English Idiom Explainer
Look up 45 English idioms with literal image, real meaning, a natural example, register guidance and what is actually known about the origin.
About this tool
English Idiom Explainer
Look up 45 English idioms with literal image, real meaning, a natural example, register guidance and what is actually known about the origin.
English Idiom Explainer looks up 45 common English idioms and shows four things for each: the literal picture the words paint, the figurative meaning, a natural example sentence, and whether the phrase is safe in business writing or belongs in conversation only. An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, which is exactly why word-by-word translation fails on it. Origins are given only where they are documented — where the popular story is folk etymology, such as 'raining cats and dogs', the entry says so rather than repeating it as fact.
How to use English Idiom Explainer
- 1
Open English Idiom Explainer on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.
- 2
Add your input to the workspace.
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Adjust the options until the result looks right.
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Copy or download the output and put it to work.
Why use English Idiom Explainer
Register guidance
Each idiom is tagged business-safe, neutral or informal, so you know where it can be used.
Honest origins
Documented histories are given as history; folk etymologies are labelled as folk etymology instead of being repeated as fact.
Forgiving search
Partial phrases, variant wordings and plain-English descriptions all find the right entry.
Common use cases
- Check whether 'a piece of cake' is acceptable in a client email or too informal, before you send it.
- Explain to an English learner why 'break the ice' has nothing to do with ice.
- Find the right idiom for a situation by searching an idea like 'secret' or 'give up' rather than the phrase itself.
- Prepare a vocabulary lesson by filtering to one category, such as judgement and mistakes, and using the whole set.
Frequently asked questions
What is an idiom in English?
An idiom is a fixed expression whose overall meaning cannot be predicted from the meanings of its individual words — 'kick the bucket' means to die, not to strike a pail. Because the meaning lives in the whole phrase, idioms have to be learned as single units and rarely translate word for word.
Where does 'raining cats and dogs' come from?
Nobody knows. The phrase is recorded in English from the 17th century, but the familiar explanations — animals washed off thatched roofs, poor street drainage, Norse storm gods — are all folk etymology with no documentary support. It is safest to describe it simply as an old and unexplained English expression.
Can I use idioms in formal or business writing?
Some, yes. Phrases like 'the ball is in your court', 'back to the drawing board' and 'go the extra mile' are standard in business English, while 'a piece of cake' or 'pulling your leg' read as too casual in a contract or a report. Each entry here carries a register tag for exactly this reason.
What is the difference between an idiom and a proverb?
An idiom is a phrase that slots into a sentence and carries no advice of its own — 'spill the beans'. A proverb is a complete sentence that states a general truth or a rule of conduct — 'don't count your chickens before they hatch'. Exams often test this distinction directly.