Idioms about Politics: Idioms are preconceptions that represent a nation’s culture. Idioms are word groupings that commonly deviate from their literal meaning. Idioms are made up of at least two words that cannot be altered. A word does not make a statement; thus, it must have two words. Learning a language’s idioms helps us a lot while speaking it.
Idioms include language patterns that represent a circumstance or notion, which separates them from proverbs. Proverbs contain components such as guidance and teachings. Because idioms are usually metaphorical, there are discrepancies between the words and the meaning.
To make learning even more complex, there are idioms related to government or the law, or idioms related to social issues, which are already densely packed with jargon that even native English speakers struggle to comprehend. While idioms are typically metaphorical in nature, they are rarely employed in real speech.
Enrich your Vocabulary by practicing the English Idioms that are commonly used in everyday conversations and understand their actual meaning.
Below are some of the most frequent English Political idioms regarding the law or legal problems and idioms about socialising, along with a brief explanation, to aid English as a Second Language learner.
Names of Political Idioms
List of Political Idioms
- A riddle wrapped up in an enigma.
- Take the Law into One’s Own Hands
- A woman requires a man like a fish needs a bicycle
- Null And Void
- Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
- Turn a Blind Eye to
- Fellow traveller
- First World
- Hear hear
- Invasion of Privacy
- If a person can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen
- Jam tomorrow
- Toe the party line
- Grace Period
- Invasion of Privacy
- Press the flesh
- To vote with your feet
- One- a two-horse race
- Political hot potato
- To get on/off your soapbox.
- Be Strange bedfellows:
- Last Will and Testament
- Lame-duck:
- Lodge a Complaint
- Legal Age
- Spin doctor:
- Politically correct:
- Witch hunt
- (Commit) Political suicide:
- Caught red-handed:
- Five–finger discount:
- Foul play:
- Stick it to the plan:
- A Shot across the bow:
- Pin someone down on something:
- One / Two horse race
- Election fever
- Hot air
- Hung parliament
- Toe the party line
- Body politic
- A political football
- A political hot potato
- Political machinery.
- Politically correct / incorrect (PC)
- Press the flesh.
- To get on/off your soapbox.
- Throw in the towel.
- To vote with your feet.
- Due Process or Due Process of Law
Meaning and Examples of some commonly used Political Idioms
A riddle wrapped up in an enigma
Meaning: A puzzle – something that is particularly difficult to comprehend or solve – is defined as a riddle wrapped in an enigma.
Example: The majority of the people were unable to anticipate Russia’s behaviour. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery and enclosed in an enigma; nevertheless, there may be a key. This is where Russian national interest comes into play.
Take the Law into One’s Own Hands
Meaning: Individuals who endeavour to take the law into their own hands are seeking justice on their own. They do not seek assistance from authorities or anyone with the legal authority to administer the law. Generally, it is considered unlawful to take the law into one’s own hands.
Example: Out of contempt, Roma took the law into her own hands and killed her cheating husband.
A woman requires a man like a fish needs a bicycle
Meaning: “A woman requires a man like a fish needs a bicycle” is a feminist slogan that expresses the humorous viewpoint that a woman can live a perfectly normal life without the assistance of a man in a humorous manner.
Example: Dunn deserves credit for inventing such a famous and enduring parody of the long-held belief that women require men like a fish needs a bicycle.
Null And Void
Meaning: If something has already been cancelled, it is null and void. Being cancelled renders that item obsolete and useless.
Example: The court case against the organisation was null and void. The organisation had settled the lawsuit out of court.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
Meaning: “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely,” as the adage goes, expresses the belief in the diminishing importance of moral sense as a person’s position of authority grows.
Example: Power is corrupting by nature, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Almost invariably, great guys are evil men.
Turn a Blind Eye to
Meaning: If a person can see something incorrect or suspicious but pretends not to see it, the individual is turning a blind eye to it or someone. Basically, turning a blind eye is an act of exclusion, which involves failing to undertake the activities that the majority of people are expected to perform.
Example: Rossy turned a blind eye to the dying cat that had been crossing the street and got hit by a mini-truck.
Fellow traveller
Meaning: Someone who is sympathetic to a particular point of view but who is not a fully paid-up member of the organisation.
Example: In my grandfather’s day, being suspected of being a fellow traveller was frequently used to utterly destroy one’s career.
First World
Meaning: It was originally applied only to the United States (see below for more information), but it has come to refer to the industrially developed, wealthy, and powerful nations of the world as a whole. Many people refer to these countries as “The West,” though Japan and Australia are unquestionably included in the “First World.”
Example: I recently returned from a volunteer mission to Haiti and am still adapting to a first world country.
Hear hear
Meaning: Acclamation or agreement is expressed through the use of a loudspeaker.
Example: Hear, hear!” members of Congress chanted in response to the president’s remarks.
Invasion of Privacy
Meaning: A violation of privacy occurs when someone’s right to secrecy, personal space, and time is violated. Invasion of privacy is a legal violation and is thus punished under the law.
Example: The paparazzo was convicted with the invasion of privacy for photographing an exposed actress swimming in the pool of her house.
If a person can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen
Meaning: If the stress of a task becomes too much for you, don’t continue with it. If you are unable to cope, it is suggested that you delegate the work to someone who is capable.
Example: I will defend [you] but if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Jam tomorrow
Meaning: A pleasant event in the future that is unlikely to occur is referred to as a “jam tomorrow.”
Example: It is becoming increasingly frustrating for the few employees who remain to hear promises of jam tomorrow while also being forced to work longer hours with less compensation.
Toe the party line
Meaning: The act of adhering to the rules or standards of the political party to which you are affiliated.
Example: She’ll have to learn to toe the party line if he wishes to remain in the fold.
Grace Period
Meaning: A grace period is the time period immediately following a bill payment deadline. Generally, we can pay a debt without incurring interest or penalties within a grace period of roughly 30 days.
Example: The government was kind enough to give us a 60-day grace period to repay our credit card bill.
Invasion of Privacy
Meaning: A violation of privacy occurs when someone’s right to secrecy, personal space, and time is violated. Invasion of privacy is a legal violation and is thus punished under the law.
Example: The paparazzo was convicted with the invasion of privacy for photographing an exposed actress swimming in the pool of her house.
Press the flesh
Meaning: To extend a handshake to someone.
Example: Roma is required to engage in extensive flesh pressing in the run-up to the elections.
To vote with your feet
Meaning: The act of withdrawing one’s consent
Example: I advised Rachel that she could always vote with her feet if she didn’t like the job.
One- a two-horse race
Meaning: One in which there are few likely winners is referred to as a low-probability competition or election.
Example: The 2016 presidential election was only a two-horse race.
Political hot potato
Meaning: A situation that could be potentially humiliating or dangerous.
Example: Last year scandal will be a political hot potato for the upcoming election.
To get on/off your soapbox
Meaning: To spend a majority amount of time discussing a subject about which you are passionate. It means that someone thinks you’re spending too much time on a particular subject and has asked you to “get off your soapbox.”
Example: Nothing can stop a politician once he gets on his soapbox and starts talking.
Be Strange bedfellows
Meaning: It is appropriate to use this phrase when two people are diametrically opposed to one another, but they must collaborate in order to achieve a common goal.
Example: I assumed that the two writers would be strange bedfellows, considering the dramatically different style of their writing, but their works really have a lot of commonalities in terms of themes and structures.
Last Will and Testament
Meaning: A final testament and will is a legal document created by a person prior to death. It details how he or she wishes to dispose of his or her assets after death. Additionally, it may contain his or her messages to friends, family, and acquaintances.
Example: The duchess did not leave behind any last testament and will. Now George’s kids are fighting over his massive wealth.
Lame-duck
Meaning: The term is utilised here to describe people who are unable to complete the assigned task and have completed their duties. It appears that this individual has reached the end of his or her rope.
Example: The opposing party was furious with the president’s decision to pick a Supreme Court successor while he was a lame duck.
Lodge a Complaint
Meaning: If we are filing a formal complaint against someone, a group, or an organisation, we file a complaint. Typically, we file a complaint with a court of law or with a government agency.
Example: Villagers lodged an accusation against a mine owner for polluting the river.
Legal Age
Meaning: When a person reaches the legal age, he or she is already eligible to vote, drive, purchase cigarettes, consume alcohol, and gamble. After attaining legal capacity, individuals are expected to accept full responsibility for their acts. They become legally accountable.
Example: These teenagers are not allowed to buy alcohol. They are clearly below legal age.
Spin doctor
Meaning: People who are pro-government or who work in the news referring industry can be identified using this term.
Example: The campaign’s spin doctors somehow made the candidate’s bad performance in the debate appear like an indication that he was the more approachable candidate.
Politically correct
Meaning: Everything done has been deemed to be politically correct.
Example: Our CEO is always being attacked in the media because she hardly delivers politically correct remarks.
Witchhunt
Meaning: In power, it is used to discredit those who hold opposing views.
Example: The governing party’s witch hunt against its critics provoked a civil war.
(Commit) Political suicide
Meaning: These gentlemen are putting their political futures at risk by speaking out.
Example: These men are going to have political suicide by putting their lives at risk.
Caught red-handed
Meaning: Caught Red-Handed refers to the act of catching someone while they are engaged in illegal activity.
Example: Joey was caught red-handed last night; while we were watching family television in the night.
Five–finger discount
Meaning: This phrase can be utilised to describe a shoplifting situation.
Example: Mooro exercised his five-finger discount to arrange the kind of ring Blake wanted.
Foul play
Meaning: The use of this idiom is appropriate when discussing things such as assassination, murder, or games that don’t adhere to the rules.
Example: Us feared that David had met with unfair conduct or foul play in a game.
Stick it to the plan
Meaning: Continue doing or using something for an extended period of time without changing or ceasing to do so
Example: I believe we all should stick to our original plan.
A Shot across the bow
Meaning: In the phrase “a shot across the bows of another person,” you are implying that the actions of one person are a warning to the other person to stop or alter their course of action.
Example: As a warning shot across the bows of rivals, it is already establishing aggressive pricing.
Pin someone down on something
Meaning: Using this phrase can be useful when we want someone to give a specific answer to a question or when we want to cause or force someone to make a specific statement or decision on a particular subject.
Example: Journalists tried to pin him down on the particular modifications the man aspired to make to the tax laws.
One / Two horse race
Meaning: One in which there are few likely winners, such as a competition or election.
Example: Every general election held in the UK is usually a two-horse race.
Election fever
Meaning: It is impossible to overstate the level of excitement generated by the announcement of the results of the general elections.
Example: The media is afflicted from election fever; one can’t just switch the TV on without being assaulted by political commentators.
Hot air
Meaning: Empty, Filler speech that is overstated or presumptuous.
Example: Politicians usually spout a lot of hot air.
Hung parliament
Meaning: There is no single political party with an absolute majority in a parliament.
Example: Everyone is predicting there will be a hung parliament this election, and the parties will have to forge agreements with the minor parties to achieve a majority.
Toe the party line
Meaning: The act of adhering to the rules or standards of the political party to which you are affiliated.
Example: Rohan will have to study to toe the party line if he desires to take on.
Body politic
Meaning: Individuals who have banded collectively to form an organised political movement under a single political leadership.
Example: Judge Sydney Harris instructed the crown to restore to the Body Politic any material taken during the search.
A political football
Meaning: The inability to resolve a problem because the politics of the situation prevent it from being resolved or because the issue is extremely contentious.
Example: Women’s health concerns are often treated as a political football.
A political hot potato
Meaning: A situation that could be hazardous or embarrassing
Example: The expenses scandal made by the current chief minister of the state has suddenly become a political hot potato.
Political machinery.
Meaning: What it’s like to be involved in British politics today.
Example: The political machinery has yet to recognise the threat or opportunity of social media websites and the internet.
Politically correct / incorrect (PC)
Meaning: PC refers to the use or non-use of language that is likely to cause offence.
Example: Bernard Manning was never really Politically Correct.
Press the flesh
Meaning: To extend a handshake to someone.
Example: He must do a lot of flesh pressing in the run-up to the elections of 2016.
To get on/off your soapbox
Meaning: To spend quite a notable amount of time discussing a subject about which you are passionate. It means that someone thinks you’re spending too much time on a particular subject and has asked you to “get off your soapbox.”
Example: Hyde Park, which is located in London, is renowned for people who go on their soapbox to address topics that concern them.”
Throw in the towel
Meaning: The act of surrendering.
Example: They realised they were going to lose, so they threw in the towel.
To vote with your feet
Meaning: The act of withdrawing one’s consent.
Example: I informed her that if she didn’t enjoy her work, she could always vote with her feet.
Due Process or Due Process of Law
Meaning: Due process refers to the legal systems that must be followed to safeguard an accused person’s rights. Failure to follow due process is considered a breach of the accused’s civil freedoms.
Example: Everybody is entitled to their due process.
