Idioms/E

Idioms beginning with E. Select an idiom for more details.

(have) egg on your face INFORMAL

You will have egg on your face if you've said or done something wrong, and it's made you feel embarrassed or stupid.

(something) escapes you

If you say something escapes you, it means you can't remember it.

an end in itself

If something is an end in itself, it's done for its own pleasure or benefit rather than for some other purpose like making money.

an even break American English

If you get an even break, you get a fair opportunity to succeed in your ambition or to achieve your goals.

an eye-opener

You can say something's an eye-opener if it's made you realize something you hadn't been aware of before.

each to their own

You can say "each to their own" when you want to point out that we're all different and we all like different things.

ear to the ground INFORMAL

If you have your ear to the ground, you know what's really going on in a situation.

earn your stripes

If you earn your stripes, you do something to prove that you have the skills or ability for a particular job or rank.

easier said than done

You say something is easier said than done when it looks easy to do, but in fact it's quite difficult to do.

easy as pie | easy as abc

If something's as easy as pie, or easy as abc, it's very easy.

easy come, easy go INFORMAL

You can say "easy come, easy go" to express the idea that if something comes to someone easily, such as money they get without working hard for it, they can lose it just as easily and it won't matter to them much.

Easy does it! INFORMAL

You can say "Easy does it!" when you want someone to do something more carefully or more slowly.

easy money

You can say "easy money" to describe money that someone gets without having to make much effort.

easy on the eye

If something is easy on the eye, it is pleasant to look at.

eat humble pie British English

If you eat humble pie, you admit that you are in the wrong and behave apologetically.

eat your words

If you eat your words, you admit that something you said was wrong.

elbow grease

If something needs elbow grease, it needs a lot of hard physical work.

enough is enough

You can say "enough is enough" if you think someone shouldn't do something because they've done it too many times already, or because they've been doing it for too long.

err on the side of caution

If you err on the side of caution, you are overly careful in your approach to something.

esprit de corps FORMAL

A feeling of pride and comradeship shared by members of a group such as a military unit or a sports team.

every now and then

If something happens every now and then, it happens occasionally, but not too often.

every trick in the book

If someone uses every trick in the book to achieve something, they use any method available, even if it involves some deception.

Everything's coming up roses.

you can say "everything's coming up roses" if everything is turning out very well for someone or for something.

expand | broaden | widen your horizons

If you expand your horizons, you broaden your outlook on life and its possibilities.

eyes like a hawk

If someone has eyes like a hawk, they have very good eyesight and they notice everything.

Contributor: Matt Errey