Category: Idioms

Are you “feeling under the weather?” This phrase describes you feeling sick. You might have a cold or the flu, and you just don’t feel right. The idiom could also mean that you’re feeling emotionally unstable or depressed – just not your right self. You could also use the phrase to describe how you feel […]

Did you wake up after a night of drinking, feeling like death warmed over? This idiom describes a feeling of ill health related to activities or illness. It's a popular phrase still in use today, and there are several applications for its use. "Death warmed over" is suitable for use in informal settings when you're […]

Are you listening to someone talk about a certain topic without making a point? Don't you wish they would “cut to the chase?” This idiom is useful to stop someone from wasting your time if they're telling you a story or something that happened in their life. This post looks at the idiom "cut to […]

Do you feel calm in the face of fear? Then you appear "as cool as a cucumber" to others around you. This idiom is popular in modern language, and it's a versatile saying that's suitable for many different occasions and situations. This idiom has a history extending back to the 1700s, and it's useful in […]

Are you about to wash your car or take a shower? After you finish, your vehicle or your body is "as clean as a whistle." This idiom describes cleanliness or actions. There are several ways to use this idiom, and it's a common phrase used in modern language, even though it dates back to the […]

When using the idiom "chalk and cheese," you're referring to two items, tasks, people, or ideologies that are entirely different from one another. The phrase still has a use today, and many people use it in informal and formal settings to describe differences. This idiom dates all the way back to the 13th century, and […]

Are you pregnant? Then you have a “bun in the oven.” It’s a common idiom still in use today, and it’s a common phrase used by men and women to describe pregnancy. A bun in the oven is a lighthearted phrase, usually said between friends and family. “A bun in the oven” is an old […]

Did your boss fire you from your job? You never know; it could be “a blessing in disguise.” This idiom refers to finding a positive outlook on a bad situation. The idiom has its roots in the mid-1700s, and it’s still a popular phrase used in modern language. Typically, it has a use in informal […]

Meaning Imagine a bull inside a china shop. What do you think a bull would do inside a shop filled with plates and dishes? You’d probably expect the big, horned animal to be knocking over things, being clumsy, and not having the finesse to navigate the aisles of a shop filled with delicate crockery. So, […]

Meaning This phrase is a colloquial version of the words ‘up and at them’. It means waking up and starting a day filled with activities. It could also mean getting out of bed and accomplishing tasks for the day. You can use this phrase whenever you have important tasks to finish once you wake up. […]