Weather Idioms

English Vocabulary

Below is a list of the most commonly used idioms about the weather in English:

As right as rain: to feel fine and healthy.

• Don't worry about me, I'm as right as rain after my knee operation.

Be a breeze: to be very easy to do.

• Our English exam was a breeze. I'm sure I'll get top marks.

Be snowed under: to have so much to do that you are having trouble doing it all.

• I'm snowed under at work right now because two of my colleagues are on holiday.

Break the ice: to say or do something to make someone feel relaxed or at ease in a social setting.

• He offered to get her a drink to help break the ice.

Calm before the storm: the quiet, peaceful period before a moment of great activity or mayhem.

• The in-laws were about to arrive with their kids so she sat on the sofa with a cup of coffee enjoying the calm before the storm.

Chase rainbows: when someone tries to do something that they will not achieve

• I think she's chasing rainbows if she thinks she can get into Oxford with her bad grades.

Come rain or shine: you can depend on someone to be there no matter what or whatever the weather.

• I'll be there to help you move house come rain or shine.

Every cloud has a silver lining: There is always something positive to come out of an unpleasant or difficult situation.

• I got laid off from work yesterday, but every cloud has a silver lining and now I can spend more time writing my book.

Fair-weather friend: a person who is only your friend during good times or when things are going well for you but disappears when things become difficult or you have problems.

• She was a fair-weather friend because she wasn't interested in me once I had lost my job.

Get wind of: to learn or hear of something that should be a secret.

• He got wind of the closure of the company so started looking for a new job immediately.

Have your head in the clouds: to be out of touch of reality. Your ideas may not be sensible or practical.

• He has his head in the clouds if he seriously thinks he's going to get a promotion soon.

It never rains but it pours: when things don't just go wrong but very wrong and other bad things happen too.

• First he lost his keys to the house, then his wallet and then his car broke down. It never rains but it pours.

It's raining cats and dogs: it's raining very hard.

• Take you umbrella and a jacket because it's raining cats and dogs outside.

On cloud nine: to be extremely happy.

• They were both on cloud nine during their honeymoon.

Put on ice: to postpone for another day.

• The project has been put on ice until our boss decides what to do next.

Ray of hope: there is a chance that something positive will happen.

• There is a ray of hope after all, it looks like we won't be losing our jobs.

Save for a rainy day: to save for the future when it might suddenly be needed (unexpectedly).

• Don't spend your entire wage in one night. You should save for a rainy day.

Steal my thunder: when someone takes attention away from someone else.

• Don't wear that dress to the wedding; the bride won't like it because you'll be stealing her thunder.

Storm in a teacup: when someone makes a small problem larger than it really is.

• Those two are always arguing about something, it's just a storm in a teacup.

Storm is brewing: indication that something is about to become bad or explode

• You could tell by the looks on their faces that a storm was brewing.

Take a rain check: decline something now but offer to do it at a later date.

• Thanks for inviting me to dinner but I can't this week. Can I take a rain check on that?

Throw caution to the wind: to go crazy and forget all responsibilities or commitments.

• They threw caution to the wind and quit their jobs in the heat of the moment.

Under the weather: you are not feeling well

• Paul isn't coming with us because he feels a little under the weather.

Next Activities

Try our interactive game to test you knowledge of idioms about the weather.

See our vocabulary notes about the Weather in English.

Check out how we talk about the temperature in English.

If you found this English Vocabulary about Weather Idioms interesting or useful, let others know about it.