idioms and phrases

Idiom: Break the ice Hindi Meaning: शीत तोड़ना Example Sentence: वह दोस्त बारिश के मौसम में हमेशा लड़ाई को शीत तोड़ने के लिए करता है। (He always breaks the ice during fights in the rainy season.)


Idiom: A piece of cake Hindi Meaning: आसान Example Sentence: यह परीक्षा मेरे लिए एक पर्सिक केक थी। (This exam was a piece of cake for me.)


Idiom: Cat got your tongue? Hindi Meaning: ज़बान नहीं निकल रही? Example Sentence: उससे एक बात पूछने पर वह कुछ कह नहीं पा रहा था। मैंने कहा, "क्या ज़बान नहीं निकल रही है?" (He couldn't say anything when I asked him something. I said, "Cat got your tongue?")


Idiom: It's raining cats and dogs Hindi Meaning: बरसाती हैंडियन और कुत्ते Example Sentence: कल रात को इतनी तेज़ बारिश हो रही थी कि लग रहा था बरसाती हैंडियन और कुत्ते हो रहे हैं। (Last night, it was raining cats and dogs.)


Idiom: Break a leg Hindi Meaning: शुभकामना Example Sentence: परफ़ॉर्मेंस के पहले उसके दोस्त ने कहा, "ब्रेक ए लेग!" (Before the performance, his friend said, "Break a leg!")


Idiom: Hit the nail on the head Hindi Meaning: सटीक होना Example Sentence: उसने समस्या के मूल को पकड़ लिया और नई योजना प्रस्तावित की। वह सचमुच नाखून पर सिर मार दिया। (He grasped the root of the problem and proposed a new plan. He really hit the nail on the head.)


Idiom: The ball is in your court Hindi Meaning: अब बारी आपकी है Example Sentence: मैंने अपने रुझानों को प्रस्तुत कर दिया है। अब बारी उनकी है कि वे निर्णय लें। (I have presented my arguments. Now the ball is in their court to make a decision.)


Idiom: Once in a blue moon Hindi Meaning: बहुत दुर्लभता से Example Sentence: वे मेरे घर बस एक ब्लू मून पर ही आते हैं। (They visit my house once in a blue moon.)


Idiom: Kill two birds with one stone Hindi Meaning: एक पथर से दो शिकार Example Sentence: वह समय बचाने के लिए बाज़ार जा रहा था, परंतु उसने अपने दोस्त को भी साथ लिया। उसने एक पथर से दो शिकार किये। (He was going to the market to save time, but he also took his friend along. He killed two birds with one stone.)


Idiom: Barking up the wrong tree Hindi Meaning: ग़लत रास्ते पर जा रहा होना Example Sentence: उसका विचार सही नहीं है, वह ग़लत रास्ते पर जा रहा है। (His idea is not correct; he's barking up the wrong tree.)


English idiom: "Bite the bullet" Hindi meaning: सहन करना (Sahan karna) Example sentence: Despite the pain, she had to bite the bullet and get the injection. (दर्द के बावजूद, उसको सहन करना पड़ा और इंजेक्शन लगवाना पड़ा।)


English idiom: "Cost an arm and a leg" Hindi meaning: बहुत महंगा पड़ना (Bahut mehenga padna) Example sentence: Buying a designer dress like that would cost an arm and a leg. (ऐसी डिज़ाइनर ड्रेस खरीदने पर बहुत महंगा पड़ेगा।)


English idiom: "Beat around the bush" Hindi meaning: फुस्सी करना (Fussi karna) Example sentence: Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened. (फुस्सी करना बंद करो और मुझे बताओ क्या हुआ।)


English idiom: "Blessing in disguise" Hindi meaning: छिपी हुई खुशियों का आभूषण (Chhipi hui khushiyo ka abhushan) Example sentence: Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it led to a better opportunity. (उस नौकरी को खोना छिपी हुई खुशियों का आभूषण साबित हुआ क्योंकि इससे बेहतर मौका मिला।)


English idiom: "Cost a pretty penny" Hindi meaning: महंगा पड़ना (Mehenga padna) Example sentence: That luxury car must have cost him a pretty penny. (उस शानदार कार को खरीदने पर उसे महंगा पड़ा होगा।)


English idiom: "Dead as a doornail" Hindi meaning: बिल्कुल मरा हुआ (Bilkul mara hua) Example sentence: The battery of the remote is dead as a doornail; we need to replace it. (रिमोट के बैटरी बिल्कुल मरा हुआ है; हमें इसे बदलने की जरूरत है।)


English idiom: "Down to the wire" Hindi meaning: अंतिम समय तक (Antim samay tak) Example sentence: They were working on the project down to the wire to meet the deadline. (वे अंतिम समय तक परियोजना पर काम कर रहे थे ताकि अंतिम तिथि का पालन कर सकें।)


English idiom: "Fit as a fiddle" Hindi meaning: बिल्कुल स्वस्थ (Bilkul swasth) Example sentence: After regular exercise, he is now fit as a fiddle. (नियमित व्यायाम के बाद, वह बिल्कुल स्वस्थ हैं।)

Most common phrases

Walk in the Park

• Meaning: Something simple or easy, in comparison to something more difficult
• Example: Calculating the interest rate is a walk in the park compared to do a regression analysis.

Beat Someone to the Punch

• Meaning: Do something before or faster than someone else
• Example: I wanted to buy a great used car I saw yesterday, but someone beat me to the punch – today it’s gone.

Cooking Up a Storm

• Meaning: Cooking a great dish of food
• Example: You should come over to our house for New Year’s! My wife will be cooking up a storm, and we’ll have football on television.

Crash a Party

• Meaning: To attend a party without being invited
• Example: Let’s go out and crash a party. There are dozens of parties tonight, and nobody will be keeping track of guest lists.

Give Something a Whirl

• Meaning: Attempt something without being totally familiar with it
• Example: I need someone for a relational-database project. – I’ve never tried one, but I’ll give it a whirl.

Have a Tough Row to Hoe

• Meaning: Be faced with a task that is difficult because of unfavorable conditions
• Example: I’m not surprised that Kristin didn’t meet this month’s sales quota. She has a tough row to hoe with her staff – they’re incompetent.

Hit the Books

• Meaning: To study (generally said of students)
• Example: OK, I’ll come to the party Friday. But Saturday it’ll be time to hit the books.

Hit the Hay

• Meaning: To go to bed
• Example: I have to get up at 5 tomorrow morning. It’s time to hit the hay.

Note: “Hit the sack” is also used.

Home Away from Home

• Meaning: A habitual hangout; a place one frequents often and where one feels welcome
• Example: That corner bar is my home away from home – I spend an hour there after work almost every day.

In Touch

• Meaning: In contact
• Example: I’ll be out of town this weekend, but I’ll be in touch when I get back Sunday night.

Note: You can also say “get in touch,” contact someone.

Knock Some Sense Into

• Meaning: To beat someone in order to teach him/her a lesson. May be used figuratively.
• Example: When I was little and behaved badly, my father could be counted on to knock some sense into me.

Lose Touch

• Meaning: To fall out of contact
• Example: Social media are great for finding old friends with whom you’ve lost touch.

Make Someone’s Day

• Meaning: Do something pleasing that puts someone in a good mood
• Example: Thanks for the flowers! They really made my day.

Me Time

• Meaning: Activities undertaken for one’s own enjoyment, free from responsibilities to others.
• Example: On Saturday I’m usually busy with the kids, but Sunday afternoon is me time. My husband takes them, and I usually go to the mall.

On a Roll

• Meaning: Having a consistent run of success
• Example: I’m on a roll! I got a top score on my exam, I got a new job, and I have a date with a great guy on Saturday.

Pass with Flying Colors

• Meaning: To succeed brilliantly, as on an exam or other test
• Example: My mother really likes you! You passed with flying colors.

Play With Fire

• Meaning: Do something very risky
• Example: You’re playing with fire if you keep driving that car-the floor under the seat is almost completely rusted out.

Put a Thumb on the Scale

• Meaning: Try to influence a discussion in an unfair way, cheat
• Example: City leaders put a thumb on the scale during discussion of the new stadium, never mentioning the alternative side favored by community activists.

Ring a Bell

• Meaning: Sound familiar
• Example: The name Susan Thompson rings a bell. I think she worked here-let me look it up.

Spin A Yarn

• Meaning: Tell a story
• Example: Sophia spun a long yarn about missing the bus, getting caught in traffic, and having to visit a sick friend, but I think she just overslept.

Note: You can also use “yarn” by itself to mean a story. Both of these are slightly old-fashioned but still in use.

Take The Mickey (Piss) (Out Of Someone)

• Meaning: Make fun of or ridicule someone
• Example: She’s our flat mate. We take the mickey out of her all the time, but we love her.

Trip the Light Fantastic

• Meaning: Dance well; do ballroom dancing
• Example: There’s a live tango group playing tonight. Let’s go down and trip the light fantastic!