150 Natural Idioms Index

Across the board

Applying to all categories, people, or levels in an organization.

Actions speak louder than words

What someone does is more important than what they say.

Add fuel to the fire

Worsen an already conflict-ridden or difficult situation.

Add insult to injury

Make a bad situation even worse with an additional slight or hardship.

Ahead of the curve

More advanced, innovative, or knowledgeable than competitors

Alive and kicking

Continuing to exist, function, or be active despite difficulties.

All in the same boat

Facing the same challenging circumstances as others.

At a crossroads

At a vital point in life where an important decision must be made.

At face value

Accepting something as it appears without questioning details.

At loggerheads

In strong, stubborn disagreement or conflict with someone.

At the eleventh hour

At the last possible moment before a deadline or event.

Back to the drawing board

Start planning a project over again because a previous attempt failed.

Barking up the wrong tree

Following a mistaken line of thought or accusing the wrong person.

Beat around the bush

Avoid answering a key question directly or speaking clearly.

Behind closed doors

Taking place in secret, without the public or affected people present.

Bend over backwards

Exert extreme effort to help or accommodate someone.

Bite the bullet

Face an inevitable, painful situation with courage and get it over with.

Bite the dust

Fail, break down completely, or cease to function/exist.

Bitter pill to swallow

An unpleasant, painful fact or truth that must be accepted.

Blessing in disguise

An event that initially seems bad but turns out to have a positive result.

Blow hot and cold

Constantly change one's opinions, enthusiasm, or feelings toward something.

Blow off steam

Release stress or strong emotion through physical or social activity.

Bone of contention

A specific issue or subject that causes continuous dispute or disagreement.

Break new ground

Make innovative discoveries or do something completely pioneering.

Break the ice

Make people feel comfortable and relaxed in a social setting.

Burn the midnight oil

Work or study late into the night.

Burn bridges

Destroy relationships or paths permanently so return is impossible.

Bury the hatchet

End a long-standing feud or quarrel and make peace.

By the skin of one's teeth

Succeed in doing something by the narrowest possible margin.

Call it a day

Stop working on a task for the remainder of the day.

Call the shots

Be in control and make the key authoritative decisions.

Caught red-handed

Discovered or caught in the middle of doing something illegal or wrong.

Clear the air

Discuss tension or hidden feelings to resolve conflict openly

Come clean

Fully confess or admit the truth about something previously hidden.

Come rain or shine

No matter what the weather or circumstances may be.

Corner the market

Dominate a particular trade, industry, or service completely.

Cost an arm and a leg

Be extremely expensive.

Count your blessings

Be grateful for the good aspects of your life instead of complaining.

Cross that bridge when coming to it

Deal with a potential future problem only when it actually occurs.

Cry over spilled milk

Waste time worrying about past mistakes that cannot be undone.

Curiosity killed the cat

Warning that being overly inquisitive can lead to trouble.

Cut corners

Do something perfunctorily or cheaply to save time or money, compromising quality.

Cut to the chase

Get directly to the main point without wasting time on preamble.

Devil's advocate (play)

Argue an opposing viewpoint purely to provoke debate or test an idea.

Don't count chickens before they hatch

Do not assume success until it is completely guaranteed.

Down to the wire

Unsettled or uncertain until the very last second of a competition/task.

Drastic times call for drastic measures

Extreme situations require extreme or uncomfortable actions.

Drive someone up the wall

Annoy, irritate, or frustrate someone intensely.

Elbow grease

Hard physical effort or strenuous manual labor required to clean/fix something.

Face the music

Accept accountability and consequences for one's actions or mistakes.

Fall on deaf ears

Be ignored, unheeded, or rejected by those listening.

Feather one's own nest

Improperly enrich oneself using funds or opportunities meant for other purposes.

Find one's feet

Become confident, comfortable, and independent in a new role or environment.

Fly off the handle

Suddenly lose one's temper unexpectedly and explode in rage.

Foot the bill

Pay for a substantial expense or cost (often on behalf of others).

From the horse's mouth

From the highest, most direct, and authoritative source available.

Get a grip

Control your emotions and behave in a calm, rational manner.

Get out of hand

Escalate beyond control or reasonable limits.

Get your act together

Organize your time and behavior effectively to succeed.

Give the benefit of the doubt

Choose to trust someone or believe their story despite lack of proof.

Give the cold shoulder

Intentionally ignore, exclude, or treat someone unkindly.

Go down in flames

Fail spectacularly, dramatically, or completely.

Go the extra mile

Exert more effort or care than is expected or required.

Grasp at straws

Desperately try any remedy or argument, no matter how unlikely to work.

Grease someone's palm

Bribe someone secretly to secure a favorable decision or service.

Green with envy

Extremely jealous or envious of someone else's success or possessions.

Have a bone to pick with

Have a grievance or dispute with someone that needs discussion.

Have bigger fish to fry

Have more important or pressing matters to deal with.

Hit the nail on the head

Describe a situation or answer a problem with complete accuracy.

Hit the sack / sheets

Go to sleep.

Hold all the cards

Be in a position of complete control, dominance, or leverage in a deal.

Hold one's horses

Wait a moment; slow down and consider before acting recklessly.

Ignorance is bliss

Not knowing about a problem can be more comfortable than knowing the truth.

In a nutshell

Expressed very briefly and concisely

In the dark

Uninformed or unaware of facts known to others.

In the heat of the moment

Spurred by intense emotion, excitement, or anger without calm thought.

In the long run

Over a lengthy future period of time; ultimately.

In the same breath

Saying two contradictory things almost simultaneously.

It takes two to tango

Both involved parties share responsibility for a conflict or situation.

Jump on the bandwagon

Join a popular trend or activity simply because many others are doing it.

Jump the gun

Act or start something prematurely before the right time.

Keep at arm's length

Maintain distance from someone and avoid getting emotionally close.

Keep one's cards close to chest

Keep one's plans, intentions, or thoughts private and guarded.

Keep quiet / mum

Refrain from speaking or revealing secrets.

Kick the bucket

Die (informal / colloquial euphemism).

Kill two birds with one stone

Achieve two objectives simultaneously with a single effort.

Leave no stone unturned

Try every possible course of action or investigate thoroughly.

Let off the hook

Pardon or release someone from a duty, blame, or punishment.

Let sleeping dogs lie

Avoid restarting an old conflict or trouble that is currently quiet.

Let the cat out of the bag

Accidentally reveal a secret or hidden information

Lick one's wounds

Withdraw to recover strength or confidence after suffering a defeat/loss.

Live from hand to mouth

Have just enough money to satisfy immediate basic survival needs.

Lock horns

Engage in a fierce argument or battle of wills with someone.

Make a long story short

Summarize the facts briefly by omitting unnecessary detail.

Make ends meet

Earn barely enough money to cover essential living expenses.

Make waves

Cause trouble or disturb an existing status quo in a noticeable way.

Miss the boat

Miss an opportunity due to slowness or hesitation.

Move heaven and earth

Do everything humanly possible to accomplish a difficult task.

Nip in the bud

Stop a problematic situation right at the beginning before it grows

No stone unturned

An exhaustive effort made without omitting any single detail.