How Well Do You Know These Common English Clichés?

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is an expression that came from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Even if you call a rose a... banana... it would still smell like a rose.

When something isn't finished, or a series of events must continue, you might be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

In this expression, the acorn is the child and the tree is the parent. Some people say that the apple or the nut doesn't fall far from the tree.

"Actions speak louder than words" is an expression that means you should walk the walk and talk the talk... or some other cliché.

If your back is against the wall, you have nowhere to go.

"Raining cats and dogs" means it's raining really hard. If the animals get even bigger, run!

"Bite your tongue" is an expression used to indicate that you should keep something to yourself.

This expression means that you'll deal with something when you have to.

"One foot on a banana peel, the other in the grave" is used to indicate that someone is about to die.

When you call a spade a spade, you speak directly.

This expression means that looking at one picture is easier than a description that involves many words.

"You can’t judge a book by its cover" is an expression used to indicate that what's inside might be not be evident on the outside.

The expression "champagne taste and a beer budget" is used to describe someone who has expensive taste but no money.

If you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar, you've probably been caught stealing something more than cookies.

Cats and dogs are said to be enemies, so if you fight like them, you fight viciously.

Flying by the seat of your pants would indicate that you don't do much planning.

We're selling the Brooklyn Bridge. Wanna buy it?

Some people might also say, "get back in the saddle." Either way, it means to try again after you've been thrown.

Some people are just greedy. Give someone a little of something, and they will want more.

This expression means it's good to know your place and protect what's yours. Set some boundaries and such.

"Good things come to those who wait" is an expression used to indicate that patience is a virtue.

To be made of money is to be extremely rich. Must be nice.

To make a mountain out of a mole hill is to make a big deal out of nothing.

To make a long story short is to leave out all of the unnecessary details and get to the point.

Hindsight is always better than foresight. To be a Monday morning quarterback is to critique a situation after the fact.

This expression is used to indicate that although new things come along, some things never change.

"Necessity is the mother of invention" is a phrase used to indicate that new ideas are the result of some sort of need.

"Nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof" is an expression used to describe someone who is so nervous they are literally or figuratively jumping. Tennessee Williams wrote a play about that!

"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today" means that procrastination might make you lose out.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" means that if you don't try, you can't win.

To paint yourself into a corner is to leave yourself with no options.

To take the path of least resistance is to do something the easy way.

This expression means that you should not point out the flaws of others if you have your own flaws. And who doesn't?

To put the cart before the horse is to do something in the wrong order.

You are probably cranky if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.