COMMON ENGLISH IDIOM

A little bird told me

If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.

All bark and no bite

When someone talks tough but really isn't, they are all bark and no bite.

Angry as a bear

If someone is as angry as a bear, they are very angry.('Angry as a bear with a sore foot' is also used.)

As rare as hen's teeth

(USA) Something that is rare as hen's teeth is very rare or non-existent.

Big fish

An important person in a company or an organisation is a big fish.

Bird's eye view

If you have a bird's eye view of something, you can see it perfectly clearly.

A fresh pair of eyes

A person who is brought in to examine something carefully is a fresh pair of eyes.

Bad mouth

(UK) When you are bad mouthing, you are saying negative things about someone or something.('Bad-mouth' and 'badmouth' are also used.)

Blink of an eye

If something happens in the blink of an eye, it happens so fast it is almost impossible to notice it.

Bridge the gap

If you bridge the gap, you make a connection where there is a great difference.

As cold as ice

This idiom can be used to describe a person who does not show any emotion.

Cry-baby

A cry-baby is a person who gets emotional and cries too easily.

Dumb as a rock

If you are dumb as a rock, you have no common sense and are stupid.

Two-faced

Someone who is two-faced will say one thing to your face and another when you're not there.

Babe in arms

A babe in arms is a very young child, or a person who is very young to be holding a position.

Blue-eyed boy

Someone's blue-eyed boy is their favourite person.

Sleep like a baby

If you sleep very well, you sleep like a baby.

All hat, no cattle

(USA) When someone talks big, but cannot back it up, they are all hat, no cattle.('Big hat, no cattle' is also used.)

Dress to kill

When someone is dressed to kill, they are dressed very smartly.

Black sheep

Someone who is the black sheep doesn't fit into a group or family because their behaviour or character is not good enough.

Red letter day

A red letter day is a one of good luck, when something special happens to you.

Grass widow

A grass widow is a woman whose husband is often away on work, leaving her on her own.

Bar fly

A bar fly is a person who spends a lot of time drinking in different bars and pubs.

Small beer

If something is small beer, it's unimportant.

Big cheese

The big cheese is the boss.

Chew the cud

If you chew the cud, you think carefully about something.

Fresh from the oven

If something is fresh from the oven, it is very new.

In his cups

If someone is in their cups, they are drunk.

Red carpet

If you give someone the red-carpet treatment, you give them a special welcome to show that you think they are important. You can roll out the red carpet, too.

Under the weather

If you are feeling a bit ill, sad or lack energy, you are under the weather.




CR : FastEnglishTalk