1. Bite the bullet

• Meaning: Face a difficult situation bravely.
• Origin: Soldiers bit bullets during surgery before anesthesia.
• Example: “I didn’t want to pay the high repair bill, but I had to bite the bullet.”

2. Break the ice

• Meaning: Start a conversation to ease tension.
• Origin: Icebreaker ships cleared paths for others.
• Example: “He told a joke to break the ice at the meeting.”

3. Kick the bucket

• Meaning: To die.
• Origin: From animals hung on a beam called a “bucket” during slaughter.
• Example: “Sadly, the old dog finally kicked the bucket.”

4. Spill the beans

• Meaning: Reveal a secret.
• Origin: Ancient Greek voting with beans.
• Example: “Don’t spill the beans about the surprise party!”

5. Under the weather

• Meaning: Feeling ill.
• Origin: Sick sailors sent below deck during storms.

·        Example: “I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.”

6. Let the cat out of the bag

• Meaning: Reveal a secret unintentionally.
• Origin: Medieval market scam with cats instead of pigs.
• Example: “She let the cat out of the bag about the engagement.”

7. Burn the midnight oil

• Meaning: Work late into the night.
• Origin: Oil lamps were used before electricity.
• Example: “I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the report.”

8. Throw in the towel

• Meaning: Give up.
• Origin: Boxing—throwing a towel signals defeat.
• Example: “After several failed attempts, he threw in the towel.”

9. Cost an arm and a leg

• Meaning: Very expensive.
• Origin: Portrait painters charged more for limbs.
• Example: “That luxury car costs an arm and a leg.”

10. The ball is in your court

• Meaning: Your turn to act.
• Origin: Tennis term.
• Example: “I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court.”

11. Hit the nail on the head

• Meaning: Describe something exactly right.
• Origin: Carpentry—hitting the nail squarely.
• Example: “You hit the nail on the head with that analysis.”

12. Steal someone’s thunder

• Meaning: Take credit for someone else’s idea.
• Origin: Playwright John Dennis accused others of stealing his thunder sound effect.
• Example: “She stole my thunder by announcing the news first.”

13. Raining cats and dogs

• Meaning: Heavy rain.
• Origin: Possibly from 17th-century England, when heavy rain washed dead animals into the streets.
• Example: “It’s raining cats and dogs outside!”

14. Barking up the wrong tree

• Meaning: Pursuing a mistaken course.
• Origin: Hunting dogs barking at the wrong tree.
• Example: “If you think I broke the vase, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

15. Beat around the bush

• Meaning: Avoid getting to the point.
• Origin: Hunting—beaters flushed birds from bushes indirectly.
• Example: “Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth.”

16. By the skin of your teeth

• Meaning: Barely succeed.
• Origin: Biblical phrase (Book of Job).
• Example: “He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.”

17. Once in a blue moon

• Meaning: Very rarely.
• Origin: Refers to the rare second full moon in a month.
• Example: “We only go out for fancy dinners once in a blue moon.”

18. Cut to the chase

• Meaning: Get to the point.
• Origin: Silent films—skip to the exciting chase scene.
• Example: “Let’s cut to the chase and discuss the main issue.”

19. Throw caution to the wind

• Meaning: Take a risk.
• Origin: 19th-century English literature.
• Example: “He threw caution to the wind and invested in the startup.”

20. Elephant in the room

• Meaning: An obvious problem everyone ignores.
• Origin: 19th-century fable about ignoring a massive elephant in a room.
• Example: “We need to address the elephant in the room: declining sales.”