Thought for Today
Verbal Idiomatic Phrases Of English Grammar
Verbal Idiomatic Phrases with Their Meaning And Example
Verbal idiomatic phrases are expressions in the English language that consist of a group of words, typically a verb and accompanying words, used together in a way that conveys a meaning different from the literal interpretation of the individual words. These phrases often have a unique or idiomatic meaning that can be challenging for non-native speakers to understand, as they may not follow standard grammatical rules or have a straightforward translation.
Bite the bullet: To face a difficult situation with courage. Example: She had to bite the bullet and confess her mistake to the boss.
Break a leg: A way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance. Example: Before going on stage, the actor's friend said, "Break a leg!"
Hit the nail on the head: To describe something exactly or do something correctly. Example: Her analysis of the problem hit the nail on the head.
Spill the beans: To reveal a secret unintentionally. Example: He accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Keep an eye on the ball: To stay focused on a task or goal. Example: When working on a project, it's important to keep an eye on the ball.
Jump on the bandwagon: To join a popular trend or activity. Example: Many companies are jumping on the bandwagon of remote work.
Cut to the chase: To get to the main point without unnecessary details. Example: Let's cut to the chase and discuss the key issues.
Take a rain check: To decline an offer or invitation with the intention of accepting it later. Example: I can't go to the movie tonight, but can I take a rain check for next week?
Catch someone off guard: To surprise or shock someone by doing something unexpected. Example: His question caught her off guard, and she didn't know how to respond.
Pull someone's leg: To tease or joke with someone in a playful manner. Example: He was just pulling your leg when he claimed to have met a celebrity.
Read someone like a book: To understand someone's thoughts or intentions easily. Example: She could read him like a book and knew he was hiding something.
Give someone the benefit of the doubt: To believe someone's claim or explanation without being too skeptical. Example: She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and trust his intentions.
Spit it out: To encourage someone to say something quickly or reveal a secret. Example: I know you have something to say; just spit it out!
Take the bull by the horns: To face a problem or challenge directly and confidently. Example: Instead of avoiding the issue, she decided to take the bull by the horns and resolve it.
Hit the ground running: To start a task or project quickly and energetically. Example: The new employee hit the ground running and immediately contributed to the team.
Play it by ear: To make decisions spontaneously, based on the circumstances. Example: We don't have a fixed plan; let's play it by ear and see how the day goes.
Let the cat out of the bag: To accidentally reveal a secret. Example: She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Speak of the devil: To mention someone just before they appear or arrive. Example: We were talking about John, and then, speak of the devil, he walked in.
Wrap your head around something: To understand or comprehend something complex. Example: It took me a while to wrap my head around the new software.
Catch someone's drift: To understand the general idea or intention of what someone is saying. Example: I didn't understand all the details, but I caught his drift.
Break the ice: To start a conversation or social interaction in a relaxed and friendly manner. Example: He told a joke to break the ice at the networking event.
Throw in the towel: To give up or surrender in the face of difficulty. Example: After hours of trying, she decided to throw in the towel and admit defeat.
Bend over backward: To make an exceptional effort to accommodate someone or meet their needs. Example: The manager bent over backward to help the new employee adjust to the team.
Play your cards right: To make the right choices and decisions to achieve success. Example: If you play your cards right, you can secure the promotion.
Lay your cards on the table: To be honest and open about your intentions or feelings. Example: It's time to lay our cards on the table and discuss our future plans.
Put all your eggs in one basket: To invest all your resources or efforts into a single plan or option. Example: Diversifying investments is important; don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Read the riot act: To give a strong warning or reprimand to someone. Example: The teacher had to read the riot act to the unruly students.
Let the chips fall where they may: To accept the consequences, whether they are good or bad. Example: We've done all we can; now, let the chips fall where they may.
Cry over spilled milk: To waste time lamenting things that cannot be changed. Example: There's no use crying over spilled milk; let's find a solution.
Burn the midnight oil: To work late into the night. Example: To meet the deadline, she had to burn the midnight oil.
Get off your high horse: To stop acting arrogantly or self-important. Example: He needs to get off his high horse and listen to others' opinions.
Have a heart-to-heart: To have a sincere and honest conversation with someone. Example: They had a heart-to-heart talk about their relationship issues.
Make a long story short: To summarize or provide a brief version of a lengthy narrative. Example: To make a long story short, they decided to move to a new city.
Throw someone under the bus: To betray or sacrifice someone for personal gain. Example: He was quick to throw his colleague under the bus to avoid blame.
Keep something at bay: To prevent or control something undesirable or threatening. Example: Regular exercise can help keep health problems at bay.
Take someone to the cleaners: To extract a large amount of money from someone, often through deception. Example: The scam artist took the elderly woman to the cleaners.
Fish for compliments: To seek praise or validation from others. Example: She's always fishing for compliments about her cooking.
Play hard to get: To act uninterested or unavailable to make oneself more appealing. Example: He's playing hard to get, making it difficult to gauge his interest.
A piece of cake: Something very easy to do. Example: Solving that math problem was a piece of cake for her.
In hot water: In trouble or facing consequences for one's actions. Example: He found himself in hot water after missing an important deadline.
A blessing in disguise: Something initially seen as negative but turns out to be advantageous. Example: Losing his job was a blessing in disguise as it led to a better opportunity.
The ball is in your court: It's your turn to make a decision or take action. Example: I've given you all the information; now the ball is in your court.
Cry over spilled milk: Worrying about something that has already happened and cannot be changed. Example: There's no use crying over spilled milk; let's find a solution.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't assume success before it's certain. Example: Don't start celebrating your victory; don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket: Diversify your resources to reduce risk. Example: Investing in various stocks is a good strategy; don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Every cloud has a silver lining: There is something positive even in a difficult situation. Example: Losing the game taught them a valuable lesson; every cloud has a silver lining.
Go the extra mile: Make additional effort or do more than required. Example: To succeed, you need to be willing to go the extra mile in your work.
Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't assume success before it's certain. Example: Don't start celebrating your victory; don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Rub someone the wrong way: To irritate or annoy someone. Example: His sarcastic comments always rub his coworkers the wrong way.
A penny for your thoughts: Asking someone what they are thinking. Example: You seem lost in thought; a penny for your thoughts?
Let the cat out of the bag: To accidentally reveal a secret. Example: She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Twist someone's arm: To persuade or pressure someone to do something. Example: She had to twist his arm to convince him to attend the meeting.
Don't cry over spilled milk: Don't waste time lamenting things that cannot be changed. Example: Instead of dwelling on the mistake, he remembered not to cry over spilled milk.
Cut corners: To do something quickly and cheaply, often sacrificing quality. Example: They got into trouble for cutting corners in the construction project.
Catch someone's eye: To attract someone's attention. Example: The colorful artwork in the gallery caught her eye.
Hit the jackpot: To achieve a big success or win a substantial prize. Example: Winning the lottery was like hitting the jackpot for him.
Wrap one's head around something: To understand or comprehend something complex. Example: It took me a while to wrap my head around the new technology.
Spill the beans: To reveal a secret unintentionally. Example: He accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Turn a blind eye: To ignore or pretend not to notice something wrong. Example: The manager chose to turn a blind eye to his employee's late arrivals.
Read someone the riot act: To give a strong warning or reprimand. Example: The coach read the team the riot act after their poor performance.
Throw someone under the bus: To betray or sacrifice someone for personal gain. Example: He tried to throw his colleague under the bus to avoid blame.
Have a chip on one's shoulder: To be easily offended or have a hostile attitude. Example: He always has a chip on his shoulder, ready for an argument.
Put all one's eggs in one basket: To rely heavily on a single plan or strategy. Example: Investing all your money in one stock is like putting all your eggs in one basket.
Break the ice: To start a conversation or social interaction in a relaxed and friendly manner. Example: She told a funny story to break the ice at the party.
Steer clear of: To avoid or stay away from something or someone. Example: It's best to steer clear of that area at night; it's not safe.
Go the extra mile: To make additional effort or do more than is expected. Example: She always goes the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.
Kick the bucket: To die or pass away. Example: Sadly, her pet cat kicked the bucket last night.
Push someone's buttons: To irritate or provoke someone deliberately. Example: He knows exactly how to push her buttons to get a reaction.
Cry over spilled milk: To lament something that has already happened and cannot be changed. Example: There's no use crying over spilled milk; let's find a solution.
Bark up the wrong tree: To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action. Example: Accusing him of stealing is barking up the wrong tree; he's innocent.
Play hard to get: To act uninterested or aloof to make oneself more attractive to someone. Example: She decided to play hard to get to see if he was genuinely interested.
Keep your nose to the grindstone: To work diligently and tirelessly. Example: In order to meet the deadline, he kept his nose to the grindstone all night.
Back to the drawing board: To start over after a failed attempt. Example: The project didn't work out, so it's back to the drawing board.
Hit the ground running: To start a task or project quickly and energetically. Example: The new employee hit the ground running and immediately contributed to the team.
Lend an ear: To listen attentively to someone. Example: If you need to talk, I'm here to lend an ear.
Play it by ear: To make decisions spontaneously, based on the circumstances. Example: We don't have a fixed plan; let's play it by ear and see how the day goes.
Give someone the cold shoulder: To intentionally ignore or avoid someone. Example: She gave him the cold shoulder after their argument.
Drive someone up the wall: To annoy or irritate someone significantly. Example: His constant tapping on the desk was driving her up the wall.
Have a finger in every pie: To be involved in many different activities or projects. Example: He's a busy entrepreneur; he seems to have a finger in every pie.
Put the cart before the horse: To do things in the wrong order. Example: Launching the marketing campaign before finalizing the product would be putting the cart before the horse.
Keep your chin up: To stay positive and optimistic in difficult situations. Example: Even though times are tough, keep your chin up; things will get better.
Bury the hatchet: To make peace and resolve a conflict. Example: After years of rivalry, they decided to bury the hatchet and become friends.
Let the chips fall where they may: To accept the outcome, whether it's positive or negative. Example: We did our best, so let's present our findings and let the chips fall where they may.
Throw someone a bone: To provide a small opportunity or favor to someone. Example: She threw him a bone by giving him a chance to prove himself.
Hold your horses: To ask someone to be patient and wait. Example: Hold your horses; I'll be ready to leave in a moment.
Get the ball rolling: To start a process or activity. Example: Let's get the ball rolling on the new project.
Bite off more than you can chew: To take on more responsibilities than you can handle. Example: Joining three clubs and taking five classes may be biting off more than you can chew.
Poke the bear: To provoke or anger someone intentionally. Example: If you keep criticizing his work, you're going to poke the bear.
Cast in stone: To be unchangeable or fixed. Example: The decision to relocate the office isn't cast in stone yet; there's room for discussion.
Feather in your cap: An accomplishment or achievement to be proud of. Example: Completing the marathon was a feather in her cap.
Hold all the cards: To have all the advantages or power in a situation. Example: With her experience, she holds all the cards in the negotiation.
Throw cold water on something: To discourage or dampen enthusiasm for an idea or plan. Example: His negative comments threw cold water on our excitement about the project.
Have a heart-to-heart: To have an open and sincere conversation, usually about personal feelings. Example: After their argument, they had a heart-to-heart talk to resolve their issues.
Read the room: To assess the atmosphere or mood of a situation. Example: Before making a joke, it's essential to read the room and see if it's appropriate.
See eye to eye: To agree or have the same opinion as someone. Example: They didn't always see eye to eye, but they respected each other's viewpoints.
Batten down the hatches: To prepare for a challenging or difficult situation. Example: With the storm approaching, it's time to batten down the hatches.
Make a mountain out of a molehill: To exaggerate or overreact to a minor issue. Example: She tends to make a mountain out of a molehill, getting upset over small details.
Pass the buck: To shift responsibility or blame to someone else. Example: He always tries to pass the buck when there's a problem at work.
Pull someone's leg: To tease or joke with someone in a playful manner. Example: He was just pulling your leg when he claimed to have met a celebrity.
Beat around the bush: To avoid addressing a topic directly. Example: Stop beating around the bush and tell us what you really think.
Speak of the devil: To mention someone just before they appear or arrive. Example: We were talking about John, and then, speak of the devil, he walked in.
Read the riot act: To give a strong warning or reprimand. Example: The coach read the team the riot act after their poor performance.
Jump through hoops: To go to great lengths or make significant efforts to accomplish something. Example: She had to jump through hoops to secure the contract.
Back to square one: To return to the starting point or beginning of a task. Example: After the setback, we had to go back to square one in our project.
Catch someone's drift: To understand the general idea or intention of what someone is saying. Example: I didn't understand all the details, but I caught his drift.
Bite off more than you can chew: To take on more responsibilities or tasks than you can handle. Example: Joining three clubs and taking five classes may be biting off more than you can chew.
Cut the mustard: To perform well or meet expectations. Example: She proved that she could cut the mustard by delivering outstanding results.
Cry wolf: To raise a false alarm or give a false warning. Example: If you keep crying wolf, people won't take you seriously when there's a real problem.
Go down in flames: To fail spectacularly or experience a significant setback. Example: Their business venture went down in flames after just a few months.
Hit the nail on the head: To describe something exactly or do something correctly. Example: Her analysis of the problem hit the nail on the head.
In hot water: In trouble or facing consequences. Example: He found himself in hot water after missing an important deadline.
Play hardball: To be tough, uncompromising, or aggressive in negotiations or actions. Example: During the contract negotiation, they decided to play hardball.
Save face: To avoid embarrassment or preserve one's dignity in a difficult situation. Example: She tried to save face after the public speaking mishap.
Steer clear of: To avoid or stay away from something or someone. Example: It's best to steer clear of that area at night; it's not safe.
Take it with a grain of salt: To be skeptical or not fully believe something. Example: His tall tales should be taken with a grain of salt.
Talk the talk and walk the walk: To both speak confidently about something and take action to support it. Example: She talks the talk and walks the walk when it comes to environmental conservation.
Walk on eggshells: To be cautious and sensitive in dealing with a delicate or difficult situation. Example: After their argument, they had to walk on eggshells around each other.
Win hands down: To win easily or without much effort. Example: Their team won the championship hands down.
The proof is in the pudding: The true value or quality of something is demonstrated by the results. Example: You can talk about your skills, but the proof is in the pudding when you deliver the project.
Turn the tables: To reverse a situation or change the roles or circumstances. Example: She turned the tables on her rival by outperforming him in the competition.
Up in arms: Extremely angry or outraged about something. Example: The community was up in arms over the proposed construction project.
Wear your heart on your sleeve: To show one's emotions openly and without reservation. Example: He wears his heart on his sleeve, and everyone knows how he feels about the issue.