I’m curious.
Can you name five idioms at the drop of a hat?
I realize it might be asking you to bite off more than you can chew, but can you?
How about your kids?
No?
Folks, that’s simply not going to cut the mustard!
After all, idioms give character to language – using them in our language and writing is like killing two birds with one stone.
Though idioms can’t be explained by assessing the meaning of each of the individual words, they still expand our ability to communicate as clear as a bell.
Unfortunately, idioms are one of the reasons learning a new language can be so difficult.
The idioms you may be most familiar with are often directly related to where you grew up.
For instance, I’ve not once used the English idioms, “Bob’s your uncle” or “Do a Devon Loch.”
But, I regularly use other idioms, like “Man, she’s got a chip on her shoulder” or “Ugh, I’m sick as a dog.”
Sometimes idioms are heard through the grapevine in your specific areas of interest and social groups.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Thankfully, there is a wide array of online resources available for learning the meaning behind certain idioms, as well as learning new ones.
And that’s what we’re doing today.
For many of you, these will be familiar, but are they familiar to your kids?
Can they pick out the idiom’s meaning?
Use it in a sentence?
It’s time to stop sitting on the fence and find out!
Read these 25 idioms aloud to your kids and see how many they recognize or can explain.
1. A Hot Potato
Meaning: a situation or issue that is difficult, unpleasant, or risky to deal with.
Example: He dropped that topic like a hot potato.
2. At the drop of a hat
Meaning: without any hesitation, delay or planning; for no obvious reason.
Example: He was always ready to go fishing at the drop of a hat.
3. Bob’s your uncle
Meaning: ironic expression of something easily done, taking little time; there you have it, as if by magic.
Example: Put it in the oven for 20 minutes and Bob’s your uncle, your dinner will be done.
4. Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth
Meaning: one born into a wealthy family of high social standing.
Example: She can afford to go to medical school; she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
5. Bought the farm
Meaning: to die, usually in an accident or in military action.
Example: He nearly bought the farm during a frontal assault against the enemy.
6. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: to work, study, etc., until late into the night.
Example: College students frequently burn the midnight oil while studying for semester exams.
7. Can’t do [something] to save one’s life
Meaning: one is extremely bad at doing [something].
Example: The poor girl couldn’t hold a note to save her life.
8. Chew the fat
Meaning: chat or gossip in a leisurely way, especially at length.
Example: Sit yourself down and let’s chew the fat for a while.
9. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: to be unhappy about what cannot be undone.
Example: The car is ruined and that’s too bad, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk.
10. Cut the mustard
Meaning: to meet expectations; reach a required standard.
Example: Though I practiced, I couldn’t cut the mustard as a professional hockey player.
11. Do a Devon Loch
Meaning: to fail when one is very close to winning.
Example: Sheila did a Devon Loch in the last minutes of the match.
12. I’ll eat my hat
Meaning: used to indicate that one thinks the specified thing is extremely unlikely to happen.
Example: If she actually marries that guy, I’ll eat my hat.
13. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride
Meaning: if you could achieve your aims simply by wishing for them, life would be very easy.
Example: Wendy would love a brand-new car for her sixteenth birthday but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
14. It takes two to tango
Meaning: both parties involved in a bad situation or argument are responsible for it.
Example: She may want to argue, but it takes two to tango, and I won’t stoop to her level.
15. Keep something or someone at bay
Meaning: prevent someone or something from approaching or having an effect.
Example: He needed to keep the bill collectors at bay until his next paycheck.
16. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake.
Example: The child let the cat out of the bag about the surprise birthday party.
17. A leopard can’t change his spots
Meaning: the idea that a person’s character, especially if it is bad, will not change, even if they feign it will.
Example: I doubt very much that prison time will change Sam for the better. A leopard doesn’t change its spots.
18. Method to my madness
Meaning: a purpose or plan behind a person’s inexplicable behavior.
Example: What I’m doing may look strange, but I assure you there’s a method to my madness.
19. Not a spark of decency
Meaning: one who has no manners; lacks decency.
Example: He is two hours late for dinner. That boy doesn’t have a spark of decency in him.
20. Not playing with a full deck
Meaning: one who is mentally deficient or lacking in intellectual ability.
Example: Ever since she fell and hit her head, Jane’s hasn’t been playing with a full deck.
21. Pot calling the kettle black
Meaning: one should not criticize another person for a fault they have themselves.
Example: Elliot accused me of being selfish. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
22. Steal someone’s thunder
Meaning: to win praise by lessening someone’s recognition, force or authority.
Example: Someone stole my thunder by leaking my announcement to the press.
23. Take with a grain of salt
Meaning: to view something with skepticism, or not to take it literally.
Example: When grandma tells stories about her past, you should take what she says with a grain of salt.
24. Straight from the horse’s mouth.
Meaning: from an authoritative or dependable source.
Example: I know it’s true! I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth!
25. Turn a blind eye
Meaning: to ignore something and pretend you do not see it.
Example: The usher turned a blind eye to the little boy who sneaked into the theater.
Sources
Another reason idioms can be fun (or frustrating, depending on your perspective) is that they often go against the logical rules of grammar.
Personally, I like intentionally breaking the rules on occasion.
And sometimes (okay, fine…regularly), I break them unintentionally.
What are some of your favorite idioms? Use the comments to tell us their meaning or, even better, use them in a sentence.
Heather Sanders helps moms pursue their passions and earn an income while staying home with their kids. If you want to raise your children while contributing to your family financially and following your dreams, subscribe to her blog now.