5 Common Idiomatic Expressions in English

English speakers use a lot of idiomatic expressions; there are 1000’s of them! – Figurative language is a great way of adding interest and nuance to what we want to express. It’s indeed true that we love talking about the weather so here are a list of five common idiomatic expressions related to weather.

 

To save for a rainy day:

Amy inherited some money but didn’t know what to spend it on so he decided to save it for a rainy day.

Meaning: To put something aside for when you might need it in the future, particularly for an unexpected time of difficulty or need.

 

To get wind of something:

Jack got wind of his surprise party when his friend asked him who else was going to be at the party.

Meaning: To hear or find out something that was supposed to be concealed from you.

 

To be on cloud nine:

Amal was on cloud nine after finding out she was top of her class in Chemistry.

Meaning: To feel elated about something.

 

To steal someone’s thunder:

Antonio stole Luisa’s thunder when he took the credit for the delicious meal. He’d only chopped the onions but Luisa had done the rest of the cooking!

Meaning: To take credit/be praised for what someone else has done.

 

To be/feel under the weather:

I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the party on Friday, I felt really under the weather. I’m much better now.

Meaning: To feel unwell.

 

Do you have any similar idiomatic expressions in your language? –tell us in the comments.