Idioms

An idiom is a phrase with a hidden meaning. The words do not mean what they seem to mean. For example, 'It is raining cats and dogs' means it is raining very hard. No cats or dogs are really falling. Idioms are common in every language.

Fun English Idioms

English has tons of idioms. 'Break a leg' means good luck, not to hurt yourself. 'Piece of cake' means something is easy. 'Hit the books' means to start studying. 'Under the weather' means feeling sick. These phrases can confuse people learning English.

Where Idioms Come From

Idioms often come from stories or old ways of life. Some are hundreds of years old. The meaning of the words has changed over time. For example, 'spill the beans' means to share a secret. No one is really sure why this phrase started. Idioms are part of a language's history.

Fun Facts

• There are more than 25,000 idioms in the English language.
• Every language has its own idioms that do not always translate well.
• The idiom 'let the cat out of the bag' means to tell a secret.

Did You Know?

The idiom 'a piece of cake' first became popular about 100 years ago. People used it to describe something that was very easy to do.