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An idiom may have a figurative meaning, but it once had a literal meaning. We use idioms spontaneously throughout the day without realising that the sentence’s literal meaning does not make any sense. The widely accepted and implied meaning of the idiom makes it interesting.
Idiom Meaning
Let’s look at some essential meanings of English idioms. An idiom may be defined in multiple ways-
- “It is an expression that cannot be understood with the meaning of its separate words but rather the implied and accepted meaning of the same.”
- “Idioms are a figure of speech that is used in a particular area.”
Understanding the idiom’s meaning will help you in understanding the native language better. However, to master these expressions, you must use them regularly.
Idiom 1: Beat around the bush
Meaning: to avoid the point or to circle around the issue.
Example: Just stop beating around the bush and tell me where you are.
Historical evidence: During the game of hunting in Britain, participants beat around the bush to draw out the birds. They would beat around the bush before getting to their primary task of hunting birds.
Idiom 2: Spill the beans
Meaning: To leak secret information
Example: Come on, tell us more. Spill the beans.
Historical evidence: Its use is derived from the ancient Greek voting process of using different coloured beans. People used these beans to vote yes or no. The phrase depicted that if someone spilt the beans, it would reveal secret information about the results.
Idiom 3: I’ve got it in the bag
Meaning: Victory is confirmed
Example: I am pretty confident about the race. I’ve got it in the bag.
Historical evidence: The widely accepted use is popularised by the New York Giants. The Giants is a baseball team and back in the 1916s, they were on a 26 streak win. They believed that if they were in the lead in the last inning of the game, carrying the ball bag off the field would guarantee their win.
Idiom 4: Turn a blind eye
Meaning: To refuse to acknowledge the truth
Example: This is the last time I’ll turn a blind eye to your actions.
Historical evidence: The most commonly accepted origin of this phrase is its use by British Admiral Horatio Nelson. Nelson was once ordered to retreat, but he mockingly used his blind eye to pretend that he did not see the signal.
Idiom 5: Feeling under the weather
Meaning: To feel sick
Example: Today I am feeling under the weather.
Historical evidence: The use of this phrase has nautical roots. If a sailor were feeling ill, he would go beneath the bow located at the front of the boat. They would avoid the sea conditions that could make them feel worse by staying below deck. Feeling under the weather was a phrase used by sailors to describe someone feeling sick.
Idiom Examples
Below are commonly used idiom examples that will allow us to understand their use and meaning better.
- “A blessing in disguise”- a positive outcome of a seemingly bad thing.
- “Better late than never”- it is better to come late than not at all.
- “Break a leg”- good luck.
- “Go back to the drawing board”- You should start over.
- “Pull someone’s leg”- to joke with someone.
- “Once in a blue moon”- A rare occurrence.
- “The devil is in the details”- When you look closer, there will be problems.
- “Don’t judge a book by its cover”- The appearance on the outside doesn’t give a complete picture.
- “Best of both worlds”- an ideal situation.
- “Call it a day”- to stop working on something.
Conclusion
We have discussed the origins of various English idioms in this article. Almost all idioms have historical significance and meaning, but when they are discussed in the modern context, we see them as entirely new phrases. Therefore, you shouldn’t randomly use idioms in places if you aren’t well versed in their meaning and usage. To make a long story short, Idioms are sentences that have a different meaning than their literal meaning.
