British idioms can make everyday English vivid, but their meanings are not always clear from the words themselves.
Here are 30 commonly used expressions, with plain definitions and examples that show how they work in context.
Everyday British idioms
- A piece of cake: Something very easy to do. “The first part of the test was a piece of cake.”
- Bob’s your uncle: A casual way to say that something is finished or will work once a simple step is completed. “Add the figures, press enter, and Bob’s your uncle.”
- Cost an arm and a leg: To be extremely expensive. “The repairs cost an arm and a leg.”
- Keep your chin up: Stay cheerful or hopeful during a difficult time. “Keep your chin up; you’ll find another job.”
- Not my cup of tea: Not something someone likes or enjoys. “Reality television isn’t my cup of tea.”
- Pull someone’s leg: Tease someone by making them believe something untrue. “I’m only pulling your leg; there’s no meeting today.”
- Take the mickey: Make fun of someone, often in a teasing way.
The phrase can sound rude depending on tone and context. “They were taking the mickey out of his new haircut.” - Throw a spanner in the works: Cause a problem that disrupts a plan. “The late delivery threw a spanner in the works.”
- Under the weather: Feeling slightly ill or unwell. “I’m staying home because I feel under the weather.”
- Over the moon: Extremely happy. “She was over the moon when she got the offer.”
Idioms about work, money, and plans
- Back to the drawing board: Start planning again after an idea or attempt has failed. “The design didn’t pass inspection, so it’s back to the drawing board.”
- Call it a day: Stop working on something for now. “We’ve made good progress; let’s call it a day.”
- Cut corners: Do something cheaply or quickly by skipping steps, often reducing quality. “The contractor cut corners, and the paint began peeling.”
- Get the ball rolling: Start an activity or process. “I’ll send the first email to get the ball rolling.”
- In the red: Owing money or having a financial deficit. “After the unexpected bill, the club was in the red.”
- Make ends meet: Have enough money to pay for basic living costs. “They took extra shifts to make ends meet.”
- On the back burner: Delayed while more urgent work receives attention. “We’ve put the redesign on the back burner until next month.”
- Play it by ear: Decide what to do as events unfold rather than making a firm plan. “We haven’t booked a table; we’ll play it by ear.”
- See eye to eye: Agree with someone. “The two managers don’t see eye to eye on the schedule.”
- Up in the air: Not yet decided or settled. “Our travel plans are still up in the air.”
Idioms for reactions and relationships
- Have a nose for something: Have a natural ability to notice or find something. “She has a nose for a good story.”
- Keep someone in the loop: Make sure someone receives relevant updates. “Please keep me in the loop about any changes.”
- Let the cat out of the bag: Reveal a secret, often by accident. “He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.”
- Make a song and dance about something: Make a lot of fuss about it. “There’s no need to make a song and dance about a small mistake.”
- Miss the boat: Lose an opportunity by acting too late. “We missed the boat on early tickets.”
- Put your foot in it: Say something awkward or offensive by mistake. “I put my foot in it by asking about his old job.”
- Take something with a pinch of salt: Treat a claim with some doubt rather than accepting it as fully reliable. “Take online rumours with a pinch of salt.”
- The last straw: The final problem that makes someone lose patience after several difficulties. “The missed deadline was the last straw, and she resigned.”
- Through thick and thin: Through good and bad times. “They supported each other through thick and thin.”
- Turn a blind eye: Deliberately ignore something, usually something wrong. “The supervisor turned a blind eye to repeated lateness.”
How to use British idioms naturally
Idioms often carry a tone as well as a definition. “Bob’s your uncle” is informal and can sound playful; it may not suit a formal report. “Take the mickey” is common in casual conversation, but it can feel insulting if the listener does not welcome the teasing.
Consider who you are speaking to and whether the situation is relaxed or professional.
Some expressions are used across many varieties of English, even when they are especially familiar in Britain. “A piece of cake” and “under the weather,” for instance, are not exclusive to British English.
Regional usage also varies: speakers may recognise an idiom without using it often themselves.
Idioms are also different from proverbs.
An idiom is a fixed or familiar expression whose meaning is not always literal, such as “throw a spanner in the works.” A proverb is a traditional saying that expresses advice or a general observation, such as “a stitch in time saves nine.” The two can overlap in everyday speech, but they serve different purposes.
When learning an expression, notice the words that usually accompany it.
People say “take the mickey out of someone” and “make ends meet”; changing the structure can make a familiar idiom sound unnatural.
Reading examples and listening to how speakers use the phrase are useful ways to learn its grammar, tone, and context.