Idioms & Phrasal verb topic “Weather”

When it comes to the topic of Weather in English, most of us will immediately think of basic words like sunny, rain, hot, cold, etc. To help you become more confident in communication and easily score high in the IELTS exam, check out this set of vocabulary about Whether to impress the examiners!

Idioms

Under the weather: To feel unwell or sick.

• I won’t be able to make it to the party tonight; I’m feeling a bit under the weather

Weather the storm: To endure a difficult or challenging situation.

• Despite the setbacks, the team managed to weather the storm and come out stronger.

Fair-weather friend: A person who is only supportive or reliable during good times.

• He’s just a fair-weather friend; he disappears when things get tough.

Break the ice: To initiate or start a conversation or interaction in a social setting.

• John told a funny joke to break the ice at the networking event.

Save it for a rainy day: To save something for future use or in case of need.

• I’m going to save this extra money for a rainy day.

Snowed under: Overwhelmed with too much work or responsibility.

• I can’t go out tonight; I’m completely snowed under with deadlines.

Cloud nine: To be extremely happy or elated.

• Winning the competition put her on cloud nine.

Shoot the breeze: To engage in casual or idle conversation.

• We sat on the porch, shooting the breeze and enjoying the sunset.

In the hot seat: Being in a position of scrutiny or under intense pressure.

• The CEO was in the hot seat during the press conference.

Rain or shine: Regardless of the weather conditions.

• The picnic will take place in the park, rain or shine.

Come rain or come shine: No matter what happens.

• I’ll be there for you, come rain or come shine.

Snowball effect: A situation where something grows or increases rapidly over time.

• The rumor had a snowball effect, spreading quickly throughout the office

I get caught in the rain: To get drenched

• If I get caught in the rain and I get drenched, I don’t like it.

It’s raining cats and dogs: raining heavily

Phrasal verb

To layer up: to wear multiple items of clothing, one over the other, to keep warm

• I still prefer winter because I can layer up and it feels really cozy.

Blow away: To be amazed or impressed by something.

• The incredible performance by the magician blew the audience away.

Cloud over: To become gloomy or depressing.

• The sky clouded over, indicating that it might rain later in the day.

Dry out: To remove moisture or to become dry.

• Hang your wet clothes outside to dry out in the sun.

Heat up: To become hotter or to increase in temperature.

• The oven is heating up, so we can start baking the cookies.

Warm-up: To increase in temperature or to prepare oneself for physical activity.

• Before starting the exercise routine, it’s important to warm up your muscles.

Wash out: To be ruined or spoiled due to heavy rain or flooding.

• The picnic was washed out by the sudden downpour, so we had to eat indoors.

Melt away: To gradually disappear or dissolve, typically due to heat.

• The snowman melted away under the warm afternoon sun.

Clear away: To remove or tidy up after a storm or messy situation.

• After the party, they cleared away the dishes and decorations