Just like a house or a home, idioms and expressions are integral parts of daily life. Due to their non-literal nature, many people wonder what are idioms and what do they mean? These quick expressions explain common scenarios in an abstract manner. Everyday events are frequently centered on houses. After a vacation, everyone wants to return home to resume their routine. The normalcy of life at home has made houses a common theme in many idioms. Here are 10 examples of idioms that are based on home and farm life.
To download high-resolution poster click here
Embed this image to your site:
1.) Go home to get beauty sleep
Here’s an example.
Jamie needs to get up early. We’d better let her go home to get her beauty sleep.
2.) Run home to mama
When someone runs home to mama, it means they are giving up something important like marriage to return to a comfortable place. Here’s an example.
Whenever Paul gets hurt, he runs home to mama.
3.) Close to home
When something is uncomfortably near or real, it’s close to home. Here’s an example.
John’s remarks about distracted drivers hit Mary close to home because her mother died in a car accident.
4.) Coming home to roost
Mistakes from the past often come back to haunt people. Here’s an example.
Jerry tore his pants climbing over a fence. He knew the chickens would come home to roost when his mom noticed the tear.
5.) Until the cows come home
A herd of cows does what it wants on its own schedule. There’s no predicting their actions. They will return from the pasture in an indefinite period of time. Here’s an example.
Mark told Miranda he would love her until the cows came home.
6.) The lights are on, but nobody’s home
This humorous idiom does not mean that a family has gone out and left the lights blazing. It traditionally means someone is attractive but not very smart. Here’s an example.
The male model was handsome but stupid. His lights are on, but nobody’s home.
7.) Eaten out of house and home
This idiom is frequently applied to guests or children who are prone to raiding refrigerators and pantries. Here’s an example.
When Irene visits her grandparents, she always eats them out of house and home.
8.) A home away from home
Some people have vacation homes, and other people have stomping grounds that they know intimately. Here’s an example.
Mike goes to Baltimore every weekend. It’s his home away from home.
9.) It’s nothing to write home about
If something is particularly boring or mundane, it is nothing to write home about. Here’s an example.
The meal was okay, but it was nothing to write home about.
10.) Home is where the heart is
In some cases, a home is an intangible location based on emotions. This idiom signifies individuals who follow their hearts, or it can describe individuals who wish to return to their beloved home. Here’s an example.
Josephine decided to travel to China with her boyfriend. After all, home is where the heart is.
Home-related idioms and expressions can be silly, comforting or insightful. These are just a few of the English idioms that represent concrete and abstract ideas about homes. If you liked one of these idioms or would like to share one of your own, please mention it in the comments section.