Idioms
Expressions whose meaning isn’t the sum of their words. Each one comes with when to use it, real examples, and whether it suits IELTS Speaking.
180 idioms
- a bitter pill to swallowan unpleasant fact or situation that is hard to acceptC1IELTS-friendly
- a blessing in disguisesomething that seems bad at first but later brings a good resultB2IELTS-friendly
- a breath of fresh airsomeone or something new and different that makes a situation more pleasantB2IELTS-friendly
- a clean bill of healtha doctor's statement, after an examination, that someone is healthyC1IELTS-friendly
- a double-edged swordsomething that has both good and bad effectsB2
- a grey areaa situation where the rules are unclear, so nobody is sure what is allowedC1IELTS-friendly
- a long shotan attempt or guess that has very little chance of successC1informalIELTS-friendly
- a lump in your throata tight feeling in your throat because you are so moved that you might cryC1IELTS-friendly
- a moot pointUK: a question still open to argument. US: a question that no longer matters in practice.C2formal
- a nest eggan amount of money saved over time for the future, such as retirementC1IELTS-friendly
- a night owla person who likes to stay up late and feels most active at nightB2informalIELTS-friendly
- a nine-to-five joba regular office job with fixed hours, usually from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.B1IELTS-friendly
- a pain in the necka person or thing that is very annoying or causes a lot of troubleB2informalIELTS-friendly
- a piece of cakesomething that is very easy to doB1informal
- a Pyrrhic victorya win that costs so much that it is hardly worth winningC2formal
- a rip-offsomething that costs far more than it is really worthB2informalIELTS-friendly
- a steep learning curvea situation where you must learn a lot of new things very quicklyC1IELTS-friendly
- a storm in a teacupa lot of anger or worry about something that is not importantC2IELTS-friendly
- a tough nut to cracka problem that is very difficult to solve or deal withC1informalIELTS-friendly
- a U-turna complete change of plan or policy, especially by a governmentB2IELTS-friendly
- a win-win situationa situation in which everyone involved gets an advantageB2IELTS-friendly
- against all oddsalthough success seemed very unlikelyB2IELTS-friendly
- against the lawnot allowed by the law; illegalB1IELTS-friendly
- around the clockall day and all night, without stoppingB2IELTS-friendly
- at the last minuteat the latest possible time, just before something happens or must be doneB1IELTS-friendly
- back on your feethealthy and active again after an illness or injuryB2IELTS-friendly
- back to square oneback at the start, because an earlier attempt has failedB2IELTS-friendly
- bear fruitto finally produce good results after a lot of effort or timeC1IELTS-friendly
- beat around the bushto avoid saying something directly, usually because it is uncomfortableB2IELTS-friendly
- behind barsin prisonB2IELTS-friendly
- behind the timesold-fashioned; not using the newest ideas, methods or technologyC1IELTS-friendly
- better luck next timesaid to someone who has failed, hoping they will succeed when they try againB1informalIELTS-friendly
- bite off more than you can chewto try to do more than you are able to manageC1informalIELTS-friendly
- bite the bulletto make yourself do something unpleasant that you have been avoidingC1informalIELTS-friendly
- blood is thicker than waterfamily relationships are stronger and more important than any other relationshipsC1IELTS-friendly
- break the bankto cost more money than you can affordB2informalIELTS-friendly
- break the iceto say or do something that helps people relax when they first meetB2IELTS-friendly
- butterflies in your stomacha nervous, fluttering feeling before something importantB2IELTS-friendly
- buy timeto delay something so that you have more time to prepare or decideC1IELTS-friendly
- call it a dayto decide to stop working, usually because you have done enough for nowB1IELTS-friendly
- can't see the wood for the treesto be so focused on small details that you miss the bigger pictureC1IELTS-friendly
- come rain or shinewhatever the weather or situation; always, without exceptionB2IELTS-friendly
- cost an arm and a legto be very expensiveB2informalIELTS-friendly
- cut cornersto do something quickly or cheaply by skipping steps, often lowering quality or safetyB2IELTS-friendly
- down the drainwasted or lost completely, especially money or effortB2informalIELTS-friendly
- down to earthsimple, friendly and easy to talk to; not acting as if you are more important than othersB2IELTS-friendly
- drop the ballto make a mistake by forgetting or failing to do something you were responsible forC1informalIELTS-friendly
- easier said than doneit sounds easy, but it is hard to actually doB1IELTS-friendly
- fall flatto completely fail to have the effect you wanted, especially a joke, plan or speechC1IELTS-friendly
- food for thoughtan idea or piece of information that makes you think seriously about somethingC1IELTS-friendly
- for the time beingfor now, until something changesB2IELTS-friendly
- get itchy feetto start wanting to travel or move somewhere new after staying in one placeC1informalIELTS-friendly
- get on someone's nervesto annoy someone, especially by doing something again and againB2informalIELTS-friendly
- get something off your chestto tell someone about a worry or problem that has been bothering youB2informalIELTS-friendly
- get the hang ofto learn how to do something, especially after some practiceB2informalIELTS-friendly
- get the sackto be told by your employer that you no longer have a job, often for doing something wrongB2informalIELTS-friendly
- get the wrong end of the stickto understand something in the wrong wayC1informalIELTS-friendly
- get to the pointto start talking about the most important part of a subjectB1IELTS-friendly
- get your foot in the doorto get a first, small chance in a company or field that could lead to better thingsC1IELTS-friendly
- get your head aroundto manage to understand something that is complicated or surprisingC1informalIELTS-friendly
- get your point acrossto make other people understand what you are trying to sayB2IELTS-friendly
- give it a shotto try doing something, even if you are not sure you will succeedB1informalIELTS-friendly
- give someone a handto help someone, especially with a practical taskB1informalIELTS-friendly
- give someone the benefit of the doubtto believe someone is honest or right, although you cannot be completely sureC1IELTS-friendly
- give someone the cold shoulderto deliberately ignore someone or treat them in an unfriendly wayC1IELTS-friendly
- go the extra mileto make more effort than people expect or than your job requiresB2IELTS-friendly
- go under the knifeto have a medical operationC1informalIELTS-friendly
- go with the flowto relax and accept what happens instead of trying to control everythingB2informalIELTS-friendly
- grab a biteto eat something quickly, usually a small or simple mealB1informalIELTS-friendly
- have a heart of goldto be very kind and generous to other peopleB2IELTS-friendly
- have a lot on your plateto have many tasks or problems to deal with at the same timeB2informalIELTS-friendly
- have a sweet toothto love eating sweet food such as cakes, sweets and dessertsB2informalIELTS-friendly
- have second thoughtsto start to doubt a decision you have made and consider changing itB2IELTS-friendly
- hit it offto like each other and become friendly as soon as you meetB2informalIELTS-friendly
- hit the booksto start studying hard, especially before an examB2informalIELTS-friendly
- hit the ground runningto start a new job or project with energy and work well from the very beginningC1IELTS-friendly
- hit the nail on the headto describe a situation or problem exactly rightB2IELTS-friendly
- hit the roadto leave a place and start a journeyB2informalIELTS-friendly
- in a nutshellin a very short and simple way, using few wordsB2IELTS-friendly
- in a picklein a difficult or awkward situation that is hard to get out ofC1informalIELTS-friendly
- in no timevery quickly or very soonB2IELTS-friendly
- in the long runover a long period in the future, not just nowB2IELTS-friendly
- in the middle of nowherein a place far away from towns, shops and other peopleB1informalIELTS-friendly
- in the nick of timejust in time, at the last moment before it would be too lateC1IELTS-friendly
- in the redlosing money or owing money, because you spend more than you earnC1IELTS-friendly
- in the same boatin the same difficult situation as other peopleB2IELTS-friendly
- it's not rocket scienceused to say that something is not difficult to understand or doB2informalIELTS-friendly
- it's up to youyou can decide; the choice is yoursB1IELTS-friendly
- keep an eye onto watch someone or something carefully so that nothing bad happensB1IELTS-friendly
- keep in touchto keep talking or writing to someone, especially when you no longer see them oftenB1IELTS-friendly
- keep someone postedto keep giving someone the latest news about a situationB2informalIELTS-friendly
- keep your fingers crossedto hope that something will happen the way you wantB1IELTS-friendly
- kill timeto do something unimportant while you are waiting for somethingB1informalIELTS-friendly
- know something inside outto know every detail of a subject, place or system very wellB2IELTS-friendly
- learn something by heartto learn something so well that you can say it from memoryB1IELTS-friendly
- learn the hard wayto learn something from an unpleasant experience or your own mistakesB2IELTS-friendly
- learn the ropesto learn the basic skills and rules of a new job or activityB2IELTS-friendly
- let off steamto do something that helps you release strong feelings or extra energyB2informalIELTS-friendly
- let sleeping dogs lieto avoid raising an old problem because discussing it would only cause new troubleC2IELTS-friendly
- like a fish out of wateruncomfortable because you are in a place or situation that is new or strange to youB2IELTS-friendly
- live beyond your meansto spend more money than you earn or can affordC1IELTS-friendly
- live out of a suitcaseto travel so much that you never fully unpack or settle in one placeC1informalIELTS-friendly
- lose track of timeto forget what time it is because you are busy or enjoying yourselfB1IELTS-friendly
- make a killingto make a lot of money quickly and easilyC1informalIELTS-friendly
- make ends meetto have just enough money to pay for the things you needB2IELTS-friendly
- make someone's dayto make someone very happy, often with something smallB1IELTS-friendly
- make up for lost timeto do something a lot or very quickly because you could not do it earlierB2IELTS-friendly
- make up your mindto decide something after thinking about itB1IELTS-friendly
- make yourself at homesaid to a guest: relax and behave as if you were in your own homeB1IELTS-friendly
- miss the boatto lose a chance because you did not act quickly enoughC1informalIELTS-friendly
- money doesn't grow on treesmoney is limited and hard to earn, so you should not waste itB1informalIELTS-friendly
- move the goalpoststo unfairly change the rules or targets while someone is trying to meet themC2IELTS-friendly
- nip something in the budto stop a problem early, before it can grow into something worseC1IELTS-friendly
- not mince your wordsto say exactly what you think, even if it sounds rude or upsets peopleC1IELTS-friendly
- not someone's cup of teanot the kind of thing that someone likes or is interested inB2informal
- off the beaten trackfar from the places that most tourists visitC1IELTS-friendly
- on the right trackdoing something in a way that is likely to succeedB1IELTS-friendly
- on the same pagehaving the same understanding of a plan or situation as the people you work withB2IELTS-friendly
- on the tip of your tonguealmost remembered: you know a word or name but cannot say it right nowB2IELTS-friendly
- once in a blue moonvery rarely; almost neverB2informal
- out of shapenot physically fit, usually because you have not exercised for a long timeB1IELTS-friendly
- out of the bluesuddenly and unexpectedly, without any warningB2IELTS-friendly
- out of the woodsno longer in danger, especially after a serious illness or a difficult periodC1IELTS-friendly
- over the moonextremely happy and pleased about somethingB2informal
- par for the coursenormal and expected, especially when the situation is bad or annoyingC2IELTS-friendly
- pass with flying coloursto pass a test or exam very easily and with a high scoreB2IELTS-friendly
- pay lip service to somethingto say you support something without doing anything to help itC2IELTS-friendly
- pick up the tabto pay the bill for something, especially for other peopleB2informalIELTS-friendly
- practice makes perfectif you do something regularly, you will become very good at itB1
- pull an all-nighterto stay awake all night to study or workB2informalIELTS-friendly
- pull your weightto do your fair share of the work in a groupC1IELTS-friendly
- put yourself in someone's shoesto imagine how you would feel or act in another person's situationB2IELTS-friendly
- rack your brainsto think very hard to remember something or solve a problemC1informalIELTS-friendly
- read between the linesto understand what someone really means, even though they do not say it directlyB2IELTS-friendly
- recharge your batteriesto rest and relax so that you have energy againB2informalIELTS-friendly
- red tapeofficial rules and paperwork that seem unnecessary and cause delaysB2IELTS-friendly
- rest on your laurelsto stop trying because you are satisfied with what you have already achievedC2IELTS-friendly
- save for a rainy dayto keep some money for a future time when you might need itB2IELTS-friendly
- second naturesomething you have done so often that you now do it easily, without thinkingC1IELTS-friendly
- see eye to eyeto agree with someone about somethingB2IELTS-friendly
- see redto suddenly become very angryC1informalIELTS-friendly
- sick and tired ofvery annoyed and bored with something that has continued for too longB1informalIELTS-friendly
- sit on the fenceto avoid choosing between two sides or options, especially in an argumentC1IELTS-friendly
- sleep like a logto sleep very deeply, without waking upB1informalIELTS-friendly
- sleep on itto wait until the next day before making an important decisionB2informalIELTS-friendly
- sour grapescriticising something only because you could not have it yourselfC1informalIELTS-friendly
- speak volumesto show something very clearly without using wordsC1IELTS-friendly
- take it easyto relax and avoid working too hard or doing too muchB1informalIELTS-friendly
- take its tollto have a bad effect on someone's health or wellbeing over a period of timeC1IELTS-friendly
- take something with a pinch of saltto not completely believe something, because it may be untrue or exaggeratedC1IELTS-friendly
- take the law into your own handsto punish someone yourself instead of letting the police or courts deal with itC1IELTS-friendly
- take your timeto do something slowly and carefully, without hurryingB1IELTS-friendly
- the apple of someone's eyethe person someone loves most and is proudest of, often a child or grandchildC2IELTS-friendly
- the ball is in your courtit is now your turn to act or make a decisionC1informalIELTS-friendly
- the best of both worldsa situation where you enjoy the advantages of two different things at onceB2IELTS-friendly
- the bottom linethe most important fact or point in a situationC1IELTS-friendly
- the elephant in the rooman obvious problem that everyone knows about but nobody wants to discussC1IELTS-friendly
- the grass is always greenerother people's situations always seem better than yours, though they may not beB2IELTS-friendly
- the icing on the cakesomething extra that makes a good situation even betterB2IELTS-friendly
- the last strawthe final problem in a series that makes you lose patience or take actionB2IELTS-friendly
- the penny droppedsomeone finally understood something after a period of confusionC2informalIELTS-friendly
- the picture of healthlooking very healthy and full of energyC2IELTS-friendly
- the tip of the iceberga small, visible part of a much bigger problemC1IELTS-friendly
- the writing on the wallclear signs that something bad, such as failure or job losses, is going to happenC2IELTS-friendly
- think twiceto think very carefully before you decide to do somethingB1IELTS-friendly
- throw caution to the windto stop being careful and do something riskyC1IELTS-friendly
- throw good money after badto keep spending money on something that has already failed and is unlikely to improveC2IELTS-friendly
- tighten your beltto spend less money because you have less than beforeC1IELTS-friendly
- time fliestime seems to pass very quicklyB1IELTS-friendly
- time is moneytime is valuable, so you should not waste itB1
- toe the lineto obey the rules or follow the official opinion, even if you disagreeC1IELTS-friendly
- turn over a new leafto change your behaviour and start living or working in a better wayC1IELTS-friendly
- under the weatherfeeling a little ill or tired, but not seriously sickB2informalIELTS-friendly
- up in the airnot decided or certain yetB2IELTS-friendly
- walk on eggshellsto be very careful what you say or do because someone gets upset easilyC1IELTS-friendly
- wear your heart on your sleeveto show your feelings openly instead of hiding themC2IELTS-friendly
- when in Romewhen you are in a foreign place, you should follow the local customsC1IELTS-friendly
- word for wordusing exactly the same words as the originalB1IELTS-friendly
- word of mouthnews or recommendations passed from person to person by talking, not by advertisingB2IELTS-friendly
- worth every pennyworth the money you paid, even though it was expensiveB1IELTS-friendly