- Break the ice
Meaning: To start a conversation in a social setting.
Example: She told a joke to break the ice at the meeting. - Bite the bullet
Meaning: To face a difficult situation bravely.
Example: I had to bite the bullet and admit my mistake. - Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: To say exactly the right thing.
Example: You hit the nail on the head with your answer. - Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To reveal a secret unintentionally.
Example: He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party. - Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling sick or unwell.
Example: I’m feeling under the weather today. - Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.
Example: I visit my hometown once in a blue moon. - Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To work late into the night.
Example: She burned the midnight oil to finish her project. - Piece of cake
Meaning: Something very easy to do.
Example: The exam was a piece of cake. - Costs an arm and a leg
Meaning: Something very expensive.
Example: That car costs an arm and a leg. - Kick the bucket
Meaning: To die.
Example: The old man kicked the bucket last year. - Break a leg
Meaning: Good luck! (usually said to performers)
Example: Break a leg in your performance tonight. - Hit the sack
Meaning: To go to bed.
Example: I’m tired; I’m going to hit the sack. - Caught red-handed
Meaning: To be caught in the act of doing something wrong.
Example: The thief was caught red-handed. - Beat around the bush
Meaning: To avoid talking about the main topic.
Example: Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth. - A blessing in disguise
Meaning: Something that seems bad at first but turns out good.
Example: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise. - Hit the books
Meaning: To study hard.
Example: I need to hit the books for my exams. - In hot water
Meaning: In trouble.
Example: He is in hot water for missing the deadline. - On cloud nine
Meaning: Very happy.
Example: She was on cloud nine after winning the prize. - Spill the beans
Meaning: To reveal a secret.
Example: Don’t spill the beans about the surprise. - The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your decision or responsibility now.
Example: I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court. - Burn bridges
Meaning: To damage relationships beyond repair.
Example: Don’t burn bridges with your colleagues. - By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: Just barely.
Example: He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth. - Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: To be upset about something that can’t be changed.
Example: There’s no use crying over spilled milk. - Cut corners
Meaning: To do something badly or cheaply.
Example: Don’t cut corners on this project. - Hit the road
Meaning: To start a journey.
Example: Let’s hit the road before it gets dark. - Keep your chin up
Meaning: Stay positive.
Example: Keep your chin up; things will get better. - Out of the blue
Meaning: Suddenly, unexpectedly.
Example: He called me out of the blue. - Pull someone’s leg
Meaning: To joke or tease someone.
Example: I was just pulling your leg. - Throw in the towel
Meaning: To give up.
Example: After many failures, he finally threw in the towel. - Under your nose
Meaning: Something very obvious or visible.
Example: The keys were right under your nose. - A dime a dozen
Meaning: Very common and not special.
Example: These kinds of mistakes are a dime a dozen. - Add fuel to the fire
Meaning: To make a bad situation worse.
Example: His comments just added fuel to the fire. - Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example: If you think I’m responsible, you’re barking up the wrong tree. - Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on more than you can handle.
Example: He bit off more than he could chew by accepting two jobs. - By the book
Meaning: To do something strictly according to rules or instructions.
Example: The inspector wants everything done by the book. - Cut to the chase
Meaning: To get to the point without wasting time.
Example: Let’s cut to the chase and discuss the main issue. - Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: There is something good in every bad situation.
Example: Losing the job was tough, but every cloud has a silver lining. - Go the extra mile
Meaning: To do more than what is expected.
Example: She always goes the extra mile to help her friends. - Hit the jackpot
Meaning: To have great success or luck.
Example: He hit the jackpot with his new business idea. - In the same boat
Meaning: In the same situation or having the same problem.
Example: We’re all in the same boat when it comes to tight deadlines. - Jump the gun
Meaning: To start something too early.
Example: Don’t jump the gun before getting all the facts. - Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: To avoid interfering in a situation that is currently causing no problems.
Example: Don’t bring up old arguments; let sleeping dogs lie. - Make a long story short
Meaning: To tell something briefly.
Example: To make a long story short, we missed the train. - On the ball
Meaning: Alert and quick to respond.
Example: She’s really on the ball during meetings. - Out of hand
Meaning: Out of control.
Example: The situation got out of hand quickly. - Pass the buck
Meaning: To shift responsibility to someone else.
Example: Don’t pass the buck when you make a mistake. - Read between the lines
Meaning: To understand the hidden meaning.
Example: Reading between the lines, I think he’s unhappy. - Rome wasn’t built in a day
Meaning: Important things take time.
Example: Be patient; Rome wasn’t built in a day. - Shape up or ship out
Meaning: Improve your behavior or leave.
Example: The boss told him to shape up or ship out. - Sit on the fence
Meaning: To be undecided about something.
Example:* Don’t sit on the fence — make a decision. - Take it with a grain of salt
Meaning: To be skeptical about something.
Example:* Take his advice with a grain of salt. - The best of both worlds
Meaning: A situation where you get all the advantages.
Example:* Working from home gives me the best of both worlds. - Throw caution to the wind
Meaning: To take a risk.
Example:* She threw caution to the wind and invested all her savings. - Under the gun
Meaning: Under pressure to do something.
Example:* I’m really under the gun to finish this report. - Water under the bridge
Meaning: Past events that are forgiven or no longer important.
Example:* Our argument is water under the bridge now. - You can’t judge a book by its cover
Meaning: Don’t judge something by its appearance.
Example:* She seems shy, but you can’t judge a book by its cover. - Your guess is as good as mine
Meaning: I have no idea.
Example:* Who will win the game? Your guess is as good as mine. - Zip your lip
Meaning: Keep quiet.
Example:* Zip your lip about the surprise party! - Bite your tongue
Meaning: To stop yourself from saying something.
Example:* I wanted to criticize her, but I bit my tongue. - Cut someone some slack
Meaning: To be less critical of someone.
Example:* Cut him some slack; he’s new at the job. - A leopard can’t change its spots
Meaning: People cannot change their basic nature.
Example: Don’t trust him again; a leopard can’t change its spots. - Actions speak louder than words
Meaning: What people do is more important than what they say.
Example: She promises a lot, but actions speak louder than words. - All in the same boat
Meaning: Facing the same problems or situation.
Example: We’re all in the same boat with this project deadline. - Bend over backwards
Meaning: Try very hard to help someone.
Example: She bent over backwards to make the event successful. - Burn the candle at both ends
Meaning: To work too hard and get little rest.
Example: He’s been burning the candle at both ends and looks exhausted. - Call it a day
Meaning: Stop working for the day.
Example: Let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow. - Come rain or shine
Meaning: No matter what happens.
Example: I’ll be there for you, come rain or shine. - Cry wolf
Meaning: To raise a false alarm.
Example: Don’t cry wolf unless there’s real danger. - Cut the mustard
Meaning: To perform well; meet expectations.
Example: He didn’t cut the mustard during the interview. - Devil’s advocate
Meaning: To argue the opposite side for the sake of argument.
Example: I’ll play devil’s advocate to test your plan. - Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning: Don’t assume success before it happens.
Example: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch; wait for the results. - Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: Don’t risk everything on one thing.
Example: Invest wisely and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. - Drive someone up the wall
Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone.
Example: His loud music drives me up the wall. - Every dog has its day
Meaning: Everyone will have success at some point.
Example: Don’t worry about failure; every dog has its day. - Face the music
Meaning: To accept the consequences.
Example: He made a mistake and now has to face the music. - Fish out of water
Meaning: Someone uncomfortable in a situation.
Example: I felt like a fish out of water at the formal dinner. - Get a taste of your own medicine
Meaning: To experience the same bad treatment you give others.
Example: He got a taste of his own medicine when he was ignored. - Give someone the cold shoulder
Meaning: To ignore someone intentionally.
Example: After the argument, she gave him the cold shoulder. - Go back to the drawing board
Meaning: Start again after a failure.
Example: The plan failed, so it’s back to the drawing board. - Hit the ground running
Meaning: To start something energetically and successfully.
Example: She hit the ground running in her new job. - In a pickle
Meaning: In trouble or a difficult situation.
Example: I’m in a pickle; I lost my wallet. - In the nick of time
Meaning: Just at the last moment.
Example: We arrived in the nick of time to catch the train. - Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: To join others in doing something popular.
Example: Many companies jumped on the bandwagon of green energy. - Keep your eyes peeled
Meaning: Stay alert; watch carefully.
Example: Keep your eyes peeled for any suspicious activity. - Kick the habit
Meaning: To stop a bad habit.
Example: He finally kicked the smoking habit. - Let your hair down
Meaning: To relax and enjoy yourself.
Example: At the party, everyone let their hair down. - Miss the boat
Meaning: To miss an opportunity.
Example: He missed the boat by not applying earlier. - No pain, no gain
Meaning: You must work hard to succeed.
Example: Keep practicing; no pain, no gain. - On thin ice
Meaning: In a risky or dangerous situation.
Example: You’re on thin ice after coming late again. - Once bitten, twice shy
Meaning: After a bad experience, one is cautious.
Example: After the scam, she is once bitten, twice shy about investing. - Out of the frying pan into the fire
Meaning: Going from a bad situation to a worse one.
Example: Quitting one job without another lined up is like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. - Play it by ear
Meaning: To improvise or decide as you go along.
Example: We don’t have a plan yet; let’s just play it by ear. - Pull yourself together
Meaning: To calm down and behave normally.
Example: After the shock, she took a deep breath and pulled herself together. - Put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: To risk everything on one opportunity.
Example: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket when investing money. - Put your foot in your mouth
Meaning: To say something embarrassing or inappropriate.
Example: He put his foot in his mouth by commenting on her weight. - Raise the bar
Meaning: To increase standards or expectations.
Example: The new manager is raising the bar for performance. - Run like the wind
Meaning: To run very fast.
Example: When the bell rang, the students ran like the wind. - Saved by the bell
Meaning: Saved from a difficult situation at the last moment.
Example: I was about to be asked a tough question but was saved by the bell. - See eye to eye
Meaning: To agree completely.
Example: They see eye to eye on most issues. - Sit tight
Meaning: To wait patiently.
Example: Sit tight; I’ll be back soon with your order. - Speak of the devil
Meaning: When the person you’re talking about appears.
Example: Speak of the devil, here comes John. - Steal someone’s thunder
Meaning: To take credit for someone else’s idea.
Example: She stole my thunder by presenting my idea as her own. - Take the bull by the horns
Meaning: To face a problem directly and bravely.
Example: It’s time to take the bull by the horns and deal with the issue. - The last straw
Meaning: The final problem that causes failure or anger.
Example: When he arrived late again, it was the last straw. - Through thick and thin
Meaning: Under all circumstances, no matter how difficult.
Example: They stayed friends through thick and thin. - Tie the knot
Meaning: To get married.
Example: They decided to tie the knot next summer. - Turn a blind eye
Meaning: To ignore something wrong.
Example: The teacher turned a blind eye to their minor misbehavior. - Under the table
Meaning: Secretly and often illegally.
Example: He was paid under the table to avoid taxes. - Up in the air
Meaning: Uncertain or undecided.
Example: Our vacation plans are still up in the air. - Walk on eggshells
Meaning: To be very careful not to upset someone.
Example: I have to walk on eggshells around him after his bad mood. - Water under the bridge
Meaning: Past disagreements that are forgiven.
Example: That argument is water under the bridge now. - Wear your heart on your sleeve
Meaning: To openly show your emotions.
Example: He wears his heart on his sleeve, so you always know how he feels. - You can’t have your cake and eat it too
Meaning: You cannot enjoy two conflicting benefits.
Example: You can’t have your cake and eat it too—you must choose one. - Your call
Meaning: Your decision to make.
Example: We can leave now or stay longer—it’s your call. - Zip it
Meaning: To be quiet.
Example: Zip it! The movie is starting. - Bite the dust
Meaning: To fail or die.
Example: Many old businesses bite the dust during a recession. - Burn your bridges
Meaning: To destroy relationships or opportunities.
Example: Don’t burn your bridges with your former employer. - Call the shots
Meaning: To be in charge and make decisions.
Example: She calls the shots in the marketing department. - Cross your fingers
Meaning: Hope for good luck.
Example: Cross your fingers that the test goes well. - Don’t beat a dead horse
Meaning: Don’t waste time on something that cannot be changed.
Example: We already discussed this; don’t beat a dead horse.
ssc gd idioms and phrases
