일상에서 자주 쓰는 영어 숙어(Idiom)

영어회화를 하다 보면 일상에서 자주 쓰이는 숙어들이 많이 나온다. 오늘은 실전 영어 회화 상화에서  자주 쓰는 숙어들의 의미와 활용 예문을 알아보자.

1. Actions speak louder than words: 행동이 말보다 중요하다
   • Example: Instead of promising, show me - actions speak louder than words.
2. Bite the bullet: 어려운 상황이나 고난을 참다
   • Example: I have to bite the bullet and tell him the truth.
3. Break the ice: 얼음을 깨뜨리다, 사람들 간의 긴장을 풀다
   • Example: A joke can help break the ice in awkward situations.
4. Burn the midnight oil: 심야에 일하다
   • Example: I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the project on time.
5. Cost an arm and a leg: 매우 비싸다
   • Example: Buying a new car can cost an arm and a leg.
6. Curiosity killed the cat: 궁금증은 위험할 수 있다
   • Example: Don't ask too many questions; remember, curiosity killed the cat.
7. Cut to the chase: 본론으로 들어가다
   • Example: Let's cut to the chase and discuss the main points.
8. Don't cry over spilled milk: 헛된 후회를 하지 말라
   • Example: Yes, you made a mistake, but don't cry over spilled milk; learn from it.
9. Every cloud has a silver lining: 모든 일에는 긍정적인 면이 있다
   • Example: Losing the job was tough, but every cloud has a silver lining, and I found a better one.
10. Hit the hay: 잠자리에 들다
    • Example: It's late; I think I'm going to hit the hay.
11. Jump on the bandwagon: 대세에 동참하다
    • Example: Many companies are jumping on the bandwagon and adopting sustainable practices.
12. Keep an eye on the ball: 중요한 것에 집중하다
    • Example: Stay focused and keep an eye on the ball during the presentation.
13. Let the cat out of the bag: 비밀을 누설하다
    • Example: I didn't mean to let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
14. Miss the boat: 기회를 놓치다
    • Example: If you don't apply now, you might miss the boat on this job opportunity.
15. On the ball: 능숙하고 기민한
    • Example: She's always on the ball when it comes to problem-solving.
16. Out of the blue: 갑자기, 예상치 못하게
    • Example: He called me out of the blue with some exciting news.
17. Piece of advice: 조언
    • Example: My piece of advice is to take things one step at a time.
18. Raining cats and dogs: 비가 매우 많이 오다
    • Example: We had to cancel the picnic because it was raining cats and dogs.
19. Save face: 체면을 지키다
    • Example: Apologize and try to save face before it's too late.
20. The ball is in your court: 이제 당신이 결정해야 할 일이다
    • Example: I've done my part; now the ball is in your court.
21. Under the weather: 기분이 좋지 않은, 아픈
    • Example: I'm feeling a bit under the weather today; I might need to take a sick day.
22. Burn bridges: 이전의 관계를 끊다
    • Example: Be careful not to burn bridges when leaving a job; you never know when you might need a reference.
23. Cutting corners: 꼼수를 부리다, 품질을 희생하다
    • Example: Cutting corners on safety measures can lead to serious consequences.
24. Don't put all your eggs in one basket: 모든 것을 하나의 것에 의지하지 말라
    • Example: Diversify your investments; don't put all your eggs in one basket.
25. Fish out of water: 자신의 환경에 어울리지 않는
    • Example: In a new school, he felt like a fish out of water.
26. Grasping at straws: 희망 없는 상황에서 허무맹랑하게 노력함
    • Example: He's grasping at straws trying to find an excuse for his failure.
27. Hit the nail on the head: 정확하게 이야기하다, 정확한 평가를 내리다
    • Example: You really hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the situation.
28. In the same boat: 비슷한 상황에 처해있는
    • Example: We're all in the same boat when it comes to dealing with the new regulations.
29. Jump ship: 탈퇴하다, 이탈하다
    • Example: Many employees decided to jump ship when the company faced financial difficulties.
30. Kick the bucket: 사망하다
    • Example: It's a morbid thought, but we all have to kick the bucket someday.
31. Leave no stone unturned: 가능한 모든 노력을 다하다
    • Example: We'll leave no stone unturned to find the missing documents.
32. Make a long story short: 긴 이야기를 간략하게 요약하다
    • Example: To make a long story short, we decided to cancel the trip due to bad weather.
33. No pain, no gain: 힘들게 노력하지 않으면 성과도 없다
    • Example: You have to work hard to succeed; no pain, no gain.
34. Off the beaten path: 주류에서 벗어난, 일반적이지 않은
    • Example: They decided to travel off the beaten path and explore remote villages.
35. Play it by ear: 상황에 따라서 대처하다
    • Example: We don't have a fixed plan; let's just

단순히 단어 하나하나의  뜻과는 다른 숙어는 그냥 통째로 외워 버리면 일상 표현에서 유용하게 사용할 때가 많다.

시원한 바람이 불기 시작하는 10월. 한동안 추춤했던 영어 공부 다시 start ~~!!