An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the combined meanings of the actual words and is a way of talking that comes naturally to native speakers.

They are used all the time in the UK so you are likely to come across some during your time here. The origins of most of the UK’s idioms are usually rooted in British history, with the vast majority of them coming from William Shakespeare, whose 36 plays and 154 sonnets are believed to be responsible for contributing over 3500 idioms and sayings to the English language.

For example “wait with bated breath” meaning  to wait expectantly or anxiously for something,  and “a forgone conclusion” meaning an inevitable conclusion or result, both originally come from Shakespeare’s plays and are now used in everyday English language. 

The other major contributor to idioms in the UK has been Britain’s rich maritime history, with many expressions used on board ships in both the Royal and Merchant navies finding their way into common everyday usage in the English language. 

Below we have included over 30 of the UK’s most commonly used idioms and their meaning. So rest assured, with the use of this list you will soon blend into British culture and be regularly mistaken for a local Brit!

Kick the bucket
To die 

Go Dutch
To split the bill in a restaurant between 2 people 

Fit as a fiddle
Very healthy 

Feeding frenzy
A group of people getting over excited and ceasing to behave rationally, usually associated with the British press. 

Back seat driver
A car passenger who is constantly critical of the driver’s handling of the car 

Once in a blue moon
Not very often 

Hook line and sinker
To have been completely tricked by someone, as in: “they got me hook, line and sinker” 

Give up the ghost
When a machine breaks down completely it is said to have “given up the ghost” 

Bite the bullet
To accept that the task ahead will be tough but that it must be completed 

Stick in the mud
Describes a person who is never any fun 

Paint the town red
To go for a good night out 

Jump the gun
If a person is trying to start too far forward, usually in a business conversation, or if they are trying to act before other parties have agreed to move forward then they are usually said to have “jumped the gun” 

Showing them the ropes
This is used to describe the process of teaching someone a system or how something works, and is commonly used when starting a new job or practical task that requires instruction 

Taking them down a peg or two
Mildly humiliating a person who has become too egotistical in order to teach them a lesson. Another idiom could be used here to describe the person involved; you could say “I took them down a peg or two because they had become too big for their boots!” 

Getting on like a house on fire
Getting on very well 

Rolling in it
Having lots of money 

Throwing a wobbly
Losing your temper 

Under the weather
Feeling sick or unwell 

On cloud nine
As happy as can be 

Get off your high horse
Stop being arrogant! 

Putting the ball in your court
Giving some information to a person and waiting to see how they respond (usually used in business) 

Head over heels
Completely in love 

Middle of the road
Average 

Windfall
A sudden and unexpected piece of financial good fortune 

Sailing 3 sheets to the wind
Being very drunk 

The cut of your jib
Your character and appearance, as in: “I like the cut of your jib” 

Batten down the hatches
Prepare for trouble ahead 

A sea change
An enormous change 

Wear your heart on your sleeve
To earnestly display your feelings

By John Hillman

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USEFUL WORDS

idiomatic language 

common expressions

fixed expressions

literal/non-literal meaning = the usual/non usual meaning of a word or phrase

metaphorical meaning = a way of describing a word or phrase that is different from its normal use, in order to show that two things have the same qualities and to make a description more powerful

EXAMPLE IDIOMS - LITERAL & NON-LITERAL USE

Literal Use: The river flooded several villages

Idiomatic Use: The crowd flooded onto the pitch (rushed)

L: Piles of rubbish lay everywhere

I: He's got piles of money (lots and lots)

L: I love roast potatoes

I: Euthanasia.  Now that's a very hot potato! (a controversial topic)

L: I've got an uncle at sea (in the Navy)

I: I'm all at sea (confused and not knowing what to do)

COMMON IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

I'm up to my eyes in work at the moment = very busy

At the meeting I felt a bit out of my depth = unable to cope

I was over the moon when I heard she'd had twins = very happy

It broke my mother's heart to see her home burn to the ground = made her very very  sad and upset

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today = a bit sick

We arrived in the nick of time = just in time

I know London like the back of my hand = very well

Do you think you could pull a few strings for me = use your influence in order to get an advantage

I couldn't get a word in edgeways = unable to say anything because someone else is speaking too much

I'm fed up with the rat race = the way of living and working in a large city where people compete with one another in an aggressive way to be more successful

My father thought I would follow in his footsteps = do the same job/have the same lifestyle

Let's look on the bright side, shall we? = be positive

Come on, we just can't sweep this under the carpet = we can't ignore this