An Uncommonly Long List of Common B-Idioms & Phrases
A seriously long list of idioms and phrases in English that start with the letter 'B'. Just be-cause (See what I did there?)
What are idioms, anyway?
Sometimes, and I’m not accusing anyone, but people have a tendency to throw around words without truly knowing what they mean. An idiom (from the Greek idioma, meaning “peculiarity, peculiar phraseology”), is a literary device whereby the meaning of an expression or phrase cannot be derived by the words from which it comprises.
For example, ‘to kill two birds with one stone‘ is a common (and perhaps clichéd) expression that refers to a single act accomplishing two or more things at once (or, in one fell swoop, to use another common phrase).
Common “B” Idioms and expressions in English
Back room boys People who do important work but who have no contact with the public.
Back to the beginning / back at square one To start over again; to be forced to repeat the same process from the start.
Backbite To speak maliciously or slanderously about someone who is not present.
A bad apple A single person who has a bad influence on a group.
Bad blood Resentment or hostility between people or groups, usually from past disagreements.
Bad blow A sudden negative event or setback.
Badger someone into doing something To pester or annoy someone until they do what you want.
Bare bones For something to be the most basic, stripped down, or rudimentary version.
Bare minimum To do the smallest or least amount possible.
Bare naked Meaning nude or exposed; naked.
Bare necessities To have only what is needed or necessary; just enough or sufficient.
Bare one’s breasts To leave yourself open or vulnerable to something/someone.
Bare one’s teeth To display anger or a threatening reaction to something/someone.
Bark is bigger than their bite / A barking dog seldom bites / All bark and no bite Someone may sound threatening but is unlikely to take real action; all talk, no action.
Bark up the wrong tree To pursue a mistaken course of action; to make a wrong choice in an attempt to achieve something.
Be at someone's beck and call To be entirely at someone’s service; ready to obey any command.
Be holding your breath / Don’t hold your breath Don’t wait around expecting that something will happen.
Beat (someone) to (something) To accomplish or obtain something before someone else does.
Beat around the bush To avoid talking about what is important; to talk about something indirectly.
Beat oneself up To criticize or blame oneself excessively for something.
Beat someone to the punch To act before someone else does; to do something first.
Beat swords into plowshares To refrain from destructive behaviour (war and violence), in favour of peaceful coexistence (plowshares, a farming implement). The expression is biblical in origin.
Beat your head against the wall To keep trying to do something that seems hopeless or futile.
Bet a huckleberry to a persimmon. To wager a small amount; implying something is highly likely.
Bet on it / Bet on that To emphatically assure someone of something.
Bet on the wrong horse To support the wrong thing or pledge time or money towards something that didn’t prove successful.
Bet your dollars to doughnuts To be so certain something will happen that you’d wager something more valuable to something less valuable.
Bet your farm on it To be extremely confident or sure about something.
Bind someone to an agreement To legally or morally obligate someone to do something.
Bleed for someone / something To feel deep sympathy or emotion for someone or something.
Bleed someone dry To take all of someone's resources, usually money, leaving them with nothing.
Blow hot and cold To change one's mind or mood repeatedly.
Blow off steam To release pent-up energy or emotion, often by expressing anger or frustration.
Blow someone away To impress or surprise someone greatly.
Brain-burned Displaying the adverse effects of drug use, especially cognitive impairment.
Breach of contract Failure to fulfill the terms of a binding agreement.
Bread and butter The basic means of support; main source of income.
Breed bad blood To cause resentment or hostility between people or groups.
Breed like rabbits To reproduce very quickly.
To bring home the bacon To earn money, especially to support one’s family.
Build bridges To improve relationships between people who are very different or who do not get along.
Build castles in the air To make plans or dreams that are unlikely to come true.
Bull in a china shop A person who is very clumsy in a situation that requires tact and delicacy.
Burn (something or someone) to a cinder To burn something badly or completely.
Burn both ends of the candle To overwork oneself by doing too much, especially staying up late and getting up early.
Burn a hole in one’s pocket Suggesting that the person with the money feels the need to spend it quickly.
Burn notice Something that’s being disavowed or dismissed; also a dismissal of an agent or source considered unreliable.
Burn not your house to fright the mouse away Don’t overreact to minor problems; don’t take drastic action for small issues.
Burn one’s boats/bridges To destroy one’s path, connections, or opportunities, leaving no way to go back.
Burn some clock To use up or waste some time.
Burn the midnight oil To stay up late working on a task or project.
Burnt or burned out To be tired or worn out from overwork.
Burst at the seams To be full to overflowing; to be overly crowded.
Burst into tears To suddenly begin to cry.
Burst your bubble To bring someone back to reality by correcting their mistaken beliefs or expectations.
Buy a lemon To purchase something, usually a car, that proves to be defective or unsatisfactory.
Buy time To delay an event or to get extra time to do something.
Bite (one's) head off To reply angrily or snap at someone unexpectedly.
Bite (one's) lip To refrain from expressing one's emotions or to hold back from saying something.
Bite (one's) nose off to spite (one's) face To act out of spite in a way that is ultimately self-defeating.
Bite down on (something) To clench or press something firmly between the teeth.
Bite off more than one can chew To take on a task that is too big or difficult to manage.
Bite of the apple An opportunity or attempt at something.
Bite the biscuit To die; sometimes also used as 'bite the dust'.
Bite the bullet To do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off.
Bite the dog that bit you To retaliate against someone or something that has harmed you.
Bite the dust To die, fail, or be defeated.
Bite the hand that feeds you To harm or act against those who help you.
Bite to eat A small meal or snack.
Second bite at the cherry A second chance to do something.
Take a bite of the reality sandwich To accept or confront the harsh truth or reality of a situation.
Don't let the bedbugs bite A playful way to wish someone a good night’s sleep.
They/I won't bite Nothing to fear; used to reassure someone.
With bated-breath Don’t wait for something to happen or expect it to happen.
To waste one’s breath / a waste of one’s breath Something is not worth discussing since it won’t be taken into consideration or acknowledgement.
Catch a breath To give someone a chance to breathe, or a moment to catch their breath.
To be able to breathe freely again To feel relieved after dealing with something difficult or stressful.
To breathe new life into someone or something To reinvigorate something that’s become dull or monotonous.
Breathe one’s last breath To die; literally.
To breathe a sigh of relief To feel or show relief towards or about something.
Not breathe a word of something To keep something a secret, not to mention it to anyone.
Bear with me Please be patient; give me a moment. *bear with me*