Have you ever heard a sentence that sounded strange but exciting at the same time? Those are called obscure idioms! These idioms are not used every day, which makes them feel secret and special. Even though they may sound confusing at first, learning their meanings can make reading and speaking English much more fun. Letās explore some lesser-known idioms together in an easy and playful way!
ā 1. Number Obscure Idioms
These idioms use numbers in surprising ways that donāt mean real counting.
1.1 At Sixes and Sevens
Meaning: Feeling confused or messy.
My room was at sixes and sevens after my friends visited.
His thoughts were all mixed up before the test.
1.2 Behind the Eight Ball
Meaning: In a hard situation.
Forgetting my book put me behind the eight ball.
He felt behind the eight ball during the quiz.
1.3 One-Trick Pony
Meaning: Good at only one thing.
Sheās not a one-trick ponyāshe can sing and draw.
He showed he has more than one talent.
1.4 Million-Dollar Question
Meaning: A very important question.
Who ate the last cookie was the million-dollar question.
That was the million-dollar question in class.
1.5 At the Eleventh Hour
Meaning: At the last minute.
He finished his homework at the eleventh hour.
We arrived just in time at the eleventh hour.
1.6 Count Your Blessings
Meaning: Be thankful.
She counted her blessings after a good day.
He learned to count his blessings.
1.7 By the Numbers
Meaning: Following rules exactly.
We solved the problem by the numbers.
The class worked by the numbers today.
1.8 In Seventh Heaven
Meaning: Very happy.
She was in seventh heaven after the party.
He felt in seventh heaven winning the game.
1.9 Cut Someone Some Slack
Meaning: Be less strict.
The teacher cut us some slack today.
Mom cut him some slack after the long day.
1.10 Nine Daysā Wonder
Meaning: Something exciting for a short time.
The new toy was a nine daysā wonder.
The trend didnāt last long.
ā 2. Animal Obscure Idioms
These animal idioms sound funny but have smart meanings.
2.1 Herding Cats
Meaning: Hard to control people.
Getting everyone quiet was like herding cats.
The group work felt like herding cats.
2.2 Straight from the Horseās Mouth
Meaning: From the original source.
I heard the news straight from the horseās mouth.
The teacher explained it herself.
2.3 Snake in the Grass
Meaning: A sneaky person.
The story warned us about a snake in the grass.
He didnāt trust the sneaky trick.
2.4 Dogās Breakfast
Meaning: A big mess.
My backpack looked like a dogās breakfast.
The table was a dogās breakfast.
2.5 When Pigs Fly
Meaning: Never going to happen.
Heāll clean his room when pigs fly.
That plan will work when pigs fly.
2.6 Catās Pajamas
Meaning: Something excellent.
That book is the catās pajamas.
Her drawing was the catās pajamas.
2.7 Wild Goose Chase
Meaning: A useless search.
We went on a wild goose chase.
Looking for it was a waste of time.
2.8 Blind as a Bat
Meaning: Canāt see well.
Without my glasses, Iām blind as a bat.
He joked about being blind as a bat.
2.9 Horse of a Different Color
Meaning: A different situation.
Thatās a horse of a different color.
School rules are different at home.
2.10 Henpecked
Meaning: Always told what to do.
The character felt henpecked in the story.
He didnāt get to make decisions.
ā 3. Everyday Obscure Idioms
These idioms appear sometimes in stories and conversations.
3.1 Bite the Bullet
Meaning: Do something difficult.
She bit the bullet and tried again.
He bit the bullet and apologized.
3.2 Cut the Mustard
Meaning: Be good enough.
His work really cut the mustard.
That excuse didnāt cut the mustard.
3.3 Read the Riot Act
Meaning: Scold someone.
The teacher read the riot act.
Mom read the riot act after the mess.
3.4 On Thin Ice
Meaning: Close to trouble.
He was on thin ice after talking back.
Breaking rules puts you on thin ice.
3.5 In a Tizzy
Meaning: Upset or nervous.
She was in a tizzy before the show.
He got in a tizzy over homework.
3.6 Pull Out All the Stops
Meaning: Try very hard.
She pulled out all the stops to win.
He pulled out all the stops on the project.
3.7 Under Your Hat
Meaning: Keep it secret.
Keep it under your hat.
The surprise stayed under his hat.
3.8 Up the Creek
Meaning: In trouble.
Without help, I was up the creek.
He felt up the creek after losing his bag.
3.9 Throw Down the Gauntlet
Meaning: Challenge someone.
She threw down the gauntlet in math class.
He challenged his friend to a race.
3.10 Hit the Hay
Meaning: Go to sleep.
Iām tiredāitās time to hit the hay.
He hit the hay early.
ā 4. Food Obscure Idioms
Food idioms may sound tasty, but they mean much more!
4.1 Chew the Fat
Meaning: Chat for fun.
We chewed the fat during lunch.
They chewed the fat after school.
4.2 Walk on Eggshells
Meaning: Be very careful.
He walked on eggshells around her.
She spoke carefully to avoid trouble.
4.3 Butter Someone Up
Meaning: Give extra compliments.
He buttered up the teacher.
She buttered up her mom.
4.4 Half-Baked
Meaning: Not well planned.
The idea was half-baked.
Donāt turn in half-baked work.
4.5 Bring Home the Bacon
Meaning: Earn success or money.
Dad works to bring home the bacon.
She helped the family succeed.
4.6 Egg Someone On
Meaning: Encourage trouble.
They egged him on to shout.
She was egged on by friends.
4.7 Worth Oneās Salt
Meaning: Doing a good job.
A teacher worth her salt cares.
He proved he was worth his salt.
4.8 Gravy Train
Meaning: Easy success.
He thought the job was a gravy train.
It wasnāt as easy as expected.
4.9 Souped Up
Meaning: Made stronger or cooler.
The bike was souped up.
He showed off his souped-up model.
4.10 Spill the Beans
Meaning: Reveal a secret.
She spilled the beans accidentally.
He was told not to spill the beans.
ā 5. Weather Obscure Idioms
5.1 Steal Someoneās Thunder
Meaning: Take credit for someone elseās idea.
Tim shared Saraās idea first and stole her thunder.
Sara felt upset because it was her idea.
5.2 Face the Music
Meaning: Accept the results of your actions.
He forgot his homework and had to face the music.
She learned to take responsibility.
5.3 A Storm in a Teacup
Meaning: Making a small problem seem big.
They argued over a tiny mistakeāa storm in a teacup.
Soon, everything was calm again.
ā 6. Body-Part Obscure Idioms
6.1 Cost an Arm and a Leg
Meaning: Very expensive.
The toy robot cost an arm and a leg.
He decided to save his money instead.
6.2 Keep an Eye On
Meaning: Watch carefully.
Can you keep an eye on my bag?
She kept an eye on the little puppy.
6.3 Turn a Blind Eye
Meaning: Ignore something on purpose.
He turned a blind eye to the mess.
The teacher chose not to notice it once.
ā 7. Time Obscure Idioms
7.1 In the Nick of Time
Meaning: Just in time.
She finished the test in the nick of time.
The bell rang right after.
7.2 Against the Clock
Meaning: Rushing to finish.
We worked against the clock.
Everyone hurried to complete the task.
7.3 Time Will Tell
Meaning: The future will show the result.
Time will tell if the plan works.
They waited patiently.
ā 8. School-Themed Obscure Idioms
8.1 Pass with Flying Colors
Meaning: Do very well.
She passed the test with flying colors.
Her hard work paid off.
8.2 School of Hard Knocks
Meaning: Learning through experience.
He learned from mistakesāthe school of hard knocks.
Practice helped him improve.
8.3 Toe the Line
Meaning: Follow rules.
Everyone had to toe the line.
The class behaved well.
ā 9. Nature Obscure Idioms
9.1 Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Meaning: Blaming the wrong person.
He was barking up the wrong tree.
Someone else made the mistake.
9.2 Canāt See the Forest for the Trees
Meaning: Missing the big picture.
She focused on details too much.
She couldnāt see the forest for the trees.
9.3 Leave No Stone Unturned
Meaning: Search everywhere.
They left no stone unturned.
At last, they found the book.
ā 10. Feelings Obscure Idioms
10.1 On Cloud Nine
Meaning: Extremely happy.
He was on cloud nine after winning.
Smiles were everywhere.
10.2 Down in the Dumps
Meaning: Feeling sad.
She felt down in the dumps.
A hug cheered her up.
10.3 Have Butterflies
Meaning: Feel nervous.
He had butterflies before the show.
Soon, he felt better.
ā 11. Action Obscure Idioms
11.1 Jump the Gun
Meaning: Act too early.
She jumped the gun and answered fast.
Waiting would have helped.
11.2 Call It a Day
Meaning: Stop working.
We finished and called it a day.
Everyone went home happy.
11.3 Get the Ball Rolling
Meaning: Start something.
Letās get the ball rolling.
The game began right away.
ā 12. Friendship Obscure Idioms
12.1 Stick Together
Meaning: Stay united.
Best friends stick together.
They help each other.
12.2 Patch Things Up
Meaning: Make peace again.
They argued but patched things up.
Friendship mattered more.
12.3 Through Thick and Thin
Meaning: In good and bad times.
They stayed friends through thick and thin.
Trust made them strong.
ā 13. Work & Effort Obscure Idioms
13.1 Pull Your Weight
Meaning: Do your fair share.
Everyone must pull their weight.
Teamwork makes work easy.
13.2 Go the Extra Mile
Meaning: Try harder than expected.
She went the extra mile.
The project turned out great.
13.3 Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone
Meaning: Work hard.
He kept his nose to the grindstone.
Practice helped him succeed.
ā 14. Surprise Obscure Idioms
14.1 Out of the Blue
Meaning: Unexpectedly.
The news came out of the blue.
Everyone was shocked.
14.2 Take Someone Aback
Meaning: Surprise someone.
Her answer took us aback.
We didnāt expect it.
14.3 Drop a Bombshell
Meaning: Share shocking news.
He dropped a bombshell in class.
Everyone gasped.
ā 15. Thinking Obscure Idioms
15.1 Put Two and Two Together
Meaning: Figure something out.
She put two and two together.
The mystery made sense.
15.2 Rack Your Brains
Meaning: Think very hard.
He racked his brains to remember.
Finally, he got it.
15.3 Think Outside the Box
Meaning: Be creative.
She thought outside the box.
Her idea was unique and fun.
ā 16. Travel Obscure Idioms
16.1 Off the Beaten Path
Meaning: A place not many people visit.
The small park was off the beaten path.
It felt quiet and special.
16.2 Hit the Road
Meaning: Start a journey.
We packed our bags and hit the road.
The adventure began early.
16.3 Go the Distance
Meaning: Finish something completely.
She trained hard to go the distance.
Giving up was not an option.
16.4 At a Crossroads
Meaning: Time to make a choice.
He was at a crossroads about hobbies.
Both choices sounded fun.
16.5 Miles Away
Meaning: Not paying attention.
His mind was miles away in class.
He was thinking about his game.
ā 17. Money & Value Obscure Idioms
17.1 Pinch Pennies
Meaning: Save money.
She pinched pennies to buy a toy.
Saving felt rewarding.
17.2 Pay Through the Nose
Meaning: Pay too much.
They paid through the nose for snacks.
Next time, theyāll bring food.
17.3 Bang for Your Buck
Meaning: Good value.
The book gave lots of fun for the price.
Great bang for your buck!
17.4 Money Talks
Meaning: Money has power.
Money talks in big decisions.
But kindness matters too.
17.5 A Dime a Dozen
Meaning: Very common.
Those cards were a dime a dozen.
He wanted something special.
ā 18. Luck Obscure Idioms
18.1 Down on Your Luck
Meaning: Having bad luck.
He felt down on his luck today.
Tomorrow might be better.
18.2 Beginnerās Luck
Meaning: Success on the first try.
She won by beginnerās luck.
Everyone cheered.
18.3 Push Your Luck
Meaning: Take too many chances.
He pushed his luck asking again.
It didnāt work out.
18.4 Stroke of Luck
Meaning: Sudden good luck.
Finding the coin was a stroke of luck.
He smiled brightly.
18.5 Luck of the Draw
Meaning: Chance decides.
Seats depended on the luck of the draw.
Some got lucky.
ā 19. Communication Obscure Idioms
19.1 Get Your Point Across
Meaning: Explain clearly.
She got her point across nicely.
Everyone understood.
19.2 Beat Around the Bush
Meaning: Not speak directly.
He beat around the bush.
The teacher wanted a clear answer.
19.3 Spread the Word
Meaning: Share news.
She spread the word about the party.
Soon, everyone knew.
19.4 On the Same Page
Meaning: Agree together.
The team was on the same page.
Work went smoothly.
19.5 Say It Loud and Clear
Meaning: Speak clearly.
He said it loud and clear.
No one was confused.
ā 20. Energy & Movement Obscure Idioms
20.1 Full of Beans
Meaning: Very energetic.
She was full of beans today.
She couldnāt stop moving.
20.2 Run Out of Steam
Meaning: Lose energy.
He ran out of steam in the afternoon.
A rest helped.
20.3 On the Go
Meaning: Very busy.
Sheās always on the go.
Her days are exciting.
20.4 Break a Sweat
Meaning: Start working hard.
They broke a sweat playing soccer.
Exercise felt good.
20.5 Pick Up the Pace
Meaning: Move faster.
Letās pick up the pace.
Weāre almost there.
ā 21. Learning Obscure Idioms
21.1 Learn the Ropes
Meaning: Learn how something works.
He learned the ropes quickly.
Practice helped a lot.
21.2 By Trial and Error
Meaning: Learn by trying.
She learned by trial and error.
Mistakes helped her grow.
21.3 Get the Hang of It
Meaning: Understand something.
Soon, he got the hang of it.
Smiles followed.
21.4 Open Someoneās Eyes
Meaning: Make someone understand.
The book opened her eyes.
She learned something new.
21.5 A Quick Study
Meaning: Learn fast.
Heās a quick study.
New lessons are easy for him.
ā 22. Competition Obscure Idioms
22.1 Raise the Bar
Meaning: Make things harder.
The new challenge raised the bar.
Everyone tried harder.
22.2 Neck and Neck
Meaning: Very close race.
They were neck and neck.
The finish was exciting.
22.3 Pull Ahead
Meaning: Move into the lead.
She pulled ahead in the race.
Cheers filled the air.
22.4 Give It Your Best Shot
Meaning: Try your hardest.
He gave it his best shot.
Effort mattered most.
22.5 Come From Behind
Meaning: Win after losing first.
The team came from behind.
Everyone was amazed.
ā 23. Problem-Solving Obscure Idioms
23.1 Think on Your Feet
Meaning: Decide quickly.
She thought on her feet.
The problem was solved.
23.2 Work It Out
Meaning: Find a solution.
They worked it out together.
Teamwork helped.
23.3 Get to the Bottom of It
Meaning: Find the real reason.
We got to the bottom of it.
The mystery ended.
23.4 Smooth Things Over
Meaning: Fix a problem.
He smoothed things over.
Everyone felt better.
23.5 Tackle the Problem
Meaning: Face the issue.
She tackled the problem bravely.
Success followed.
ā 24. Confidence Obscure Idioms
24.1 Hold Your Head High
Meaning: Be proud.
She held her head high.
Confidence showed.
24.2 Stand Your Ground
Meaning: Not give up.
He stood his ground.
His opinion mattered.
24.3 Sure of Yourself
Meaning: Confident.
She felt sure of herself.
That helped her speak up.
24.4 Own Up to It
Meaning: Admit truth.
He owned up to it.
Honesty felt good.
24.5 Believe in Yourself
Meaning: Trust your abilities.
She believed in herself.
Great things followed.
ā 25. Success Obscure Idioms
25.1 Make the Cut
Meaning: Be chosen.
He made the cut for the team.
Happiness followed.
25.2 Hit the Jackpot
Meaning: Big success.
Finding that book hit the jackpot.
It was exciting.
25.3 Come Out on Top
Meaning: Win.
She came out on top.
Hard work paid off.
25.4 Strike Gold
Meaning: Find success.
They struck gold with the idea.
Everyone celebrated.
25.5 A Win-Win Situation
Meaning: Everyone benefits.
The plan was win-win.
All smiled happily.
šÆ Conclusion
Obscure idioms may sound strange at first, but they make English exciting and colorful once you learn them. Knowing these special phrases helps kids understand stories better and use language in creative, fun ways!
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