Talking idioms

40 talking idioms with what each one means. Tap one for its origin, examples and a quick check.

A penny for your thoughts
A penny for your thoughts is a friendly way of asking someone who seems quiet or lost in thought what they are thinking about.
A picture is worth a thousand words
A picture is worth a thousand words means an image can show an idea or feeling more clearly and quickly than a long description.
Actions speak louder than words
Actions speak louder than words means that what you actually do shows more about you than what you say or promise.
Beat a dead horse
To beat a dead horse means to keep arguing about or pushing something that is already settled or cannot change.
Beat around the bush
To beat around the bush means to avoid saying something directly, usually because it is awkward or unpleasant.
Bite me
Bite me is a rude, dismissive reply that means roughly "leave me alone" or "I don't care what you think."
Bite your tongue
If you bite your tongue, you stop yourself from saying something you want to say, usually to avoid causing trouble.
Break a leg
Break a leg is a friendly way to wish someone good luck, especially right before a performance such as a play, concert or speech.
Break the ice
To break the ice is to say or do something that eases tension and helps people start talking, especially when they first meet.
Burst your bubble
To burst someone's bubble means to spoil their happy mood or belief by telling them an unwelcome truth.
By and large
By and large means generally or on the whole, when you look at the overall picture.
Call a spade a spade
To call a spade a spade is to speak plainly and honestly about something, even if the truth is unpleasant.
Cat got your tongue
"Cat got your tongue?" is a teasing question for someone who is unusually quiet or won't answer.
Cut to the chase
To cut to the chase means to skip the unnecessary details and get straight to the most important point.
Devil's advocate
Someone who plays devil's advocate argues for a side they may not believe in, to test an idea or start a useful debate.
Get over it
Get over it is a blunt way of telling someone to stop being upset about something and move on.
Good riddance
You say good riddance when you are glad that someone or something unpleasant has gone or been removed.
Heads up
A heads-up is a warning or piece of advance notice. Called out loud, "heads up" tells people to look out for something coming at them.
Hit the nail on the head
To hit the nail on the head means to describe something exactly right or find the exact cause of a problem.
In a nutshell
In a nutshell means in very few words, as a short summary of the main point.
Long story short
Long story short means "to sum up quickly," used before skipping to the main point of a story.
Mum's the word
Mum's the word means "say nothing": it is a promise, or a request, to keep something secret.
My two cents
Your two cents is your opinion on something, offered modestly, often when no one asked for it.
Off the cuff
If you say something off the cuff, you say it without planning or preparing it beforehand.
Out of pocket
Out of pocket means paying with your own money, or having lost money; in American English it can also mean away and hard to reach.
Out of the loop
If you are out of the loop, you are not informed about something that other people know about or are involved in.
Put a sock in it
Put a sock in it is a rude, informal way of telling someone to stop talking or to be quiet.
Read between the lines
To read between the lines means to understand a hidden meaning that is not stated directly.
Red herring
A red herring is a clue, fact or topic that pulls attention away from the real issue, often on purpose.
See eye to eye
If two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other or share the same opinion.
Speak of the devil
People say speak of the devil when someone they were just talking about suddenly appears or calls.
Spill the beans
To spill the beans is to tell a secret or reveal information too early, often by accident.
Spill the tea
To spill the tea means to share gossip or juicy, private news about someone.
Take a hike
Take a hike is a rude way of telling someone to go away or leave you alone.
Talk is cheap
Talk is cheap means it is easy to say you will do something, but actions are what really count.
The ball is in your court
The ball is in your court means it is now your turn to act or make a decision.
The elephant in the room
The elephant in the room is an obvious problem that everyone knows about but nobody wants to talk about.
Tongue in cheek
If something is said tongue in cheek, it is meant as a joke or with gentle irony, not seriously.
Touch base
To touch base means to make brief contact with someone to share news or check how things are going.
Word of mouth
Word of mouth is news or information that spreads when people tell each other, rather than through ads or writing.

Talking idioms

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