25 Atmosphere and Weather Idioms part 2

25 more atmosphere and weather-related idioms:

1. To brighten up – to become more cheerful
2. To take a shine to – to develop a liking for
3. To make hay when the sun shines – to make the most of an opportunity while it lasts
4. Come rain or shine – whatever the weather/situation
5. To chase rainbows – to pursue something that is impossible/impractical
6. To save for a rainy day – to put something aside for a future time in which it may be needed
7. To wait for a raindrop in the drought – to wait/hope for something which has little chance of happening
8. Right as rain – fit and healthy
9. To take a rain check – to refuse an offer, while demonstrating enthusiasm to accept it in the future
10. Into each life some rain must fall – everyone must experience difficulties or ill fortune at one time or another
11. To rain on someone’s parade – to spoil someone’s plans/to prevent someone from enjoying themselves
12. It never rains but it pours – misfortunes seem to either all come in quick succession or all come at once
13. Raining cats and dogs – raining heavily
14. Dry Spell – a period in which someone is having less success than usual
15. Windfall – a large amount of money which is won or unexpectedly received
16. To shoot the breeze – to have a casual conversation
17. To get wind of something – to hear a rumour about something
18. To know which way the wind blows – to understand what is happening in changing circumstances and be able to anticipate what will happen in the future
19. To sail close to the wind – to verge on the limit of what is acceptable, allowed, or honourable
20. To throw caution to the wind – to take a great risk/to behave recklessly
21. Cloud/storm on the horizon – approaching problem
22. Every cloud has a silver lining – every difficult situation has a more comforting and hopeful aspect
23. Cloud nine – a state of great happiness
24. To have your head in the clouds – to have unrealistic, impractical, or fanciful ideas
25. “I don’t have the foggiest” – “I don’t have a clue” / “I have no idea”

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25 Atmosphere and Weather Idioms part 1

let’s take a look at some of them that use the weather and environment as metaphors to describe something else.

1. Cold light of Day – a time and place from which problems can be objectively considered
2. Fair-weather friend – a friend who cannot be relied on in difficult times
3. Under the weather – unwell or in low spirits
4. To weather a storm – to successfully deal with a problem or to get through a difficult situation
5. Any port in a storm – accepting any source of relief or escape in an unfavourable situation
6. Calm/lull/quiet before the storm – a period of unusual stability before difficult times
7. Storm in a teacup – exaggerated outrage or enthusiasm regarding a seemingly trivial matter/ a small occurrence exaggerated out of proportion
8. To down a storm – to be positively received by an audience
9. To take by storm – to capture a place or person using a combination of excessive force and the element of surprise/ to suddenly be extremely successful within a particular place or group of people
10. Stormy relationship/argument – a passionate, emotional, unpredictable relationship/argument
11. Face like thunder – looking very angry or upset
12. Lightning fast – very fast
13. Bolt from the blue – an unexpected or sudden occurrence
14. To stem the tide – to prevent something bad from getting worse
15. In the doldrums – low-spirited, depressed
16. Tip of the iceberg – the small visible part of a much larger and hidden problem
17. To break the ice – to do or say something to relieve tension
18. Snowed under – overloaded with work
19. In the dark – ignorant, unaware
20. Once in a blue moon – very rarely
21. To reach for the moon – to try and achieve your ambitions
22. A place in the sun – a position of advantage
23. Spring Cleaning – thorough house cleaning
24. Indian Summer – a period of unexpected hot and dry weather, often in the Autumn months
25. Ray of sunshine – a person who brings happiness into the lives of others (often used sarcastically to refer to someone with a gloomy outlook on life)

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