Showing 21-40 of 44
Leave no stone unturned
The idiom leave no stone unturned means to search everywhere and try every option. If you tell someone this, it means you want them to check thoroughly.They left no stone unturned in the search.
Lightning never strikes twice
The idiom lightning never strikes twice means that if something very unlucky (or very lucky) happened to someone once before, it is very unlikely to happen again. This refers to the odds of being struck by lightning being already very low, and being struck twice is even lower again.Why are you buying a lotto ticket? You won last year, you know lightning never strikes twice.
Low hanging fruit
Low hanging fruit means a task that is easy to finish with little effort. It describes something that can be done quickly before moving on to harder work.The phrase comes from fruit growing on a tree. The fruit that hangs low is the easiest to reach and pick without climbing.
They started by fixing the small problems first because those were the low hanging fruit.
Make waves
To make waves means to cause trouble or disagreement, often by speaking up and challenging how things are normally done.The phrase comes from the image of calm water being disturbed so that waves form on the surface. It began to be used in the early 1900s to describe actions that create noticeable disruption.
She did not want to make waves on her first day at the new job, so she kept her concerns to herself.
Nip it in the bud
To nip something in the bud means to stop it early before it gets bigger and becomes more of a problem. This is often used to reference stopping an emerging bad habit.This idiom comes from gardening, where you can nip off the buds on plants to direct which way they will grow.
Your puppy is chewing the furniture, you'd better nip that in the bud.
On cloud nine
The phrase on cloud nine means feeling extremely happy and joyful.The phrase comes from an old system of naming clouds. Cloud nine was imagined as very high, which became linked with a feeling of great happiness.
She was on cloud nine after hearing the news.
Out on a limb
To go out on a limb means to take a risk by saying or doing something that others might not agree with.The phrase comes from the image of climbing far out on a tree branch. The farther you go from the trunk, the less support you have, and the greater the chance the branch could break.
I might be out on a limb here, but I think their small startup could become very successful.
Over the moon
To be over the moon means to be extremely happy about something.The expression comes from the nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle, where the cow jumps over the moon. Over time the phrase came to describe a feeling of happiness so strong it seems to lift someone far above the ground.
She was over the moon when she heard she had been accepted into the program.
Play with fire
To play with fire means to do something that is risky. It often describes behavior that seems exciting or tempting but could easily lead to something bad happening.The phrase comes from the obvious danger of handling real fire without care. Since fire can quickly spread and cause harm, the image became a way to describe risky actions.
Ignoring the safety rules at the construction site is like playing with fire.
Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
The phrase pot of gold at the end of the rainbow comes from Irish folklore, where leprechauns hid their treasure where a rainbow touches the ground. It is used to mean a desire that is elusive and is always out of reach.Rainbows do not have a real end, if you try and get the end of a rainbow it keeps moving away from you.
A work from home job where I can sit on a beach all day, that's the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow!
Pure as driven snow
As pure as driven snow means completely innocent or morally clean. It is often used when someone claims they have done nothing wrong.This idiom refers to fresh snow that has just fallen, before it has been touched or dirtied. Because untouched snow looks perfectly clean and white, it became a symbol of purity.
He insisted he was as pure as driven snow despite the accusations.
Rain on your parade
To rain on your parade means to spoil someone's plans or happiness by saying or doing something negative. It is used when someone interrupts a good moment with bad news or criticism.The phrase comes from the image of a parade being ruined by bad weather. If rain falls during a parade, it makes the event less enjoyable for everyone.
I don't want to rain on your parade, but the concert you wanted to see has already sold out.
Raining cats and dogs
Raining cats and dogs means that the rain is falling very heavily.The phrase appeared in English several centuries ago. Its exact origin is uncertain, though many theories link it to older expressions used to describe violent storms.
We stayed inside all afternoon because it was raining cats and dogs.
Right as rain
To be right as rain means feeling healthy, well, or completely fine again after being sick or having a problem. It is often used when someone quickly returns to normal.The expression comes from the idea that rain is natural and dependable. In British English especially, it came to mean that something is exactly as it should be.
After a good night's sleep, she felt right as rain.
Salt of the earth
Salt of the earth describes someone who is very good, honest, and kind. It is usually used for ordinary people who work hard, help others, and do the right thing without showing off.The phrase comes from an old expression that compared good people to salt, which was once very valuable and important for preserving food. Just as salt was essential in everyday life, these people were seen as important and dependable members of a community.
The old mechanic who fixes cars for free is the salt of the earth.
Save for a rainy day
Saving for a rainy day means to keep money or resources for a time when you might need them. People use this idea to talk about being careful and preparing for future problems or emergencies.This phrase comes from the idea of bad weather stopping normal plans. When rain keeps people indoors or makes work harder, it helps to have something saved to rely on.
She always saves a little from each paycheck for a rainy day.
Steal your thunder
Someone steals your thunder if they take attention or praise away from you, usually by doing what you were about to do first. It could mean taking someone's idea as your own, by doing something big at another event like proposing at someone else's wedding, or by announcing big news just before someone else announces theirs.I was going to announce my pregnancy at Thanksgiving, but my sister announced hers first and stole my thunder!
The tip of the iceberg
The idiom the tip of the iceberg means a small, visible part of a much larger problem or situation that is mostly hidden. What people can see or know at first is only a tiny part of the whole.The expression comes from real icebergs at sea. Only a small part of an iceberg is visible above the water, while most of it is hidden below the surface.
The missing money was only the tip of the iceberg once the full investigation began.
Throw caution to the wind
To throw caution to the wind means to stop worrying about danger or consequences and act boldly or recklessly. It describes a moment when someone decides not to be careful anymore.The expression comes from the image of literally throwing one's caution away so that the wind carries it off. The phrase has been used in English since at least the 1800s.
On the last day of the trip, they threw caution to the wind and tried the steep hiking trail.
To get cold feet
The idiom cold feet means sudden fear or doubt before doing something important. It is a way of describing last minute hesitation.This idiom has been in use since the 1600s and its exact origin is unclear.
He got cold feet before the wedding.