List of common English idioms

In our progressive times, it is even a shame not to know English or at least not to try to learn it. Someone with varying success attends language courses, someone always postpones, and someone even hopes that the development of technology will make knowledge of languages useless.

We're in the newsroom. "Site" We are sure that learning a foreign language is not only necessary for different spheres of life, but also useful for the mental development of the person himself. Therefore, finding a little time and effort every day to learn the same English is a good investment in yourself.

And today we offer idioms in English with translation. They will help to understand the logic of English-speaking people. In addition, you can make your speech more vivid and expressive.





You can confidently understand grammar, but if you are lazy to learn the most common stable expressions of English-speaking people, then there will be little sense in knowing grammatical rules. That’s because the British and Americans just love to saturate their speech with idioms that can corner a Russian-speaking person.

Therefore translation of idioms from English into Russian It will help to better understand the notorious English logic, as well as to understand what the characters of your favorite films and TV shows really mean when they use these incomprehensible constructions. For convenience, we will divide everything by topic.

Weather

1. Lightning-fast is lightning fast.
2. Face like thunder is darker than clouds.
3. Storm in a teacup – a storm in a glass of water, a lot of noise out of nothing.
4. Chase Rainbows: Run for the Unattainable.
5. As right as rain, it's okay.
6. Bolt from the blue is like thunder from a clear sky.
7. Rain cats and dogs are like a bucket.
8. For a rainy day - for a rainy day.
9. Under a cloud is a suspect.
10. Weather the storm – to survive a difficult time.

Money

1. Cost a fortune is worth a lot.
2. A piece of the pie is a piece of something.
3. Be in the red, be in debt.
4. Make a bundle – make a lot of money.
5. Break the bank – spend a lot of money.
6. On the breadline, below the poverty line.
7. Nest egg is a stash.
8. Look like a million dollars, it looks great.
9. At all costs - at any cost.
10. Be Flush with Money – Live in Luxury

Time

1. Take your time - take your time.
2. All in good time, all in good time.
3. To serve time is to serve a prison term.
4. Beat the Clock – Finish the business by the deadline.
5. Against the clock: Getting things done on time.
6. Let the grass grow under one’s feet – wasting time.
7. Museum piece is an old-fashioned thing.
8. Give someone a hard time makes life difficult.
9. For Donkey’s Years – from time immemorial
10. The big time is a big success.

Animals

1. Monkey business - tricks, useless work.
2. Top dog is a winner in life.
3. Eat like a horse – have a wolf’s appetite.
4. Be as busy as a bee - work like a bee.
5. Be a black sheep is a white sheep.
6. When pigs fly - when the cancer whistles
7. As poor as a church mouse - penniless.
8. “Have a tiger by the tail” – challenge your fate.
9. Eager beaver is a hard worker.
10. Cold fish is an insensitive person.

Food

1. As cool as a cucumber is a cold-blooded man.
2. Go bananas - to go crazy with joy.
3. Big cheese is an important person.
4. Egghead is an intellectual, a smart guy.
5. Hot potato is a hot topic.
6. “Have Egg on One’s Face” means to look stupid.
7. Bad apple is a bad person.
8. Tough cookie - daredevil, bully.
9. Eat one’s words – take your words back.
10. Couch potato is lazy.

Clothing

1. To be tied to one's wife's apron-string - to be heeled.
2. Quake in one's boots - shake with fear.
3. Laugh up one's sleeve is a secret laugh.
4. Keep one’s shirt on – stay calm.
5. Walk a Mile in One’s Shoes – Be in the Place of another
6. Hit below the belt is not fair.
7. Comfortable as an old shoe is very comfortable.
8. Dressed to the teeth – dress elegantly.
9. Birthday suit is to be completely naked.
10. Deep pockets is a rich man.

Colors

1. A purple patch is a good streak.
2. White night is a night without sleep.
3. Lily-white reputation is a crystal clear reputation.
4. White lie is a rescue lie.
5. To see red is to be angry.
6. To catch red-handed - catch hot.
7. Red tape is bureaucratic red tape.
8. Green winter is a winter without snow.
9. Black eye is a bruise under the eye.
10. To cry the blues, to be humble.

Body parts

1. Old hand is a master at something.
2. Button one's lip - keep quiet.
3. To be not just a pretty face is to be both beautiful and intelligent.
4. Breathe down someone's neck - standing above the soul.
5. Be all eyes: Be an attentive observer or listener.
6. With the naked eye - with the naked eye.
7. Count noses – count the people present.
8. Blood runs cold - the blood gets cold in the veins.
9. All skin and bone are extremely thin.
10. Don’t lift a finger, you won’t hit a finger.

Action

1. To come again - repeat, do again.
2. To keep the pot boiling – to work hard.
3. Sell someone out - give someone away with guts.
4. To be fied for a life is to be well settled.
5. Steal the show - to get everyone's attention.
6. To go the etra mile – to work better than expected.
7. Blow Smoke is about brainwashing.
8. Tie the knot is getting married.
9. To eat someone for breakfast is easy to beat.
10. To test the waters, to test the soil.

Emotions

1. Couldn’t care less – feel indifferent.
2. To be in one's element is to be on your plate.
3. On cloud nine, you can feel very happy.
4. Jump for Joy: Jump for Joy.
5. Thrilled to bits is to be content.
6. On pins and needles – it’s scary to be on needles.
7. To be in two minds is to be indecisive.
8. Look on the bright side, be optimistic.
9. Go spare, get angry.
10. Swallow your pride – stop being offended.

Some enduring expressions in English can be understood, others just have to be memorized. In any case, this work will not go in vain and will only make your understanding of the language better. Is there a better motivation to learn than to make progress?