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Do you really know
English idioms?

20 idioms, one meaning each. Pick correctly — and learn every one you miss.

For example

“break the ice”

to ease tension and start a conversation

20 questions · multiple choice · ~3 minutes

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At the end, see every idiom you missed with its meaning — so you actually learn.

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From 'Literal Thinker' to 'Idiom Master'. Idioms are classic B2–C2 territory.

150-idiom pool

20 random idioms per round — each retake teaches you something new.

Dictionary

English Idioms Dictionary

All 150 idioms, explained — tap any for its meaning, examples and origin.

break the iceto ease tension and start a conversation
piece of cakesomething very easy
hit the booksto study hard
under the weatherfeeling ill
spill the beansto reveal a secret
once in a blue moonvery rarely
bite the bulletto endure something difficult
cost an arm and a legto be very expensive
let the cat out of the bagto reveal a secret
hit the nail on the headto be exactly right
the ball is in your courtit's your decision now
burn the midnight oilto work late into the night
cut cornersto do something cheaply or poorly to save time
beat around the bushto avoid the main point
call it a dayto stop working for now
on the fenceundecided
pull someone's legto joke with or tease someone
a blessing in disguisea good thing that seemed bad at first
speak of the devilthe person we were talking about just appeared
the last strawthe final problem that makes you give up
throw in the towelto give up
up in the airuncertain or undecided
break a leggood luck (said before a performance)
miss the boatto miss an opportunity
a dime a dozenvery common and of little value
cry over spilled milkto be upset about something that can't be undone
the best of both worldsthe benefits of two different things at once
get cold feetto become nervous and hesitant
add insult to injuryto make a bad situation even worse
barking up the wrong treepursuing a mistaken line of thought or action
give someone a piece of your mindto angrily tell someone what you think
blow off steamto release pent-up energy or anger
cut to the chaseto get straight to the point
in hot waterin trouble
jump on the bandwagonto join a popular trend
kill two birds with one stoneto solve two problems with one action
let sleeping dogs lieto avoid restarting an old conflict
on thin icein a risky or precarious situation
out of the blueunexpectedly
pull yourself togetherto calm down and regain control
raining cats and dogsraining very heavily
see eye to eyeto agree
take it with a grain of saltto not fully believe something
the tip of the iceberga small visible part of a much bigger problem
through thick and thinin good times and bad
time fliestime passes quickly
right under your noseright in front of you but unnoticed
when pigs flynever
a hot potatoa controversial issue people avoid handling
back to square oneback to the very start
ballpark figurea rough estimate
bend over backwardsto try very hard to help
bite off more than you can chewto take on more than you can handle
by the skin of your teethjust barely
caught red-handedcaught in the act of doing something wrong
play devil's advocateto argue an opposing view for the sake of debate
down to earthpractical and sensible
easier said than doneharder to do than to talk about
face the musicto accept the consequences of your actions
get out of handto become uncontrollable
give the benefit of the doubtto trust someone despite uncertainty
go the extra mileto make an extra effort
hit the sackto go to bed
in the same boatin the same difficult situation
keep your chin upto stay positive in a hard time
kick the bucketto die
leave no stone unturnedto search or try everything possible
long story shortto summarize quickly
no pain, no gaineffort is needed to achieve results
on cloud nineextremely happy
once bitten, twice shycautious after a bad experience
play it by earto improvise and decide as you go
pull the plugto put an end to something
rock the boatto cause trouble or disrupt a stable situation
sit tightto wait patiently
steal someone's thunderto take attention or credit from someone
take a rain checkto politely postpone an invitation
the whole nine yardseverything, all the way
throw caution to the windto act recklessly without worrying about risk
under the tablesecretly or illegally
up to scratchmeeting the required standard
water under the bridgepast problems that no longer matter
wrap your head aroundto fully understand something difficult
a long shotsomething unlikely to succeed
cut the mustardto meet expectations or perform well
hold your horseswait and slow down
a storm in a teacupa big fuss over a small matter
the apple of my eyea cherished, beloved person
burn bridgesto destroy relationships permanently
the elephant in the rooman obvious problem everyone avoids discussing
a piece of worka difficult, unpleasant person
actions speak louder than wordswhat you do matters more than what you say
all earsfully ready to listen
at the drop of a hatimmediately, without hesitation
beat a dead horseto keep pursuing a hopeless or settled matter
the best thing since sliced breada wonderful new invention
bite your tongueto stop yourself from saying something
blow your own trumpetto boast about yourself
burn the candle at both endsto exhaust yourself doing too much
don't judge a book by its coverdon't judge by appearances
a chip on your shouldera lingering grudge or resentment
clear the airto resolve a misunderstanding
cross that bridge when you come to itdeal with a problem only when it arises
don't put all your eggs in one basketdon't risk everything on one option
every cloud has a silver liningevery bad situation has something good in it
a fish out of watersomeone out of place and uncomfortable
a taste of your own medicinethe same bad treatment you gave others
go down in flamesto fail spectacularly
hit rock bottomto reach the lowest possible point
in the heat of the momentwhile overwhelmed by emotion
it takes two to tangoboth people share the blame
jump the gunto act too soon
keep an eye onto watch carefully
keep your fingers crossedto hope for good luck
last but not leastimportant even though mentioned last
like two peas in a podvery similar and close
lose your touchto no longer be as skilled as before
make ends meetto manage with limited money
miss the pointto fail to grasp the main idea
not my cup of teanot something I enjoy
off the top of my headfrom memory, without checking
on the same pagein agreement and sharing understanding
out of the frying pan into the firefrom a bad situation to a worse one
paint the town redto go out and celebrate wildly
pay through the noseto pay far too much
put the cart before the horseto do things in the wrong order
read between the linesto understand the hidden meaning
ring a bellto sound vaguely familiar
a rule of thumba rough, practical guideline
sell like hotcakesto sell very quickly
the grass is always greenerothers' situations always seem better
take the bull by the hornsto confront a problem head-on
the whole shebangthe entire thing, everything
there's no such thing as a free luncheverything has a hidden cost
throw someone under the busto betray someone to save yourself
tie the knotto get married
turn a blind eyeto deliberately ignore something wrong
under your beltgained as useful experience
up the anteto raise the stakes
walk on eggshellsto act very carefully to avoid upsetting someone
wear your heart on your sleeveto show your emotions openly
you can say that againI completely agree
a chip off the old blockvery like one's parent
across the boardapplying to everyone or everything
bury the hatchetto make peace and end a quarrel
cry wolfto raise a false alarm
the whole kit and caboodleeverything, the entire lot
zip your lipto keep quiet
the early bird catches the wormthose who act early gain the advantage
throw a wrench in the worksto disrupt a plan

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English idioms?