20 idioms with meaning

1. Play it by ear

Meaning: Playing something by ear means that rather than sticking to a defined plan, you will see how
things go and decide on a course of action as you go along.

2. Raining cats and dogs

Meaning: We Brits are known for our obsession with the weather, so we couldn’t omit a rain-related
idiom from this list. It’s “raining cats and dogs” when it’s raining particularly heavily.

3. Can’t do something to save my life

Meaning: “Can’t do something to save your life” is a hyperbolic way of saying that you’re completely
inept at something. It’s typically used in a self-deprecating manner or to indicate reluctance to carry out
a task requested of one.

4. Turn a blind eye

Meaning: To “turn a blind eye” to something means to pretend not to have noticed it.

5. Fat chance

Meaning: We use the expression “fat chance” to refer to something that is incredibly unlikely. Bizarrely,
and contrary to what one might expect, the related expression “slim chance” means the same thing.

6. Pot calling the kettle black

7. Once in a blue moon

Meaning: The phrase refers to something that happens very infrequently.

8. Head in the clouds

Meaning: Used to describe someone who is not being realistic, the expression “head in the clouds”
suggests that the person isn’t grounded in reality and is prone to flights of fancy. The opposite
expression would be something like “down to earth”, meaning someone who is practical and realistic.

9. Mad as a hatter

Meaning: “Mad as a hatter” refers to someone who is completely crazy. A similar expression is “mad as
a March hare”.

10. Driving me up the wall

Meaning: This expression is used when something (or someone) is causing extreme exasperation and
annoyance. A similar expression meaning the same thing is “driving me round the bend”.

11. Call it a day

Meaning: This means to stop doing something for the day, for example work, either temporarily or to
give it up completely.
12. Knight in shining armour

Meaning: A knight in shining armour is a heroic, idealised male who typically comes to the rescue of a
female.

13. Know the ropes

Meaning: Someone who “knows the ropes” is experienced at what they are doing. “Showing someone
the ropes” means to explain to them how something is done.

14. Larger than life

Meaning: The phrase “larger than life” refers to a flamboyant, gregarious person whose mannerisms or
appearance are considered more outlandish than those of other people.

15. Extend the olive branch

Meaning: To extend the olive branch is to take steps towards achieving peace with an enemy (or simply
someone with whom you have fallen out).

16. A red herring

Meaning: Often used in the context of television detective shows, a red herring refers to something
designed to distract or throw someone off a trail. Hence in a detective show, a clue that appears vital to
solving a mystery is often added to heighten suspense, but may turn out to have been irrelevant; it was
a red herring.
17. Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: If someone is “barking up the wrong tree”, they are pursuing a line of thought or course of
action that is misguided.

18. Bite off more than you can chew

Meaning: If you “bite off more than you can chew”, you have taken on a project or task that is beyond
what you are capable of.

19. Blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning: “Blowing one’s own trumpet” means to boast about one’s own

20. In stitches

Meaning: If you’re “in stitches”, you’re laughing so hard that your sides hurt.

10 example of Colloquial in the Philippines

1. Anak ng ___!

Meaning: Son of a ___!
Usage: To express annoyance. Just fill in the blank with any Tagalog noun, but the most common ones
used by Filipinos are kamote (sweet potato), pating (shark), tokwa (tofu), teteng (no direct translation)
and tinapa (smoked fish). It’s similar to the way Americans use the expression, “Son of a gun!”

Example:

“Anak ng tokwa! Natalo na naman ako.” (Son of a tofu! I lost again.)

2. Diba?

Meaning: “Right?” or “Isn’t it?”

Usage: One of the easiest expressions to learn, diba may be placed at the start or end of your question,
and you may sprinkle your English sentences with diba, making it sound like you know Taglish (Tagalog-
English).

Example:

In straight Tagalog: Taga dito ka, diba? (You’re from here, right?”)

In Taglish: The food tastes great, diba? Diba you’re from Manila? She’s your girlfriend, diba?

3. Susmaryosep

Meaning: A contraction of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Usage: As an interjection, especially when you’re angry, frustrated, or in disbelief. You may also use the
shorter versions, “Sus!” and “Maryosep!”

Example:
“Niloko na naman siya ng asawa niya? Susmaryosep!” (Her husband cheated on her
again? Susmaryosep!)

4. Hay naku!

Meaning: Hay is “sigh,” but hay naku has no direct translation. Some linguists say it comes from the
phrase “Nanay ko po!” which means “Oh my mother!”

Usage: Hay naku or hay nako is best said when you want to express frustration or exasperation in the
likes of “Oh my,” “Oh my gosh,” “Oh dear,” or “Uh oh!”

Example:

Your friend says, “My cellphone was stolen this morning.” Your answer: “Hay naku!”

5. Ano ba?

Meaning: Ano means “what,” while ba is an untranslatable word that Filipinos like to pepper their
conversations with. “Ano ba?” is similar to the American expression, “What the?!”

Usage: When said calmly as a question, “Ano ba?” just means “What?” but when you say it as an
interjection, it means you are annoyed, insulted, or frustrated at the person. For maximum effect,
pronounce it this way: a-noo-bah! Other versions are: “Ano ba yan!” which literally means, “What is
that,” but has the same effect as hay naku; and “Ano ka ba?” which means, “What are you?”

Example:

Your friend calls you fat. You reply with: “Ano ba!”

6. Sayang!
Meaning: As a noun, it means, “waste,” but it has other verb forms.

Usage: As an expression, it translates to, “What a waste!” because you’re frustrated over something that
was lost or almost achieved.

Example:

As a verb: Huwag mong sayangin ang pera mo. (Don’t waste your money.)

As an expression: Nabuhos ko yung tasa ng kape. Sayang! (I spilled my cup of coffee. What a waste!)

7. Ganon?

Meaning: A shortcut of the Tagalog word ganoon (pronounced ga-no-on), ganon means, “like that.”

Usage: Saying “Ganon?” with an intonation of disbelief can mean, “Oh really?” or “Is that so?” A less
sarcastic version is “Talaga?” To advance to a higher level of slang, try “May ganon?”

Example:

1. Your ex-boyfriend says, “Huwag na tayong mag-usap.” (Let’s not talk anymore.) Your reaction:
“Ganon?”

2. Someone gives you a compliment. You reply with, “Talaga?”

8. Anyare?

Meaning: Shortcut of “Anong nangyari?” which means, “What happened?”

Example:

You finally arrive at the bar, only to find your friends already dead drunk. “Anyare?!”

9. Ansabe?

Meaning: Shortcut of “Anong sinabi?” which means, “What did he/she say?”

Usage: A close relative of anyare, “Ansabe?” is a rhetorical way of asking what the person just said.

Example:

Your normally cynical friend suddenly waxes poetic about a girl he’s in love with. You react with,
“Ansabe?”

10. Bahala na!

Meaning: Bahala means “care” or “responsibility,” while na means “already.”

Usage: When a Filipino utters “Bahala na!” it means he/she is entrusting the uncertainty of the situation
to a higher being, to nature, or fate. If you’d like to advance your level of street slang, include Batman
(yes, the DC comics superhero) in the sentence, i.e. “Bahala na si Batman!” Translation: “Let Batman
decide (or take charge)!” We cannot pinpoint exactly when in history Batman came into the picture, but
this expression has been around for years.

Example:
1. You’re eating Filipino street food for the first time and you’re not sure if your sensitive stomach can
handle it. You say, “Bahala na!”

2. Your deadline is in an hour, but you haven’t even started with the project yet. Your Filipino officemate
asks you if you can handle it. You respond with, “Bahala na si Batman!” 

Example of Denotation

Pants versus trousers: In American English, pants and trousers have the same denotation. They both
refer to the clothing that one wears on one’s legs. However, “trousers” sound like a much more formal
item of clothing than “pants” (note that in British English “pants” actually refers to underwear and
therefore has a different denotation than trousers).

Boss versus leader: While “boss” is not necessarily negative it still separates this person more
definitively from his or her underlings than the word “leader.” “Leader” generally sounds more inspiring.
Compare also the difference between “bossy” and “demanding.” Neither sounds particularly appealing,
but “bossy” connotes more of an attitude that someone tells others what to do without reason, whereas
a “demanding” person asks much of others but for a good reason.

Rock – If you take it literally, then it could generally mean a stone composed of some type of minerals.
But apart from that, a rock could also refer to an individual who offers you security and stability.

Home – A home may just be a structure built to place a roof on top of your head, but it’s also associated
with the idea of family.

Gay – Being gay would mean that you’re happy and carefree. But because times have changed and some
words are understood differently by the majority of society, this word has become a widely-used
reference for homosexuality.

Dove – A dove typically implies peace and humility, which is why it has been a commonly-used symbol
for anything that represents purity.
Five example Connotation

Youthful – Saying that a person is youthful as an alternative to the word childish is an implication that he
or she is full of life and energy. This is because being childish can sometimes be associated with
immaturity, portraying a negative connotation instead.

Slim – Thin is considered to be a neutral connotation. To make it positive, its synonym, slim, can take its
place. With the human body being a sensitive topic to take on, using positive connotations is considered
to be more acceptable to society.

Mom and Dad – When used in place of mother and father, mom and dad simply connote loving parents.
This is because it suggests a close bond between the speaker and the subjects being mentioned,
considering how a mother and father can sometimes be seen as mere family figures than actual human
beings.

Challenging – Saying that something is difficult to do can often portray negativity, as it shows an
emotional frustration towards what is being referred to. But if you describe it as challenging, then it
reflects your positive attitude despite the trials that may come.