Coursing through the rich tapestry of language, idioms charm us with their clever turns of phrase and cultural resonances. Casting a spotlight on the third letter of the alphabet, this article chronicles idioms that commence with the captivating letter “C”.
From “crying over spilled milk” to “casting the first stone”, the letter “C” crafts a cavalcade of expressions, each adding character and color to the English language’s vast canvas. Catering to curious minds, linguists, and anyone craving a deeper comprehension of conversational nuances, this article promises a cascade of insights, exploring the crux and chronicles behind these cherished idioms. So, come along as we chart a course through the curious, comedic, and sometimes cryptic world of “C” idioms, uncovering their origins and celebrating the charm they contribute to our daily discourse.
Idioms Beginning With Letter C
The English language, renowned for its richness and dynamism, thrives on its idiomatic expressions. Idioms are the sparklers of conversation, lending depth, cultural context, and color to otherwise straightforward communication. Venturing further into the alphabetic terrain of idioms, we come across the letter ‘C’, which contributes a captivating collection of common idiomatic expressions. In this expansive article, we’ll delve deep into idioms that commence with the letter ‘C’.
- Cast in Stone
- Meaning: Something that cannot be changed; fixed or permanent.
- Example: “The schedule isn’t cast in stone, so we can adjust if necessary.”
- Cold Feet
- Meaning: To suddenly become too frightened to do something you had planned to do, especially something important.
- Example: “He was all set to propose, but he got cold feet at the last minute.”
- Cost an Arm and a Leg
- Meaning: Extremely expensive.
- Example: “That designer dress must have cost her an arm and a leg.”
- Cry Over Spilt Milk
- Meaning: To express regret about something that has already happened or cannot be changed.
- Example: “There’s no use crying over spilt milk. Let’s think of a solution.”
- Curiosity Killed the Cat
- Meaning: Being inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.
- Example: “I know you want to know the gossip, but remember, curiosity killed the cat.”
- Cut to the Chase
- Meaning: To get to the point or come to the main topic without any delay.
- Example: “I’m short on time, so let’s cut to the chase. What’s your offer?”
- Cut Corners
- Meaning: To take shortcuts or the easiest way out, often at the expense of the quality or ethics.
- Example: “If you cut corners during the construction, you’ll regret it later.”
- Can’t Hold a Candle To
- Meaning: Cannot compare to someone or something; to be inferior.
- Example: “The sequel can’t hold a candle to the original movie.”
- Carry the Torch
- Meaning: To keep an idea or feeling alive; to feel passion for someone.
- Example: “He’s been carrying the torch for her for years, even though she moved on.”
- Close But No Cigar
- Meaning: Coming close to a successful outcome only to fall short.
- Example: “Your guess was close, but no cigar.”
- Cross That Bridge When You Come to It
- Meaning: To deal with a problem when it arises and not to worry about it ahead of time.
- Example: “We don’t know if we’ll face any issues. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
- Cool as a Cucumber
- Meaning: Extremely calm, even in stressful situations.
- Example: “Even in high-pressure situations, she remains as cool as a cucumber.”
- Caught Between Two Stools
- Meaning: When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.
- Example: “She was caught between two stools, unable to decide between the two job offers.”
- Couch Potato
- Meaning: A person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV or playing video games.
- Example: “Don’t be such a couch potato. Let’s go for a walk.”
- Cup of Joe
- Meaning: A cup of coffee.
- Example: “I need my morning cup of joe before I can function.”
List of idioms Starting with C
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Call A Spade A Spade | To Speak Frankly And Directly About A Problem |
| Call It A Day | Stop Working On Something |
| Call It A Night | End An Evening’S Activities And Go Home |
| Call The Shots | Make The Important Decisions In An Organization |
| Call The Tune | Making Important Decisions And Controlling A Situation. |
| Calm Before The Storm | Something Bad Is Coming, But Right Now It’S Calm |
| Can’T See The Forest For The Trees | Is Unable To Maintain A Wider Perspective |
| Can’T Swing A Dead Cat In Place | Without Hitting A Thing There Are Many Examples Of [Thing] In This [Place]. |
| Career Path | The Sequence Of Jobs Someone Takes That Create Their Career |
| Carrot-And-Stick | A Tactic In Which Rewards Are Offered, But There Is Also The Threat Of Punishment |
| Carry A Torch | To Continue To Be In Love With Someone Even After A Relationship Has Ended |
| Carry Coals To Newcastle | Supply Something That Is Unneeded, Engage In Useless Labor |
| Carry The Can | To Take The Blame For Something One Did Not Do |
| Cash In One’S Chips | To Take Advantage Of A Quick Profit |
| Cash-Strapped | In Need Of Money |
| Cast The First Stone | To Be The First To Criticize Or Attack Someone |
| Castle In The Air | An Impractical Plan |
| Cat Fight | A Fight Between Two Women |
| Cat Got Your Tongue | Don’T You Have Anything To Say? |
| Cat On A Hot Tin Roof | Be Extremely Nervous |
| Cat’S Paw | A Person Being Used By Someone Else, A Tool |
| Cat-And-Mouse | In A Toying Way, Playful In An Unpleasant Way |
| Catch One’S Death Of Cold | To Become Very Ill With A Cold/Flu Etc. |
| Catch Some Rays | To Sit Or Lie Outside In The Sun |
| Catch Someone’S Eye | Attract Someone’S Attention |
| Catch-22 | A Difficult Situation From Which There Is No Escape Because Options For Avoiding It Involve Contradictions |
| Caught Red-Handed | Apprehended While Committing A Crime |
| Champagne Taste On A Beer Budget | Expensive Or Extravagant Tastes Or Preferences That Are Beyond One’S Economic Means. |
| Change Horses In Midstream | Change Plans Or Leaders In The Middle Of A Process |
| Change Of Heart | A Change In One’S Opinion Or Outlook |
| Change One’S Tune | To Alter One’S Opinion About Something. |
| Changing Of The Guard | A Change In Leadership At An Organization |
| Chase Rainbows | To Pursue Unrealistic Goals |
| Cheap Shot | An Unfair Attack, A Statement That Unfairly Attacks Someone’S Weakness |
| Cherry-Pick | To Present Evidence Selectively To One’S Own Advantage |
| Chew The Fat | Chat For A Considerable Length Of Time |
| Chickens Come Home To Roost | The Negative Consequences Of Previous Actions Reveal Themselves |
| Child’S Play | A Very Easy Task |
| Chill Out | Do Something That Helps Them To Calm Down And Relax For A While. |
| Chin Music | Meaningless Talk |
| Chin Up/ Keep Your Chin Up | Cheer Up, Try To Be Cheerful And Strong |
| Chip Off The Old Block | Someone Who Resembles A Direct Ancestor, Usually The Father |
| Chomp Champ At The Bit | Be Eager To Do Something |
| Chomp At The Bit | To Be Eager To Do Something |
| Chop Chop | Quickly, Without Delay |
| Chop Shop | A Shop Where Stolen Cars Are Disassembled For Parts |
| Chuck A Wobbly | To Act In An Emotional Way |
| Circle The Wagons | To Prepare As A Group To Defend Against Attack, Adopt A Defensive Posture |
| Claim To Fame | Unusual Feature Or Offering |
| Clean Up Nicely | Look Good When One Is Dressed Up. Usually Said Of Women |
| Clear The Air | Defuse Tension, Be Honest About Conflict So As To Reduce It |
| Clip Someone’S Wings | Reduce Someone’S Privileges Or Freedom |
| Close, But No Cigar | You Are Very Close But Not Quite Correct. |
| Cock And Bull Story | A Far-Fetched Story, Probably Untrue |
| Cock-A-Hoop | Elated, Excited |
| Cold Callers | People Who Call Phones, Usually For Sales, Who Don’T Have Previous Contact With The Person They’Re Calling |
| Cold Day In Hell | A Condition For Something That Would Be Extremely Unlikely To Occur |
| Come By Something Honestly | Acquire Something Honestly, Or Inherit It |
| Come Clean | To Confess, To Admit To Wrongdoing |
| Come Hell Or High Water | No Matter What Happens |
| Come Out In The Wash | To Be Resolved With No Lasting Negative Effect |
| Come Out Of The Closet | Reveal A Secret About Oneself, Usually That One Is Gay Homosexual |
| Come Out Swinging | Respond To Something Very Aggressively |
| Come Rain And Shine | Do Regularly, Whatever The Circumstances |
| Come Rain Or Shine | No Matter What |
| Come To Grips With | To Acknowledge A Problem As A Prelude To Dealing With It |
| Come To Light | To Be Revealed |
| Come To Terms With Something | Feel Acceptance Toward Something Bad That Has Happened |
| Coming Down The Pike | Likely To Occur In The Near Future |
| Comparing Apples To Oranges | Comparing Two Things That Cannot Be Compared |
| Completely Groundless | Not Based On Any Good Reason |
| Constructive Criticism | Criticism That Is Useful Because They Can Help Improve Something |
| Cook Someone’S Goose | To Insure Someone’S Defeat, To Frustrate Someone’S Plans |
| Cook Up A Storm | Cook A Great Deal Of Food |
| Cooking Up A Storm | Cooking A Great Deal Of Food |
| Cool As A Cucumber | Calm And Composed Even In Difficult Or Frustrating Situations, Self-Possessed |
| Cool Cat | Someone Who Has The Respect Of Their Peers In A Young, Casual Way. |
| Cool Your Heels | Wait |
| Costs An Arm And A Leg | Very Expensive |
| Couch Potato | A Lazy Person Who Watches A Great Deal Of Television |
| Crack A Book | Open Up A Book And Study |
| Crash A Party | To Attend A Party Without Being Invited |
| Crickets | Silence |
| Cross To Bear | A Problem One Must Deal With Over A Long Time, A Heavy Burden |
| Cross Your Fingers | For Good Luck |
| Crunch The Numbers | Do Calculations Before Making A Decision Or Prediction |
| Crunch Time | A Period Of High Pressure When One Has To Work Hard To Finish Something |
| Cry Crocodile Tears | To Pretend To Be Upset |
| Cry Wolf | To Issue A False Alarm, To Ask For Help When None Is Needed |
| Cry Your Eyes Out | Cry Hard For A Very Long Time |
| Crystal Clear | Perfectly Easy To Understand |
| Curiosity Killed The Cat | Asking Too Many Questions May Get You In Trouble |
| Cut Someone To The Quick | To Deeply Hurt Someone Emotionally |
| Cut Corners | Doing Something In An Easier And Least Expensive Manner |
| Cut It Fine | To Do Something At The Last Moment |
| Cut Off Your Nose To Spite Your Face | To Act In A Proud Way That Ultimately Damages Your Own Cause |
| Cut Somebody Some Slack | Don’T Be So Critical |
| Cut Someone Some Slack | Avoid Treating Someone Strictly Or Severely |
| Cut The Gordian Knot | To Solve A Complex Problem In A Simple Way |
| Cut The Mustard | Do A Good Job |
| Cut To The Chase | Get To The Point, Explain The Most Important Part Of Something Quickly, Skip The Preliminaries |
| Cut Your Teeth On Something | To Learn Basic Skills In A Field |
| Cutting Corners | Doing Something Poorly In Order To Save Time Or Money |
| Cutting-Edge | Very Novel, Innovative |
In Summary
Embarking on the linguistic journey through idioms starting with the letter ‘C’ showcases the charm and creativity of the English language. These idiomatic expressions not only add zest to our daily conversations but also provide insights into the cultural and historical backgrounds from which they emerged. Whether you’re an avid language learner or just a casual conversationalist, embracing and integrating these ‘C’ idioms into your vocabulary can elevate your language game, offering a more nuanced and native-like flair. Dive in, explore, and enjoy the world of ‘C’ idioms!
Idioms That Start With
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