Phrases and sayings are common in English. How many can you think of? The total number of phrases used around the world is staggering, yet you might only be able to name a few. You’ll often hear these sayings in everyday conversations at work, school, or even written down in a book. Trying to keep track of them all will make your head spin. With so many phrases and sayings out there, it’s hard to know what they all mean.
That’s what Know Your Phrase is for! We help make learning about expressions easier. You will find a lot of lists on here filled with all sorts of phrases in English speakers, so feel free to browse through them. Whether you want to learn a few expressions for fun, or you’re ready to dive deeper into their possible origin, get comfortable and start reading.
A List of Familiar Sayings
These familiar sayings are organized into pages that contain lists. Choose a category based on animals, sports, and food. Whichever you select will have a bunch of relevant popular sayings for you.
A delicious list of sayings that will satisfy your appetite. Take a look, it’s as easy as pie.
Newly Added Phrases:
The Grass Is Always Greener
Learn the meaning of this common saying and see how to use it in example sentences.
Learn what taking something with a grain of salt means. Also, see how old this expression is.
Here is a list of emotional phrases that people use to express their feelings. Notably, the sayings included convey happiness, sadness, or anger.
Common Phrases In English
These common phrases are a part of the English language. They are used in social situations, and if you want to use them, make sure to do so in the proper context. The English phrases on this list are fun and I use them myself every now and then. Of course, these are only a few examples. Use the menu to find the full list.
| Phrases | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A chip on your shoulder | Being angry about something that happened in the past; holding a grudge. |
| A dime a dozen | When something is extremely common and simple to find. |
| A fool and his money are soon parted | Someone acting foolish with their money can easily lose it due to carelessness. |
| A piece of cake | A task that is simple to complete; something that is easy to do. |
| An arm and a leg | Something that is very expensive. |
| Back to square one | Going back to the beginning; a popular saying that means a person has to start over. |
| Barking up the wrong tree | To make a wrong assumption about someone. |
| Beating around the bush | Talking about something while avoiding the main point. |
| Between a rock and a hard place | Being faced with two difficult choices. |
| Burst Your Bubble | To ruin a person’s happy moment or mood by telling them disappointing news. |
| Calm before the storm | A peaceful period that comes before a more chaotic one. |
| Cat got your tongue | Having nothing to say, speechless. |
| Cry over spilled milk | Worrying about things that have already happened is not helpful. |
| Cup of joe | This is a nickname for coffee. |
| Cut to the chase | Getting to the point, leaving out unnecessary details. |
10 Popular English Sayings & Expressions
These popular sayings are in English and they’re a great way to express ourselves. If you plan on pulling out one of these in the middle of a conversation, make sure you’re familiar with its meaning. These sayings will probably be familiar to English speakers, so don’t be shy about learning and using them.
| Sayings | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Call it a day | Stopping work and taking it easy for the rest of the day |
| Easier said than done | It is easy to say things, but doing them is difficult |
| Jump to conclusions | To make an assumption based on little information |
| Knock it out of the park | An activity that is done exceptionally well |
| Learn the ropes | Gaining a basic understanding of a job or skill |
| Long in the tooth | Someone that is old in age |
| Music to my ears | Hearing information that is pleasing |
| Making a mountain out of a molehill | A small issue that is escalated into a bigger problem |
| On cloud nine | The state of being happy or satisfied, feeling great |
| Slow and steady wins the race | A consistent approach, even if it’s slower, can be more effective than rushing in |
About Us
What is this site about? In a nutshell, there are hundreds of common English phrases and sayings on here for you to explore. You can read about them and learn things like their meaning, where they came from, and see how to use them in example sentences. Therefore, use the alphabetical list of sayings at the top and start exploring! More old and common phrases will be added, so the list will continually grow.