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Common words or phrases with non-literal meanings
19th-century English-language idioms List of proverbial phrases List of business terms List of racist idioms Siamese twins (linguistics) wikt:Category:English idioms
English-language_idioms
Phrase with a non-literal meaning
Category:English idioms in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. The Idioms – Online English idioms dictionary. babelite.org – Online cross-language idioms dictionary
Idiom
19th century English language idioms
the article list of idioms in the English language notes, a list of idioms can be useful, since the meaning of an idiom cannot be deduced by knowing the
List of English-language idioms of the 19th century
List_of_English-language_idioms_of_the_19th_century
This is an alphabetical list of common English-language idioms based on baseball, excluding the extended metaphor referring to sex, and including illustrative
Glossary of English-language idioms derived from baseball
Glossary_of_English-language_idioms_derived_from_baseball
English language idioms derived from baseball and baseball metaphors for sex. Examination of the ethnocultural relevance of these idioms in English speech
List_of_sports_idioms
English-language idiom referring to someone who acts superior
Dude Flâneur Fop Gentleman God complex Highbrow Idiom Illusory superiority List of English-language idioms Messiah complex Pidgin Sophisticated Ammer, Christine
Put_on_airs
The English idioms listed below are generally or sometimes considered to be racist. Some idioms express negative ethnic stereotypes, some invoke white
List of idioms considered racist
List_of_idioms_considered_racist
English idiom expressing skepticism
To take something with a "grain of salt" or "pinch of salt" is an English idiom that suggests to view something, specifically claims that may be misleading
A_grain_of_salt
English language idiom
refers to Alice and Wonderland. Language portal Analysis paralysis Comprehension of idioms Dead metaphor English-language idioms Red pill and blue pill Tunnel
Down_the_rabbit_hole
Idioms in the Thai language are usually derived from various natural or cultural references. Many include rhyming and/or alliteration, and their distinction
List_of_Thai_language_idioms
Earliest historical form of English language
English (Englisċ or Ænglisċ, pronounced [ˈeŋɡliʃ] or [ˈæŋɡliʃ]), Early English or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest attested form of the English language,
Old_English
West Germanic language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family that emerged in early medieval England and has since become a global lingua franca
English_language
English words sharing common features
and British English (M–Z) Language portal Linguistics portal List of English-language idioms List of 19th-century English language idioms List of kennings
Lists_of_English_words
Proverb of Medieval origin
definition | Cambridge English Dictionary" Retrieved November 13, 2025. The Free Dictionary, "All Roads Lead to Rome - Idioms by The Free Dictionary"
All_roads_lead_to_Rome
English proverb
students and scholars. The idiom appears occasionally in the literary canon, both in English and translations from other languages. Swift's poem "A Conference
Birds of a feather flock together
Birds_of_a_feather_flock_together
are written in ASL glossing. These idioms further validate ASL as a language unique and independent of English. Idioms in ASL bond people in the Deaf community
Idioms in American Sign Language
Idioms_in_American_Sign_Language
Syntactical, grammatical, or structural form peculiar to a language
classic book English as She Is Spoke is easy to understand (its idiomatic counterpart is English as It Is Spoken), but it deviates from English idiom in the
Idiom_(language_structure)
English language idiom
evokes racist images of Native Americans. Adage Comprehension of idioms English-language idioms Morphology (linguistics) McCarthy, Pat (2009). Heading West
Circle_the_wagons
English idiom of biblical origin
from Peter to pay Paul", and "to unclothe Peter to clothe Paul", are English idioms meaning to take from one person to give to another, especially when
To_rob_Peter_to_pay_Paul
Phrase referencing Benjamin Franklin
This article about the English language is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.
Death_and_taxes_(idiom)
Dialect of English spoken in Ireland
help. Hiberno-English or Irish English (IrE), also formerly sometimes called Anglo-Irish, is the set of dialects of the English language native to the
Hiberno-English
Collection of English words and their meanings, published by HarperCollins
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (AHD) is a dictionary of American English published by HarperCollins. As of 2025[update] it is
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
The_American_Heritage_Dictionary_of_the_English_Language
Idiomatic phrase
"Crime of the century" is an idiomatic phrase used to describe particularly sensational or notorious criminal cases. In the United States, it is often—though
Crime_of_the_century
Expensive object that cannot be disposed of
S2CID 153995925. Ammer, Christine (2013). The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0547677538. Harding
White_elephant
Metaphor about spitefulness
El Perro del Hortelano (English: The Gardener's Dog; 1618). In this case, De Vega's title alludes to the parallel European idiom involving a variant story
The_Dog_in_the_Manger
English language idiom
A blessing in disguise is an English language idiom referring to the idea that something that appears to be a misfortune can have unexpected benefits.
Blessing_in_disguise
Variety of English language
terminology came, specific jargon aside, common everyday American idioms, including many idioms related to baseball. The names of some American inventions remained
American_English
English idiomatic phrase
"Gordon Bennett" is an English-language idiomatic phrase used to express surprise, contempt, outrage, disgust, frustration or exasperation. The expression
Gordon_Bennett_(phrase)
English metaphor for optimism
A silver lining is a metaphor for optimism in vernacular English, which means a negative occurrence may have a positive aspect to it. John Milton coined
Silver_lining_(idiom)
Idiom in English used to describe heavy rain
Look up rain cats and dogs in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. The English-language idiom "raining cats and dogs" or "raining dogs and cats" is used to describe
Raining_cats_and_dogs
English idiom meaning "to die"
To kick the bucket is an English idiom considered a euphemistic, informal, or slang term meaning "to die". Its origin remains unclear, though there have
Kick_the_bucket
Fallacious approach to mislead an audience
supported by etymologist Michael Quinion and accepted by the Oxford English Dictionary, the idiom did not originate from a hunting practice. Ross researched the
Red_herring
English idiom
Kenkyusha Dictionary of Current English Idioms, pp. 153–154. Ammer, Christine. (2001). The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, p. 153. Walsh, William Shepard
Damning_with_faint_praise
Type of machine learning model
"Can you teach an old dog new tricks?" because of its exposure to the English idiom you can't teach an old dog new tricks, even though this is not literally
Large_language_model
Person or group crucial in the transfer of power
of modern United States presidential elections). The term first entered English in the 15th century as a label for Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Kingmaker
Idiom meaning disorganized or disorderly
Willy-nilly is an English-language idiom and slang which describes an activity, an action or event that is done in a disorganized, unplanned, or vacillating
Willy-nilly_(idiom)
Commonwealth slang
be "unfair" and take more than is warranted. It is a shortening of the idiom taking the piss out of, which is an expression meaning to mock, tease, joke
Taking_the_piss
English-language idiom
Idiom-Representation and Idiom-Variation in English John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, page 132, ISBN 978-90-272-2370-8 "Idioms". PASAA: Journal
Trip_the_light_fantastic
Idiomatic expression
Idioms. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0-395-72774-X. ISBN 978-0-395-72774-4 Cheng Lim Tan. (2002). Advanced English Idioms for
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater
Don't_throw_the_baby_out_with_the_bathwater
English idiom used in theatre to wish a performer good luck
"Break a leg" is an English-language idiom used in the context of theatre or other performing arts to wish a performer "good luck". An ironic or non-literal
Break_a_leg
1946 essay by George Orwell
words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink. The insincerity of the writer perpetuates the decline of the language as people (particularly
Politics and the English Language
Politics_and_the_English_Language
Term for an organization using its own product
Eating your own dog food or "dogfooding" is the practice of using one's own products or services. This can be a way for an organization to test its products
Eating_your_own_dog_food
Grammar of the English language
English grammar is the set of structural rules of the English language. This includes the structure of words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and whole texts
English_grammar
English idiom for passage of time
The sands of time is an English idiom relating the passage of time to the sand in an hourglass. The hourglass is an antiquated timing instrument consisting
Sands_of_time_(idiom)
Phrase commonly referring to prostitution
newly acquired meaning. Thus, for some time the following could be said in English newspaper reports without apparent embarrassment: "A certain proportion
Oldest_profession
English idiom
1859 implies common usage by that time. Most likely the meaning of the idiom derives from the fact that before the advent of modern dentistry (and modern
Teaching grandmother to suck eggs
Teaching_grandmother_to_suck_eggs
English-language idiom
The living daylights is an archaic idiom in English believed to be early 18th century slang for somebody's eyes that subsequently figuratively referred
The_living_daylights
Slogan for plentiful services
Too cheap to meter refers to a commodity so inexpensive that it is cheaper and less bureaucratic to simply provide it for a flat fee or even free and make
Too_cheap_to_meter
Idiom indicating humor or sarcasm
Tongue-in-cheek is an idiom that describes a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner. The phrase originally expressed contempt,
Tongue-in-cheek
Time of night associated with supernatural events
Sacramentals Ushi no toki mairi Watches of the Night "witching hour". Oxford English Dictionary (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/OED/1210591770
Witching_hour
Phrase originating from a 15th-century fable
his verse treatment of the fable. The earliest recorded use of the English idiom was by Thomas More in the course of a pamphlet war with William Tyndale
Out of the frying pan into the fire
Out_of_the_frying_pan_into_the_fire
Phrase from the Bible
Look up by the skin of one's teeth in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. English Wikisource has original text related to this article: Job 19:19 Hair's
Skin_of_my_teeth
Idiom meaning to conform to a standard
Authorhouse, 2010, page 457, ISBN 978 1 4520 3779 0 Politics and the English Language, George Orwell, 1946 Look up toe the line, toe the mark, or toe the
Toe_the_line
Act of processing and understanding idioms
Comprehension of idioms is the act of processing and understanding idioms. Idioms are a common type of figure of speech. Based on common linguistic definitions
Comprehension_of_idioms
Taunt to people focused on pointless or trivial matters
parents' basements and "get a life." "Get a life meaning". Theidioms.com. The Idioms. Retrieved 22 March 2019. Clemmer, Jim (1999). Growing the Distance: Timeless
Get_a_life_(idiom)
"First base", etc., as sexual euphemism
completion. Baseball portal Human sexuality portal Glossary of English-language idioms derived from baseball Hellermann, Steven L.; Markovits, Andrei
Baseball_metaphors_for_sex
English idiom
elephant in the room" (or "the elephant in the living room") is an English language idiom for an important and obvious topic that is left undiscussed due
Elephant_in_the_room
Previously less known thing becoming prominent
"Dark horse". Merriam-Webster. "Origins of Sayings – A Dark Horse". The Idioms. "Who Will Be Iran's Next President?". Radio Free Liberty. 6 January 2013
Dark_horse
Maxim about music criticism
"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture" is a maxim used to express the futility of translating music through words. It may be employed
Writing about music is like dancing about architecture
Writing_about_music_is_like_dancing_about_architecture
Idiom referring to an area of vulnerability
The idiom "chink in one's armor" refers to an area of vulnerability. It has traditionally been used to refer to a weak spot in a figurative suit of armor
Chink_in_one's_armor
Idiom
Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, p. 348. Dolgopolov, Yuri. (2004). A Collection of Confusable Phrases: False 'Friends' and 'Enemies' in Idioms and Collocations
It_takes_two_to_tango
Co-worker of a special relationship
Work spouse, a term mostly used in American English, refers to a co-worker, with whom one shares a special relationship, having bonds similar to those
Work_spouse
English idiom
Dead ringer is an idiom in English denoting a person or thing that closely resembles another. It dates back to the 19th century. In criminal slang, the
Dead_ringer_(idiom)
English-language expression
is to hold a grudge or grievance that readily provokes disputation. This idiom traces its roots back to a custom that was known in North America since
Chip_on_shoulder
English-language idiom meaning "to shift blame onto another"
English-language idiom meaning "to shift blame onto another"
Buck_passing
Phrase used to disregard someone
p. 180. ISBN 978-0-8143-3335-8. Helterbran, Valeri R. (2008). Exploring Idioms: A Critical-Thinking Resource for Grades 4–8. Maupin House Publishing, Inc
Cold_shoulder
Soft redirect to Wiktionary
Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones
Those_who_live_in_glass_houses_should_not_throw_stones
Over-reliance on a familiar tool
although the hammer and nail line may not be original to either of them. The English expression "a Birmingham screwdriver", meaning a hammer, refers to the
Law_of_the_instrument
Quote from ''Hamlet'' indicating an ironic reversal
Narrative technique List of inventors killed by their own invention List of idioms attributed to Shakespeare "The capitalists will sell us the rope with which
Hoist_with_his_own_petard
Idiomatic phrase, the informal education from negative experiences
The School of Hard Knocks (also referred to as the University of Life or University of Hard Knocks) is an idiomatic phrase referring to the inadvertent
School_of_Hard_Knocks
English idiom to describe hard work
Dictionary of the Canting Crew defined as "a derisory Term for Sweat". English-language idioms List of practical joke topics "Definition of ELBOW GREASE". www
Elbow_grease
Topics referred to by the same term
free dictionary. Cat and Mouse may refer to: Cat and mouse, an English-language idiom Cat & Mouse (1958 film), a British crime drama film Cat and Mouse
Cat_and_Mouse
Romance language
10 most influential languages", George Weber, 1997, Language Today, "...includes besides many other languages, Bengali, English, French, German, Hindi/Urdu
Portuguese_language
Sensationalistic idiom for court cases
"People's Daily Online – Saddam Hussein to face "trial of the century"". English.people.com.cn. Retrieved 2017-03-15. Hiscock, John (2005-02-01). "Jackson
Trial_of_the_century
Phrase with some components fixed
its components. Three types of idioms can be distinguished in this way—full idioms, semi-idioms, and quasi-idioms. An idiom AB (that is, composed of the
Phraseme
Monocultural metaphor
single year even—transforms the English, the German, the Irish emigrant into an American. Uniform institutions, ideas, language, the influence of the majority
Melting_pot
Metaphor
ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2020-11-24. Ayto, John (2020). Oxford Dictionary of Idioms. Oxford Quick Reference Series (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press
Smoke_and_mirrors
Any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth
direction of social equality. "rags-to-riches Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary". dictionary.cambridge.org. Archived from the original on 15
Rags_to_riches
English proverb
drinking." The modern proverb dates to the late 18th century, with English-language predecessors dating back to the 16th century, based on Latin and Greek
There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip
There's_many_a_slip_'twixt_the_cup_and_the_lip
Irritability and restlessness upon isolated confinement for a long period of time
Cabin fever is the distressing irritability or restlessness experienced when a person, or group, is stuck at an isolated location or in confined quarters
Cabin_fever
Figurative expression
unpleasant. The idiom originates in the classical Greek of Plutarch's Apophthegmata Laconica, and was introduced into the English language in 1542 in Nicolas
Call_a_spade_a_spade
Soft redirect to Wiktionary
Bum_rushing
Variant of English language
New Zealand English (NZE) is the variant of the English language spoken and written by most New Zealanders. Its language code in ISO and Internet standards
New_Zealand_English
Intense friendship
to the New Oxford American Dictionary on September 16, 2010. The Oxford English Dictionary documents the earliest written usage of the acronym in the year
Best_friends_forever
English language expression for a mistaken emphasis
free dictionary. Barking up the wrong tree is an idiomatic expression in English, which is used to suggest a mistaken emphasis in a specific context. The
Barking_up_the_wrong_tree
Medicine chest or medicine cabinet is a colloquial phrase and idiom used to describe an area with the highest concentration of medicine stockpile, production
Medicine_chest_(idiom)
Folk tale also known as "Chicken Little"
features prominently in the story, and has passed into the English language as a common idiom indicating a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is
Henny_Penny
Phrase describing refusal of commentary
in advance that the response is not to be used for attribution. In many English-speaking countries such as the UK and the U.S., this phrase is also a stock
No_comment
Allegation of using gimmicks to retain audience
The idiom "jumping the shark", or "shark jumping", or to "jump the shark"; means that a creative work or entity has evolved and reached a point in which
Jumping_the_shark
English phrase
citing The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. copyright 2000 "Idioms: Cut to the quick". thefreedictionary.com. Martin
The_quick_and_the_dead
English metaphorical phrase
The English idiom "don't judge a book by its cover", also known as "never judge a book by its cover", is a metaphorical phrase that means one should not
Don't judge a book by its cover
Don't_judge_a_book_by_its_cover
English idiomatic expression
Sea change or sea-change is an English idiomatic expression that denotes a substantial change in perspective, especially one that affects a group or society
Sea_change_(idiom)
Expression depicting surprise
which was reprinted in James Parton's 1881 The Humorous Poetry of the English Language, and observes: "This may be just an accident of invention, but the
Monkey's_uncle
Item purchased without inspection
other European equivalents, while the English expression refers to the appearance of the trick. The English idiom "sold a pup" refers to a similar con
Pig_in_a_poke
Classification based on observable evidence
accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already
Duck_test
Quote from Hamlet
the play-within-the-play, in which the Player Queen declares in flowery language that she will never remarry if her husband dies. Hamlet then turns to his
The lady doth protest too much, methinks
The_lady_doth_protest_too_much,_methinks
Aphorism in journalism
The phrase man bites dog is a shortened version of an aphorism in journalism that describes how an unusual, infrequent event (such as a man biting a dog)
Man_bites_dog
Topics referred to by the same term
red-letter in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Red letter is an English language idiom that may refer to: A red letter day, an important occasion, festival
Red_letter
Idiom about futile effort
in American English) is an idiom meaning that a particular effort is futile. The expression is said to have been popularized by the English politician
Flogging_a_dead_horse
Phrase that refers to an appealing man
L. F. Shitova; 350 Idioms with Their Origin, or The Idiomatic Cake You Can Eat and Have It Too - page: 130 Chitra Fernando; Idioms and Idiomaticity -
Tall,_dark_and_handsome
travel, tourism, insurance
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