Idioms and their Origins

Idioms and their Origins

Introduction:

An idiom is a phrase with a figurative meaning that can't be understood just knowing the meaning of the 

words inside the phrase. It is a form of expression in one language that expresses eloquent and meaningful 

sense.

Definition:

“A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the 

individual words.” For instance, the words A – B – C, do not have a complete sense but on the contrary,

the expression ABC (basic knowledge of something) have a sense. Same is the case blue is the color and 

stocking stands for a sock., both having different meanings but if we write the expression Bluestocking,

its mean an intellectual and literary woman. All these examples validate the definition.

Why do we use idioms?

Language needs idioms like food needs flavor. You can speak in simple, declarative sentences, but your 

prose will be as flat as a pancake. Look, an idiomatic simile!

Let’s start the list.

1. Play it by ear

Meaning: Playing something by ear means that rather than sticking to a defined plan, you will see how 

things go and decide on a course of action as you go along.

Example: “I am not sure whether my plan will work or not, so let just play it by ear.”

Origin: This saying has its origins in music, as “playing something by ear” means to play music without 

reference to the notes on a page. This sense of the phrase dates back to the 16th century.

Sentences:

1. Let's play it by ear.

2. In this game, you have to play it by ear sometimes.

3. Ali doesn't like to make plans. He prefers to play it by ear.

2. Raining cats and dogs

Meaning: it is derived from Britain. British are known for our obsession with the uncertain weather

conditions. Its literal meaning is too much heavy rain or torrential rain outside.

Example: “Listen to that rain!” “It’s raining cats and dogs!”

Origin: The expression might have its origin in Norse mythology, medieval superstitions, the outdated 

word Catadupe (waterfall), or dead animals in the streets of Great Britain being picked up by rainstorm 

waters. There is one idea which fits with this idiom, when it rains heavily it feels like something heavier 

is hitting on your umbrella, like pets, cats and dogs are falling.

Sentences:

1. When we were returning after the picnic, it was raining cats and dogs.

2. I can’t drive the car now, it’s raining cats and dogs.

Lecture 2 Functional English Prof. Raja Faseeh

Prof. Raja Faseeh Rajadawood09@gmail.com

3. The July and August months are very humid in Pakistan and when the Monsoon comes it rains

cats and dogs.

3. Cry over spilled milk:

Meaning: This phrase means to cry about past events that cannot be undone or to be upset about past 

misfortunes

Example: “It’s no use crying over spilled milk – it was a bad experience”

Origin: The phrase is quite an old one but the origin is not very clear. In its present form, it has been in 

use since the late 1800s.

Sentences:

1. Ayesha was unable to accept the reality of her divorce. She was crying over spilled milk.

2. The school trip had been a disaster. It was no use crying over spilled milk.

4. Turn a blind eye

Meaning: To “turn a blind eye” phrase means to deliberately overlook or to intentionally ignore 

something.

Example: “She took one of the cookies, but I turned a blind eye.”

Origin: Interestingly, this expression is said to have arisen as a result of the famous English naval hero 

Admiral Horatio Nelson, who, during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, is alleged to have deliberately 

raised his telescope to his blind eye, thus ensuring that he would not see any signal from his superior 

giving him the discretion to withdraw from the battle. The phrase that we use today is a shortened version 

of the original to turn the deaf ear and the blind eye.

Sentences:

1. As a police officer, you cannot turn a blind eye to any of the illegal activities around you.

2. The principal decided to turn a blind eye to the student’s misconduct this time with a hope that 

they won’t do it again.

5. A Piece of cake

Meaning: the phrase literally means to very simple work or effortlessly prepared or done. We can also 

use it for a simple job that can straightforwardly be accomplished

Example: “Once I've done that, it's a piece of cake.”

Origin: It is believed that this phrase was invented in the 1870s during slavery in the southern states of 

America. As part of a dance or celebration organized by slave owners, black slaves would compete in 

‘cakewalks’. The piece of cake that was awarded as the prize to the best couple/team, came to be known 

among the blacks as something very easy to obtain.

Sentences:

1. Bicycling is a piece of cake.

2. Once I've done that, it's a piece of cake.

3. The exam paper was a piece of cake.

Lecture 2 Functional English Prof. Raja Faseeh

Prof. Raja Faseeh Rajadawood09@gmail.com

4. You can have a piece of cake after you've eaten your vegetables!

5. The exam was a piece of cake.

6. Pot calling the kettle black

Meaning: We use this expression to refer to someone who criticizes someone else, for something they

themselves are guilty of.

Example: “You’re greedy.” “Pot calling the kettle black?”

Origin: This expression has its origins in the Medieval kitchen when both pots and kettles were made 

from sturdy cast iron and both would get black with soot from the open fire.

Sentences:

1. I can’t believe that you are upset because I was late. That is the pot calling the kettle black.

2. Bilal called me a liar! That is the pot calling the kettle black.

3. “How can you blame me like that? huh! Pot calling the kettle black.”

7. Blessing in disguise

Meaning: The phrase refers to the misfortune which turns out to have advantages or good outcome from 

the evil situation.

Example: “Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him as it forced him to plunge into 

business.

Origin: This phrase originated in the mid-1700s. The earliest usage in print was in the 1746 book 

“Reflections on a Flower-Garden” by James Hervey.

Sentences:

1. The crash was a blessing in disguise for Shah Rukh.

2. Be positive, this could be a blessing in disguise, use the time gained wisely.

3. His illness became a blessing in disguise when he married his nurse.

8. Head in the clouds

Meaning: Used to describe someone who is not being realistic, the expression “head in the clouds” 

suggests that the person isn’t grounded in reality and is prone to flights of fancy. The opposite expression 

would be something like “down to earth”, meaning someone who is practical and realistic.

Example: “He’s not right for this role, he has his head in the clouds.”

Origin: In use since the mid-1600s, the origins of this expression are unclear beyond the obvious imagery 

of someone who is a bit of a fantasist.

Sentences:

1. A good artist should have his head in the clouds sometimes, but his feet always on the ground.

2. He seemed to have his head in the clouds, to be living in a dream of gold.

3. This time she is having her head in the clouds.

9. Taste of own medicine

Meaning: This phrase means when someone gets the same bad treatment that he has been giving others. 

So, its shows a sample of the unpleasantness that someone has been giving others

Lecture 2 Functional English Prof. Raja Faseeh

Prof. Raja Faseeh Rajadawood09@gmail.com

Example: “Don’t be abusive to others. You won’t like it when you get a taste of your own medicine.

Origin: This origin of this phrase can be found in one of Aesop’s fables. It is about a swindler (cheater) 

who sells fake medicine, claiming that it cures anything. When he himself falls ill, people give him his 

own medicine, which he knows will not cure him.

Sentences:

1. The players of that team were hurling abuses at their opponents, but they didn’t like it when they 

got a taste of their own medicine from the fans.

2. He is always late for appointments and keeps people waiting, so we decided to give him a taste of

his own medicine.

3. If he doesn’t change his behavior by reasoning, he’s going to get a taste of his own medicine.

10. Bone of contention

Meaning: This phrase means the main subject of a dispute or the subject of argument or disagreement. So 

it’s something that people have been arguing about for a long period of time

Example: “Kashmir is the bone of contention between India and Pakistan.”

Origin: The phrase used to be “a bone of dissension”. Dissension means “a disagreement that leads to 

discord”. The idiom can be related to two dogs fighting over the last bone. This bone would then be the 

reason that they are fighting. Neither is willing to give up their side and thus the fight is ongoing.

Sentences:

1. The main bone of contention is the temperature level of the air-conditioners.

2. The examination system has long been a serious bone of contention in this country.

3. Where to go on holiday is always a bone of contention in our family.

4. The property left by their father was a bone of contention between the brothers.

11. Hit the bull’s eye

Meaning: Literally, to hit the circle in the center of a target., to achieve the goal perfectly.

Example: “Farhan really hit the bull's eye with the right answer.

Origin: The round black center of a target has been called a bull's eye

Sentences:

1. Only one bullet hit the bull's eye.

2. Five of his bullets had hit the bull's eye.

3. Your idea really hit the bull's eye.

12. Costs an arm and a leg

Meaning: This phrase means something very expensive or costing a lot of money

Example: “This dress is really nice, but it cost me an arm and a leg.”

Origin: This is an American phrase, coined sometime after World War II. Probable reference is to 

soldiers who had lost their limbs in the war, thus having to pay a very high price for the war.

Sentences:

Lecture 2 Functional English Prof. Raja Faseeh

Prof. Raja Faseeh Rajadawood09@gmail.com

1. The show is excellent, but the tickets cost an arm and a leg.

2. He really wants to go to that event. He’s willing to pay an arm and a leg for it.

3. I went to the auction but didn’t pick up anything. Everything cost an arm and a leg.

4. This resort lets you experience luxury without having to pay an arm and a leg.

13. Know the ropes

Meaning: This phrase means to know all the ways and means to get something done, the acquaintance of 

all possible means is said to know the ropes

Example: “She is well experienced and knows the ropes to get anything done.”

Origin: This phrase has its origins in the golden age of sailing when understanding how to handle the 

ropes necessary to operate a ship and its sails was an essential maritime skill. By the mid-19th century, it 

was a common slang expression, and it survives to this day. It is also said that the origination is from the 

world of theatre where ropes bring the curtains up and down.

Sentences:

1. Because Ali was new, he didn’t know the ropes.

2. If you're in the pool, you must know the ropes.

3. The job is easy after you know the ropes.

14. Hit the hay/sack

Meaning: This phrase is all about sleeping. It’s mean to go to bed or to go to sleep.

Example: “I am really tired after all that exercise. I am going to hit the sack.”

Origin: This phrase originated in America around the late 1800s to early 1900s, when mattresses used to 

consist of old sacks filled with hay or straw.

Sentences:

1. He wanted to hit the sack and did not feel like going out to party with his friends.

2. They’ve already hit the sack as they have to catch an early morning flight tomorrow.

3. This job is really sucking the life out of me. I haven’t hit the sack in nearly twenty-four hours.

15. Stab in the back

Meaning: to deceive or betray someone who trusted you, an unfaithful act that causes a big loss of one’s 

reputation, money or happiness.

Example: “I believed that she was my friend. I can’t believe that she stabbed me in the back.

Origin: The term originated in Germany just after World War I. The German army felt that they had 

been betrayed by the politicians who signed The Treaty of Versailles. It was clear by this point that they 

were no match for the other side and defeat was inevitable. However, the army did not believe this and 

blamed the Jewish politicians for their loss. The story was perpetuated by Adolf Hitler when he was 

rising to power.

Sentences:

1. Filing a false case of domestic violence against her husband was a stab in the back.

2. Such a vicious lie could be nothing but a stab in the back.

3. Mr. Ashir's malicious remark is a stab in the back.

Lecture 2 Functional English Prof. Raja Faseeh

Prof. Raja Faseeh Rajadawood09@gmail.com

4. He denounced the defection as a stab in the back.

16. “Takes two to tango”

Meaning: this phrase means you mean that a situation or argument involves two people and they are both 

therefore responsible for it.

Example: If you want to play that game, you need a partner who will play with you. It takes two to tango.

Origin: The phrase refers to the South American dance tango, which requires two partners to perform. It 

originated in a 1952 song Takes Two to Tango by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning and gained popularity 

subsequently as an expression. 

Sentences:

1. Don’t blame me for the argument. It takes two to tango! You are equally responsible.

2. We will never reach an agreement unless we sit down for a discussion. It takes two to tango.

3. The bill will never be passed unless both parties bury their differences and work out a compromise 

– it takes two to tango.

17. Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: If someone is “barking up the wrong tree”, they are pursuing a line of thought or course of 

action that is misguided.

Example: “I’m certain that he was responsible.” “I think you’re barking up the wrong tree. He was 

elsewhere at the time.”

Origin: The saying refers to a dog barking at the bottom of a tree under the mistaken impression that its 

quarry is up to it, suggesting that the phrase has its origins in hunting. The earliest known uses of the 

phrase date back to the early 19th century.

Sentences:

1. If you think that, you're barking up the wrong tree altogether.

2. You're barking up the wrong tree if you're expecting us to lend you any money.

3. The police spent three months barking up the wrong tree on the murder investigation.

4. Could he once again be barking up the wrong tree?

5. You're barking up the wrong tree if you think Fasial can help you.

18. Bite off more than you can chew

Meaning: If you “bite off more than you can chew”, you have taken on a project or task that is beyond 

what you are capable of.

Example: “I bit off more than I could chew by taking on that extra class.”

Origin: This saying dates back to 1800s America, when people often chewed tobacco. Sometimes the 

chewer would put into their mouth more than they could fit; it’s quite self-explanatory!

Sentences:

1. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

2. By accepting two part-time jobs, he is clearly biting off more than he can chew.

3. It feels like I bit off more than I could chew when I promised to complete this worksheet in one 

day.

Lecture 2 Functional English Prof. Raja Faseeh

Prof. Raja Faseeh Rajadawood09@gmail.com

19. Blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning: “Blowing one’s own trumpet” means to boast about one’s own achievements.

Example: “Without meaning to blow my own trumpet, I came top of the class.”

Origin: Important men in the medieval times would have a herald share story of their greatness. The 

process would start by the blowing of a horn, which has over time converted to a trumpet.

Sentences:

1. The crew tried to blow their own trumpet but the manager did not buy their story.

2. I hate people who are always blowing their own trumpet.

3. She got into the political party just by blowing her own trumpet. She is not capable of running it.

20. Loopholes 

Meaning: A small mistake in an agreement or law that gives someone the chance to avoid having to do 

something.

Origin: Most dictionaries make mention of the slit-like openings in castle walls that were used by archers 

(later, musketeers) to defend the castle. Our derivation of “loophole” as a way past a law is derived from 

this. The only openings in a seemingly impenetrable wall were these slits, which a child or small adult 

child could squeeze through. Thus, a loophole is a small opening, or “out,” in a seemingly airtight law, 

which only the clever few can use.

Sentences:

1. Every law has a loophole.

2. The loophole has allowed hundreds of drink-drivers to avoid prosecution.

3. A good lawyer can always find a loophole.

4. There was, indeed, one possible loophole.

5. Many abusers have escaped through this loophole.

21. Straight from the horse’s mouth

Meaning: getting information directly from the most reliable source

Origin: This one is said to come from the 1900s, when buyers could determine a horse’s age by 

examining its teeth. It’s also why you shouldn’t “look a gift horse in the mouth,” as inspecting a gift is 

considered bad etiquette.

22. Let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: to mistakenly reveal a secret

Origin: Up to and including in the 1700s, a common street fraud included replacing valuable pigs with 

less valuable cats and selling them in bags. When a cat was let out of a bag, the jig was up.

23. Butter someone up

Meaning: to praise or flatter someone, usually to gain a favor

Origin: A customary religious act in ancient India included throwing butter balls at the statues of gods 

to seek good fortune and their favor.

24. Pulling someone’s leg

Meaning: teasing someone, usually by lying in a joking manner

Origin: Although pulling someone’s leg is all in good fun nowadays, it originally described the way in 

which thieves tripped their victims to rob them.

25. Wolf in sheep’s clothing

Meaning: someone who is pretending to be something they are not, usually to the detriment of others

Origin: This one’s attributed to the Bible (Matthew 7:15). The Bible also gave us “rise and shine” 

(Isaiah 60:1), “seeing eye to eye” (Isaiah 62:8), and a “broken heart” (Psalm 69:20).

26. Hands down

Meaning: without a lot of effort; by far

Origin: Winning “hands down” once referred to 19th-century horseracing, when a jockey could remove 

his hands from the reins and still win the race because he was so far ahead.

27. Riding shotgun

Meaning: riding in the front seat of a vehicle next to the driver

Origin: In the Wild West, the person who sat next to the driver was often equipped with a shotgun to 

kill any robbers that might happen upon the coach.

28. Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: pursuing a misguided course of action

Origin: Likely referring to hunting, this saying explains when a dog would literally bark at the bottom 

of the wrong tree after the prey in question moved to the next branch.

29. Flying off the handle

Meaning: suddenly becoming enraged

Origin: This one is said to come from poorly made axes of the 1800s that would literally detach from 

the handle. Yikes!

30. Cost an arm and a leg

Meaning: extremely expensive

Origin: The story goes that this phrase originated from 18th-century paintings, as famous people like 

George Washington would have their portraits done without certain limbs showing. Having limbs 

showing is said to have cost more.

11. Sleep tight

Meaning: used to tell someone to sleep well

Origin: One possible origin of this phrase dates back to when mattresses were supported by ropes; 

sleeping tight meant sleeping with the ropes pulled tight, which would provide a well-sprung bed.

12. Bite the bullet

Meaning: to perform a painful task or endure an unpleasant situation

Origin: In the 1800s, patients would literally bite on a bullet to cope with the pain of having surgery 

before anesthesia was common.

13. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water

Meaning: look for avoidable errors so you don’t remove something good with the bad

Origin: This idiom allegedly comes from a time when the household bathed in the same water; first, 

the lord would bathe, then the men, the lady, the women, the children, and the babies last. The bath 

water is said to have been so dirty that there was a risk of throwing the baby out with the water once 

everyone was done bathing!

14. Jump the shark

Meaning: the moment when a form of entertainment reaches a decline in quality by including gimmicks 

to maintain interest.

Origin: In the show Happy Days, the character Fonzie literally jumps over a shark while water skiing; 

afterward, radio personality Jon Hein popularized the phrase “jump the shark” to describe the decline 

of the show.

15. Minding your Ps and Qs

Meaning: being on your best behavior

Origin: There are many origin stories for this one, but perhaps the one that is most fun is that bartenders 

would keep track of the pints and quarts consumed by their patrons with the letters “P” and “Q.”

16. Turn a blind eye

Meaning: to consciously ignore unwanted information

Origin: The phrase “to turn a blind eye” is said to originate with Admiral Horatio Nelson, who allegedly 

looked through his telescope using his blind eye to avoid signals from his superior telling him to 

withdraw from battle.

17. Armed to the teeth

Meaning: to be extremely well equipped

Origin: The idea behind being “armed to the teeth” is that the weapon wielder would carry the 

maximum number of weapons, so many that he or she would be forced to carry some between his or 

her teeth.

18. Get one’s goat

Meaning: to irritate or annoy someone

Origin: This one also comes from horseracing. Jockeys placed goats in the stables with their horses as 

this was said to relax the horses. However, competitors would remove the goats of their rivals to spook 

their competitors’ horses, hoping they would consequently lose the race.

19. Pull out all the stops

Meaning: to do everything you can to make something successful

Origin: Alluding to the piano-like instrument the organ, this phrase refers to when the stops are pulled 

out to turn on all the sounds in an organ, allowing the organ to play all the sounds at once and, therefore, 

be as loud as possible

Using Idioms in Sentences

1. Once in a blue moon:

Meaning-Something that happens very rarely

Sentence- Once in a blue moon, the blue jay can be seen in these parts of the forest.

2. Beating around the bush:

Meaning-Avoiding the main topic

Sentence-The President was beating around the bush when the citizens demanded a reason for the 

forgery of legal documents.

3. Chip on your shoulder:

Meaning-When someone is upset about something that happened a while ago

Sentence-He has a chip on his shoulder for being abandoned by his parents in his childhood.

4. Cry over spilt milk:

Meaning-Complaining about a loss or failure from the past

Sentence-He was mad because he couldn’t clear the cut off due to a silly mistake. But, then he 

realized there was no use crying over spilt milk and decided to become more careful.

5. Spill the beans:

Meaning-To disclose a secret

Sentence-The little one spilled the beans about the surprise vacation we had planned.

6. Piece of cake:

Meaning-Something that is easy to understand or do

Sentence-I thought that the problem would be tough, but it turned out to be a piece of cake!

7. Blessing in disguise:

Meaning-Something good and useful that did not initially seem that way

Sentence-His accident was a blessing in disguise because it gave him a lot of time to think about his 

life while he was recovering, and as a result, he made some important decisions that improved his life.

8. Come hell or high water:

Meaning-Possible obstacles in your path (will not stop you)

Sentence-I have decided that come hell or high water I will become an engineer.

9. Taste of your own medicine:

Meaning-When someone receives the same treatment, usually negative, that he/she gives to others

Sentence-She is always taunting others and hurting their sentiments. I just wish someone would give 

her a taste of her own medicine.

10. Golden handshake:

Meaning-A big sum of money given to a person when he/she leaves a company or retires

Sentence-The management of the company wanted to decrease their workforce. They offered a golden 

handshake to their aged employees.

11. Mean business:

Meaning-Being serious/dedicated

Sentence-The border is sealed by troops who mean business.

12. Apple of one’s eye:

Meaning-Being cherished more than others are

Sentence-Sam is adored by his teacher for his childlike nature. He is the apple of her eye.

13. The best of both worlds:

Meaning-The benefits of widely differing situations, enjoyed at the same time.

Sentence-I had the best of both worlds since I worked as an ordinary member of the team but got to 

learn from the leaders.

14. Feeling a bit under the weather:

Meaning-Feeling slightly ill

Sentence-I may not be able to jog today, as I am feeling a bit under the weather.

15. Icing on the cake:

Meaning-Something that turns good into great

Sentence-India’s victory over England on India’s Independence Day was like icing on the cake.

16. Cost an arm and a leg:

Meaning-Be very expensive

Sentence-His laziness made him miss his flight to Chandigarh. The next ticket cost him an arm and a 

leg.

17. Jump the bandwagon:

Meaning-To join a popular activity or trend

Sentence-When he was detected with diabetes, he quickly jumped on the bandwagon and joined the 

Zumba dance class.

18. Ball is in your court:

Meaning-When it is up to you to make the next decision or step.

Sentence-Now the ball is in your court; decide whether you want to reply or not.

19. Bite off more than you can chew:

Meaning-To take up a task which you may not be able to accomplish due to lack of ability.

Sentence-I bit off more than I could chew when I decided to take up the 300-page research project.

20. Can’t judge a book by its cover:

Meaning-Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

Sentence-The house looked impressive in the advertisement. Still I made a trip to the house to check 

everything. It is wise not to judge a book by its cover.

21. Hear it on grapevine:

Meaning-To hear rumors about something or someone

Sentence-I heard it on grapevine that he had stiffed an old man asking for his pension.

22. It takes two to tango:

Meaning-Actions or communications need more than one person

Sentence-Even though I thought I would be fired after the altercation with my manager, thankfully 

upper management realized that it takes two to tango.

23. Last straw:

Meaning-The final problem in a series of problems

Sentence-My body was already in bad shape. The accident was the last straw. I am now on complete 

bed rest.

24. To be in the doldrums:

Meaning-To be in low spirits

Sentence-Sam was in the doldrums after he was insulted by the boss in front of his colleagues.

25. To sit on the fence:

Meaning-To remain neutral

Sentence-Since I wasn’t aware of the details, I decided to sit on the fence during the argument 

between my cousins.

26. Break the ice:

Meaning-To initiate a social conversation or interaction

Sentence-At the start of the lecture, the new professor tried to break the ice by telling a joke.

27. A bird’s eye view:

Meaning-A view from a very high place that allows you to see a very large area

Sentence-The Singapore Big Wheel offers a bird’s eye view of the city.

28. A litmus test:

Meaning-A method that helps to know if something is correct

Sentence-Taking up the job served as a litmus test for me to know how good I was at applying my 

knowledge.

29. At the drop of a hat:

Meaning-Willingness to do something instantly

Sentence-She expects me to make dinner at the drop of a hat even if I am very busy with office work.

30. Afraid of one’s own shadow:

Meaning-To become easily frightened

Sentence-Her creepy encounter with the supernatural had a devastating effect on her. She is now

afraid of her own shadow