A to Z Idioms

Exploring 'B' Idioms in English: A Fun Guide to Expressive Phrases

Hello and welcome to our English lesson on idioms beginning with the letter 'B'. Idioms are phrases where the literal meaning of the words is not the meaning of the expression. They are an essential part of conversational English and can often be fun to learn. This lesson will guide you through various 'B' idioms, enhancing both your understanding and usage of these expressions in everyday English.

1. Bad Blood: Feelings of hatred or ill will between people or groups.
2. Be a Weight Off Your Shoulders: You feel relieved when a burden or worry is removed.
3. Bend Your Ears: To talk to someone for a long time, often about uninteresting topics.
4. Bite Your Tongue: To stop yourself from saying something that might be inappropriate or hurtful.
5. Black and Blue: Covered in bruises; injured.
6. Blue Blood: Belonging to a high social class, especially by birth.
7. Be Above Board: To be honest, open, and legal.
8. Be Bouncing Off the Walls: Be very excited or energetic, sometimes excessively.
9. Bow and Scrape: To try too hard to please someone, especially someone in authority.
10. Brass Monkey Weather: Freezing weather.
11. Be Tailor-Made: To be perfectly suitable for someone or something.
12. Break the Ice: To initiate a conversation in a social setting, making people feel more comfortable.
13. Be as Clear as Mud: To be very confusing or unclear.
14. Be on Cloud Nine: To be extremely happy or euphoric.
15. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: To be in a situation where you must choose between two equally unpleasant options.
16. Be in the Doldrums: To be in a state of inactivity, stagnation, or depression.
17. Beat the Drum: To speak enthusiastically about something to persuade others.
18. Be on the Edge: To be anxious or nervous.
19. Be in Seventh Heaven: To be extremely happy, similar to being on cloud nine.
20. Be at Each Other's Throats: To argue or fight intensely with someone.
21. Batten Down the Hatches: To prepare for a challenging situation or impending trouble.
22. Back the Wrong Horse: To support a person or action that is later unsuccessful or wrong.
23. Back to Square One: To start over, return to the beginning.
24. Back to the Salt Mines: Returning to work, especially with reluctance.
25. Ball of Fire: Someone who is full of energy and enthusiasm.
26. Beat One's Head Against the Wall: To persist in a futile endeavour.
27. Bark Up the Wrong Tree: To make a wrong assumption or follow a false lead.
28. Beat One's Brains Out To work or think very hard about something.
29. Begin to See the Light: To start understanding something previously confusing.
30. Behind Closed Doors: Something was done in private or in secret.
31. Bet on the Wrong Horse: Similar to backing the wrong horse, making a wrong choice or prediction.
32. They are bent on Doing: To be determined or persistent in doing something.
33. Bite Off More Than One Can Chew: To take on a task that is too big or beyond one's ability.
34. Bite the Bullet: To endure a painful or unpleasant situation bravely.
35. Bitter Pill to Swallow: An unpleasant fact or situation must be accepted.
36. Black Sheep of the Family: A family member is considered a disgrace or failure.
37. Blessing in Disguise: Something that seems wrong or unlucky initially but results in something good.
38. Blind Leading the Blind: A situation where a person who knows little is advising someone who knows even less.
39. Blow One's Own Horn: To boast about oneself or one's achievements.
40. Blow Someone's Mind: To amaze or astonish someone.
41. Bone of Contention: A subject or issue over which there is continuing disagreement.
42. Bring Home the Bacon: To earn a living, especially for one's family.
43. Blue in the Face: Trying something repeatedly with no success.
44. Break the Back Off To overcome a significant difficulty or obstacle.
45. Burn a Hole in One's Pocket: To spend money quickly, often recklessly.
46. Burn the Midnight Oil: To work late into the night or until the early morning hours.
47. Bushman's Holiday: Spending your free time doing the same things you do at work.
48. Button One's Lip: To keep quiet or stop talking.
49. Break a Leg: A way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.