Category: Idioms

Are you looking for a way to tell someone to be quiet before they say something they shouldn’t? You could use “bite your tongue” to ask them to stay silent. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “bite your tongue” means that you should keep quiet and refrain from […]

Are you looking for a way to tell someone to get back in line and stop being disruptive? If so, you could use the saying, "don't upset the applecart." This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning If you "upset the applecart," you disrupt the normal order of things. Typically, you're creating […]

Are you looking for a way to tell someone to calm down and reconsider actions they might regret? If so, you could say, “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater,” to stop them from acting in haste. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “don’t throw the baby […]

Are you looking for a confirmation statement to tell someone they got your point exactly? Use “you hit the nail on the head” to let them know you completely agree with their claim or statement. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning If you “hit the nail on the head,” you’re […]

Are you looking for a way to describe the impossibility of finding something you lost or need to find? You could say you're "finding a needle in a haystack." Going to the hassle of wasting time and effort on the task is pointless. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The […]

Are you looking for a way to tell someone you’re feeling strong, fit, and healthy? Tell them you feel in great shape by saying “fit as a fiddle.” This post unpacks this expression's meaning and origin. Meaning The expression “fit as a fiddle” means you are at the peak of physical fitness when referring to […]

Are you looking for a way to describe the feeling of being out of place? If so, you could say you feel “like a fish out of water” to voice your discomfort. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression "fish out of water" means you feel uncomfortable in your […]

Are you looking for a saying to describe a true friend? You could use “a friend in need is a friend indeed” to express their selfless behavior to you in your time of need. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The proverbial expression “a friend in need is a friend […]

Are you looking for a way to warn someone to pay attention to the people around them? If so, you could use the proverbial saying, “keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” means […]

Are you looking for a way to say that two people are working out their differences? They are "mending fences" and reconciling their relationship differences. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression. Meaning The expression "mending fences" means that you're trying to repair problems in your relationship with other people. The other […]