Idioms: Phrases That Don't Mean What They Say

Understand common idioms, whose meaning is different from the meaning of their words.

An idiom is a phrase whose real meaning is different from the meaning of its words. If someone says 'It's raining cats and dogs', no animals are falling from the sky; it means it is raining very hard. If you 'hit the books', you study, and you don't punch anything. Idioms are tricky because you cannot figure them out word by word. Use context instead.

Read: 'Sam was nervous about the test, but his friend told him, "Break a leg!" Sam smiled and felt better. ' The friend clearly wants Sam to do well, so 'break a leg' must mean good luck. When a phrase makes no sense literally, suspect an idiom and look at the situation.

• 1An idiom's meaning differs from its words.
• 2You cannot figure it out word by word.
• 3If it makes no sense literally, use the situation.