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View synonyms for idiom

idiom

[ id-ee-uhm ]

noun

  1. an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head, or from the general grammatical rules of a language, as the table round for the round table, and that is not a constituent of a larger expression of like characteristics.
  2. a language, dialect, or style of speaking peculiar to a people.
  3. a construction or expression of one language whose parts correspond to elements in another language but whose total structure or meaning is not matched in the same way in the second language.
  4. the peculiar character or genius of a language.
  5. a distinct style or character, in music, art, etc.:

    the idiom of Bach.



idiom

/ ˈɪdɪəm; ˌɪdɪəˈmætɪk /

noun

  1. a group of words whose meaning cannot be predicted from the meanings of the constituent words, as for example ( It was raining ) cats and dogs
  2. linguistic usage that is grammatical and natural to native speakers of a language
  3. the characteristic vocabulary or usage of a specific human group or subject
  4. the characteristic artistic style of an individual, school, period, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


idiom

  1. A traditional way of saying something. Often an idiom, such as “under the weather,” does not seem to make sense if taken literally. Someone unfamiliar with English idioms would probably not understand that to be “under the weather” is to be sick. ( See examples under “Idioms.” )


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Derived Forms

  • ˌidioˈmaticalness, noun
  • ˌidioˈmatically, adverb
  • idiomatic, adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of idiom1

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin idiōma, from Greek idíōma “peculiarity, specific property,” equivalent to idiō- (variant stem of idioûsthai “to make one's own, appropriate,” verbal derivative of idiós; idio- ) + -ma noun suffix of result
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Word History and Origins

Origin of idiom1

C16: from Latin idiōma peculiarity of language, from Greek; see idio-
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Synonym Study

See phrase.
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Example Sentences

To avoid losing anything in translation, communicate concisely and avoid idioms.

Most people believe the idiom “time flies when you’re having fun,” and research has, indeed, shown that when time seems to pass by quickly, people assume the task must have been engaging and enjoyable.

The commercial, which advertises the brand’s seltzer lemonade, runs with the “when life gives you lemons” idiom, riffing off 2020 being a “lemon of a year.”

If you love seeing people get things wrong and learning something in the process, stay tuned for this episode of, Guess That Idiom.

First of all, remember that idioms or colloquialisms may make sense in one place but not in another, even if the same language is spoken.

Later she observed that one of the most skilled in this idiom was the journalist Dorothy Parker.

Are some jobs, to use the standard idiom, “inherently governmental?”

Is ‘idiom’ enough to defend to the modern reader sentences like this?

Additionally impressive is that an Australian can write so convincingly in the idiom of a country so different from her own.

Yet he seemed interested only in recasting GOP concepts in his own idiom.

His musical idiom was growing richer, and music had become to him what poetry had been at Votinsk.

Lange thinks these lines corrupt; but I believe the idiom is correct.

For the hospitality of England can scarcely be translated with full flavor into any other idiom.

The occasional use of the imperfect is almost his only Gaelic idiom.

Accent, idiom, vocabulary give a new turn to the ancient speech.

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More About Idiom

What does idiom mean?

An idiom is a term whose meaning cannot be determined from the literal meanings of the words it is made of.

Many idioms are figurative—they’re intended to create an image, association, or other effect in the mind of the listener or reader that goes beyond the literal meaning or expected use of the words involved.

It is raining cats and dogs is a common English idiom. Literally, that sentence would mean animals are falling from the clouds. What the idiom actually means is that it is raining very heavily.

Here are some more examples of common English idioms:

Many phrasal verbs are idioms since they include a word (often a preposition) whose literal meaning doesn’t apply. Some examples are take off (like an airplane), give out (meaning to distribute), and open up (which means the same thing as open). Sometimes, two different phrasal verbs can mean the same thing even when their prepositions are usually opposites. For example, lock up and lock down can both mean to secure a place by locking the doors and similar actions.

Idioms are common in most languages. Over time, native speakers of a language learn many idioms that they use without thinking about them. Because their meanings can’t be figured out from their parts, idioms can be very difficult for nonnative speakers to understand.

The adjective form of idiom is idiomatic. For example, break a leg is an idiomatic expression that means “good luck.”

Why is idiom important?

The first records of the term idiom come from the 1560s. It ultimately comes from the Greek idíōma, meaning “peculiarity” or “specific property.” Idioms exist in even the most ancient languages.

Idioms are a type of figure of speech. Metaphors and similes are also figures of speech. We use figures of speech all the time, even if we don’t even realize it, and for good reason. They allow us to express ideas in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

Idioms make language more colorful and interesting, but they can also make it harder to understand.

Did you know ... ?

The word idiom can also be used in a more general way to refer to a language, dialect, or style of speaking that’s specific to a particular group of people.

What are real-life examples of idioms?

Here are some examples of common English idioms and their meanings:

  • Bite the bullet: complete an undesirable task
  • Blessing in disguise: a good thing that seemed bad at first
  • To make a long story short: to summarize
  • Get bent out of shape: to become upset
  • Cross that bridge when we come to it: handle a problem when it arises
  • Your guess is as good as mine: I don’t know
  • Costs an arm and a leg: costs a lot of money

People use idioms every day and often enjoy learning new ones.

 

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

An idiom is an expression that literally says what it means.

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idiolectidiomatic