Do You Know These Everyday Expressions?
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Question 1
When Someone Says “Break a Leg,” What Are They Really Wishing You?
Question 1
What Fills the Blank? “Hit the Nail on the _____. ”
Question 1
What Does “take It With a Grain of Salt” Imply?
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Someone "with a Chip on Their Shoulder" Is:
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Every Cloud Has a _____ Lining.
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What Does It Mean if Someone Is “throwing Shade”?
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If Someone Is "barking up the Wrong Tree," What Are They Doing?
Question 1
He’s the Black _____ of the Family.
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Which Expression Suggests Someone Is Very Enthusiastic?
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To "let the Cat Out of the Bag" Means:
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He Got Cold _____ Before the Wedding.
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If You're “caught Red-Handed,” What Happened?
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He’s Burning the Candle at Both _____.
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Which Idiom Describes Something That Happens Rarely?
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To “bite the Bullet” Means to:
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Complete the Phrase: “Let Sleeping Dogs _____. ”
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If You're “burning the Midnight Oil,” You're:
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When Pigs _____.
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“Throw in the Towel” Means to:
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Which Expression Is a Way of Saying “keep Something Secret”?
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What Does It Mean to “cry Wolf”?
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Someone Who “beats Around the Bush” Is:
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What Does “call It a Day” Mean?
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You’re Skating on Thin _____.
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If Someone Is “beating a Dead Horse,” They Are:
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If Someone “pulls Your Leg,” They Are:
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“On Cloud Nine” Describes Someone Who Is:
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What Does “back to the Drawing Board” Imply?
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What Does “jump the Gun” Mean?
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Finish This Phrase: “The Early Bird Gets the _____. ”
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A “blessing in Disguise” Is:
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That’s the Last _____.
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"The Ball Is in Your Court" Means:
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Which Idiom Means “you’re in Trouble”?
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If Someone Is “on the Fence,” They Are:
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To “cut Corners” Means:
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Which Saying Describes Avoiding Responsibility?
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If Someone “twists Your Arm,” What Are They Doing?
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Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One _____.
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If Someone “hits the Sack,” They Are:
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“Under the Weather” Means Someone Is:
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If Something Is a “piece of Cake,” It Is:
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“Cost an Arm and a Leg” Means Something Is:
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What Is Meant by “bite off More Than You Can Chew”?
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Don’t Judge a Book by Its _____.
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What Completes This Idiom? “Kill Two Birds With One _____. ”
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To “go the Extra Mile” Means:
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Which Idiom Describes Revealing Something Prematurely?
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To Be “ahead of the Curve” Means:
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He’s Not the Sharpest Tool in the _____.
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She Let Him off the _____.
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If You’re “walking on Eggshells,” You’re:
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“Hit the Ground Running” Means:
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“Throw Someone Under the Bus” Implies:
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We’ll Cross That Bridge When We Come to _____.
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To “miss the Boat” Means:
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Which Phrase Refers to Something Very Cheap or Common?
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What Does “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie” Advise?
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“Like Pulling Teeth” Describes:
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What Does It Mean to “cut to the Chase”?
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You Can’t Have Your Cake and _____ It Too.
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What Does “the Whole Nine Yards” Refer to?
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What Does “jump on the Bandwagon” Mean?
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What’s Someone Doing if They “bend Over Backwards”?
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Which Phrase Means “fully Prepared”?
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What Does It Mean to “put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is”?
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“Spill the Beans” Means to:
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What Does It Mean to “have Skeletons in Your Closet”?
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“Hit the Books” Means:
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If Someone Is “full of Hot Air,” They Are:
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“Under Your Nose” Means:
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What Does It Mean if Someone “gets a Taste of Their Own Medicine”?
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To Be “in Over Your Head” Means:
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To “leave No Stone Unturned” Means:
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Which Idiom Describes Someone Who Is Easily Fooled?
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“Keep Your Eyes Peeled” Suggests:
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“In a Pickle” Means:
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If Someone “sits Tight,” What Are They Doing?
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To “have a Bun in the Oven” Means:
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If Someone Is “hitting the Jackpot,” What’s Happening?
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“Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk” Means:
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“To Play It by Ear” Means:
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Which Phrase Means “don’t Talk Yet”?
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“Break the Ice” Means:
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What Does “face the Music” Mean?
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“By the Skin of Your Teeth” Means:
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“Off the Cuff” Refers to Something That Is:
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“Throw Cold Water on Something” Means:
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“Get Cold Feet” Is Most Often Associated With:
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To “know the Ropes” Means:
1
Good luck
2
An embarrassing moment
3
A hospital trip
4
A fast recovery
When someone says “Break a leg,” they’re actually wishing you good luck—especially in the performing arts.
1
Wall
2
Board
3
Thumb
4
Head
The phrase “hit the nail on the head” means to describe something exactly right or to do something with precise accuracy.
1
Believe wholeheartedly
2
Add seasoning
3
Don’t take it too seriously
4
Reject entirely
To “take it with a grain of salt” means to view something with skepticism or not take it too literally.
1
Carrying something heavy
2
Feeling resentful
3
Stuck in the past
4
Hungry
Someone "with a chip on their shoulder" is feeling resentful, carrying a grudge, or feeling angry about something, often looking for a fight.
1
Silver
2
Golden
3
Shiny
4
Blue
“Every cloud has a silver lining” means that even in difficult or gloomy situations, there’s usually some positive aspect or hopeful outcome.
1
Complimenting someone
2
Blocking sunlight
3
Insulting subtly
4
Hiding under a tree
If someone is “throwing shade,” they’re subtly insulting or criticizing someone, often in a clever or indirect way.
1
Talking too much
2
Complaining for no reason
3
Being overly aggressive
4
Pursuing a false lead
If someone is “barking up the wrong tree,” they’re pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action.
1
Cloud
2
Sheep
3
Swan
4
Cat
“He’s the black sheep of the family” refers to someone who doesn’t fit in or who goes against the family’s norms or expectations.
1
On the fence
2
Cold feet
3
Down in the dumps
4
Over the moon
The phrase “over the moon” means someone is extremely happy, joyful, or enthusiastic about something.
1
Start a fight
2
Complain loudly
3
Reveal a secret
4
Cause a problem
To "let the cat out of the bag" means to accidentally reveal a secret or surprise.
1
Shoulders
2
Thoughts
3
Feet
4
Eyes
“He got cold feet before the wedding” means he experienced sudden doubt or nervousness, often about a big commitment.
1
You’re hurt
2
You’re helping someone
3
You were caught in the act of doing something wrong
4
You’ve been praised
If you're “caught red-handed,” it means you were caught in the act of doing something wrong or illegal.
1
Flames
2
Wicks
3
Sides
4
Ends
“He’s burning the candle at both ends” means he’s overworking himself by staying up late and getting up early, often sacrificing rest.
1
The whole nine yards
2
A dime a dozen
3
Once in a blue moon
4
The tip of the iceberg
The idiom “once in a blue moon” describes something that happens very rarely or infrequently.
1
Lose hope
2
Refuse to act
3
Do something unpleasant
4
Speak too soon
To “bite the bullet” means to face something difficult or unpleasant with courage and determination.
1
Eat
2
Lie
3
Run
4
Bark
“Let sleeping dogs lie” means to avoid stirring up old conflicts or revisiting past problems that are better left alone.
1
Wasting resources
2
Making a mess
3
Staying up late working
4
Driving at night
If you’re “burning the midnight oil,” you’re staying up late working or studying. The phrase comes from the days before electricity.
1
Fly
2
Swim
3
Sneeze
4
Dance
“When pigs fly” is a sarcastic way of saying something will never happen.
1
Admit defeat
2
Clean up
3
Start fresh
4
Argue
To “throw in the towel” means to give up or admit defeat, often after trying hard.
1
Break the bank
2
Keep it under wraps
3
Bite the dust
4
Rock the boat
The phrase “keep it under wraps” means to keep something secret or hidden from others until it’s revealed.
1
To howl in grief
2
To raise false alarms repeatedly
3
To call for help once
4
To be brave
To “cry wolf” means to raise a false alarm so often that people stop believing you when it’s real.
1
Rushing into things
2
Lost in the woods
3
Avoiding the main topic
4
Going in circles
Someone who “beats around the bush” is avoiding the main point or delaying getting to the topic.
1
Take a nap
2
Complain
3
Celebrate
4
Stop working
To “call it a day” means to stop working or wrap up an activity, usually after a good amount of effort.
1
Luck
2
Patience
3
Blades
4
Ice
“You’re skating on thin ice” means you’re in a risky or dangerous situation, often pushing the limits of what's acceptable.
1
Training animals
2
Pointlessly continuing an issue
3
Doing something dangerous
4
Practicing patience
If someone is “beating a dead horse,” they’re wasting time by continuing to discuss or pursue a settled issue.
1
Helping you walk
2
Attacking you
3
Joking with you
4
Stealing from you
If someone “pulls your leg,” they’re joking or teasing you in a playful and lighthearted way.
1
Dreaming
2
Extremely happy
3
Tired
4
Confused
“On cloud nine” describes someone who is extremely happy, joyful, or in a blissful state of mind.
1
Going in reverse
2
Restarting after failure
3
Drawing something
4
Making progress
“Back to the drawing board” implies starting over with a new plan after a failure or unsuccessful attempt.
1
Finish quickly
2
Start too early
3
Skip steps
4
Avoid a decision
To “jump the gun” means to act too soon or start something before the proper time or signal.
1
Bug
2
Seed
3
Nap
4
Worm
“The early bird gets the worm” means that those who act quickly or show up first are more likely to succeed.
1
A religious ritual
2
A costume
3
Something good that seemed bad at first
4
An obvious miracle
A “blessing in disguise” is something that seems bad at first but ends up having a positive outcome.
1
Nail
2
Thread
3
Chance
4
Straw
“That’s the last straw” refers to the final minor annoyance or problem that makes a person lose their patience.
1
You've lost control
2
It's someone else's problem
3
It's your turn to take action
4
You're playing tennis
“The ball is in your court” means it’s now your responsibility to make a decision or take action.
1
In hot water
2
Off the hook
3
Over the hill
4
Out of the woods
The idiom “in hot water” means you’re in trouble or facing serious difficulty, often due to a mistake.
1
Avoiding a task
2
Being nosy
3
Undecided
4
Sitting high
If someone is “on the fence,” they’re undecided or unsure about which side or option to choose.
1
Decorate a room
2
Take the scenic route
3
Get in shape
4
Save time or money by doing something poorly
To “cut corners” means to do something poorly or cheaply by skipping important steps to save time or money.
1
Go out on a limb
2
Pass the buck
3
Get your act together
4
Take the bull by the horns
The phrase “pass the buck” means to avoid responsibility by shifting it onto someone else.
1
Practicing wrestling
2
Pressuring you to do something
3
Giving advice
4
Being affectionate
If someone “twists your arm,” they’re pressuring or persuading you to do something you may not want to do.
1
Crate
2
Carton
3
Nest
4
Basket
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is a classic warning against relying too heavily on a single plan or investment.
1
Starting a fight
2
Going to bed
3
Going to work
4
Carrying something heavy
If someone “hits the sack,” they’re heading to bed to sleep. It’s a casual, slangy way of saying they’re turning in for the night.
1
Feeling sick
2
Outside
3
Cold
4
Confused
If someone is “under the weather,” they’re feeling sick or unwell. The phrase likely originated from maritime language.
1
Hard to achieve
2
Very easy
3
Not very tasty
4
Financially rewarding
If something is a “piece of cake,” it’s very easy to do or requires little effort.
1
Important
2
Dangerous
3
Very expensive
4
Unique
When something “costs an arm and a leg,” it’s so expensive that it feels like you’d have to give up your own limbs to afford it!
1
Lose control
2
Be overconfident
3
Eat fast
4
Take on too much
To “bite off more than you can chew” means to take on more tasks than you can handle effectively.
1
Length
2
Cover
3
Price
4
Genre
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a reminder not to form opinions based solely on appearances.
1
Shot
2
Net
3
Idea
4
Stone
“Kill two birds with one stone” means to accomplish two goals with a single action.
1
Run a marathon
2
Travel longer
3
Put in extra effort
4
Take a detour
To “go the extra mile” means to put in more effort than expected to achieve something or help someone.
1
Let the cat out of the bag
2
Hold your horses
3
In the same boat
4
Raining cats and dogs
The idiom “let the cat out of the bag” describes accidentally or prematurely revealing a secret or surprise.
1
Being lost
2
Breaking a law
3
Being innovative or early
4
Not following instructions
To be “ahead of the curve” means to be more advanced, innovative, or successful than others in a particular field.
1
Chest
2
Shed
3
Toolbox
4
Garage
“He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed” is a humorous way to say someone might not be very smart or quick-witted.
1
Hook
2
Fence
3
Chain
4
Leash
“She let him off the hook” means she freed him from blame, responsibility, or punishment.
1
Playing a game
2
Lost
3
Being extremely cautious
4
Having breakfast
If you’re “walking on eggshells,” you’re being extremely cautious to avoid upsetting someone or causing conflict.
1
Fall hard
2
Leave a race
3
Start something with energy
4
Miss your chance
“Hit the ground running” means to start something energetically and effectively from the very beginning, without delay.
1
Ignoring them
2
Saving them
3
Betraying them to protect yourself
4
Helping them
“Throw someone under the bus” implies betraying or sacrificing someone to protect yourself or gain an advantage.
1
Water
2
Trouble
3
Town
4
It
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” means there’s no need to worry about a potential problem until it actually happens.
1
Forget to swim
2
Miss an opportunity
3
Arrive early
4
Plan a vacation
To “miss the boat” means to miss an opportunity or be too late to take advantage of something.
1
Full of beans
2
A dime a dozen
3
Two peas in a pod
4
A needle in a haystack
The phrase “a dime a dozen” refers to something very cheap, common, or easily found everywhere.
1
Train your pet
2
Wake up early
3
Deal with everything now
4
Leave past issues alone
“Let sleeping dogs lie” advises leaving a situation alone to avoid stirring up old problems or creating new trouble.
1
A reward
2
A dentist visit
3
Something very difficult
4
A secret
“Like pulling teeth” describes something extremely difficult, frustrating, or unpleasant to do or get done.
1
Get to the point quickly
2
Stop talking
3
Talk about running
4
End a movie
To “cut to the chase” means to skip the small talk or details and get straight to the main point.
1
Make
2
Eat
3
Share
4
Buy
“You can’t have your cake and eat it too” means you can’t enjoy two conflicting benefits at once and need to choose between competing desires.
1
A sewing kit
2
A short walk
3
Everything possible
4
A football game
“The whole nine yards” refers to doing something completely or giving it your all, with maximum effort or detail.
1
Start a band
2
Lead the group
3
Cheer for a team
4
Join a popular trend
To “jump on the bandwagon” means to join or support something popular or trending, often to fit in or benefit.
1
Falling down
2
Dodging a question
3
Making a big effort to help
4
Practicing yoga
If someone “bends over backwards,” they’re making a great effort or going out of their way to help others.
1
Bite your tongue
2
Drag your feet
3
Jump the gun
4
Armed to the teeth
The phrase “armed to the teeth” means being fully prepared, usually with all necessary resources or equipment.
1
Complain a lot
2
Eat cash
3
Talk about finances
4
Support your words with actions
To “put your money where your mouth is” means to back up your words with actions or financial support.
1
Waste food
2
Cause confusion
3
Tell a secret
4
Get angry
“Spill the beans” means to reveal secret or confidential information—whether by accident or on purpose.
1
You’re a collector
2
You have secrets
3
You’re organized
4
You love Halloween
To “have skeletons in your closet” means to hide embarrassing, shameful, or secret past events you don’t want revealed.
1
Start studying
2
Reading for fun
3
Quitting school
4
Throwing them
“Hit the books” means to begin studying hard or seriously preparing for school or exams.
1
Talking nonsense or exaggerating
2
Excited
3
Gassy
4
Angry
If someone is “full of hot air,” they talk a lot without saying anything meaningful or making real contributions.
1
A joke
2
Happening right in front of you unnoticed
3
In your business
4
Literally beneath you
“Under your nose” means something is happening right in front of you, but you’re unaware or not noticing it.
1
They win a prize
2
They experience what they’ve done to others
3
They become a doctor
4
They take pills
If someone “gets a taste of their own medicine,” they experience the same bad treatment they’ve given others.
1
You’re sneaky
2
You’re involved in something too difficult
3
You’re underwater
4
You’re tall
To be “in over your head” means you're involved in a situation that’s too difficult or overwhelming to handle.
1
Be careless
2
Skip tasks
3
Avoid the truth
4
Search thoroughly
To “leave no stone unturned” means to make every possible effort in order to achieve something or find something.
1
A fly on the wall
2
A sitting duck
3
The top dog
4
The big cheese
The idiom “a sitting duck” describes someone who is easily fooled, targeted, or vulnerable to deception or harm.
1
Protect your eyes
2
Avoid danger
3
Take a nap
4
Stay alert
“Keep your eyes peeled” suggests staying alert and watchful, especially when looking out for something specific.
1
You’re confused
2
You’re doing well
3
You’re in a difficult situation
4
You're at a deli
“In a pickle” means being in a difficult, tricky, or troublesome situation with no easy solution.
1
Exercising
2
Waiting patiently
3
Refusing help
4
Sitting with tension
If someone “sits tight,” they’re staying in place and waiting patiently without taking action or making changes.
1
Planning dinner
2
Someone is pregnant
3
You’re hungry
4
Baking bread
To “have a bun in the oven” is a playful way of saying that someone is pregnant.
1
They’ve lost everything
2
They’re gambling irresponsibly
3
They’ve found something hidden
4
They’ve achieved great success or luck
If someone is “hitting the jackpot,” they’re experiencing great success or winning a large amount, often unexpectedly.
1
Buy more milk
2
Don’t be upset about past mistakes
3
Drink fast
4
Clean up quickly
“Don’t cry over spilled milk” means don’t waste time worrying about things that have already happened and can’t be changed.
1
Listen closely
2
Follow instructions
3
Improvise or adapt as you go
4
Play music
“To play it by ear” means to handle a situation spontaneously, without a fixed plan—adapting as things unfold.
1
Jump the gun
2
Cry wolf
3
Beat a dead horse
4
Bite your tongue
The phrase “bite your tongue” means to stop yourself from speaking, especially to avoid saying something inappropriate or premature.
1
Begin a conversation or ease tension
2
Start a fight
3
Destroy a wall
4
Ruin something
“Break the ice” means to initiate conversation or ease tension in a social setting, especially when people first meet.
1
Ignore a problem
2
Go to a concert
3
Dance in public
4
Accept consequences
To “face the music” means to confront the consequences of your actions, especially when they’re unpleasant or difficult.
1
With a smile
2
Something painful
3
Barely managing to do something
4
With effort
“By the skin of your teeth” means narrowly escaping or just barely succeeding in a difficult or risky situation.
1
Overwhelming
2
Hard to wear
3
Expensive
4
Unplanned or spontaneous
“Off the cuff” refers to something that is spontaneous, unplanned, or said without preparation.
1
To ruin a surprise
2
Be wasteful
3
Calm down
4
Discourage an idea or enthusiasm
“Throw cold water on something” means to discourage enthusiasm or reduce excitement about an idea or proposal.
1
Standing on ice
2
Going barefoot
3
Last-minute nerves or hesitation
4
Regret after a decision
“Get cold feet” is most often associated with suddenly feeling nervous or backing out of a big decision or commitment.
1
Understand how things work
2
Be a sailor
3
Tie knots well
4
Follow rules
To “know the ropes” means to be familiar with how something works, especially a job, task, or system.
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