101-200 idioms Flashcards
next 100 idioms (100 cards)
A stitch in time saves nine
-> It is better to solve a problem straight away and not let it become bigger
-> Fixing a small problem early prevents it from becoming a bigger, messier one later.
-> handling problems early before they get out of hand.
A stone’s throw away
A very short distance
A storm in a teacup
-> Big fuss over a small matter
-> A lot of anger/excitement about trivial things
A stuffed shirt
A pompous or self-important person
A “stuffed shirt” originally referred to a mannequin or dummy used for display — stiff, formal, and lifeless.
It was then applied to people who were all formality, no fun — the type who wears a suit to a pool party and corrects your grammar while you’re drowning.
A stumbling block
An obstacle to progress
A thorn in the flesh
-> A source of continual annoyance or trouble
-> Annoying and irritating
A turning point
-> Anything that brings about changes
-> The time at which an important change starts
A vexed question
Controversial
A vicious cycle
When one problem causes another problem
It evolved into describing real-life negative loops — one bad thing leads to another, and escaping the loop is tricky.
A walk of life
A person’s occupation or position within society
People from all walks of life means folks from all kinds of jobs, cultures, and lifestyles.
A wet blanket
-> A person who discourages enjoyment or enthusiasm
-> Someone who prevents other people from having fun
A wildcat strike
A strike by workers without official union support
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
-> Hypocrite
-> A dangerous person pretending to be harmless
ABC of something
Essential fact
The basics or fundamentals of a subject
Above board
-> honest and frank
-> without any secret
doing things fair and square.
To prove you weren’t cheating, you had to keep your hands and cards above the board — no hiding tricks underneath.
Above/over one’s head
Beyond one’s capability to understand something
Achilles’ heel
A weakness or vulnerable point
Acid test
-> Definitive proof of truth or falsehood
-> A fact , event or situation that proves something
-> A final, crucial test that proves whether something is good, true, or valuable
Comes from the 17th-18th centuries, when acid was used to test the purity of gold and silver. This chemical test was quick and reliable, so “acid test” became a metaphor for any decisive test of authenticity or quality.
Actions speak louder than words
-> What you do is more important than what you say
-> What you do reveals the real you
-> Intentions can be judged by people’s actions
Adam’s ale
Water
The phrase dates back to at least the 16th century, referring humorously to water as the first and purest drink—since Adam (the biblical first man) would’ve had nothing else to drink.
Add fuel to the fire/flames
-> Make things worse
-> Worsened the difficult situation
Add insult to injury
-> To further a loss with mockery to worsen an unfavourable situation
-> Make a bad situation even worse
After a fashion
-> To only a certain extent
-> It was done, but not very well.
-> to a certain extent but not perfectly.
After one’s own heart
-> sharing or having one’s tastes or views
-> Having likes and dislikes similar to one’s own
-> A way to say someone matches your ideals, interests, or quirks
