Grammar Study - Idiomatic Expressions

Idioms are phrases which have a deeper meaning than the surface meaning.
In other words, idioms are group of words that convey extended meanings apart from the individual word meanings.

The interesting thing about idioms are that they vary in different languages and often times sound ridiculous with it's explanation.

Learning the idioms of the English language can be very interesting and enlightening!

Here's an example of an idiomatic expression.

To Carry The Day

'The day' of course can never be literally carried therefore the phrase above clearly denotes something else - being victorious.

40 Idiomatic Expressions and Their Meanings

1. Behind closed doors - Without any publicity ; in secret
2. To do away with - To get rid of
3. To get even with someone - To get revenge upon 
4. To take heart - To have courage
5. To read between the lines - To work out meaning not immediately
6. To hold one's tongue - To keep silent for a moment
7. To pull the wool over one's eye - To deceive someone
8. To sleep over an issue - To think over an issue
9. To cry over spilled milk - To grieve over a situation that cannot be corrected
10. To know one's onions - To be an expert at a particular job
11. To smell a rat - To become suspicious
12. To build castles in the air - To think of an impossible task
13. To find one's feet at something - To become used to.
14. Starting something on the wrong feet - To make an initial mistake
15. To be at logger head with - To have a serious disagreement with someone
16. Coming out with flying colors - To perform very well
17. To lead a cat and dog life - To quarrel frequently with someone
18. To face the music - To bear the consequences of one's action
19. To be pushed to the walls - To reach the limits of what one can endure
20. Running away with tails between the legs - To leave a place completely defeated.
21. To raise one's eyebrows - To show surprise
22. To play to the gallery - Trying to win cheap applause or praises.
23. To give someone a wide berth - To keep far away from someone
24. To beat about the bush - To approach a matter in an indirect way
25. To tighten one's belt - To try to spend less money
26. Caught red-handed - To be caught in the very act of doing something - esp something wrong
27. To see eye with somebody - To agree totally with someone's idea or view
28. To be up to date - To have the latest information
29. To make ends meet - To try one's best to survive
30. To get away with an action - To go unpunished after committing an offence
31. To blow your trumpet - To praise your actions 
32. To happen once in a blue moon - A rare occurence
33. To eat one's words - To deny saying something
34. To fall out with someone - To have a misunderstanding with someone
35. To borrow a leaf from someone - To learn something good from someone
36. To fight tooth and nail - To struggle very hard to achieve something
37. To rise to the occasion - To handle an emergency situation well
38. To be in the same both - To be in the same situation as another person
39. Raining cat and dogs - To rain heavily
40. To leave no stone unturned - To do everything possible under a particular situation.

Conclusion

Use of idiomatic expressions in speech and writing is used to measure to what extent you understand a particular language.

As an English scholar, you should get to know and use this idioms as it improves your vocabulary. Surf the web for more of it!

Exercise

Write 20 English Idiomatic Expressions