B2 — Upper IntermediateIdioms

Common English Idioms

Master frequently used English idioms and their meanings. Understanding idioms is essential for sounding natural in conversation.

14 words

Word List

Word	Phonetic	Part of Speech	Definition	Example
break the ice	/breɪk ðə aɪs/	idiom	To do or say something to relieve tension or start a conversation in an awkward situation	He told a joke to break the ice at the beginning of the meeting.
hit the nail on the head	/hɪt ðə neɪl ɒn ðə hɛd/	idiom	To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem	You hit the nail on the head -- that is exactly the problem.
piece of cake	/piːs əv keɪk/	idiom	Something very easy to do	The test was a piece of cake. I finished in 20 minutes.
under the weather	/ˈʌndər ðə ˈwɛðər/	idiom	Feeling slightly ill or not well	I am feeling a bit under the weather today, so I will stay home.
bite off more than you can chew	/baɪt ɒf mɔːr ðæn juː kæn tʃuː/	idiom	To take on a task that is too big or difficult for you	I think she bit off more than she could chew by taking five courses this semester.
let the cat out of the bag	/lɛt ðə kæt aʊt əv ðə bæɡ/	idiom	To reveal a secret, usually by accident	He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
cost an arm and a leg	/kɒst ən ɑːrm ənd ə lɛɡ/	idiom	To be very expensive	That new phone costs an arm and a leg!
beat around the bush	/biːt əˈraʊnd ðə bʊʃ/	idiom	To avoid saying what you mean directly	Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened.
once in a blue moon	/wʌns ɪn ə bluː muːn/	idiom	Very rarely; almost never	She only visits her hometown once in a blue moon.
get cold feet	/ɡɛt koʊld fiːt/	idiom	To become too nervous or scared to do something you planned	He got cold feet before the presentation and almost cancelled.
on the same page	/ɒn ðə seɪm peɪdʒ/	idiom	To have the same understanding or opinion about something	Let us make sure we are all on the same page before we start.
the ball is in your court	/ðə bɔːl ɪz ɪn jɔːr kɔːrt/	idiom	It is your turn to take action or make a decision	I have made my offer. The ball is in your court now.
burn the midnight oil	/bɜːrn ðə ˈmɪdnaɪt ɔɪl/	idiom	To work or study late into the night	She burned the midnight oil studying for her final exams.
pull someone's leg	/pʊl ˈsʌmwʌnz lɛɡ/	idiom	To joke with someone or tease them by saying something untrue	Are you pulling my leg, or did you really win the lottery?

Flashcards

idiom

break the ice

/breɪk ðə aɪs/

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Definition

To do or say something to relieve tension or start a conversation in an awkward situation

“He told a joke to break the ice at the beginning of the meeting.”

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Card 1 of 14

Practice Exercises

1 / 8

If something is 'a piece of cake', it is: