Here is a quick review of commonly used idioms in Britain and Australia.
Often these idioms get asked in the TOEFL and IELTS examination.
| If someone has a heart of gold |
they are very kind, generous |
| If someone has a head like a sieve |
they have a Bad memory |
| If someone has a good head for
figures |
they are good at maths |
| If someone has a head for heights |
they do not feel nervous when they look down from a high place |
| To have one's head screwed on |
be sensible |
| To have one's head in the clouds |
Unaware of reality |
| If someone is as hard as nails |
they have no sympathy for others |
| If someone is a cold fish |
they are very unfriendly |
| If someone is an awkward customer |
they are difficult to deal with |
| If someone is a slow coach |
they work slowly |
| If someone is an odd-ball |
they are very strange and peculiar |
| If someone is a pain in the neck(also
back side) |
they are a nuisance, difficult to deal with |
| If someone is a lazy bones
or a bone-idle |
they are very lazy |
| If someone is a square peg in a round hole |
they do not fit in naturally, they are out of place in the situation they find themselves in. |
| If someone is as happy as the day is long |
they are extremely content, satisfied, happy |
| If someone is on cloud nine |
they are extremely pleased and happy |
| If someone is in high spirits |
they are lively, enjoying things |
| If someone is keeping their chin up |
they are happy despite bad things |
| If someone has a face as long as a fiddle |
they look very depressed and sad |
| If someone looks down in the dumps(also browned off) |
they look very depressed and sad |
| If someone is in a (black)mood |
they are in a bad mood/temper |
| If someone is like a bear with a soar head |
they are extremely irritable |
| If someone says, I could eat a horse! |
they are vey hungry |
| If someone is feeling all in |
they are exhausted |
| If someone is a bit under the weather |
they are ill/not very well |
| If someone is as fit as a fiddle
(compare have a face as long as a fiddle which means look sad and depressed) |
they are very fit indeed |
| If someone jumps out of their skin |
they are frightened and give a big jump |
| If someone get itchy feet |
they get a desire to travel/move around |
| If someone is up in arms |
they are very angry and protesting loudly |
| If someone is in two minds |
they are unable to decide and make their mind up about something |
| If you take a back seat |
you don't do anything and let others act instead |
| If you take the bull by the horns |
you act positively to face and attack the problems |
| If you act like a bull in a china shop |
you are very clumpsy,awkward and inept |
| If you talk a load of bull |
you are talking nonsence |
| If you stir things up |
you do or say things that make matters worse |
| If you pour oil on troubled waters |
you do or say that calm the situation down |
| If you keep your cards close to your chest |
you hold back/hide information from others |
| If you lay your cards on the table |
you reveal information, be very open |
| If someone is a dab-hand at something |
they are good at something(usually manual skills) |
| If someone is first rate/top notch |
they are good, very best |
| If someone is really on the ball |
they know a lot |
| If you have a way with some one |
you are good at establishing good relations/motivating them etc. |
| If someone has green fingers |
they are good at gardening |
| If someone has the gift of the gab |
they are good at talking |
| If someone thinks they are the cat's whiskers or the bee's knees |
they think that they are wonderful |
| If someone is dressed up like a dog's dinner |
they are over dressed in a showy way |
| If someone is the world's worst in doing something |
no one is worse than them in doing that(eg:when it comes to time keeping, he's world's worst) |
| If something is a dog's breakfast |
it's a mess, done in a bad way |
| If someone really takes the biscut when it comes to something |
they are the epitomy / most striking example of some negative quality |
| If someone wants to have their cake and eat it! |
they want everything without any contribution from their side |
| If someone tries to butter you up |
they give false praise in order to get something from you! |
| If you want jam on it (eg:A £100K salary and a company car! You want jam on it, you do!) |
you have totally unreasonable expectations/ demands |
| run down / pick holes are synonyms of the verb |
to criticise |
