Meaning & use
idiom
A phrase whose overall meaning cannot be understood from the ordinary meanings of its individual words.
See it in a sentence
The idiom 'kick the bucket' means to die, not to literally strike a bucket.
Learners often struggle with idioms because their meanings are not literal.
A note on using this word
Correctly spelled 'idiom'; idioms are usually fixed phrases that should not be translated word for word.
Words with a similar meaning
expressionfigure of speech
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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