English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
FUN and ENJOYMENT, page 1
Idioms
from:
'barrel of laughs' to: 'life of Riley'
- barrel of laughs
- Someone who is
a barrel of laughs is very funny or
entertaining.
"Let's invite Johnny. He's such a barrel of laughs!"
- Someone who is
a barrel of laughs is very funny or
entertaining.
- with bells on
- If you go somewhere
with bells on, you are delighted and
eager to go there.
"Of course I'll be there - with bells on!"
- If you go somewhere
with bells on, you are delighted and
eager to go there.
- blow away the cobwebs
- If something blows away the cobwebs, it makes you
feel more lively and refreshes your ideas.
"Let's get out of the house. A walk on the beach will blow away the cobwebs!"
- If something blows away the cobwebs, it makes you
feel more lively and refreshes your ideas.
- chill out
- When people chill out, often after a period of
heavy work or nervous tension, they do something that helps them to calm down and
relax for a while.
"After a week of exams, the students needed to go and chill out."
- When people chill out, often after a period of
heavy work or nervous tension, they do something that helps them to calm down and
relax for a while.
- in one's element
- When you are in your element, you are doing something
that you do well, and you are enjoying yourself.
"My brother, who is an estate agent, was in his element house-hunting for our parents."
- When you are in your element, you are doing something
that you do well, and you are enjoying yourself.
- feast your eyes on something
- If you feast your eyes on something, you are
delighted and gratified by what you see.
"As he drove along the coast, he feasted his eyes on the beautiful scenery."
- If you feast your eyes on something, you are
delighted and gratified by what you see.
- footloose and fancy-free
- A person who is footloose and fancy free has few
responsibilities or commitments of any kind and feels free to do as they please.
"John will never get married. He says he prefers to be footloose and fancy free."
- A person who is footloose and fancy free has few
responsibilities or commitments of any kind and feels free to do as they please.
- in full swing
- When something, such as an event, gets into full swing,
it is at its busiest or liveliest time.
"When we got back to the office, the Christmas party was in full swing."
- When something, such as an event, gets into full swing,
it is at its busiest or liveliest time.
- full of the joys of spring
- If you are full of the joys of spring, you are happy,
enthusiastic and full of energy.
"Barbara is full of the joys of spring at the moment! Has she got a new boyfriend?"
- If you are full of the joys of spring, you are happy,
enthusiastic and full of energy.
- guilty pleasure
- Enjoying something which is not generally held in high regard,
while at the same time feeling a bit guilty about it, is called a guilty pleasure.
"Reading gossip magazines is a guilty pleasure for many women… and some men too!"
- Enjoying something which is not generally held in high regard,
while at the same time feeling a bit guilty about it, is called a guilty pleasure.
- happy-go-lucky
- If you are a happy-go-lucky person, you are cheerful
and carefree all the time.
"He's a happy-go-lucky sort of guy - always in good humour."
- If you are a happy-go-lucky person, you are cheerful
and carefree all the time.
- have a ball
- If you have a ball you enjoy yourself immensely.
"The party was great. We had a ball."
- If you have a ball you enjoy yourself immensely.
- have the time of your life
- If you have the time of our life,
you enjoy yourself very much.
"The kids had the time of their lives at Disneyland."
- If you have the time of our life,
you enjoy yourself very much.
- have a whale of a time
- When people have a whale of a time, they enjoy
themselves a lot.
"We had a whale of a time at the party last night."
- When people have a whale of a time, they enjoy
themselves a lot.
- let one's hair down
- If you suggest that someone should let their hair down,
you are telling them to relax and enjoy themselves.
"Come on! We're not in the office now. You can let your hair down!"
- If you suggest that someone should let their hair down,
you are telling them to relax and enjoy themselves.
- (the) life and soul of the party
- The life and soul of the party is the most
lively and amusing person present at an event.
"I'm so glad we invited Emily. She was the life and soul of the party."
- The life and soul of the party is the most
lively and amusing person present at an event.
- live the life of Riley
- A person who lives the life of Riley has a
comfortable and enjoyable life, without having to make much effort.
"He married a millionaire, and since then he's been living the life of Riley!"
- A person who lives the life of Riley has a
comfortable and enjoyable life, without having to make much effort.
Alphabetical lists:
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.