Essential English Idioms for ESL Students

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Under the weather

If someone is described as being ‘under the weather‘, it means they are not feeling well. This idiom can refer to either sickness or tiredness and it originates from old sailing ships, where logs would be kept of the number of unwell passengers. If the number of sick people on board exceeded the amount of space in the log, they would be listed in the space reserved for making notes about the weather conditions instead.

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Funny Idioms

The lights are on, but no one’s home

Usually utilised as a funny but derogatory expression, ‘the lights are on, but no one’s home‘ is a description of somebody who is stupid, void of common sense, or lacking awareness at the present time. It is a ****phor, implying that while someone seems like they are alert and awake from the outside, they are mentally vacant in some way. It could be roughly translated to saying that somebody has a brain, but is not actually using it.

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Excuse my French

The purpose of this idiom is to excuse the use of a swear word. It can be said either before the swear word (‘excuse my French, but…’) or after the swear word has been said. It has been used since the 19th century and is intended to be comedic, seeking to excuse foul ******** by implying that the word in question is actually foreign.

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You’ve twisted my arm

To somebody unfamiliar with this phrase, it may seem to suggest physical harm has been caused. In actual fact, if someone has ‘twisted your arm‘, it means they have successfully convinced you to do something that you may have been reluctant to do. It tends to suggest an element of coercion, or peer pressure.

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Unusual Idioms

The cat’s got your tongue?

Sometimes said as the slightly longer ‘What’s the matter? The cat’s got your tongue?’, this idiom is used to prompt a person to speak, especially if they are being unusually quiet. It is a somewhat strange expression and the first known appearance of it in writing comes from the 19th century, at which point it was said to be a “children’s phrase”. Various origin stories have been suggested over the years, but all are speculative.

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A different kettle of fish

Similar to saying ‘that’s a different story altogether‘, the idiom ‘a different kettle of fish‘ is used to refer to an alternative idea or situation. It is primarily used in Britain, but despite the country’s fondness for tea, the ‘kettle’ in question here is not a tea-kettle. Instead, it refers to a long saucepan, used to **** salmon. It is not known how this became an idiom, but an American *****alent would be ‘a whole new ball game’.

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And Bob’s your uncle

Another unusual expression, which is generally used at the end of a series of instructions, ‘and Bob’s your uncle‘ is comparable to the French phrase ‘et voilà!‘. Again, the origins of the idiom are unknown, but can be thought of as meaning ‘and there you have it’, or ‘it is as simple as that’. Very rarely, and almost always for comedic effect, you may hear someone say ‘Robert is your mother’s brother’ instead.

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A storm in a teacup

‘A storm in a teacup‘ is another British idiom, describing a small problem which has been blown out of proportion. Its origins date to the Latin writings of Cicero more than 2,000 years ago, in which he described something as ‘stirring up billows in a ladle’. Many countries have *****alent idioms – in French, there is an idiom which translates to ‘storm in a glass of water’, while American English features the phrase ‘a tempest in a teapot’.

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To Be Skating On Thin Ice

‘To be doing something that is dangerous/risky’

They already made one mistake! They're really skating on thin ice here.

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To Have The Upper Hand

‘To have or gain advantage or control over someone or something’

We should act now, while we've still got the upper hand.

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The Rat Race

‘A way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power’

I'm really sick of the rat race. I need to leave my job in London and move to the country.

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A Ballpark Figure

‘A rough numerical approximation’

Can you give us a ballpark figure of how much this is going to cost?.

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To Think Outside The Box

‘Think in an original or creative way’

If we want to keep increasing our sales, we need to start thinking outside the box.

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At The Cutting Edge

‘The most modern stage of development in a particular type of work or activity’

This technology is really at the cutting edge: I've seen nothing like it!

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A Glass Ceiling

‘An unacknowledged barrier to advancement in a profession, especially affecting women and members of minorities’

Jennifer felt she'd hit a glass ceiling at work; all of her male counterparts had been promoted, but she was still a junior employee.