Idioms (イディオム)

The idiom to “wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve” is yet other expression that is widely credited to Shakespeare. The phrase means to make …

The idiom an “ace up one’s sleeve” originated in 1800s America, but began life life much earlier in a slightly different form. It means to…

The idiom “to play one’s cards close to one’s chest” originated in 1800s America, most likely from the card game poker. The idiom means to…

The idiom “call a spade a spade” has a long and colorful history. The spade in question is not the suit from a deck of playing cards, but …

The idiom “keep your shirt on” refers to the tendency of men to take their shirt off before fighting, which helps explain what the phrase …

The idiom ‘to rain on someone’s parade’ is a fairly young idiom, popularized by Barbra Streisand. The idiom means to prevent someone from …

“The ides of March” falls on March 15th and has become linked to misfortune and doom. The idiom means to beware of March 15th but it can …

Giving someone “the cold shoulder” dates back to Scotland and its original meaning that you won’t expect. Let’s learn this idiom and …

To turn over a new leaf dates back to the 1500s and this case the ‘leaf’ in the idiom does not refer to the leaves growing on trees. It’s …

‘Christmas came early’ is another idiom with hidden origins from the early to 20th century. The idiom is used when something …