Study guides › Level 6 · Master

Idioms

Level 6 · Figures of Speech · for questions like “What does ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’ mean?”

💡 The idea

An idiom is a saying whose meaning is different from its words. Nobody sees cats falling from the sky! To understand an idiom, picture when someone would say it, then ask what they really mean.

✏️ Worked examples

1. “That test was a piece of cake.” People say it after something went well. It means very easy.

2. “Hold your horses!” People say it when someone rushes. It means wait and be patient.

3. “I’m under the weather.” Said when someone stays home. It means feeling sick.

⚡ Handy ones

• break the ice: help people relax and start talking
• once in a blue moon: very rarely
• cost an arm and a leg: cost a lot of money
• let the cat out of the bag: tell a secret
• see eye to eye: agree

⚠️ Watch out

• Don’t pick the literal meaning. A choice about real cats, ice or horses is almost always a trap.
• Use the rest of the sentence. It usually tells you the feeling: happy, worried, rushed.

🎯 Try these

1. “After the game, we were on cloud nine.”
2. “I’m in hot water for being late.”
3. “Keep an eye on your little brother.”

Answers: 1) very happy 2) in trouble 3) watch him carefully

This guide is also in the 10WordsQ app: tap “📖 Study guide” after a question.