How Well Do You Know These Common Idioms?
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Break The ___
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Hit The ___
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Bite The ___
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Let The ___ Out Of The Bag
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Under The ___
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Spill The ___
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A Piece Of ___
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Cost An ___ And A Leg
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Once In A ___ Moon
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Beat Around The ___
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The Ball Is In Your ___
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Barking Up The Wrong ___
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Kill Two ___ With One Stone
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Miss The ___
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Hit The ___ On The Head
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A Blessing In ___
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The Elephant In The ___
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When ___ Fly
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Burn The Midnight ___
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Burn ___
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Cut ___
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Add Fuel To The ___
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Cry Over Spilled ___
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A ___ A Dozen
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Back To The ___ Board
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Best Of Both ___
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By The ___ Of Your Teeth
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The Early Bird Catches The ___
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Don’t Judge A Book By Its ___
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Get A Taste Of Your Own ___
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Give The ___ Shoulder
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Go The Extra ___
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In Hot ___
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It Takes Two To ___
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Jump On The ___
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Let Sleeping ___ Lie
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On Thin ___
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Pull Someone’s ___
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Put All Your ___ In One Basket
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Put Your ___ Where Your Mouth Is
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The Tip Of The ___
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Through Thick And ___
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Turn A ___ Eye
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Right Under Your ___
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Up In The ___
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You Can Say That ___
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Your Guess Is As Good As ___
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Zip Your ___
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On Cloud ___
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A Feather In Your ___
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A Fish Out Of ___
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A Penny For Your ___
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A Sight For Sore ___
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All ___
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At The Drop Of A ___
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Someone’s Bark Is Worse Than Their ___
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Blow Off ___
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Call It A ___
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The Calm Before The ___
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Can’t See The Forest For The ___
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Play Devil’s ___
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Drive Someone Up The ___
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Easy As ___
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Every Cloud Has A ___ Lining
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Give An Inch And They’ll Take A ___
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Head In The ___
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Break A ___
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In The Same ___
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Keep Something At ___
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Leave No ___ Unturned
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Let The ___ Fall Where They May
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Low-Hanging ___
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Make A Long Story ___
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A Needle In A ___
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Off The Beaten ___
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On The ___
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Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The ___
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Out Of The ___
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Paint The Town ___
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Play It By ___
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Pull The ___
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Raining ___ And Dogs
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Read Between The ___
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Rock The ___
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Sitting On The ___
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Skeletons In The ___
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Smell A ___
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Steal Someone’s ___
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Take It With A Grain Of ___
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The Straw That Broke The ___ Back
1
Glass
2
Silence
3
Habit
4
Ice
Ice symbolizes initial social awkwardness; breaking it means starting conversation to reduce tension between unfamiliar people.
1
Sack
2
Tracks
3
Gym
4
Road
“Hit the sack” informally means go to bed, using “sack” as a humorous stand-in for a pillow or mattress.
1
Hook
2
Apple
3
Bullet
4
Dust
The phrase means facing a painful or unpleasant situation bravely, originally referencing battlefield surgery without anesthesia.
1
Bird
2
Secret
3
Cat
4
Mouse
Releasing the “cat” symbolizes accidentally revealing a secret, an image possibly linked to medieval market fraud stories.
1
Bridge
2
Table
3
Weather
4
Radar
Being “under the weather” means feeling ill, likely nautical slang about sailors becoming sick in rough seas.
1
Secrets
2
Water
3
Beans
4
Tea
“Spilling the beans” means revealing confidential information, possibly originating from ancient voting with bean counters.
1
Work
2
Pie
3
Cake
4
Bread
Calling something a “piece of cake” means it’s very easy, using dessert as a metaphor for simplicity and pleasure.
1
Eye
2
Arm
3
Ear
4
Hour
The idiom exaggerates high expense by imagining an extreme bodily price, conveying something is shockingly expensive.
1
New
2
Crescent
3
Blue
4
Harvest
A “blue moon” is a rare extra full moon, so the phrase means something happens very infrequently.
1
Corner
2
Room
3
Issue
4
Bush
Hunters literally beat around bushes to flush game; figuratively it means avoiding the main topic or direct answer.
1
Court
2
Park
3
Hands
4
Field
Borrowed from sports, it means responsibility has shifted to you to decide or take the next action.
1
Path
2
Hill
3
Street
4
Tree
The hunting image shows a dog barking at an empty tree; figuratively, someone’s pursuing a mistaken assumption.
1
Flies
2
Birds
3
Problems
4
Rabbits
The phrase means achieving two goals with a single effort, using a hunting metaphor for efficient success.
1
Boat
2
Point
3
Train
4
Mark
“Missing the boat” means losing an opportunity by being too late, evoking literal departure without you aboard.
1
Nail
2
Mark
3
Point
4
Target
Striking a nail perfectly captures saying exactly the right thing or identifying a problem precisely and accurately.
1
Heaven
2
Disguise
3
Waiting
4
Silence
Something initially negative later proves beneficial; the “disguise” hides the blessing’s positive impact until circumstances unfold.
1
Corner
2
Room
3
Crowd
4
Story
The “elephant” represents an obvious, uncomfortable issue everyone notices but intentionally avoids discussing openly.
1
Cows
2
Horses
3
Chickens
4
Pigs
Imagining pigs flying emphasizes impossibility; the expression humorously means something will never happen or is extremely unlikely.
1
Candle
2
Fuel
3
Wick
4
Oil
Before electricity, people worked late by oil lamps; the phrase means staying up very late to finish tasks.
1
Brightly
2
Out
3
Bridges
4
Rubber
“Burning bridges” means damaging relationships irreparably, preventing return to previous opportunities or support networks.
1
Corners
2
Lines
3
Ties
4
Costs
Cutting corners means saving time or money by skipping essential steps, typically resulting in lower quality or risk.
1
Fire
2
Crowd
3
Debate
4
Rumor
Adding fuel escalates flames; figuratively, actions or words intensify an already volatile conflict or emotional situation.
1
Paint
2
Secrets
3
Milk
4
Coffee
The phrase advises against dwelling on irreversible mistakes, since the “spilled milk” cannot be put back.
1
Quarter
2
Dollar
3
Penny
4
Dime
“A dime a dozen” means extremely common and therefore of little value, evoking plentiful items priced very cheaply.
1
Plan
2
Strategy
3
Score
4
Drawing
Returning to the drawing board means scrapping a failed attempt and starting again with new design or approach.
1
Worlds
2
Choices
3
Eras
4
Options
The phrase means simultaneously enjoying two desirable advantages that usually don’t occur together in one situation.
1
Edge
2
Skin
3
Hair
4
Width
It describes a very narrow escape from failure or danger, emphasizing success achieved by the tiniest margin.
1
Prize
2
Break
3
Worm
4
Train
The proverb encourages promptness and initiative, claiming those who start early secure opportunities before others can.
1
Author
2
Length
3
Cover
4
Title
It warns against evaluating something based on outward appearance, urging deeper assessment before forming conclusions.
1
Plan
2
Lesson
3
Recipe
4
Medicine
It means experiencing the negative behavior you inflict on others, teaching empathy through unpleasant reciprocation.
1
Broad
2
Right
3
Cold
4
Stiff
Giving someone the cold shoulder means deliberately ignoring or dismissing them, signaling disapproval or social distance.
1
Mile
2
Effort
3
Step
4
Yard
It encourages exceeding expectations, putting in additional effort beyond what’s required to achieve outstanding results.
1
Wheels
2
Water
3
Pursuit
4
Weather
Being in hot water means experiencing trouble or facing consequences due to mistakes, misbehavior, or risky actions.
1
Tango
2
Dance
3
Agree
4
Argue
The phrase emphasizes shared responsibility, suggesting certain actions or conflicts require participation from both parties.
1
Trend
2
Train
3
Bandwagon
4
Wave
Joining the bandwagon means supporting something popular simply because others do, not from independent conviction.
1
Lions
2
Issues
3
Giants
4
Dogs
It advises avoiding disturbing settled matters, because reopening them may provoke unnecessary conflict or complications.
1
Ground
2
Ice
3
Patience
4
Thread
Standing on thin ice implies being in a risky situation where one wrong move could cause serious trouble.
1
Chain
2
Arm
3
Sleeve
4
Leg
Pulling someone’s leg means teasing or joking with them, not intending harm but playfully misleading for humor.
1
Hopes
2
Eggs
3
Coins
4
Plans
Concentrating everything in one place risks total loss; diversification prevents a single failure from ruining everything.
1
Name
2
Effort
3
Signature
4
Money
It challenges people to back words with action or financial commitment, proving sincerity rather than empty talk.
1
Iceberg
2
Pencil
3
Spear
4
Mountain
Visible problems may be only a small portion of a much larger, hidden issue beneath the surface.
1
Thin
2
Tough
3
Rough
4
Narrow
The phrase means maintaining loyalty and support during good times and bad, regardless of difficulties faced.
1
Keen
2
Blind
3
Sharp
4
Cold
Turning a blind eye means intentionally ignoring wrongdoing or problems, choosing not to acknowledge inconvenient facts.
1
Nose
2
Eyes
3
Roof
4
Feet
Something existing “under your nose” is very close and obvious, yet somehow overlooked or unnoticed entirely.
1
Trees
2
Air
3
Works
4
Sky
When plans are “up in the air,” details remain undecided, uncertain, or subject to change without resolution.
1
Again
2
Twice
3
Louder
4
Clearly
It expresses strong agreement with someone’s statement, essentially inviting repetition because the remark is undeniably true.
1
Mine
2
Theirs
3
Yours
4
Anyone’s
The phrase admits equal uncertainty among people, acknowledging no one has better information about the answer.
1
Lip
2
Words
3
Bag
4
Mouth
It’s a blunt directive to stop talking, with “zip” evoking closing a zipper across closed lips.
1
Ten
2
Five
3
Seven
4
Nine
Being on cloud nine means feeling extremely happy or euphoric, as if floating far above ordinary concerns.
1
Hat
2
Hair
3
Cap
4
Crown
A figurative “feather” symbolizes a notable achievement added proudly to personal credentials or accomplishments list.
1
Place
2
Water
3
Bounds
4
Luck
Feeling like a fish out of water means being uncomfortable or unsuited to unfamiliar surroundings or roles.
1
Worries
2
Thoughts
3
Story
4
Time
The phrase politely asks someone to share what they’re thinking, offering a token “penny” for their thoughts.
1
Hands
2
Eyes
3
Hearts
4
Feet
It describes someone or something whose presence is especially welcome, bringing relief after difficulty or absence.
1
Ears
2
Set
3
Yours
4
In
Being “all ears” means listening attentively and eagerly, signaling full attention to the speaker’s words.
1
Beat
2
Dime
3
Hat
4
Pin
It means immediately and without hesitation, as if a trivial cue like dropping a hat triggers action.
1
Temper
2
Bite
3
Roar
4
Shout
The person sounds threatening but rarely acts aggressively; their words outpace any actual harmful behavior delivered.
1
Concern
2
Steam
3
Plans
4
Work
Releasing pent-up emotions or stress through activity helps restore calm, much like venting pressure from machinery.
1
Win
2
Draw
3
Day
4
Night
It means stop working for now because sufficient progress was made or further effort would be unproductive.
1
Noise
2
Rush
3
Storm
4
Battle
A quiet period precedes significant trouble or activity, much like still weather often precedes a storm.
1
Leaves
2
Branches
3
Trees
4
Details
Over-focusing on details prevents recognizing the bigger picture; individual trees obscure the overall forest view.
1
Angle
2
Partner
3
Friend
4
Advocate
Arguing a contrary position sharpens reasoning, even if one doesn’t personally agree with the stance presented.
1
Wall
2
Hill
3
Street
4
Ladder
It means to irritate or annoy intensely, conjuring a person climbing a wall in exasperation.
1
Pie
2
Candy
3
Rest
4
Sunday
The phrase emphasizes simplicity and pleasantness, comparing a task’s ease to enjoying a sweet dessert.
1
Silver
2
Golden
3
Bright
4
Shiny
Even bad situations may contain hopeful aspects; the “silver lining” represents hidden positives behind gloomy circumstances.
1
Mile
2
Foot
3
Yard
4
Lot
Allowing small concessions can encourage larger demands, warning against being overly permissive with boundaries.
1
Clouds
2
Stars
3
Air
4
Sand
Someone daydreaming or unrealistic is described as having their head in the clouds, detached from practical concerns.
1
Habit
2
Rule
3
Leg
4
Bone
In theater, saying “break a leg” superstitiously wishes good luck without tempting fate before a performance.
1
League
2
Room
3
Boat
4
Place
People sharing similar circumstances or problems are “in the same boat,” implying solidarity through shared fate.
1
Length
2
Bay
3
Ease
4
Hand
Holding a threat “at bay” means preventing it from advancing or causing harm through distance or control.
1
File
2
Step
3
Room
4
Stone
It urges exhaustive searching or thorough effort, as if flipping every stone to find a hidden object.
1
Cards
2
Chips
3
Dominoes
4
Leaves
Accept outcomes after taking action, without manipulating results; “chips” refer to gambling tokens landing unpredictably.
1
Goals
2
Fruit
3
Tasks
4
Branches
It describes easily achievable opportunities requiring minimal effort, like picking fruit reachable without climbing.
1
True
2
Good
3
Clear
4
Short
It signals summarizing by omitting details, offering a concise version to quickly convey the essential point.
1
Barn
2
Basket
3
Haystack
4
Field
The expression describes an extremely difficult search, comparing it to finding a tiny needle in hay.
1
Route
2
Track
3
Path
4
Road
It refers to unconventional or less-traveled choices—especially in travel—away from crowds and typical routes.
1
Move
2
Scene
3
Mark
4
Ball
Being “on the ball” means alert, competent, and quick to understand situations or respond appropriately.
1
Flames
2
Oven
3
Storm
4
Fire
Escaping one bad situation only to enter a worse one, intensifying danger rather than resolving it.
1
Blue
2
Water
3
Ordinary
4
Box
When something happens “out of the blue,” it arrives suddenly and unexpectedly, without warning signs beforehand.
1
Blue
2
Red
3
Green
4
Gold
The phrase means going out for enthusiastic celebration, traditionally with lively parties and exuberant nightlife.
1
Instinct
2
Ear
3
Hand
4
Feel
Deciding spontaneously rather than following a plan, as musicians improvise by ear instead of reading notes.
1
Switch
2
Trigger
3
Cord
4
Plug
It means abruptly end or cancel a project, like cutting power by removing a device’s plug.
1
Pigs
2
Cats
3
Frogs
4
Stones
The colorful exaggeration emphasizes extremely heavy rain, likely drawing from old sayings and folklore imagery.
1
Words
2
Lines
3
Marks
4
Pages
It means infer hidden meanings not explicitly stated, interpreting implications and subtext within communication.
1
Stage
2
Cradle
3
House
4
Boat
“Rocking the boat” means causing trouble by disturbing the status quo or challenging established arrangements.
1
Edge
2
Fence
3
Porch
4
Bench
Indecision is compared to perching on a fence, refusing to choose sides in a dispute or decision.
1
Attic
2
Drawer
3
Basement
4
Closet
Hidden embarrassing secrets are “skeletons,” stored figuratively in a closet to avoid public discovery or shame.
1
Lie
2
Skunk
3
Rat
4
Trap
Sensing deceit or wrongdoing is described as detecting a “rat,” implying suspicion about someone’s intentions.
1
Spotlight
2
Thunder
3
Glory
4
Credit
It means preempting another’s moment of praise by announcing news first or diverting attention to yourself.
1
Sand
2
Salt
3
Sugar
4
Spice
The phrase advises skepticism about information, suggesting moderation rather than complete acceptance of claims.
1
Donkey’s
2
Ox’s
3
Mule’s
4
Camel’s
A seemingly small final burden triggers collapse after accumulating stress, like one straw breaking a camel’s back.
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Idioms add color and meaning to everyday language, but how well do you really know them? Take this quiz to test your knowledge of common idioms and see if you can spot their true meanings behind the phrases!
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