200 Essential Newspaper Phrases with Their Meaning

In today’s fast-paced world, staying informed is crucial. Whether you’re reading the morning paper or browsing online news, understanding the language of journalism can significantly enhance your comprehension. This guide presents “200 Essential Newspaper Phrases with Their Meaning,” aimed at empowering you to navigate news stories with confidence. These phrases cover various topics, from political commentary to cultural critiques, enriching your reading experience and broadening your vocabulary. By familiarising yourself with these essential phrases, you’ll not only decode the nuances of journalism but also engage more deeply with the stories that shape our world. Let’s unlock the power of the written word!

15 Newspaper Phrases with Their Meaning

 

List of 200 commonly used English phrases along with their meanings:

• Break the ice—to initiate conversation in a social setting.
• A blessing in disguise: something that seems bad but results in something good.
• Hit the nail on the head—to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
• Piece of cake—something very easy to do.
• Cost an arm and a leg—to be very expensive.
• Let the cat out of the bag—to reveal a secret unintentionally.
• Burn the midnight oil—to work late into the night.
• Under the weather: to feel ill or unwell.
• Caught between a rock and a hard place—to be faced with two difficult choices.
• Jump on the bandwagon—to join a popular trend or activity.
• Bite the bullet—to face a difficult situation with courage.
• Call it a day—to stop working for the day.
• A dime a dozen—something very common and easily found.
• Back to square one—to start over from the beginning.
• Burning the candle at both ends—to exhaust oneself by working too hard.
• Cut corners—to do something in the easiest or cheapest way.
• A picture is worth a thousand words. A visual representation can convey a lot more information than words.
• Jumping through hoops—to go through a lot of challenges or difficulties.
• Throw in the towel—to give up or admit defeat.
• Pulling someone’s leg—to tease or joke with someone.
• Every cloud has a silver lining. There is something good in every bad situation.
• Barking up the wrong tree—to pursue the wrong course of action.
• Raining cats and dogs—to rain very heavily.
• Caught red-handed: to be caught in the act of doing something wrong.
• The ball is in your court. It’s your decision or responsibility to take action.
• Hit the road—to leave or depart.
• On thin ice—in a precarious or risky situation.
• The early bird catches the worm. Those who act quickly will have an advantage.
• Actions speak louder than words. What you do is more important than what you say.
• All ears—fully listening and paying attention.
• A penny for your thoughts: asking someone what they are thinking.
• Bite off more than you can chew—to take on more responsibility than you can handle.
• Break a leg—Good luck (often said to performers).
• By the skin of your teeth—just barely managing to do something.
• Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Don’t assume success until it actually happens.
• Feeling under the weather—feeling ill or unwell.
• Hit the hay—to go to bed.

30 Newspaper Phrases with Their Meaning

 

• Let sleeping dogs lie—avoiding a situation that could cause trouble.
• Once in a blue moon—something that happens very rarely.
• Spill the beans—to reveal a secret.
• Take it with a grain of salt—to not take something too seriously.
• The tip of the iceberg—a small, visible part of a much larger problem.
• To pull the wool over someone’s eyes—to deceive or trick someone.
• A stitch in time saves nine. Taking care of a problem promptly prevents it from becoming bigger.
• Bite the hand that feeds you—to harm someone who helps you.
• Cry over spilt milk—to be upset about something that cannot be changed.
• Every rose has its thorn. Even good things have disadvantages.
• Go out on a limb—to take a risk or put oneself in a vulnerable position.
• In hot water—in trouble or facing difficulties.
• Keep your chin up. Stay positive in a difficult situation.
• Miss the boat—to miss an opportunity.
• No pain, no gain—hard work is necessary to achieve success.
• Out of the frying pan and into the fire—going from a bad situation to a worse one.
• Put all your eggs in one basket—to risk everything on a single venture.
• The best of both worlds—a situation where you can enjoy the advantages of two different things.
• Throw caution to the wind—to take a risk without worrying about the consequences.
• Two heads are better than one—collaborating often leads to better results.
• When pigs fly—something that will never happen.
• You can’t judge a book by its cover. Don’t judge something based solely on appearance.
• A taste of your own medicine—Experiencing the same unpleasantness you have inflicted on others.
• All in the same boat: everyone is facing the same challenges.
• Bite the dust—to fail or to die.
• Caught off guard—to be surprised by something unexpected.
• Cold feet: to be nervous or afraid to go through with something.
• Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Don’t harm those who help you.
• Face the music—to confront the consequences of your actions.
• Fit as a fiddle—in excellent health.
• Get a taste of your own medicine—to receive the same treatment you have given to others.
• In a nutshell, to summarise something concisely.
• Jump the gun—to start something too early.
• Let the chips fall where they may—to let things take their natural course.
• Money talks—wealth can influence people and situations.
• Not playing with a full deck—someone who is not very smart or is acting irrationally.
• Out of the blue: Something unexpected or surprising.
• Piece of the pie: A share of something, usually money or profits.
• Put your money where your mouth is—to back up your words with action or financial support.
• Read between the lines—to understand the hidden meaning behind something.
• Saved by the bell—Saved from a difficult situation just in time.
• Seeing is believing. You have to see something to believe it.
• Sitting on the fence—to be indecisive or not take sides.
• Speak of the devil—when the person you were just talking about appears.
• Take it easy—to relax or calm down.
• The whole nine yards—everything; the entire amount.
• Up in the air—uncertain or undecided.
• Walking on eggshells—being very careful in a sensitive situation.
• What goes around comes around—actions will eventually come back to affect you.
• You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours—mutual benefit or help.
• Break the bank—to cost a lot of money.
• Face the music—to confront the consequences of one’s actions.
• Hit the ground running—to start a project or activity with enthusiasm and energy.
• Know the ropes—to understand how to do something.
• Leap of faith: a decision to believe or trust in something uncertain.
• On cloud nine: extremely happy or in a state of bliss.
• Play it by ear—to improvise or not plan ahead.
• Rule of thumb: A general principle based on experience.
• Shape up or ship out—to improve your behaviour or leave.
• The whole shebang: everything involved in a situation.
• Time flies. Time passes quickly.
• To break the news: to inform someone about something, usually bad news.
• Under the radar—not easily noticed or detected.
• A chip on your shoulder—being angry or upset about something.
• All bark and no bite—someone who makes threats but doesn’t act on them.
• As easy as pie. Very easy to do.
• At the drop of a hat, immediately, without hesitation.
• Barking up the wrong tree—to make a false assumption.
• Caught in the crossfire: to be caught in a conflict between two parties.
• Curiosity killed the cat. Being inquisitive can lead to trouble.
• Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Don’t assume success until it actually happens.
• Everything but the kitchen sink—almost everything imaginable.
• Feel the pinch—to feel financial strain.
• Give someone the cold shoulder—to ignore someone intentionally.
• Go against the grain: to do something in a way that is different from the usual or expected.
• Have a heart—to be compassionate or kind.
• If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Don’t change something that already works well.
• Jump on the bandwagon—to join others in doing something that is currently popular.
• Keep your eyes peeled—to be on the lookout.
• Know which way the wind blows—to be aware of current trends or situations.
• Last straw: the final problem in a series of problems that causes a person to give up.
• Let the cat out of the bag—to reveal a secret.
• Make ends meet—to have just enough money to cover expenses.
• Nip it in the bud—to stop something before it becomes a bigger problem.
• On the fence—undecided or neutral about an issue.

17 Newspaper Phrases with Their Meaning

• Out of your league—beyond one’s capabilities or social class.
• Penny wise, pound foolish: being careful with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts.
• Put your foot in your mouth—to say something embarrassing or inappropriate.
• Raining cats and dogs—raining heavily.
• Read the riot act—to reprimand someone sternly.
• Scapegoat: Someone who is blamed for the mistakes of others.
• Sow the seeds—to begin a process that will grow over time.
• Steal someone’s thunder—to take credit for someone else’s achievements.
• Take a back seat—to take a less active role in a situation.
• The ball is in your court. It’s your turn to take action.
• The elephant in the room—an obvious problem that people are ignoring.
• Throw caution to the wind—to take a risk.
• Time will tell. The truth of a situation will become clear in the future.
• Tread carefully—to be cautious.
• Turn a blind eye—to ignore something intentionally.
• Under the weather—feeling ill.
• Wipe the slate clean—to start fresh without any past problems.
• You can’t have your cake and eat it too. You can’t have it both ways.
• All in a day’s work—a typical or expected part of a job.
• As the crow flies—the shortest distance between two points.
• Bite your tongue—to refrain from speaking.
• Caught in the act: to be caught doing something wrong.
• Every dog has its day. Everyone will have a moment of success or recognition.
• Foot in the door: an initial step towards a goal or opportunity.
• Get a second wind—to gain renewed energy after fatigue.
• In the driver’s seat—in control of a situation.
• Kick the bucket—To die (informal).
• Let bygones be bygones—to forget past disagreements.
• Mind your Ps and Qs. Be careful about your behaviour and manners.
• Off the beaten path: away from popular or well-known areas.
• On the same page, in agreement or understanding.
• Put all your eggs in one basket—to risk everything on a single venture.
• Reap what you sow. You will face the consequences of your actions.
• Shooting fish in a barrel is an easy task.
• Throw in the towel—to give up or surrender.
• Under your nose—right in front of you.
• Wash your hands of something—to stop being involved with something.
• Wear your heart on your sleeve—to openly show your feelings.
• You can’t teach an old dog new tricks – It’s difficult to change someone’s established habits.
• A house of cards: a system or plan that is unstable.
• All’s well that ends well. If the outcome is good, then the difficulties are worth it.
• Caught in a bind—in a difficult situation.
• Crack the code—to solve a difficult problem or mystery.
• Dance to someone else’s tune—to do what someone else wants or directs.
• Get your act together—to organise yourself effectively.
• Keep a low profile—to stay out of the spotlight.
• Light at the end of the tunnel—a sign of improvement after a long period of difficulty.
• Nip something in the bud—to stop something at an early stage.
• Open a can of worms—to create a complicated situation.
• Put the cart before the horse—to do things in the wrong order.
• Run around in circles—to keep busy without making any progress.
• Steal the show—to attract the most attention.
• Take the bull by the horns—to confront a problem directly.
• The best of both worlds—a situation where you can enjoy two different opportunities.
• Throw caution to the wind—to act recklessly.
• Too good to be true—something that seems wonderful but likely isn’t.
• Wear many hats—to take on multiple roles or responsibilities.
• With a grain of salt—to view something with scepticism.
• You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. You can provide someone with an opportunity, but you can’t force them to take it.
• A wolf in sheep’s clothing—a deceptive person who appears harmless.
• Beating around the bush—avoiding the main topic or not speaking directly.
• Cry Wolf: To raise a false alarm.
• Hit the sack—to go to bed.
• In the nick of time—just in time; at the last possible moment.
• Jump the shark—a moment when something that was once popular begins to decline.
• Know the ropes—to understand the details of a situation or job.
• Living on borrowed time—surviving despite the likelihood of imminent failure.
• Make a long story short—to summarise something.
• No stone unturned—to make every possible effort.
• Out of sight, out of mind—If you don’t see someone, you forget about them.
• Putting the cart before the horse—to do things in the wrong order.
• Seeing the writing on the wall—recognising the signs of impending failure or danger.
• Spill the beans—to reveal a secret.
• Take it to heart—to take something seriously.
• The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The most noticeable (or loudest) problems get the most attention.
• Throw your hat into the ring—to announce your intention to compete or participate.
• Walking on thin ice—to be in a risky situation.
• You can’t have your cake and eat it too. You can’t have it both ways; making choices means giving something up.

20 Newspaper Phrases with Their Meaning