Mastering idioms: A comprehensive guide to figurative language

What are idioms?

Idioms are the spice of language - colorful expressions that convey meanings beyond their literal words. Rooted in culture, history, and shared experiences, they act as linguistic shortcuts to express complex ideas vividly. For instance, "raining cats and dogs" (heavy rain) or "butterflies in my stomach" (nervousness) paint mental pictures that literal translations fail to capture.

It's possible to break idioms down on three main characteristics. 1. Figurative Meaning: Their interpretations rely on cultural context. For example, "kick the bucket" (to die) has no connection to buckets. 2. Fixed Structure: Altering words often breaks the idiom. Saying "spill the peas" instead of "spill the beans" (reveal a secret) confuses listeners. 3. Cultural Roots: Many idioms stem from historical events. "Bite the bullet" originated from soldiers enduring surgery without anesthesia by biting a bullet.

There could be many types of idioms around there, but I will keep it short and explain three of them: 1. Metaphorical Idioms: Compare unrelated things (e.g., "time is money"). 2. Proverbial Idioms: Like to Offer wisdom (e.g., "don't count your chickens before they hatch"). 3. Slang-Based Idioms: Informal and trendy (e.g., "ghost someone" - to cut off contact).

Some common idioms and their meanings

Check out a short list of idioms and their meaning:

Let sleeping dogs lie - Avoid restarting old conflicts.

Elephant in the room - An obvious problem everyone ignores.

Hold your horses - Wait patiently.

Spill the beans - Reveal a secret.

Piece of cake - An easy task.

Bring home the bacon - Earn income.

On cloud nine - Extremely happy.

Hit a nerve - Upset someone.

Cold feet - Nervousness before an event.

Idioms can vary from country to country depending on different linguistic influences and regional dialects. Some idioms may have different meanings or usages depending on the country. For example:

UK: "It's brass monkeys outside" (very cold) vs. US: "It's freezing buckets."

Australia: "Flat out like a lizard drinking" (very busy) vs. Canada: "Busier than a one-armed paperhanger."

In addition, some countries may have their own unique phrasal verbs that are specific to their language and culture. Example:

India: "Don't do naach na jaane, aangan tedha" (criticizing others despite one's flaws).

Idioms in Pop Culture and Media:

Music: Taylor Swift: "hit the brakes" in Style; The Beatles: "let it be."

Politics: Winston Churchill's "iron curtain" metaphor shaped Cold War discourse.

Advertising: Red Bull's "give you wings" plays on the idiom "take under one's wing."

When and how to use idioms

Idioms are used vastly in our everyday life. Regular people like natives tend to use them more than regular english schools use to teach them. They can be used in a variety of contexts and situations in English. They are commonly used in both spoken and written English to add color and nuance to language. Some situations where idioms are commonly used on casual conversations, like "break the ice" (start a conversation) or "cut to the chase" (get to the point) to sound relatable. Idioms are also used widely on creative writing because it enhances narratives. Phrases like "skeleton in the closet" (hidden secret) or "twist someone's arm" (persuade) are examples of them. When expressing humor and sarcasm, you could use idioms like "Nice weather we're having" during a storm, to sarcastically highlight absurdity. When using idioms, consider there are more formal idioms, as in "Think outside the box" (to innovate), which is acceptable in business. And more informal ones as "Shoot the breeze" (chat casually), best used with friends.

Idioms should be avoided on international audiences because they are filled with non-native speakers that may misinterpret them, like "pull someone's leg" (joke) as literal. They should also be avoided on technical writing, replacing "ballpark figure" (an estimate) with "precise data" is very recommended while writing reports. Sensitive topics should also be approached without the use of idioms, as "rule of thumb" (meaning: originating from outdated practices) can carry unintended historical baggage. Misuse of idioms may lead to confusion, like saying "I'm feeling under the weather" (ill) might be misheard as "under the whether". Or it can sound offensive: "No can do" (refusal) can sound dismissive in formal requests. Overusing idioms is also a bad practice. For Example: "I was over the moon, but the ball was in their court, so I took a rain check." How can this be interpreted correctly? Instead you should use idioms sparingly to maintain clarity.

How to evaluate my knowledge on idioms

Idioms can differ in complexity and usage based on a person's English level. Beginner English students may be introduced to simpler idioms, such as "cutting corners", while intermediate and advanced learners may be exposed to more complex ones, like "to beat around the bush". Native speakers often have an intuitive understanding of idioms and can use them effortlessly, while non-native speakers may need more practice and study to fully master these expressions.

One simple way to check your current knowledge level of idioms is by testing your skills with this multi-level quiz:

Try out to guess what are the expressions on the sentences gaps below:

1. Every cloud has a silver ______.

2. Don't cry over spilled ______.

Match the correct idiom meaning:

3. "Bite the bullet" |> A) Eat quickly B) Endure pain

4. "Cost an arm and a leg" |> A) Cheap B) Expensive

Explain the idiom origin:

5. "Turn a blind eye" (Hint: Naval history).

Sentences from 1 to 2 uses beginner level idioms. Their answers are: 1."lining"; 2. "milk". Sentences 3 and 4 are intermediate level, their answers are: 3. "B) Endure Pain"; 4. "B) Expensive". Sentence 5 is advanced level, it's answer is: 5. "From Admiral Nelson ignoring a retreat order by holding a telescope to his blind eye". Check how much you guessed right on each level and you will have a clue on how much you know and which is your current knowledge level on idioms. Of course this is a very simple test and it is very high biased. You should take a longer test, using a wide range of idioms to have a more accurate score.

Ways to improve my knowledge on Idioms

Roughly speaking, there are around 25 thousands idioms and they are still being created in different ways depending on the context, region and culture. Given this information, you will notice how hard it could be to learn them. To make it doable, you should consider the purpose of your language use case and your current level on idioms. Search for lists of idioms used in the country your are targeting, or perhaps the environment you need to be talking and using them, is it a business office? Is is a casual conversation? Prioritize idioms relevant to your life. A chef might focus on food idioms ("too many cooks spoil the broth"), while a student could use academic ones ("hit the books").

You could learn them by listening to podcasts, watching videos on youtube or reading online news focused on the audience you are looking to be part of. Focusing situations and audience will shrink the amount of common used idioms you have to learn. Journaling is a good technique to practice them. It consists of writing daily entries using new idioms (e.g., "I bent over backwards to finish the project"). Finally, don't be afraid on not kowing all of them. It is almost impossible to know them all. Lastly, don't be afraid to ask or search online the meaning of new expressions you hear or read. Ask natives: Clarify idioms you hear in conversations. Stay curious: Note down unfamiliar idioms in a "phrase diary." And embrace mistakes: Misusing "break a leg" (good luck) as "break a leg (literally)" becomes a funny learning moment!

Learninn is a great way to get in touch with idioms. Articles and videos hosted on our platform include most common idioms, if not all existent ones. Every content consumed on our platform is recorded and used in the future for your learning.