put your foot in it, sweep under the rug, play devil’s advocate, cut corners, be on thin ice: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 idioms from Idioms set 32. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. put your foot in it · idiom/pʊt jʊr fʊt ɪn ɪt/

   to say something inappropriate that causes embarrassment or offense

   She put her foot in it by mentioning his ex-girlfriend in front of his new partner.

   Origin: A British 19th-century expression — putting one's foot into something muddy or unpleasant by accident.

2. sweep under the rug · idiom/swip ˈʌndɚ ðə rʌɡ/

   to hide or ignore a problem instead of dealing with it

   The company tried to sweep the financial scandal under the rug, but the media found out.

   Origin: From the 1900s — hiding dirt under a rug to give the illusion of cleanliness without actually solving the problem.

3. play devil’s advocate · idiom/pleɪ ˈdɛvəlz ˈædvəkət/

   to argue against something just for the sake of discussion

   I don’t actually disagree with you, I’m just playing devil’s advocate to consider the other side.

   Origin: From Catholic Church canonization — an official advocate argued against making someone a saint, testing their case.

4. cut corners · idiom/kʌt ˈkɔrnɚz/

   to take shortcuts that may reduce quality or effectiveness

   The builder cut corners by using cheap materials, which led to structural problems.

   Origin: From racing — drivers who cut across the inside corner of a track saved time but did the work less honestly.

5. be on thin ice · idiom/bi ɔn θɪn aɪs/

   to be in a risky or uncertain situation

   After missing multiple deadlines, he was on thin ice with his boss.

   Origin: An 18th-century expression — walking on thin ice may break at any moment, sending you into freezing water.