Proverbs & Idioms

What Is an Idiom? (with Examples)

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words.

Some Common Examples of Idioms

Here are some common idioms:

·  He's been pushing up the daisies for a year. (He's been dead for a year.)

·  Let's paint the town red. (Let's have a good time in town.)

·  She has a bun in the oven (She is pregnant.)

An Idiom Is a Form of Figurative Language

Idioms are classified as figurative language, which is the use of words in an unusual or imaginative manner.

Figurative language includes the use of metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, euphemisms, and pun.

More Examples of Idioms

Here are some more examples of idioms:

• He was just a flash in the pan.

(The idiom a flash in the pan means something which shows potential at the start but fails thereafter.)

• He is trying to be a good Samaritan.

(A good Samaritan is a person who helps someone in need with no thought of a reward.)

• Does he have an axe to grind?

(To have an axe to grind means to have a dispute with someone. )

• We should let sleeping dogs lie.

(To let sleeping dogs lie means to o avoid restarting a conflict.)

      Proverb

Every culture has a collection of wise sayings that offer advice about how to live your life. These sayings are called by "proverbs".

Example: Time is money = Waktu adalah uang.

(Waktu sangat berharga atau penting maka manusia harus menggunakan waktu sebaik mungkin)

Kinds of Proverbs:

1.      Aphorism (Pepatah)

This proverb offers advice.

Example : Don’t go too far in small.

(Persoalan kecil jangan dibesar-besarkan).

2.   Parable (Perumpamaan)

That has a moral lesson and has parable.

Example                              : To carry coals to New-castle.

 (Bagai membuang garam kelaut)

3.   Slogan (Pameo)

This proverb gives spirit or motivation.

Example                              :

1.      Early bird gets worm

(Tuhan akan memberikan rezeki kepada makhluk-Nya yang lebih dulu bangun)

2.      Diligence is the mistress of success.

(Kerajinan pangkal kesuksesan)

4.   Idiom

It is a phrase that has group of words with a different meaning from the meaning of all the individual word.

Example :

1.      Pull your sock up. (improve your behaviour)

2.      You can arrange your bedroom at will. (sesuka hati)

3.      Don’t mention it. (You’re welcome)

Difference between idioms and proverbs

An idiom is a phrase that has a meaning of its own that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words. 

Here are some examples of idioms:

• to be fed up with means to be tired and annoyed with something that has been happening for too long
• to rub someone the wrong way means to irritate someone
• by the skin of your teeth means that something was successful, but only just barely. “She passed the test by the skin of her teeth” means she almost didn’t pass.

A proverb is a short popular saying that gives advice about how people should behave or that expresses a belief that is generally thought to be true. Here are some examples:

• Don’t cry over spilled milk. 
• Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. 
• A stitch in time saves nine. 

Like idioms, proverbs often have a meaning that is greater than the meaning of the individual words put together, but in a different way than idioms. The literal meaning of an idiom usually doesn’t make sense, and idioms can be almost impossible to understand unless you have learned or heard them before. 

The literal meaning of a proverb such as “Don’t cry over spilled milk” does makes sense on its own, but it’s not until you apply this meaning to a broader set of situations that you understand the real point of the proverb. For example, “Don’t cry over spilled milk” means “Don’t get upset over something that has already been done. It’s too late to worry about it now, just get on with your life.”