Ocean Idioms
Did you know that today, August 30th is International Whale Shark Day? This day celebrates the beauty of these gentle giants, which are unfortunately now on the endangered species list. Whale sharks are the largest shark species in the world, and indeed the largest species of fish alive today!
Do you have a favourite marine animal? What is it? Let us know in the comments.
In today’s blog post, I’m going to explain five ocean related English idioms. At the end of the blog post, test your understanding with the practice activity, and don’t forget to download your free cheat sheet at the bottom of the blog too!
If you’re ready, let’s dive into the idioms!
1. Have a whale of a time
This fun idiom means to have a great time! If you enjoyed yourself a lot, and had a lot of fun, you can say that you had ‘a whale of a time’!
“I’m so excited about my camping trip next weekend. All of my friends are coming and I’m sure we’re going to have a whale of a time.”
“To celebrate Zaira’s promotion, they went out to her favourite bar. They had a whale of a time.”
2. Plenty more fish in the sea
This phrase is used to console somebody who has just broken up with their romantic partner. It means there are lots more potential partners out there.
“My Tinder date never texted me back. Oh well, I suppose there are plenty more fish in the sea.”
“I know you’re sad about her breaking up with you, but maybe it was for the best. There are plenty more fish in the sea.”
3. The coast is clear
We use this idiom to describe when it is safe to proceed, there is no one watching, or no danger on the horizon. This idiom originated from a military term, meaning that there were no enemy ships in sight on the shoreline.
“I wanted to eat the last slice of cake as a late night snack but I had to wait until the coast was clear and everyone had gone to bed so they wouldn’t ask me to share.”
“The children waited until the coast was clear and the teacher had gone around the corner before sneaking out of the school gates.”
4. Like a fish out of water
Being like a fish out of water means being completely out of your comfort zone. This is the opposite of another popular idiom – to take to something like a duck to water, which means that you learn to do something quickly and easily. It comes naturally to you. This idiom features in our Water Idioms blog post by Lorraine, and is also part of our free eBook, Essential English Idioms.
“Paul hadn’t done any training beforehand but for some reason he signed up for the advanced racing group. He was like a fish out of water.”
“When I first arrived in Rome it was a complete culture shock! I didn’t speak a word of Italian and I felt like a fish out of water.”
5. The world is your oyster
This idioms means that the world is yours! You are in a great position to go out and do whatever you want to do, and your future looks bright and promising. This idiom actually originated in Shakespearean times. It refers to the pearls which are found inside oysters, suggesting you can find something valuable and beautiful from life.
“I feel fantastic! I’ve been saving up for months and my big backpacking trip starts next week. I feel like the world is my oyster.”
“Congratulations on your scholarship. The world is your oyster now!”
Bonus idiom: A drop in the ocean. – This idiom features in our blog post on Earth and Environment Idioms and is also part of our free eBook, Essential English Idioms. A drop in the ocean is a tiny amount compared with what is needed or expected. Read more Earth and Environment idioms right here.
Practice
Test your knowledge by filling in the gaps with an idiom from the list above.
- The concert was so much fun, and afterwards we went to an afterparty and danced until the sun came up. We _______.
- I felt severely underqualified compared to everyone else on the course. I was _______.
- Milo’s boyfriend broke up with him last weekend so he’s feeling pretty down at the moment. I told him that _______. We should go out this weekend to take his mind off of it.
- Wow! Congratulations on graduating with first class honours, what a wonderful achievement. _______.
- You will have to wait for the security guard to be distracted before you can sneak in. I’ll let you know when _______.
Intrepid English members can study English idioms in more detail with our extensive Essential English Idioms course in the Intrepid English Academy!
Don’t forget to download your free Ocean Idioms worksheet right here.
If you enjoyed these idioms you’ll also love our free eBook of Essential English Idioms! Learn twenty-five essential English idioms for all occasions and test your understanding with practice activities. Download your copy right here.
This content was written and recorded by Intrepid English Teacher Kate B.
You can find out more about Kate B on her Intrepid English Teacher Profile Page.
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