Idioms List for Kids! Idioms are a great way to build a strong understanding of a language and its culture. An idiom is a phrase that has a figurative meaning that is different from its literal meaning. Idioms can often be tricky to understand, particularly for kids, but can also provide a fun and interesting way to learn the language. These expressions are more interesting for kids to learn than the more mundane sentences found in textbooks, and can help them to understand the nuances of language. This blog post will provide a comprehensive list of idioms for kids, along with their literal and figurative meanings, to help them build their language skills in a fun and engaging way. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or student, this guide can help you to make learning language entertaining and enjoyable.
This list of idioms is best for grade 3, grade4, grade 5, grade 6, grade 7 students, and kids.
Idioms List for Kids
1. Come to blows | to start hitting each other | From hot words, they came to blows. |
2. Come to grief | to fail | Their plan came to grief in the end. |
3. Come to light | become known | At last, the truth of the matter came to light. |
4. Come to terms/make terms | to make an agreement or end an agreement with someone | At last, they had to come to terms. |
5. Come/get to the point | to stop talking about unimportant details and say what is the most important | We have not yet discussed the real matter, so please get to the point. |
7. Create/make/stir up bad blood | cause angry or bitter feeling between people | Do not create bad blood between them. |
8. Crocodile tears | to pretend you feel sad0 | She was shedding crocodile tears on her enemy’s death, |
9. Cross your anger | to put your middle finger over your first finger as a wish for good luck | I am crossing my fingers that my proposal will be accepted. |
10. Cry over spilt milk | to waste time feeling upset about something bad that has happened and cannot be changed | It is no use crying over spilt milk. |
11. Cry wolf | to call for help when it is not needed to | If you cry wolf, again and again, none will believe you when you need help. |
12. Curry favor with somebody | to try to make someone like you | Big tax cuts are often proposed to curry favor with voters. |
13. Cut a sorry/poor figure | do something badly | She cat a soy figure when she could not speak on the stage. |
14. Cut somebody to the quick | to upset someone very much by saying something | Do not cut your parents to the quick by saying them old fools. |
15. Cut something short | to stop doing something earlier than you planned | His Glittering career was cut short by a heart attack. |
17. Cut your coat according to your cloth | to spend only as much money as you can afford | Do not be wasteful |
18. Darkhorse | someone with a secret ability or skill | Leon is a dark horse I did not know that he had written a novel. |
19. Day after day /week after week/ year after year | day in day out | The ill-cared old man became weak day after day. |
20. Day in, day out | especially of something boring | I have to do the same boring jobs day in, day out. |
A Big List of Idioms for Kids…
21. Die a dog’s death | Die a shameful death | No one wants to die a dog’s death. |
22. Die in harness | to continue to work until the day of one’s death | I hope that she will die in harness. |
23. Diehard | strongly opposing changes and new ideas | A few diehard people are trying to stop the reforms. |
24. Do sb a bad turn | to do sth to harm sb | You did her a bad turn by dismissing her. |
25. Do sb a good turn | to do sth that helps sb | You did her a good turn by employing her in this office. |
26. Do the trick | to do what is needed in order to achieve something big | A bit more hard work can do the trick for the success of our plan. |
27. Double-faced | hypocrite | When I realized his double-faced policy, I refused to be his friend anymore. |
28. Down and out | without money, a home, or a job, and living on the street | Nobody loves you when you are down and out. |
29. Draw a blank | to fail to get an answer or a result | All his efforts to marry Soma have drawn a blank |
30. Drawn match | a match that results in the beat or win of neither team | A cricket test match usually proves to be a drawn match. |
31. Eagle-eyed | able to see or notice the things that are very difficult to see | You cannot hide your feelings from Lina, she is an eagle-eyed woman. |
32. Eat humble pie | to admit that you were wrong about something | You will eat humble pie if you do not act upon my plan. |
33. Eat one’s cake and have it OR Have one’s | enjoy the benefits from two situations | He loves his wife but still wants to see his girlfriend, it is like eating his cake and have it. |
34. Eat one’s words | to admit that you were wrong about something | I said that he would be late but I had to eat my words when he came on time |
35. End up in smoke / go up in smoke | if your plans go up in smoke, you cannot do what you intended to do | When he crashed his car, all his travel plans ended in smoke. |
36. Every inch | completely or in every way | He looked every inch a gentleman. |
37. Eyewash | something that you do not consider true | Do not talk about such eyewash. |
38. Face the music | to accept punishment or criticism for something you have done wrong | I did her wrong but I am ready to face the music. |
39. Fair or square deal | fair treatment | Most of the workers do not think that they are getting a square deal. |
40. Fair play | behavior that is fair and honest | He has no sense of fair play. |
41. Fair sex | women | We should respect fair sex. |
42. Fair weather friends | someone who only wants to be your friend when things are going well for you | Fair weather friends leave you in the lurch. |
43. Fall flat | to fail to produce the desired effect | All his attempts to marry her fell flat. |
44. Fall on hard times | to have problems because you do not have enough money | Gilbert could not pay the fee of his son as he had fallen on hard times. |
45. Fall short of | to fail to reach your aim or Tail to reach a particular level | His skill fell short of my expectations. |
46. Fall victim to something | become a victim | She fell victim to cancer. |
47. Fall/be/become prey to | to be attacked, cheated, or harmed by someone bad | The innocent boy fell prey to smoking. |
48. Far and near/Far and wide/Near and far | from very wide areas | Came from near and far to see the fair. |
49. Fay ones trump card | to use something powerful and influential | When the boss did not show him any favor, he played his trump card by telling him that he is the minister’s son. |
50. Feather one’s nest | to obtain money by doing something dishonest | Dishonest officers feather their nests. |
Also, Check this big list of Synonyms
Idioms with Meanings
The icing on the cake | Something additional that turns good into great |
Second to none | The best |
Read between the lines | Find the hidden meaning |
Piece of cake | Something very easy |
Pass with flying colors | To succeed at something easily |
Out of the blue | With no warning |
Mumbo jumbo | To call something total nonsense |
Miss the boat | You missed your chance |
I’ve got your number | To say you can’t be fooled by someone since you have them figured out |
It’s in the bag | It’s a certainty |
In the same boat | Be in the same situation |
In hot water | Be in trouble |
Have second thoughts | Have doubts |
Have mixed feelings | Be unsure of how you feel |
Give it a shot | To try to do something |
Get your act together | Behave properly |
Get a kick out of it | Really enjoy/like something |
Fill in the blanks | Provide more information |
Draw a blank | Can’t remember |
Down to the wire | At the last minute |
Crack a book | Open up a book and study |
Cool as a cucumber | To be very calm under stress |
Call it a day | Time to quit |
As easy as ABC | Something is very easy |
Add fuel to the fire | To add more to an existing problem |
A rip-off | Too expensive |
A grey area | Something unclear |
A dead letter | a law or idea which is no longer effective |
Drawn match | a match that results in the beat or win of neither team |
Eagle-eyed | able to see or notice the things that are very difficult to see |
Be at daggers drawn | be hostile |
Day after day /week after week/ year after year | day in day out |
Die a dog’s death | Die a shameful death |
A dog’s life | disgraceful life |
Cut a sorry/poor figure | do something badly |
Day in, day out | especially of something boring |
Again every day/week/ year | for a long time |
Be driven/passed from pillar to post | from one place to another place |
Double-faced | hypocrite |
A dog in the manger | selfish |
Darkhorse | someone with a secret ability or skill |
Diehard | strongly opposing changes and new ideas |
Die in harness | to continue to work until the day of one’s death |
Do the trick | to do what is needed in order to achieve something big |
Draw a blank | to fail to get an answer or a result |
Cut your coat according to your cloth | to spend only as much money as you can afford |
Cut something short | to stop doing something earlier than you planned |
Cut somebody to the quick | to upset someone very much by saying something |
Down and out | without money, a home, or a job, and living on the street |
Infographics (Idioms List for Kids – 50 Cute Idioms for Kids with Meanings)
Download this idioms list in PDF.