Uncommon idioms and phrases

[Eudora13]

Here are some phrases that we don't really use that often. They sound quite smart and 'cool' and I wish I'd get more chances to use them.

Back to the drawing board - to have to start something from scratch again.

Penny for your thoughts? - Asking someone what they are thinking

Sit on the fence - To not take or avoid taking a decision

Let sleeping dogs lie - Don't stir trouble

I'll eat my hat - challenging someone who's opposing your point, when you're absolutely sure of yourself

If Mohammed won't come to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed - If it doesn't happen easily, work extra hard to make it happen

In dire straits - in dangerous trouble

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride - Life would be something if all we wished for came true

[eppie]

I don't find the first two uncommon and also "Dire straits" (at least to me).  As for the others, they all seem new to me especially the last one with Mohammed.  I think I heard it already but without "Mohammed".    I find "I'll eat my hat" a bit funny.  :grin:

[1inamillion]

I don't find the first two uncommon and also "Dire straits" (at least to me).  As for the others, they all seem new to me especially the last one with Mohammed.  I think I heard it already but without "Mohammed".    I find "I'll eat my hat" a bit funny.  :grin:

[/quote

One is uncommon to me the last one with Mohammed. But I like dire straits and if wishes were horses beggars would ride  :grin: There are so much idioms that we don't use and some of them are so hilarious.   

[Jennyflower81]

Some that I don't hear very often (maybe because they are old fashioned)

"Raised with a silver spoon in their mouth." Raised with many luxuries and little responsibility.

"Pomp and Circumstance" - a big fuss about celebrating something in a formal way

"Much Ado About Nothing" - obviously a Shakespeare reference, but, making a big deal about something meaningless

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease." a person who keeps asking for something will finally be appeased

A "bad egg" is a bad person

[sidney]

The idiom "hold the torch" means to have an unrequited or unspoken love, and I only encountered that idiom only once as of now, so I guess it's pretty uncommon.

[Litnax]

Back to the drawing board - to have to start something from scratch again.

Penny for your thoughts? - Asking someone what they are thinking

Sit on the fence - To not take or avoid taking a decision

In dire straits - in dangerous trouble

I used these often 

[emilyrose93]

I want to share some Australian ones, since that's the country I'm from. We have lots of really silly ones, that barely even make sense to me! Don't try to use these anywhere except Australia, I don't imagine anyone would have any idea what you were talking about.

"Fair dinkum". When something is true or genuine. Can be used as a question.

"Bloody oath". It means like "Yes, this is true". You say it in agreement with someone.

"She'll be apples". Means everything will be alright!

I have more if anyone is interested, but they're some of my favourites

[Baburra]

"Bad Apple" isn't exactly uncommon, but it's surely a lot less used these days. I think it was probably used a lot more in the more innocent times wherein everyone was a lot more polite and proper. Nowadays, if someone is considered to be a bad apple or a bad seed, they just call him or her by using profanity. 

[Litnax]

I want to share some Australian ones, since that's the country I'm from. We have lots of really silly ones, that barely even make sense to me! Don't try to use these anywhere except Australia, I don't imagine anyone would have any idea what you were talking about.

"Fair dinkum". When something is true or genuine. Can be used as a question.

"Bloody oath". It means like "Yes, this is true". You say it in agreement with someone.

"She'll be apples". Means everything will be alright!

Love that one  Sounds cute to me.

[Rosyrain]

"You are the cats meow" means you are all that, or the best at something. This one is not used that often anymore and it can also be construed as sexual harrassment as it has some dirty undertones as wewll.

[mmjmaske]

The cat's out of the bag - rarely used, in my opinion. It's for when someone was keeping a secret, and it was suddenly expunged (hence the cat coming out of the bag)

[eppie]

... "Fair dinkum". When something is true or genuine. Can be used as a question.

My first time to learn about "Fair dinkum" that's uncommonly cute for me.  :love:

Here's some more uncommon (at least for me) idioms I found on the internet. 

• Ride coattails - you ride coattails when you use your connections with someone successful in order to become successful too.
  
• Ride roughshod over - when you behave in a harsh or thoughtless manner.
  
• Walk on eggshells - You walk on eggshells when you're careful not to hurt or offend someone.
  

[Bobcar23]

There are a lot of uncommon idioms from Australia, for example if you say you're "Up a gum tree" it means that you're in a bit of trouble. Idioms like these aren't actually used in Australia these days so it's very common for people to not have heard of them or understand them.

[HeyImLeeroy]

Hahahahah I have some uncommon idioms to contribute as well!

1) A Shot In The Dark - Making a guess

"How did you figure out my age?" "Eh, it was a shot in the dark."

2) Variety is the spice of life - An idiom to justify a change of pace

"Let's have lunch at that chinese place today." "eh? But it looks sketchy" "variety is the spice of life, bro."

3) When It Rains, It Pours - when something happens, it happens at an overwhelming pace.

"I have not seen a single customer all morning!" "wait for lunch time. when it rains, it pours."

4) water under the bridge - something that something belongs to the past and isn't important or troubling any more

"You invited her to lunch? I thought you hated Sheryl." "Eh, it's all water under the bridge now."

5) Tooth And Nail - putting up a good fight

"She'll definitely fight you tooth and nail for the contract. Good luck."

[eppie]

There are a lot of uncommon idioms from Australia, for example if you say you're "Up a gum tree" it means that you're in a bit of trouble. Idioms like these aren't actually used in Australia these days so it's very common for people to not have heard of them or understand them.

Yeah that's really uncommon "up a gum tree" and funny too. :grin:

I've got another one that I've recently picked up from a book, first time I've learn about this idiom >> heebie-jeebies.  I have to look it up to know the meaning and it refers to a state of feeling anxious or nervous.