Idioms (also: idiomatic expressions) are phrases with figurative rather than literal meaning.
See the most frequently asked idioms in WAEC and NECO English with their meanings, usage examples and practice questions.
See the idioms in WAEC and NECO English exam
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TABLE OF CONTENT
NECO | WAEC idioms (A)
- ALL HANDS ON DECK: everyone must help.
- With the deadline tomorrow, it’s all hands on deck.
- A PASSPORT TO SOMETHING: something that makes success or progress possible.
- Good education is a passport to a better future.
- A REGULAR BEDLAM: a scene of noise and confusion.
- The market was a regular bedlam on Saturday.
- A SKELETON IN THE CUPBOARD: a hidden, embarrassing secret.
- Every family has some skeletons in the cupboard.
- AS LIVELY AS A KITTEN: very energetic.
- Even at 70, she is as lively as a kitten.
WAEC | NECO idioms (B)
- BLAZE THE TRAIL: to be the first to do something new or different.
- She blazed the trail for women in engineering.
- BLOW ONE’S OWN TRUMPET: to boast about oneself.
- He’s always blowing his own trumpet about his success.
- BREAK NEW GROUND: to do something innovative.
- The scientists broke new ground with their discovery.
- BROAD SWEEP OF SOMETHING: the wide scope or range of something.
- The book covers the broad sweep of African history.
- BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR: to make unrealistic plans.
- He spends all day building castles in the air about being rich.
- BY A HAIR’S BREADTH: by a very small margin.
- He escaped death by a hair’s breadth in the accident.
- BY HOOK OR BY CROOK: by any means possible.
- He vowed to win the race by hook or by crook.
WAEC | NECO idioms (C)
- COME TO A HEAD: to reach a critical point.
- The dispute came to a head when workers went on strike.
- COME TO TERMS WITH SOMETHING: to accept a difficult situation.
- She finally came to terms with her father’s death.
- CUT OFF ONE’S OWN NOSE TO SPITE ONE’S FACE: to harm oneself while trying to hurt another.
- Refusing to go was like cutting off his own nose to spite his face.
NECO | WAEC idioms (D)
- DOVES AND HAWKS: people preferring peace (doves) versus war or aggression (hawks).
- In politics, doves and hawks often clash over military issues.
- DOWN TO EARTH: practical and realistic.
- She is rich but very down to earth.
Idioms in NECO | WAEC (E)
- EAT ONE’S WORDS: to admit being wrong.
- He had to eat his words after the team he mocked won the match.
- EATING ONE’S HEART OUT: to feel jealous or bitter sadness.
- She was eating her heart out when she saw her ex with another girl.
- EQUAL TO THE TASK: capable of handling something.
- She is equal to the task of managing the project.
- EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING: there is something good in every bad situation.
- Losing the job was hard, but every cloud has a silver lining—I found a better one.
WAEC | NECO idioms (F)
- FEATHER ONE’S OWN NEST: to use one’s position for personal (selfish) gain.
- The corrupt official was only feathering his own nest.
NECO | WAEC idioms (G)
- GET EVEN WITH SOMEONE: to take revenge.
- He promised to get even with the bully someday.
- GET INTO ONE’S HEAD: to understand something.
- I just can’t get these formula into my head.
- GET ONE’S OWN BACK: to take revenge on someone.
- She finally got her own back on her brother by hiding his phone.
- GIRD UP ONE’S LOINS: to prepare for hard work or difficulty.
- He girded up his loins and faced the challenge.
- GIVE AND TAKE: mutual compromise or cooperation.
- A good marriage requires a lot of give and take.
- GO OFF THE RAILS: to behave in a strange or unacceptable way.
- After losing his job, he went off the rails and started drinking heavily.
- GO TOO FAR: to overstep limits.
- His joke went too far and offended people.
- GO/GET TO ONE’S HEAD: to make someone proud or arrogant.
- Fame went to his head and he became rude.
- GO WITH A SWING: to be lively and successful.
- The party went with a swing after the band arrived.
WAEC | NECO idioms (H)
- HAND IN GLOVE: working very closely together, often secretly.
- The two companies are hand in glove on this deal.
- HANDS DOWN: easily or without a doubt.
- She is hands down the best player in the team.
- HAVE A FIELD DAY: to take advantage of an opportunity, often to criticize or exploit.
- The press had a field day with the scandal.
- HOLD BRIEF FOR SOMEONE: to defend or support someone.
- The lawyer held brief for the accused in court.
- HOLD SOMEONE SPELLBOUND: to completely fascinate or captivate.
- The storyteller held the children spellbound.
- HOLD THE FORTE: to be in charge temporarily.
- She held the forte while her boss was on holiday.
- HOOK, LINE AND SINKER: completely, without question.
- She believed his lies hook, line and sinker.
Idioms in NECO | WAEC (K)
- KEEP AN EYE ON SOMETHING OR SOMEONE: to watch carefully.
- Please keep an eye on my bag while I go out.
- KEEP ONE’S FINGERS CROSSED: to hope for good luck.
- Keep your fingers crossed for me during the exam.
- KEEP ONE’S HEAD ABOVE WATER: to manage to survive, especially financially or in difficult times.
- Despite losing his job, he managed to keep his head above water by doing part-time work.
- KEEP ONE’S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE: to work hard and steadily.
- He kept his nose to the grindstone and finished the project on time.
WAEC | NECO idioms (L)
- LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED: to try every possible way.
- She left no stone unturned in her search for the missing child.
- LET THE GRASS GROW UNDER ONE’S FEET: to waste time or delay.
- Don’t let the grass grow under your feet—apply for the job now!
NECO | WAEC idioms (M)
- MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW: to try to do something without the necessary resources.
- The workers complained they were asked to make bricks without straw.
- MAKE ONE’S BLOOD BOIL: to make someone very angry.
- The unfair decision made her blood boil.
- MAKE ONE’S MARK: to become noticed or successful.
- She made her mark as a talented writer.
NECO | WAEC idioms (N)
- NIP SOMETHING IN THE BUD: to stop something at an early stage.
- The manager nipped the quarrel in the bud before it spread.
- NOT ONE’S CUP OF TEA: not something one likes.
- Horror movies are not my cup of tea.
WAEC | NECO idioms (O)
- ONCE IN A BLUE MOON: very rarely.
- We only see each other once in a blue moon.
- ON TENTERHOOKS: in a state of nervous suspense or anxiety.
- She was on tenterhooks waiting for the exam results.
- OUT OF THE WOODS: out of difficulty or danger.
- The company is improving, but it’s not out of the woods yet.
NECO | WAEC idioms (P)
- PULL THE WOOL OVER ONE’S EYES: to deceive or trick someone.
- Don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes—I know the truth.
- PUT IN A GOOD WORD FOR SOMEONE: to recommend someone.
- She put in a good word for her friend at the interview.
WAEC | NECO idioms (R)
- READ SOMEONE THE RIOT ACT: to warn or scold someone severely.
- The teacher read the students the Riot Act for cheating.
NECO | WAEC idioms (S)
- SECOND NATURE: something done so often that it now feels natural.
- Driving has become second nature to her.
- SEND SOMEONE TO COVENTRY: to deliberately ignore or snub someone.
- After the argument, his colleagues sent him to Coventry.
- SET LITTLE STORE BY SOMETHING: to regard something as unimportant.
- He sets little store by formal education.
- SHADOW OF ONE’S FORMER SELF: much weaker or less capable than before.
- After the illness, he was only a shadow of his former self.
- SMELL A RAT: to suspect that something is wrong.
- She smelt a rat when he refused to answer questions.
- STEER A MIDDLE COURSE: to avoid extremes.
- The government steered a middle course between the two parties.
- SWAN SONG: someone’s final performance or effort.
- The concert was the singer’s swan song before retirement.
- SWEEP OFF THEIR FEET: to overwhelm with admiration or love.
- He swept her off her feet with flowers and kind words.
- SWEEP THE BOARD: to win everything available.
- Our school swept the board at the debate competition.
WAEC | NECO idioms (T)
- TAKE EXCEPTION TO SOMETHING: to be offended by something.
- She took exception to his rude remark.
- TAKE TIME BY THE FORELOCK: to seize an opportunity quickly.
- He took time by the forelock and invested early.
- TALK THROUGH ONE’S HAT: to talk nonsense.
- Ignore him; he’s talking through his hat again.
- TEAR ONE’S HAIR OUT: to be extremely worried or frustrated.
- She was tearing her hair out over her missing passport.
- THE CREAM OF SOCIETY: the best or most distinguished people.
- The party was attended by the cream of society.
- THE LAST WORD IN SOMETHING: the most modern or advanced example.
- Their new phone is the last word in technology.
- THROW DUST IN SOMEONE’S EYES: to deceive someone.
- He threw dust in their eyes with his fake documents.
- TIGHTEN ONE’S BELT (BELT-TIGHTENING): to spend less or live more frugally.
- Families had to tighten their belts during the recession.
- TONGUE IN CHEEK: joking or not meant to be taken seriously.
- His comment about quitting was tongue in cheek.
- TOO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE: too many activities at the same time.
- He failed because he had too many irons in the fire.
- TRUE TO A DEGREE: partly correct.
- His statement was true to a degree but not the whole story.
- TURN A BLIND EYE: to deliberately ignore something.
- The manager turned a blind eye to the mistakes.
- TURN THE CORNER: to begin to improve after difficulties.
- After months of illness, she finally turned the corner and recovered.
- TURN THE TABLES: to reverse a situation to one’s advantage.
- He turned the tables on his opponent and won the game.
NECO | WAEC idioms (W)
- WITH FLYING COLOURS: with great success.
- She passed her exams with flying colours.
- WITH ONE’S TAIL BETWEEN ONE’S LEGS: feeling ashamed or defeated.
- He returned home with his tail between his legs after failing the exam.
- WITHOUT TURNING A HAIR: without showing any emotion.
- She told the shocking news without turning a hair.
Source: WAEC past questions
Practice questions on NECO and WAEC idioms
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