American English Idioms

Matters of the Heart

Idioms About Love and Relationships

TARGET IDIOM

"head over heels"

Meaning: Completely and enthusiastically in love with someone.

Where it comes from: The phrase was originally 'heels over head,' describing someone doing a cartwheel or falling. Over time it flipped to 'head over heels' and came to describe the dizzy, tumbling feeling of falling in love.

Example: Ever since their first date, Marco has been head over heels for Elena.

Dialogue

Catching Up Over Coffee

Priya: So, how are things going with Daniel? You two seem inseparable lately.

Yuki: Honestly, I'm head over heels. I haven't felt this way about anyone in years.

Priya: That's wonderful! How did you two meet again?

Yuki: At a cooking class. We hit it off right away and just kept talking.

Priya: That's so sweet. Are things getting serious?

Yuki: Actually... he mentioned wanting to tie the knot someday. It's early, but I could see it happening.

Priya: Wow! Well, I'm happy for you both.

Idiom Bank — Related Expressions

Idiom

Meaning

tie the knot

to get married

hit it off

to immediately get along well with someone

give someone the cold shoulder

to deliberately ignore or be unfriendly toward someone

make up

to become friendly again after an argument

Practice Exercise

Fill in each blank with the best idiom from this unit (the target idiom or one from the Idiom Bank). Use each idiom only once. The answer follows each sentence.

1. After the argument, they didn't speak for days, but they finally ___________ over the weekend.

Answer: make up

2. My cousin and her fiancé are going to ___________ next June in a small garden ceremony.

Answer: tie the knot

3. When I introduced my sister to my roommate, they ___________ immediately.

Answer: hit it off

4. Ever since he forgot her birthday, she's been giving him the ___________.

Answer: cold shoulder

5. You can tell he's ___________ for her — he can't stop smiling when she's around.

Answer: head over heels

6. We argued about money last night, but we talked it through and decided to ___________.

Answer: make up

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Feeling Fine (or Not)

Idioms About Health and Well-Being

TARGET IDIOM

"under the weather"

Meaning: To feel slightly ill or unwell.

Where it comes from: This expression may come from sailing, too. Sick sailors were sent below deck, away from the bad weather on the surface, to recover — literally placing them 'under the weather' that was affecting the ship.

Example: I think I'll skip the gym today; I've been feeling a little under the weather since yesterday.

Dialogue

Calling in Sick

Grace: Hi, this is Grace. I wanted to let you know I won't be in today.

Supervisor (Mr. Kim): Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you feeling okay?

Grace: I've been under the weather since last night — a sore throat and a bit of a fever.

Mr. Kim: Take the day off and rest. Don't come back until you're feeling better.

Grace: Thank you. I'm hoping I'll be on the mend by tomorrow.

Mr. Kim: No rush at all. Drink plenty of fluids and get some sleep.

Grace: I will. Thanks for understanding.

Idiom Bank — Related Expressions

Idiom

Meaning

feel like a million bucks

to feel wonderful, healthy, and full of energy

on the mend

recovering from an illness or injury

catch your breath

to rest for a moment after physical activity

in the pink

in excellent health

Practice Exercise

Fill in each blank with the best idiom from this unit (the target idiom or one from the Idiom Bank). Use each idiom only once. The answer follows each sentence.

1. After that run, I need a minute to ___________ before we keep going.

Answer: catch your breath

2. Grandpa broke his hip last month, but the doctor says he's ___________ now.

Answer: on the mend

3. I stayed home yesterday because I was ___________ — just a mild cold.

Answer: under the weather

4. After a full night's sleep and a good breakfast, I ___________ this morning!

Answer: feel like a million bucks

5. Despite being 80 years old, my aunt is ___________ and walks five miles a day.

Answer: in the pink

6. He looked ___________ at the meeting, so I told him to go home and rest.

Answer: under the weather

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Dollars and Sense

Idioms About Money and Finances

TARGET IDIOM

"bring home the bacon"

Meaning: To earn money for a family or household; to be the main financial provider.

Where it comes from: The phrase likely comes from country fairs, where a greased pig was a prize for winners of certain games — bringing the bacon home meant you had won something valuable. It became a common expression for earning a living in the early 20th century.

Example: Both parents work full-time to bring home the bacon and support their three children.

Dialogue

Planning the Family Budget

Lin: I've been thinking — now that I have the night shift too, I'm really bringing home the bacon this month.

Robert: I noticed! But are you sure it's worth it? You look exhausted.

Lin: It's temporary. We need to make ends meet until the car is paid off.

Robert: Fair enough. Maybe we should tighten our belts on other things instead, so you can cut back on hours.

Lin: That's a good idea. We could stop eating out so much.

Robert: Exactly. Between both of us bringing home the bacon and spending less, we'll be fine.

Idiom Bank — Related Expressions

Idiom

Meaning

tighten your belt

to spend less money; to live more frugally

cost an arm and a leg

to be very expensive

make ends meet

to have just enough money to cover basic expenses

save for a rainy day

to save money for a time when it might be needed unexpectedly

Practice Exercise

Fill in each blank with the best idiom from this unit (the target idiom or one from the Idiom Bank). Use each idiom only once. The answer follows each sentence.

1. That new laptop must have ___________ — it has every feature imaginable.

Answer: cost an arm and a leg

2. Since he lost his second job, the family has had to ___________.

Answer: tighten your belt

3. My grandmother always told me to ___________ instead of spending everything right away.

Answer: save for a rainy day

4. With rent this high, it's hard to ___________ every month.

Answer: make ends meet

5. Ever since she got promoted, she's really ___________ for her family.

Answer: bring home the bacon

6. We decided to ___________ and cancel our streaming subscriptions this year.

Answer: tighten your belt

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On the Job

Idioms About Work and Careers

TARGET IDIOM

"learn the ropes"

Meaning: To learn how to do a new job or task; to become familiar with a new situation.

Where it comes from: This idiom comes from sailing ships. New sailors had to learn how to handle the many ropes that controlled the sails — a skill that took time and practice to master.

Example: It took Sofia about a month to learn the ropes at her new job, but now she trains other new employees.

Dialogue

First Day at the Office

Manager (Ms. Patel): Welcome to the team, Diego! I know your first day can feel overwhelming.

Diego: Thank you. Honestly, there's a lot to remember — the software, the schedule, all the names...

Ms. Patel: Don't worry. Everyone needs time to learn the ropes. Nobody expects you to know everything by Friday.

Diego: That's a relief. How long did it take you when you started here?

Ms. Patel: Honestly? About two months before I felt comfortable. I'll pair you with Marcus this week — he's great at showing new people around.

Diego: That sounds perfect. I'm a fast learner, so I hope to learn the ropes quickly.

Ms. Patel: I have no doubt. Just ask questions whenever you need to — that's how everyone learns the ropes here.

Idiom Bank — Related Expressions

Idiom

Meaning

climb the corporate ladder

to advance to higher positions in a company

get the ball rolling

to start a project or activity

put in the hours

to work hard for a long time on something

call it a day

to stop working for the day

Practice Exercise

Fill in each blank with the best idiom from this unit (the target idiom or one from the Idiom Bank). Use each idiom only once. The answer follows each sentence.

1. After three weeks, Ahmed finally started to ___________ at his new restaurant job.

Answer: learn the ropes

2. We should ___________ on the new project — the deadline is next week.

Answer: get the ball rolling

3. She's worked so hard this year; I think she'll ___________ soon and get a promotion.

Answer: climb the corporate ladder

4. It's already 7 p.m. — let's ___________ and finish this tomorrow.

Answer: call it a day

5. If you want to finish the report on time, you'll need to ___________ this weekend.

Answer: put in the hours

6. The new intern is quiet, but she's watching everything closely to ___________.

Answer: learn the ropes

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