3. LEARNING NEEDS
• Learn the Actual Meaning of Idioms
• Fun and Expressions with English Idioms
CTA 3Idioms
4. A little bird told me
When some one does not want to say where they got
the information from
E.g. I know about your surprise party “a little bird told me”
CTA 4Idioms
5. All your eggs in one basket
Risking everything together, instead of spreading your risk
E.g. Don’t put your eggs in one basket you will lose everything
CTA 5Idioms
6. Be careful what you wish for
Sometimes what you wish for may not be pleasant
or wish for without thinking
E.g. Be careful what you wish for lest it comes true
CTA 6Idioms
7. Bird in hand is worth
two in the bush
It is better to have something that is certain than to wish for
something that you are not sure about
E.g. Don’t be so greedy a bird in hand is better than two in the bush
( as something is better than nothing )
CTA 7Idioms
8. Card up your sleeve
It means you have a secret plan until the right time comes to show it
E.g. He always has a card up his sleeve at such meetings
CTA 8Idioms
9. Cast pearls before swine's
Offering something of value to someone who does not appreciate it
E.g. Giving her good advice is like casting pearls before swine's
CTA 9
Idioms
10. Don’t bite the hand
that feeds
Don’t betray those who help you
E.g. The man stole from his employer, biting the hand that feeds him
CTA 10Idioms
11. Don’t count your chickens
before they hatch
Don’t jump to conclusions
E.g. I told him not to count his chickens before they hatched
when he purchased the lottery ticket
CTA 12Idioms
12. Easier said than done
The task is more difficult than it sounds
E.g. To always be good to others is easier said than done
CTA 13Idioms
13. Every cloud has a silver lining
Every unpleasant situation could have something positive
coming out of it
E.g. Have hope when times are bad, every cloud has a silver lining
CTA 14Idioms
14. Fish out of water
To be in an unfamiliar situation or to be confused
E.g. I felt like a fish out of water when I went to college after school
CTA 15Idioms
15. Fresh from the oven
Something that is very new
E.g. The Vodafone Zoozoo advertisement is fresh from the oven
CTA 16Idioms
16. Gift of the gab
Someone who can speak convincingly or says
something interestingly
E.g. Most politicians have the gift of the gab
CTA 17Idioms
17. Good Samaritan
Someone who is always willing to help
E.g. I found a good Samaritan who gave me a lift in the middle
of the night
CTA 18Idioms
18. Have your cake and eat it too
Have everything to themselves or have their own way
E.g. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too
by insisting everyone must go to the movie of her choice
( whether they like it or not )
CTA 19Idioms
19. Hold your horses
Slow down a bit and don’t jump to conclusion
E.g. I have an announcement to make but please hold your horses
CTA 20Idioms
20. Icing on the cake
Something good has happened over something that was also good
E.g. The trip to Paris after the proposal was the icing on the cake
CTA 21Idioms
21. Jekyll and Hyde
Someone who has a very pleasant and an unpleasant side
E.g. His behaviour is as unpredictable as Jekyll and Hyde
CTA 23Idioms
22. Jump on the bandwagon
Do something that is very popular or that everyone does
E.g. Don’t jump on the bandwagon but do what you think is right
CTA 24Idioms
23. Keep someone at arms length
Keep a safe distance from someone or to avoid someone purposefully
E.g. He kept an arms length from his neighbours who were
very inquisitive about his personal life
CTA 25Idioms
24. Larger than life
Something that is very exaggerated or excessive
E.g. Amitabh Bachchan is the King of Cinema. He is larger than life
CTA 26Idioms
25. Let the cat out of the bag
To accidently reveal a secret
E.g. The thieves let the cat out of the bag during interrogation
CTA 27Idioms
26. My way or the highway
Either do it my way or leave
E.g. He wanted me to do it his way or take the highway
CTA 28Idioms
27. Mind your P’s and Q’s
To behave politely and be well mannered
E.g. The child was told to mind his P’s and Q’s at the party
CTA 29Idioms
28. Nerves of steel
Someone who does not get afraid easily
E.g. You need nerves of steel to climb this mountain
CTA 30Idioms
29. Nip it in the bud
To deal with the problem when its still small
E.g. Its better to nip it in the bud than to wait for the
problem to grow bigger
CTA 31Idioms
30. One for the road
A last drink before one leaves the bar/pub
E.g. On his birthday we had one for the road before we went home
CTA 32Idioms
31. Out of the woods
One is out of trouble or difficult times
E.g. Now that all his troubles are over he is finally out of the woods
CTA 33Idioms
33. Proof of the pudding
is in the eating
Something can be judged only by testing it
E.g. It’s a well done project but the
proof of the pudding is in the eating
CTA 35Idioms
34. Quick as a flash
Something that happens very quickly
E.g. His opinion changes as quick as a flash
CTA 36Idioms
35. Raining cats and dog
Raining very heavily
E.g. It rains cats and dogs in Mumbai during the monsoon
CTA 37Idioms
36. Rome was not built in a day
Many things require time and patience to be completed
E.g. Don’t rush your plans, Rome was not built in a day
CTA 38Idioms
37. Sight for sore eyes
Something that is beautiful to look at
E.g. This painting is a sight for sore eyes
CTA 39Idioms
38. Sit on the fence
Not to take sides in a dispute
E.g. She avoids controversy by sitting on the fence
CTA Idioms • 40
39. Stitch in time saves nine
Make amends before its too late
E.g. A stitch in time saves nine if you start your work now
CTA 41Idioms
40. Tables are turned
The situation has changed from unfavourbale to favourable
( vice versa )
E.g. The tables have turned for the Indian cricket team
CTA 42Idioms
41. Up to speed
To update someone on something
E.g. The new employee was brought up to speed by the senior
CTA 43Idioms
42. Vent your spleen
To release ones anger and frustration
E.g. Don’t vent your spleen before your customers
CTA 44Idioms
43. Vote with one’s feet
Show that you don’t like something by walking away
E.g. They showed their disinterest at the meeting by voting with their feet
CTA 45Idioms
44. What will be will be
Fate will decide the outcome
E.g. Don’t worry about tomorrow , what will be will be
CTA 46Idioms
45. When in Rome
do as the Romans do
Follow the customs and practices of the place or organisation
E.g. When in Rome do as the Romans do or you will be left out
CTA 47Idioms
46. Your guess
is as good as mine
Your guess or answer is the same as mine especially
when unaware of something
E.g. Your guess is as good as mine as to who will win the match
CTA 48Idioms
47. Zip your lip
Keep quiet about something
E.g. I will tell you a secret but zip your lip
CTA 49Idioms
