Idioms in everyday speech

 

Lesson for Learners 

Weather Words Idioms

       Have you ever noticed that many of the idioms we use include references to weather? Here's a list of the most common   “weather words” idioms, along with their meanings

         Learn and review these 148 common English idioms 

                                      related to weather.

Idioms describing weather conditions

     

                     

      raining cats and dogs -

- raining very heavily: “Take your umbrella and a jacket because it's raining cats and dogs outside”

       a nip in the air –

if there is a nip in the air, the air is cold: “There's quite a nip in the air. I think you'll need your jacket on”

Billy Wind –

if the wind is so strong it is howling, one might say: "Wow- can you hear Billy Wind out there?"

brass-monkey weather –

very cold weather: "It's brass-monkey weather today. You'd better wrap up warm!”

bucket down –

to bucket down is to rain very heavily: “It’s bucketing down; don’t forget your umbrella”

it’s chucking down –

it's raining very hard: “I wouldn’t like to go for a walk. It’s chucking down”

the heavens open –

when the heavens open, it suddenly starts to rain heavily: “As soon as the race started, the heavens opened and the runners were soaked”

Jack Frost –

if everything has frozen in winter, then Jack Frost has visited

 

lovely weather for ducks –

to rain very steadily: “Lovely weather for ducks! I think we’ll cancel our picnic”

 

a   pea-souper –

a thick fog: “I can’t see my hand in front of my face”

 

a scorcher –

we can describe a very hot day as “a scorcher”

weather permitting -

if the weather allows: “Weather permitting, we will go to the lake on Saturday”

      Idioms expressing positive feelings and emotions

         

       as right as rain –

to feel fine and healthy: “Don't worry about me, I'm as right as rain after my knee operation”

be on cloud nine - 

to be extremely happy:“When the boss announced my promotion, I was on cloud nine.”

 

be a breeze –

to be very easy to do: “Our English exam was a breeze. I'm sure I'll get top marks”

 

break the ice –

to say or do something to make someone feel relaxed or at ease in a social setting: “He offered to get her a drink to help break the ice”

 

brighten up the day –

if something brightens up your day, something happens that makes you feel positive and happy all day long

 

be like a cat on a hot tin roof –

restless or jumpy: "He's like a cat on a hot tin roof with all this talk about redundancies."

blue sky thinking –

a overly enthusiastic outlook or disposition. This refers to thinking that is unrealistic. This phrase may also refer to creative ideas that diverge from current beliefs or ideas.” The sales team had blue skies projections for their deals, although not many of those deals were signed”

 

come in from the cold –

to be welcome in or become part of a group, particularly if you are new or alone:  "He's finally come in from the cold."

 

calm before the storm –

the quiet, peaceful period before a moment of great activity or mayhem: “The in-laws were about to arrive with their kids so she sat on the sofa with a cup of coffee enjoying the calm before the storm”

clear the air –  

resolve a dispute: “We had a big argument but now it is time to clear the air”

 

every cloud has a silver lining –

there is always something positive to come out of an unpleasant or difficult situation: “I got laid off from work yesterday, but every cloud has a silver lining and now I can spend more time writing my book”

 

go down a storm –

to say that something has been enjoyable or successful, you can say that it has gone down a storm: “Last night's party went down a storm, it was incredible”

 

greased lightning –

if something or someone moves like greased lightning, they move very fast indeed

 

 

keep somebody cool –

to remain calm, especially in a difficult situation: “If you see a difficult question in the exam, don't panic. Just keep your cool”

 

know which way wind blows –

this expression means that it is advisable to know how a situation is developing, or what the tendency is, in order to be prepared for any changes. “Before we decide on anything, we need to know which way the wind is blowing”

 

lightning does not strike twice –

something that you say which means that a bad thing will not happen to the same person twice: “I know the crash has scared you, but lightning doesn't strike twice”

 

make hay while sunshines –

this expression is used as an encouragement to take advantage of a good situation which may not last: “Successful athletes are advised to make hay while the sun shines”

 

made in the shade –

one has an easy time in life or in a given situation. Finding things working to one's benefit

ray of hope –

there is a chance that something positive will happen: “There is a ray of hope after all, it looks like we won't be losing our jobs”

reach for the moon –

if you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious and try to achieve something even if it is difficult: “His parents were hardworking people who encouraged their children to reach for the moon”

 

shoot the breeze –

to talk idly: “I met my friend at the supermarket and we decided to shoot the breeze for a few minutes”

 

save for a rainy day –

to save for the future when it might suddenly be needed: “Don't spend your entire wage in one night. You should save for a rainy day”

 

take by storm –

to take by storm means to captivate: “A new play that took New York City by storm”

 

take a rain check –

decline something now but offer to do it at a later date: “Thanks for inviting me to dinner but I can't this week. Can I take a rain check on that?” “Do you mind if I take a rain check on that lunch invitation? I'm going to be away all week”

 

white as snow –

if someone is as white as snow, they are completely uncorrupted and honest

weather the storm –

if you weather the storm, you succeed in surviving a difficult period or situation: “Given the current recession, the company is weathering the storm better than most”

 

wind up (something) or wind (something) up - to end something, to finish something, to settle something:“ It was time to wind up our project and go home”

 

walking on air –

be very happy and excited because something very pleasant has happened to you: “When the doctor told me I was going to have a baby, I was walking on air”  

Idioms expressing negative 

feelings and emotions 

   

- if someone has a face like thunder, they look very angry: “When Dad is really angry, he has a face like thunder!”

bolt from the blue –

if something happens unexpectedly and suddenly: “The news that they are getting a divorce was a bolt from the blue”

be in the dark –

if someone is kept or left in the dark about something, they are not informed about it: “The personnel was kept in the dark about the merger until the last minute”

be all wet –

to be completely wrong: “Most doctors agreed that the scientific evidence in the report was simply all wet”

be on thin ice –

to be on the verge of an unfavorable situation; to be on probation; to push the limits

be spitting in/into the wind –

to waste time trying to achieve something that cannot be achieved: “The government is spitting in the wind if they think a few regulations will stop multinational companies from avoiding tax”

be snowed under –

to be very busy with work, overwhelmed: “Since we took on the new clients, I’ve been snowed under. There is so much work to be done”

calm before the storm –

the quiet, peaceful period before a moment of great activity or mayhem: “The in-laws were about to arrive with their kids so she sat on the sofa with a cup of coffee enjoying the calm before the storm”

chase rainbows –

when someone tries to do something that they will not achieve: “I think she's chasing rainbows if she thinks she can get into Oxford with her bad grades”

chill wind of something –

if you face the chill wind of something, you are beginning to encounter the problems: “Many building companies are facing the chill wind of the recession”

cloud of suspicion –

if a cloud of suspicion hangs over an individual, it means that they are not believed or are distrusted

cold fish –

a "cold" person: "The new manager is a bit of a cold fish. I don't know what to make of him."

cold comfort –

a small piece of good news which doesn't make much difference to a bad situation: "Sales reductions of 50% are cold comfort if you don't have any money to go shopping!"

fair-weather friend –

a person who is only your friend during good times or when things are going well for you but disappears when things become difficult or you have problems

full of hot air –

a person who talks a lot and says things that aren't completely true: “He's always talking about how he is going to find gold in the river. I don't believe him. I think he's full of hot air”.