Useful Idioms: English Vocabulary List

to not appreciate a person or thing because one thinks one will never lose them

"Don't take love granted."

"Many people take their health for granted until they become seriously ill and realize how precious it truly is."

to refrain from speaking or expressing one's thoughts or opinions

"He wanted to argue but held his tongue."

"He wanted to argue but decided to hold his tongue to avoid causing a big argument."

to appeal to someone's particular interests or preferences

"That small house really tickles my fancy."

"The idea of traveling to Japan really tickles my fancy so I am saving money for it."

to fail to deal with all aspects of a problem, topic, etc.

"We only scratched the surface of the problem."

"We have only scratched the surface of this topic there is so much more to learn about it."

determined or fully committed to pursuing a particular course of action

"He is bent on winning."

"He is bent on winning the championship no matter what it takes."

to reach a point where gains equal losses, resulting in a balance

"After a year, the business finally broke even."

"After two years of hard work the small business finally managed to break even financially."

to create a situation in which it is easier for one to do something or for something to happen

"This discovery paved the way for new medicine."

"His research paved the way for future scientists to make even more important discoveries."

constantly paying attention to a person or thing to prevent a problem, danger, etc.

"Always be on the lookout for danger."

"The police are on the lookout for a suspect who was seen near the crime scene last night."

to benefit from two opposing or contradictory situations or options at the same time

"You cannot have it both ways."

"You cannot have it both ways you must choose between the two options available to you."

to expand one's knowledge, experiences, or perspectives, often by exploring new places, ideas, or cultures, with the aim of gaining a broader understanding of the world

"Travel helps to broaden your horizons."

"Traveling to different countries can broaden your horizons and help you understand other cultures better."

to do something too earlier than its right time

"Don't jump the gun now."

"She jumped the gun by announcing the results before all the votes had been counted."

the state in which one is completely free to do or say what one desires

"The manager gave the team free rein."

"Some parents give complete free rein to their children without any rules or supervision which can be dangerous."

used to indicate that after a key event, the following developments are well-known or self-explanatory

"They met, fell in love, and the rest is history."

"She launched the product from her garage, secured a major investor six months later, and the rest is history."

to accept a less important, less visible, or secondary role compared to someone else

"He decided to take a back seat and let me lead."

"After running the company for thirty years he decided to take a back seat and let others lead."

to experience a period of financial or personal difficulty

"The family fell on hard times after the fire."

"The family fell on hard times after the father lost his job at the factory."

no longer popular, accepted, or supported by others

"That actor is currently out of favor."

"That style of music has fallen out of favor with young people who prefer modern pop songs."

a significant difference between two things, often in a disappointing or unfavorable way

"This cheap room is a far cry from the hotel we wanted."

"The hotel we stayed at was a far cry from the luxury resort we had booked online."

an area that is near a place in which someone resides

"Welcome to my neck of the woods."

"We are planning to visit your neck of the woods next summer so we can finally meet up."

to twist and rub one's hands together out of distress or worry

"Stop wringing your hands now."

"The parents were wringing their hands with worry as they waited for the doctor's diagnosis."

an unexpected or unusual occurrence or event that alters the course of events

"By a strange quirk of fate, we met again."

"By a quirk of fate they met again after twenty years at the same airport in Paris."

to get or do what one wants despite the odds or other people's desires

"The child always gets his own way."

"The spoiled child always gets his own way because his parents never say no to him."

to enjoy or use something as much or as often as one can

"Make the most of it."

"Since you only have one week of vacation, you should make the most of every single moment."

to produce correct musical sounds by one's voive voice

"She can carry a tune."

"Even though he's tone-deaf, he can still carry a tune when singing in the shower."

something that proves useful or valuable for a given purpose

"All this criticism is grist to the mill."

"All the criticism he received was grist to the mill because it motivated him to work harder."

used to refer to someone who has become more comfortable or confident in conversing with people

"Volunteering helped her come out of her shell."

"The shy child finally came out of her shell and started making friends at school."

in a similar or identical situation to someone else, particularly a difficult or unpleasant one

"I would not want to be in his shoes right now."

"If I were in your shoes I would apologize immediately before the situation gets even worse."

the limits of human knowledge or understanding, representing areas that remain unknown or unexplored

"Space is often called the final frontier."

"Space exploration is often called the final frontier because there is still so much to discover out there."

in a sudden and unexpected manner, emphasizing the element of surprise

"The dog appeared out of nowhere."

"The dog appeared out of nowhere and started barking loudly at the mailman who was delivering letters."

not being aware of recent information about something

"I have been out of the loop all week."

"I have been out of the loop lately because I missed several important meetings at work."

to be wise enough to avoid certain behaviors or thoughts

"You are old enough to know better."

"You are old enough to know better than to play with matches near the curtains."

to feel relief or relaxation because a period of worry, stress, or anticipation has passed

"She breathed a sigh of relief when the test was over."

"When the exam finished everyone breathed a sigh of relief and went home to relax."

to be occupied by a large number of things

"The small room was bursting at the seams."

"The small theatre was bursting at the seams with fans who wanted to see the show."

a point in a person's life or a situation where they must make a critical decision or choose between two different options or paths

"A fork in the road."

"When you reach a fork in the road take the left path towards the river."

in a way that goes unnoticed or avoids attracting any attention

"He tries to stay under the radar."

"The small band stayed under the radar for years before suddenly becoming famous all over the world."

to use something for personal gain in an unfair or dishonest manner

"They took advantage of him."

"The unscrupulous salesman tried to take advantage of the customer's lack of knowledge about the product."

the opposite or contrasting aspect of a situation, idea, or argument

"The flip side of freedom is responsibility."

"The flip side of living in a big city is that it can be very noisy and crowded."

to make unfavorable remarks about someone

"They dragged his name through mud."

"The media dragged the politician's name through the mud after the scandal was revealed."

to be dismissed or expelled from a place, job, or position

"He was out on his ear."

"After the argument, she was out on her ear with nowhere else to go."

to do something without real interest, feeling, or effort

"He just goes through motions."

"She went through the motions at work but felt no real passion for the job anymore."

to have a significant impact or influence on something

"The new product is making inroads into the market."

"The new company is making inroads into the market that used to be dominated by a single brand."

firmly determined and focused on the task at hand

"She is dead set against the idea."

"She is dead set on becoming a doctor even though it requires many years of difficult study."

a point at which a drastic change occurs in a situation, especially one that makes it improve

"It was important turning point."

"The discovery became a very important turning point in the history of medical science and helped millions of patients."

to provide clarification, understanding, or insight into a topic, situation, or problem

"This document sheds light on the mystery."

"The document sheds light on the secret negotiations that took place between the two countries last year."

to naturally fit or suit a particular use or situation

"This music lends itself to dancing."

"This beautiful park lends itself perfectly to outdoor concerts and other summer events for the community."