1. Spill the beans
Meaning: To reveal a secret.
Example: Come on, spill the beans! What did he say?
2. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
Example: You hit the nail on the head — it’s the poor communication that caused the issue.
3. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret.
Example: She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
4. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on a task that is too big or difficult.
Example: I think I bit off more than I could chew with this project.
5. Break the ice
Meaning: To start a conversation in a social setting to reduce tension.
Example: A funny story is a great way to break the ice.
6. The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your decision or responsibility to take the next step.
Example: I’ve done all I can — now the ball is in your court.
7. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To stay up late working or studying.
Example: She’s been burning the midnight oil before the exams.
8. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling sick or unwell.
Example: I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.
9. Kick the bucket
Meaning: A humorous or informal way to say someone has died.
Example: He finally kicked the bucket at the age of 95.
10. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: To make a wrong assumption or accuse the wrong person.
Example: If you think I broke the vase, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
11. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Very expensive.
Example: That designer bag cost her an arm and a leg.
12. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Very rarely.
Example: We only see each other once in a blue moon these days.
More Advanced Phrases
1. Throw someone under the bus
Meaning: To betray a friend or colleague for personal gain or to avoid blame.
Example: He threw his teammate under the bus to avoid getting in trouble with the boss.
2. Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: To join or support something that’s popular or trendy.
Example: Now that the product is successful, everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon.
3. Read between the lines
Meaning: To understand the hidden or unspoken meaning of something.
Example: He didn’t say it directly, but I could read between the lines that he’s unhappy.
4. By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: To barely succeed or narrowly avoid disaster.
Example: She passed the driving test by the skin of her teeth.
5. Cut to the chase
Meaning: To get to the point, skipping the unnecessary details.
Example: Let’s cut to the chase — what do you actually want from me?
6. A blessing in disguise
Meaning: Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.
Example: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise — it led me to a much better opportunity.
