Idioms – I

Here are some common idioms.

Break the ice

To break the ice is to do or say things that will make people who don’t know each other well feel relaxed.

On thin ice

When you are on thin ice, you are in a very tricky situation.

The icing on the cake

The icing on the cake is a special feature that makes something good even better.

Ill at ease

When you are ill at ease, you are uncomfortable or embarrassed.

The ins and outs

The ins and outs means all the details.

Initiate someone into

To initiate someone into something is to introduce them to a new activity.

Make inroads into

To make inroads is to make a gradual entry into something.

Insure someone against

To insure someone against something is to protect them against a possible event.

Iron something out

To iron something out is to settle a problem or difficulty.

Jump down someone’s throat

To jump down someone’s throat is to respond to someone in a sudden and angry way.

Jump the queue

To jump the queue is to move ahead of your proper place in a queue.

Jump ship

To jump ship is to leave a ship without permission.

One jump ahead

When you are one jump ahead, you are one stage ahead of your rival.