Difference between phrase and idiom

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What is the difference between a phrase and an idiom?

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

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Have you looked up the words in the dictionary?

– Kris
Feb 2 '14 at 12:21

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What is the difference between a phrase and an idiom?

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

25.2k57 gold badges141 silver badges203 bronze badges

Have you looked up the words in the dictionary?

– Kris
Feb 2 '14 at 12:21

add a comment |

What is the difference between a phrase and an idiom?

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

25.2k57 gold badges141 silver badges203 bronze badges

What is the difference between a phrase and an idiom?

word-choice phrases idioms

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

25.2k57 gold badges141 silver badges203 bronze badges

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

25.2k57 gold badges141 silver badges203 bronze badges

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

edited Oct 13 '11 at 21:41

user2683

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

25.2k57 gold badges141 silver badges203 bronze badges

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

25.2k57 gold badges141 silver badges203 bronze badges

asked Mar 14 '11 at 21:14

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

25.2k57 gold badges141 silver badges203 bronze badges

Have you looked up the words in the dictionary?

– Kris
Feb 2 '14 at 12:21

add a comment |

Have you looked up the words in the dictionary?

– Kris
Feb 2 '14 at 12:21

Have you looked up the words in the dictionary?

– Kris
Feb 2 '14 at 12:21

add a comment |

1 Answer
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A phrase is “a small group of words standing together as a conceptual unit”, while an idiom is “a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words”. So, the difference is that an idiom as an established meaning not directly linked to the individual words. Any idiom is a phrase.

As an example, “raining cats and dogs” is both an idiom and a phrase. “A herd of cats” is a phrase but not an idiom.

edited Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

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"A girl's best friend" definitely is an idiom if the speaker is using it to refer to diamonds. :-)

– Hellion
Mar 14 '11 at 21:45

@Hellion: yeah, I should have thought about diamonds. I've edited :)

– F'x
Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

1

So in other words, an idiom must have at least 2 words?

– Pacerier
May 10 '12 at 12:52

@Pacerier Probably not... like "bullshit" (originally)

– d'alar'cop
Feb 2 '14 at 12:19

Is bullshit an idiom? Isn't it just a word?

– Pacerier
Feb 2 '14 at 18:01

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protected by RegDwigнt♦ Feb 2 '14 at 13:01

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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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As an example, “raining cats and dogs” is both an idiom and a phrase. “A herd of cats” is a phrase but not an idiom.

edited Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

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7

"A girl's best friend" definitely is an idiom if the speaker is using it to refer to diamonds. :-)

– Hellion
Mar 14 '11 at 21:45

@Hellion: yeah, I should have thought about diamonds. I've edited :)

– F'x
Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

1

So in other words, an idiom must have at least 2 words?

– Pacerier
May 10 '12 at 12:52

@Pacerier Probably not... like "bullshit" (originally)

– d'alar'cop
Feb 2 '14 at 12:19

Is bullshit an idiom? Isn't it just a word?

– Pacerier
Feb 2 '14 at 18:01

add a comment |

As an example, “raining cats and dogs” is both an idiom and a phrase. “A herd of cats” is a phrase but not an idiom.

edited Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

33.9k15 gold badges128 silver badges222 bronze badges

7

"A girl's best friend" definitely is an idiom if the speaker is using it to refer to diamonds. :-)

– Hellion
Mar 14 '11 at 21:45

@Hellion: yeah, I should have thought about diamonds. I've edited :)

– F'x
Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

1

So in other words, an idiom must have at least 2 words?

– Pacerier
May 10 '12 at 12:52

@Pacerier Probably not... like "bullshit" (originally)

– d'alar'cop
Feb 2 '14 at 12:19

Is bullshit an idiom? Isn't it just a word?

– Pacerier
Feb 2 '14 at 18:01

add a comment |

As an example, “raining cats and dogs” is both an idiom and a phrase. “A herd of cats” is a phrase but not an idiom.

edited Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

33.9k15 gold badges128 silver badges222 bronze badges

As an example, “raining cats and dogs” is both an idiom and a phrase. “A herd of cats” is a phrase but not an idiom.

edited Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

33.9k15 gold badges128 silver badges222 bronze badges

edited Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

33.9k15 gold badges128 silver badges222 bronze badges

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

33.9k15 gold badges128 silver badges222 bronze badges

answered Mar 14 '11 at 21:30

F'x

33.9k15 gold badges128 silver badges222 bronze badges

7

"A girl's best friend" definitely is an idiom if the speaker is using it to refer to diamonds. :-)

– Hellion
Mar 14 '11 at 21:45

@Hellion: yeah, I should have thought about diamonds. I've edited :)

– F'x
Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

1

So in other words, an idiom must have at least 2 words?

– Pacerier
May 10 '12 at 12:52

@Pacerier Probably not... like "bullshit" (originally)

– d'alar'cop
Feb 2 '14 at 12:19

Is bullshit an idiom? Isn't it just a word?

– Pacerier
Feb 2 '14 at 18:01

add a comment |

7

"A girl's best friend" definitely is an idiom if the speaker is using it to refer to diamonds. :-)

– Hellion
Mar 14 '11 at 21:45

@Hellion: yeah, I should have thought about diamonds. I've edited :)

– F'x
Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

1

So in other words, an idiom must have at least 2 words?

– Pacerier
May 10 '12 at 12:52

@Pacerier Probably not... like "bullshit" (originally)

– d'alar'cop
Feb 2 '14 at 12:19

Is bullshit an idiom? Isn't it just a word?

– Pacerier
Feb 2 '14 at 18:01

"A girl's best friend" definitely is an idiom if the speaker is using it to refer to diamonds. :-)

– Hellion
Mar 14 '11 at 21:45

@Hellion: yeah, I should have thought about diamonds. I've edited :)

– F'x
Mar 14 '11 at 22:26

So in other words, an idiom must have at least 2 words?

– Pacerier
May 10 '12 at 12:52

@Pacerier Probably not... like "bullshit" (originally)

– d'alar'cop
Feb 2 '14 at 12:19

Is bullshit an idiom? Isn't it just a word?

– Pacerier
Feb 2 '14 at 18:01

add a comment |

protected by RegDwigнt♦ Feb 2 '14 at 13:01

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