Idiom

An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a figurative or non-literal meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiomatic expression's meaning is different from the literal meanings of each word inside it.[1] Idioms occur frequently in all languages; in English alone there are an estimated twenty-five thousand idiomatic expressions.[2] Some well known idioms in English are spill the beans (meaning "reveal secret information"), it's raining cats and dogs (meaning "it's raining intensely"), and break a leg (meaning "good luck").

  1. ^ The Oxford companion to the English language (1992:495f.)
  2. ^ Jackendoff (1997).