TOEFL IBT – Idioms
Vocabulary is promordial in order to improve your TOEFL score. Remember, Preparation is the key to succeed !
These idioms are useful to know for sounding like a native English speaker, for enhancing your comprehension of English, or especially for any number of English language exams you may take. Here we will look at the most commonly used idioms in English, along with their approximate French translations.
actions speak louder than words |
people’s intentions can be judged better by what they do than by what they say |
While meetings can help clear the air, actions speak louder than words. |
les actes sont plus éloquents que les paroles |
add insult to injury |
to further a loss with sarcasm or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation |
To add insult to injury, the user is still allowed to edit. |
pour couronner le tout |
an arm and a leg |
to cost a large amount of money |
This would not necessarily cost an arm and a leg, either. |
un bras |
back to the drawing board |
when an attempt fails, and it’s time to start planning all over again |
If that fails we may be back to the drawing board. |
recommencer à zéro |
bite the bullet |
to endure a painful or unpleasant situation that is unavoidable |
We have decided to bite the bullet and get it over with. |
serrer les dents |
Break a leg! |
a saying from the theater that means “good luck” |
Actors say “break a leg” to wish fellow professionals luck before a performance. |
Merde ! |
break the ice |
to do something in order to reduce shyness |
I tell them about the dogs to kind of break the ice. |
briser la glace |
Catch-22 |
a paradox in which the attempt to escape makes escape impossible |
This account is in rather a Catch-22 situation. |
c’est le serpent qui se mord la queue |
curiosity killed the cat |
inquisitiveness can lead one into dangerous situations |
A less frequently-seen rejoinder to “curiosity killed the cat” is “but satisfaction brought it back.” |
la curiosité est un vilain défaut |
don’t count your chickens before they hatch |
don’t make plans for something that may not happen |
She already bought two concert tickets in hope that she’ll find someone to go with, but I told her not to count her chickens before they hatch. |
il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué |
every cloud has a silver lining |
be optimistic; every bad situation has some good aspect to it |
Every cloud has a silver lining – the fact that we have been leading the championship for so long has given us plenty of opportunity to practice this season. |
d’un malheur peut naître un bonheur |
fall head over heels |
to fall quickly and extremely in love with someone |
That is the student who fell head over heels for Yamada. |
tomber raide dingue amoureux de qqn |
give the benefit of the doubt |
to look at someone as innocent until proven otherwise |
Show restraint and give the president the benefit of the doubt. |
accorder à qqn le bénéfice du doute |
heard it through the grapevine |
you learned something through means of a rumor |
We heard through the grapevine that he might get some offers. |
je l’ai appris par le telephone arabe |
it’s not rocket science |
it isn’t difficult to understand |
This is not rocket science if you know what to look for. |
c’est pourtant pas sorcier |
it’s raining cats and dogs |
it’s raining really strong or hard |
It was raining cats and dogs and everything was mud and slime. |
il pleut des cordes |
kill two birds with one stone |
to accomplish two different tasks at the same time and/or with a single action |
If you enjoy work, you kill two birds with one stone. |
faire d’une pierre deux coups |
no pain, no gain |
you need to suffer a little in order to succeed |
This is basically the “no pain, no gain” advice, although I think “pain” is a bit strong. |
il faut casser le noyaux pour avoir l’amande |
piece of cake |
a job, task, or other activity that is easy or simple |
I guess the Olympics will be a piece of cake after this. |
c’est du gâteau |
play devil’s advocate |
to argue against a position held by the majority of a group |
I usually like to play devil’s advocate in a discussion in order to ignite a debate. |
se faire l’avocat du diable |
speak of the devil |
when someone appears unexpectedly after just being talked about |
Well speak of the devil, here she is now! |
quand on parle du loup |
spill the beans |
reveal someone’s secret |
And they certainly won’t spill the beans to a reporter. |
se mettre à table |
steal someone’s thunder |
to take credit for something someone else did |
He stole my thunder by telling the teacher he was the one who put the project together. |
voler la vedette à qqn |
take with a grain of salt |
to not take what someone says too seriously; to treat someone’s words with a degree of skepticism |
Anything you see us doing out there, you’ve got to take with a grain of salt. |
prendre avec des pincettes |
the best of both worlds |
a situation in which someone has the privilege of enjoying two different opportunities |
So it was like having the best of both worlds coming together. |
le beurre et l’argent du beurre |
the early bird gets the worm |
success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort |
Sometimes the early bird gets the worm, but sometimes the early bird gets frozen to death. |
l’avenir appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt |
the grass is always greener on the other side |
a person is never satisfied with their current situation; they think others have it better |
I remember like it was yesterday, thinking the grass is always greener on the other side. |
l’herbe est toujours plus verte ailleurs |
the whole nine yards |
everything; all of it |
I have had hate mail and death threats, the whole nine yards. |
ne pas y aller de main morte |
under the weather |
feel sick |
Carry tissues with you everywhere, especially if you’re under the weather. |
pas dans son assiette |
you can’t judge a book by its cover |
don’t judge the value of something based on its appearance |
He looks like a grumpy old man, but you can’t judge a book by its cover. |
l’habit de fait pas le moine |
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