Idioms and phrases are fascinating linguistic tools that add depth and color to the English language. They are expressions that convey meanings beyond the literal interpretation of their individual words. Understanding idioms and phrases is crucial for effective communication, as they are commonly used in everyday conversation, literature, and even in professional settings. In this article, we will explore the world of idioms and phrases, providing meanings and examples to help you grasp their nuances.
Idioms with Meaning and Examples
| Go to the dogs | to become worse | After the death of his partner, their business went to the dogs. |
| Go to the wall/Be driven to the wall/Be pushed to the wall | to go bankrupt | Their business went to the wall due to bad management. |
| Go too far | Carry/take something too far carry/ take something to extremes (say too much about something) | |
| Go up in smoke | be destroyed | Her dreams of becoming a doctor went up in smoke when she Could not get admission to a medical college. |
| Go without saying | used to mean that something is obvious | It goes without saying that you will be paid for the extra hours you work. |
| Go/get oft/get away or escape scot-free /get off scot-free | to avoid the punishment of doing something that deserves punishment | Criminals such as these can be allowed to get away scot-free. |
| Go/Run to seed | to stop looking healthy | He is not yet fifty, but the government seems to be going to seed. |
| Golden age | a period of success | The Muslims remember the golden age of their forefathers. |
| Golden opportunity | a very good chance to do or achieve something | Wise men avail themselves of golden opportunities. |
| Good-for-nothing | someone who is lazy and never does anything useful | Decent should get rid of those departments which are good-for-nothing. |
| Green horn | one who lacks experience | This man can easily be tricked as he is a green horn. |
| Hair-breath escape/narrow escape/close call/close shave | just to avoid danger | John had a narrow escape from being drowned. |
| Hand in glove with | closely linked with someone, especially in a bad or illegal activity | They suspect that some of the policemen are hand in glove with the robbers. |
| Hard and fast | fixed and not able to be changed | We will have to follow the hard and fast rules of this office. |
| Hard up | not having enough money | We were too hard up to buy new clothes. |
| Hard/tough nut to crack | a difficult problem or situation | To win the race will be a tough nut to crack. |
| Harp on something/ Harp on the same string | talk too much about something | I am tired of hearing his harp on the same string. |
| Have a bee in your bonnet | to think or talk about sth all the time | Joe has got a bee in his bonnet about saving money. |
| Have a finger in every pie many pies | to meddle in every matter | America likes to have a finger in every pie of the world. |
| Have a hand in | to influence or be involved in something | I suspect John had a hand in this plot. |
| Have a soft spot/corner for | to feel a lot of affection for | She has always had a spot for her younger brother. |
| Have an axe to grind | to have an opinion or aim that you want other people to accept or consider | I have no political axe to grind. |
| Have an iron / strong will / have a will of iron | to have an extremely strong character | Our team has an iron will to win the match. |
| Have something at one’s fingertips | be completely familiar with something | This teacher has all the rules of grammar at his fingertips. |
| Have too many/several irons in the fire | to be involved in several different activities or have several plans | If you have several irons, in the fire, you can focus on none. |
| Have/with one’s back to the wall | be in a difficult situation | My back to the wall, I had to accept his proposal. |
| Head and shoulders above the rest/others | be much better at something than everyone else | Joe would be the next chairman of this office as he is head and shoulders above the others. |
| Heart and soul | completely | She loves her son heart and soul. |
| High and mighty | proud | Nobody likes him as he always tries to be high and mighty. |
| High horse | the attitude of stubborn arrogance | Do not ride the high horse and admit that you are wrong. |
| Hobson’s choice | a situation in which there is only one thing you can do | It is Hobson’s choice for you to obey your boss. |
| Hold / Stand one’s ground/ hold one’s own | to defend yourself, or to succeed in a difficult situation | Although he is new in this race, he seems to be holding his ground. |
| Hold good / hold true | be true or valid | This advice will hold good throughout your life. |
| Hold in contempt | hate | Joe has never held anyone in contempt |
| Hold no brief for | to not support or be in favor of | You should hold no brief for this criminal. |
| Hold one’s head high/up | to be very confident and proud | Those who do noble deeds can hold their heads high |
| Hold one’s tongue | to angrily tell someone to stop speaking | Hold your tongue and do not abuse him like that. |
| Hold water | seem to be true or reasonable | His excuse for coming a did not seem to hold water. |
| Hope against hope | to continue to hope for something even when it is unlikely to happen | Saleh waited all day, hoping against hope that Liza would come to him. |
| Hue and cry | a great noise | There was a great hue and cry in the a |
| Ignorant of | uninformed, unaware | We must not be ignorant of our activates. |
| In a bad way | in a poor state | Do not buy this house as it is in a bad way. |
| In a fix | be in difficulties | She was in a fix after the death of her husband. |
| In a nutshell | in a short, clear way | To put it in a nutshell, the show was very exciting. |
| In addition to | as well as | John writes books in addition to teaching |
Idioms and Phrases | Images
Idioms and Phrases with Meanings and Examples PDF
