50 Atmosphere and Weather Idioms and What They Mean: Part 2

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Here at Spellzone we’ve been taking a look at various idioms and telling you exactly what they mean. Back in March, we shared a list of animal-related idioms and last week we started a list of idioms which use the atmosphere and weather as metaphors to describe something else.

In case you haven’t been following along, an idiom is a combination of words that has a figurative meaning separate from the actual definitions of the words used. There are an estimated 25,000 idioms in the English language and their existence is one of the reasons we believe English is so difficult to learn. Some users have even told us that knowing the meaning of certain idioms has saved them from an awkward moment or two!

Let’s take a look at 25 more atmosphere and weather-related idioms:

  1. To brighten up – to become more cheerful
  2. To take a shine to – to develop a liking for
  3. To make hay when the sun shines – to make the most of an opportunity while it lasts
  4. Come rain or shine – whatever the weather/situation
  5. To chase rainbows – to pursue something that is impossible/impractical
  6. To save for a rainy day – to put something aside for a future time in which it may be needed
  7. To wait for a raindrop in the drought – to wait/hope for something which has little chance of happening
  8. Right as rain – fit and healthy
  9. To take a rain check – to refuse an offer, while demonstrating enthusiasm to accept it in the future
  10. Into each life some rain must fall – everyone must experience difficulties or ill fortune at one time or another
  11. To rain on someone’s parade – to spoil someone’s plans/to prevent someone from enjoying themselves
  12. It never rains but it pours – misfortunes seem to either all come in quick succession or all come at once
  13. Raining cats and dogs – raining heavily
  14. Dry Spell – a period in which someone is having less success than usual
  15. Windfall – a large amount of money which is won or unexpectedly received
  16. To shoot the breeze – to have a casual conversation
  17. To get wind of something – to hear a rumour about something
  18. To know which way the wind blows – to understand what is happening in changing circumstances and be able to anticipate what will happen in the future
  19. To sail close to the wind – to verge on the limit of what is acceptable, allowed, or honourable
  20. To throw caution to the wind – to take a great risk/to behave recklessly
  21. Cloud/storm on the horizon – approaching problem
  22. Every cloud has a silver lining – every difficult situation has a more comforting and hopeful aspect
  23. Cloud nine – a state of great happiness
  24. To have your head in the clouds – to have unrealistic, impractical, or fanciful ideas
  25. “I don’t have the foggiest” – “I don’t have a clue” / “I have no idea”

Have a good week!

Avani Shah


06 May 2014
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