This is lesson 17 from Idiom Part 4. Each idiom is followed by its definition and examples. After you learn them, you can use them in your daily conversation.
Previous English Idiom Lesson
In our previous English idiom lesson, we cover below:
English Idiom Part 4- Lesson 17- Idioms Using “Of”
1- Go out of your way = To make a special effort to do something.
She really went out of her way to make me feel welcome.
2- A man of his word = A person who keeps promises.
You can trust him; he’s a man of his word.
3- By word of mouth = Information passed through conversation rather than written or official sources.
Most people heard about the new restaurant by word of mouth.
4- Bluff my way out of trouble = To get out of a difficult situation by pretending or deceiving.
I forgot my homework, but I managed to bluff my way out of trouble.
5- A lot of turbulence = A period of disturbance or disorder.
The company went through a lot of turbulence during the merger.
6- Climb out of = To escape or recover from a bad situation.
It took her months to climb out of debt after losing her job.
7- Of laughter = Usually paired in phrases like “roar of laughter” to indicate loud and joyful laughing.
His joke was so funny, the room burst into a roar of laughter.
8- A sea of faces = A large crowd of people.
I looked out into a sea of faces before beginning my speech.
9- Pour/flood out of the stadium = Large numbers of people leaving a place all at once.
Fans began to flood out of the stadium after the final whistle.
10- Let the cat out of the bag = To reveal a secret, often unintentionally.
He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
11- Like a fish out of water = Feeling uncomfortable or out of place.
I felt like a fish out of water at the fancy dinner party.
12- The black sheep of the family = The odd or disreputable member of a family.
He was always considered the black sheep of the family because of his wild lifestyle.
13- Shoulder lots of responsibilities = To take on or carry many duties or burdens.
After her father passed away, she had to shoulder lots of responsibilities at home.
14- The corridor of power = The environment where decisions are made at the highest level of government or business.
She spent years working in the corridors of power in Parliament.
15- At the drop of a hat = Instantly or without hesitation.
He’s ready to travel at the drop of a hat if there’s a good opportunity.
16- A pack of lies = A complete set of false statements.
His explanation was nothing but a pack of lies.
17- A shadow of a doubt = The slightest doubt.
She trusted him without a shadow of a doubt.
18- A word of warning = A short caution or advice.
Just a word of warning that path gets really slippery after rain.
19- A wave of criticism = A sudden, widespread outburst of disapproval.
The company faced a wave of criticism after the ad was released.
20- Bags of time = A lot of time available.
Don’t worry, we’ve got bags of time to finish the project.
21- A stream of visitors = A continuous flow of people visiting.
There was a stream of visitors at the art gallery all day.
22- A flood of inquiries/complaints = A large number of questions or complaints received suddenly.
The customer service team received a flood of complaints after the website crash.
23- A trace of fear = A very small sign or amount of fear.
He spoke confidently, without a trace of fear.
24- A hint of irony = A slight touch or suggestion of irony.
Her voice had a hint of irony when she congratulated him.
25- Floods of tears = Crying a lot.
She was in floods of tears after watching the sad movie.
26- A stroke of luck = A sudden piece of good fortune.
Finding that old coin was a stroke of luck.
27- Piles of work = A lot of work.
I can’t go out tonight. I’ve got piles of work to do.
28- A whole host of reasons = Many reasons.
There are a whole host of reasons why we should reconsider the plan.
Next English Idiom Lesson
In our next English idiom lesson, we cover below:
Related Idioms
Here is the list of idioms related to this lesson.
Idiom Part 4 Outline
If you wish to explore all lessons that are covered in HiCafe Idiom Part 4, you can visit the Essential and Popular English idioms- Part 4 page.
English Fluency Resources
If you like to read all of lessons related to English expressions, phrases, idioms, proverbs, slang and words, you can visit our Improve English Fluency page.
