{"id":5633,"date":"2021-06-23T00:00:34","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T00:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/?p=5633"},"modified":"2021-07-27T10:22:53","modified_gmt":"2021-07-27T10:22:53","slug":"idioms-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/idioms-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Speak Like a Briton: 8 Idioms and Their Meaning to Boost Your Career"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Do British people realise you\u2019re not a native speaker of English as soon as you start talking? Don\u2019t worry. That doesn\u2019t mean you have a terrible level\u00a0of English. Actually, it might mean you speak <em>too <\/em>well.<\/p>\n<p>One of the things that often give foreign people away is how formal they sound when they\u2019re speaking in English. Luckily, all you have to do to avoid this is memorising a few idioms and their meaning.<\/p>\n<p>But before we get started\u2026<\/p>\n<div style=\"border-style: solid; border-radius: 5px; border-color: #fb804c; max-inline-size: 400px; margin: auto;\">\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 20px; text-align: center; margin: 20px;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Table of Contents<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"margin:20px; list-style-position: inside\">\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><a href=\"#what_is_an_idiom\"><\/p>\n<li>What Is an Idiom?<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><a href=\"#our_favourite_idioms\"><\/p>\n<li>Our Favourite Idioms<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<\/ul>\n<ol style=\"margin:20px; list-style-position: inside\">\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#hold_your_horses\"><\/p>\n<li>Hold your horses<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#cool_as_a_cucumber\"><\/p>\n<li>Cool as a cucumber<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#kick_the_bucket\"><\/p>\n<li>Kick the bucket<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#dead_as_a_doornail\"><\/p>\n<li>Dead as a doornail<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#all_greek_to_me\"><\/p>\n<li>It\u2019s all Greek to me<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#pardon_my_french\"><\/p>\n<li>Pardon my French<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#thick_as_thieves\"><\/p>\n<li>Thick as thieves<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"font-size: 14px; margin-left: 25px;\"><a href=\"#pot_calling_the_kettle_black\"><\/p>\n<li>Pot calling the kettle black<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<\/ol>\n<ul style=\"margin:20px; list-style-position: inside\">\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><a href=\"#important_learn_idioms_meaning\"><\/p>\n<li>\nWhy is it so important to learn idioms and their meaning?<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><a href=\"#how_to_learn_idioms\"><\/p>\n<li>\nHow to Learn Idioms<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/h2>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 22px; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/english\">Sound more natural in English with the help of our qualified native teachers! Explore our courses.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"what_is_an_idiom\"><\/a>What Is an Idiom?<\/h2>\n<p>Idioms are expressions that take on a metaphorical\u00a0meaning when certain words are put together, a meaning that is different from the literal sense of the individual words.<\/p>\n<p>These expressions, whose meaning can go from very transparent to somewhat obscure, might make sense in a specific culture but not in another one, so it\u2019s very important not to translate idioms from your own language and try to learn English idioms instead.<\/p>\n<p>In Spanish, for example, people use the expression <em><i>pan <\/i><\/em><em><i>comido<\/i><\/em>\u00a0(eaten bread) to say that something is extremely easy. However, if you say that riding a bike is eaten bread in English people will look at you as if you\u2019re mad. Instead, you should look for English idioms with a similar meaning. For example, you can say that something is \u201ca piece of cake\u201d to express the same thing.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"our_favourite_idioms\"><\/a>Our Favourite\u00a0Idioms<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"hold_your_horses\"><\/a>1. Hold your horses<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: wait a moment; don\u2019t be impatient<\/p>\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<p>- Why is she not answering? Should I send her another message? What do I do?<\/p>\n<p>- You matched her 3 minutes ago. Hold your horses, okay? Otherwise, she\u2019ll think you\u2019re a freak.<u><\/u><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"cool_as_a_cucumber\"><\/a>2. Cool as a cucumber<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: calm and controlled, especially in situations in which most people would be nervous.<\/p>\n<p>Example: Jack was as cool as a cucumber during his final exam. He even managed to make a few jokes. That bit might have been a bit <em>too <\/em>cool, though.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"kick_the_bucket\"><\/a>3. Kick the bucket<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: to die.<\/p>\n<p>Example: Most people want to travel the world before they kick the bucket, but at the rate we\u2019re going, maybe I should wish for something else.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"dead_as_a_doornail\"><\/a>4. Dead as a doornail<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: completely devoid of life.<\/p>\n<p>Example:\u00a0Darling, when are you going to get rid of these poor roses? I mean, look at them, they\u2019re dead as\u00a0a\u00a0doornail. It makes me depressed just to look at them.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5647\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5647\" class=\"wp-image-5647 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/selective-focus-shot-wilted-flower-min-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Wilted flower exemplifying the meaning of the idiom &quot;kick the bucket&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/selective-focus-shot-wilted-flower-min-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/selective-focus-shot-wilted-flower-min-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/selective-focus-shot-wilted-flower-min-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/selective-focus-shot-wilted-flower-min-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/selective-focus-shot-wilted-flower-min-2048x1367.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-5647\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/photos\/flower\">Flower photo created by wirestock - www.freepik.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"all_greek_to_me\"><\/a>5. It\u2019s\u00a0all Greek to me<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: something that is hard to comprehend.<\/p>\n<p>Example: I swear I\u2019ve tried to learn Bridge, but I can\u2019t. Every time someone tries to explain the rules my mind goes blank. It\u2019s all Greek to me.<u><\/u><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56%; position: relative;\"><iframe class=\"giphy-embed\" style=\"position: absolute;\" src=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/embed\/BBkKEBJkmFbTG\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/stupid-homer-simpson-monkey-BBkKEBJkmFbTG\">via GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"pardon_my_french\"><\/a>6. Pardon my French<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: said jokingly as an apology for using bad language.<\/p>\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis beer is great, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>*burps* \u201cIt is. Pardon my French, though\u201d.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"thick_as_thieves\"><\/a>7. Thick as thieves<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: very close friends<\/p>\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<p>- D\u2019you know who I saw together today? Martin and Dave.<\/p>\n<p>- What!? Didn\u2019t they use to hate each other\u2019s guts?<\/p>\n<p>- Not anymore it seems. In fact, they looked thick as thieves.<u><\/u><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"pot_calling_the_kettle_black\"><\/a>8. Pot calling the kettle black<\/h3>\n<p>Meaning: be critical with someone for the kind of mistakes you\u2019re also guilty of.<\/p>\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<p>- What? He\u2019s already dating? But we broke up two weeks ago!<\/p>\n<p>- Well, at least <em>he <\/em>waited <em>two <\/em>weeks. Gosh, Suzanne. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 22px; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/english\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Take a Free Trial English Class and learn idioms with a qualified native teacher!<\/a><b><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"important_learn_idioms_meaning\"><\/a>Why is it so important to learn idioms and their meaning?<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin: 20px; list-style-position: inside; font-size: 14px;\">\n<li>Idioms allow you to express your ideas in a new way.<\/li>\n<li>They help you sound more \u201cnative-like\u201d, which in turn boosts your confidence.<\/li>\n<li>They make your exchanges funnier,more\u00a0colourful, and more natural.<\/li>\n<li>They improve your social interactions as they help you to show natives that you understand the cultural nuances behind the usage of English words.<\/li>\n<li>Idioms are rapidly replacing literal expressions. For example, the phrase \u201cspill the tea\u201d, which means \u201cto share gossip\/information with someone\u201d has undergone an impressive boost in recent years. How impressive exactly? Well, take a look at the graphic below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5634 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Picture1.png\" alt=\"Graphic exemplifying how popular idioms are\" width=\"1202\" height=\"592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Picture1.png 1202w, https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Picture1-300x148.png 300w, https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Picture1-1024x504.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Picture1-768x378.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1202px) 100vw, 1202px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"how_to_learn_idioms\"><\/a>How to Learn Idioms<\/h2>\n<p>When it comes to learning vocabulary, the best thing to do is follow a three-step approach.<\/p>\n<ol style=\"margin: 20px; list-style-position: inside; font-size: 14px;\">\n<li>First of all, you need to hear a new idiom.<\/li>\n<li>Once you\u2019ve come into contact with it, write it down. When we learn a language, we discover new words and phrases every day, so unless you find a way to make target expressions memorable, you are likely to forget them soon.<\/li>\n<li>Finally, use it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>After all, that\u2019s what we learn languages for, right? If you want an expression to become part of your repertoire, you have to be constantly on the prowl for new contexts in which to use the language you\u2019ve learnt. Find a penfriend, go to Omegle, use Tinder Passport, do whatever you need to do but make sure you put those idioms into use!<\/p>\n<p>Useful ideas to memorise\u00a0idioms and their meaning:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin: 20px; list-style-position: inside; font-size: 14px;\">\n<li>Keep a diary of idioms and sort them into different categories based on the kind of situations in which you can use them.<\/li>\n<li>Study the context, not just the meaning. This will help you understand how and when to use idioms.<\/li>\n<li>Visualise them. Try to connect idioms to a visual. You can even keep cards for your favourite ones.<\/li>\n<li>Explore the origins of idioms and their meaning. It might seem like a lot of work, but knowing the history of idioms, how they came to mean what they mean in a specific culture, will make them much more memorable for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Do you want to learn more about English idioms and how to use them? Then <a href=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/contact\"><u>contact us on our website<\/u><\/a>. We\u2019ll pair you up with a native English tutor who\u2019ll be delighted to teach you everything there is to know about informal language and how you can use them to sound just like a native.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 22px; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/english\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Take a Free Trial English Class and learn idioms with a qualified native teacher!<\/a><b><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do British people realise you\u2019re not a native speaker of English as soon as you start talking? Don\u2019t worry. That doesn\u2019t mean you have a terrible level\u00a0of English. Actually, it might mean you speak too well. One of the things that often give foreign people away is how formal they sound when they\u2019re speaking in(\u2026)<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12 text-right\">\n\t \t\t\t\t<a class=\"btn btn-primary btn-xs\" href=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/idioms-meaning\/\">CONTINUE READING &raquo;<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":5634,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[896],"tags":[142],"class_list":["post-5633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","tag-idioms"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Speak Like a Briton: 8 Idioms and Their Meaning to Boost Your Career - Listen &amp; Learn<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One of the things that often give foreign people away is how formal they sound when they\u2019re speaking in English. 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