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English idioms about women are expressions that convey more than their literal meanings, often reflecting cultural attitudes and beliefs. These idioms offer insight into how women are viewed and represented in language.
- A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Meaning: Something you already have is more valuable than something you might get in the future. Example: John already has a job offer, but he is considering waiting for a better one.
- A blessing in disguise. Meaning: Something that seems bad or unlucky at first but turns out to be good. Example: Losing my job was a blessing in disguise because it gave me the opportunity to start my own business.
- A dime a dozen. Meaning: Something that is very common and easy to find. Example: People who claim to be professional photographers are a dime a dozen these days.
- A piece of cake. Meaning: Something that is very easy. Example: This math problem is a piece of cake. I can solve it in no time.
Behind every great man there’s a great woman. This idiom may be the most popular idiom about women. This one means that a successful man usually has a supportive and capable wife or partner. Women are from Venus, men are from Mars. This phrase suggests that men and women have fundamentally different ways of thinking and behaving.
- Many A Little Makes A Mickle
- Near Is My Kirtle But Nearer Is My Smock
- A Peck of March Dust Is Worth A King’s Ransom
- Better Wed Over The Mixen Than Over The Moor
- If You’Re Born to Be Hanged Then You’Ll Never Be Drowned
- Ne’Er Cast A Clout Till May Be Out
- Let The Cobbler Stick to His Last
- He That Follows Freits, Freits Will Follow Him
- Fools and Bairns Should Never See Half-Done Work
- When All Fruit Falls, Welcome Haws
Mickle, an Old English word meaning “much" or "a lot,” went out of fashion in the 16th century (except in Scotland, where it held on), but it has such a nice ring to it. It’s sometimes spelled “muckle.” Later versions of this phrase like, “many a muckle makes a mickle” and “many a mickle makes a muckle,” don’t really make sense, but are very fun to...
A fine way to say “look after your closest interests.” A kirtle is a woman’s gown or outer petticoat. A smockis a woman’s undergarment.
A peckis unit of dry goods equal to about 8 quarts (or 9 litres). If it’s dry enough in the month of March to get that much dust, things are going well, weather-wise.
In other words, it’s better to marry a nearby neighbor than a stranger from far away. A mixenis a household dung-heap/compost pile.
This is a way to qualify someone else’s good luck. Also good for the situation where someone is gloating over escaping a near disaster.
Cloutis an old term for a piece of cloth or a rag. No matter how tattered it may be, don’t get rid of it until you are sure the cold weather has passed.
Here, lastmeans a metal or wooden model on which shoes are shaped by the shoemaker, or cobbler. In other words, stick to what you know.
Freitis an old Scots term for omens or superstitions. Those who go around looking for them, will bring the results on themselves.
Bairnis a word for “child” still used in Northern dialects. This proverb says that it’s a mistake (i.e., something only those who are not too bright do) to judge a work before it is finished.
Haws are the edible but not very delicious berries that grow on hawthorn bushes. This proverb was commonly deployed in gossip about someone selecting an old or undesirable mate, but is useful for any “take what you can get” situation.
- A blessing in disguise. Meaning: Something that seems bad or unlucky at first but turns out to be good. Example: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise because it pushed me to start my own business.
- A dime a dozen. Meaning: Very common and easy to find. Example: Those souvenir keychains are a dime a dozen at the tourist shops.
- All ears. Meaning: Fully listening and paying attention. Example: Go ahead, I’m all ears. Tell me what’s been on your mind.
- All in the same boat. Meaning: In the same situation or predicament. Example: Everybody on staff got a pay cut – we’re all in the same boat.
Phrases about moor. …Baby One More Time (Britney Spears album and song) A Spoonful Of Sugar Helps The Medicine Go Down (Julie Andrews song) A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. A marvellous bird is the pelican, its beak holds more than its belly can. Anchor man. Atishoo atishoo all fall down.
Idioms are short phrases that cannot be translated literally, word for word – instead, you need to know the meaning of the entire expression. They make language more colorful, expressive, and interesting!
