This is lesson 1 from Idiom Part 2. 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:
Idioms Related To People Are Liquid
English Idiom Part 2- Lesson 1
1- Let the cat out of the bag= disclose a secret
Now that Viola had let the cat out of the bag, she had no option but to confess it.
2- Take the bull by the horns= face difficulty and overcome it decisively without avoiding it
I took the bull by the horns and confronted him about his mistreatment of the workers.
3- Not enough room to swing a cat= An awkwardly small, confined space
I’d rather have a bigger house, there’s not enough room to swing a cat in here.
4- There are plenty fish in the sea= a single person still has lots of options out there for future partners
Don’t cry over Pierre – there are plenty of fish in the sea!
5- Like a fish out of water= feeling awkward because of the unfamiliar situation
I felt like a fish out of water at my new school.
6- The black sheep of the family= people who are different from their family members in many respects
Rachel is the black sheep in the family because she is an artist whereas everyone else is an economist.
7- A wild goose chase= send him to a hopeless (almost impossible) quest
Those jerks sent me on a wild goose chase to find a copy of a book that hasn’t been released yet!
8- Talk a hind legs off a donkey= talking excessively
She rarely spoke, but her brother could talk the hind legs off a donkey.
9- Smell a rat= to suspect or sense that something is wrong
When he died, investigators were called in and soon they smelled a rat.
10- For donkey’s years= not seeing someone for a very long time
I haven’t seen him for donkey’s years.
11- keep the wolf from the door= to ward off poverty or hunger
I work part-time to pay the mortgage and keep the wolf from the door.
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 1 Outline
If you wish to explore all lessons that are covered in HiCafe Idiom Part 1, you can visit the Essential and Popular English idioms- Part 1 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.