Proverbs idioms

A problem shared is a problem halved

 An apple a day keeps the doctor away.*   Eating an apple every day can help If you talk about your problems, it will make you feel better.
to keep you healthy. Above par
  Other interpretation : A small preventive treatment wards off serious problems.     Better than average or normal
.    A burnt  child dreads the fire.   A bad experience will make people stay away All eyes on me
from certain things.     If all eyes are on someone, then everyone is paying attention to them.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.   Someone who helps you when you are in All heart
trouble.     Someone who is all heart is very kind and generous.
As you sow, so shall you reap  You have to accept the consequences of your Angry as a bull
actions.         If someone is as angry as a bull, they are very angry.
   Better late than never. It's better to do something,  even if it's late,  than not do it at Arm and a leg
all. If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive.
   Blood is thicker than water     Family relationships are stronger than Bag of nerves
relationships with other people.     If someone is a bag of nerves, they are very worried or nervous.
Diligence is the mother of good fortune.   Hard work brings rewards Bee in your bonnet
Easier said than done.  What is suggested sounds easy but it is more difficult to If someone is very excited about something, they have a bee in their
actually do it.     bonnet.
 Honesty is the best policy.       Bend over backwards
It's no use crying over spilt milk.   Don't express regret for something that has If someone bends over backwards, they do everything they can to help
happened and cannot be remedied.     someone.
Like father, like son.   A son's character can be expected to resemble his father's Bright and breezy
 Many hands make light work.  Sharing work makes work easier.     When someone is cheerful and full of energy, they are bright and
Never say die.   Never give up breezy.
One good turn deserves another.   You should be helpful to someone who Bright as a button
helps you.     A person who is as bright as a button is very intelligent or smart.
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.   Don't miss opportunities that come along.   Bring someone to book
Practice makes perfect.   Doing something repeatedly is the only way to become good If somebody is brought to book, they are punished or made to account for
at it. By and large
Prevention is better than cure   It is easier to prevent something from happening By and large means usually or generally.
than to repair the damage or cure the By dint of
  disease later. This means 'as a result of' or 'because of': It would be good to think he'd
 Time has wings.  Time goes by quickly. risen to position of Chief Executive by dint of hard work.
Time is money.  Time is valuable and should not be wasted Cat nap
Where there's a will, there's a way.   A person with determination will find a way If you have a short sleep during the day, you are cat napping.
of doing something.     Cheap as chips
.      You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.   You help me and I'll help (UK) If something is very inexpensive, it is as cheap as chips.
you. Close at hand
Kindness begets kindness.   If you are kind to people, they will be kind to If something is close at hand, it is nearby or conveniently located.
you. Cloud nine
If you are on cloud nine, you are extremely happy. ('cloud seven' is a
less common alternative)
Dog days
Dog days are very hot summer days.
Down and out Have a heart
If someone is down and out, they are desperately poor and need help. If someone has a heart, they arekind and sympathetic.  If you say, 'Have
Dress to kill a heart' to someone, you are asking them to be understanding and
When someone is dressed to kill, they are dressed very smartly. sympathetic.
Earn a living Heart of gold
To make money Ex: We need to get a good job to earn a decent living. Someone with a heart of gold is a genuinely kind and caring person.
Easier said than done Hell for leather
If something is easier said than done, it is much more difficult than it If you do something hell for leather, especially running, you do it as fast
sounds. It is often used when someone advises you to do something as you can.
difficult and tries to make it sound easy. Hit the hay
Easy as ABC When you hit the hay, you go to bed.
Something that is as easy as ABC is very easy or simple. Hungry as a bear
Eat like a bird If you are hungry as a bear, it means that you are really hungry.
If someone eats like a bird, they eat very little. In a flash
Eat like a horse If something happens in a flash, it happens very quickly indeed.
Someone who eats like a horse, eats a lot. In light of
Feel at home 'In light of' is similar to 'due to'.
If you feel relaxed and comfortable somewhere or with someone, you In my book
feel at home This idiom means 'in my opinion'.
Fresh from the oven Sleep like a baby
If something is fresh from the oven, it is very new. If you sleep very well, you sleep like a baby.
From scratch Sleep like a log
This idiom means 'from the beginning'. If you sleep like a log, you sleep very soundly.
Full as a tick Spick and span
If you are as full as a tick, you have eaten too much. If a room is spick and span, it is very clean and tidy.
Full of the joys of spring Stone's throw
If you are full of the joys of spring, you are very happy and full of If a place is a stone's throw from where you are, it is a very short
energy. distance away.
Give it some stick If you take something for granted, you don't worry or think about it
(UK) If you give something some stick, you put a lot of effort into it. because you assume you will always have it.  If you take someone for
Give me a hand granted, you don't show your appreciation to them.
If someone gives you a hand, they help you. Take forty winks
Good as gold If you take 40 winks, you have a short sleep.
If children are as good as gold, they behave very well. Take the floor
Hand in hand Start talking or giving a speech to a group
Hand in hand= work together closely When people in a group, say in an Teacher's pet
office or in a project, work together with mutual understanding to The teacher's favorite pupil is the teacher's pet, especially if disliked by
achieve the target, we say they work hand in hand. There is no lack of the other pupils.
co-operation and each synchoranises the activity with that of the other. The more the merrier
Hard by The more the merrier means that the greater the quantity or the bigger
"Hard by" means mean "close to" or "near". the number of something, the happier the speaker will be.
Have a ball Thick as thieves
If you have a ball, you have a great time, a lot of fun. If people are thick as thieves, they are very close friends who have no
secrets from each other.
Think outside the box Paddle your own canoe
If you think outside the box, you think in an imaginative and creative (USA) If you paddle your own canoe, you do things for yourself
way. without outside help.
With flying colours (colors) Raining cats and dogs
If you pass something with flying colours (colors), you pass easily, with When it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining very heavily.
a very high mark or grade.
Work like a dog
If you work like a dog, you work very hard.
Lend an ear
SIMILIES
If you lend an ear, you listen to what someone has to say. ('Lend your As brave as a lion As busy as a bee
ear' is an alternative form.) As bright as a button As clear as a bell
Like a kid in a candy store As clear as crystal As cold as ice
If someone is like a kid in a candy store, they are very excited about As cool as a cucumber As different as chalk from cheese
something.
Make your hair stand on end
As crazy as a loon As fat as a hippo
If something makes your hair stand on end, it terrifies you. As cunning as a fox As free as a bird
Make your toes curl As fresh as a daisy As hard as rock
If something makes your toes curl, it makes you feel very As high as a kite As mad as a hornet
uncomfortable, shocked or embarrassed. As funny as a balloon As pale as a ghost
something is achieved.
Many hands make light work
As cute as a baby As quick as lightning
This idiom means that when everyone gets involved in something, the As gentle as a lamb As good as gold
work gets done quickly. As hairy as an ape As quiet as a mouse
Many moons ago As happy as a clown As hot as hell
A very long time ago. As hungry as a bear As rich as gold
Money burns a hole in your pocket
As large as life As sharp as a razor
If someone has money burning a hole in their pocket, they are eager to
spend it, normally in a wasteful manner. As light as a feather As sleepy as a koala
My heart bleeds As loud as a lion As slow as a snail
If your heart bleeds for someone, you feel genuine sympathy and As lowly as a worm As smart as an owl
sadness for them. As poor as dirt As smooth as silk
My heart goes out to someone
As pretty as a picture As soft as a baby's bottom
If your heart goes out to someone, you feel genuine sympathy for them.
Now and then As proud as a peacock As sour as vinegar
This idiom means 'occasionally'. As pure as snow As sticky as jam
Once in a blue moon As sweet as honey As timid as a rabbit
If something happens once in a blue moon, it happens very rarely As tall as a giraffe As tiny as a grain of sand
indeed. As tight as a drum As tricky as a box of monkeys
Out of pocket
If you are out of pocket on a deal, you have lost money. As thick as a brick As white as a ghost
Over and over As agile as a monkey As bald as a baby's backside
If something happens over and over, it happens repeatedly. As alike as two peas in a pod
Packed like sardines As beautiful as nature As black as coal
If a place is extremely crowded, people are packed like sardines, or As big as a boat As delicate as a flower
packed in like sardines.