Idioms is a phrase that is different from
the meaning of its constituent words and is understood culturally. For example
‘a dime a dozen’ means something that is common and of very little value. ‘These
days phones are a dime a dozen.’
An idiom is not to be confused with a
metaphor where one thing is another thing (time is money), with a simile where
one thing is like another thing (as fast as cheetah), with a hyperbole that
uses exaggerated statement to create strong emotional response (tons of money)
or proverb that has an obvious truth (ignorance is bliss).
Below is a list of commonly used idiom examples:
Achilles
heel
A small fault or weakness in a person or
system that could result in failure
She is a good applicant for this post, but
her Achilles heel is her poor communication skills.
Add
fuel to the fire
If you add fuel to the fire, then you do
something that makes an already bad situation worse
Children are already upset, and you’ll add
fuel to the fire if you don’t take them out.
Beat
around the bush
To avoid talking about what is important
Don’t
beat around the bush if you don’t know the answer!
Bite
your tongue/ hold your tongue
To avoid saying something that you really
want to say
My friend needs to learn to hold her tongue.
Call
it a day
To avoid doing something related to work.
We decided to call it a day because there
was no electricity.
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