'What is an Idiom?': A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers

What is the definition of idiom? What are some examples of common idioms? In this short lesson, Creative Writing Professor Sindya Bhanoo answers these questions using examples from everyday English and the works of Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare. The video is designed to help high school and college English students identify and analyze the idioms they encounter in literature classes.

Spanish subtitles are now available for this video. To access these subtitles, click on the settings icon in the video.

Timestamps
0:00 Idiom Definition and Examples
0:49 Idioms in Literature
2:28 Idiom Word Origin and Cultural Specificity
3:54 Non-English Idioms
4:17 Idioms Conclusion

Below are a few more videos in the series. Please drop us a comment letting us know what literary terms you would like us to explore in future videos!

[SWLF]

If you enjoyed this video lesson, let us know by liking it, offering a comment on your favorite or least favorite idiom, or suggesting other literary terms that you'd like to see covered. Thanks so much!

[Khatoon]

Idiom is pharse or expression that usually presents figurative, non literary meaning attached to pharse . Oxford dictionary defines idiom as group of words whose meaning is different from meaning of individual words . For example piece of cake means very easy. Idiom can be used in dialogue to give more insight into who character is . Idioms are part of informal, conversational or colloquial usage . Idiom can be metaphor, but all idioms are metaphors . Thank you for your wonderful literary educational channel.

[Nia-yzft]

Thanks for the lesson. They're are some commonly used one's too.


“ in a pod”
“Once in a blue moon”
“In the seventh sky ”
“Locking horns with someone ”

[PokeABrain]

Thanks for the explanation!! very well done. Per your request, these are 'old' idioms in Spanish:
- Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres (Tell me who you hang out with and I will tell you who you are....) Kind of obvious but means let me observe the people you like to be with and I can deduct what kind of person you are ...lol
- Al mal escribano le estorban las barbas (bad writers get frustrated with their beard)... meaning, someone who has not enough skills to complete a task would blame anything as an excuse for their mediocre attempt..
- El que mas te quiere te hara llorar... (the one that loves you the most will make you cry...).. Like Mom not allowing her daughter to go out to a party because it's not safe... the 14 year old girl cries the whole weekend because of it but Mommy does it because she cares..
- La letra con sangre entra... (this is definitely old. People learn anything if they are punished... straight translation: 'With blood, letters enter' ( letters as the alphabet that enters your brain or memorized).. yep.

[nishantadas]

As a english literature student this type of videos are very useful for academics 🙏🔥keep it up guys ❤️

[Katiekay.]

The cat's pajamas
Hair of the dog
Three sheets to the wind
ln over my head ???
Piece of cake
My plate is full

[jasontait-gjhc]

we don't want to open a 'can of worms'
isn't a bad idiom