Idioms for Kids Pictures

Decoding Idioms: A Kid’s Guide to Picture-Perfect Phrases

ByAmy_R_Nestor

Understanding idioms is like unlocking a secret code in the English language. These colorful phrases add richness and depth to our conversations and writing, but they can be confusing if taken literally.

This guide is designed to help kids (and anyone who wants a simpler explanation) grasp the wonderful world of idioms. By exploring common idioms with illustrative examples, we’ll learn how to interpret their true meanings and use them confidently in everyday communication.

Understanding idioms will not only improve your English skills but also enhance your ability to appreciate literature, movies, and conversations with native speakers.

This article is perfect for young learners, ESL students, and anyone who wants a straightforward approach to understanding English idioms. We’ll break down complex concepts into manageable parts, making learning fun and engaging.

Get ready to paint a picture with words and discover the magic of idioms!

Table of Contents

What are Idioms? A Colorful Definition

An idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words. In other words, it’s a saying where the words together have a special meaning that’s different from what the words mean on their own. Think of it like a secret code where you need to know the whole phrase to understand the message.

For example, if someone says “It’s raining cats and dogs,” they don’t actually mean that animals are falling from the sky! They mean that it’s raining very heavily.

The phrase “raining cats and dogs” is an idiom.

Idioms are a type of figurative language, which means they use words in a non-literal way to create a more vivid or interesting image. They add color and personality to our language, making it more expressive and engaging. They can be classified as fixed expressions, meaning they usually cannot be changed or altered without losing their meaning. The function of idioms is primarily communicative, allowing speakers to convey complex ideas or emotions in a concise and memorable way. They are used in almost all contexts, from casual conversations to formal writing, although some idioms are more appropriate for certain situations than others.

Breaking Down Idioms: Structure and Patterns

While idioms don’t follow strict grammatical rules in terms of word order, they do have a structure. Understanding this structure can help you recognize and remember idioms more easily.

Most idioms consist of a combination of words that, when put together, create a new meaning. These words can be nouns, verbs, adjectives, and prepositions.

The key is that the entire phrase acts as a single unit of meaning. For example, in the idiom “kick the bucket,” “kick” and “bucket” are ordinary words, but together they mean “to die.”

Some idioms follow specific patterns, such as:

  • Verb + Preposition: Give up (to stop trying)
  • Adjective + Noun: A piece of cake (easy)
  • Comparison: As cool as a cucumber (very calm)
  • Phrasal Verbs: Look into (investigate)

Recognizing these patterns can help you identify potential idioms and understand their meaning in context. However, it’s important to remember that not all phrases that follow these patterns are idioms.

The key is that the meaning of the phrase must be different from the literal meanings of the individual words.

Types of Idioms: Exploring Different Categories

Idioms can be categorized based on their meaning, structure, or the subject they relate to. Here are some common categories:

Animal Idioms

These idioms use animals to convey a particular meaning or characteristic. They often draw on common stereotypes or associations with specific animals.

Food Idioms

Food-related idioms use food as a metaphor to describe situations, people, or emotions. They can be sweet, sour, or even spicy!

Color Idioms

Color idioms use colors to represent feelings, ideas, or qualities. Each color carries its own symbolic weight, adding nuance to the phrase.

Body Part Idioms

These idioms use parts of the body to describe actions, feelings, or situations. They often relate to physical sensations or experiences.

Weather Idioms

Weather idioms use weather conditions to describe moods, events, or circumstances. From sunny skies to stormy weather, these idioms capture the ever-changing nature of life.

Idiom Examples: Picture This!

Let’s explore some examples of idioms in different categories. Each example will include the idiom, its meaning, and a sentence demonstrating its use.

Animal Idioms

Animal idioms are a fun way to add color to your language. They often use the characteristics of animals to describe people or situations.

Here’s a table with several examples:

Idiom Meaning Example Sentence
A piece of cake Very easy The test was a piece of cake.
Raining cats and dogs Raining very heavily Don’t forget your umbrella, it’s raining cats and dogs outside.
Kill two birds with one stone Accomplish two things at once By walking to the store, I can kill two birds with one stone: get exercise and buy groceries.
Hold your horses Wait a moment Hold your horses! Let’s think about this before we make a decision.
Let the cat out of the bag Reveal a secret I didn’t mean to let the cat out of the bag, but I accidentally told her about the surprise party.
As busy as a bee Very busy She’s been as busy as a bee getting ready for the school play.
Have butterflies in your stomach To be nervous I always have butterflies in my stomach before a big presentation.
A fish out of water Feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation He felt like a fish out of water at the fancy party.
Like a deer in headlights To be startled and unable to react When the teacher called on him unexpectedly, he just stood there like a deer in headlights.
The elephant in the room An obvious problem that no one wants to discuss Everyone knew they were having financial problems, but it was the elephant in the room.
Chicken out To back out of something due to fear He was going to go bungee jumping, but he chickened out at the last minute.
Cry wolf To raise a false alarm If you cry wolf too often, people won’t believe you when there’s a real emergency.
Dog eat dog Ruthlessly competitive The business world can be dog eat dog.
Eager beaver Someone who is very enthusiastic and hardworking She’s such an eager beaver, always volunteering for extra tasks.
Get your ducks in a row To organize things properly Before starting the project, make sure you get your ducks in a row.
Guinea pig Someone used as a test subject They used me as a guinea pig for their new software.
Happy as a clam Very happy She was as happy as a clam when she got the new bicycle.
Hold your horses Be patient Hold your horses, we’ll get there eventually.
Night owl Someone who stays up late I’m a night owl, I do my best work after midnight.
Wolf in sheep’s clothing Someone who appears harmless but is dangerous Be careful, he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
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Food Idioms

Food idioms are a delicious way to describe various situations and feelings. They often relate to taste, texture, or the process of cooking.

Here’s a table filled with examples:

Idiom Meaning Example Sentence
Cool as a cucumber Very calm and composed Despite the chaos around him, he remained as cool as a cucumber.
Piece of cake Very easy The exam was a piece of cake.
Spill the beans Reveal a secret Don’t spill the beans about the surprise party!
Take with a grain of salt Don’t believe completely You should take his advice with a grain of salt; he’s not always right.
In a nutshell In a few words; briefly In a nutshell, the project was a success.
Butter someone up Flatter someone to get something He tried to butter up his boss to get a promotion.
Eat humble pie Admit you were wrong After boasting about his skills, he had to eat humble pie when he failed.
Full of beans Lively and energetic The children were full of beans after their nap.
Go bananas Become very excited or angry The crowd went bananas when the band started playing.
Hard nut to crack A difficult person or problem The problem was a hard nut to crack, but we finally solved it.
Have your cake and eat it too Wanting to have everything, even if it’s not possible You can’t have your cake and eat it too; you have to choose one.
Like two peas in a pod Very similar They are like two peas in a pod; they do everything together.
One smart cookie A clever person She’s one smart cookie; she always gets good grades.
Packed like sardines Crowded together tightly The subway was packed like sardines during rush hour.
Put all your eggs in one basket Risk everything on one venture Don’t put all your eggs in one basket; diversify your investments.
Sell like hotcakes Sell very quickly The new video game is selling like hotcakes.
Sour grapes Pretending to dislike something you can’t have He said he didn’t want the job anyway, but it was just sour grapes.
The apple of one’s eye Someone who is cherished His granddaughter is the apple of his eye.
Too many cooks spoil the broth Too many people involved ruins something The project failed because there were too many cooks spoiling the broth.
Bread and butter Main source of income Teaching is her bread and butter.

Color Idioms

Color idioms use colors to add depth and emotion to our language. Each color has its own symbolic meaning, which contributes to the overall message of the idiom.

Below you will find a table with some examples of color idioms:

Idiom Meaning Example Sentence
Feeling blue Feeling sad She’s been feeling blue since her vacation ended.
See red Become very angry He saw red when he found out someone had damaged his car.
Green with envy Very jealous She was green with envy when she saw his new phone.
Out of the blue Unexpectedly He called me out of the blue after many years.
White lie A harmless lie She told a white lie to avoid hurting his feelings.
Black sheep The odd one out in a group He’s the black sheep of the family.
In the pink In good health She’s been in the pink since she started exercising.
Red tape Bureaucratic delays We had to deal with a lot of red tape to get the permit.
Paint the town red Go out and have a good time Let’s go out and paint the town red tonight!
Golden opportunity A very good chance This is a golden opportunity to invest in the company.
Gray area Not clearly defined The rules are a bit of a gray area.
Once in a blue moon Very rarely We only go to that restaurant once in a blue moon.
True colors Real personality He finally showed his true colors when he got angry.
With flying colors With great success She passed the test with flying colors.
Black and white Clear and simple The issue is not as black and white as you think.
Rose-colored glasses Seeing things too positively She always looks at the world through rose-colored glasses.
Silver lining A positive aspect in a bad situation Even though he lost his job, the silver lining is that he can spend more time with his family.
The green light Permission to proceed We finally got the green light to start the project.
Catch someone red-handed Catch someone in the act of doing something wrong He was caught red-handed stealing cookies from the jar.
White as a ghost Very pale She turned as white as a ghost when she heard the news.

Body Part Idioms

Body part idioms use parts of the body to describe actions, feelings, or situations. They often relate to physical sensations or experiences.

Here’s a detailed table:

Idiom Meaning Example Sentence
Break a leg Good luck Break a leg with your performance!
Cost an arm and a leg Very expensive That car cost an arm and a leg.
Pull someone’s leg To tease or joke with someone I was just pulling your leg; I didn’t really win the lottery.
Keep an eye on Watch carefully Please keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom.
All ears Listening attentively I’m all ears; tell me what happened.
By the skin of your teeth Barely succeeding He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.
Get something off your chest Confess something that’s been bothering you I need to get something off my chest; I made a mistake.
Head over heels Deeply in love They are head over heels for each other.
Keep your chin up Stay positive Keep your chin up; things will get better.
Lend an ear Listen sympathetically Can you lend me an ear? I need to talk about something.
On the tip of my tongue Almost remembered His name is on the tip of my tongue.
Play it by ear Decide things as you go along Let’s play it by ear and see what happens.
See eye to eye Agree They don’t always see eye to eye on political issues.
Stick your neck out Take a risk I’m sticking my neck out by recommending you for this job.
Thumb a ride Hitchhike He decided to thumb a ride to the next town.
Twist someone’s arm Persuade someone I had to twist his arm to get him to come to the party.
Under your nose In plain sight The keys were right under your nose the whole time.
Foot the bill Pay for something My parents footed the bill for my college education.
Give someone a hand Help someone Can you give me a hand with these boxes?
Cold feet To be nervous before a big event He got cold feet before his wedding.
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Weather Idioms

Weather idioms use weather conditions to describe moods, events, or circumstances. From sunny skies to stormy weather, these idioms capture the ever-changing nature of life.

Here’s a table:

Idiom Meaning Example Sentence
Raining cats and dogs Raining very heavily It’s raining cats and dogs outside; take an umbrella.
Under the weather Feeling sick I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.
Calm before the storm A peaceful period before a disturbance It’s the calm before the storm; things will get busy soon.
Every cloud has a silver lining There’s something good in every bad situation Even though he lost his job, every cloud has a silver lining.
Get wind of something Hear a rumor or secret I got wind of their plans to move to another city.
Head in the clouds Not paying attention to reality He always has his head in the clouds; he needs to focus.
Make hay while the sun shines Take advantage of a good opportunity We should make hay while the sun shines and finish the project early.
On cloud nine Extremely happy She’s been on cloud nine since she got the promotion.
Storm in a teacup A big fuss about something unimportant The argument was just a storm in a teacup.
Throw caution to the wind Act recklessly They threw caution to the wind and went on a wild adventure.
A fair-weather friend Someone who is only there when things are good He’s a fair-weather friend; he disappears when you need him.
Chasing rainbows Pursuing unrealistic goals He’s always chasing rainbows; he needs to be more practical.
Clear as mud Not clear at all His explanation was as clear as mud.
Come rain or shine No matter what happens We’ll be there for you, come rain or shine.
In the doldrums In a state of inactivity or depression The company has been in the doldrums lately.
Know which way the wind blows Understand the situation He knows which way the wind blows in this company.
Lightening never strikes twice in the same place Bad luck won’t happen again in the same way Don’t worry, lightening never strikes twice in the same place.
Smooth sailing Easy progress After the initial challenges, it was smooth sailing.
Take a rain check Postpone an invitation I can’t make it tonight, but can I take a rain check?
Weather the storm Survive a difficult situation We need to weather the storm and stay strong.

Usage Rules: When and How to Use Idioms

Using idioms correctly can make your English sound more natural and expressive. However, it’s important to use them appropriately.

  • Know the meaning: Make sure you understand the meaning of the idiom before using it. Using an idiom incorrectly can be confusing or even humorous.
  • Consider the context: Some idioms are more formal than others. Choose idioms that are appropriate for the situation and your audience.
  • Don’t overuse idioms: Using too many idioms can make your language sound artificial or forced. Use them sparingly to add color and emphasis.
  • Be aware of cultural differences: Some idioms are specific to certain cultures or regions. Make sure your audience will understand the idiom you’re using.

Exceptions and Special Cases:

Some idioms have variations or can be used in slightly different ways. For example, the idiom “break a leg” is always used to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.

It would be strange to use it in a different context. Other idioms might have more flexibility in their usage, but it’s always best to err on the side of caution and use them as they are commonly understood.

Common Mistakes: Avoiding Idiom Mishaps

One of the most common mistakes is taking idioms literally. This can lead to confusion and miscommunication.

Here are some examples of common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Incorrect Correct Explanation
It was actually raining cats and dogs! It was raining cats and dogs! The first sentence implies that animals were literally falling from the sky.
I’m feeling under the water. I’m feeling under the weather. “Under the water” doesn’t convey the meaning of feeling sick.
He let the cow out of the bag. He let the cat out of the bag. The correct idiom is “let the cat out of the bag.”
She was green with grass. She was green with envy. The correct idiom is “green with envy.”
I’ll keep my eyes on your bag. I’ll keep an eye on your bag. The correct idiom is “keep an eye on.”
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Another common mistake is changing the words in an idiom. Idioms are fixed expressions, so changing the words can alter their meaning or make them nonsensical.

Always use the idiom as it is commonly known.

Practice Exercises: Test Your Idiom Knowledge

Let’s test your understanding of idioms with these practice exercises.

Exercise 1: Matching Idioms

Match the idiom with its correct meaning.

Idiom Meaning
1. A piece of cake A. Very expensive
2. Cost an arm and a leg B. Reveal a secret
3. Spill the beans C. Very easy
4. Break a leg D. Good luck
5. Under the weather E. Feeling sick

Answers:

Question Answer
1 C
2 A
3 B
4 D
5 E

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct idiom from the list: raining cats and dogs, hold your horses, see red, on cloud nine, a hard nut to crack.

  1. It’s __________ outside, so don’t forget your umbrella.
  2. __________! We need to think about this carefully.
  3. He __________ when he found out someone had scratched his car.
  4. She’s been __________ since she got the job offer.
  5. The problem was __________ , but we finally solved it.

Answers:

  1. raining cats and dogs
  2. Hold your horses
  3. saw red
  4. on cloud nine
  5. a hard nut to crack

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct meaning of the idiom in the sentence.

  1. He’s always got his head in the clouds.
    • A. He’s very intelligent.
    • B. He’s not paying attention to reality.
    • C. He’s very athletic.
  2. They are like two peas in a pod.
    • A. They are very different.
    • B. They are very similar.
    • C. They are always fighting.
  3. Don’t spill the beans!
    • A. Don’t make a mess.
    • B. Don’t reveal the secret.
    • C. Don’t eat too much.
  4. She passed the test with flying colors.
    • A. She failed the test.
    • B. She passed the test with great success.
    • C. She didn’t take the test.
  5. He gave me a hand with the boxes.
    • A. He ignored me.
    • B. He helped me.
    • C. He hurt me.

Answers:

  1. B
  2. B
  3. B
  4. B
  5. B

Advanced Topics: Diving Deeper into Idioms

For advanced learners, understanding the origin and evolution of idioms can provide a deeper appreciation for their meaning and usage.

Etymology: Many idioms have interesting origins that can be traced back to historical events, cultural practices, or literary works. Researching the etymology of an idiom can provide valuable insights into its meaning and context.

Regional Variations: Some idioms are specific to certain regions or dialects. Learning about these regional variations can help you understand and communicate with people from different parts of the world.

Idioms in Literature: Idioms are frequently used in literature to add color, depth, and authenticity to the writing. Analyzing how idioms are used in literary works can enhance your understanding of both the idiom and the text.

Creating Your Own Idioms: While it’s generally not advisable to create your own idioms (as they likely won’t be understood), understanding the principles behind idiom creation can improve your overall language skills. Think about using metaphors and analogies to create memorable and evocative phrases.

Frequently Asked Questions About Idioms

Here are some frequently asked questions about idioms:

  1. What is the difference between an idiom and a proverb?

    An idiom is a phrase whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of the words, while a proverb is a short, wise saying that offers advice or a general truth. For example, “raining cats and dogs” is an idiom, while “a penny saved is a penny earned” is a proverb.

  2. Why are idioms so difficult to learn?

    Idioms are difficult to learn because their meanings are not obvious from the individual words. They often require cultural knowledge or historical context to understand. Additionally, idioms can vary from region to region, making it challenging to learn them all.

  3. How can I improve my understanding of idioms?

    The best way to improve your understanding of idioms is to read and listen to English as much as possible. Pay attention to how native speakers use idioms in conversation and writing. You can also use idiom dictionaries and online resources to learn new idioms and their meanings. Practicing using idioms in your own speech and writing will also help you master them.

  4. Are idioms used in formal writing?

    While some idioms are appropriate for formal writing, others are more casual. It’s important to consider the context and audience when deciding whether to use an idiom in formal writing. In general, avoid using slang or overly colloquial idioms in formal situations.

  5. Can I translate idioms directly into another language?

    No, idioms cannot usually be translated directly into another language. The literal translation of an idiom often makes no sense in another language. Instead, you need to find an equivalent idiom in the target language that conveys the same meaning.

  6. How do I know if a phrase is an idiom?

    If the meaning of a phrase is different from the literal meaning of the words, it is likely an idiom. You can also check an idiom dictionary or online resource to confirm whether a phrase is an idiom.

  7. Why do people use idioms?

    Idioms add color and expressiveness to language. They can make communication more engaging and memorable. They also allow speakers to convey complex ideas or emotions in a concise and impactful way. Using idioms can also make you sound more like a native speaker.

  8. Are there idioms that I should avoid using?

    Yes, some idioms may be offensive or culturally insensitive. It’s important to be aware of the potential impact of your words and avoid using idioms that could be hurtful or disrespectful. If you’re unsure whether an idiom is appropriate, it’s best to err on the side of caution and choose a different way to express yourself.

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