Funny English idioms: 35 weird sayings, the picture they make and what they mean
English idioms are funny because the words and the meaning do not match: nobody really “kicks the bucket”, and no pig has ever flown. Here are 35 of the most amusing in everyday use, with the silly picture in your head, the real meaning, and a sentence you can copy. Learn them to understand jokes, films and native speakers, and to make your own English sound more natural.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 9 min read
On this page
Animal idioms
English borrows animals for everything from secrets to clumsiness.
| Idiom | The picture | Real meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| let the cat out of the bag | a cat escaping from a bag | reveal a secret by accident | Don’t let the cat out of the bag; the party is a surprise. |
| when pigs fly | flying pigs | something that will never happen | He’ll tidy his room when pigs fly. |
| the elephant in the room | a huge elephant nobody mentions | an obvious problem that everyone avoids talking about | Money was the elephant in the room at the meeting. |
| a wild goose chase | running after a goose | a pointless search for something you will not find | The directions were wrong, so it was a wild goose chase. |
| a bull in a china shop | a bull among plates and cups | a clumsy person who breaks things | Be careful with him; he’s a bull in a china shop. |
| hold your horses | stopping horses | wait; slow down | Hold your horses! We haven’t decided yet. |
| like a fish out of water | a fish on dry land | uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation | At the formal dinner, I felt like a fish out of water. |
| let sleeping dogs lie | not waking a dog | avoid reopening an old problem | I won’t mention the argument. Let sleeping dogs lie. |
| the straw that broke the camel’s back | one straw making a camel collapse | the last small problem that makes things unbearable | The late bus was the straw that broke the camel’s back; I quit. |
| have ants in your pants | ants inside trousers | be restless and unable to sit still | The kids have ants in their pants after the long drive. |
| the black sheep | a dark sheep in a white flock | the member of a group who is different or disapproved of | He’s the black sheep of the family. |
Food idioms
Some of the funniest pictures come from the kitchen.
| Idiom | The picture | Real meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| spill the beans | beans falling on the floor | reveal a secret | Who spilled the beans about the surprise? |
| cool as a cucumber | a calm vegetable | very calm under pressure | She stayed cool as a cucumber during the interview. |
| a hot potato | a potato too hot to hold | a controversial issue nobody wants to deal with | Taxes are a political hot potato. |
| full of beans | someone stuffed with beans | very energetic and lively | He’s full of beans this morning. |
| cry over spilt milk | crying about a spilled drink | be upset about something that cannot be changed | It’s done. There’s no use crying over spilt milk. |
| bring home the bacon | carrying bacon home | earn the money a family lives on | She brings home the bacon in our house. |
| butter someone up | spreading butter on a person | flatter someone to get something | He buttered up his boss before asking for a day off. |
| egg on your face | a face covered in egg | be embarrassed because you were wrong | He had egg on his face when the facts came out. |
| in a pickle | sitting in a jar of pickles | in a difficult situation | I’m in a pickle; I’ve lost my keys. |
| take it with a pinch of salt | adding a little salt | don’t completely believe it | Take his stories with a pinch of salt. |
| the apple of my eye | an apple in your eye | a person you love and are proud of | His little daughter is the apple of his eye. |
| couch potato | a potato on the sofa | a person who spends their free time sitting and watching TV | He’s become a real couch potato. |
Body and everyday-object idioms
Arms, legs, tongues and buckets: the pictures are strange, but the meanings are everyday.
| Idiom | The picture | Real meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| break a leg | breaking your leg | good luck, especially before a performance | Break a leg tonight! |
| cost an arm and a leg | paying with body parts | be very expensive | That watch cost an arm and a leg. |
| kick the bucket | kicking a pail | die (informal and joking) | He’s 90 and says he’ll never kick the bucket. |
| put your foot in your mouth | a foot inside your mouth | say something embarrassing or tactless | I put my foot in my mouth when I asked about her ex. |
| bite your tongue | biting your own tongue | stop yourself from saying something | I wanted to complain but I bit my tongue. |
| it’s all Greek to me | a language you don’t read | I can’t understand it at all | The tax form is all Greek to me. |
| saved by the bell | a bell that rescues you | rescued from trouble at the last moment | The teacher asked me a question, but I was saved by the bell. |
| let your hair down | letting your hair fall loose | relax and enjoy yourself | It’s Friday; time to let your hair down. |
| throw in the towel | throwing a towel | give up | After three failed attempts, he threw in the towel. |
| wear your heart on your sleeve | a heart pinned to your arm | show your feelings openly | She wears her heart on her sleeve. |
| walk on eggshells | walking over eggs | be very careful not to upset someone | We walk on eggshells around him when he’s tired. |
| beat around the bush | hitting plants | avoid saying the main point directly | Stop beating around the bush and tell me. |
Funny idioms that learners get wrong
| Idiom | The trap | Safer choice |
|---|---|---|
| break a leg | Sounds like a bad wish, but it means good luck. Say it before a performance, not before an exam or a sports match. | Say “good luck” |
| kick the bucket | A joking way to say someone died. Never use it about a real loss when speaking to the family. | Say “pass away” |
| raining cats and dogs | Only about heavy rain. It has nothing to do with animals, and few people say it today. | Say “pouring” or “heavy rain” |
| it’s all Greek to me | About not understanding something, not about Greek people or language. | Use for things, not people |
| spill the beans | To reveal a secret. Not the same as “spill the tea”, a newer slang phrase for gossip. | Check which one you mean |
| take it with a pinch of salt | Means “be a little sceptical”. It does not mean the thing is bad or false. | Say “I’m not sure it’s true” |
If you are not sure how an idiom sounds to a native speaker, use plain words instead. A clear sentence is better than a wrong idiom.
Where do these idioms come from?
Many pages give a confident story for each idiom, but for most of these the true origin is uncertain or disputed. “Raining cats and dogs”, “kick the bucket”, “cat got your tongue” and “saved by the bell” all have several competing explanations, and some popular stories are probably later inventions. A few have a clear literal source (“let your hair down” and “throw in the towel” both describe real actions), but even there the exact history is often debated. This page therefore explains meaning and use, which you can rely on, and leaves out origin stories we cannot check.
How to use funny idioms naturally
- Pick ones you will actually say. “I’m in a pickle” and “spill the beans” are common; recognise the rarer ones but don’t force them.
- Use one per conversation, not five. Too many sounds like a textbook.
- Keep the form. “Spill the beans”, not “spill the peas”.
- Check the register. Fine for stories, friends and relaxed work chat; avoid in formal writing and exams unless you are sure.
- Learn the sound. Idioms run together in speech: “kick-the-bucket” has three weak, quick syllables. See linking sounds.
A 5-minute way to learn them
- Choose five idioms from one theme.
- Draw or imagine the silly picture; it makes the meaning stick.
- Write one true sentence for each, about your own life.
- Say them aloud, then use two of them in a conversation today.
- Review after 3 days and after 7 days.
More idioms: English idioms with meaning (grouped by situation), British English idioms, English proverbs and English slang words. To try them out loud, use an AI English tutor.
Frequently asked questions
What are funny English idioms?
They are fixed phrases whose literal picture is silly but whose meaning is ordinary, such as “let the cat out of the bag” (reveal a secret), “when pigs fly” (never) and “spill the beans” (reveal a secret).
What is the funniest English idiom?
It is a matter of taste, but popular choices are “when pigs fly”, “kick the bucket”, “have ants in your pants”, “put your foot in your mouth” and “cool as a cucumber”.
What does “break a leg” mean?
“Break a leg” means good luck, especially before a performance such as a play or a speech. It is not a wish for harm.
What does “spill the beans” mean?
“Spill the beans” means to reveal a secret, often by accident. For example: “She spilled the beans about the surprise party.”
Why does English have so many strange idioms?
Idioms come from old habits, work, games, food and storytelling, and they keep their fixed words even after the original meaning is lost. Their strange pictures are part of why people remember them.
Should I use idioms in an English exam or interview?
A few natural idioms can help, but only if you use them correctly and in the right register. A wrong or forced idiom is worse than plain, clear English.
What is the difference between an idiom and a proverb?
An idiom is a fixed phrase with a non-literal meaning that fits into a sentence (“spill the beans”). A proverb is a complete short saying that gives advice or a general truth (“A stitch in time saves nine”).
Try these idioms in a real conversation
Talk with an AI tutor, use new idioms in context and get feedback on your grammar and pronunciation after every call. Free for 3 days.
Start your free trialSources
- Idiom, Wikipedia
- Break a leg, Wikipedia