Category: Idioms

We use the idiom “getting blood out of a stone” when we’re talking about trying to do something that is impossible.

Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration used for emphasis, often to convey strong feelings or humour. Common examples include statements like “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse” or “My suitcase weighs a tonne.” While using “literally” to enhance hyperbole is widespread, it is not recommended in formal contexts.

We use the expression “follow suit” when we talk about somebody doing the same as – or copying – someone else. It comes from a card game called whist in which a player must...

When we say that someone is sailing close to the wind, we mean that they are doing something that could go wrong. Perhaps it is someone you work with who is doing something that...

“White elephant” is a common idiom or metaphor. You might hear someone describe something as a “bit of a white elephant” or say something like: “I have a white elephant on my hands”. If...

To cut one’s teeth When we say that someone has cut their teeth on something we are using a metaphor to mean that they experienced or practised something at an early stage before becoming...

As different as chalk and cheese is an English metaphor and idiom. We use it when two people – or two things – are so different from each other that they have nothing in...

“To be on cloud nine” is an English idiom meaning to be very happy. Here are some examples of how we use it: You might wonder why it’s cloud nine. Well, perhaps it comes...

When we say that someone is down in the mouth, we mean that they are sad, unhappy, miserable, depressed or dejected. Examples: We often use “down in the mouth” when we want to describe...