we show you in the same light	as part of an offer
There are clouds on the horizon	Trouble is coming	on one's own
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones	People with a bad reputation should not criticize others	on one's own
Through thick and thin	In good times and in bad	as part of an offer
time is money	work fast	on one's own
Waste not, want not	Do not scatter things, and you will always have enough of everything	on one's own
We see eye to eye	We agree	on one's own
Weather the storm	Go through something hard	as part of an offer
well begun is half done	A good start is half the battle (very important)	on one's own
When it rains it pours	Everything goes wrong from the start	on one's own
You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar	You will get everything you want if you are pleasant in communication	on one's own
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink	You can't force someone to make the right decision	on one's own
You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs	You have to pay for everything	on one's own

We recommend getting acquainted with English idioms from the very beginning, because in the process of learning English, you can not only learn the vocabulary of a wide variety of topics along the way, but also better understand the way of thinking of the English, their habits and traditions. After all, behind each idiom there is a whole story, after reading which you can learn the English idiom itself much faster and more efficiently, and, most importantly, start using it in speech.

All idioms of the English language can be divided into two groups. The first - those that are identical in meaning in Russian, that is, such idioms, the literal translation of which coincides with a similar idiom in Russian. For example, the English idiom "to take the bull by the horns" is understandable to anyone who knows every single word of this idiom - "to take" (to take), "the bull" (bull), "by the horns" (by the horns). Together, it turns out to "take the bull by the horns", that is, go straight to the point. The meaning of this English idiom is clear to us, since the same is in the Russian language.

The second group - those English idioms, the meaning of which you just need to learn or, having understood the history of the emergence of the English idiom itself, remember, based on associations. For example, the English idiom, "donkey work" means unpleasant, boring work. However, the translation of each individual word "donkey" (donkey) and "work" (work) does not lead us to such a conclusion, to such a translation. But, by imagining the donkey and its daily physical labor associated with carrying the load, the meaning of this English idiom becomes clear.

By studying the idioms of the first group, that is, those that have a direct meaning, the literal translation of which is understandable to a Russian-speaking student, you can very quickly replenish the vocabulary, learn a lot of simple, but at the same time words necessary for communication. The process of memorizing words from English idioms will be simplified by instant understanding and recognition of a phrase that you have repeatedly heard or used already in your native speech.

It is the second group of idioms that creates the greatest difficulty for students of all levels who study English, misleads in exams, in conversation with foreigners, when watching programs and films in English, listening to English podcasts and songs. Practice will help here:

• systematically study 2-3 idioms a day, written down by yourself in a notebook or notepad
• try in each situation to remember at least one English idiom on the topic and use it in the topic
• reread recordings of English idioms to refresh your memory, while saying the idiom aloud, loudly and clearly
• draw those idioms that are not remembered in any way - personally depicted illustrations will make you repeatedly think about the meaning of the idiom, repeat its pronunciation to yourself or aloud, think about the meaning of each individual word
• be observant - when communicating in English, do not just listen to the interlocutor, but hear him - catch idioms in his speech, try to paraphrase what was said or heard using an English idiom

English idioms about animals, food, sports, travel, love, flowers, business, etc. will be of great help to you in conversations with English-speaking interlocutors, examiners and native speakers. You will become more confident in understanding English speech, as well as expressing your point of view at ease and close to the speech of the British and Americans, which will cause surprise and admiration for your level of language.