Only words included even unintelligible but not just a sound or a scream and not expressions made of the same repeated word like ha ha bam bam or nanu nanu these. French for thingamajig this was the first word i learned in french class.
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Explore 119 one word quotes by authors including alexis de tocqueville dave barry and sophocles at brainyquote. Added by a guest on june 9 2020 1 comment 21 people like this you like this unlike. The series is full of great one liners silly sayings and monologues of pure comedic genius.
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Last updated:
March 24, 2023
As you might already know, idioms are phrases that have their own special meanings.
Once you know what they mean, it’s hard to forget! Then you can easily use them in conversations yourself.
Plus, a lot of idiomatic phrases are just plain funny.
So get ready to laugh as we take a look look at 42 funny English sayings, and prepare to build your vocabulary along the way.
Contents
- Funny English Sayings
-
- 1. The elephant in the room
- 2. Keep your eyes peeled
- 3. Go down a rabbit hole
- 4. Put a pin in it
- 5. Pick your brain
- 6. Rise and shine
- 7. Put out feelers
- 8. Best thing since sliced bread
- 9. Pardon my French
- 10. Pour your heart out/into (something)
- 11. Keep your shirt on
- 12. I’ll show myself out
- 13. Be swamped
- 14. Take a chill pill
- 15. Do you want a cookie?
- 16. Move it or lose it
- 17. Call dibs
- 18. Have a heart
- 19. Pretty please
- 20. Throw (someone) a bone
- 21. A bone to pick with (someone)
- 22. Have/throw a pity party
- 23. Where do you get off…
- 24. Jump on the bandwagon
- 25. Up to (one’s) eyeballs
- 26. Stuffed to the gills
- 27. Bend over backwards
- 28. Keep a cool head
- 29. Fly off the handle
- 30. Be cheesed off
- 31. Be a happy camper
- 32. Pig out
- 33. Chew the fat / Shoot the s**t
- 34. Tear (one’s) hair out
- 35. Out of the woodwork
- 36. Out of the frying pan and into the fire
- 37. Eat (someone or something) for breakfast
- 38. Have a s**t/hissy fit
- 39. Wrack (one’s) brains
- 40. Have a frog in (one’s) throat
- 41. Like pulling teeth
- 42. Burn the candle at both ends
- Where to Find More Funny English Sayings
-
- The Free Dictionary Idioms
- FluentU
- Phrases.com
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Funny English Sayings
Ready to learn some funny English phrases? The ones below are very common and useful. Let’s look at what their meanings are and how you can use them in conversation.
1. The elephant in the room
This might be one of the weirdest English phrases in existence. If you say that something is the elephant in the room, you mean that thing is very obvious, but no one’s talking about it. Usually, “the elephant in the room” is something that makes people uncomfortable, which is why no one’s talking about it.
The truth is, we aren’t reaching a wider audience because our writing team isn’t diverse* enough. I didn’t want to have to say it, but this is becoming the elephant in the room.
*When people use the word “diverse” or “diversity,” they’re often talking about racial diversity. This word is used in conversations about how to include people of color (a term for non-white people that’s often used in an American setting) or other groups in areas where they haven’t been made to feel welcome in the past.
The short film “The Elephant in the Room” plays with this saying in a funny way.
In the film, James, whose girlfriend has just moved in with him, needs to tell his roommate, Phil, to move out, but he keeps avoiding it because the situation makes him uncomfortable. What makes this funny is that Phil is actually an elephant and he keeps getting bigger and bigger as James avoids talking to him.
2. Keep your eyes peeled
Gross, right?
Who would want to peel their own eyes, like they were fruits or vegetables? If your eyes are already peeled, how do you keep them that way?
Of course, you don’t have to use this phrase yourself if it sounds too disgusting. But at some point, you’ll probably hear someone say it to mean “watch out [for something].”
Okay, the street you need to turn on is up here, so keep your eyes peeled.
3. Go down a rabbit hole
The idea of going down a rabbit hole (or going down the rabbit hole) comes from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.”
In the book, a girl named Alice falls down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a strange, magical place called Wonderland.
Going down the/a rabbit hole can mean getting into a situation that’s overwhelming and unpredictable.
However, it’s also used these days to talk about becoming deeply interested in a particular topic. No matter which meaning is being used, going down a rabbit hole might take you to unexpected places.
I went down a rabbit hole looking at muffin recipes, and now I’m thinking about opening my own bakery.
4. Put a pin in it
This is something people say to suggest coming back to a subject and discussing it later. It helps to picture someone pinning something up on a board.
This phrase is used a lot in workplace settings. It can sometimes sound like an excuse to avoid something and might be used that way, but it can also be said completely honestly and sincerely.
– So I had an idea for how we could make our team more diverse.
– That sounds great, but we’re out of time right now. Let’s put a pin in it.
5. Pick your brain
Here’s another saying that sounds pretty gross. Why would you pick someone’s brain?
Well, if you think someone’s ideas or intelligence could be useful to you, it might make perfect sense. To pick someone’s brain just means to see what they think or know about a particular subject .
Hey, can I pick your brain about this new project? I’d love to ask you some questions about it.
6. Rise and shine
If someone tells you to rise and shine, you might think, “Isn’t that the sun’s job?” And that’s a fair point!
“Rise and shine” is a phrase you can use to wake someone up in the morning. Sometimes parents say it to their children. But if you’re not a morning person, you might hate to hear it.
– Hey there, sleepyhead, rise and shine!
– No, go away! Let me sleep a little longer.
In 2019, a video of celebrity Kylie Jenner singing the words “Rise and shine” to her daughter went viral (became popular very quickly) on social media. People began to make videos of themselves singing the words too, and the moment became a meme.
7. Put out feelers
To put out feelers means to see what people think or feel about something, often before taking some kind of action.
We’re not sure if people are interested in a bakery that only sells muffins. So we’re just putting out feelers right now to see if it’s a good idea.
8. Best thing since sliced bread
This is definitely one of the weird English phrases that will make you sound like a native.
If you say something is the best thing since sliced bread, you’re saying it’s great.
Have you seen how much he loves that video game? He thinks it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
“Sliced bread” by itself can also be used to refer to something that’s great or amazing. This video is about a burrito and calls it “the sliced bread of food that’s not sliced bread” when describing its history.
9. Pardon my French
Why would someone excuse themselves for speaking French? Well, as it turns out, this is something English speakers say to apologize for swearing or using “bad language.”
It’s possible that this expression came from a time when English speakers really would excuse themselves for speaking French in front of someone who didn’t know the language.
Why the f**k is this game so hard to win? Pardon my French.
10. Pour your heart out/into (something)
This may not be as gross as keeping your eyes peeled, but it still sounds weird, right? To pour your heart out is to confess a deep feeling, or to be very honest about what you’re feeling.
To pour your heart into something is to try your absolute best or put all of your effort into it.
I poured my heart into this bakery, and it just isn’t working out. I’m so disappointed.
11. Keep your shirt on
This is simply a way of telling someone to calm down.
– I don’t get it! Why doesn’t anyone want to buy my muffins!?
– Hey, keep your shirt on. Maybe you just need a better business plan.
12. I’ll show myself out
To “show [someone] out” is to guide or escort someone out of a location, like a building. If someone says, “I’ll show myself out,” this might mean “It’s all right, I can find my way out by myself.”
However, this is also a phrase that someone might say after telling a joke that’s bad because it’s so cheesy (embarrassingly obvious) or just not very funny. It’s like saying, “It’s okay, you don’t have to make me leave. I’ll leave by myself.”
When used in the second way, “I’ll show myself out” is meant to be a joke. So you wouldn’t actually leave after saying it.
– Why was six afraid of seven?
– I don’t know. Why?
– Because seven ate* nine. I’ll show myself out.
*Note that “ate” is the past tense of the verb “to eat,” but it is pronounced exactly the same as the number eight. This is a very common, cheesy joke!
13. Be swamped
This is another expression often used in the workplace. When someone is swamped, it means they have so much work to do that they don’t have time for anything else. Or at least that’s what they want you to think!
– Hey, can you help me with something for a minute?
– Sorry, I can’t. I’m totally swamped.
14. Take a chill pill
This is like “keep your shirt on.” You might say it to someone who’s arguing with you to suggest that they’re acting rudely or inappropriately.
– Banana muffins are the BEST kind of muffins in the entire world! I could go on about them forever!
– Whoa, calm down, dude. Take a chill pill.
15. Do you want a cookie?
This expression usually isn’t used in a very nice way. “Do you want a cookie?” is kind of like “So what?”
You might say this to someone who’s bragging about something and seems to think they deserve some kind of special prize.
– Some people just aren’t willing to work hard. But not me. I keep going no matter what. I never quit.
– Uh, okay, whatever. Do you want a cookie or something?
16. Move it or lose it
The meaning of the first two words is pretty obvious. “Move it or lose it” just means “move.”
But what will you lose if you don’t move? A shoe? Your wallet? Your pride? No one really knows.
The truth is, it’s hard to use this phrase completely seriously. It’s something you might say if you need to get through a crowded space or to warn someone of danger (for example, if you’re carrying a pot of hot water), but it usually isn’t meant as an actual threat.
Hey everyone, I’m coming through! Move it or lose it!
17. Call dibs
“Dibs!” is a way of claiming something, or saying “That’s mine!”
This is an expression that young children use, but adults might use it, too, either jokingly or seriously. Even if they use it seriously, they’re probably still acting a little silly.
They might also say, “I call dibs on that” or just “I call [something].”
– So here are the muffins I just baked…
– Oh! I call dibs on blueberry!
18. Have a heart
Why would you order someone to have a heart? Everyone already has one, right?
You might already know that in English-speaking cultures (and others) the heart is associated with (related to) caring and love, and with emotions and feelings in general.
If you tell someone to have a heart, you’re expressing that you think they should be nicer or care about others more.
– I don’t care whether young people have opportunities or not. It’s not my problem.
– Oh, come on, have a heart!
The Bonnie Raitt song “Have a Heart” is about a selfish man who isn’t good at dealing with another person’s feelings in a relationship:
Hey, hey, have a heart, hey, have a heart
If you don’t love me, why don’t you let me go?
Have a heart, please, oh don’t you have a heart?
Little by little you fade while I fall apart, oh, oh
19. Pretty please
This is another expression often used by children, but adults might use it when they’re being silly. It’s a way of trying to be extra convincing when you’re asking for something.
It’s like saying, “See how nice and polite I can be? Now give me what I want!”
– Can I have the rest of your muffin?
– Hmm, I don’t know.
– Pretty please?
20. Throw (someone) a bone
If you throw someone a bone, you do them a favor or help them out in some way. Often, the thing that’s given or being asked for is something small.
– Hey, can I have a job at your new bakery?
– No, sorry, we aren’t hiring right now.
– Then can I at least have a free muffin?
– No.
– Come on, throw me a bone!
21. A bone to pick with (someone)
If you have a bone to pick with someone, it means you have a problem with them that needs to be resolved or talked about.
– Listen, I have a bone to pick with you.
– You do?
– Yeah, you really hurt my feelings when you wouldn’t give me a job. I thought we were friends.
22. Have/throw a pity party
Here’s another expression that can sound very mean. If you talk about people having or throwing a pity party, you’re saying they’re spending time feeling sorry for themselves over something that isn’t worth it.
– You didn’t give Tim the job, did you?
– No, and he’s having a pity party about it right now.
23. Where do you get off…
Using this expression is kind of like saying, “How dare you?”
You can also think of it as meaning, “How exactly do you justify…”
Where do you get off telling me (a woman) what it’s like for women in the working world?
24. Jump on the bandwagon
If you jump on the bandwagon, you go along with whatever the latest trend is, whether that’s fashion, a popular item, a certain hobby or something else.
Well, now everyone is selling muffins. Should we jump on the bandwagon and do it, too?
25. Up to (one’s) eyeballs
If you’re up to your eyeballs in something, it means you have a lot of it. Usually, whatever you’re up to your eyeballs in is something you don’t want.
I’m up to my eyeballs in work this week! I’m swamped!
26. Stuffed to the gills
This one’s a little similar to the last expression. If you’re stuffed to the gills (the parts fish use to breathe), you’ve eaten a lot!
You might use this expression to refuse more food, meaning that you couldn’t possibly eat any more.
It can also be a nice way of complimenting someone’s cooking because it suggests that the food was so good that you ate more than you meant to.
– More potatoes?
– Oh, no thank you! I’m stuffed to the gills. What a delicious meal!
27. Bend over backwards
When you bend over backwards, you put all your effort into something. This expression is often used to say that someone puts a lot of energy into pleasing someone else.
You always bend over backwards to help her, but would she do the same for you?
28. Keep a cool head
If you get angry enough, your head might actually feel hot! Keeping a cool head means staying calm, even when something makes you angry or upset.
I know that they’re not being very nice right now, but it’s important to keep a cool head.
29. Fly off the handle
If you don’t keep a cool head, you might fly off the handle, or suddenly become very angry.
I tried to stay calm, I really did. But then he said my dog was ugly, and I just flew off the handle.
30. Be cheesed off
If you’re cheesed off, you might not fly off the handle, but you’re still pretty annoyed.
I’m just cheesed off about these new office rules. I need more than 10 minutes for a snack break!
31. Be a happy camper
If you’re a happy camper, you’re not cheesed off at all. You’re happy, whether or not you’re camping. You can also say that someone is “not a happy camper” to say that they aren’t happy.
I’m not too hard to please. Just give me a nice, hot cup of coffee and I’ll be a happy camper.
32. Pig out
When you pig out, you eat a lot. While this expression can be used to be mean about someone else’s eating habits, people often use it to talk about themselves in a joking way.
I skipped breakfast, so I’m totally going to pig out at lunch today.
33. Chew the fat / Shoot the s**t
These two expressions might be the grossest and funniest on this list. They both refer to having a nice, friendly conversation.
– Hey, come over sometime and we’ll chew the fat.
– Okay, sure. Maybe we can go out for a beer and shoot the s**t.
34. Tear (one’s) hair out
If you’re tearing your hair out, you’re really stressed out.
I lost my job, so I was tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to pay rent.
35. Out of the woodwork
“Woodwork” refers to the wooden parts of a building or room. For example, a window frame made of wood could be called woodwork.
When you say that something came “out of the woodwork,” you mean that it seemed to come out of nowhere.
Now, all of a sudden, you see these new muffin bakeries coming out of the woodwork.
36. Out of the frying pan and into the fire
This phrase can be used to talk about something or someone going from a bad situation to a worse situation.
If you try to start a new business when you’re already in debt, you might be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.
37. Eat (someone or something) for breakfast
If you say that you eat someone or something for breakfast, you’re saying that you feel like you’re better than that person or thing. You’re saying that they can’t stand in your way, because if you wanted to, you could destroy them!
This phrase is often used to comment on the strengths or weaknesses of people who are competing in some way, like politicians or sports stars.
He’s going to eat all the other competitors for breakfast.
38. Have a s**t/hissy fit
You might also hear this as “have a conniption.” This expression might change depending on the region you’re in, but saying that someone is having a certain kind of fit often means the person is overreacting or being dramatic. They’re probably flying off the handle.
When I told her that we weren’t going to be able to go on vacation this year, she threw a hissy fit.
39. Wrack (one’s) brains
We have already talked about what it means to pick someone else’s brain. Now it’s time to talk about wracking your own brains! But what does “wrack” even mean? And don’t some people spell it “rack”?
The truth is, you can spell it either way, and most people don’t know (or care) exactly what this word means by itself.
(If you’re curious, “wrack” appears in an older English word for “shipwreck,” and “rack” can refer to a type of torture used in the Middle Ages.)
But wracking or racking your brains is sort of like picking your own brain with a lot of effort.
I wracked my brains trying to remember her phone number, but I just couldn’t.
40. Have a frog in (one’s) throat
A frog doesn’t seem like something you would want in your throat!
But if you have a sore throat, or if your throat just feels dry and you’re having trouble speaking normally, you might say that you have a frog in your throat.
*cough* *cough* Sorry, I seem to have a frog in my throat.
41. Like pulling teeth
Wow, pulling teeth doesn’t sound very nice either, does it? Well, that’s kind of the point with this saying.
If something is like pulling teeth, it’s very difficult. Often, this phrase is used to express a difficulty that you’re having with a particular person.
I’ve tried to talk to him about finding a new job, but it’s like pulling teeth.
42. Burn the candle at both ends
Burning a candle at both ends sounds silly and also dangerous. If it’s burning at both ends, how do you put it down without setting something on fire? And again, that’s part of the point.
Burning the candle at both ends means going to bed late and getting up early, or working long hours, which of course will eventually have bad effects on a person.
He’s been burning the candle at both ends, working in the daytime and going to school at night. I don’t know how much longer he can go on like this.
Where to Find More Funny English Sayings
The Free Dictionary Idioms
You won’t only find funny phrases and expressions here, but many idioms are funny. One of the best things about this site is that you can search for a single word and see all of the idioms that word appears in. For example, I can type in the word “apple” and get a huge list of phrases with “apple” in them, like “Big Apple” (a nickname for New York City) and “upset the applecart” (ruin someone’s plans).
FluentU
When you learn with the same entertaining videos English speakers watch, you naturally learn funny idiomatic phrases. FluentU takes that kind of content and adds interactive subtitles to clarify what idioms mean as you see them. There are also review quizzes and multimedia flashcards to help you remember what you’re learning. The videos are pulled from all kinds of material, including TV shows, movies, music videos and vlog videos.
Phrases.com
This is a big collection of phrases that you can browse in a few different ways. If you want to explore a certain word or phrase, you can search for it or find it in a list. You can also look at newly added phrases, pull up a random phrase or see “nearby phrases” (ones that are similar to the phrase you’re looking at). It’s easy to spend time learning on this site even if you aren’t looking for anything in particular.
And there you have it—42 funny English sayings to make you sound like a native.
The English language is full of funny phrases, and now you know a lot more of them!
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
What does an elephant in the room mean? What is it even doing in the room and how did it get there? When someone pulls wool over your eyes, what should you do? And why does a fat chance and a slim chance mean the same thing?
English idioms can be quite confusing, but they’re fun to learn and also help you sound like a native speaker. In this lesson, we’ll talk about some of the popular English idioms. Some are funny enough to make you chuckle while some are just downright bizarre!
Ready to “beef up” your knowledge of idioms? Let’s start!
There are plenty of themes that appear in English idioms. Some of the most common include animals (a sacred cow and a cold turkey, for example), things you find around the house (a wet blanket, a pot that calls a kettle black), food (a pie in the sky and a holey Swiss cheese), and body parts (neck and neck and the neck of the woods).
Let’s group these funny or bizarre idioms according to theme and then let’s discuss a bit of its origin, its meaning, and an example sentence for each.
Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Animals
1. Cold turkey
Can you imagine the damp, goosebumpy skin of a cold turkey? Makes you shudder, doesn’t it? It has something to do with the dark meaning behind this expression. When you abruptly quit an addiction such as drugs or alcohol, users report feeling that awful situation that I described. Thus the expression cold turkey.
And you thought this list would be funny. Ugh. What a downer.
Meaning: to quit something (like an addiction) abruptly and without fanfare.
Example: There’s no other way to go about your online dating addiction. Just delete all the dating apps on your phone and quit cold turkey.
2. Hold your horses
When someone bellows at you to hold your horses, don’t go around, panic-stricken, looking for a horse to hold. It simply means you need to stay put or slow down. This phrase has been used as early as Homer’s Iliad. There have been many usage since then, literal at first but which later on evolved into a figurative usage.
Meaning: It’s a way of telling someone to stop or slow down.
Example: Whoa, hold your horses! I’m not paying up, the game’s far from over!
3. The elephant in the room
There’s an elephant in the room but nobody seems to be talking about it. Awkward, right? I mean, where would you even start?
So anyway, there’s a fable written in the early 1800s where a man went to a museum and noticed all the tiny things but failed to see the huge elephant in the room. The fable was called The Inquisitive Man which has been referenced later on by famous writers such as Dostoevsky, among others. Now the expression is being used to refer to a huge problem that everyone refuses to talk about.
Meaning: A huge and obvious problem that everyone avoids talking about.
Example:
“Can we address the elephant in the room before this problem ends all of our friendship?”
“Sure. But who will volunteer to tell Eric he has stinky feet?”
4. Get someone’s goat
When you get (or steal) a goat owned by somebody else, of course that person would get mad. But the origin of this idiom is far more interesting than that. This expression actually comes from horse-racing where goats are used to have a calming effect on thoroughbred horses. To calm down an easily upset horse, its owner would place a goat in its stall the night before the race. But some opponents would cheat by stealing the goat to agitate the horse and make it lose the race!
Sounds downright unscrupulous, right? But there’s a real life lesson to be learned here: if someone gets your goat and you get upset, remember, you lose!
Meaning: To upset, irritate or anger someone.
Example: “The way she corrects everything really gets my goat! Thank you very much, Miss Know-it-all!”
5. Earworm
You’ve tried it before, I’m sure of it. You listen to a song and suddenly it’s stuck in your mind. It seems to be playing on repeat in your head like a pesky background music to all your thoughts. It’s like a worm in your ear singing the song on repeat for hours, days, and even weeks! Help! You’ve got an earworm!
Meaning: A catchy song or tune that you can’t seem to get out of your head.
Example: “Ariana’s new song has been stuck in my head for a week. I’d do absolutely anything to get rid of this earworm!”
6. Have (or get) your ducks in a row
There are plenty of origin stories behind this idiom—from little ducklings following their mother in a tidy little line, to bowling pins, metal ducks in a shooting arcade, and so many other possible sources. The cutest and the earliest usage seems to come from the first one: little ducklings sorted in a straight line behind their mother. So I guess we’ll have to go with that.
Meaning: Get everything organized, straightened up and accounted for before embarking on an activity or project.
Example: I’ll get my ducks in a row before going on vacation. I don’t want my officemates thinking I’m lousy at my job.
7. Eager beaver
Are beavers really eager animals? Not necessarily. But this phrase came to be simply because of the rhyme. It does have a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
Meaning: An overly enthusiastic person; someone who is overzealous and excited about doing a job.
Example: I have nothing against Martha, but she’s such an eager beaver. Always volunteering on new projects and staying up late every day—she makes us all look bad!
8. Running around like a headless chicken
Now that paints a bizarre picture alright. But did you know that when a chicken’s head is chopped off, it still runs about in a panic for a couple of seconds or so before dying? Morbid, I know. But that’s the origin of this expression.
Meaning: To run around doing a lot of things in a disorganized, ineffective manner.
Example: Maybe you should sit down first and organize your thoughts. You seem to be running around like a headless chicken all day.
9. The tail wagging the dog
It’s always the dog that wags its tail. So what’s up with this idiom? How does a tail wag the dog? This expressions comes from a popular phrase that says: “a dog is smarter than its tail, but if the tail were smarter, then the tail would wag the dog“.
A shorter version of this phrase is “wag the dog” which means to divert attention to a less important issue in order to get away with a bigger issue.
Meaning: A situation wherein a smaller or less important group appears to control a larger or more important person or organization.
Example 1: Ever since Adrian headed the new team, the management seems to be doing everything to please them. This is a case of the tail wagging the dog.
Example 2: I can see what you’re doing; you’re trying to
wag the dog
so I would forget how you crashed my car last night!
10. Turn turtle
Ever seen an upside down turtle helplessly trying to get back on its feet? That’s the imagery this idiom wants to depict.
Meaning: To flip over; to turn upside down.
Example: The streets are so slippery today I was worried our car would turn turtle!
11. Monkey business
What types of businesses are monkeys involved in? Apparently nothing but shenanigans! This idiom is based on the playfulness of monkeys.
Meaning: shenanigans; activities that could be considered mischievous, questionable or even illegal; antics that are generally disapproved of.
Example: Those three boys are cooped up inside the room. I wonder what monkey business they’re planning this time?
12. Sacred cow
Were you thinking of a cow with a halo on its head while reading this idiom? No? Oh, I guess it’s just me then. Anyway, you probably know how cows are sacred and venerated in the religion Hindu. Slowly this expression stemmed from that and became what it is today.
Meaning: A person, thing or belief that is unreasonably above criticism or immune from questioning.
Example: There are no sacred cows in this organization. We will audit everyone from top to bottom.
13. Cock and bull story
What does a cock and a bull have in common? Well, they both have a story, albeit an improbable one. This idiom has been around for centuries (the 1600s to be exact) and still used today.
There are a bunch of sources credited for the origin of this expression: two coaching inns called The Cock and The Bull where people trade stories that become more and more unlikely. It may also come from the French expression coq-a-l’âne which means cock and jackass/ cock and bull. Whatever the origin is, it’s most likely another cock and bull story!
Meaning: A story that is unlikely to be true. Usually boastful or used as an excuse.
Example: Dana didn’t show up again today. She gave us some cock and bull story about falling down the stairs and hurting her pinky finger.
14. Bull in a china shop
Could you imagine a bull in a china shop? Utter destruction, that’s what’s gonna happen. But some TV guys actually did an experiment to see what would happen if a bull is in a china shop. The result? Nothing! You can watch the clip below.
Meaning: Someone who is very careless in the way he/she moves or behaves. Could also refer to a clumsy manner of dealing with a delicate situation.
Example: It was a very tense situation at the dinner when Karen, oblivious as always, came in like a bull in a china shop.
Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Food
15. More holes than a Swiss cheese
Not all Swiss cheeses have holes in it, but apparently, this is what mostly everyone thinks of when we think of Swiss cheese (blame it on the cartoons we saw in our youth). So if an argument or a story has more holes than this, it’s definitely got a lot of issues.
Meaning: Something that has a lot of faults and problems.
Example: The new movie’s plot has more holes than a Swiss cheese.
16. Best thing since sliced bread
When a bread slicing machine was introduced in the 1920s, it was considered “the greatest forward step in the baking industry”. So this phrase was born and used humorously to hype up something new and innovative.
Meaning: Used to show one’s enthusiasm about a person, thing or idea; to hype up a certain thing as a great invention or innovation.
Example: The way they act, it would seem like the new employee is the best thing since sliced bread.
17. A hot potato
Who wants to hold a hot potato? Nobody. Everyone would just drop it. So is a figurative hot potato. It’s a topic no one wants to touch!
Meaning: A controversial issue that nobody wants to discuss because it is uncomfortable to talk about it.
Example: The immigration crisis is a hot potato in many countries nowadays.
18. Couch potato
Another potato idiom, but this time one that’s in front of a TV with a bowl of chips in hand. It’s a couch potato!
Meaning: A person who does not lead an active life and would rather stay on the couch, watching TV.
Example: Couch potatoes, unite! In our own couches. At home. Separately. While watching TV.
19. Beef up
When you want to bulk up or make something stronger or more effective, you beef it up! This American slang is quite popular and used whether in everyday speech or even in the news.
Meaning: To strengthen, increase, or make something more effective.
Example: After the incident last week, the security is beefed up all over the city.
20. Go bananas
This American slang can be used to pertain to different kinds of extreme emotions such as wild excitement, over-the-top happiness, or even in some cases (but less common), anger. This idiom got its inspiration from apes who go crazy when given bananas.
Meaning: To go wild, to go crazy with excitement or other extreme emotions.
Example: When the host announced that Robert Downey Jr. has crashed the party, the crowd went bananas!
21. Have a bone to pick with someone
It takes time to “pick” or thoroughly clean a bone; it involves a lot of biting and chewing and all that gnashing. So when somebody claims to have a bone to pick with you, uh oh, you’re in for a long discussion!
Meaning: To have a grievance that needs to be discussed.
Example: I have a bone to pick with you, Shiela. I saw your pictures on Facebook: you’ve been wearing my clothes without my permission again!
22. Take with a grain (or pinch) of salt
Why not a handful of salt or a spoonful, you ask? Well, early texts contain an antidote to poison which says “take with a grain of salt”. The expression remains, but now it’s used to advise someone not to swallow an idea fully. Take it with a grain of salt: consume it but with a healthy dose of scepticism.
Meaning: to accept something but with a degree of scepticism.
Example: You should probably just let your baby cry herself to sleep. But take my advice with a grain of salt since I don’t really have kids yet so what do I know.
23.
You’re lying down in the grass looking up when suddenly a pie comes floating in the sky! Cool! You’re probably just daydreaming or hallucinating. It’s a nice idea to think about though highly unlikely. That’s what this idiom is all about.
Meaning: Something nice but unlikely to happen. An empty wish.
Example: Turns out that the startup business she planned was just a pie in the sky.
Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Things Found in the Home
24. Pot calling the kettle black
When you’re a pot mired in black soot, could you afford to call the kettle black? Apparently not, right? You’d think, “oh the hypocrisy of the pot!”
Meaning: To criticize someone for the same fault he or she has. This phrase is used to call out the hypocrisy of a person or situation.
Example: Susan accusing Claire of faking the test results is the pot calling the kettle black. They both got busted last night!
25. Everything but the kitchen sink
When you’ve taken everything but the kitchen sink, you’ve likely taken the entire contents of your house!
Meaning: Almost everything imaginable, even the unnecessary ones.
Example: It was just a simple sleepover but Maria brought everything but the kitchen sink!
26. Get up on the wrong side of the bed
There are days when you just seem to wake up with a bad temper. When this happens, you got up on the wrong side of the bed!
Meaning: To begin the day with a bad mood.
Example: Come quick and be ready with your presentation. The boss is here and he seems to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed!
27. A wet blanket
A wet blanket can be effective in dousing a fire in the same way that a figurative wet blanket is very effective in dampening an otherwise happy occasion.
Meaning: A person who spoils all the fun by disapproving of the activities. Someone who dampens everybody’s enthusiasm.
Example: She went to the party but moped in the corner the whole time. What a wet blanket.
Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Body Parts
28. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes
When you pull wool over someone’s eyes, you have the intention to deceive. I mean, why else would you cover someone’s eyes, right? Well, there’s probably lots of other reasons, but you know, let’s just go with it.
Meaning: To deceive or hoodwink someone.
Example: My ex-fiance was pulling wool over my eyes the whole time. I didn’t know his other secret life until the day before our wedding.
29. By the skin of your teeth
Does your skin even have teeth? Kinda weird, I know. But this phrase actually originated from the Bible, in the Book of Job:
‘My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth’ (19:20).
Meaning: narrowly, barely, or by a very small margin
Example: Good thing he realized the trouble he’s in before he could propose. He escaped that wicked woman’s grasp by the skin of his teeth!
30. Neck and neck
Another one that might raise a few eyebrows if you think of it literally. What does neck and neck mean? Is it talking about two necks? What’s up with that? Well, here’s what it means.
Meaning: To be even or tied in a competition or comparison.
Example: I don’t really know whom to pick. Both applicants are pretty much neck and neck at this point.
31. Neck of the woods
Another one that talks about a neck. But this time, it’s not a person’s neck but that of the woods!
Meaning: A certain area, neighborhood, or locality.
Example: What a surprise seeing you here! I don’t peg you for someone who comes into this neck of the woods!
32. Go belly up
Ever had a pet fish while you were a kid? You probably noticed that when it died it went belly up. So there you go with this idiom.
Meaning: to fail; to go bankrupt
Example: Most startups go belly up within the first four years!
33. Armed to the teeth
Now let’s talk about teeth again. Remember those movies where you’d see pirates biting into their knives? That’s one of the possible origins of this expression. Another one is that of knights covered in armor from head to foot, fully armed to the teeth.
Meaning: Heavily armed or well-equipped, could be with literal weapons or figuratively well-prepared.
Example: It was her first time to appear in court for the divorce, and wow, she was so prepared! With her boxes of evidence of her husband’s affairs, she was armed to the teeth and poised to win!
34. Wet behind the ears
What’s being wet behind the ears got to do with being inexperienced? Well, let me break it down for you. According to this idiom’s origin, it is based on the idea that newborn animals are totally wet from the amniotic sac during birth. The mother would then proceed to lick the baby animal thoroughly, but the indentation behind the ears (usually with a baby calf) would still be wet.
Meaning: Used to describe someone inexperienced or immature.
Example: That lady thinks she’s the boss of me! She’s still wet behind the ears!
Other Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms
35. Bite the dust
You’ve probably heard of the Queen song Another One Bites the Dust. See Freddie Mercury below to jog your memory.
But since you can’t literally bite the dust, what does it all even mean?
Here’s what it means and it’s morbid.
Meaning: to die/ be killed; to meet the end; to fail
Example: He thought his new business would bite the dust soon. Thankfully, a new investor arrived just in time.
36. Burst at the seams
There’s a scene in one of the Harry Potter movies where Harry inflates his mean Aunt Marge and her clothes literally burst at the seams.
That would be a perfect literal example of this idiom. But figuratively? It just means to be beyond full!
Meaning: To be filled beyond regular capacity
Example: Why did you have to invite everyone to this small party? Our house is bursting at the seams and looks like it’s about to get trashed, too!
37. Don’t give up your day job
Let’s say your friend discovered his love for photography and excitedly shows you the photos he took. Unfortunately you can see that he just does not have the eye for taking good photos! How can you jokingly tell him that he’s not that good? You say, don’t give up your day job!
Meaning: Used as a humorous but well-meaning way to tell someone they’re not very good at something.
Example: It’s cool that you like to paint, but don’t give up your day job!
38. Elvis has left the building
Elvis was one of those people in history that people went bananas over (see? We’re already using phrases we learned above!)
After his shows, people would still mill about, waiting for an encore or even just a little extra glimpse. To signal that everything’s over and the show is done, the announcer would say “Elvis has left the building”. These words stuck and became a well-used expression even if Elvis has already left—not just the building—but this Earth as well:(
Meaning: Means the show or event has ended.
Example: We took too long to get to the huge mall sale. Elvis has left the building when we came.
39. Fat chance / slim chance
You’d know a language is weird when two opposing phrases mean the exact same thing. Well, that’s the English language for you. Fat chance involves sarcasm though, so saying that means its opposite—or ‘slim chance’— is true.
Meaning: There’s a very little chance of that happening.
Example 1: Get back together with that loser? Fat chance!
Example 2: Anna said that there’s a
slim chance
she’d get back together with Craig.
40. Thick as thieves
Thieves are supposedly notorious for sharing secrets with each other. Who else understands a thief but another thief, right? And in the old days, thick can also mean to be very close. So there you go.
Meaning: Two or more people who are very close and share secrets to each other.
Example: Those two kids are thick as thieves. They’ve been close since they were babies!
Conclusion
There you have it. 40 of the funny and bizarre idioms in the English language. Which one is your favorite? And which one should make the list? Do share it with us in the comments!
Tell a classroom full of English students that there is an elephant in the room and they will likely think you have gone crazy and reply with “No there isn’t!”
English idioms can be very confusing to English language learners, especially kids and beginners. However, teaching English idioms is incredibly fun as students often come up with some hilarious predictions as they try to figure out what these funny English sayings mean. In this post, we have put together a list of 25 funny English idioms to teach your students. Not only will you find many English idiom examples for kids, but you’ll also find some useful tips on how to teach English idioms in a fun and memorable way.
Funny English Idiom Examples For Kids
Here is a list of our favorite funny English idiom examples for kids. All these English sayings are suitable for kids, teenagers, and beginner English language learners.
1. When Pigs Fly
It is very unlikely that you will ever see pigs fly right? ‘When pigs fly’ is an English idiom used to express that something is very unlikely to happen. It is often used to mock something. For example, “I’ll believe you’re going to give up chocolate when pigs fly.”
2. Put A Sock In It
This is a funny English idiom you can use with students in your English class. ‘Put a sock in it’ is used to tell someone to be quiet or stop talking. For example, “You two! Put a sock in it! Other students are trying to study.”
3. Cat Got Your Tongue?
This funny idiom is one you can use in class with students. ‘Cat got your tongue?’ is used when someone cannot speak or think of anything to say. For example, “Chris. Why aren’t you answering? What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?“
4. Blue In The Face
This English idiom means to be extremely tired from making a lot of futile efforts to do something. For example, “You can ask me until you are blue in the face but I won’t change my mind.”
5. Raining Cats and Dogs
Raining cats and dogs means that it is raining very heavily. For example, “Don’t forget to take your umbrella. It’s raining cats and dogs out there.”
6. Hold Your Horses
Hold your horses is used to tell someone to wait a minute or to be patient. For example, “Hold your horses! I can’t go yet. I’ve not even eaten my breakfast.”
7. Piece Of Cake
The English idiom ‘Piece Of Cake’ is used to express that something is very easy. For example, “How was the test?” – “It was a piece of cake.”
8. Cakewalk
Similar to the previous idiom ‘cakewalk’ means that some challenge or some victory was very easy. For example, “Who won the game?” – “Manchester United did. It was a cakewalk.”
9. A Storm In A Tea Cup
A storm in a teacup is an English idiom that means that a small issue has been exaggerated and blown out of proportion. For example, “I got really angry at the teacher for giving us some homework yesterday but I guess it was just a storm in a teacup.”
10. Elephant In The Room
The idiom ‘elephant in the room’ is used when there is a big problem or issue that nobody wants to talk about. For example, “I think we need to talk about the elephant in the room. Our company has lost a lot of money and some people might lose their jobs.”
11. Head In The Clouds
For someone to have their ‘head in the clouds’ means that they have unrealistic or unlikely ideas. For example, “He’s got his head in the clouds if he thinks he can get the job without any experience.”
12. Kick The Bucket
Maybe this idiom is not so funny because to ‘kick the bucket’ means to die. For example, “I want to experience as much as I can before I kick the bucket.”
13. Cool As A Cucumber
To be ‘cool as a cucumber’ means to be calm, relaxed, and composed in stressful situations. For example, “I thought Sally would be stressed out about the big test but she was as cool as a cucumber“
14. Dead As A Door nail
Another perhaps not so funny idiom, ‘dead as a door nail’ means to be completely without life. For example, “A mosquito tried to attack me so now it is as dead as a door nail. “
15. Out Of The Blue
For something to come up out of the blue means for it to come up unexpectedly. For example, “I hadn’t heard from Rachel for 10 years, and then she just called me out of the blue.”
16. It’s All Greek To Me
The idiom ‘It’s all Greek to me’ means that something is really hard to understand. For example, “I tried to follow the instructions on how to put the table together but it’s all Greek to me.”
17. I Could Eat A Horse
This idiom is a funny way to say you are very hungry. ‘I could eat a horse’ means that the person is extremely hungry. For example, “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!”
18. Beat Around The Bush
The idiom to ‘beat around the bush’ means to talk about a topic without talking about the main point of the subject. It means to talk about something in a round about way rather than directly. For example, “Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened.”
19. Bob’s Your Uncle
This is a very funny and confusing English idiom that your students will find difficult to guess the meaning of. The expression ‘Bob’s your uncle’ means ‘It’s as simple as that.’ / ‘And there it is’. For example, “To tie your shoelaces just tie a knot here and Bob’s your uncle, it’s done!”
20. Frog In Your Throat
This English idiom is a fun way to say that you have difficulty speaking because your throat feels dry. For example, “Craig just stood there and didn’t say a thing. I think he had a frog in his throat“
21. Thick As Thieves
Teachers often use this English idiom to describe students in their class. Thick as thieves means to be very close friends. For example, “Chris and Tom are as thick as thieves. They are always together.”
22. Keep Your Eyes Peeled
‘Keep your eyes peeled’ means to look out or watch out for something. For example, “The teacher will be back any minute so keep your eyes peeled.”
23. Pick Your Brain
Here’s a funny English idiom that kids enjoy. ‘Pick your brain’ is often used when one person wants to see what a particular person knows about a topic. So, ‘Can I pick your brain?’ means ‘Can I ask your opinion about something?’
For example, “Kelly. Do you mind if I pick your brain for just a minute? I’d like to ask you some questions about this new project.”
24. Best Thing Since Sliced Bread
To say that something is ‘the best thing since sliced bread’ means that you think something is really good. For example, “My new smartphone is the best thing since sliced bread.”
25. Keep Your Shirt On
This idiom is used when you want to tell someone to calm down. ‘Keep your shirt on’ means ‘calm down’ or ‘relax’. For example, “Why did you borrow my pencil without asking?” – “Keep your shirt on! It was only for a second.”
Tips For Teaching English Idioms
Teaching English idioms to English language learners can be incredibly fun. It can also be quite challenging and confusing to students as idioms often don’t make much literal sense. To ensure your English lessons about Idioms are fun and useful to your students, follow these simple tips.
Help Students Understand What Idioms Are
Before students learn some fun English idioms, they must first understand what exactly idioms are. All languages are full of idioms so a great way to introduce the topic of English idioms is to first talk about an idiom in the students’ native language. For example, in Korean, there is an idiom that translates as ‘When Am I going to eat your noodles?’ which means ‘When are you going to get married?’.
Using an example from the students’ native language, you can explain that idioms are expressions in which the meaning cannot be understood by the individual words in that sentence.
Guess The Meaning Of Some Idioms
Once students have an understanding of what idioms are, write a few fun idioms on the board and ask students to guess the meanings of those idioms based on their first impression. This can lead to some very funny guesses and is a great way to make your English idioms class more fun.
Provide Example Sentences
After students have made their initial guesses, write some example sentences with idioms to put them in context. If possible provide some pictures to help students visualize the situations in which these idioms would be used in English conversation.
After providing some examples, ask students again to try and guess the meaning and usage of the idioms and see if their guesses have changed. Then let your students know the true meaning of the English idioms and see if they guessed correctly.
Practice
A wonderful way to get students to practice speaking using English idioms is to ask them to come up with a short role play in pairs or small groups. Give each group a particular English idiom and an example sentence/situation to help them understand how to use the idiom.
Ask them to imagine a situation where they can use that idiom and to then create a simple dialogue that they can act out which includes that expression. This fun activity will help students truly understand the meaning and usage of English idioms and will help them to retain the information going forward.
Related
Thanks for reading. I hope your students enjoy these funny English idioms. Before you go, check out these related posts: 30 Funny Debate Topics, 30 Fun Conversation Topics For Kids, 30 Funny Would You Rather Questions For Kids
Humor in Language: Amusing English Phrases to Impress Your Friends
8 min
Created: March 29th, 2023Last updated: April 12th, 2023
Contents
English is a rich and versatile language, full of idioms and expressions that add color and humor to everyday conversation. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most famous funny expressions that will have you chuckling and maybe even scratching your head. Whether you’re a native speaker or just learning English, these phrases will pleasantly surprise your friends and colleagues. So, sit back, relax, and prepare to LOL with these hilarious English expressions!
Definition of Funny Expressions
English humor is unique. It contains hundreds of thousands of hilarious phrases, one better than the other. Yet, non-native speakers are sometimes afraid (if not terrified) of English jokes. Of course, there is an explanation – they might not understand them or use them in the wrong context. To help you overcome this typical issue, we will tell you everything you need about the types of funny phrases in English and the best ways to implement them in your daily routine. But before that – what is a funny expression?
In layman’s terms, it is a general name for phrases, words, and sayings that are used humorously. The main goal of such expressions is to make your interlocutors laugh or at least smile. Many funny sayings depend on context, intonation, conversation topics, etc. Here are the most common types:
- Idioms. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an idiom is a group of words that differ from the literal meanings of the individual words. Usually, they contain a moral lesson. But there are also thousands of funny idioms that can make you and your interlocutors laugh.
- Wordplay jokes. It is one of the most popular types of witty expressions, but it might be hard for non-fluent speakers. The humor in such sayings is based on playing with words cleverly, relying on the multiple meanings or the similarity between words that sound the same (What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.)
- Sarcasm. Sarcastic expressions are one of our favorite types. These are primarily usual sentences, but the proper intonation and context give them the opposite meaning. It’s like saying, “I can’t be happier,” when your boss asks you to stay at work for two more hours on Christmas.
- Understatement. This form of funny expression is more British humor. Just like with sarcasm, understatement phrases are usually simple. Their main point is to lessen the significance of something huge intentionally. For example, saying, “it’s a bit rainy, innit?” when there is a hailstorm outside.
Implementing those expressions into your daily speaking routine can help you sound more natural in English. And if you need clarification on using them, you can always seek help from professionals and practice humor during your classes. And with that being said, let’s talk more specifically about different funny expressions and the ways of using them.
1
Funny Idioms in English
Sarcasm and understatement jokes are pretty easy to make since they are mainly simple phrases said in a proper context. Idioms, however, are a bit more tricky – you need to know their meaning to make them work. Therefore, look at the most common and funny phrases to use in conversations and their definitions.
- When pigs fly
This famous idiom is a short and hilarious way to say something is impossible or unlikely to happen. For example:
Q: Are you going to meet them again?
A: Yeah, when pigs fly.
- To pig out
It is another popular idiom related to these wonderful animals. According to Merriam-Webster, it means to eat greedily or simply to overeat. For example:
X: What are your plans for the weekend?
Y: Nothing new – just watching the Office and pigging out on sweets.
- It’s raining cats and dogs
This idiom is probably one of the most widespread ones. Yet, it is way more popular during falls and springs because it describes a heavy rainstorm. For example:
Take an umbrella on your way here. It’s raining cats and dogs.
I was going to meet him, but I noticed it was raining cats and dogs, so I stayed home.
- Everything but the kitchen sink
This simple and fun idiom means that something includes almost everything imaginable, leaving out only the most unnecessary things. For example:
John brought everything but the kitchen sink when he went camping.
I love to go shopping with my mama. She is always ready to buy everything but the kitchen sink for me.
- Put a sock in it
The last idiom in our list is hilarious, but some people can consider it offensive, so be careful when choosing to whom you will say it. It is a slightly rude and funny way to ask a person to be quiet. For example:
Put a sock in it! I’m trying to concentrate.
I listened to you all afternoon, and now I need to work, so please, put a sock in it!
Funny Sayings for Valentine’s Day
This holiday is all about love and romance, but there is always a place for a good laugh. So whether you are single or taken, here is a list of funny sentences you can write on a greeting card to your loved ones or say to your friends in person.
- Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m single and ready for pizza for two.
- I’m Valentine’s Day’s biggest fan. It’s the only day I can eat as much chocolate as I want without feeling guilty.
- I’m not saying I love you for your money, but a trip to Paris wouldn’t hurt.
- I can’t promise you the world, but I can promise you a lifetime of bad jokes and endless laughter.
- Happy Valentine’s Day to the one I love, and the one I tolerate.
- I’m yours. No refunds or exchanges.
These simple sentences will probably make your loved ones laugh. And as you can see, there is a vast field for fantasies – you can create your own funny sayings based on more personal things related to your partner, friend, or family member.
Funny Phrases for Kids
Little children are always the easiest and the most challenging people to make laugh at the same time. Every so often, they smile at bizarre things and sometimes don’t get the simplest jokes. To avoid such cases, look at our list of simple and funny phrases for kids.
- Never follow anyone else’s path. Unless you’re lost in the woods, and you see a path. Then, by all means, follow that path.
- The alligators are ornery because they have so many teeth and no toothbrush.
- Why can’t we see elephants hiding in the trees? Because they are good at it!
- Why did the math book look so sad? Because it has too many problems.
As you can see, funny phrases for kids slightly differ from adult ones. They don’t have any double meanings or inappropriate context. Moreover, they are simple and naive, making them even more beautiful.
Funny Phrases for Christmas
It is another amazing holiday that usually brings us nothing but joy. And isn’t it great to make your family laugh during the traditional Christmas dinner? We think it is, and we want to help you with that using these simple and funny sentences.
- I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, but if the white runs out, I’ll drink the red.
- Christmas is the only time of the year when wearing an ugly sweater is socially acceptable.
- I’m not Santa Claus, but you can still sit on my lap.
- I’m just a stocking stuffer away from being on the naughty list.
- Santa Claus has the right idea: visit people once a year.
These funny expressions are straightforward, even if you are not fluent in English. Add more practice, and you will easily surprise your family or friends during your next meeting or holiday dinner.
Learn More ROFLs and LOLs with Promova
If you want to master humor in English and learn how to implement funny sentences in your daily conversations, you might need some help. And Promova is the best place where you can do it! This international platform offers various studying options for students with different requirements.
For starters, you can join our personal or group lessons with professional tutors. To do this, just pass a quick test and provide information about your fluency level to create a curriculum based on your preferences and needs. Then, if you are unsure about your final decision, you can book a free trial lesson to see what is best for you.
But that’s not all! If you want to study alone, you can install a convenient application and learn languages anywhere and anytime. And don’t forget about our free Conversation Club, where you can practice speaking with students from all over the world. As you can see, there are a lot of options to choose from. Visit the official Promova website, and find the options that suit you best!
Conclusion
To sum up, we can say that using funny expressions in English can be very beneficial since it is a great way to practice language, boost self-confidence, and expand your vocabulary with some cool new words and phrases. We hope that this article was helpful to you. And as always – don’t forget to write your favorite joke in the comments! We are always ready for a laugh.
FAQ
Is there any difference between British and American humor?
Yes, there are some differences between British and American humor. For example, British humor tends to be more dry, sarcastic, and ironic, while American humor is often more straightforward and uses exaggeration or absurdity for comedic effect. In addition, British humor may rely more on wordplay and cultural references specific to British audiences, whereas American comedy may be universal and more relatable.
What things to keep in mind when using funny sentences in English?
When using funny sentences in English, it’s essential to consider your audience and the context in which you’re speaking. What may be amusing to one person or group may not be funny to another. Hence, it’s important to be sensitive to cultural differences and avoid making jokes that could be offensive or inappropriate.
Is it appropriate to use funny phrases in a professional setting?
It depends on the context and the culture of the workplace. For example, humor may be encouraged in some professional settings, such as the creative industries or start-ups, to foster a relaxed and collaborative atmosphere. However, in more formal or conservative environments, using funny phrases or jokes may be seen as unprofessional or inappropriate.
What are the best ways to understand English humor?
One of the best ways to understand English humor is to immerse yourself in English-speaking cultures, such as by watching TV shows or movies, reading books or comics, and listening to podcasts or stand-up comedies. Learning about cultural references or idioms commonly used in English humor can also be helpful.
Did you know the English language is the most complicated language to learn as a second language (Japanese is a close second)? Not so surprising when you think about words like, they’re, there and their. And not to mention the confusing plural nouns, like goose is geese, but moose as a plural is moose. To celebrate the beauty, the sophistication and the history of the English language there is even a holiday on April 23rd each year named English Language day (which is also William Shakespeare day – The famous English writer). While there are millions of brilliant words in the English Language, today we look at over 100 of the funniest words in the English language. I hope you love them, as much as I do!
Funny Words starting with A:
- Abibliophobia: The fear of running out of reading materials to read.
Sentence: I have so many reading materials in my house, anyone would think that I have Abibliophobia or something!
- Abozzo: A rough sketch of a drawing or a draft poem.
Sentence: I’m almost finished with my abozzo of the Eiffel tower.
- Ama: Japanese diver who dives for pearls or food.
Sentence: Amas have been diving for pearls in the Japan region for many years.
- Araba: A carriage or coach used in Turkey.
Sentence: I’m taking the araba through the city today.
- Argle-bargle: A lot of commotion or a row happening.
Sentence: What’s all this argie-bargie about?
- Aye-aye: A type of lemur which can be found in Madagascar.
Sentence: The aye-ayes are such cute little creatures.
Starting with B:
- Bamboozled: To trick or confuse someone.
Sentence: I have been bamboozled again by you.
- Blubber: This word has two meanings: It can mean to cry very loudly or could refer to excess body fat.
Blubber Sentence: Please, stop your blubbering.
- Brouhaha: An event which involves great excitement or loud confusion.
Brouhaha in a sentence: Last night’s event was such a brouhaha and nothing was achieved.
- Bumbershoot: A Bumbershoot is an old-fashioned word for an umbrella.
Bumbershoot in a sentence: Don’t forget your Bumbershoot, dear.
- Bumfuzzle: This refers to being confused.
Bumfuzzle in a Sentence: I’m completely bumfuzzled!
Starting with C:
- Cantankerous: Someone who is very grumpy.
Sentence: Our neighbour is such a Cantankerous.
- Catawampus: Something positioned diagonally.
Sentence: To get to the school, you need to walk catawampus across that park over there.
- Collywobbles (kol-ee-wob-uh lz): This is the feeling when you have a stomach ache or when you feel really nervous or scared.
Collywobbles in a sentence: This place gives me the collywobbles, let’s go!
Hilarious Words Starting with D:
- Dingy: Something that is dark and dull.
Sentence: This house looks a little dingy to me.
- Donnybrook: This refers to a fight, riot or a big brawl.
Donnybrook in a sentence: A Donnybrook broke out last night when the police when to arrest the leader of the operation.
- Doozy: Something that is really great.
Sentence: I’m having a doozy of a time at this party.
- Dweeb: This is not a nice word to call someone. It means that you think the person is boring and uninteresting.
Sentence: No-one wants to be a dweeb.
Funny Words That Start With E:
- Egad: Used as an expression of shock or amazement.
Sentence: Egad! I never thought of that!
- Eep: Another expression of surprise or fear.
Sentence: Eep! That was scary!
- Epos: Could refer to an epic poem or something that is epic.
Sentence: That poem was just epos!
Starting with F:
- Filibuster: Somone who refusing to give up the floor in a debate to prevent a vote.
Sentence: Someone get that silly filibuster out of here now!
- Flibbertigibbet (flib·ber·ti·gib·bet): Is a word used to describe someone who talks a lot or is very gossipy.
Flibbertigibbet in a sentence: Imagine sitting on a 12-hour flight with a flibbertigibbet next to you.
- Flabbergasted: To be surprised or shocked by something.
Sentence: I’m just flabbergasted to hear that.
- Formication: The feeling that ants are crawling on your skin.
Sentence: Her constant shivering could be described as a formication.
- Fuddy-duddy: Someone who is a mild-mannered person.
Sentence: He can be such a fuddy-duddy sometimes.
Starting with G:
- Gaberlunzie: A beggar that walks around town to town.
Sentence: He didn’t really have a profession, some may even call him a gaberlunzie.
- Gardyloo (gahr-dee-loo): This is a disgusting one. It refers to the cry people use to shout when they would throw their slops or droppings out of the window.
Gardyloo in a Sentence: Watch out, Gardyloo coming!
- Gazump: This word really has a specific meaning. It means to refuse to sell your house to someone who you previously agreed to sell your house to.
Sentence: I’m so happy my offer to buy the house next door was accepted, but what if I get gazumped?
- Gobbledygook: Speaking Nonsense.
Sentence: Why do you always have to speak such Gobbledygook?
- Goombah: An older friend who protects you.
Sentence: Jamie didn’t have many friends, but was glad that his grandpa could be his protector – His Goombah.
- Gubbins: These are objects of very little value like rubbish or litter.
Gubbins in a sentence: No one’s going to buy your gubbins.
Starting with H:
- Hairball: A ball of hair that a cat normally chokes out.
Sentence: Cats are cute, but I hate it when they throw-up hairballs everywhere.
- Hocus-pocus: A trick or magical spell.
Sentence: What’s all this hocus-pocus about?
- Hokey: Something is is silly or old-fashioned.
Sentence: Now that was hokey old movie to watch!
- Hootenanny: A country music party or get-together.
Sentence: I’m going to an old-fashioned Hootenanny on Saturday, would you like to come?
- Heckler: Someone who interrupts a public performance with offensive comments.
Sentence: Those footballers are always having to deal with hecklers at their matches.
Starting with I:
- Itty-Bitty: Something that is really small or tiny.
Sentence: That ladybird is so itty-bitty.
- Ickle: Something that is small and normally cute
Sentence: Look at that ickle baby dolphin!
- izzat: This relates to your personal respect and dignity.
Sentence: I’m afraid of saying that in public, as it’ll be against my izzat.
Starting with J:
- Jabberwock: Something that is complete nonsense or gibberish
Sentence: Everything he just said was complete Jabberwock.
- Jazzetry: The reading of poetry which is accompanied by jazz.
Sentence: I love reading poems, but I’ve never tried jazzetry.
- Jink: The sudden change in direction.
Sentence: He jinked out of the way, as the ball came towards him.
Fun Words Starting with K:
- Kagu: An blueish-greyish type of bird which is now an endangered species.
Sentence: The rare Kagu can be found in the Pacific island of New Caledonia.
- Kaka: A breed of parrot that can be found in New-Zealand.
Sentence: The kaka parrots are so cool!
- Kebbie: A Scottish term relating to a walking stick with a hooked end.
Sentence: Pass the old man his keebie.
- Kibble: Ground meal or gains used as animal feed.
Sentence: The chickens love this new brand of kibble.
- Kraken: A mythical sea creature.
Sentence: Just like the loch ness monster, the Kraken is a myth.
Starting with L:
- La-di-da: If you described someone as “La-di-da”, you are suggesting that they are upper-class or behaving unnaturally only to impress other people.
La-di-da in a sentence: She thinks she is all La-di-da, but I know what she’s really like.
- Lol: Short for laughing out loud. Mosting used on social media and in text messages.
Sentence: Lol – That’s so funny!
- Lollygagger: Someone who walks around with no aim or goal.
Sentence: They spent their summer lying about, eating and general lollygagging.
- Lickety-split: When something moves really fast.
Sentence: He was out of the door lickety-split.
Starting with M:
- Malarkey: An informal word for talking about meaningless things or nonsense.
Malarkey in a sentence: This is all malarkey, I tell ya!
- Moist: Something that is slightly wet.
Sentence: This blanket seems a little moist to sit on.
- Mollycoddle: To be extra nice to someone or to overprotect them.
Sentence: Sometimes what a child needs is some tough love and not mollycoddling all the time.
Starting with N:
- Nacket: A light lunch or snack.
Sentence: I’m going to have a quick nacket before dinner.
- Namby-pamby: Someone who is weak, with no backbone.
Sentence: I don’t want to be some namby-pamby little girl!
- Napoo: The end of something. A term mostly used by soldiers.
Sentence: Napooh! That’s the end of that story.
- Niff: Something that smells bad.
Sentence: It’s got that horrible fishy niff.
- Nincompoop: This refers to someone who is not intelligent or a fool.
Nincompoop sentence: You act like such a nincompoop sometimes.
Starting with O:
- Obi: A sash worn around the waist of a kimono.
Sentence: That pink obi would look nice with this kimono.
- Oozy: Something that is slimy and wet
Sentence: That table is dripping in ooze.
- Oompah: The sound of deep brass instruments in a band.
Sentence: The oompah music in the background really set the tone.
Starting with P:
- Panjandrum: Someone who thinks that they are superior to others.
Sentence: She’s no queen, but she saw acts like a panjandrum.
- Patroon: The captain of a ship
Sentence: Look sharp, the patroon will be here soon.
- Pettifogger: A pettifogger is someone who deals with small or petty businesses. It can also be to argue over small, unimportant matters.
Pettifogger in a sentence: Why do you look up to such a pettifogger?
Starting with Q:
- Quab: Something that is incomplete or immature
Sentence: That baby bird is still just a quab.
- Quark: Scientific term used to describe atoms which are made up of smaller particles.
Sentence: Understanding quarks of fundamental to the world of physics.
- Quoz: Something that is strange.
Sentence: That’s so quoz! No-one wants to eat cheese and ice-cream together!
Silly Words Starting with R:
- Ratoon: This refers to the small root that sprouts from a plant, especially during the springtime.
Sentence: I heard somewhere that ratooned plants grow taller and healthier.
- Rugrat: Refers to a young child or toddler
Sentences: Those rugrats don’t know what’s coming to them!
- Ruddy: The term sometimes can be used to suggest good health in a person.
Sentence: That ruddy-faced girl was someone I never seen before.
Starting with S:
- Sialoquent: Somone who splits while talking.
Sentence: My old science teacher was Sialoquent. I was always scared to go near him!
- Skedaddle: To ask some to leave or run away very quickly
Skedaddle in a sentence: This is no place to play your silly games, now skedaddle before I get you!
- Skullduggery Refers to dodgy dealings and some no good business.
Sentence: We need to put a stop to all this skullduggery around this town.
- Shenanigan: This is when someone is causing a lot of mischiefs or playing tricks.
Shenanigans in a sentence: What’re all the shenanigans about?
- Snollygoster (snol·ly·gos·ter): This refers to an unethical politician who is guided by personal advantage.
Snollygoster in a sentence: I don’t want any help from a snollygoster.
- Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Something that is really good. And the longest word in the English dictionary.
Sentence: Your cake is simply supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Starting with T:
- Tatterdemalion: A poor child wearing rags.
Sentence: I grew up like a tatterdemalion on the streets and now I’m a billionaire!
- Taradiddle (tar-uh-did-l): this is a small lie or when someone is speaking nonsense.
Taradiddle in a sentence: That’s such taradiddle – I don’t trust you at all!
- Thingamajig. A thing for which you have forgotten the name of.
Sentence: Can you pass that thingamajig over?
- Troglodyte: Someone that lives in a cave.
Sentence: All my life I’ve been living like Troglodyte cooped up in this house!
Starting with U:
- Uber: Something that is really great.
Sentence: That’s a really uber-looking coat you got there!
- Ube: Type of yam which is coloured purple
Sentence: You can make really nice curry using ube.
- Upsy-daisy: Lifting up a small child.
Sentence: Upsy daisy! It’s time for your nap.
- Urubu: A blank vulture found in South American.
Sentence: The Urubu is a rare species of bird found in America.
Starting with V:
- Vamp: To make something brand-new.
Sentence: Let’s vamp-up your car.
- Vexed: Something that is really annoying or frustrating.
Sentence: This puzzle has really got me vexed.
- veepstakes: A competition to find a party-s vice president.
Sentence: Have you prepared for the upcoming veepstakes?
Starting with W:
- Wabbit: A Scottish word referring to feeling exhausted or a little unwell.
Sentence: I’m feeling wabbit today.
- Widdershins (with -er-shinz): This refers to going in the opposite direction or going down the wrong path.
Widdershins in a sentence: Only widdershins going down that road.
Starting with X:
All words beginning with X are funny ones!
- Xanthoderm: A person with yellowish skin.
Sentence: This make-up makes my skin look a little Xanthoderm.
- Xebec: A small sailing-ship with square sails.
Sentence: Let’s take a ride on my new Xebec.
Starting with Y:
- Yabby: Refers to any Australian crayfishes used for food.
Sentence: These yabbies are going to taste delicious.
- Yachty: Relates to yachts.
Sentence: I have a yachty-looking T-shirt.
- Yaff: A type of bark.
Sentence: The dog yaffed at the mailman.
- Yawny: When you yawn or when something is boring
Sentence: That movie was a little yawny.
- Yahoo: A rube, a country bumpkin.
Sentence: What’s that yahoo doing here!
- Yerk: Pull or push something with a sudden movement.
Sentence; She yerked at the rope, as they tried to pull the bucket up from the well.
- yips: When a golfer misses an easy putt due to nervousness.
Sentence: Looks like he has the yips today.
Funniest Words starting with Z:
- Zaftig: Having a full-rounded figure.
Sentence: Her zaftig figure was admired by all.
- Zappy: Something that is lively and energetic.
Sentence: She looks very zappy today.
- Zazzy: Something that is shiny and flashy
Sentence: Jenny brought herself a new zazzy handbag to match her shoes.
- Zeze: A string instrument from South Africa.
Sentence: The sound of the zeze is unique in South Africa.
- Zizz: To take a short nap or sleep.
Sentence: James likes to take a 2-hour zizz every afternoon at 2 pm.
- Zoanthropy (zoh-an-thruh-pee): This is when someone believes that they are an animal.
Zoanthropy in a sentence: I think she suffers from a mild case of Zoanthropy.
What do you think of our selection of the funniest words in the English language? Do you have any more to add on? Let us know in the comments below. In the meantime, why not take a look at our post, 12+ Words Beginning with X Used in Sentences.
Let’s be honest, in English most idioms are hilarious since they don’t make sense when taken literally. You may have heard some of the funniest English idioms like raining cats and dogs, in a pickle, and ants in your pants. These provide amusement for kids and adults alike!
In this list of funny idioms we have a few which contain the word ‘funny’, but a lot more which are just fun to use. Take a look and see which ones you can use to add some laughter to your conversation. We have included definitions and examples, so you can be confident people are appreciating your humor rather than making fun of your English.
Funny idioms with the word ‘funny’
We’ll begin with some idioms that actually contain the word ‘funny’.
Funny bone
What a great way to start our funny idioms list with a two-for-one. The first definition relates to your elbow. The next time you hit your elbow in a particular spot you may feel a tingling or prickly pain. Although it doesn’t hurt, it feels strange and funny. That’s why native speakers say they hit their funny bone.
“I’m not sure if it want to laugh or cry. I’ve just knocked my funny bone.”
But is your funny bone even a bone?
The second way this term could be used is to refer to a person’s sense of humor or ability to make people laugh.
“That lecture was so boring. I don’t think the new professor has a funny bone.”
No funny business
This short phrase is asking that nothing dishonest or dodgy happens. It covers a wide range of topics from bad business practices to personal choices.
“I’m going to look through the accounts again to check there’s no funny business!”
“Your father and I are going out tonight. No funny business while we’re away, okay?”
A rich man’s joke is always funny
This saying is part of a couplet (a two-lined poem):
Money is honey, my little sonny,
And a rich man’s joke is always funny
– Thomas E. Brown.
Money is power, so they say. In order to ingratiate* yourself with your boss or a person in authority, you may find yourself laughing at their jokes even if they are not that funny.
“Look at everyone gathering around the CEO. I guess a rich man’s joke is always funny.”
*Ingratiate: Go out of your way to make yourself liked by someone else by showing them attention, flattering them or pleasing them.
Check out our idioms about money if you want more like this.
The funny farm
Simply put, this idiom is a derogatory slang term for a psychiatric hospital or ‘insane asylum’. It wouldn’t be appropriate to use it in formal or polite conversation, or when talking about someone who really has a serious mental health issue. Instead, it could be used when joking between friends or family.
“My kids are driving me crazy! I’m going to end up in the funny farm at this rate.”
If in doubt, avoid using this one unless you are confident you have judged the tone correctly.
Funny tummy
Some funny English idioms aren’t about pleasant topics! If someone says they have a funny tummy, it’s a polite way of saying they have a stomachache or diarrhea. It describes any kind of unwell feeling in your digestive system.
“I’m not sure what I ate last night but I have a bit of a funny tummy now.”
Learn more idioms about health and sickness.
Funny idioms and phrases that make almost no sense at all!
In a pickle
This has to be at the top of our funny idioms list. Think about it; how can you be IN a pickle?! It actually isn’t anything to do with food but is in fact used when you are in trouble or have a difficult choice to make. You wouldn’t say this in a serious manner.
“If the cake maker doesn’t confirm soon I’m going to be in a pickle.”
“You have got yourself into a right pickle there, let me help!”
Bull in a china shop
Chinaware is delicate and easily breakable. Imagine what it would be like if a huge bull was racing around a shop full of these items! We can guess a lot of them would be knocked over and damaged or broken.
So, someone could be described as a bull in a china shop if they are awkward and clumsy and often break things. It could also describe someone who doesn’t think carefully or act in a tactful manner.
“My grandson came around yesterday and he was like a bull in a china shop.”
But what do you think a bull in a china shop would really look like? Believe it or not, the Mythbusters have answered that question for you!
Running around like a headless chicken
You may not believe the origin of this strange saying. Occasionally, when a chicken’s head is cut off it doesn’t drop down dead immediately. Instead, it can run around without its head for a while in a disorganized, uncontrollable fashion.
So if you are acting in a slightly panicked way with a lot of rushing around that isn’t effective, you may look like you’re running around like a headless chicken.
“I have so much to today that I feel like I’m running around like a headless chicken.”
“Stop running around like a headless chicken. Just rest for a while, then everything will be easier.”
It has even been known for a chicken to live up to 18 months without its head!
Hold your horses
There are plenty of funny American idioms and hold your horses has to be our favorite. The meaning is not animal-related but in fact an informal way of asking someone to wait a moment.
“Hold your horses… Did you just say that you have a new girlfriend?!”
When pigs fly
This is another animal-related idiom which is funny to try and imagine.
So, when do you think you’ll see pigs fly? Never? Exactly. The saying when pigs fly is a comical or sarcastic way to say that something is never going to happen!
“You’d like a new car for your 17th birthday? Sure, no problem. When pigs fly.”
“I’ll give up smoking when pigs fly.”
The elephant in the room
Funny idioms and phrases don’t get much better than this! The ‘elephant’ from the saying the elephant in the room represents a big problem, issue or topic that is obvious to everyone and should be discussed. However, no one wishes to mention it since it’s more comfortable to avoid confronting it.
“So I guess we’re not talking about the elephant in the room.”
“The elephant in the room is, of course, the way in which the layoffs were handled.”
Ants in your pants
This is a funny idiom for kids because it’s often used to refer to children. Imagine having ants in your pants (or underwear). It would be hard to sit still and you’d end up wriggling around.
This is exactly the behavior being described here: fidgeting and not being able to remain still, whether because of nervousness or because you’re a child with a lot of energy and a short attention span!
“Matthew, sit still for five minutes. It’s like you have ants in your pants.”
A longer and even funnier version of the phrase to use with kids is: ‘Ants in your pants makes your belly button dance.’
Easy peasy lemon squeezy
You can use this fun expression, easy peasy lemon squeezy, to say that something is very easy to do. It can be shortened to just easy peasy, which still makes playful use of assonance. The full version is more often used by or when speaking to children.
“You need me to set up your new phone? Easy peasy.”
There are many more fun sayings about things you find easy.
By the skin of your teeth
When you only just do something by a narrow margin, you do so by the skin of your teeth. Try using it instead of words like ‘narrowly’ or ‘barely’.
“You submitted your book report by the skin of your teeth today.”
“They held on to the championship by the skin of their teeth.”
A wet blanket
Are you trying to figure out what a wet blanket could possibly mean? Perhaps something to do with swimming or going to the beach on a hot summer’s day? No – you’d need some summer idioms for that.
Believe it or not, it’s a way of describing someone who spoils the fun of others because of their lack of desire to get involved and have a good time.
“I was really enjoying the office party but the new guy was a bit of a wet blanket.”
You may also hear the term party pooper, which means more or less the same thing.
Best thing since sliced bread
When you think something or someone is the best thing ever; a great development, invention or idea, you may say it is the best thing since sliced bread.
“I love my new phone. It’s the best thing since sliced bread.”
As cool as a cucumber
We seem to have a lot of food-related funny idioms and perhaps that’s because imagining food in different ways can be hilarious. When you are as cool as a cucumber you’re laid back and relaxed. You act like nothing has happened or are just chilled out and calm.
“Don’t be nervous about your new job. Walk into the office and act as cool as a cucumber.”
This one also features on our list of cool idioms.
The lights are on but no one’s home
Although this expression made it to our list of the funniest idioms, one interpretation isn’t very kind. Normally it refers to someone who is not paying attention or is distracted. However, saying the lights are on but no one’s home could be a way of calling someone stupid, which is never a nice thing to do.
“She just sat there staring out of the window instead of working. The lights were on but no one was home!”
Put a sock in it
If you need to ask someone to be quiet or stop talking altogether, ask them to put a sock in it.
“Alright, you’ve had your say. Now put a sock in it and and let someone else speak.”
This is a colloquial expression and not one you should use in a business meeting.
It’s always interesting to learn the history behind idioms. In this case, it’s linked to the gramophone. When people used them in the past there was no volume feature. This meant the only way to make them quieter was to put a sock in the top part (the horn-shaped speaker part) to muffle the sound.
Blue in the face
The English language is full of funny idioms for kids. They will love the thought of someone turning blue in the face, although this actually refers to someone who is looking exhausted from strain, anger or great effort.
This is most often used in the phrase ‘argue until you’re blue in the face’, followed by a claim that the effort won’t have any effect on the situation.
“You can argue until you’re blue in the face but I’m not letting you have your ears pierced until you’re 14.”
“I feel like I’ve nagged and nagged you until I’m blue in the face and you’re still not listening.”
Don’t confuse this with being red-faced or other colorful idioms.
Have a butcher’s
This is a very typical funny British idiom as it uses something called cockney rhyming slang. The full expression is “have a butcher’s hook“. The word hook rhymes with look so it means to take a look at something.
“Vera, come to the window and have a butcher’s at the neighbor’s new car!”
Another fun idiom similar to this is take a gander.
So, did you manage to guess the meanings of any of these funny idioms before you read about them? Some of them are very peculiar indeed! If you want to keep that smile on your face, why not read some expressions about happiness and laughter next?
If you can think of any other funny idioms for adults or kids that we’ve missed, please leave a comment below to share them.
Do you want to be more confident using English? Why not try Grammarly’s free proofreading tool. It checks as you write and helps you correct and improve your spelling and grammar.
Funny Idioms! An idiom is an everyday figure of speech or metaphorical expression whose meaning cannot be taken literary. In this lesson, you will learn a list of Funny idioms in English you can use in your daily life.
1.The lights are on, but nobody’s home
Meaning: This person isn’t very smart.
Example: I didn’t know she is so stupid! The lights are on, but nobody’s home.
2. When pigs fly
Meaning: Never!
Example: Bill will give your books back when pigs fly, so forget about them.
3. To pig out
Meaning: Imagine how pigs eat – they eat a lot, and they eat quickly, right? So this idiom in English means “to eat a lot at one time; to overeat.”
Example: She was pigging out on ice cream and sobbing when I came home.
4. As Cool As a Cucumber
Meaning: very calm, especially when this is surprising
Example: She walked in as cool as a cucumber, as if nothing had happened.
5. Hold Your Horses
Meaning: wait! stop and think!
Example: Just hold your horses, Bill! Let’s think about this for a moment.
6. Kick the Bucket
Meaning: a euphemism meaning “to die”
Example: Charlie finally kicked the bucket. He had cancer, you know.
7. Everything but the kitchen sink
Meaning: This idiom in English means “everything that you can think of; every possible thing” in a given situation.
Example: He used to order everything but the kitchen sink when he went out to dinner and then pig out alone.
8. Put a sock in it
Meaning: This is a rather old (and outdated) idiom that means “be quiet; stop talking.” It is a rude way to tell someone to be quiet.
Example: You’ve been talking non-stop for an hour. Put a sock in it!
9. To have Van Gogh’s ear for music
Meaning: unable to understand and differentiate musical tones
Example: Please, don’t let Betty sing again! She has Van Gogh’s ear for music.
10. To have a cast iron stomach
Meaning: able to eat anything without suffering bad consequences
Example: Sam has a cast iron stomach! He’s eaten two big burgers, a dozen hot chicken wings, and a huge container of ice cream, and he’s feeling great!
11. To drink like a fish
Meaning: to habitually drink a lot of alcohol
Example: I don’t know what to do. For the past six months, he’s been drinking like a fish.
12. Use your loaf
Meaning: A loaf is a quantity of bread that is shaped into a certain form and then baked. But in this idiom, the word “loaf” refers to a person’s head – in other words, the brain. So “use your loaf” means to use your brain; to think about something.
Example: Oh, Jim…When will you start to use your loaf, for God’s sake?
13. Finger-lickin’ good
Meaning: so tasty you want to lick your fingers after eating
Example: Her Christmas turkey is always finger-lickin’ good.
14. Until you’re blue in the face
Meaning: until you’re completely exhausted.
Example: You can tell her to clean her room until you are blue in the face, but she won’t do it.
15. Storm in a Teacup (u.k)
Meaning: a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important.
Example: My brother and sister had a big argument about the television yesterday, but it was just a storm in a teacup.
16. Bob’s Your Uncle
Meaning: And that’s all there is to it; there you have it
Example: Just tell them you’re a friend of mine and, Bob’s your uncle, you’ll get the job.
17. Head In The Clouds
Meaning: living in a fantasy, dreaming.
Example: He’s not right for this role, he has his head in the clouds.
18. Dead As A Doornail
Meaning: completely dead.
Example: The fox in the road was as dead as a doornail.
19. A Piece Of Cake (Food idioms)
Meaning: something very easy to do.
Example: The test was a piece of cake.
20. Heart In Your Mouth
Meaning: feeling nervous or scared.
Example: My heart’s in my mouth ever time it rings.
List of Funny Idioms | Infographic
Funny Idioms | Infographic 1
Funny Idioms | Infographic 2
There’s an amazing variety of interesting and amusing expressions in the English language. Most are known by native speakers, but these English expressions are not commonly used in English coursebooks.
Develop your English vocabulary with these catchy expressions to sound like a native speaker. Just remember that these are generally informal expressions and more common in social situations.
Our English expressions focus on a specific type of English vocabulary (known as reduplicatives). Reduplicatives typically come in pairs and there are three main types:
- The first word is the same as the second word.
chop chop (hurry up)
bye bye (goodbye) - The second word is very similar and rhymes with the first word.
easy-peasy (very easy)
super-duper (great) - The second word is very similar but has a vowel change.
chit-chat (friendly or gossipy conversation)
hip-hop (type of music)
The repeating of parts of words is referred to as reduplication and demonstrates the fun that you can have playing with English words and phrases.
Our Top 20 catchy English expressions
We’ve chosen our twenty favourite British English reduplicatives to add to you growing knowledge of English expressions that are used by native speakers.
1. airy-fairy
[informal] [adjective]
unrealistic or impractical
«I get bored of listening to his airy-fairy ideas about getting famous in the future.»
2. argy-bargy
[informal] [noun]
a loud argument or heated discussion
«There was a lot of argy-bargy outside the local nightclub on Saturday.»
3. dilly-dally
[informal] [verb]
to waste time
«You can’t be late for your interview today, so don’t dilly-dally and get ready now!»
4. fuddy-duddy
[informal] [noun]
a person with old-fashioned ideas and opinions
«Don’t listen to that old fuddy-duddy. He’s ideas about education are so out-of-date.»
5. funny money
[informal] [noun]
illegal or counterfeit money
«Some stores don’t accept €500 bank notes in case it’s funny money.»
6. higgledy-piggledy
[informal] [adjective, adverb]
untidy, disorganised or unplanned
«She keeps her office in such a higgledy-piggledy fashion that I’m surprised she can work properly.»
7. hunky-dory
[informal] [adjective]
fine, very satisfactory, going well
«Thankfully, everything was hunky-dory with the trains on the way to work today.»
8. hurly-burly
[informal] [noun]
an activity that is busy and noisy
«I now avoid the hurly-burly of Christmas shopping downtown by ordering everything online.»
9. holy moley
[informal] [exclamation]
Used to express surprise or astonishment
«Holy moley. There’s torrential rain and a massive flood in my best mate’s hometown.»
10. itsy-bitsy
[informal] [adjective]
very small or tiny
«They live in an itsy-bitsy house in the countryside.»
11. lovey-dovey
[informal] [adjective]
to show affection in public in an open or embarrassing way
«We were sitting next to this lovey-dovey couple on the bus. It was really distracting!»
12. namby-pamby
[informal] [adjective]
weak, indecisive or very sensitive
«I hate speaking to namby-pamby politicians about their failure to deliver on earlier promises.»
13. (the) nitty-gritty
[informal] [noun]
the main facts or aspects of a situation
«We need to get down to the nitty-gritty so that we finish this meeting before 6 o’clock.»
14. okey-dokey
[informal] [interjection]
to show that you agree or accept something
«Okey-dokey. We’ll meet at 7 o’clock tonight outside the restaurant.»
15. silly-billy
[informal] [noun]
a person who is acting in a way that is not careful or without thinking (used for children)
«Don’t be a silly-billy. You’ll hurt yourself if you’re not careful.»
16. teeny-weeny
[informal] [adjective]
very small or tiny
«We weren’t impressed with our teeny-weeny room that the hotel gave us for our summer holiday.»
17. shilly-shally
[informal] [verb]
to hesitate to make a decision or take to long to do something
«You need to shop shilly-shallying and decide if you want to accept that job offer.»
18. topsy-turvy
[informal] [adjective]
confused or disorganised
«It has been a topsy-turvy start to the season for my local football club.»
19. willy-nilly
[informal] [adverb]
(i) something happens without choice
«His wife was drawn willy-nilly into a family argument when they were visiting his parents.»
(ii) to do something without planning or in a careless way
«Our grandmother decides willy-nilly what to buy us for Christmas.»
20. wishy-washy
[informal] [adjective]
not clear or lacking substance
«He didn’t get the job because he only gave a wishy-washy description about why he would be suitable for the position.»
Tips to develop your English vocabulary
Even native English speakers don’t know all of the words in English, but it’s great to increase your understanding of English words and phrases step-by-step.
For ideas and tips to develop your vocabulary and knowledge of English expressions we recommend visiting our English vocabulary blog. We also have free online lessons and regularly post free materials on social media (with the links to in the footer below).
We also provide English language courses in Munich and online via Skype. Our English trainers listen to your needs and set individual targets. We work together to develop your English language skills and improve your fluency so that you can advance to the next English level.