7th Grade
Piece of cake
That math quiz was a piece of cake compared to last week’s test. (Something that is very easy to do.)
On cloud nine
She was on cloud nine after being accepted to the honor band. (To feel extremely happy or joyful.)
The ball is in your court
I gave you all the details, so now the ball is in your court. (It’s someone else’s turn to make a decision or take action.)
Burn the midnight oil
He had to burn the midnight oil finishing his research paper before morning. (To work late into the night, especially to finish a task.)
Go the extra mile
She always goes the extra mile to help her classmates understand difficult material. (To make a special effort to achieve something beyond expectations.)
Let the cat out of the bag
Don’t let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party! (To accidentally reveal a secret.)
Bite the bullet
I didn’t want braces, but I decided to bite the bullet and get them. (To face a difficult situation with courage or determination.)
Between a rock and a hard place
She was between a rock and a hard place when both friends asked her to choose sides. (To be stuck between two equally difficult choices.)
Cut to the chase
We’re running out of time, so let’s cut to the chase and make a decision. (To get straight to the main point, skipping details.)
Throw caution to the wind
He threw caution to the wind and applied for the acting role even without experience. (To take a risk without worrying about the results.)
In hot water
He got in hot water for forgetting to do his homework again. (To be in trouble or facing consequences.)
Jump on the bandwagon
Everyone started using that app, so I jumped on the bandwagon too. (To join others in doing something that’s currently popular.)
The last straw
When his phone broke again, it was the last straw. (The final problem or annoyance that causes a breaking point.)
By the skin of your teeth
She passed chemistry by the skin of her teeth. (To barely succeed or escape failure.)
Bite off more than you can chew
He realized he had bitten off more than he could chew by joining three clubs. (To take on more responsibility than you can handle.)
In the same boat
We’re all in the same boat trying to finish this project. (To share the same problem or experience as others.)
Costs an arm and a leg
That concert ticket costs an arm and a leg! (Something that is very expensive.)
A blessing in disguise
Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise. (Something that seems bad but turns out to be good.)
Every cloud has a silver lining
Even though she lost the game, she met new friends—every cloud has a silver lining. (There’s something good even in bad situations.)
Leave no stone unturned
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The detective left no stone unturned in solving the mystery. (To search thoroughly or explore every possibility.)
Keep your chin up
Keep your chin up; tomorrow will be better. (To stay positive and not give up.)
Under the weather
He’s feeling under the weather and stayed home today. (Feeling sick or unwell.)
The tip of the iceberg
The missing files were just the tip of the iceberg in that investigation. (A small part of a much larger problem.)
Throw in the towel
After hours of trying, he finally threw in the towel. (To give up after trying hard.)
Add fuel to the fire
Her sarcastic comment only added fuel to the fire during their argument. (To make a bad situation worse.)
Hit the nail on the head
You really hit the nail on the head with that answer. (To describe something exactly right.)
Once in a blue moon
We go camping once in a blue moon. (To do something very rarely.)
Steal someone’s thunder
Don’t steal my thunder by announcing the news before I do. (To take credit for someone else’s idea or success.)
The calm before the storm
The hallway was silent, like the calm before the storm before the bell rang. (A peaceful moment right before chaos or trouble begins.)
Beat around the bush
Instead of answering directly, he kept beating around the bush about the problem. (To avoid talking about the main topic.)