idiom

Word family

Related topics: Linguistics

id·i·om /ˈɪdiəm/ noun

1. [countableC]SLWORD, PHRASE, OR SENTENCE a group of words that has a special meaning that is different from the ordinary meaning of each separate word. For example, ‘under the weather’ is an idiom meaning ‘ill’. 习语，成语► see thesaurus at phrase, word

2 [countableC, uncountableU] formal or technicalSLTYPICAL a style of expression in writing, speech, or music that is typical of a particular group of people 〔某群体在写作、言语、音乐方面典型的〕风格，特色

the new musical idiom

新的音乐风格

Examples from the Corpus

idiom• Coursework and examination questions are an idiom in themselves.• Photographs are, certainly, an idiom we are now all used to.• 'Full of beans' is an idiom which means lively and energetic.• "To be on top of the world" is an idiom that means to be very happy.• It takes on something of the character of an idiom.• In Hollywood, white stars are adopting black idioms, dress styles and manners.• It is only the basic spiritual truths which surface time and again, expressed through different idioms.• Oakeshott does not, however, adopt the Hobbesian idiom of social contract.• Often the furore stemmed from audiences' unease at being plugged into a musical idiom shorn of familiar signposts.• Each language has its own phraseology, its own idiom which rules out many options that are potentially available as grammatical sequences.• When the text has been transcribed you work through it in order to discover and learn any new words or useful idioms.

Origin idiom

(1500-1600) French idiome, from Greek idioma “personal way of expressing yourself”, from idios; → IDIOT

id·i·om noun

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus