English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

The cat's meow

If something is the cat's meow, it's excellent.

The common weal

If something is done for the common weal, it is done in the interests and for the benefit of the majority or the general public.

The grass is always greener

This idiom means that what other people have or do looks preferable to our life. The complete phrase is 'The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence'.

The line forms on the right

Something's meaning is becoming clear when the line forms on the right.

The long and short

The long and short  of something is the substance, the most important part or  the gist.('The long and the short' is also  used.)

The more the merrier

The more the merrier means that the greater the quantity or the bigger the number of something, the happier the speaker will be.

The Mountie always gets his man

(Canada) The Mounties are the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and they have a reputation for catching criminals they are after.

The penny dropped

When the penny drops, someone belatedly understands something that everyone else has long since understood.

The plot thickens

When the plot thickens, a situation become more complicated and difficult.

The rough and tumble

The rough and tumble refers to areas of life like business, sports, politics, etc, where competition is hard and people will take any advantage that they can.

The sands of time

The sands of time is an idiom meaning that time runs out either through something reaching an end or through a person's death. It comes from the sand used in hourglasses, an ancient way of measuring time.

The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot

A skilled or knowledgeable person often fails to use their skills for the benefit of their family and people close to them.

The short straw

If you take the short straw, you lose a selection process, which means that you have to do something unpleasant.

The sun might rise in the west

When people say this, they mean that they don't expect something to happen.

The whole shooting match

Everything, the entire object, or all the related parts.

The world and his wife

If the world and his wife were somewhere, then huge numbers of people were present.

Their bark is worse than their bite

If someone's bark is worse than their bite, they get angry and shout and make threats, but don't actually do anything.

There are many ways to skin a cat

This is an expression meaning there are many different ways of doing the same thing.

There but for the grace of God go I

People say this when someone is suffering and they feel that they were lucky not to  have had a similar fate.

There goes the neighbourhood

This is an exclamation after a negative change affects someone's neighbourhood, such as someone undesireable moving in.

There's a dead cat on the line

This used as a way of telling people that something suspicious is happening.

There's never a road without a turning

No situation in life stays the same forever.

There's no "I" in "Team"

Individual achievement is not superior to the good/results of the team.

There's no accounting for taste

You cannot explain people's preferences and likes or dislikes.

There's no fool like an old fool

When an older person behaves foolishly, it seems worse than when a younger person does the same, especially in relationships, as an older person should  kknow better.

There's no such thing as a free lunch

This idiom means that you don't get things for free, so if something appears to be free, there's a catch and you'll have to pay in some way.

There's the rub

The meaning of this idiom is 'that's the problem'.

Thick and fast

If things are happening thick and fast, they are happening so fast they seemed to be joined together.

Thick as mince

(UK) If someone is as thick as mince, they are very stupid indeed.

Thick as thieves

If people are thick as thieves, they are very close friends who have no secrets from each other.

Thick-skinned

If a person is thick-skinned, they are not affected by criticism.

Thin as a rake

A rake is a garden tool with a long, thin, wooden handle, so someone very thin is thin as a rake.

Thin blue line

(UK) The thin blue line is a term for the police, suggesting that they stand between an ordered society and potential chaos. (Police uniforms are blue.)

Thin end of the wedge

The thin end of the wedge is something small and seemingly unimportant that will lead to something much bigger and more serious.

Thin line

If there's a thin line between things, it's hard to distinguish them- there's a thin line between love and hate.

Thin-skinned

If somebody is thin-skinned, they are very sensitive to any sort of criticism.

Think outside the box

If you think outside the box, you think in an imaginative and creative way.

Think the world of

To hold something or someone in very high esteem. To love or admire immensely.

Third degree

If someone is given the third degree, they are put under a great deal of pressure and intimidation to force them to tell the truth about something.

Third rail

The third rail of something is dangerous to alter or change. Originally, the third rail is the one carrying the electricity for a train.

Third time lucky

Third time lucky is used when someone has failed twice to do something- it is used for good luck to encourage them.

Third time's the charm

This is used when the third time one tries something, one achieves a successful outcome.

Thorn in your side

A thorn in your side is someone or something that causes trouble or makes life difficult for you.

Those who live by the sword die by the sword

This means that violent people will be treated violently themselves.

Thousand pound gorilla in the room

A thousand pound gorilla in the room is an idiom which can be used to say something is the biggest problem in the relationship between two or more persons or countries.

Three sheets in the wind

(UK) Someone who is three sheets in the wind is very drunk. ('Three sheets to the wind' is also used.  'Seven sheets' is an alternative number used.)

Three sheets to the wind

If someone is three sheets to the wind, they are drunk.

Thrilled to bits

If you are thrilled to bits, you are extremely pleased or excited about something.

Through gritted teeth

If you do something through gritted teeth, you accept or agree with it against your will and it is obvious to others how you really feel.

Through the ceiling

If prices go through the ceiling, they rise very quickly.

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