English Idioms

“Do more harm than good”

To make a situation worse instead of better.

“Hold all the cards”

To have the strongest position or most power.

“Drop the ball”

To make a mistake by failing to do something important.

“Draw the line”

To set a limit on what is acceptable.

“Dig deep”

To make a strong effort or use hidden strength.

“A pain in the neck”

An annoying person or problem.

“A tight spot”

A difficult situation.

“Easy come, easy go”

Something gained easily can be lost easily.

“Make headway”

To make progress.

“Fair game”

Acceptable to criticize, attack, or use.

“Level playing field”

A fair situation where everyone has the same chance.

“By the book”

According to the rules.

“Draw attention to”

To make people notice something.

“Feather in your cap”

An achievement you can be proud of.

“Behind the times”

Old-fashioned or not modern.

“Hit a wall”

To reach a point where no further progress seems possible.

“Come full circle”

To return to the original situation after changes.

“A tall order”

A difficult task or demand.

“In all fairness”

Used to make a fair or balanced statement.

“Be in two minds”

To be undecided between two choices.

“Get the short end of the stick”

To receive unfair or worse treatment.

“Go over someone’s head”

To be too difficult for someone to understand.

“Do the trick”

To achieve the desired result.

“Black sheep”

A person who is different from the rest of a family or group, often in a negative way.