Idioms and phrases are a group of words that are commonly used in everyday English to communicate specific ideas or opinions. Understanding English idioms and phrases is essential because they help you learn what someone means when they use them during a conversation. Idioms and phrases can help you improve your conversational as well as interpersonal skills. When you use these idioms and phrases correctly, it shows that you are a learned English speaker. It helps you feel more comfortable and confident with your conversational skills and the more you practise them, the better you become at speaking English.
As you may have guessed from the title of this article, we are going to talk about some idioms that are related to money. You can use these phrases in daily conversation to make yourself a fluent English speaker. These phrases and idioms are famous and used at different places informally or formally. I am sure these phrases and idioms will be an addition to your language skills.
- Ante up (Something)
Meaning – To give money (unwillingly)
Example – Most people have been persuaded to ante up an enormous amount of money for the donations.
2. (As) Poor as a Church Mouse
Meaning – To be poor
Example – He was as poor as a church mouse when he was young.
3. Big Bucks
Meaning – A big amount of money
Example – She earns big bucks as a doctor.
4. Break Even
Meaning – To earn a certain amount of money but not make any profit or loss at the end of a business activity
Example – We could not break even last year.
5. Break The Bank
Meaning – To cost too much
Example – If you spend Rs.500 on this dress, it will not break the bank.
6. (As) Sound as a Dollar
Meaning – Something that is completely secure and dependable
Example – I assure you that this investment is as sound as a dollar.
7. (As) Phony as a Three-Dollar Bill
Meaning – Something that is completely fake or false
Example – She was trying to sell her jewellery, but it was as phony as a three-dollar bill.
8. At All Costs
Meaning – To do or avoid something no matter what
Example – We need to get those tenders at all costs.
9. At a Premium
Meaning – When something is at a premium, it is in demand, but difficult to get.
Example – I sold the books at a premium.
10. At a Price
Meaning – Something that requires great expense or involves unpleasant consequences
Example – Sometimes fame comes at a price.
11. Pay the Price
Meaning – To face bad consequences because you have done something
Example – If you let him come into your life again, you will pay the price.
12. You Can Bet Your Bottom Dollar
Meaning – It is used to emphasize that something will certainly happen
Example – You can bet your bottom dollar he is the culprit.
13. Beyond One’s Means
Meaning – Beyond one’s income or budget
Example – You shouldn’t live beyond your means.
14. Almighty Dollar
Meaning – It’san idiom that implies that money is a god or deity or source of power
Example – To live happily, you don’t just need the almighty dollar, but also good health.
15. Bang for One’s Buck
Meaning – Value in return for money
Example – They will insist on getting the bang for their buck.
16. Born With a Silver Spoon in One’s Mouth
Meaning – Born into a rich family and having a privileged upbringing
Example – She is born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
17. Bottom Dollar
Meaning – It means the last dollar (in your wallet or pocket)
Example – I think I have the bottom dollar in my wallet.
18. Bread and Butter
Meaning – The job or activity that provides someone with money to earn their livelihood
Example – Cooking at the hotel is my bread and butter.
19. Bring Home The Bacon
Meaning – To earn money for a family to live on
Example – One of us has got to bring home the bacon.
20. Burn a Hole in One’s Pocket
Meaning – If you say that money is burning a hole in someone’s pocket, it means that they are eager to spend their money
Example – The money that he has been rewarded with is burning a hole in his pocket.
21. Buy (Someone) Out
Meaning – To pay someone to give up their ownership or a share of something
Example – He bought his friend out and now he is the legitimate owner of the company.
22. Cash in One’s Chips
Meaning – To sell something, like an investment, in order to raise money.
Example – He will probably cash in his chips if we don’t comply with his request.
23. Cash on The Barrelhead
Meaning – Payment at the time of purchase or service (as opposed to buying something on credit)
Example – I usually pay cash on the barrelhead when I buy something.
24. Chip in
Meaning – When many people chip in, they contribute money, so that they can pay for something
Example – Each member of the family chipped in to buy a couch.
25. Clean Up
Meaning – To make a substantial profit or get a lot of money
Example – We hope we will clean up during the holiday season this year.
26. See The Colour of Someone’s Money
Meaning – To see the colour of someone’s money means to make sure that someone is paying or going to pay for something
Example – He has never made a deal in the business unless he sees the colour of his potential partners’ money.
27. Hold/Control The Purse Strings
Meaning – When a person holds or controls the purse strings, he or she controls how the money is spent in a particular family or country.
Example – My mother controls the purse strings in our family.
28. Cook The Books
Meaning – To alter the numbers in the accounts or financial records dishonestly, especially to steal money from it
Example – He could have cooked the books and made himself a lot of money.
29. Cost a Pretty Penny
Meaning – To be very expensive
Example – The car must have cost you a pretty penny.
30. Cost Someone Dear
Meaning – To cause someone to spend a lot of money on something or incur a loss
Example – Buying this house has cost me dear.
31. Cut One’s Losses
Meaning – To stop spending money on an unprofitable or unsuccessful business or activity
Example – If you cannot accept it, you should cut your losses and move on.
32. A Dime a Dozen
Meaning – Of no particular value or very common
Example – Wallets like this are a dime a dozen.
33. Feel The Pinch
Meaning – To experience the problems caused because you do not have much amount of money
Example – We really started to feel the pinch when our father lost his job during the pandemic.
34. Look/Feel Like a Million Dollars/Bucks
Meaning – To feel or look happy (often because you are wearing something that costs a lot of money)
Example – You look like a million dollars, dear.
35. Get One’s Money’s Worth
Meaning – To receive a good value for something you have paid for
Example – I bought this couch a few years ago. I have really got my money’s worth from this couch.
36. Go Broke
Meaning – To spend or lose all of your money
Example – she went broke when she lost her job.
37. Grease Someone’s Palm
Meaning – To give someone a certain amount of money secretly in order to persuade them to do something for you
Example – In my opinion, we do not need to grease anyone’s palm to make this deal.
38. (Have) Sticky Fingers
Meaning – To be likely to steal
Example – The accountant was fired because he had sticky fingers.
39. Hit The Jackpot
Meaning – To make a huge profit quickly and usually through luck
Example – My brother hit the jackpot with his new invention.
40. Keep One’s Head Above Water
Meaning – To be able to manage your finances, especially when you are financially unstable
Example – With this new business, we are just trying to keep our heads above water.