What is an idiom? – Use idiomatic expressions in your writing to make it more interesting
Idioms, as we know, are an excellent way to express yourself. They add beauty to your expressions in spoken or written form, and understanding them boosts your conversational skills. However, they are mostly used by native speakers in spoken English. Remember, an idiomatic expression or phrase can’t be taken literally as it carries a figurative meaning. It’s a group of certain words having a different meaning from the literal definition of the individual words. Over the past several months, we learnt idioms involving colors, plants and flowers, fun, happiness and many more.
Color idioms help to add colors to your expressions. Likewise, flower idioms encourage you to adorn your verbal-ism and illustration. Then come funny idioms which help you learn English idioms in a fun and a memorable way. Next, come sweet idioms to make your writing honeyed and sweetened. Similarly, you’ll find many categories of idioms on Write to Aspire’s platform which will help you to become fluent in the English language and communicate better with the native speakers.
List of Fruit Idioms With Meanings and Examples
Today we are going to learn fruit idioms. Let’s have a look at them and learn how to use fruit idioms in your writing.
Here is a list of 24 fruit idioms to make your writing more juicy.
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Go bananas
Meaning: to explode with anger or annoyance
Example: The passengers went bananas when they got to know that their train would be delayed by 3 hours.
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Apples and Oranges
Meaning: two things or persons that are entirely different
Example: Emma and Sara are twins, but apples and oranges.
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A plum job
Meaning: a desirable, well-paid and an easy job.
Example: Preferably, William would like to find himself a plum job in London.
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Go pear-shaped
Meaning: to go wrong; to be unsuccessful; to fail
Example: Our plan to visit New York this winter went pear-shaped.
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As red as a cherry
Meaning: exceptionally red in the face due to anger, embarrassment, shyness or physical strain
Example: James turned as red as a cherry when his boss praised him in front of the whole staff.
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Peaches and cream
Meaning: a trouble-free situation or problem
Example: William promised Sara that if she married him, life would be peaches and cream.
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Sour grapes
Meaning: pretend that something you can’t have is useless
Example: I don’t reckon it’s such a great job; it’s just sour grapes.
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Lemon
Meaning: something you buy is faulty or doesn’t work properly
Example: My car is a lemon; I always have to fix my car.
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Cherry-pick
Meaning: to select only the best things or people from a group
Example: Our teacher asked us to write down all of the ideas coming to our mind-we can cherry-pick the best ones later.
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The apple of one’s eye
Meaning: a person or thing that someone loves very much
Example: I love my daughter very much. She is the apple of my eye.
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Not give a fig
Meaning: to not care or neglect
Example: He never bothers voting as he doesn’t give a fig to politics.
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As cool as a cucumber
Meaning: to stay calm and peaceful even in awkward situation or perplexity
Example: Charlotte came to my engagement ceremony as cool as a cucumber even though she had lost her job.
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To be a peach
Meaning: to be sweet, attractive and helpful
Example: My 70 years old father is a peach.
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Top banana
Meaning: most influential, powerful or important person
Example: Who’s the top banana in ladies club?
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A bad apple
Meaning: a troublesome, wicked or corrupt person
Example: My mom doesn’t want me to see that boy anymore, he is a bad apple.
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A bowl of cherries
Meaning: full of pleasure, amusement or entertainment
Example: For some people, life is just a bowl of cherries.
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As American as apple pie
Meaning: typically, American
Example: They are as American as apple pie.
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To bear fruit
Meaning: to develop successfully, positively and profitably; to produce desired results
Example: A balanced diet always bears fruit for good health.
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Upset the apple cart
Meaning: to spoil or upset a plan
Example: My friend Sara always upsets the apple cart and never agrees with anybody in the class.
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A bite at the cherry
Meaning: a chance to do something
Example: Our teacher gave us a second bite at the cherry by allowing us to take the test again.
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The cherry on the cake
Meaning: the final thing that makes something perfect
Example: The fantastic weather on Sunday was the cherry on the cake.
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The apple never falls far from the tree
Meaning: family characteristics are generally inherited
Example: The amazing acting talent of her daughter proved that the apple never falls far from the tree.
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Speak with a plum in one’s mouth
Meaning: to speak in a manner that is typical of upper class
Example: He has started speaking with a plum in his mouth ever since he got admission in Harvard University.
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Banana republic
Meaning: a small, poor country with a weak or dishonest government
Example: Nobody can save our country from becoming a banana republic, if the current Prime Minister wins the election again.
The following infographic will help you to learn how to use low hanging fruit idiom in your writing and daily conversation.
