Idioms

You’re visiting a new country and wear clothes like the locals—you’re trying to blend in. Or maybe you’re at a party where everyone’s dressed casually, and you don’t want to stand out—you just want to blend in. The phrasal verb blend in means to fit in smoothly with your surroundings so you don’t attract attention….

Have you ever had to do something difficult, like have a tough conversation or pay a large bill? You had to bite the bullet. This common idiom means to force yourself to do something unpleasant or painful because it is necessary. Learning bite the bullet will help you talk about courage and facing challenges. What…

When planning a project, do you focus on every small task, or do you think about the main goal? Thinking about the big picture means looking at the overall situation. This common idiom helps you see the most important aspects, not just the small details. Learning big picture will help you in planning, problem-solving, and…

Has a friend ever been very excited about something and said, “It’s a big deal!”? Or have you said, “It’s no big deal” to make a problem seem smaller? This common idiom has two opposite meanings. Learning big deal will help you talk about importance and also downplay situations. What Does “Big Deal” Mean? “Big…

When a colleague leaves for a new job, you might have a party to bid farewell. This common idiom is a formal and often emotional way to say goodbye. Learning bid farewell will help you in situations where a simple “goodbye” isn’t enough. What Does “Bid Farewell” Mean? “Bid farewell” means to say goodbye in…

Imagine you disagree with your friends about what movie to watch, but after a long talk, you finally bend to their choice. This idiom in lowercase is helpful when you want to describe giving in, accepting pressure, or changing your decision because of someone else. It is common in everyday conversations about plans, opinions, and…

Imagine a group project where something goes wrong, and everyone looks at you to explain what happened. In moments like this, you may have to bear the blame. This idiom in lowercase is helpful when talking about responsibility, mistakes, and difficult situations. It lets you describe who accepts the fault in a clear and natural…

You meet your friend’s baby cousin and say, “Wow, she **bears a strong resemblance** to her mom!” Or maybe you’re watching a movie and think the actor **bears a striking resemblance** to your teacher. The phrase bear resemblance is a polite, clear way to say two people or things look or seem alike. It’s common…

Have you ever had to take care of a big family problem or a difficult project at work? You had to bear a burden. This common idiom means to accept and carry a heavy responsibility, duty, or difficult situation. Learning bear a burden will help you talk about serious responsibilities and challenges. What Does “Bear…

A neighborhood hears about a family who lost their home in a fire. Everyone donates clothes, food, and time—they **band together** to help. Or students organize a protest because they all want change—they **band together** for a cause. The phrasal verb band together means to unite as a group to support each other or take…

Do you try to manage your job, family, and personal time? You are performing a balancing act. This common idiom describes the difficult task of managing several different responsibilities or needs at the same time. Learning balancing act will help you talk about the challenge of keeping everything in your life in order. What Does…

Have you ever seen a new product advertised as “backed by science”? This means it has scientific support. This common idiom means to be supported, endorsed, or financed by a person, group, or evidence. Learning backed by will help you talk about trust, support, and credibility. What Does “Backed By” Mean? “Backed by” means to…