Do You Know These 8 Very British Idioms?

You’re about to learn 8 British idioms. Also check out 5 Common British English Words.

So you can express yourself beautifully in English (partly thanks to our big tenses review, right?!).

You know the tenses, your vocabulary is awesome, you know how to feel comfortable in different situations and you can describe the awesome and terrible people around you.

So you feel more comfortable and start joining in English conversations more.

Good for you! You rock!

Then someone throws an idiom at you, and you look like this:

via GIPHY

Idioms are not only a wonderful way of expressing yourself like an expert English speaker, but they also give you a great insight into how the culture of the language works.

So today I want to introduce you 8 very British idioms.

For each idiom, you’re going to:

• See an example of the idiom in a natural situation
• Learn the meaning of the idiom
• Know how to use it
• Know when to use it

So let’s get started, shall we?

British Idiom #1: That’s not on

What does it mean?

This is a modern version of an even more British-sounding idiom, “that’s not cricket.”

It means “that’s not acceptable” or “that’s not OK.”

OK. How can I use it?

The formula here is pretty simple:

That’s not on!

or

It’s not on!

We usually use this phrase with “it” or “that.”

Great. When can I use it?

You can use it in any situation when you’re feeling (at least a bit) angry about something.

But be careful: If you’re angry with someone, don’t say this idiom to their face — it might seem aggressive.

Of course, if you really want to show your anger, then go ahead. But don’t blame me if they hit you, yeah?

British Idiom #2: Not my cup of tea

What does it mean?

When you say “it’s not my cup of tea,” you mean that it’s not something you particularly like. (We usually shorten the phrase to “not my cup of tea.”)

It’s something you don’t enjoy.

We can also say “it’s not my thing,” which is a bit more common these days.

OK. How can I use it?

In the 1800s, this idiom was commonly used in the positive, as in, “Oh, giraffe tennis? That’s just my cup of tea!”

But sometime in the 20th century, we started using it to describe things that we DON’T like.

You can use pronouns:

That’s not my cup of tea.

No, it’s not my cup of tea.

Or you can specify the subject:

Dolphin football’s not really my cup of tea.

Running 10 miles in the winter wearing just a baseball cap isn’t my cup of tea. I prefer giraffe tennis.

Great. When can I use it?

Good news. You can pretty much use this in any situation.

It’s not rude. It’s not super formal but it’s not super informal, either. It’s right in the middle ground.

So you can use it with the Queen of England when you meet her. (We all meet her all the time, right?)

But you can also use it with your best friend’s strange cousin. Possibly after he’s invited you to some more giraffe tennis.

British Idiom #4: On the back foot

What does it mean?

This idiom is usually used in competitive situations, like sports, politics or business.

It means “in a defensive position” or “in a losing position.”

OK. How can I use it?

The formula for this is pretty simple: be + on the back foot

Manchester has been on the back foot for the whole match.

Or we can use the phrase “put someone on the back foot”:

Wow! The Prime Minister called a snap election!* That’s really put the opposition on the back foot.

*sudden election

Great. When can I use it?

You’ll be happy to hear that you can use this one in pretty much any situation.

It’s particularly popular in the world of politics. You can see why, right?

British Idiom #5: It’s all gone Pete Tong!

What does it mean?

It means “it’s all gone wrong!”

OK. How can I use it?

This is one of those idioms that you can only really use one way, and that’s by using all the words.

So you need to say:

It’s all gone Pete Tong.

That’s it!

Great. When can I use it?

This one is definitely not one to use at work or with that weird-eyed woman I mentioned above. She really is weird.

That’s because this one is very informal. So stick to using it with your friends and that very nice cousin!

By the way, this is an example of Cockney rhyming slang. It’s a sophisticated form of slang. Here’s how it works: You take a word. Let’s take the word “phone”: Phone What rhymes with phone? Let’s use that instead: Phone → bone OK. And what can we say with this word “bone”? Dog and bone Now this phrase, “dog and bone,” can be used instead of “phone.” Sorry I didn’t answer the door, I was on the dog and bone. However, we usually remove the second word, so we're left with: Sorry I didn’t answer the door, I was on the dog. Fun, isn’t it?

British Idiom #6: Keep your wig on

What does it mean?

“Calm down!” “Don’t get so angry!”

I like this one, because it’s easy to imagine someone getting so angry that he loses his wig.

OK. How can I use it?

Use this idiom when you want to tell someone that they’re getting angry unnecessarily.

Don’t change any of the words. This idiom only works with the exact words:

Keep your wig on.

Great. When can I use it?

Be a bit careful with this one.

If you use this with someone you don’t know well, they might get even more angry.

Use it when you actually want to show that you’re getting annoyed with someone for getting angry.

British Idiom #6: Have a bun in the oven

What does it mean?

This just means “pregnant”!

That’s it!

I guess the bun is the baby and the oven is the womb.

OK. How can I use it?

We usually use this one with “have got”:

She’s not drinking. She’s got a bun in the oven!

Great. When can I use it?

This is quite informal, but not too “street.”

You can use this in almost any situation except for formal ones.

This one is, however, a little old fashioned, so you might want to avoid using it with your trendy 17-year-old niece (who, hopefully, doesn’t have a bun in the oven!).

British Idiom #8: On the blink

What does it mean?

When something’s “on the blink” it means it’s not working properly. Probably because it’s too old.

There’s also a strong implication that it’s come to the end of its life. Like a computer from the ’80s or the hipster movement (I hope!).

OK. How can I use it?

We usually use this idiom to refer to things that use electricity, like computers, elevators or phones.

Great. When can I use it?

This is quite informal but totally inoffensive.

So just like “bun in the oven,” you can use it in any situation apart from when you have to go and meet the Queen of Sweden. Like you do every week, right?

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So these are 8 of my favourite British idioms.

How many did you know?

Do you know any other British idioms? Tell me about them in the comments!