Idioms and Humor

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning is different from the literal interpretation. It’s similar to slang in that expressions can be regional and help convey meaning or thoughts. Although, popular idioms do not change as much as slang. Unlike slang and sarcasm, it’s ok to use them in professional or business settings to help get the point across.

Popular Idioms

Examples of common idioms are below. Idioms are constantly changing, but not as quickly as slang.

Add insult to injury: Make a bad situation even worse
Piece of cake: easy or effortless
See eye to eye: Two (or more people) agree on something
Missed the boat: Someone missed their chance at something
Kill 2 birds with 1 stone: To do two things at the same time
On the ball: A very responsible, efficient person
Cut corners: When something is done badly to save money
Costs an arm and a leg: When something is very expensive
The last straw: A further annoyance or problem in a series of unfortunate events that make it unbearable
On the fence: When someone does not want to choose or make a decision
Feeling under the weather: Feeling sick, unwell
Speak of the devil: When the person you have just been talking about arrives
Break a leg: Wishing someone luck
Hit the nail on the head: A correct, precise answer
Can’t judge a book by its cover: Something is different than how it appears, usually for the better
Bite off more than you can chew: Take on too much work or responsibility
Get the hang of it: Getting used to something, understanding the process
Once in a blue moon: infrequently/rarely
Butterflies in my stomach: Feeling extremely nervous
At the drop of a hat: To do something immediately

Discuss

Review idioms and meanings with the client.
Have the client create their own list of idioms.
Then, engage the client in a dialogue using the idioms.

For common slang, check out my blog post. What are your favorite idioms? Let us know in the comments below.