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Proverbs & Idioms Flashcards

Enhance your language skills with popular proverbs and idioms, and apply these expressions in everyday communication. (93 cards)

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1
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

A

Small steps, like good nutrition, can prevent poor health.

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2
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Beggars can’t be choosers.

A

People lacking other options are not entitled to be choosy.

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3
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Better late than never.

A

Better to do something after the deadline than to ignore it entirely.

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4
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Better safe than sorry.

A

Better to take preventative measures than to deal with the potential consequences.

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5
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

A

The things we already have in possession are more valuable than things we are uncertain of getting in the future.

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6
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Carpe diem

A

Latin for “Seize the day” - Live life to the fullest extent

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7
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Close, but no cigar.

A

Even being almost correct is still incorrect.

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8
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Curiosity killed the cat.

A

People should not be nosy.

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9
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

A

Also known as The Golden Rule - Treat other people how you would like to be treated.

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10
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

A

Do not judge something based on how it looks.

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11
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

A

Never be ungrateful for any gift.

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12
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

A

Never put all of your efforts into one thing, or you could lose it all.

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13
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

A

People always believe that someone else has a better life than their own.

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14
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Ignorance is bliss.

A

Being unaware of something can keep you content.

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15
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Knowledge is power.

A

The more you know, the more control you have.

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16
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Let bygones be bygones.

A

Forget old problems and move forward.

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17
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.

A

Worry about potential problems when they actually arise.

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18
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Look before you leap.

A

Know the task before agreeing to complete it.

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19
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Misery loves company.

A

Unhappy people derive pleasure from the unhappiness of others.

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20
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

The more the merrier.

A

The more people participating, the more fun something will be.

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21
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

No rest for the weary.

A

No matter how tired you are, you must continue working.

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22
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

A picture is worth a thousand words.

A

An image can conjure stronger emotions than words.

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23
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Out of sight, out of mind.

A

People and things not physically present become forgettable.

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24
Q

What is the meaning of the following proverb?

Practice what you preach.

A

Follow the same advice that you give to others.

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25
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Slow but steady wins the race.
Consistent effort leads to success.
26
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? There are plenty of fish in the sea.
There are plenty of people in the world that you would be willing to be in a relationship with and that are willing to be in a relationship with you.
27
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Time heals all wounds.
With time, people will forget arguments and recover from injuries.
28
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Time is money.
Every moment spent has an opportunity cost. When you're not working, you're actually *losing* money (which you could have technically been earning if you *were* working).
29
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Two heads are better than one.
Two people solving a problem together are more effective than just one person.
30
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? When it rains, it pours.
When bad or good things happen, it seems to happen all at once.
31
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Overcome obstacles by putting in even more effort.
32
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
You can win more allies with compliments rather than aggression.
33
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
You can give someone the necessary resources, but you can't force them to act.
34
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? You've made your bed, now lie in it.
You must deal with the consequences of your actions.
35
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? The devil is in the details.
When small details in plans are overlooked, they can cause greater problems later on.
36
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Don't cry over spilt milk.
There's no use crying over something that has already happened and cannot be changed.
37
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? The early bird catches the worm.
If you act early and don't procrastinate, you will be successful.
38
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Like a fish out of water.
If you are in a situation that is new and unfamiliar, you will act as if you were a fish out of water.
39
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? A friend in need is a friend indeed.
A friend who is there for you in a time of need is a true friend.
40
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Strike while the iron is hot.
Take advantage of opportunities while they last.
41
# What is the meaning of the following proverb? Birds of the same feather flock together.
People who are similar tend to be attracted to each other.
42
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? ad nauseam
To continue to a sickening or excessive degree; from Latin "to [the point of] nausea"
43
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? all thumbs
Clumsy
44
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? alma mater
The school or university that one graduated from
45
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? beat around the bush
To avoid an issue or topic
46
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? bite the bullet
To endure an unpleasant situation or circumstance
47
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? break the ice
To remove tension when meeting people for the first time
48
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? bury the hatchet
To make peace; to agree to end a quarrel.
49
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? butter someone up
To excessively praise or flatter someone, often before asking them for a favor
50
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? chip off the old block
People who closely resemble their parents in some aspect
51
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? climb on the bandwagon
To join a particular cause or political party
52
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? cold shoulder
To ignore someone on purpose
53
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? crème de la crème
The best of the best
54
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? déjà vu
The sense that one's present experience has already occurred in the past when it hasn't
55
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? draw the line
To establish a limit
56
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? elbow grease
Intense physical effort
57
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? ergo
Word of Latin origin meaning "therefore"
58
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? face the music
To accept unpleasant consequences for wrongdoing
59
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? fly off the handle
To suddenly become enraged
60
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? get something off one's chest
to confess something; to unburden oneself
61
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? get up on the wrong side of the bed
To be unpleasant because the day started badly
62
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? grain of salt
To treat a piece of information with skepticism
63
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? gung-ho
Extremely enthusiastic
64
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? in hot water
In deep trouble
65
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? John Hancock
A signature; refers to John Hancock's signature on the *Declaration of Independence*
66
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? know the ropes
To understand the intricacies of an operation very well
67
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? make ends meet
To earn just enough income to provide for basic needs
68
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? no-brainer
An extremely easy task that requires little thought
69
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? p.c.
Abbreviation for "politically correct". Refers to social, political, and educational changes made to correct historical injustices towards race, gender, ethnic background, and sexual orientation.
70
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? play it by ear
To improvise
71
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? pop the question
To propose marriage
72
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? pull somebody's leg
To tease someone
73
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? quid pro quo
A fair exchange
74
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? raining cats and dogs
Raining very heavily
75
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? rule of thumb
A practical principle that comes from experience and not meant to be reliable for every situation.
76
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? run of the mill
Common, ordinary
77
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? second wind
A second surge of energy after a period of exhaustion
78
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? see eye to eye
To be in agreement
79
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? shalom
A Hebrew word that means both "hello" and "goodbye".
80
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? sit on the fence
To remain neutral, to not take a side in an argument.
81
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? sitting duck
An easy target
82
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? smell a rat
To sense something is suspicious
83
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? steal someone's thunder
To undermine someone's accomplishments
84
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? take the cake
To be extremely good or outstanding; sometimes used in a derogatory manner
85
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? throw in the towel
To quit or give up
86
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? thumbs up (down)
To approve or disapprove, respectively
87
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? time is of the essence
When something must be done immediately
88
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? touch and go
Precarious or uncertain
89
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? turn over a new leaf
To begin again; to have a fresh start
90
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? cold feet
To be too afraid to complete an action
91
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? kick the bucket
To die
92
# What is the meaning of the following idiom? throw down the gauntlet
To issue a challenge
93
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