Idiomatic Expressions
Idiomatic expressions are a type of informal English that have a meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression. Here's an example: Hold your tongue.This idiom does not actually mean that you should stick your fingers in your mouth and grab a hold of your tongue. It means that you should not talk. People "hold their tongues" when they are in situations where they want to talk, but it would be better if they didn't. So, while their tongue is ready to do some talking, they "hold" it and don't say anything. Every language has idioms, and they can be difficult to learn if you are not a native speaker of that language. The best thing to do is to have conversations with native speakers and ask them about phrases that you don't understand. Since idioms are influenced by the culture, learning the idioms of a language can be very interesting and enlightening!
20 Common Idiomatic Expressions
& Their Meanings1. She was tickled pink by the good news. 2. You were hands down the best player on the team. 3. I've been feeling pretty down in the dumps lately. 4. I'm feeling sick as a dog! 5. I've been feeling under the weather. 6. Rise and shine! 7. Close, but no cigar. - You were very close, but you did not make it.
8. I could play outside till the cows come home. 9. Wow! It's raining cats and dogs out there! 10. That sound is driving me up the wall! 11. This assignment is a piece of cake. 12. Although he broke the rules, he was only given a slap on the wrist. 13. Yikes! This shirt costs an arm and a leg. - It is extremely expensive.
14. No, I was just pulling your leg. 15. It's Greek to me! 16. Keep your chin up. 17. Hold your horses. 18. We're all in the same boat. - All of us are in the same position.
19. He's a bit of a loose cannon. 20. I will clean my room when pigs fly. For even more idioms, see this site.
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