Advanced Expressions
Advanced expressions are the idioms that make English sound truly native — the ones that turn up in newspapers, meetings and clever conversation. "Bite the bullet" and "the ball is in your court" carry a whole situation in a few words, and using them well signals real fluency. This final set collects the sophisticated idioms worth knowing, each with a plain meaning and an example sentence so you can deploy them naturally rather than just recognise them.
Practice this set for free — no account needed. Loads 15 flashcards into the learner. The learner asks it as shown here: phrase first, meaning second.
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These idioms reward context, so learn the situation each one fits: "the ball is in your court" belongs to a moment when it is someone else’s turn to act. Once the meaning is solid, challenge yourself to slip one into an email or conversation this week — using it once beats reviewing it ten times.
All 15 flashcards
Swap question and answerTo force yourself to do something unpleasant you have been avoiding
What does the idiom “bite the bullet” mean?
She decided to bite the bullet and finally book the dentist.
It is now your turn to take action or make a decision
What does the expression “the ball is in your court” mean?
I have made my offer; now the ball is in your court.
To do something cheaply or quickly by skipping steps, lowering quality
What does the idiom “cut corners” mean?
They cut corners on the building and it soon started to leak.
Undecided between two options
What does the idiom “on the fence” mean?
I am still on the fence about which car to buy.
The final problem that makes a difficult situation unbearable
What does the idiom “the last straw” mean?
His rude remark was the last straw, and she resigned that day.
To take attention or credit away from someone else
What does the idiom “steal someone’s thunder” mean?
She stole his thunder by announcing the results first.
To avoid talking about something directly
What does the idiom “beat around the bush” mean?
Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened.
To work late into the night
What does the idiom “burn the midnight oil” mean?
He burned the midnight oil to finish the report on time.
To give up or admit defeat
What does the idiom “throw in the towel” mean?
After three failed attempts, they threw in the towel.
To join an activity or trend because it has become popular
What does the idiom “jump on the bandwagon” mean?
Many brands jumped on the bandwagon once the app went viral.
A small, visible part of a much larger, hidden problem
What does the idiom “the tip of the iceberg” mean?
These complaints are just the tip of the iceberg.
To make more effort than is expected of you
What does the idiom “go the extra mile” mean?
Our staff always go the extra mile for their customers.
To understand a hidden or implied meaning that is not stated directly
What does the idiom “read between the lines” mean?
Read between the lines and you can tell she is unhappy.
To do or say something that makes a bad situation worse
What does the idiom “add fuel to the fire” mean?
Shouting back only added fuel to the fire.
A lot of fuss and worry over something unimportant
What does the idiom “a storm in a teacup” mean?
The whole argument was a storm in a teacup and blew over by lunch.
What to learn next
That rounds out the Idioms & Phrasal Verbs path — common idioms, phrasal verbs and advanced expressions. Keep all three decks in your review rotation so the expressions stay ready when you need them.