“Better safe than sorry”
It’s better to be cautious than regret later.
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Search this index of English idioms. Each idiom has its own page with meaning, examples, and related expressions.
“Better safe than sorry”
It’s better to be cautious than regret later.
“Under the weather”
Feeling slightly ill or unwell.
“Break the ice”
To do or say something that makes people feel more comfortable in a new or awkward situation.
“Your guess is as good as mine”
I don’t know either.
“Cut corners”
To do something cheaply or badly to save time or money.
“When pigs fly”
Something that will never happen.
Idiom of the Day
“Miss the boat”
To miss an opportunity.
A highlighted idiom from our collection. Browse the full index above for more.
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Idioms are fixed expressions where the meaning is different from the literal words.
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Start with high-frequency idioms from daily conversation and workplace English.
“Let the cat out of the bag”
To reveal a secret accidentally or intentionally.
“A picture is worth a thousand words”
An image can express more than words.
“Beat a dead horse”
To waste time on something already decided.
“Speak of the devil”
The person you were talking about appears.
“Actions speak louder than words”
What people do is more important than what they say.
“Bite off more than you can chew”
To take on too much responsibility.
“A dime a dozen”
Very common and easy to find; not special or valuable.
“Hit the nail on the head”
To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
“Turn a blind eye”
To ignore something wrong or unpleasant on purpose.
“Spill the beans”
To reveal secret information.
“Wrap one's head around something”
To understand something complicated.
“Sit on the fence”
To avoid choosing a side.
“Take it with a grain of salt”
To not completely believe something.
“Keep an eye on”
To watch or monitor carefully.
“Add fuel to the fire”
To make a bad situation worse.
“Barking up the wrong tree”
To make a wrong assumption.
“Ball is in your court”
It is your decision or responsibility now.
“Once in a blue moon”
Very rarely.