Thinking of translating these idioms literally? Don't, says Anita Aikara. Illustrations: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Have you ever looked like a fish out of water or pulled a leg? We use these idioms ...

That's why the following quiz of idioms from 11 different languages is a little unfair—it's difficult to be in 11 in-groups simultaneously. English itself isn't one big in-group. I take it for granted ...

Top 10 Most Commonly Used English Idioms And Their Meanings: Idioms are phrases or expressions with a figurative meaning that differs from the literal meaning of the words used. They are often rooted ...

Being a linguist—and someone who has tried to learn several languages (including English) in addition to my mother tongue (Flemish Dutch)—I have an annoying habit: instead of paying attention to what ...

If there’s one thing most people take for granted, it’s the language they grew up speaking. The words we use and their respective meanings are the product of centuries of linguistic evolution that we ...

While we wouldn’t think twice about using expressions like “hitting the nail on the head” in a business setting (even if some of our colleagues really hate them), they might sound a bit odd to a ...

In the days before mass merchandising, poorly fastened axe heads would fly off while they were in use. The result was dangerous, hence why the phrase is used to describe risky behavior with ...

What do non-English-speaking people say when it's raining cats and dogs? Here are 15 idioms that mean "heavy rain" from around the world. 1. Argentina: "It's raining dung head-first." In Spanish: Esta ...