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An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below).
This is a list of idioms that were recognizable to literate people in the late-19th century, and have become unfamiliar since. As the article list of idioms in the English language notes, a list of idioms can be useful, since the meaning of an idiom cannot be deduced by knowing the meaning of its constituent words.
Idiom. An idiom is a phrase or expression that usually presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase. Some phrases which become figurative idioms, however, do retain the phrase's literal meaning. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning. [ 1]
Beyond the veil [ 2] The mysterious place after death. Neutral. Originally used to refer to the 'veil' that hides the innermost sanctuary of the Temple in Jerusalem. Sometimes refers to just a mysterious place. Big sleep [ 2] To die or be killed. Euphemistic. Could be in reference to Raymond Chandler's 'The Big Sleep'.
Bundt cake (from Bundkuchen; in German: a Gug (e)lhupf )—a ring cake. Delicatessen (German spelling: Delikatessen )—a speciality food retailer; fine foods. Dunkel (also Dunkles)—a dark beer. Emmentaler (also Emmental)—a yellow, medium-hard Swiss cheese that originated in the area around Emmental, Canton Bern.
cachet. lit. "stamp"; a distinctive quality; quality, prestige. café. a coffee shop (also used in French for "coffee"). Café au lait. café au lait. coffee with milk; or a light-brown color. In medicine, it is also used to describe a birthmark that is of a light-brown color (café au lait spot). calque.
Back-seat driver. Barking up the wrong tree. Glossary of English-language idioms derived from baseball. Bed of roses. Belling the Cat. Best friends forever. Between Scylla and Charybdis. Bill matter. Birds of a feather flock together.
Most English-language idioms for death refer to the process of being buried, sleeping or at rest, or religious ideals of life after death, for example Christian heaven. [clarification needed] A list of euphemisms for death in the English language, in the past tense unless noted with a (Pr) for present: Go west (Pr) [UK] Kicked the bucket