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Idiomatic Expressions – English vocabulary

10 words · English vocabulary · Created by Openquiz Team

10 English words with meanings: once in a blue moon, break the ice, pull someone's leg, a blessing in disguise, bite the bullet… Study them with flashcards…

Part of the learning path: IELTS Speaking Boost

Word list

  1. once in a blue moon /wʌns ɪn ə blu: mu:n/ — happens very rarely
    Example: He only visits his hometown once in a blue moon.
    Synonyms: rarely, hardly ever, seldom
  2. break the ice /breɪk ði aɪs/ — start talking more easily
    Example: He told a funny story to break the ice at the meeting.
    Synonyms: start a conversation, ease the tension
  3. pull someone's leg /pʊl 'sʌmwʌnz leɡ/ — make fun of someone
    Example: Don’t be mad, I was just pulling your leg!
    Synonyms: tease, kid, joke
  4. a blessing in disguise /ə 'blesɪŋ ɪn dɪs'ɡaɪz/ — something that seems bad but turns out good
    Example: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise because it led me to a better career.
    Synonyms: hidden advantage, unexpected benefit
  5. bite the bullet /baɪt ðə 'bʊlɪt/ — accept something hard or unpleasant
    Example: I didn’t want to clean the garage, but I bit the bullet and did it anyway.
    Synonyms: face the difficulty, get it over with
  6. a piece of cake /ə pi:s əv keɪk/ — very easy to do
    Example: The test was a piece of cake for her because she studied well.
    Synonyms: very easy, simple task, no trouble
  7. hit the books /hɪt ðə bʊks/ — study hard
    Example: I have an exam tomorrow, so it's time to hit the books.
    Synonyms: study hard, start studying, get to work
  8. cost an arm and a leg /kɒst ən ɑ:m ənd ə leɡ/ — costs a lot of money
    Example: That new phone cost an arm and a leg when it first came out.
    Synonyms: very expensive, costly, overpriced
  9. under the weather /'ʌndər ðə 'weðər/ — feeling a little sick or tired
    Example: She didn’t come to work today because she’s feeling under the weather.
    Synonyms: not feeling well, ill, sick
  10. the ball is in your court /ðə bɔ:l ɪz ɪn jɔ:r kɔ:t/ — now it is your turn to act or choose
    Example: I’ve done my part, so now the ball is in your court.
    Synonyms: your turn, your move, your responsibility

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