Idioms can be defined as a group of words that have grammatically unusual meaning. In simple words, their meaning cannot be taken literally. Idioms have expressions peculiar to a language.
Examples:
It's raining cats and dogs!
- This means, it is raining heavily.
Please hear me out.
- This means, please hear me to the end.
It's raining cats and dogs!
- This means, it is raining heavily.
Please hear me out.
- This means, please hear me to the end.
Many verbs, when followed by various prepositions, or adverbs, acquire an idiomatic sense.
Examples:
The burglars broke into (entered by force) the house.
We hope she will come round (agree) to our views.
Jack has got through (passed) his test.
They have run into (incurred) debt.
The burglars broke into (entered by force) the house.
We hope she will come round (agree) to our views.
Jack has got through (passed) his test.
They have run into (incurred) debt.
Observe the following idioms and notice that metaphor enters largely into idiomatic phraseology. Metaphor is a figure of speech in which an object is regarded as symbolic of something else.
Examples:
I have it at my fingers' ends (know it thoroughly).
The police came to the scene in the nick of time (just at the right moment).
I have it at my fingers' ends (know it thoroughly).
The police came to the scene in the nick of time (just at the right moment).