letSpeak Up!: Beginner-Level Idioms

Beginner-Level Idioms

1. Break a leg – Good luck

You have a big test tomorrow? Break a leg!
Before the play started, the director told the actors, "Break a leg!"
I hope you do well in your performance tonight. Break a leg!

2. Hit the books – To study hard

I have an exam tomorrow, so I need to hit the books.
She always hits the books before a big test.
If you want to pass, you should start hitting the books now.

3. Piece of cake – Something very easy

The test was a piece of cake!
Learning how to ride a bike is a piece of cake once you get used to it.
That puzzle was a piece of cake for him.

4. Under the weather – Feeling sick

I can’t go to work today. I’m under the weather.
She looked under the weather this morning.
If you're feeling under the weather, you should rest.

5. Bite the bullet – To do something difficult

I don’t like going to the dentist, but I have to bite the bullet.
He decided to bite the bullet and apologize.
Sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet and get it done.

6. Let the cat out of the bag – Reveal a secret

He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Oops! I didn’t mean to let the cat out of the bag.
She accidentally let the cat out of the bag about their vacation plans.

7. Spill the beans – Reveal a secret

Come on, spill the beans! Tell me what happened.
He refused to spill the beans about his new project.
If you spill the beans, it won’t be a surprise anymore!

8. Call it a day – Stop working on something

We’ve done enough work today. Let’s call it a day.
After finishing the project, they decided to call it a day.
It’s getting late. Time to call it a day.

9. Hit the hay – Go to bed

I’m so tired. I need to hit the hay.
He always hits the hay early on weekdays.
After a long day, she finally hit the hay.

10. The ball is in your court – It’s your turn to decide

I gave you my advice. Now, the ball is in your court.
He apologized. Now, the ball is in her court to forgive him.
The company made an offer. The ball is in his court now.

11. Cost an arm and a leg – Very expensive

That designer bag cost an arm and a leg!
Going on vacation can cost an arm and a leg if you don’t plan well.
I’d love to buy that car, but it costs an arm and a leg.

12. Barking up the wrong tree – Looking in the wrong place

If you think I stole your book, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
She was barking up the wrong tree by accusing him.
The detective realized he was barking up the wrong tree.

13. Once in a blue moon – Very rarely

I only eat fast food once in a blue moon.
He visits his hometown once in a blue moon.
Seeing a comet is something that happens once in a blue moon.

14. Feeling blue – Feeling sad

She has been feeling blue since her pet passed away.
I don’t know why, but I’m feeling blue today.
He was feeling blue after failing the exam.

15. Go the extra mile – Do more than expected

She always goes the extra mile for her customers.
If you want a promotion, you need to go the extra mile.
He went the extra mile to make his project the best.

16. Give someone a hand – Help someone

Can you give me a hand with these boxes?
She always gives a hand to her younger siblings.
I’ll give you a hand if you need help with your homework.

17. Pull yourself together – Calm down

You need to pull yourself together and focus.
He was very upset, but he managed to pull himself together.
After hearing the bad news, she had to pull herself together.

18. A blessing in disguise – Something bad that turns out good

Losing my job was a blessing in disguise because I found a better one.
Their fight was a blessing in disguise because it made them closer.
Failing the test was a blessing in disguise—it made him study harder.

19. When pigs fly – Something that will never happen

He’ll clean his room when pigs fly.
She said she’ll stop shopping, but that’ll happen when pigs fly.
They’ll get back together when pigs fly.

20. Jump the gun – Do something too soon

Don’t jump the gun and assume the worst.
She jumped the gun and bought the dress before checking the price.
They jumped the gun by announcing the project too early.

21. Keep an eye on – Watch something carefully

Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?
Parents always keep an eye on their children at the park.
I need to keep an eye on my cooking so it doesn’t burn.

22. A dime a dozen – Something very common

These cheap watches are a dime a dozen.
Fast-food restaurants are a dime a dozen in big cities.
Fake designer bags are a dime a dozen in street markets.

23. Let sleeping dogs lie – Don’t bring up old problems

It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie and not start a fight.
She wanted to bring up the argument, but I told her to let sleeping dogs lie.
Sometimes, it’s better to let sleeping dogs lie and move on.

24. Throw in the towel – Give up

He wanted to quit, but he refused to throw in the towel.
After many failed attempts, she finally threw in the towel.
They never throw in the towel, no matter how hard things get.

25. Hit the nail on the head – Describe something exactly

You hit the nail on the head—that’s exactly the problem!
His answer hit the nail on the head.
She hit the nail on the head when she explained the issue

26. Scratch someone’s back – To do a favor for someone in hopes of getting one in return

I helped him move, and I hope he’ll scratch my back when I need help.
You should scratch his back now because you might need his help later.
She scratched my back when I needed a favor, so I’ll return the favor.

27. Go cold turkey – To quit something suddenly

He decided to go cold turkey on smoking.
I was addicted to coffee, but I had to go cold turkey.
She went cold turkey on social media to focus on her studies.

28. Burn the midnight oil – To work late into the night

I had to burn the midnight oil to finish my project.
She always burns the midnight oil before exams.
They burned the midnight oil to meet the deadline.

29. A penny for your thoughts – Asking someone what they are thinking

You seem quiet. A penny for your thoughts?
She was lost in thought, so I asked, "A penny for your thoughts?
I’d love to know what you’re thinking—a penny for your thoughts?

30. Be in hot water – To be in trouble

He’s in hot water for forgetting his anniversary.
I got in hot water with my boss for being late.
She’s in hot water because she lost an important document.

31. Pull someone’s leg – To joke with someone

I was just pulling your leg, don’t take it seriously!
He likes to pull my leg by telling funny stories.
Are you serious, or are you just pulling my leg?

32. Have butterflies in your stomach – To feel nervous

Before my speech, I had butterflies in my stomach.
She always gets butterflies in her stomach before a big event.
I had butterflies in my stomach on my first date.

33. Throw someone under the bus – To betray someone for personal gain

He threw me under the bus to save himself.
I can’t believe she threw her best friend under the bus like that!
He made a mistake but threw his coworker under the bus instead.

34. The last straw – The final problem that makes a situation unbearable

His rude comment was the last straw—I quit!
After many mistakes, his lateness was the last straw.
She had enough, and his attitude was the last straw.

35. Cry over spilled milk – To be upset about something that cannot be changed

There’s no use crying over spilled milk—just fix the problem!
She kept crying over spilled milk about her past mistakes.
He made a bad investment, but there’s no point in crying over spilled milk.

36. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Don’t rely on just one option

You should invest in different stocks—don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
She applied to multiple universities because she knows not to put all her eggs in one basket.
If you only apply for one job, you’re putting all your eggs in one basket.

37. Read between the lines – Understand the hidden meaning

If you read between the lines, you’ll see she’s unhappy.
His letter seems normal, but if you read between the lines, something is wrong.
She didn’t say she was upset, but I read between the lines.

38. Bite off more than you can chew – Take on more than you can handle

I bit off more than I could chew by taking too many tasks.
She bit off more than she could chew when she agreed to organize the event alone.
If you can’t handle it, don’t bite off more than you can chew.

39. Hit the road – To leave or start a journey

It’s time to hit the road—we have a long trip ahead.
They hit the road early in the morning to avoid traffic.
We should hit the road soon if we want to arrive on time.

40. Get your act together – Start behaving properly

If you want to succeed, you need to get your act together.
He was failing his classes, so his parents told him to get his act together.
She finally got her act together and started studying seriously.

41. By the skin of your teeth – Just barely

I passed the test by the skin of my teeth.
She made it to the bus by the skin of her teeth.
He escaped by the skin of his teeth before the door closed.

42. Be all ears – To be fully listening

Tell me what happened, I’m all ears!
He was all ears when his boss gave instructions.
She said she had gossip, and we were all ears.

43. Get cold feet – To get nervous and back out

He got cold feet before his wedding.
She was ready to perform, but she got cold feet at the last moment.
I wanted to try bungee jumping, but I got cold feet.

44. It takes two to tango – Both people are responsible for a situation

Don’t blame only her; it takes two to tango.
If they argue, remember that it takes two to tango.
Relationships succeed or fail because it takes two to tango.

45. Keep your chin up – Stay positive

Things will get better. Keep your chin up!
He lost the game, but he kept his chin up.
No matter what happens, keep your chin up.

46. Know the ropes – To be experienced in something

He’s new, but he’ll learn to know the ropes.
After a few weeks, I finally knew the ropes at my new job.
She knows the ropes when it comes to event planning.

47. Put your foot down – To be firm about something

She put her foot down and refused to change her decision.
The teacher had to put her foot down to control the noisy class.
Sometimes, you need to put your foot down to be taken seriously.

48. Steal someone’s thunder – To take credit for someone else’s achievement

He stole my thunder by announcing the news first!
She worked hard, but her coworker stole her thunder.
Don’t steal her thunder—let her tell her own story.

49. Throw caution to the wind – Take a risk

She threw caution to the wind and invested all her savings.
He threw caution to the wind and went skydiving.
Sometimes, you have to throw caution to the wind and take chances.

50. Wrap your head around something – To understand something difficult

It’s hard to wrap my head around quantum physics.
She finally wrapped her head around the complex problem.
I can’t wrap my head around why he made that choice.