Idioms

Front 1

once in a blue moon.

Back 1

Happening very rarely
He comes round to see me once in a blue moon.

Front 2

jumping the gun

Back 2

Doing or starting something too early
You are taking your IELTS test next week?? Aren’t you jumping the gun. You’ve only just started studying.

Front 3

over the moon

Back 3

Extremely pleased or happy
I was over the moon when he asked me to marry him.

Front 4

an arm and a leg

Back 4

Very expensive

It cost me an arm and a leg to take my trip to Australia.

Front 5

with flying colors

Back 5

Easily and excellently.
John passed his geometry test with flying colors. Sally qualified for the race with flying colors.
With great success She took a driving test and passed with flying colors. My brother always managed to get through his courses, although not always with flying colors.
Etymology: based on the small and colorful flags flown (hung in the wind) on boats and ships in a race or when coming into port

Front 6

on cloud nine

Back 6

very happy. After Josie got a perfect score in math, she was on cloud nine.

Front 7

to put two and two together

Back 7

to figure something out.
The kitchen door was open and the cake was gone. I put two and two together and realized Tom had eaten the cake.

Front 8

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Back 8

You can present someone with an opportunity, but you cannot force him or her to take advantage of it.
I told Katy about all the jobs that are available at our company, but she hasn't applied for any of them. Jane: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Front 9

put (something) on the back burner

Back 9

To establish something as being a low priority; to give something less or little thought or attention; to postpone, suspend, or hold off on doing something.
I'm going to be putting work stuff on the back burner for a while once my son is born. I think we should put painting the house on the back burner until we decide on what furniture we want to buy.

Front 10

out of the blue also out of a clear blue sky

Back 10

happening suddenly and unexpectedly
Then one day, completely out of the blue, I had a letter from her. The attack came out of a clear blue sky.

Front 11

a piece of cake

Back 11

Very easy
I reckon getting a band 7 in IELTS will be a piece of cake! I’m very good at English.

Front 12

a drop in the ocean

Back 12

A very small part of something much bigger
The money sent by comic relief to help poverty in Africa is just a drop in the ocean. They need far more than this.

Front 13

a blessing in disguise

Back 13

Something positive that isn’t recognized until later
Getting a low score the first time I took IELTS was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to study extremely hard so I got a much better score the next time.

Front 14

Actions speak louder than words.

Back 14

It’s better to actually do something rather than just talking about it
We have to actually do something about global warming. Actions speak louder than words.

Front 15

It's a small world.

Back 15

Meeting someone you would not have expected to
I bumped into Jenny in town the other day. It's a small world.

Front 16

at the drop of a hat

Back 16

immediately; instantly;suddenly, without any planning and for no obvious reason
John was always ready to go fishing at the drop of a hat. If you need help, just call on me. I can come at the drop of a hat.

Front 17

in the same boat (as someone)

Back 17

in the same situation; having the same problem. (*Typically: be ~; get [into]~.)
Tom: I'm broke. Can you lend me twenty dollars? Bill: Sorry. I'm in the same boat.
Jane and Mary are both in the same boat. They have been called for jury duty.

Front 18

a shot in the dark

Back 18

an attempt to do something without knowing much about it
When I applied for the scholarship, it was just a shot in the dark – I had no idea how important and competitive it was.

Front 19

eat one's hat

Back 19

a phrase telling the kind of thing that one would do if a very unlikely event really happens.
If we get there on time, I'll eat my hat. I'll eat my hat if you get a raise. He said he'd eat his hat if she got elected.

Front 20

a cut above somebody/something

Back 20

better than other people or things
The songs on his new album are definitely a cut above the ones on his last CD.

Front 21

eat humble pie

Back 21

to be forced to admit that you are wrong and to say you are sorry
The producers of the advert had to eat humble pie and apologize for misrepresenting the facts.

Front 22

rock the boat

Back 22

to cause trouble where none is welcome; to disturb a situation that is otherwise stable and satisfactory. (Often negative.)
Look, Tom, everything is going fine here. Don't rock the boat! You can depend on Tom to mess things up by rocking the boat.

Front 23

head over heels (in love)

Back 23

to be in love with someone very much
It's obvious that they're head over heels in love with each other. Usage notes: often used with fall to describe the beginning of a relationship: They met at a nightclub and instantly fell head over heels for one another.