Over the past few centuries, America has built up a wide and colorful variety of idioms. Phrases like “piece of cake” and “buttering someone up” are normal parts of the American vernacular but are likely to baffle non-Americans.
“Break a leg”
“Break a leg” is usually said to actors before stage performances and means good luck. Reader’s Digest explains that the phrase is “believed to have originated in the American theatre scene in the early 20th century and may have been “adapted from the German saying ‘Hals-und Beinbruch,’ which means ‘neck and leg break.'”
“Piece of cake”
If something is a “piece of cake,” it’s very easy to do. Cake and pie have long been metaphors for things that come easily in America, but the phrase can be confusing to non-Americans, especially those who aren’t native English speakers.
“Spill the beans”
To “spill the beans” is accidentally or deliberately revealing secret information. To non-Americans learning English, the phrase can be mistaken for literally knocking over a pile of beans.
“Hit the hay”
“Hitting the hay” means going to bed or sleeping for the night. The phrase references the straw mattresses that were common in America in the late 19th century. Its exact origin is unknown, but it first appeared in print in George Ade’s 1903 novel People You Know.
“Let the cat out of the bag”
To “let the cat out of the bag” is to reveal a secret carelessly or mistakenly. The origin of the phrase isn’t clear; it could refer to the “cat o’ nine tails” whip once used by the Royal Navy or the “pig in a poke” scam when customers were duped into buying a less valuable cat.
“Kick the bucket”
“Kicking the bucket” is a common euphemism for dying that’s often lost on non-Americans who take it literally. It’s widely believed to be a dark reference to hanging, either as suicide or a method of execution, but others argue it references an old method of killing pigs.
“More bang for your buck”
To get “more bang for your buck” is to get more value for your money or a greater return on your investment. According to Dictionary.com, “the term originated in the late 1960s in the military for expenditures for firepower and soon was extended to mean an increased financial return or better value.”
“Butter someone up”
To “butter someone up” is to flatter or praise them to gain a favor or their support. The idiom may come from the ancient Hindu tradition of throwing ghee balls at statues of gods to ask for favors, but it’s likely to sound like a cooking method to non-Americans.
“Chew the fat”
“Chewing the fat” is having a long, leisurely chat. Some believe it comes from the tradition of sailors chewing on salt-hardened fat, but there’s no evidence it was a real phenomenon. It can sound like a harsh comment on dieting to non-Americans.
“Under the weather”
To be “under the weather” is to feel sick or unwell. It may come from an old nautical practice of sailors feeling seasick being sent below deck, but it’s likely to be taken literally by non-native English speakers.
“Bite the bullet”
To “bite the bullet” is to endure a physically painful or unpleasant, unavoidable situation. Reader’s Digest explains that theories on its origin include the practice of soldiers biting on bullets during surgery before the invention of anesthetics. The first known use of the phrase was in Rudyard Kipling’s 1891 novel The Light That Failed.
“Steal someone’s thunder”
To “steal someone’s thunder” is to use their idea before they do. This term is used by people who feel someone else has taken their success and praise away. The idiom comes from the playwright John Dennis’s idea for a thunder machine for his unsuccessful 1709 play Appius and Virginia.
“Throw in the towel”
“Throwing in the towel” is giving up or admitting defeat. It comes from the 19th-century boxing practice of throwing a towel into the ring to concede defeat. To non-native English speakers, it can sound like a laundry practice.
“Jump on the bandwagon”
“Jumping on the bandwagon” is joining a growing movement or trend once it becomes popular. The word “bandwagon” comes from the mid-19th-century wagons that carried circus bands. Non-Americans are often baffled by the literal idea of jumping onto a moving wagon.
“Sell like hotcakes”
Something “selling like hotcakes” is quickly being sold in large quantities. The phrase comes from the practice of selling hotcakes at church bake sales in the 1800s, when the congregation quickly bought them before they went cold.
“Shoot the breeze”
Collins Dictionary explains, “If you shoot the breeze with someone, you talk to them about things which are not very serious or important.” This saying was first recorded in 1919 and can seem like a nonsensical mix of shooting and windy weather to non-Americans.
“The whole nine yards”
“The whole nine yards” is everything—the whole lot, going all the way. It first appeared as a punch line in “The Judge’s Big Shirt,” an 1855 short comedy story, and is likely to be lost on non-Americans, especially those from countries that don’t use yards.
“Out of the blue”
Something that comes “out of the blue” occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. The expression comes from “a bolt out of the blue,” or the unlikely event of a lightning bolt coming from a clear sky.
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