English Idioms

Weather

Understanding idioms related to weather can make your conversations about daily and seasonal changes more vivid and engaging. Our collection of weather idioms offers clear definitions, practical examples, and audio pronunciations to support your learning journey. Mastering these idioms will enable you to describe weather conditions more expressively and naturally. Explore the origins of these idioms to gain cultural insights and enhance your comprehension. Practice integrating these idioms into your conversations to build confidence and improve your English speaking skills. Start learning weather idioms today and make your communication more dynamic and fluent.

Idiom	Meaning and Examples
Calm before the storm	Meaning: This expression describes a period of quiet or tranquility that occurs just before a time of chaos or difficulty. It's often used to highlight the contrast between a peaceful moment and the impending turmoil or trouble. Examples: The office was unusually quiet on Friday, a calm before the storm of the Monday deadline. She enjoyed the serene morning, knowing it was just the calm before the storm of her hectic afternoon schedule. The city had a peaceful ambiance, a calm before the storm that the approaching hurricane would bring. Meaning and Examples of the "Calm before the storm" idiom
Chasing rainbows	Meaning: Pursuing something that is unattainable or unrealistic. It's like going after a goal that is beautiful and appealing but ultimately impossible to achieve. Examples: Despite her best efforts, she realized that trying to make everyone happy was like chasing rainbows. Investing all his savings in get-rich-quick schemes was just him chasing rainbows. She felt like she was chasing rainbows by trying to recreate her youthful dreams. Meaning and Examples of the "Chasing rainbows" idiom
Come rain or shine	Meaning: Regardless of the circumstances, this phrase suggests unwavering commitment or consistency. It emphasizes persistence and dedication despite any challenges or obstacles. Examples: She promised to be there for her friend’s wedding, come rain or shine. The athletes trained every morning, come rain or shine, to prepare for the championship. Our team meets every Monday, come rain or shine, to discuss project progress. Meaning and Examples of the "Come rain or shine" idiom
Every cloud has a silver lining	Meaning: Even in difficult situations, there is always something positive or hopeful to be found. It's a reminder to stay optimistic and look for the good in every bad situation. Examples: Amidst the economic downturn, the rise in remote work opportunities proved that every cloud has a silver lining. Losing the match was disappointing, but it taught the team valuable lessons; truly, every cloud has a silver lining. Despite the project's failure, the experience gained was invaluable, showing that every cloud has a silver lining. Meaning and Examples of the "Every cloud has a silver lining" idiom
Fair-weather friend	Meaning: A fair-weather friend is someone who is only around during good times and disappears when things get tough. They are not reliable in difficult situations and cannot be counted on for support when you need it most. Examples: When Mark lost his job, he quickly realized that Tom was just a fair-weather friend and couldn't be relied upon for support. Jane thought she had a lot of friends, but during her illness, only a few stood by her, proving the rest were fair-weather friends. In times of prosperity, many people will want to be close to you, but true friends, unlike fair-weather friends, will stay during hardships. Meaning and Examples of the "Fair-weather friend" idiom
Head in the clouds	Meaning: Someone who is daydreaming or not paying attention to what is happening around them. They might be lost in their own thoughts or fantasies, missing the realities of the present moment. Examples: Even during the important meeting, Mark had his head in the clouds, sketching designs in his notebook. Sarah’s head in the clouds demeanor often made her the subject of jokes among her colleagues. Despite the chaos around him, James wandered through the park with his head in the clouds, completely unbothered. Meaning and Examples of the "Head in the clouds" idiom
It's raining cats and dogs	Meaning: This phrase describes extremely heavy rain, the kind where you might need to stay indoors or use an umbrella if you venture outside. It's a vivid way to express that the rain is coming down very hard. Examples: I forgot my umbrella, and now it's raining cats and dogs—I'm completely soaked! The weather forecast said it would drizzle, but it's raining cats and dogs out there! We had to cancel the outdoor concert because it started raining cats and dogs. Meaning and Examples of the "It's raining cats and dogs" idiom
Make hay while the sun shines	Meaning: Take advantage of favorable conditions while they last. Act quickly when the opportunity arises to maximize benefits. Examples: As the stock market surged unexpectedly, investors knew it was time to make hay while the sun shines. With the holiday season approaching, retailers ramped up their marketing efforts to make hay while the sun shines. During the brief lull in the storm, we decided to make hay while the sun shines and repaired the roof. Meaning and Examples of the "Make hay while the sun shines" idiom
On cloud nine	Meaning: Being in an extremely happy and contented state. It's the feeling of being euphoric and elated, as if you're floating on a cloud. Examples: After hearing about her promotion, Jane was on cloud nine for the rest of the week. Winning the lottery put him on cloud nine, and he couldn't stop smiling for days. She felt on cloud nine when she received an acceptance letter from her dream university. Meaning and Examples of the "On cloud nine" idiom
Snowed under	Meaning: Feeling overwhelmed due to having too many tasks or responsibilities to handle. It's like being buried under a pile of snow, unable to move or see clearly because of the workload. Examples: After accepting three new projects, Emily felt completely snowed under and didn't know where to start. Despite being snowed under with assignments, Jake still managed to help his colleague meet a tight deadline. The marketing team has been snowed under since the launch of the new product line, working late hours every night. Meaning and Examples of the "Snowed under" idiom
Take a rain check	Meaning: To decline an invitation or offer but suggest or imply that you might accept it at a later time. It's a polite way of postponing an engagement. Examples: I’d love to join you for dinner, but I have a deadline to meet tonight. Can I take a rain check? She wanted to go hiking this weekend, but the weather was awful, so they decided to take a rain check. Thanks for the invitation to your party, but I’m swamped with work. How about I take a rain check? Meaning and Examples of the "Take a rain check" idiom
Throw caution to the wind	Meaning: To act in a risky manner without considering the consequences. It's often done in situations where you decide to take a chance despite the potential dangers. Examples: Despite the looming deadlines, she decided to throw caution to the wind and take a spontaneous weekend trip. When he invested all his savings into a startup, he truly threw caution to the wind. They threw caution to the wind and eloped to get married in Las Vegas. Meaning and Examples of the "Throw caution to the wind" idiom