An IDIOM is a group of words or a phrase that differs from their literal meaning. Idioms enrich the language.
We must learn to use idioms correctly and appropriately.
Use of Idioms
Use of A Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | basic knowledge | She doesn’t have the ABC of cooking. |
| Above all | most importantly | Above all, we need to prioritize safety in this project. |
| Above board | completely transparent and honest | The financial records of the company are always above the board. |
| After all | considering everything | After all, he did show up to the party, even though he had said he wouldn’t. |
| All at once | suddenly | All at once, the lights went out. |
| All of a sudden | suddenly and unexpectedly | All of a sudden, she realized she had lost her wallet. |
| All but | almost entirely | The company was all but bankrupt before the new CEO took over. |
| All ears | fully attentive and interested | The students were all ears when the guest speaker arrived. |
| All in all | supreme | The chef is all in all when it comes to creating the menu. |
| All Greek | completely incomprehensible | The instructions in the manual were all Greek to him. |
| Apple of one’s eye | a person or thing that is cherished above all others | His dog is the apple of his eye. |
| Apple of discord | a source of conflict | The inheritance became an apple of discord among the siblings. |
| As if | as though | She acted as if she knew the answer. |
| As it were | so to speak | The flowers bloomed, as it were, overnight. |
| As usual | typically | As usual, the train was running late. |
| At bay | cornered and under threat | The company was at bay after the stock market crash. |
| At one’s fingertips | easily accessible | The lawyer always has the latest legal information at his fingertips. |
| At daggers drawn | in a state of intense hostility | The two politicians were at daggers drawn during the debate. |
| At home | comfortable and familiar | She is at home in the world of fashion. |
| At a loss | unsure of what to do | He was at a loss as to how to fix the broken vase. |
| At all | in any way | The book is not helpful at all. |
| At all events | in any case | We will be attending the wedding at all events. |
| At a low ebb | at a low point | The company’s profits are at a low ebb this quarter. |
| At arm’s length | keeping a safe distance | She kept the poisonous snake at arm’s length. |
| At a stretch | without a break | He worked on his project for six hours at a stretch. |
| At large | free | The suspect is still at large. |
| At last | finally | I got my missing phone at last. |
| At least | at a minimum | At least fifty people attended the concert. |
| At sixes and sevens | in disarray | After the earthquake, everything was at sixes and sevens. |
| At stake | in danger | Her life is at stake now. |
Use of B Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Bad blood | ill feeling | Let’s try to resolve our issues and avoid any bad blood between us. |
| Bag and baggage | with all belongings | She left the apartment with her bags and baggage. |
| Be-all and end-all | ultimate goal | For him, achieving success in his career is the be-all and end-all. |
| Beat about the bush | avoid getting to the point | Can you please stop beating about the bush and tell me what happened? |
| Bed of roses | easy and comfortable situation | Life is never a bed of roses; one must face challenges. |
| Behind the screen | secretly | There might be some shady dealings behind the screen. |
| Beat black and blue | beat severely | The bullies beat the innocent kid black and blue. |
| Between the devil and the deep sea | in a difficult situation with no good options | Between the Devil and the deep sea |
| Beggar description | beyond words | The beauty of the sunrise was so breathtaking, it beggars description. |
| Black sheep | a person with a bad reputation | He is considered the black sheep of his family, always getting into trouble. |
| Bid fair | have a good chance | She bids fair to win the competition with her exceptional talent. |
| Big gun | an influential person | He is a big gun in the music industry, with many successful albums. |
| Birds of a feather | people with similar interests | They are birds of a feather, both passionate about environmental conservation. |
| Bolt from the blue | a sudden and unexpected event | The news of the company’s bankruptcy came as a bolt from the blue. |
| Bone of contention | a matter of disagreement | The salary hike was the bone of contention between the employees and the management. |
| Bosom friend | a very close friend | My childhood friend is my bosom friend; we share everything. |
| Book worm | someone who loves to read books | She is a bookworm who can spend hours reading. |
| Bide one’s time | wait patiently for the right opportunity | He is biding his time to launch his startup until the market conditions are favourable. |
| By far | to a great extent | This is by far the best pizza I have ever had. |
| By and large | generally | By and large, the students were satisfied with the course content. |
| By leaps and bounds | rapidly | The company’s revenue has been growing by leaps and bounds since it launched the new product line. |
| By the by | incidentally | By the by, did you hear about the new store opening in town? |
| Burning question | an issue that needs immediate attention | Climate change is the burning question of our time. |
| By chance | accidentally | I found my lost ring by chance while cleaning the house. |
| By all means | definitely | By all means, you should pursue your dream career. |
| By and by | gradually | By and by, he will learn how to speak English fluently. |
| Build castles in the air | indulge in unrealistic dreams | Instead of building castles in the air, let’s focus on our goals and work hard to achieve them. |
| Breathe one’s last | pass away | After a long battle with cancer, she breathed her last in the presence of her loved ones. |
| Bring to light | reveal | The investigation brought to light many irregularities in the company’s finances. |
| By fits and starts | irregularly | He has been working on the project by fits and starts, without a proper plan. |
| By no means | absolutely not | By no means should you compromise on your principles. |
| Bring to book | hold accountable | The corrupt officials must be brought to the book and punished for their crimes. |
| By hook or by crook | by any means necessary | She was determined to win the competition by hook or by crook. |
Use of C Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Call to mind | remember | I’m trying to call to mind where I put my keys. |
| Call in question | doubt | The evidence presented calls in question the suspect’s alibi. |
| Call a spade a spade | to speak the truth | Let me call a spade a spade and tell you that you’re not doing your job well. |
| Carry the day | win victory | The home team carried the day with their last-minute goal. |
| Catch red-handed | catch with the articles | The police caught the thief red-handed with the stolen goods. |
| Cats and dogs | raining very heavily | It’s been raining cats and dogs all day. |
| Chip of the old block | a worthy successor | The CEO’s son is a chip off the old block and is just as capable as his father. |
| Cock and bull story | absurd story | I don’t believe his cock and bull story about being abducted by aliens. |
| Cold water | discouragement | The negative comments threw cold water on his idea. |
| Come to light | become known | The truth about the scandal came to light after a journalist’s investigation. |
| Come off with flying colours | win a victory | The team came off with flying colours in the championship game. |
| Crying need | urgent need | There is a crying need for more affordable housing in the city. |
| Crocodile tears | fake tears | I don’t trust her crocodile tears, she’s just trying to manipulate us. |
| Curry favour | gain through flattery | She’s always trying to curry favour with the boss by complimenting him excessively. |
Use of D Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Dead against | strongly opposed to | I’m dead against the proposal to build a highway through the national park. |
| Dead language | no longer in use as a spoken language | Latin is a dead language but is still used in academic settings. |
| Dead of night | midnight | The burglars broke into the store at the dead of night. |
| Die in harness | die while working | The burglars broke into the store in the dead of night. |
| Dark horse | relatively unknown | The political newcomer surprised everyone by winning the election, he was a real dark horse. |
Use of E Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| End in smoke | fail to materialize | The company’s plans to expand overseas ended in smoke due to lack of funding. |
| Every now and then | occasionally | The company’s plans to expand overseas ended in smoke due to a lack of funding. |
| Eke out | manage to survive with difficulty | The family was able to eke out a living by farming a small plot of land. |
| Every inch | completely | She’s every inch a professional with her confident demeanour and attention to detail. |
Use of F Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Fall flat | to fail completely or have no impact | My joke fell flat and no one laughed. |
| Fair and square | done honestly or justly | She won the competition fair and square, without cheating. |
| Far cry | very different from something | The new restaurant is a far cry from the old one. |
| Far and away | by far or significantly | She was far and away the best singer in the competition. |
| Far and wide | everywhere or over a wide area | The news of the accident spread far and wide. |
| Few and far between | rare or scarce | Good job opportunities are few and far between in this economy. |
| Fight shy | to avoid or be hesitant about something | I always fight shy of public speaking, as it makes me nervous. |
| Fish out of water | feeling uncomfortable in a new or unfamiliar situation | Being the only vegetarian at the barbecue, she felt like a fish out of water. |
| Fish in troubled water | taking advantage of a difficult situation | He tried to profit from the company’s financial troubles, like a fish in troubled water. |
| Flesh and blood | human or physical existence | She was just flesh and blood, and couldn’t work 24/7 without getting tired. |
| Fool’s paradise | a false or unrealistic sense of happiness or security | If you think you can get rich quick without any effort, you’re living in a fool’s paradise. |
| For good | permanently or forever | She left the city for good and moved to the countryside. |
| French leave | leaving without telling anyone or without permission | He took French leave from the party early, without saying goodbye. |
Use of G Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Gala day | a special or festive occasion | The wedding was a gala day, with lots of music, dancing, and food. |
| Get rid of | to remove or eliminate something unwanted | He wanted to get rid of his old car and buy a new one. |
| Gift of the gab | a natural talent for speaking or persuading others | As a politician, she had the gift of the gab and could charm voters with her speeches. |
| Get by heart | to memorize something | In order to pass the exam, she had to get the formulas by heart. |
| Give way | to collapse or break down | The bridge gave way under the weight of the truck. |
| Give one’s word | to make a promise or give an assurance | He gave his word that he would always be there to support her. |
| Give birth to | to have a baby | The actress gave birth to a healthy baby girl. |
| Gain the day | to win or be victorious | Despite the odds against them, the underdog team gained the day and won the championship. |
| Go through fire and water | to face and overcome great difficulties | She was willing to go through fire and water to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. |
| Go without saying | to be obvious or not need to be stated | It goes without saying that he loves his family very much. |
Use of H Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Hair-breadth escape | a narrow or close escape | He had a hair-breadth escape from the burning building, just managing to get out in time |
| Hard and fast | strict or inflexible | The company had hard and fast rules about working overtime and taking breaks. |
| Hard nut to crack | a difficult problem or challenge | Finding a cure for cancer is a hard nut to crack, but scientists are working tirelessly to achieve it. |
| Head and ears | completely or deeply involved | He was head and ears in love with her, unable to think of anything else. |
| Head and shoulders | much better or more superior | The new restaurant was head and shoulders above the competition, with better food and service. |
| Heart and soul | with all energy | She poured her heart and soul into her performance, impressing the judges. |
| Herculean task | very difficult task | Starting a new business from scratch is always a Herculean task. |
| High time | past the appropriate time | It’s high time for him to apologize for his rude behaviour. |
| Hold water | be logically sound | The theory presented by the scientist does not hold water and needs further research. |
| Hold good | remain valid | The contract between the two parties will only hold good if both parties fulfil their obligations. |
| Hue and cry | a loud outcry or protest | The citizens made a hue and cry against the government’s decision to raise taxes. |
| Hush money | money paid to keep someone quiet | The politician offered hush money to the journalist to suppress a negative story. |
Use of I Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| In accordance with | following or conforming to something. | The team acted in accordance with the coach’s instructions. |
| In a fix | in a difficult situation | After losing his job, he found himself in a fix and unable to pay his rent. |
| In fine | in conclusion | In fine, I believe we should all work together to achieve our goals. |
| In full swing | actively happening with enthusiasm | The party was in full swing when we arrived. |
| In good stead | useful | Her experience as a teacher stood her in good stead when she became a principal. |
| In keeping with | consistent | His actions were not in keeping with his promises. |
| In order to | with the aim of doing something | He enrolled in a business school in order to learn about entrepreneurship. |
| In lieu of | instead of | Can you please give me a voucher in lieu of a refund? |
| In black and white | in writing | We need to have the contract in black and white before we proceed. |
| In cold blood | done intentionally and without emotion | The murder was committed in cold blood and shocked the community. |
| In no time | very quickly or soon | With the right tools, we can finish the job in no time. |
| In the face | despite or in defiance of something | She stood up to the bully in the face of danger. |
| In the good books | in favour with someone | After completing her project on time, she was in the good books of her boss. |
| In the nick of time | just in time | The ambulance arrived in the nick of time to save the patient’s life. |
| In the twinkling of an eye | very quickly | The food disappeared in the twinkling of an eye when the children came home hungry. |
| In the long run | ultimately | In the long run, exercise and healthy eating habits will benefit your health. |
| In the teeth of | despite strong opposition | The team won the championship in the teeth of strong opposition. |
| In the meantime | during the time between two events | I’ll be busy this afternoon. In the meantime, could you help me with this task? |
| Ins and outs | all the details | Before making a decision, we need to know all the ins and outs of the proposal. |
| In vogue | currently popular | This style of clothing is currently in vogue among teenagers. |
| In force | active or effective | The new is in force now. |
| In a nutshell | briefly summarizing something. | In a nutshell, the company’s profits have been declining for the past year. |
Use of J Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Jail Bird | a repeat criminal | The detective recognized the suspect as a jail bird who had been in and out of prison for years. |
| Jack of all trades | skilled in many areas | He’s a jack of all trades and can fix anything around the house. |
| Jaundiced eye | a biased attitude | The employer viewed all candidates with a jaundiced eye, assuming they were all unqualified. |
| jot or little | the smallest amount | He didn’t know even a jot or little about the subject. |
Use of K Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Kith and kin | near and dear ones | She prefers to spend time with her kith and kin. |
| Keep late hours | work diligently through the night | The software developers kept late hours to finish the project before the deadline. |
| Keep pace with | match the speed of | He had to run faster to keep pace with his athletic friend. |
| Kill time | engage in leisurely activities | She watched TV to kill time before her flight. |
| Keep the wolf from the door | manage to survive financially | Her part-time job helped her keep the wolf from the door. |
| Kill two birds with one stone | achieve two things in one stroke | She listened to an audiobook while doing house chores, killing two birds with one stone. |
| Know no bounds | be limitless | The love a mother has for her child knows no bounds. |
| Knock at the door | announce arrival or opportunity | A new opportunity was knocking at his door, and he had to decide whether to take it or not. |
Use of L Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Lame excuse | weak argument | His explanation for the late submission of the report was a lame excuse. |
| Laughing stock | object of amusement | His clumsy dancing made him the laughingstock of the party. |
| Leave in the lurch | abandon in a difficult situation | He left his teammate in the lurch by not showing up for the match. |
| Leave no stone unturned | exhaust all possible options | She left no stone unturned in her search for a new job. |
| Lion’s share | the major part | The CEO took the lion’s share of the company’s profits. |
| Loaves and fishes | spiritual benefits | He volunteers at the shelter not for the loaves and fishes, but to give back to the community. |
| Last but not the least | last but equally important | The team was comprised of excellent players, but last but not least, the coach was also a key player in their success. |
| Lay heads together | collaborate | The team needed to lay their heads together to come up with a winning strategy. |
| Lead a cat and dog life | have a tumultuous relationship | The couple had been leading a cat and dog life for years, but they still loved each other. |
| Long and short | bottom line | The long and short of the matter is that we need to increase our sales revenue. |
Use of M Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Make both ends meet | live frugally | They had to make both ends meet after losing their jobs. |
| Make good | fulfil a promise | He promised to make good on his word and return the borrowed money. |
| Maiden speech | first public address | The newly elected representative gave her maiden speech at the town hall. |
| Man of letters | a writer | The Nobel laureate was not just a scientist but also a man of letters. |
| Man of straw | an insignificant person | The small-time crook was a man of straw compared to the big-time criminals. |
| Moot point | an irrelevant matter | Whether or not to have dessert after dinner is a moot point when you’re on a diet. |
| Make up one’s mind | come to a decision | She couldn’t make up her mind about which dress to wear to the party. |
| Man in the street | the average person | The politician’s speech was meant to appeal to the man in the street rather than the elite. |
| More or less | approximately, not exact | The cake recipe called for two cups of sugar, but I used more or less depending on my taste. |
| Make bold | to take a risk or do something courageous | He made bold to propose to his girlfriend in front of a large crowd. |
Use of N Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Now and then | infrequently | I only indulge in sweets now and then, as I am trying to eat healthier. |
| Null and void | having no legal or binding effect | The contract became null and void when one of the parties breached the terms. |
| Narrow escape | a close call or lucky avoidance of danger | I had a narrow escape from a car accident yesterday. |
| Nip in the bud | to stop something at an early stage | The company nipped the security breach in the bud before any sensitive information was compromised. |
| Now or never | urgent and decisive action must be taken | It’s now or never to apply for the dream job before the deadline passes. |
| Near at hand | close or imminent | The deadline for the project is near at hand and we need to speed up the work. |
Use of O Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Of late | recently or lately | Of late, I have been experiencing a lack of motivation towards my work. |
| Of course | expressing agreement or certainty | Of course, I will attend your graduation ceremony. |
| Off and on | intermittently or irregularly | I have been practising yoga off and on for the past year. |
| On the brink of | on the edge of a significant change or event | The company is on the brink of bankruptcy due to the economic downturn. |
| On the contrary | expressing the opposite view or opinion | I do not agree with your assessment. On the contrary, I think the project was a huge success. |
| On the eve of | just before a significant event or occasion | The city was buzzing with excitement on the eve of the New Year’s celebration. |
| On the wane | decreasing or declining | The popularity of the singer is on the wane after the release of their latest album. |
| On the whole | considering all aspects or factors | On the whole, I think the team did well in the competition. |
| Out of date | outdated or old-fashioned | The fashion trend from last year is now out of date. |
| Out of doors | outside or in the open air | We decided to have a picnic out of doors to enjoy the beautiful weather. |
| Out of sorts | feeling unwell or not oneself | I am feeling out of sorts today and may need to take a sick day. |
| Out of order | not functioning or broken | The elevator is out of order and we need to take the stairs. |
| Out of temper | in a bad mood or irritable | The boss was out of his temper today due to the delays in the project. |
| Out of the wood | no longer in a difficult or dangerous situation | The patient is out of the woods and is expected to make a full recovery. |
| Out and out | completely or thoroughly | The team played an out and out aggressive game. |
Use of P Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Palmy days | a period of prosperity and success | The company enjoyed its palmy days during the economic boom of the early 2000s. |
| Part and parcel | an essential and inseparable part of something | Long working hours are part and parcel of the job. |
| Pros and cons | the advantages and disadvantages of a situation | Before making a decision, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of the options. |
| Pick a quarrel | intentionally start an argument or fight | I could tell he was trying to pick a quarrel with me, but I refused to engage. |
| Plain sailing | easy or smooth going | The project was plain sailing, thanks to the efficient team management. |
| Play ducks and drakes | waste or squander something valuable | Don’t play ducks and drakes with your money if you want to save for a secure future. |
| Play a double game | to engage in deceitful behaviour or to have conflicting loyalties | He was playing a double game by pretending to be friends with both sides in the political dispute. |
| Play hide and seek | avoid | The suspect is playing hide and seek with the police. |
| Point-blank | directly | I asked him point-blank if he was cheating on me and he didn’t deny it. |
| Provide for a rainy day | to prepare for unforeseen circumstances | It’s always a good idea to save money and provide for a rainy day in case of unexpected expenses. |
| Pure and simple | plain and straightforward | His answer was a lie, pure and simple, and he got caught. |
Use of R Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Rank and file | ordinary members | The management should listen to the opinions of the rank and file of the company. |
| Red-tape | excessive bureaucracy | The red tape in the government system is causing delays in the implementation of policies. |
| Red-letter day | special occasion | Winning the championship was a red-letter day for the team. |
| Red-handed | caught in the act | The robbers were caught red-handed by the police. |
| Root and branch | completely eradicate | The government needs to uproot corruption root and branch from the country. |
| Right and left | in all directions | The storm was blowing things right and left, causing a lot of damage. |
| Run into debt | accumulate debt | He kept spending money on unnecessary things and ran into debt. |
Use of S Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Salt of the earth | a good and honest person | My grandfather was the salt of the earth, always helping others in need. |
| Set free | release from captivity | The animal was set free into the wild after rehabilitation. |
| Silver lining | a positive aspect in a negative situation | a positive aspect of a negative situation |
| Slowcoach | someone who is slow to act | He was a slow coach in submitting his assignment and got a low grade. |
| Small fry | unimportant or insignificant people | He dismissed the criticism of small fry who didn’t understand the complexities of the issue. |
| Smell a rat | sense something suspicious | I smell a rat in his story about why he was late for the meeting. |
| Slip of the pen | an unintentional mistake in writing | The writer made a slip of the pen, misspelling the name of the protagonist. |
| Slip of the tongue | an unintentional mistake in speaking | She made a slip of the tongue, accidentally revealing the surprise party. |
| Square deal | fair and honest treatment | The company offered a square deal to all its employees, ensuring equal opportunities and fair wages. |
| Square meal | a substantial and satisfying meal | After a long day of work, he enjoyed a square meal of steak and potatoes. |
| Stand in the way of | obstruct or hinder | Procrastination can stand in the way of achieving success. |
| Steer clear of | avoiding or keeping away from | To maintain good health, it’s important to steer clear of junk food. |
| Stone’s throw | a short distance away | The grocery store was just a stone’s throw from his apartment. |
| Storm in a teacup | an overreaction to a small issue | The argument was just a storm in a teacup, and they soon made up. |
Use of T Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Take heart | to gain confidence | After a string of rejections, he took heart and continued to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. |
| Take to heart | to take something personally | She took his criticism of her artwork to heart and felt discouraged. |
| Take to one’s heels | to flee quickly | The children took to their heels when they saw the neighbourhood dog chasing them. |
| Take place | to occur | The meeting is scheduled to take place next Tuesday. |
| Take into account | to consider as important | When planning a vacation, it’s important to take into account the budget and time available. |
| Three R’s | basic literacy skills | Many schools in underdeveloped countries focus on teaching the three R’s. |
| To and fro | back and forth | She paced to and fro in her office, trying to come up with a solution to the problem. |
| Take to task | to criticize or reprimand | The boss took the employee to task for consistently arriving late to work. |
| Tooth and nail | strongly/ with fiercely | The protesters fought tooth and nail against the government’s decision. |
| Through thick and thin | to remain loyal through all difficulties | My best friend has always stood by me through thick and thin. |
| To a T | perfectly | This job suits him to a T. |
| To the backbone | completely | She is a feminist to the backbone and fights for women’s rights. |
| To the letter | precisely | The chef followed the recipe to the letter to ensure that the dish was perfect. |
| To the contrary | to express the opposite opinion | Despite what many people believe, to the contrary, cats can be trained. |
| Turn down | to reject | The company had to turn down several applicants due to a lack of experience. |
| Turning point | a critical moment | Graduating from college was a turning point in her life, as it marked the beginning of her career. |
Use of U Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Under the thumb | to be controlled by someone | She realized that she was under the thumb of her overbearing boss. |
| Up and doing | to be active and energetic | If you want to succeed in life, you must be up and doing. |
| Ups and downs | the highs and lows of life | Marriage is a journey with its ups and downs. |
| Under age | not yet of legal age | He couldn’t join the army because he was still under age. |
| Under lock and key | to be securely locked away | The jewelry was kept under lock and key in a safe. |
| Under consideration | to be reviewed or evaluated | The proposal is still under consideration by the board of directors. |
| Under the circumstances | considering the situation | Under the circumstances, it’s best to postpone the event. |
| Under one’s nose | happening in front of someone without their knowledge | The thief stole the purse right under the woman’s nose. |
| Up and down | hither and thither | The waves of the ocean were moving up and down. |
| Up-to-date | current and modern | It’s important to keep your skills up-to-date in today’s rapidly changing job market. |
Use of V Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Vexed question | a complex and much-debated issue | Climate change remains a vexed question among policymakers. |
Use of W Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Wild goose chase | an unsuccessful pursuit | Searching for the lost ring in the park proved to be a wild goose chase. |
| White elephant | an expensive and unprofitable possession | The luxurious yacht he bought turned out to be a white elephant. |
| Weal and woe | both joy and sorrow in life | The couple had experienced their fair share of weal and woe during their long marriage. |
| Widow’s mite | a small but meaningful contribution | The donation of a single dollar may seem small, but it can be a widow’s mite to someone in need. |
| With an eye | with a specific goal in mind | He invested his money with an eye towards retirement. |
| With a grain of salt | to be cautious and skeptical | to be cautious and sceptical |
| With a view to | with the intention of | She enrolled in college with a view to pursuing a career in medicine. |
| Without rhyme or reason | with no apparent cause or explanation | The sudden decision to cancel the event was without rhyme or reason. |
| Why and wherefore | the reasons or explanations behind something | The detective was determined to uncover the why and wherefore of the crime. |
| Well and good | satisfactory and acceptable | It’s well and good that you want to help, but we need a more concrete plan. |
Use of Y Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Yeoman’s service | diligent and valuable work | The volunteer organization provided yeoman’s service to the community after the natural disaster. |
Use of Z Idioms
| IDIOMS | MEANINGS | EXAMPLES |
| Zenith of power | the peak of one’s authority or influence | The president’s approval ratings were at the zenith of power after his successful foreign policy initiative. |
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Prefixes and Suffixes
Homophones and Homonyms
Active and Passive Voice
