A Guide to Medical and Conversational Idioms in English
Learning a language’s idioms is often the final step to really speaking like a native, and, of course, it can be very helpful in avoiding misunderstandings! Check out these lists of the most common examples of idioms you are likely to hear, and try to use a few the next time you see an opportunity!
Hospital and Healthcare Idioms
Below are U.S. idioms you may hear around your hospital:
- Go under the knife – means undergoing surgery
- A taste of your own medicine – experience the same unpleasant or harmful treatment that one has given to others.
- At death’s door – to be close to death
- Just what the Dr ordered – exactly what is wanted or needed to Improve the situation/condition
- Take a turn for the worse – to get worse (sicker) often suddenly
- On the mend – healing and becoming well again
- Headstart – an advantage over everyone else
- Gut feeling – send of impression that your subconscious is working on someone or some situation
- Joined at the hip – to be exceptionally close to someone
- Find your feet – to adjust to a new place or situation
- Hands are tied – you are prevented from doing something, or it is not within your power
- As pale as a ghost – Extremely pale
- A bitter pill to swallow – An unpleasant fact that one must accept
- Have one foot in the grave – To be near death
- Under the weather – not feeling well.
- Sick and tired of -Extremely annoyed by something that occurs repeatedly
- Forty winks – short naps
- On its last legs – near the end of life
- Out of sorts – a little unwell
- Black and Blue – badly bruised
- Alive and Kicking – In good health despite health problems
- On the back burner – It’s not a priority
- It’s not rocket science – which means it’s easy
- I will stick an IV – will insert an IV
- What a “hard stick!” – means difficult veins
- Crunching the numbers- means doing a lot of calculations.
- Put something off – put in a delay
- Call the shots – to make major decisions
- Slacking off – working lazily
- Have a lot on your plate -Have a lot of responsibilities
- Learning curve - the rate of gaining experience or new skills
- 24/7 – 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- I’m buckling down – I am focusing and putting a lot of energy into a project
- She goes the extra mile – She does more than expected
- Work in progress – work continues
- To work something out – to find a solution to a problem
- Shift work – work at different times of the day
- Carry out the task – complete the order
- Called off – canceled
- Propped up bed – elevated head of the bed
U.S. Conversational Idioms
Here is a list of idioms you may hear during casual conversations with Americans:
- Get the hang of it: to learn how to do something well, develop a skill, or gain an understanding of something. “It took me a few tries, but I finally got the hang of driving a manual car.”
- Sit tight: wait and don’t take any further action, usually for a short period of time.
“I’m sorry honey, I’ve hit traffic. Please sit tight, and I’ll be there in 20 minutes!”
- Idioms using the word “hit”
- Hit traffic: to encounter traffic. “I hit so much traffic on my way home, it took me an hour to go three miles!”
- Hit a wall: to be unable to go past a certain point, often in reference to something you’re working on. Can also be used to express that you are very tired and need to go to sleep. “I’ve really hit a wall on my novel. I can’t figure out how to end it.” “Roxanne’s birthday party was very fun, but I really hit a wall around 2 am and had to get a cab home”
- Hit the hay/sack: to go to sleep/bed. “It’s been a great night, but I’m exhausted. I’m going to go home and hit the sack”
- Hit [someone] up: a very informal way to say to contact someone, most often used by younger people. “What time do you think you will get here?” “I’m not sure, but I’ll hit you up when I am on the way.”
- Ring a bell: to sound familiar. “Do you remember Keisha, that girl we went to high school with?” “No, that name doesn’t ring a bell”
- Cut to the chase: get to the point. “You’ve been talking for forty-five minutes, and I still don’t know what you want. Can you please cut to the chase already?”
- Up in the air: to be uncertain. “My schedule for next week is still up in the air, but I’ll let you know about dinner as soon as possible.”
- To “get over”: to recover. “I finally got over that cold I had for three weeks”
- Make ends meet: to make enough money to cover all of your expenses. “My mom had to work two jobs just to make ends meet”
- Keep me posted/in the loop: keep informed. “I’m not sure yet when I can take a vacation, but I'll keep you posted.”
- To be “down” or “up” for something: somewhat confusingly, both of these phrases mean to want to or agree to do something. “Are you up for a movie tonight?” “Yeah, I’m down.”
- So far so good: the progress on something has been a success up to now. “How’s your new job?” “So far so good!”