Top 50 idioms and proverbs

Here are the top 50 idioms and proverbs along with brief explanations that can be useful for the English Olympiad:

1. Break the ice – To initiate conversation in a social setting.
2. Bite the bullet – To endure a painful situation with courage.
3. A blessing in disguise – Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.
4. Burn the midnight oil – To work late into the night.
5. Actions speak louder than words – What you do is more important than what you say.
6. The ball is in your court – It is up to you to make the next decision or take action.
7. Barking up the wrong tree – To make a wrong assumption or pursue a misguided course.
8. Beat around the bush – To avoid getting straight to the point.
9. The best of both worlds – A situation where you can enjoy two different opportunities.
10. Bite off more than you can chew – To take on more responsibility than you can handle.
11. A dime a dozen – Something very common and not special.
12. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – Don’t assume success before it actually happens.
13. Kill two birds with one stone – To achieve two objectives with a single action.
14. Let the cat out of the bag – To reveal a secret inadvertently.
15. Once in a blue moon – Something that happens very rarely.
16. Pay the piper – To face the consequences of an action.
17. Take it with a grain of salt – To view something with skepticism.
18. The early bird catches the worm – Success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort early.
19. When pigs fly – An expression used to say something will never happen.
20. You can’t judge a book by its cover – Don’t judge someone or something based simply on appearance.
21. A penny for your thoughts – A way to ask someone what they are thinking.
22. All bark and no bite – Someone who talks tough but doesn’t act on it.
23. An arm and a leg – Something that is very expensive.
24. Barking dogs seldom bite – Those who are aggressive often don’t follow through with their threats.
25. Actions have consequences – What you do can affect your future.
26. Curiosity killed the cat – Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
27. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you – Don’t harm someone who helps you.
28. Every cloud has a silver lining – There is something good in every bad situation.
29. In hot water – In trouble or in a difficult situation.
30. On the fence – Undecided about something.
31. Out of the blue – Something unexpected happens suddenly.
32. The pen is mightier than the sword – Writing is more powerful than violence.
33. The straw that broke the camel’s back – A small issue that leads to a major problem.
34. To kill time – To engage in activities to pass the time.
35. A taste of your own medicine – To experience the same negative treatment you give to others.
36. A wolf in sheep’s clothing – Someone who hides malicious intent behind a friendly facade.
37. All in good time – Everything will happen at the right moment.
38. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Don’t risk everything on a single venture.
39. Easy come easy go – Things that are easy to gain can be easy to lose.
40. It takes two to tango – Both parties involved are responsible for a situation.
41. Rome wasn’t built in a day – Important things take time to achieve.
42. The road to hell is paved with good intentions – Good intentions can lead to unintended negative consequences.
43. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – It is better to have something certain than to risk it for more.
44. Out of sight out of mind – You tend to forget things or people that are not present.
45. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link – The strength of a group is determined by its weakest member.
46. You can’t have your cake and eat it too – You cannot have it both ways; you must make a choice.
47. Practice makes perfect – Consistent practice leads to improvement.
48. The grass is always greener on the other side – People tend to believe others have it better than they do.
49. A leopard can’t change its spots – People cannot change their innate nature.
50. Haste makes waste – Acting too quickly can lead to mistakes.