30 Personality Idioms Explained in English
Idioms are like puzzles that don’t make sense when you take them literally – their meaning is more like a secret code.
In English, there are lots of idioms that describe different types of people.
Let’s break down 30 of these common idioms.
A bundle of nerves
Meaning: Someone who is extremely anxious, tense and nervous.
Example: Before the big presentation, Sarah was a bundle of nerves.
A smooth talker
Meaning: Someone skilled at persuasive or flattering speech to get what they want.
Example: The salesman was a real smooth talker and convinced me to upgrade.
A stuffed shirt
Meaning: A person who is excessively formal, pompous or self-important.
Example: Despite his wealth, he wasn’t a stuffed shirt at all – very down-to-earth.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Meaning: Someone who seems harmless but is actually dangerous or deceitful.
Example: That charity worker seemed so kind, but turned out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, stealing funds.
Easygoing
Meaning: Having a calm and relaxed nature, not getting upset easily.
Example: Jack is very easygoing and never lets things stress him out.
Get cold feet
Meaning: To lose your nerve or confidence about doing something.
Example: I was going to quit my job, but got cold feet at the last minute.
Hothead
Meaning: A person who becomes angry very quickly over little things.
Example: Don’t provoke him – he’s a real hothead who blows up over anything.
Keep a cool head
Meaning: Remain calm and clearheaded in a difficult situation.
Example: In the crisis, the teachers managed to keep a cool head and evacuate everyone safely.
Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: To avoid restarting an unpleasant situation that has now settled down.
Example: I know he insulted you, but sometimes it’s better to let sleeping dogs lie.
On the ball
Meaning: Quick to understand and act upon things.
Example: The new manager is really on the ball and gets tasks done efficiently.
Quit cold turkey
Meaning: To suddenly stop a habit completely rather than gradually.
Example: I decided to quit smoking cold turkey.
Scatterbrain
Meaning: A very forgetful, disorganized person.
Example: Mom’s such a scatterbrain, she’s always misplacing her keys!
Stir crazy
Meaning: Feeling bored, restless, and confined from staying somewhere too long.
Example: After being snowed in for a week, the kids were getting stir crazy.
Workaholic
Meaning: Someone who compulsively works excessively hard.
Example: My boss responds to emails 24/7 – he’s a total workaholic.
A big cheese
Meaning: An important, powerful, or influential person.
Example: The big cheeses running the company gave the green light for expansion.
Apple of my eye
Meaning: Someone who is cherished above all others.
Example: My youngest child is the apple of my eye.
Bury the hatchet
Meaning: To make peace and forgive after a conflict or argument.
Example: After years of feuding, the families finally decided to bury the hatchet.
Call a spade a spade
Meaning: To speak honestly and directly without avoiding unpleasant issues.
Example: My grandfather always called a spade a spade – he never sugarcoated things.
Cut from the same cloth
Meaning: People or things that are very similar in nature or characteristics.
Example: Those twin brothers were cut from the same cloth – both hilarious pranksters.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning: Don’t anticipate a successful outcome before you’ve achieved it.
Example: I got into my top college choice, but Mom reminded me not to count my chickens yet until I got the financial aid details.
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Meaning: Don’t judge something primarily on appearance.
Example: He may look rough, but don’t judge a book by its cover – he’s brilliant.
Eat humble pie
Meaning: To make a humble apology after being wrong about something.
Example: The coach had to eat humble pie after his team won against expectations.
Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: Even difficulties or setbacks have a positive side or hopeful outcome.
Example: Losing my job was stressful, but every cloud has a silver lining – it let me switch careers.
In a nutshell
Meaning: To summarize or state the main point briefly.
Example: In a nutshell, I think we should go with Plan B.
Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: To accomplish two things with a single action or effort.
Example: I’ll kill two birds with one stone by going to the grocery store on my way home.
Make a long story short
Meaning: To give an abbreviated or condensed account of something.
Example: Make a long story short, we got lost trying to find the place.
Speak of the devil
Meaning: Referring to someone who has just arrived while they were being discussed.
Example: Speak of the devil! We were just wondering when you’d get here.
The blind leading the blind
Meaning: People attempting to advise others when neither has true knowledge.
Example: With those amateur directors calling the shots, it was the blind leading the blind.
The elephant in the room
Meaning: An obvious major problem or issue that everyone consciously ignores.
Example: We need to address the elephant in the room and talk about the company’s financial troubles.
When it rains, it pours
Meaning: When one has a series of problems or misfortunes occurring successively.
Example: First my car broke down, then the washing machine died – when it rains, it pours!
I hope these explanations have made it easier to understand 30 common personality idioms in English!
Knowing idioms makes conversations more interesting and meaningful.
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