Idiom
Connor Spencer
Definition of Idiom
expressions that aren't meant to be taken literally
Examples of Idioms
Beating around the bush- means you are not on task, known as "walking around hot porridge" in the Norwegian and Czech languages
Out of the blue- means that something is not expected and came out of nowhere
Don't spill the beans!- don't tell, as in a secret
Break a leg!- Good luck!
Comparing Idioms
Idioms can mean different things if they are used in 2 or more languages.
In Finnish, the language spoken in Finland, the idiom "with long teeth" means you are doing something you don't want to do. However, in French, "to have long teeth" means you are ambitious.
Idioms in Many Languages
Many countries have unique ways of saying, "It's raining a lot". For example:
- English: "raining cats and dogs"
- African: "raining old women with clubs"
- Norwegian: "it's raining female trolls"
- Irish: "it's throwing cobbler's knives"