;Idioms are phrases whose meanings move beyond the literal definitions of the phrases they include. They add depth, creativity, and persona to language, making conversations extra bright and engaging. Among the many types of idioms, the ones associated with apparel and costumes stand out for their functionality to deliver mind in progressive ways. These expressions often draw notions from the way people get dressed, using apparel as a metaphor for character, temper, or situations.
Idioms related to costumes are especially fascinating because they illustrate how clothing may represent identity, feelings, or even covert motives. Just as a fancy dress can cover or monitor factors of someone, these idioms can seize diffused human behaviors or feelings. In this manual, we’ll discover famous idioms related to costumes and their meanings. You’ll also discover a brief workout pastime that will help you use them with a bit of good fortune in regular conversations. By giving up, you’ll have a sparkling set of creative expressions to characteristic style and aptitude in your language.
Idioms for Costumes
1. Dressed to Kill
Meaning: Wearing specifically fashionable or attractive clothing that draws a hobby.
Example: She became without a doubt dressed to kill at her university’s understanding show. / His sharp match made him stand out—he has come to be dressed to kill.
Similar Expressions: Dressed to affect, Looking sharp
2. Put on a Brave Face
Meaning: To cover worry, worry, or sadness via acting assured or completely glad.
Example: He put on a courageous face after his team fell out of the championship. / She put on a courageous face irrespective of being worried about her interview.
Similar Expressions: Fake a grin, Act confident
3. Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Meaning: To brazenly show your feelings and feelings.
Example: He wears his coronary heart on his sleeve while talking about his family. / She wore her coronary heart on her sleeve at the same time as sharing her exhilaration about the journey.
Similar Expressions: Show your emotions, Be an open e book
4. Fits Like a Glove
Meaning: Something that fits flawlessly in length or fashion.
Example: This jacket fits like a glove. / Her new soccer cleats wholesome like a glove.
Similar Expressions: Perfect suit, Snug as a worm
5. Roll Up Your Sleeves
Meaning: To put together yourself to art work tough or face an assignment.
Example: It’s time to get down to business and stop the project. / She rolled up her sleeves and started out cleansing the messy storage.
Similar Expressions: Get to art work, Get your fingers grimy
See also “Idiom Dictionary: Everyday Expressions“
6. Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Meaning: Someone who appears type or harmless however has unstable intentions.
Example: He seemed superb however grew to end up out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. / Some people are wolves in sheep’s apparel—be careful.
Similar Expressions: Hidden danger, Two-faced
7. Buttoned-Up
Meaning: Very immoderate, formal, or reserved.
Example: The trainer modified into buttoned-up at some stage inside the assembly. / He stayed buttoned-up in the route of his presentation.
Similar Expressions: Serious, Straight-laced
8. Cut from the Same Cloth
Meaning: Very similar in character or behavior.
Example: The twins are lessened from the equal material; they even snigger alike. / She’s much like her mom—reduced from the same fabric.
Similar Expressions: Alike, Similar
9. Out of Pocket
Meaning: Unavailable or behaving particularly.
Example: I’ll be out of pocket this afternoon for a meeting. / His feedback was funny but a hint out of pocket.
Similar Expressions: Unavailable, Out of touch
10. Throw within the Towel
Meaning: To surrender or save you attempting.
Example: He threw the towel after suffering with the puzzle for hours. / The organization refused to throw in the towel irrespective of the rating.
Similar Expressions: Quit, Surrender
11. Put Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes
Meaning: To preserve in mind and understand some other individual’s scenario or emotions.
Example: Try to vicinity yourself in her shoes earlier than judging. / He located himself in their shoes and felt greater compassion.
Similar Expressions: Empathize, See from their view
12. Burn a Hole in Your Pocket
Meaning: To be eager to spend cash briefly.
Example: The money from his birthday burned a hole in his pocket. / She spends her allowance as soon as she receives it—it adores burning a hole in her pocket.
Similar Expressions: Eager to spend, Can’t keep coins
13. Tighten Your Belt
Meaning: To reduce spending.
Example: We want to tighten our belts to keep for the journey. / They tightened their belts while costs extended.
Similar Expressions: Cut yet again, Spend a good deal plenty less
14. Dressed to the Nines
Meaning: Wearing very fashionable or glamorous garb.
Example: She ends up dressed to the nines for the wedding. / Guests at the gala had been all dressed to the nines.
Similar Expressions: All dolled up, Dressed fancy
15. Hand-Me-Down
Meaning: Clothes or devices exceeded from one individual to every other.
Example: I wore my sister’s hand-me-down sweaters. / I inherited that jacket from my cousin.
Similar Expressions: Secondhand clothes, Passed-down devices
16. Too Big for Your Britches
Meaning: Acting greater than you without a doubt are.
Example: He has been given too large for his britches after the win. / Don’t be too massive in your britches in truth because you aced the take a look at.
Similar Expressions: Arrogant, Full of your self
17. Wear Two Hats
Meaning: In order to fulfill magnificent functions or duties.
Example: She serves as both a teacher and a trainer. / I positioned hats at paintings: manager and instructor.
Similar Expressions: Do double duty, Have multiple roles
18. Hat in Hand
Meaning: To ask for some detail humbly or apologetically.
Example: He approached his boss hat in hand to request greater time. / With her hat in hand, she apologized.
Similar Expressions: Ask humbly, Apologize honestly
19. Under One’s Hat
Meaning: To hold something mysterious.
Example: Keep the news beneath your hat until the legit announcement. / He promised to keep the surprise underneath his hat.
Similar Expressions: Keep quiet, Stay hush-hush
20. Lose Your Shirt
Meaning: To lose masses of cash.
Example: He almost misplaced his shirt on the online casino. / Don’t hazard it or you will likely lose your shirt.
Similar Expressions: Go broke, Lose everything
21. Hot Under the Collar
Meaning: Feeling very indignant or disenchanted.
Example: He was given warmth below the collar at the same time as his motorcycle became stolen. / The referee’s call made the teacher warm below the collar.
Similar Expressions: Really mad, Lose your cool
22. In Someone’s Pocket
Meaning: To be endorsed or managed by means of manner of a person.
Example: The council appeared to be in the mayor’s pocket. / He follows his older brother like he’s in his pocket.
Similar Expressions: Under manage, At someone’s command
23. Keep It Under Wraps
Meaning: To preserve some aspect of mystery until the proper time.
Example: The new product release modified into stored under wraps. / She stored her plans below wraps till shown.
Similar Expressions: Keep hidden, Stay thriller
24. Walk a Tightrope
Meaning: To be in an unstable or delicate state of affairs.
Example: He’s taking walks on a tightrope seeking to please every aspect. / She walked a tightrope at some stage inside the talk.
Similar Expressions: Be in a difficult spot, Handle carefully
25. Ragged but Right
Meaning: Not quality however nevertheless ideal.
Example: The dress changed into ragged but right for the play. / His essay turns out to be ragged however right on the principle elements.
Similar Expressions: Imperfect but notable, Good enough
26. Wolf Whistle
Meaning: A whistle to reveal admiration for a person’s look.
Example: He gave a wolf whistle at the same time as she walked in. / The crowd let loose wolf whistles for the performer.
Similar Expressions: Show admiration, Cheer
27. Pull the Wool Over Someone’s Eyes
Meaning: To trick or mislead someone.
Example: He played a practical joke on his pal, pulling the wool over their eyes. / Don’t permit them to tug the wool over your eyes with fake guarantees.
Similar Expressions: Fool, Trick
28. Tight-Lipped
Meaning: Refusing to expose facts.
Example: She stayed tight-lipped about the marvel. / He turned out to be tight-lipped at the same time as requested about his weekend.
Similar Expressions: Quiet, Secretive
29. Throw on Some Clothes
Meaning: To dress rapidly without a notable deal concept.
Example: He threw on some garments and ran to the bus. / She threw on clothes earlier than the site visitors arrived.
Similar Expressions: Get dressed rapid, Hurry to change
30. Keep Your Shirt On
Meaning: Stay calm and affected man or woman.
Example: Keep your blouse on; dinner may be prepared quickly. / He encouraged his sister to hold her blouse on inside the course of the wait.
Similar Expressions: Be affected man or woman, Don’t fear
31. Dress the Part
Meaning: To wear garb appropriate for a position or event.
Example: Dress the element in case you want to be taken drastically. / He dressed the element for the themed celebration.
Similar Expressions: Look the area, Dress as it should be
32. Wear the Pants
Meaning: To be the one in charge.
Example: During the institution duty, she dons the pants. / He wore the pants during event planning.
Similar Expressions: Be on top of things, Call the photographs
33. Fashion Statement
Meaning: Wearing some element bold to a particular non-public style.
Example: His neon footwear made a fashion assertion. / Her headband modified into a powerful style announcement on the parade.
Similar Expressions: Bold fashion, Standout outfit
34. Put a Sock in It
Meaning: To tell someone to be quiet.
Example: He advised his brother to place a sock in it throughout the film. / The instructor asked the noisy splendor to place a sock in it.
Similar Expressions: Be quiet, Zip it
35. Be in Someone Else’s Shoes
Meaning: To understand each different person’s attitude.
Example: Try being in a person else’s shoes earlier than judging. / She imagined being in a person else’s shoes and provided assistance.
Similar Expressions: Understand their view, See through their eyes
MCQs
1. Which idiom means “wearing stylish or attractive clothes that draw attention”?
a) Put on a brave face
b) Dressed to kill
c) Cut from the same cloth
d) Roll up your sleeves
Answer: b) Dressed to kill
2. “Put on a brave face” refers to:
a) Keeping feelings like fear or despair hidden by projecting confidence
b) Dressing up for a special event
c) Making a bold fashion statement
d) Showing emotions openly
Answer: a) Keeping feelings like fear or despair hidden by projecting confidence
3. If something “fits like a glove,” it:
a) Is uncomfortable
b) Fits perfectly in size or style
c) Is too small to wear
d) Has an unusual design
Answer: b) Fits perfectly in size or style
4. Which of these idioms describes someone pretending to be harmless while having bad intentions?
a) Wolf in sheep’s clothing
b) Buttoned-up
c) Tight-lipped
d) Keep it under wraps
Answer: a) Wolf in sheep’s clothing
5. The idiom “roll up your sleeves” means:
a) Prepare to work hard or face a challenge
b) Relax after work
c) Wear casual clothing
d) Show your true feelings
Answer: a) Prepare to work hard or face a challenge
6. Which idiom means “to reduce spending”?
a) Lose your shirt
b) Tighten your belt
c) Hand-me-down
d) Walk a tightrope
Answer: b) Tighten your belt
7. “Hand-me-down” clothing is:
a) Bought brand new
b) Borrowed temporarily
c) Passed from one person to another
d) Old-fashioned but expensive
Answer: c) Passed from one person to another
8. If someone is “too big for their britches,” they are:
a) Wearing oversized clothing
b) Acting more important than they really are
c) Struggling with self-esteem
d) Trying on new styles
Answer: b) Acting more important than they really are
9. “Hat in hand” suggests:
a) Dressing formally for a meeting
b) Asking for something humbly or apologetically
c) Keeping a secret
d) Making a bold request
Answer: b) Asking for something humbly or apologetically
10. Which idiom means “to keep information secret until the right time”?
a) Under one’s hat
b) Throw on some clothes
c) Wolf whistle
d) Fashion statement
Answer: a) Under one’s hat
11. “Losing their shirt” indicates that someone:
a) Misplaced their clothing
b) Lost a lot of money
c) Spent too much on fashion
d) Got into a fight
Answer: b) Lost a lot of money
12. “Hot under the collar” means:
a) Wearing too many layers
b) Feeling very angry or upset
c) Being embarrassed
d) Acting overconfident
Answer: b) Feeling very angry or upset
13. Which idiom means “to trick or mislead someone”?
a) Keep it under wraps
b) Pull the wool over someone’s eyes
c) Walk a tightrope
d) Put a sock in it
Answer: b) Pull the wool over someone’s eyes
14. If a person tells you to “keep your shirt on,” they want you to:
a) Stay calm and patient
b) Get dressed quickly
c) Avoid spending money
d) Hide your emotions
Answer: a) Stay calm and patient
15. A “fashion statement” refers to:
a) Wearing something bold to express personal style
b) A comment about clothing trends
c) Wearing outdated clothing
d) Dressing formally for work
Answer: a) Wearing something bold to express personal style
Summary
Idioms are unique expressions that deliver meanings past the literal interpretation in their words. They carry richness, creativity, and individuality to language, making communique greater, engaging and superb. Among the numerous challenge subjects idioms explore, clothing and gown-related expressions are especially fascinating. These idioms regularly use attire as a metaphor for human conduct, person tendencies, or particular situations.
Costume-themed idioms display how clothing can act as an effective image—occasionally representing identity and emotions, different times protecting true intentions. Just like a fancy get dressed can disguise or highlight elements of someone, these expressions can describe diffused attitudes, moves, or emotions.
In this guide, we’ll find out a list of famous gown-related idioms, their meanings, and examples of the way to use them. You’ll also find a little exercise to practice using them in conversation. By the end, you’ll have smooth, progressive tactics to express yourself with style and clarity.
Read more about Idioms At Idiomsinsider