5 common English idioms with meanings

Idioms are groups of words whose meanings are different from the meanings of the individual words. They are commonly used in English-speaking countries. Native speakers almost use them in their everyday conversations. However, idioms do not seem and sound easy for non-native speakers to understand because their meanings are beyond the horizon. Anyhow, they’re fun to learn. Let’s learn some common English idioms together and see if you understand before going through the meanings.

1​ It is raining cats and dogs.

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Source: Farmers' Almanac

It sounds outrageous, doesn’t it? Well, you probably wonder when seeing or hearing this sentence. Can that possibly happen – raining cats and dogs? Well, it’s certainly impossible that cats and dogs drop from the sky during raining. Actually, the meaning isn’t that literal; it’s idiomatic. When you say “It is raining cats and dogs”, that means “It is raining hard or heavily.” You can also say “It’s pouring with rain.”

2 Kill two birds with one stone.

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Source: Pixels

Taking a quick look at the phrase, you might think the meaning is pretty straightforward. Does that mean two birds are killed at once with just a stone from the slingshot or something? Well, it can possibly happen by chance when you shoot one bird and the stone flies over to hit another. However, the meaning is metaphorical. The phrase “Kill two birds with one stone” actually means you receive two different benefits at the same time from what you do. Does it make sense?

3 Better late than never.

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Do you ever go to school late? What if you’re late for your class? Well, better late than never. Actually, this means no matter how late you are if you still show up, it’s better. That can also mean “It’s ok to be late, but it isn’t to be absent.” However, don’t be always late for your class and say “Better late than never”. That’s no good at all.

4 Love is blind.

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Source: Dribbble

LOVE is a very common word you probably hear every day. It might be defined as a close relationship between a man and a woman. What about “Love is blind”? Does that mean when you love someone, you’ll become blind? If that’s true, you’ll probably say “NO” to love. Well, it doesn’t mean like it is. “LOVE is blind” actually means when you’re in love with someone, you see no mistakes from your lover although s/he has done something wrong. Do you think your love is blind?

5 Let the cat out of the bag.

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Source: Rawpixel

Do you have a pet cat? Do you love it? Do you ever keep your cat in a bag? It sounds strange if you do so, doesn’t it? Well, “Let the cat out of the bag” doesn’t actually mean to free your cat from the stuffy bag. However, it means “To reveal a secret to somebody” or “To tell somebody your secret”. Don’t let the cat out of the bag. OK?

 

Compiled by Serpent

Edited by Geo & Rey