Summary: Phrases And Idioms

What is an Idiom?

• Idiom: a phrase or expression with a special meaning beyond its literal words.
• Common in speech and writing; they add creativity and interest.
• Often of cultural origin and developed from storytelling and creative use of language.

Phrases

• Phrase: a small group of words that functions as a unit within a sentence or clause.
• Phrases are literal (words keep their actual meaning) and lack a subject-verb pair, so they do not form complete sentences alone.
• There are eight main types of phrases: Noun phrase, Verb phrase, Infinitive phrase, Gerund phrase, Appositive phrase, Participial phrase, Prepositional phrase, and Absolute phrase.

Rules for Idioms and Phrases

• They convey meanings that may be hidden behind literal words.
• They carry cultural value.
• They are metaphorical: literal interpretation of all words often seems farcical or impossible.
• They add flavor to writing and help remove monotony from prose.
• Idioms and phrases are related but distinct categories with overlapping uses.

Differences Between Idioms and Phrases

• Idioms can make sense on their own; phrases typically make sense only inside a sentence.
• Idioms are often used in spoken or slang contexts; phrases are used in regular sentence construction.
• Idioms require symbolic interpretation; phrases are taken literally.
• An idiom can be a single word; phrases are generally not single words.
• A phrase that has a metaphorical meaning becomes an idiom.

Common Idioms and Their Meanings

• Break a leg: wish someone good luck, do your best.
• Bored to death: very bored.
• Piece of cake: very easy.
• Dressed to kill: dressed to attract attention; looking great (sometimes overdressed).
• On the wane: decreasing, declining.
• Hitting below the belt: making an unfair or very insulting remark.
• Gift of the gab: ability to speak easily and persuasively.
• Face the music: accept unpleasant consequences or criticism.
• At loggerheads: in strong disagreement.
• Make hay while the sun shines: use an opportunity before it passes.
• Throw in the towel: give up or quit.
• Burn your fingers: suffer unpleasant results from an action.
• Throw out the baby with the bathwater: discard something valuable along with the unwanted.
• Bolt from the blue: a sudden, shocking surprise.
• Spill the beans: reveal secret information.
• Weather the storm: survive a difficult period without being harmed.
• Bite your lips: stop yourself from showing an outward reaction.
• Talk one's head off: talk excessively.
• Snap one's fingers: become contemptuous of (act with contempt).
• Save one's face: avoid disgrace.
• Beat around the bush: avoid the main point or important topic.
• Hit the nail on the head: say or do something exactly right.
• Bite off more than you can chew: take on a task that is too big.
• Pull someone's leg: joke with or tease someone.
• Under the weather: feeling ill.
• Burn the midnight oil: work late into the night.
• Cry over spilled milk: waste time worrying about something already done.
• Jump on the bandwagon: join a currently popular activity or trend.
• Let the cat out of the bag: accidentally reveal a secret or surprise.
• Kill two birds with one stone: achieve two aims with one action.
• Cut corners: do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often reducing quality.