leave no stone unturned, hit the nail on the head, cut to the chase, take something with a pinch of salt, get the ball rolling: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 idioms from Idioms set 29. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. leave no stone unturned · idiom/liv noʊ stoʊn ʌnˈtɜrnd/

   to try every possible method to achieve something

   The detective left no stone unturned in his search for the missing child.

   Origin: From Greek legend — an oracle told a treasure hunter to leave no stone unturned in his search for hidden gold.

2. hit the nail on the head · idiom/hɪt ðə neɪl ɔn ðə hɛd/

   to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem

   When she said that we need better communication, she really hit the nail on the head.

   Origin: From the 1500s — striking the nail's head directly was the only proper way to drive it cleanly into wood.

3. cut to the chase · idiom/kʌt tu ðə tʃeɪs/

   to skip unnecessary details and get to the main point

   Instead of talking about irrelevant details, let's cut to the chase and discuss the real problem.

   Origin: From silent film editing in the 1920s — directors literally cut to the exciting chase scene to keep the audience engaged.

4. take something with a pinch of salt · idiom/teɪk wɪð ə pɪntʃ əv sɔlt/

   to not completely believe something, to be skeptical

   He tends to exaggerate, so take his stories with a pinch of salt.

   Origin: From the Roman writer Pliny — Mithridates VI ate poisons mixed with a pinch of salt to gradually build immunity.

5. get the ball rolling · idiom/ɡɛt ðə bɔl ˈroʊlɪŋ/

   to start something, especially an activity or project

   We need to get the ball rolling on this project before the deadline approaches.

   Origin: From sports like croquet or bowling in the 1800s — the first roll of the ball begins the entire game.