- Under the weather – Feeling sick.
Example: I couldn’t go to work because I was under the weather. - Weather the storm – Survive a difficult situation.
Example: The company managed to weather the storm during the recession. - Come rain or shine – No matter what happens.
Example: She jogs every morning, come rain or shine. - Rain cats and dogs – Rain heavily.
Example: It was raining cats and dogs all night. - Fair-weather friend – A friend who is only around during good times.
Example: He turned out to be just a fair-weather friend. - Break the ice – Start a conversation in a social setting.
Example: The teacher told a joke to break the ice with the new students. - Every cloud has a silver lining – Something good can come from a bad situation.
Example: Losing the job was hard, but it led me to start my own business—every cloud has a silver lining. - Get wind of something – Hear a rumor.
Example: The police got wind of the robbery before it happened. - Steal someone’s thunder – Take attention away from someone.
Example: She stole my thunder by announcing her engagement at my party. - A storm in a teacup – A big fuss over something small.
Example: Their argument was just a storm in a teacup. - On cloud nine – Extremely happy.
Example: She was on cloud nine after winning the competition. - Throw caution to the wind – Take a risk.
Example: He threw caution to the wind and invested all his savings. - Chase rainbows – Pursue unrealistic dreams.
Example: Don’t waste your life chasing rainbows; focus on achievable goals. - Cloud over – To become gloomy.
Example: His face clouded over when he heard the bad news. - Face like thunder – Very angry expression.
Example: She came in with a face like thunder after the meeting. - Save for a rainy day – Save money for future needs.
Example: You should save for a rainy day instead of spending it all. - Storm out – Leave angrily.
Example: He stormed out of the room after the argument. - In the eye of the storm – At the center of a difficult situation.
Example: The manager was in the eye of the storm during the crisis. - Lightning fast – Very quick.
Example: The player made a lightning-fast move to score. - Calm before the storm – A quiet time before trouble begins.
Example: The classroom was silent, the calm before the storm of the exam. - Take by storm – To become suddenly popular.
Example: The new song took the internet by storm. - A ray of sunshine – Something or someone that brings happiness.
Example: The baby is a ray of sunshine in their lives. - Head in the clouds – Daydreaming.
Example: He never listens in class; his head is always in the clouds. - A perfect storm – The worst possible combination of events.
Example: The pandemic and recession created a perfect storm for businesses. - Snowed under – Overwhelmed with work.
Example: I’m snowed under with assignments this week. - Under a cloud – Suspected of wrongdoing.
Example: The minister resigned under a cloud of corruption allegations. - Cold shoulder – To ignore someone.
Example: She gave him the cold shoulder after the fight. - Rain check – Postpone an invitation.
Example: Can I take a rain check on dinner tonight? - Chilled to the bone – Extremely cold.
Example: We were chilled to the bone waiting outside in the snow. - Make hay while the sun shines – Take advantage of good opportunities.
Example: You should make hay while the sun shines and accept the offer. - As right as rain – Perfectly fine or healthy.
Example: Don’t worry, I’ll be as right as rain in a few days. - Snowball effect – A situation that grows rapidly.
Example: The rumor spread with a snowball effect. - Come in from the cold – Return to acceptance.
Example: After years of exile, he came in from the cold politically. - Hot air – Empty talk.
Example: His promises are just a lot of hot air. - Be on thin ice – In a risky situation.
Example: He’s on thin ice with his boss after coming late again. - Jack Frost – Personification of cold weather.
Example: Jack Frost was at work last night; the windows were frozen. - Chase the clouds away – To make someone feel happier.
Example: Her laughter chased the clouds away. - Hail storm – A situation with a lot of criticism.
Example: The minister faced a hail storm of questions from reporters. - Hot under the collar – Angry or upset.
Example: He got hot under the collar during the debate. - Twist in the wind – Left without support.
Example: The workers were left twisting in the wind after the company closed. - Windfall – Sudden financial gain.
Example: Winning the lottery was a huge windfall for him. - Cloud on the horizon – Trouble likely to happen.
Example: The new competitor is a cloud on the horizon for our company. - Hot and cold – Changeable in mood.
Example: He runs hot and cold in relationships. - Storm brewing – Trouble is coming.
Example: A storm is brewing between the two political parties. - Snow job – Deceptive talk.
Example: The salesman gave me a snow job about the car’s condition. - Icebreaker – Something to ease tension.
Example: The game was a great icebreaker at the meeting. - Full of hot air – Talking nonsense.
Example: Don’t listen to him; he’s full of hot air. - Hurricane force – Very powerful.
Example: The protest hit the city with hurricane force. - Cool as a cucumber – Very calm.
Example: She stayed cool as a cucumber during the interview. - Bolt from the blue – Something sudden and unexpected.
Example: His resignation was a bolt from the blue. - Cold comfort – Small consolation.
Example: The apology was cold comfort after the damage done. - Thunderstruck – Shocked.
Example: She was thunderstruck when she heard the news. - In a fog – Confused.
Example: He was in a fog after hearing about the accident. - Calm waters – A peaceful situation.
Example: After months of conflict, the country is now in calm waters. - Hot seat – A position under pressure.
Example: The coach is in the hot seat after consecutive losses. - Blow hot and cold – Be inconsistent.
Example: He keeps blowing hot and cold about the plan. - A stormy relationship – A relationship full of arguments.
Example: They had a stormy relationship before divorcing. - Freeze out – To exclude.
Example: He was frozen out of the group after the argument. - Cold feet – Nervousness before a big event.
Example: He got cold feet before the wedding. - Raining on someone’s parade – Spoiling someone’s plans.
Example: Don’t rain on my parade by criticizing everything. - When it rains, it pours – Problems happen all at once.
Example: First I lost my job, then my car broke down—when it rains, it pours. - Freeze up – To stop working due to nerves or cold.
Example: She froze up during her speech. - Cloud nine – A state of great happiness.
Example: He was on cloud nine after his promotion. - Hot topic – A popular subject.
Example: The elections are a hot topic in the news. - Misty-eyed – Tearful.
Example: She got misty-eyed during the wedding. - Lightning strike – A sudden powerful event.
Example: The scandal hit like a lightning strike. - Wind down – To relax.
Example: After work, I like to wind down with a book. - Cool off – To calm down.
Example: Take a walk and cool off before we talk again. - Brainstorm – To generate ideas.
Example: Let’s brainstorm ways to improve sales. - Throw cold water on – Discourage something.
Example: He threw cold water on my business idea. - Thunder down – To make a loud noise.
Example: The train thundered down the track. - Cloud one’s judgment – To affect decisions.
Example: Anger clouded his judgment. - Fair skies – Good times ahead.
Example: After the recession, fair skies are finally here. - Frosty reception – Cold and unfriendly welcome.
Example: The politician got a frosty reception from voters. - Whirlwind romance – A fast-paced romance.
Example: They had a whirlwind romance and married quickly. - Snowball chance in hell – Almost no chance.
Example: He has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. - Blow over – To pass without serious effect.
Example: The scandal will blow over soon. - Like greased lightning – Extremely fast.
Example: The car moved like greased lightning. - Breeze through – To do something easily.
Example: She breezed through the exam. - Break like a thunderclap – Sudden shocking news.
Example: The divorce broke like a thunderclap. - Scattered showers – A few problems here and there.
Example: The journey had only scattered showers of difficulty. - Rain or shine – No matter what.
Example: The event will happen rain or shine. - Like a thunderbolt – Very sudden.
Example: The news hit him like a thunderbolt. - In the doldrums – Feeling sad or depressed.
Example: He’s been in the doldrums since losing his job. - Storm off – Leave angrily.
Example: She stormed off after the argument. - Blizzard of activity – A lot of activity.
Example: The office was in a blizzard of activity before the deadline. - On ice – Postponed.
Example: The project is on ice until further notice. - Lightning never strikes twice – Unlikely to happen again.
Example: Don’t worry, lightning never strikes twice. - Freeze the assets – Block financial resources.
Example: The government froze the criminal’s assets. - A wind of change – New developments.
Example: A wind of change is sweeping through politics. - Cold snap – Sudden cold weather.
Example: The crops were damaged by a cold snap. - Cloud the issue – Make something unclear.
Example: His explanation just clouded the issue. - Thunderous applause – Very loud clapping.
Example: The singer got thunderous applause at the concert. - Warm front – A sign of friendliness.
Example: His smile was a warm front to the visitors. - As pure as driven snow – Completely innocent.
Example: She appeared as pure as driven snow. - A breeze – Something easy.
Example: The exam was a breeze for him. - Calm as a millpond – Very calm and quiet.
Example: The lake was calm as a millpond. - Rainmaker – Someone who brings in business or success.
Example: The lawyer is known as a rainmaker at the firm. - Dark cloud – A sign of trouble.
Example: A dark cloud hung over the negotiations. - Storm out of the blue – Unexpected trouble.
Example: The crisis was a storm out of the blue.