100 Expressions Every Adult Should Know

100 Expressions Every Adult Should Know

No. Item Definition
1. A blessing in disguise Something beneficial that first seemed bad.
2. A dime a dozen Very common and easily found.
3. A piece of cake Something extremely easy.
4. A tough pill to swallow A difficult truth to accept.
5. Actions speak louder than words Deeds matter more than promises.
6. Add fuel to the fire Make a bad situation worse.
7. At the drop of a hat Immediately and without planning.
8. At your wit’s end Unable to think of another solution.
9. Back to square one Return to the starting point.
10. Barking up the wrong tree Following a mistaken course.
11. Beat around the bush Avoid discussing the main issue.
12. Bend over backward Try extremely hard to help.
13. Better late than never Delayed action is better than none.
14. Bite the bullet Face something difficult bravely.
15. Break the ice Make people feel more comfortable.
16. Burn the midnight oil Work late into the night.
17. Call it a day Stop working for now.
18. Clear the air Resolve tension through honest discussion.
19. Cost an arm and a leg Be extremely expensive.
20. Cry over spilled milk Regret something that cannot be changed.
21. Cut corners Save effort by ignoring proper standards.
22. Cut to the chase Get directly to the main point.
23. Don’t judge a book by its cover Appearances can be misleading.
24. Don’t put words in my mouth Do not misrepresent what I said.
25. Down to earth Practical, realistic, and approachable.
26. Draw the line Set a firm limit.
27. Easier said than done More difficult to do than describe.
28. Face the music Accept unpleasant consequences.
29. Get cold feet Become too nervous to proceed.
30. Get the ball rolling Start a process or activity.
31. Get your act together Become organized and behave responsibly.
32. Give someone the cold shoulder Deliberately ignore or reject someone.
33. Give the benefit of the doubt Choose to believe someone despite uncertainty.
34. Go the extra mile Make more effort than expected.
35. Go with the flow Accept events without resisting.
36. Hang in there Keep going despite difficulty.
37. Have a change of heart Change your opinion or feelings.
38. Have bigger fish to fry Have more important matters.
39. Have your hands full Be extremely busy.
40. Hit the nail on the head Identify something exactly right.
41. In hot water In trouble or facing criticism.
42. In over your head Facing something beyond your abilities.
43. In the long run Over an extended period.
44. It takes two to tango Both parties share responsibility.
45. Jump on the bandwagon Join something becoming popular.
46. Keep a low profile Avoid attracting attention.
47. Keep an eye on Watch or monitor carefully.
48. Keep something at bay Prevent something from approaching or worsening.
49. Keep your options open Avoid committing too early.
50. Kill two birds with one stone Achieve two goals with one action.
51. Know the ropes Understand how something works.
52. Leave no stone unturned Search or investigate everywhere.
53. Leave someone high and dry Abandon someone without help.
54. Leave well enough alone Avoid changing something already satisfactory.
55. Let sleeping dogs lie Avoid restarting an old conflict.
56. Let the cat out of the bag Accidentally reveal a secret.
57. Make a mountain of a molehill Exaggerate a minor problem.
58. Make ends meet Have enough money for necessities.
59. Miss the boat Lose an opportunity by waiting.
60. No pain, no gain Progress requires effort or discomfort.
61. No strings attached Without conditions or obligations.
62. Not my cup of tea Not something I enjoy.
63. Off the hook Free from responsibility or trouble.
64. Off the top of my head Without careful thought or preparation.
65. On the same page Sharing the same understanding.
66. On thin ice In a risky situation.
67. Once in a blue moon Very rarely.
68. Out of the blue Completely unexpectedly.
69. Play it by ear Respond without a fixed plan.
70. Practice what you preach Follow your own advice.
71. Pull someone’s leg Playfully deceive or tease someone.
72. Pull yourself together Regain control of your emotions.
73. Put all your eggs in one basket Risk everything on one plan.
74. Put your foot in your mouth Say something embarrassing or offensive.
75. Rain on someone’s parade Spoil someone’s pleasure or plans.
76. Read between the lines Find the hidden meaning.
77. Rome wasn’t built in a day Important work requires time.
78. Save for a rainy day Reserve money for future difficulties.
79. Scratch the surface Examine only the obvious aspects.
80. See eye to eye Agree completely.
81. Sit on the fence Avoid choosing between alternatives.
82. Speak of the devil The person discussed has appeared.
83. Steal someone’s thunder Take attention or credit from someone.
84. Take a rain check Postpone an invitation until later.
85. Take it with a grain of salt Treat it with some skepticism.
86. Take the bull by the horns Confront a difficulty directly.
87. The ball is in your court You must make the next decision.
88. The best of both worlds Benefits from two different situations.
89. The tip of the iceberg A small visible part of something larger.
90. Throw in the towel Admit defeat and stop trying.
91. Turn a blind eye Deliberately ignore something wrong.
92. Under the weather Feeling slightly ill.
93. Up in the air Still uncertain or undecided.
94. Up to speed Fully informed or performing adequately.
95. Wear your heart on your sleeve Show your emotions openly.
96. What goes around comes around Actions eventually bring similar consequences.
97. When pigs fly Something will never happen.
98. You can say that again I strongly agree.
99. You can’t have it both ways Two desired choices are incompatible.
100. Your guess is as good as mine I do not know either.