Idiom

Have you ever heard a grown-up say something silly. Like, it’s 'raining cats and dogs'. You look out the window, but you only see big, splashy raindrops. No puppies or kittens are falling from the sky. Or maybe they told you to 'hold your horses' when there were no horses around at all. That’s me, making a little joke with words. I’m a secret picture made out of words. My words sound funny if you think about them one by one, but together they have a special meaning. I am an Idiom.

I am very, very old. I've been around since people first started telling fun stories, thousands and thousands of years ago. People in faraway places called Ancient Greece and Rome loved to use me to make their stories exciting. Some of my phrases come from real things people used to do a long, long time ago. 'Hold your horses' started when people really did ride big, strong horses and had to pull their reins to make them wait. A very famous writer named William Shakespeare, who lived in a place called England more than 400 years ago, also loved to use me in his plays. He helped create phrases like 'break the ice,' which is a friendly way to start talking to someone new. I helped him make his stories sound magical and special for everyone to hear.

I make talking feel like a fun game. When someone says you are the 'apple of their eye,' it doesn’t mean you are a round, red fruit. It means they think you are wonderful and special, just like a shiny, yummy apple. I help make our language colorful and exciting, like adding bright sprinkles to your favorite ice cream. The next time you read a book or listen to a grown-up talk, listen for me. I’m hiding in their words, waiting to share a secret picture with you and make you smile. Keep listening, and you’ll find me everywhere.