idiom
/'idiəm/
Definition
- Noun:
- A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words: An idiom is a fixed expression whose overall meaning is different from the literal meaning of its component words.
- A distinctive style or form of expression in art, music, or language: An idiom can refer to the characteristic manner of expression of a particular individual, group, or period.
- The specific language or dialect of a people, region, or class: An idiom can denote the language or speech pattern peculiar to a specific community.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Fixed Expression):
- "Kick the bucket" is an English idiom meaning "to die."
- She used the idiom "it's raining cats and dogs" to describe the heavy rain.
- Noun (Style of Expression):
- The composer's late works are written in a complex harmonic idiom.
- The painter developed a unique visual idiom.
- Noun (Characteristic Language):
- The technical idiom of computer programmers can be hard for outsiders to understand.
- He writes in the idiom of 19th-century romantic poetry.
Advanced Usage
- "In the idiom of...": Using the characteristic style or language of a particular field or period.
- The building was designed in the idiom of classical modernism.
- "Idiomatic expression": Often used as a more formal synonym for an idiom in its most common sense (a non-literal phrase).
- "Break a leg" is an idiomatic expression used to wish someone good luck.
Variants and Related Words
- Idiomatic (adj): Using, containing, or characteristic of idioms; natural to a native speaker.
- Her English is fluent and idiomatic.
- Idiomatically (adv): In an idiomatic manner.
- The phrase is used idiomatically, not literally.
Synonyms
- Expression (for the fixed phrase meaning).
- Parlance (for the characteristic language of a group).
- Jargon (for the specialized language of a profession or group).
- Style, Manner (for the artistic expression meaning).
Related Phrases
- Idiom of the day: A common feature in language learning, highlighting one idiom daily.
- Our teacher introduces an idiom of the day to help us sound more natural.
Related Idioms
(Note: These are examples of idioms, not idioms containing the word "idiom") - "Piece of cake": Something very easy to do. - The test was a piece of cake. - "Spill the beans": To reveal a secret. - Don't spill the beans about the surprise party.
Noun
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an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up
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the style of a particular artist or school or movement
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an imaginative orchestral idiom
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the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people
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the immigrants spoke an odd dialect of English
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he has a strong German accent
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it has been said that a language is a dialect with an army and navy
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a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language
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