Phrase Frenzy: How Well Do You Know Common Sayings?

Question 1

What Does “once in a Blue Moon” Mean?

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If Someone Is “barking up the Wrong Tree,” What Are They Doing?

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What Does It Mean to “spill the Beans”?

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What Does “break the Ice” Typically Refer to?

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What Does It Mean to Be “under the Weather”?

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What Does “a Blessing in Disguise” Mean?

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What Does “hit the Nail on the Head” Mean?

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If Someone Is “the Black Sheep,” What Are They Considered?

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What Does It Mean to “let the Cat Out of the Bag”?

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What Does “burning the Midnight Oil” Mean?

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What Does “bite off More Than You Can Chew” Imply?

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If Someone “catches You Red-Handed,” What Have They Done?

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What Does It Mean to “pull Someone’s Leg”?

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If Something Is “costing an Arm and a Leg,” What Does That Suggest?

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What Does “throw in the Towel” Mean?

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What Does It Mean to “go the Extra Mile”?

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If Someone Is “a Dime a Dozen,” What Are They?

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What Does “beat Around the Bush” Mean?

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If Something Is “the Best of Both Worlds,” What Does That Imply?

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What Does “jump on the Bandwagon” Mean?

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What Does “keep Your Eyes Peeled” Mean?

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What Does “don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk” Mean?

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What Does “it Takes Two to Tango” Suggest?

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What Does “put All Your Eggs in One Basket” Mean?

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If Someone Is “on Cloud Nine,” How Are They Feeling?

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What Does “the Ball Is in Your Court” Mean?

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What Does It Mean to “face the Music”?

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What Does “by the Skin of Your Teeth” Mean?

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What Does “hit the Sack” Mean?

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What Does “bend Over Backwards” Mean?

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What Does It Mean to “hit the Ground Running”?

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If You “let Sleeping Dogs Lie,” What Are You Doing?

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What Does “on Thin Ice” Imply?

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What Does It Mean to “cut to the Chase”?

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If Someone “has a Chip on Their Shoulder,” How Are They Behaving?

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What Does “pull Yourself Together” Mean?

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What Does It Mean to “go Out on a Limb”?

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If Someone Is “cold Feet,” What Are They Feeling?

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What Does “drop the Ball” Mean?

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What Does “throw Caution to the Wind” Mean?

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What Does It Mean to “call It a Day”?

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If Someone Is “killing Two Birds With One Stone,” What Are They Doing?

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What Does “in the Same Boat” Mean?

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What Does “keep Your Chin Up” Mean?

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What Does “read Between the Lines” Mean?

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If Something Is “out of the Blue,” What Does That Suggest?

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What Does “easy as Pie” Mean?

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What Does “have Your Head in the Clouds” Imply?

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If Something “costs a Pretty Penny,” What Is It?

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What Does “take It With a Grain of Salt” Mean?

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What Does “kick the Bucket” Euphemistically Mean?

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What Does “burn Bridges” Mean?

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What Does “make a Mountain Out of a Molehill” Mean?

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What Does “wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve” Mean?

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What Does “cut Corners” Mean?

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What Does “jump the Gun” Mean?

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What Does “off the Hook” Mean?

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What Does It Mean to “hit the Books”?

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If Something Is “up in the Air,” What Is It?

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What Does “bite the Bullet” Mean?

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What Does “get the Short End of the Stick” Mean?

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If Someone Is “all Ears,” What Are They Doing?

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What Does “kick up Your Heels” Suggest?

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What Does “go Down in Flames” Mean?

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If Someone “eats Their Words,” What Happens?

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What Does “draw the Line” Mean?

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What Does “by the Book” Imply?

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If Someone “pays Through the Nose,” What Do They Do?

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What Does “in Hot Water” Mean?

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What Does “a Taste of Your Own Medicine” Mean?

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What Does “jump Through Hoops” Mean?

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What Does “speak of the Devil” Usually Indicate?

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What Does “take a Rain Check” Mean?

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What Does “cut the Mustard” Mean?

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If Someone Is “walking on Eggshells,” How Are They Behaving?

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What Does “back to Square One” Mean?

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If Something “rings a Bell,” What Does It Do?

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What Does “throw Your Weight Around” Mean?

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What Does “keep Something at Bay” Mean?

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What Does “turn a Blind Eye” Mean?

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What Does “to Have Bigger Fish to Fry” Imply?

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What Does “call Someone’s Bluff” Mean?

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What Does “to Know the Ropes” Mean?

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What Does “keep Something Under Wraps” Mean?

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What Does “beat a Dead Horse” Mean?

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What Does “hold Your Horses” Mean?

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What Does “a Red Flag” Typically Indicate?

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What Does “go for Broke” Mean?

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What Does “live and Let Live” Suggest?

Question 1

What Does “the Straw That Broke the Camel’s Back” Mean?

1

During storms

2

Without warning

3

Very rarely

4

Every week

The phrase “once in a blue moon” refers to something that happens extremely rarely or infrequently.

1

Asking for permission

2

Calling for help

3

Making the wrong assumption

4

Complaining unnecessarily

“Barking up the wrong tree” means blaming or accusing the wrong person or misunderstanding the situation.

1

Reveal a secret

2

Waste food

3

Talk nonsense

4

Make a mess

To “spill the beans” means to accidentally or deliberately reveal secret or confidential information.

1

Start a conversation

2

Ruin a party

3

Fall through ice

4

Make trouble

“Break the ice” means initiating conversation to reduce tension or awkwardness in social situations.

1

Feeling overwhelmed

2

Feeling ill

3

Running late

4

Caught in a storm

“Under the weather” is a common idiom meaning someone is feeling sick or unwell.

1

A miracle

2

A ghost

3

Something unexplainable

4

A good thing that seemed bad

“A blessing in disguise” is something that seems bad at first but turns out to be beneficial.

1

Build something

2

Make a loud noise

3

Be exactly right

4

Strike with force

To “hit the nail on the head” means to give a precise or perfectly accurate statement or answer.

1

Hardworking

2

The favorite

3

An outcast

4

A leader

The “black sheep” is the family member or group member who stands out negatively or doesn't conform.

1

Cause a scene

2

Reveal a secret

3

Lose a pet

4

Buy something

“To let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret that was supposed to stay hidden.

1

Cooking

2

Working late

3

Wasting energy

4

Reading

“Burning the midnight oil” refers to staying up late to work or study, often with great effort.

1

Make mistakes

2

Eat too fast

3

Lose interest

4

Take on too much

This idiom means someone has taken on a task or responsibility too large to handle comfortably.

1

Caught you in the act

2

Painted you

3

Startled you

4

Made you blush

Being “caught red-handed” means being discovered while committing a wrong or illegal act.

1

Trip them

2

Disrespect them

3

Joke with them

4

Surprise them

“Pulling someone’s leg” is a playful way of teasing or joking without harmful intent.

1

Cheap

2

Dangerous

3

Very expensive

4

Painful

The phrase means that something is outrageously or unreasonably expensive or costly.

1

Give up

2

Get clean

3

Make a deal

4

Start over

“To throw in the towel” means to admit defeat or stop trying, often after struggling.

1

Take a longer route

2

Exercise more

3

Try something new

4

Do more than expected

“Go the extra mile” means putting in additional effort beyond what is required or expected.

1

Lucky

2

Very common

3

Expensive

4

Valuable

“A dime a dozen” refers to things or people that are so common they’re considered unremarkable.

1

Take a detour

2

Clean up

3

Avoid saying something directly

4

Go hunting

To “beat around the bush” is to avoid getting to the point or discussing something directly.

1

No options

2

All advantages

3

A fantasy

4

Two realities

“The best of both worlds” means enjoying two different advantages or benefits at the same time.

1

Follow a popular trend

2

Switch opinions

3

Celebrate a win

4

Dance in public

To “jump on the bandwagon” is to start supporting something because it's popular or successful.

1

Protect yourself

2

Look away

3

Stay alert

4

Be quiet

“Keep your eyes peeled” is a phrase used to tell someone to stay vigilant and watchful.

1

Clean up

2

Blame others

3

Apologize

4

Don’t waste time on past mistakes

This idiom means not to be upset over something that can’t be undone or changed.

1

Both parties are responsible

2

Dance is fun

3

Timing matters

4

Love hurts

“It takes two to tango” means that two people are involved and equally responsible for a situation.

1

Prepare breakfast

2

Overdo something

3

Rely on one plan

4

Make a mess

This idiom warns against relying entirely on one thing or course of action without backup.

1

Frustrated

2

Extremely happy

3

Confused

4

Sleepy

Being “on cloud nine” means someone is experiencing extreme happiness or joy.

1

Play tennis

2

Decide a game

3

Refuse to move

4

It’s your turn to act

This phrase means it’s now your responsibility to make a decision or take action.

1

Go to a concert

2

Sing

3

Accept consequences

4

Get emotional

“To face the music” means to confront the results of your actions, especially negative ones.

1

Get burned

2

Feel nervous

3

Lose completely

4

Barely succeed

The phrase means to succeed or escape a situation by an extremely narrow margin.

1

Punch a bag

2

Miss a goal

3

Go to bed

4

Give up

“Hit the sack” is a casual way of saying someone is going to sleep.

1

Make a great effort

2

Do yoga

3

Fall over

4

Be stubborn

This phrase means to try very hard or go out of your way to accommodate someone.

1

Act without thinking

2

Trip and fall

3

Start fast and efficiently

4

Land poorly

This phrase means to begin a task or role immediately with enthusiasm and effectiveness.

1

Avoiding old problems

2

Waking someone

3

Forgetting history

4

Solving a mystery

“Let sleeping dogs lie” means avoiding reopening past issues that could cause unnecessary trouble.

1

Cold and alone

2

In a risky situation

3

Moving quickly

4

Acting distant

Being “on thin ice” means you're in a dangerous or uncertain situation that could go badly.

1

Skip the fun

2

Get to the point

3

End a relationship

4

Start running

“Cut to the chase” means avoiding distractions and getting straight to the main point or issue.

1

Defensive or resentful

2

Confident

3

Carefree

4

Tired

Having “a chip on your shoulder” suggests harboring anger or looking for a reason to argue.

1

Tie your shoes

2

Plan a party

3

Calm down and regain control

4

Eat a snack

To “pull yourself together” is to recover from distress and regain your composure.

1

Take a risk

2

Make noise

3

Lie to someone

4

Climb a tree

“Going out on a limb” means to take a chance or support something uncertain or unpopular.

1

Literal cold

2

Confidence

3

Nervous hesitation

4

Excitement

Having “cold feet” typically refers to second thoughts or hesitation, especially before a big event.

1

Make a mistake

2

Lose your balance

3

Score points

4

Stop trying

“Dropping the ball” means failing to do something properly or making an error, often through negligence.

1

Warn others

2

Avoid commitment

3

Predict trouble

4

Act without worrying

This idiom describes behaving in a bold or risky way without considering the possible consequences.

1

Rest all day

2

Take a call

3

Start again

4

Stop working

To “call it a day” means to stop working for the time being, often after finishing enough.

1

Breaking rules

2

Hurting animals

3

Traveling

4

Accomplishing two tasks at once

This idiom means completing two objectives with a single action or effort.

1

Sharing a hobby

2

Going on vacation

3

Living together

4

In a similar situation

Being “in the same boat” means experiencing the same situation or hardship as someone else.

1

Look forward

2

Stay positive

3

Prepare for a fight

4

Raise your head

“Keep your chin up” is used to encourage someone to remain optimistic in difficult times.

1

Read aloud

2

Scan quickly

3

Find hidden meaning

4

Skip pages

This idiom suggests understanding something that isn’t directly stated, often implied or subtle information.

1

Quiet

2

Repetitive

3

Sad

4

Unexpected

“Out of the blue” refers to something surprising or unforeseen that happens suddenly.

1

Repetitive

2

Very simple

3

Dessert related

4

Sweet task

“Easy as pie” means something is extremely simple or effortless to complete or understand.

1

Being happy

2

Being unrealistic

3

Thinking about weather

4

Looking up

This phrase describes someone who’s distracted or not grounded in reality, often daydreaming.

1

Sentimental

2

Very expensive

3

Shiny

4

Underpriced

“Costs a pretty penny” means the item is very costly or comes with a high price tag.

1

Believe everything

2

Be skeptical

3

Eat slowly

4

Add seasoning

This idiom advises viewing information with caution and not believing it completely.

1

Fall

2

Retire

3

Start over

4

Die

“Kick the bucket” is a lighthearted euphemism for passing away or dying.

1

Destroy relationships

2

End a vacation

3

Give up

4

Start a fire

To “burn bridges” means to end a relationship or opportunity in a way that prevents future return.

1

Defend yourself

2

Explore deeply

3

Create new land

4

Exaggerate a small issue

This idiom describes overreacting to something minor by making it seem more serious than it is.

1

Show emotions openly

2

Ignore others

3

Display jewelry

4

Be stylish

“Wearing your heart on your sleeve” means expressing your feelings openly and without restraint.

1

Save energy

2

Avoid cutting

3

Do something cheaply or poorly

4

Find a shortcut

“Cutting corners” means saving time or money by doing something in a faster but less effective way.

1

Exercise

2

Win easily

3

Speak loudly

4

Act too soon

To “jump the gun” is to start something prematurely before the proper time or instruction.

1

Hanging up

2

Literally unhooked

3

Freed from responsibility

4

Avoid phone calls

This idiom means someone is no longer being held accountable or blamed for something.

1

Study

2

Get tired

3

Throw books

4

Organize

“Hitting the books” is a slang phrase for dedicating oneself to study or academic work.

1

Flying

2

Finished

3

Uncertain or undecided

4

High quality

“Up in the air” means that something is unresolved or hasn’t been finalized.

1

Chew metal

2

Get tough

3

Endure something painful

4

Eat fast

“Biting the bullet” means accepting something difficult or unpleasant and dealing with it bravely.

1

Receive unfair treatment

2

Win unexpectedly

3

Ignore instructions

4

Break something

“Getting the short end of the stick” means being treated worse than others or getting an unfair outcome.

1

Listening attentively

2

Wearing jewelry

3

Eavesdropping

4

Hearing voices

Being “all ears” means you are fully focused and eager to listen to what someone is saying.

1

Sleep

2

Dance clumsily

3

Celebrate or have fun

4

Walk fast

“Kicking up your heels” implies enjoying yourself, often in a lively or festive setting.

1

Cook dinner

2

Wear red

3

Fail spectacularly

4

Celebrate success

“Go down in flames” describes something failing in a dramatic or obvious way, usually after high expectations.

1

They talk a lot

2

They whisper

3

They mumble

4

They admit being wrong

“Eating your words” means admitting what you said was incorrect or misguided.

1

Color something

2

Use a ruler

3

Set a limit

4

Start fresh

To “draw the line” is to set a clear boundary or limit, especially on acceptable behavior.

1

Disagree with policy

2

Follow rules exactly

3

Memorize quickly

4

Read every day

Doing something “by the book” means following all the established rules or procedures exactly.

1

Make a deal

2

Talk a lot

3

Get punched

4

Overpay

To “pay through the nose” means spending far more than is fair or expected for something.

1

In trouble

2

Boiling mad

3

Getting warm

4

Preparing food

Being “in hot water” means you’re in serious trouble or facing consequences for your actions.

1

Receive similar bad treatment

2

Feel better

3

Eat something

4

Take a remedy

This idiom means experiencing the same negative behavior you’ve shown to others, often as a lesson.

1

Entertain someone

2

Do gymnastics

3

Do difficult tasks

4

Break barriers

To “jump through hoops” means to go through a lot of effort to meet demands or requirements.

1

Someone mentioned just arrived

2

Trouble is coming

3

The topic is spooky

4

You’re gossiping

“Speak of the devil” is said when someone you’re just talking about suddenly appears.

1

Complain

2

Forecast

3

Refuse

4

Postpone

Taking a “rain check” means declining an invitation now but expressing interest in doing it later.

1

Slice vegetables

2

Meet expectations

3

Miss the mark

4

Make food

“Cutting the mustard” means to meet or exceed the standard or expectations set for something.

1

Fast

2

Very cautiously

3

Confidently

4

Angrily

“Walking on eggshells” refers to behaving extremely carefully to avoid upsetting someone.

1

Go in circles

2

Win quickly

3

Start over

4

Make progress

Being “back to square one” means starting a task from the beginning due to failure or setback.

1

Is loud

2

Gives warning

3

Sounds familiar

4

Creates noise

When something “rings a bell,” it sparks recognition or feels vaguely familiar to you.

1

Use power aggressively

2

Ignore rules

3

Gain weight

4

Dance

“Throwing your weight around” means using power or influence in a domineering or unfair way.

1

Push it forward

2

Lock it away

3

Measure distance

4

Prevent it from approaching

To “keep something at bay” means to stop it from getting closer or affecting you.

1

Be confused

2

Ignore intentionally

3

Sleep

4

See clearly

“Turning a blind eye” means knowingly choosing to ignore wrongdoing or problems.

1

Start over

2

Fish for hours

3

More important things to do

4

Cook more

This saying means someone has more significant matters to deal with than what’s currently happening.

1

Challenge their claim

2

Support them

3

Ignore them

4

Start a fight

Calling someone’s bluff is testing whether they’re telling the truth or making an empty threat.

1

Be tied up

2

Avoid help

3

Be familiar with how something works

4

Climb well

“To know the ropes” means being well-informed about how a job or task should be done.

1

Keep it secret

2

Store it away

3

Wrap it up

4

Ignore it

“To keep something under wraps” means to conceal or keep information confidential until the right time.

1

Fix something broken

2

Waste time on something settled

3

Commit animal cruelty

4

Complain loudly

This idiom means continuing to discuss or pursue an issue that’s already resolved or irrelevant.

1

Ride a horse

2

Avoid danger

3

Take control

4

Wait or slow down

“Holding your horses” is a way to tell someone to wait, be patient, or slow down.

1

Warning sign

2

Celebration

3

Good deal

4

Confusion

“A red flag” is used to describe something that signals potential problems or danger ahead.

1

Be cautious

2

Lose money

3

Break something

4

Risk everything

To “go for broke” means to risk everything in pursuit of a big goal or reward.

1

Ignore problems

2

Do what you want

3

Tolerate others

4

Sleep peacefully

“Live and let live” promotes the idea of allowing others to live as they choose without interference.

1

Final problem that causes failure

2

Accidental injury

3

New solution

4

Funny moment

This phrase describes a small issue that causes someone to finally lose patience or collapse under pressure.

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Think you know your idioms? This quiz will test your understanding of popular phrases and sayings used in everyday English. From quirky expressions to timeless proverbs, let’s see how well you really know what people mean!

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