Thirty Musical Idioms

blog home

  1. a song and dance – a fuss
  2. and all that jazz – and other similar things
  3. as clean as a whistle – very clean or clear/without any incriminating evidence
  4. clear as a bell – perfectly clear/very clear
  5. fit as a fiddle – very fit/in perfect health
  6. for a song – very cheaply
  7. it takes two to tango – both people/parties involved are equally responsible
  8. like a broken record – annoyingly repetitive (usually used to describe someone constantly repeating an unwanted or unpleasant opinion)
  9. music to my ears – welcome good news
  10. rings a bell – sounds familiar
  11. to call a tune – to take initiative/to decide what to do on behalf of a group
  12. to change your tune – to behave differently/express a different opinion than before
  13. to chime in – to interject
  14. to drum up – to solicit or canvass in order to gain support/interest
  15. to face the music – to confront the consequences of your actions
  16. to fine tune – to perfect something by making small adjustments
  17. to give someone a bell – to telephone someone
  18. to hit the right note – to say something in a way that its suitable/appropriate for the listening audience
  19. to march to the beat of your own drum – to do things your own way (by disregarding convention)
  20. to play it by ear – to act on instinct rather than according to a previously-made plan
  21. to play second fiddle – to have/take a subordinate role to someone
  22. to pull out all the stops – to make a great effort to produce/achieve something
  23. to sing for your supper – to earn something by providing a service in return
  24. to strike a chord – to evoke a particular emotion (usually sympathy or enthusiasm) in someone
  25. to toot/blow your own horn/trumpet – to boast about your achievements/talents
  26. to whistle in the dark – to pretend you are not afraid
  27. to whistle in the wind – to try to influence something that cannot be changed
  28. whistle stop – quick, with only brief pauses/breaks
  29. with bells and whistles – with all the desired features/with extra desirable features
  30. with bells on – enthusiastically/ excitedly

If you’ve found this post useful, why not check out our other articles on idioms?

 


04 Aug 2015
blog home

"Thank goodness for Spellzone during this remote learning phase. The site is easy for students to navigate independently and they're really enjoying the activities and spelling games. You get an awful lot for your money with Spellzone. Really reassuring is the very prompt response with helpdesk queries. I've very rarely needed the helpdesk, but when I have, the issue has been addressed and sorted within a very short time."

Sarah Taggart, Oasis Academy Lord's Hill