Have you ever felt like the English language is a game where the rules are made up on the spot? Then you’re in for a treat.
Home to over 7,000 idiomatic expressions (phrases whose meaning can’t be deduced from the meanings of the individual words), English gets as colorful as a painter’s palette when it comes to these.
Let’s go down the rabbit hole of 10 funny phrases in English together. This post aims to be your much-needed teacherly GPS for the idiom maze that is part of your language learning journey.
What Are the Funny Phrases in English You Need to Know?
Understanding funny English idioms is no piece of cake sometimes. To decipher their meaning, we’ll have to dive deep into the language’s history and culture.
1. “Bite the Bullet”
Origin
Who’d want to bite a bullet?
Apparently, patients back in the 19th century had to do this during surgery to cope with the pain.
Why?
Because anesthesia hadn’t been invented yet!
Meaning
Today, “bite the bullet” means to face a difficult situation with courage and determination.
I’ll say!
Example
“I have to give a speech tomorrow. Time to bite the bullet and hope for the best!”
2. “Break a Leg”
Origin
This phrase comes from the superstitious world of theater.
It was considered bad luck to wish an actor “good luck.”
So good old reverse psychology was employed instead.
Meaning
“Break a leg” has come to mean “good luck” or “do your best,” especially before a performance.
Example
“Break a leg, Sarah! You’re going to be amazing on stage tonight!”
3. “Barking Up the Wrong Tree”
Origin
If you’ve ever made a false assumption about something, you’ll get this phrase.
It comes from an early 19th-century hunting practice.
Dogs might have barked at the base of the wrong tree after the prey had already left.
Meaning
“Barking up the wrong tree” means to pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
“You’re barking up the wrong tree. I’m the one organizing the party, not Mike.”
4. “When Pigs Fly”
Origin
First recorded in Scotland in the late 16th century, this is one of the funniest idioms in the English language.
It’s basically the Scottish funny way of saying something is as likely to happen as pigs are to fly.
Meaning
Something that will never happen.
Example
Friend 1: “I heard Charmaine is going to start waking up at 5 a.m. to go jogging every day.”
Friend 2: “Charmaine? Waking up at that hour? I’ll believe it when pigs fly!”
5. “Cool as a Cucumber”
Origin
Alas, this isn’t about vegetables wearing cool clothes or looking cool.
Even in hot weather, the inside of cucumbers can be up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the outside air. Remarkable.
Meaning
To remain calm, particularly in stressful situations.
Example
“Despite the technical glitch causing chaos in the meeting, Alex remained as cool as a cucumber.”
6. “Raining Cats and Dogs”
Origin
This often mentioned in language classes but rarely used in everyday life English idiom appears to date back to 17th-century England.
It could come from the Greek expression “kataklysmos,” which means “flood” or “downpour.”
Or it might be related to the association of cats and dogs with mystical forces controlling rain and wind according to ancient religions. I like this second theory so much better!
Meaning
Raining very heavily.
Example
“I was planning on going for a walk, but look at that! It’s raining cats and dogs out there.”
7. “A Piece of Cake”
Origin
This phrase was popularized by the American poet Ogden Nash in the 1930s.
He probably felt the same way about eating a piece of cake as the rest of us, perceiving it as an effortless and enjoyable act.
The English idiom is related to the earlier phrase “easy as pie,” used in Australia in the 1920s.
Meaning
A task that’s easy to accomplish.
Example
Amy: “How was the math test?”
Bob: “Oh, it was a piece of cake!”
8. “Best Thing Since Sliced Bread”
Origin
Did you ever take sliced bread for granted just because it’s so common?
Well, it didn’t use to be.
The phrase came into being only after sliced bread was commercially sold for the first time by Wonder Bread in 1928.
It quickly became popular as a labor-saving innovation.
Meaning
A great invention; a good idea or plan.
Example
Jane: “Have you tried the new smartphone with the advanced camera features?”
Mark: “Yes, and let me tell you, it’s the best thing since sliced bread!”
9. “Blue in the Face”
Origin
Have you ever tried to argue a point for so long that you ran out of breath?
This is where the phrase comes from: the change of color that occurs in this situation.
Meaning
Very angry, or exhausted from the futile effort of trying to convince a particular person of something.
Example
Lisa: “I’ve been telling my brother for years to start exercising and lead a healthier lifestyle, but he just won’t listen!”
Tom: “You could talk to him until you’re blue in the face, but sometimes people need to make their own choices.”
10. “Hold Your Horses”
Origin
The last idiom on my list comes from the 19th century, when people would have to hold the reigns tightly to stop their horses.
Meaning
Be patient; wait a moment; slow down.
Example
Michaela: “Is the food ready yet? I’m starving!”
John: “Hold your horses! It’ll be just a few more minutes.”
How Can Funny Phrases in English Benefit You as a Learner?
You might be thinking, “Why should I bother with these English idioms, as funny as they sound?”
They can not only make you laugh, but also expand your vocabulary and enhance your understanding of native English speakers. In fact, as an English teacher, I’d say that the 1 thing that stops you from expressing yourself like a native speaker is a lack of idioms.
Hilarious phrases will breathe life into your everyday conversations, making them more engaging and natural.
They’ll add color to your own language use.
Plus, it’s plain fun to keep these up your sleeve and catch your listeners off guard in the best possible way. You can never go wrong with humor.
Conclusion
The 10 funny idioms in this post offer a peek into English speaking cultures and the human imagination.
The next time it’s raining cats and dogs, remember that learning new idioms isn’t always a piece of cake. But it’s worth it as they’re the best thing since sliced bread.
If you don’t succeed at first, just hold your horses, stay as cool as a cucumber, and bite the bullet if need be.
Nothing left to say but don’t forget to practice by incorporating idioms into a daily routine.
Break a leg (not literally) with your English language journey!
If you’re an adult learner, you might also benefit from my posts on choosing the right English classes, best English grammar books, how to improve handwriting, adult learning styles, and overcoming learning limiting beliefs.
If you’d rather listen to the post, here is my YouTube video:
FAQs
1. What are some confusing idioms?
Some of the most confusing English idioms include:
- “It’s raining cats and dogs” (explained above).
- “Kick the bucket” (= die).
- “Hit the hay” (= go to bed).
- “Cost an arm and a leg” (= be very expensive).
The problem with idioms in general is that the literal meanings of the words they’re made up of can be very different from the metaphorical meaning of the entire idiom.
2. What is an idiom for having fun?
There are several English idioms for this:
- Paint the town red
- On cloud nine
- Have a blast
- Have a ball
- Let your hair down
- Party on
3. What are commonly used sayings called?
Sayings are also called adages or proverbs.
Two examples of English proverbs would be:
- “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” (= When someone you care about is not near, your feelings for them deepen.)
- “Every cloud has a silver lining” (= There is something positive to see even in the worst of situations.)
4. What’s a popular idiom?
A common English idiom is “once in a blue moon,” meaning anything that happens very rarely.
There is 1 full moon every calendar month, but on the very rare occasion that a second full moon can be seen, it’s called a “blue moon.” Hence the phrase.
About Rebeca Duriga
Well-versed teacher, passionate writer with Googleable work, Udemy instructor, and someone who can’t resist a good story. I’m here to infuse joy into your learning journey, be it improving English, tackling IELTS, overcoming limiting beliefs, or conquering uni assignments with a sprinkle of AI support. Need motivation and inspiration as a student, adult learner, wordsmith in the making? Look no further.
