Idioms about the Sea

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  1. a big fish - an important or influential person
  2. a big fish in a small pond - someone who is important within a small/limited field
  3. a drop in the ocean - a small amount compared to what is expected
  4. a loan shark - a moneylender who charges very high interest rates
  5. a whale of a time - a very enjoyable time
  6. all’s fish that comes to net - you should take advantage of all that comes your way
  7. another kettle of fish - an entirely different thing
  8. any port in a storm - any source of relief or escape in an unfavourable situation
  9. fishy - suspicious
  10. in the doldrums - low-spirited, depressed
  11. like a fish out of water - in an uncomfortable/awkward situation
  12. like shooting fish in a barrel - very easy
  13. neither fish nor fowl - something that is difficult to classify
  14. packed like sardines - crowded
  15. plain sailing - smooth and easy progress
  16. plenty more fish in the sea - there are many other (and possibly more compatible) people in the world
  17. red herring - an intentionally misleading clue or piece of information
  18. the coast is clear - there’s no risk of getting caught
  19. the world is your oyster - you should take advantage of all the opportunities life has to offer you
  20. tip of the iceberg - the small visible part of a much larger and hidden problem
  21. to drink like a fish - to drink a lot of alcohol
  22. to have other/bigger fish to fry - to have other/more important matters to attend to
  23. to keep something at bay - to keep something from happening
  24. to make waves - to create an impression
  25. to rock the boat - to disrupt an existing situation with the intention of causing problems
  26. to run a tight ship - to be very strict about managing something
  27. to stem the tide - to prevent something bad from getting worse
  28. to tide someone over - to help someone get through a difficult time (usually financially)
  29. to turn to tide - to reverse the fashion

If you’ve found this post useful, why not check out our other articles on idioms?

Have a great week!


11 Jul 2016
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"Spellzone fits in beautifully with our Scope and Sequence of Phonological Awareness and Spelling. It also aligns perfectly with the four areas of spelling knowledge and uses the Brain, Ears, Eyes approach to learning spelling."
Thank you!

Teacher, Australia