British English idioms: 42 common sayings, with meanings and the American version
Idioms are fixed phrases whose meaning is not clear from the words, and British English has many that Americans rarely use: “chuffed to bits”, “take the mickey”, “cheap as chips”. Here are 42 in everyday use in Britain, grouped by the situation you will hear them in, each with a meaning, an example and the usual American equivalent.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 9 min read
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Feelings and reactions
The British way to say you are happy, disappointed or exhausted. Most are informal: fine with friends and colleagues you know, less so in a formal email.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | American version |
|---|---|---|---|
| chuffed (to bits) | very pleased | I was chuffed to bits when I got the job. | thrilled |
| gutted | very disappointed | We lost in the last minute. I’m absolutely gutted. | devastated / bummed |
| knackered | extremely tired | I’m knackered. I’ve been on my feet all day. | beat / wiped out |
| gobsmacked | astonished | I was gobsmacked when I saw the bill. | blown away / floored |
| sick as a parrot | very disappointed, usually after a loss | He was sick as a parrot when he missed the train. | bummed |
| throw a wobbly | have an angry outburst, like a tantrum | He threw a wobbly when the Wi-Fi went down. | throw a fit |
| have kittens | be extremely anxious or angry | Mum will have kittens if we’re late. | have a cow |
| lose the plot | stop behaving sensibly; lose control | Have you lost the plot? We can’t afford that. | lose it |
| go spare | become very angry or very worried | Dad went spare when he saw the dent. | go ballistic |
| stiff upper lip | staying calm and not showing emotion | She kept a stiff upper lip throughout the crisis. | tough it out |
Money and prices
British speakers have a lot of ways to say that something is cheap, dear or ordinary.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | American version |
|---|---|---|---|
| cheap as chips | very cheap | Fruit is cheap as chips at the market. | dirt cheap |
| cost the earth | be very expensive | A house there costs the earth. | cost an arm and a leg |
| pay through the nose | pay far too much | We paid through the nose for parking. | — |
| ten a penny / two a penny | very common and so of little value | Graduates with that degree are ten a penny. | a dime a dozen |
| bog standard | completely ordinary, nothing special | It’s a bog standard laptop, but it works. | run-of-the-mill |
| on the dole | receiving unemployment benefit | He was on the dole for six months. | on unemployment |
| take the biscuit | be the worst or most outrageous thing yet | He’s late again? That really takes the biscuit. | take the cake |
Everyday conversation
Short phrases you will hear daily in Britain, in shops, offices and pubs.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | American version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob’s your uncle | and there you are; it’s that simple | Add water, stir, and Bob’s your uncle. | and voilà |
| bits and bobs | small, miscellaneous things | I’ve got a few bits and bobs to buy. | odds and ends |
| not my cup of tea | not something I like | Horror films aren’t really my cup of tea. | — |
| spot on / bang on | exactly right | Your guess was spot on. | right on the money |
| have a go | try something | Let me have a go at fixing it. | give it a shot |
| a chinwag | a friendly chat | We had a good chinwag over coffee. | a chat |
| have a butcher’s | have a look (rhyming slang) | Let me have a butcher’s at that map. | take a look |
| spend a penny | go to the toilet (polite, old-fashioned) | Excuse me, I need to spend a penny. | use the restroom |
| fair enough | OK, I accept that | “I can’t come before six.” “Fair enough.” | fair enough (also used in the US) |
Teasing, jokes and social life
Teasing is a big part of British friendship. These tell you whether someone is joking or being unkind.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | American version |
|---|---|---|---|
| take the mickey | tease someone, often kindly | Stop taking the mickey, I’m trying to be serious. | make fun of |
| wind someone up | tease or annoy someone on purpose | Don’t listen, he’s just winding you up. | mess with someone |
| pull someone’s leg | joke with someone, say something untrue as a joke | I’m only pulling your leg. | — |
| send someone to Coventry | deliberately ignore someone as a punishment | After the argument, they sent him to Coventry. | give the silent treatment |
| chalk and cheese | completely different | The two brothers are chalk and cheese. | night and day |
| know your onions | know a subject very well | Ask Priya. She knows her onions when it comes to wine. | know your stuff |
When things go wrong
For problems, mistakes and fuss.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | American version |
|---|---|---|---|
| go pear-shaped | go wrong | The plan went pear-shaped when the bus didn’t come. | go south |
| throw a spanner in the works | ruin a plan | The strike threw a spanner in the works. | throw a wrench in the works |
| a storm in a teacup | a big fuss about something unimportant | The whole argument was a storm in a teacup. | a tempest in a teapot |
| do a runner | leave without paying, or escape | Two customers did a runner without paying. | dine and dash (for meals) |
| a skeleton in the cupboard | a shameful secret | Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard. | a skeleton in the closet |
| pop your clogs | die (humorous) | He’ll be giving everything away before he pops his clogs. | kick the bucket |
When things go well
Praise, health and success.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | American version |
|---|---|---|---|
| as right as rain | perfectly fine, healthy | After a night’s sleep, you’ll be as right as rain. | good as new |
| the bee’s knees / the cat’s pyjamas | excellent (old-fashioned, humorous) | He thinks he’s the bee’s knees. | the cat’s meow |
| the full monty | everything; the complete thing | We had the full monty: breakfast, tour and lunch. | the whole nine yards |
| a doddle | something very easy | The test was a doddle. | a breeze |
Rhyming slang: a British tradition
Rhyming slang replaces a word with a phrase that rhymes with it, and the rhyming part is usually dropped, so “apples and pears” becomes just “apples”. It is believed to have started in the East End of London in the mid-19th century and is still used across Britain, often as a joke.
| Phrase | Means | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| apples and pears | stairs | He’s gone up the apples. |
| dog and bone | phone | I’ll give you a bell on the dog. |
| butcher’s (hook) | look | Have a butcher’s at this. |
| trouble and strife | wife | I’ll ask the trouble. |
| mince pies | eyes | Look at his mince pies! |
You will not need to produce these, but recognising them helps you follow British TV and humour. For more informal vocabulary, see British slang words.
How to use British idioms without sounding odd
- Match the setting. “I’m knackered” suits friends. At work, “I’m exhausted” is safer.
- Use a few well, not many badly. One natural idiom beats five forced ones.
- Don’t change the words. Idioms are fixed: “cheap as chips”, not “cheap as fries”.
- Check who you are talking to. If you speak to Americans, “cost an arm and a leg” will be clearer than “cost the earth”.
- Say them with the right sound. Rhythm and the British vowels make them natural. See how to do a British accent.
- Mind the tone of voice. “That’s a bit brave” can be polite British understatement for “that’s a bad idea”.
How to learn and practise them
- Pick one group and choose five idioms you can use this week.
- Write one true sentence for each about your own life: “I was gutted when…”.
- Say them aloud and record yourself.
- Use them in conversation within a day. A speaking partner or AI tutor gives you a reason to.
- Review after 3 and 7 days.
Looking for idioms that work everywhere? See English idioms with meaning, or the more playful funny English idioms, or practise them in a real conversation with an AI English tutor.
Frequently asked questions
What are British idioms?
British idioms are fixed phrases that are common in Britain and often unfamiliar elsewhere, such as “chuffed to bits” (very pleased), “take the mickey” (tease) and “cheap as chips” (very cheap). Many have an American equivalent with different words.
What does “chuffed to bits” mean?
It means very pleased or proud. For example, “I was chuffed to bits when I passed my driving test.”
What is the British equivalent of “cost an arm and a leg”?
The most common British version is “cost the earth”. “Cost an arm and a leg” is also understood in Britain.
What does “take the mickey” mean?
“Take the mickey” (or “take the mick”) means to tease or make fun of someone. Among friends it is usually affectionate, but it can be unkind if the person is upset.
Are British idioms informal?
Most are informal or colloquial. They are fine in conversation and casual writing but not in formal exams or business reports. Check the setting before you use one.
What is the difference between British and American idioms?
Many ideas have two versions: “throw a spanner in the works” (British) and “throw a wrench in the works” (American); “a storm in a teacup” and “a tempest in a teapot”; “take the biscuit” and “take the cake”. Some idioms, such as “under the weather”, are used in both.
What is rhyming slang?
Rhyming slang replaces a word with a rhyming phrase, usually shortened: “apples and pears” means stairs and “dog and bone” means phone. It is believed to have started in the East End of London in the mid-19th century and is used humorously across Britain.
Use British expressions in real conversation
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- Cockney rhyming slang, Wikipedia