20 Must-Know Idioms for Daily English Conversation

Idioms are an essential part of any language, and English is no exception. English idioms make the language more mellow and enriched. In daily conversation, professional interaction, literature, and all conversational settings, idioms play the most authentic role. However, easy and simple idioms are always used. Ambiguous English idioms along with English words are always prohibited in conversation and spoken English. You can pursue online spoken English classes from reputable organizations where quality teachers are available.

Most Used 20 Idioms that Spoken English Classes Suggest

1. Break the ice

Explanation and example: doing or saying something so that the initial awkwardness gets relieved in any social setting, a conversation, or in front of strangers. Let’s have an example: “At the office party, the boss of the office told a funny joke to break the ice.”

2. Bite the bullet

Explanation and example: Doing something that you are not accustomed to or want to avoid from life.  Let’s have an example: “I didn’t want to go for a Biopsy test, but I had to bite the bullet.” I know it may deteriorate the cells from where the cells are taken for the test.

3. Beat around the bush

Explanation and example: The meaning of the idiom is to say or do something that is an irrelevant assumption about the topic of discussion. The speaker may not know the real matter of fact of the event but wants to share his idea about it.

Example: You do not know the way to Goa, and you are beating around the bush! It is quite funny!

4. Burn the midnight oil.

Meaning and Example: Staying awake for study or work is the meaning of the idiom burn the midnight oil.

An example of the idiom is: “Peter is burning the midnight oil because he has a vital examination tomorrow”.  This idiom is highly used when someone is working at night, and mainly used when students study at night till midnight or later. You can learn more idioms that you can use in everyday English if you are admitted to online spoken English classes.

5. Under the Weather

Meaning of the idiom and usage: “Under the weather” means to feel sick. If someone feels sick, they can use the idiom in the following way: “I am feeling under the weather from the last day and planning to visit the doctor tomorrow if the condition does not improve.” You can use it when you are not feeling well, feeling fatigued, feverish, cold coughing, etc.

6. Spill the beans

The meaning and usage: The meaning of “spill the beans” means to disclose a hidden secret about someone. Example: “Who spilled the beans to John about Mary’s affair?” The secret might be intentionally or unintentionally uttered by someone.

7. Hit the nail on the head.

Meaning and usage: The meaning of “hit the nail on the head” is to disclose what exactly happens or causes the situation to be problematic. Let’s have an example: “It seems to me that Denis has hit the nail on the head as he has told us the truth about the company for its lack of capital.”

8. Strike while the iron is hot.

Meaning and examples: The meaning of “strike while the iron is hot” means that you should do the right job when it should be done. If you have to teach courtesy, modesty, discipline, and all to a person, the best time is childhood when they are at the growing and evolving stage. It cannot be done when they are grown up and formed their false ideology.

On the other hand, striking while the iron is hot may also be used to take the benefit or offer from anywhere when it is available. In both cases, you can use the idiom.

For example: “Strike while the iron is hot, otherwise your kid will go to hell.” Again you can also say, “I have bought the mobile phone from Amazon at the lowest price as I have stricken while the iron is hot.” 

9. The ball is in someone’s court.

The idiom may form two directions: “The ball is in my court” and “The ball is in your court”. The idiom means that the situation is in someone’s favor to whom you are addressing. If the ball is in my court, I am lucky to make a decision against the situation. When the ball is in your court, you can make the decision for the next step as the situation is in your control.

Examples: At last, the ball is in my court and all their tricks have failed by the grace of god! Again, you can say, “The ball is in your court now, and regulate everything legally and loyally”.

10. Let the cat out of the bag.

Meaning and examples of the idiom: When the cat is out of the bag, it means that some secrets have come out unexpectedly or surprisingly.

Example: Suddenly, Emily lets the cat out of the bag. Now, there is no option for her without confessing.

11. A piece of cake

The meaning of the idiom is something easy to achieve. For example, you can take the following line. “I told you that training a dog is not a piece of cake.”

12. Cost an arm and a leg.

The meaning of “cost an arm and a leg” is achieving something which is highly expensive. Let’s see the example: Buying an Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max will cost an arm and a leg for me.

13. Throw in the towel

Throw in the towel is to stop trying to succumb to the danger as you have understood that your trial cannot bring success.

“The presidential nomination of MR ABC has now thrown in the towel.”  The sentence means that the presidential nomination of MR ABC has been rejected and there is no way out for hope. Learn similar idioms from FastInfo Class®, the best center for Online Spoken English Classes in India.  

14. A blessing in disguise

The meaning of a “blessing in disguise means” that something seems to be bad or unfortunate but it results in something good or blessing. Let’s give an example. “Losing the job was a blessing in disguise for me as I found a much better opportunity in a few days.”

15. Come Rain or Shine

The meaning of “come rain or shine” means that “whatever happens.”

Example in sentences: Come rain or shine, I will be yours. Come rain or shine, I’ll go to school on Monday.

16. Hit the sack

The meaning of the idiom is “to go to bed to sleep”. Let’s see it in sentences: I have to rise in the early morning tomorrow. So I think I should hit the sack.

17. By the skin of your teeth

By the skin of your teeth, you can only succeed in doing something. The example or the use of this idiom is as mentioned. You escaped from the hands of his mother by the skin of your teeth. You only just escaped for the time being.

18. Once in a blue moon

This means if the idiom “happens very rare.”  The example of the idiom in the sentence is, “They take meat once in a blue moon.”

19. See eye to eye

The meaning of the idiom is to be full agreement. The example of this idiom is, “I never see eye to eye with my parents.”

20. The early bird catches the worm

Meaning: The person who starts early becomes prosperous.

Example: If you want to get the favor of the minister, you have to visit him fast before your rival goes, the early bird catches the worm!

Another example: The principle of winning a battle is to hit a fist and diffuse your enemy. The early bird catches the worm!

You learned some most commonly used idioms that we use regularly while speaking. Contact FastInfo Class® to experience the best Online Spoken English Classes from the best teachers in India.