On cloud nine, Catch-22, a dime a dozen, two heads are better than one… What do all these idioms have in common? That’s right—they all feature numbers! This post will explore 20 expressions like these, so let’s get into a bit of a counting mood…
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
| on cloud 9 | extremely happy | After winning the competition, he was on cloud nine for the rest of the week. |
| in 7th heaven | extremely happy; on cloud 9 | When she found out she got the job, she was in seventh heaven. |
| Catch-22 | a no-win situation; a dilemma with no good solution | I’m in a catch-22 situation: I need experience to get the job, but I need the job to get experience. |
| a dime a dozen | very common and not special | In this market, those cheap trinkets are a dime a dozen. |
| 1 in a million | very rare/unique | She’s such a talented musician; her voice is truly one in a million. |
| 2 heads are better than 1 | collaboration often leads to better results | I’m really struggling with this project. Maybe we should ask Jane for help—two heads are better than one. |
| a stitch in time saves 9 | fixing a problem early prevents it from getting worse (related: “Health Proverbs, Idioms & Phrasal Verbs”) | I noticed a small leak in the roof this morning. I’d better fix it now; a stitch in time saves nine. |
| at the 11th hour | at the last possible moment | The team submitted the report at the eleventh hour, just before the deadline. |
| behind the 8 ball | in a difficult/disadvantaged position | With the recent changes in company policy, I’m really behind the eight ball and struggling to keep up. |
| 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other | two alternatives that are essentially the same | Whether we go to the Italian or the Mexican restaurant, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other; they’re both equally good. |
| 7-year itch | the tendency for relationships to become strained after seven years | After seven years of marriage, they decided to take a break and travel—maybe it was just the seven-year itch. |
| a thousand and 1 | numerous/countless | There were a thousand and one things to do before the wedding, but we managed to get everything done in time. |
| to go the whole 9 yards | to do everything possible | For their anniversary, they went the whole nine yards with a fancy dinner, a luxurious hotel stay, and a surprise party. |
| 3 sheets to the wind | very drunk | By the end of the night, Dave was three sheets to the wind and could barely stand. |
| in 2 minds | undecided/uncertain about something | I’m in two minds about whether to accept the job offer in another city or stay here. |
Practice
🧩 Complete the text below with the right idiom or part of an idiom. 🔑 The answer key is given below.
Sarah and Tom were deep in preparation for their charity fundraiser, and with the event approaching at the -1-, they found themselves in a bit of a bind. Despite their best efforts, they were behind -2- with several key tasks still incomplete.
Realizing that they couldn’t manage everything on their own, they decided to ask their friend Mia for help. After all, -3-. Mia agreed to assist, and together they managed to get things moving. Sarah noticed a small error in the event flyer—nothing major, but it was a stitch in time that could -4- if corrected promptly.
As they worked late into the night, Tom had a minor slip-up with the event decorations. He joked, “Well, it’s a dime -5-; we can fix it easily.” Yet, with Mia’s help, they had everything sorted in no time.
During the planning, they debated whether to offer a live band or a DJ for the evening entertainment. Sarah felt it was six -6-, as both options seemed equally appealing. Eventually, they opted for a DJ, which seemed to fit the event’s vibe better.
As they finalized the details, Sarah mentioned how they had to cover so many different aspects—”It feels like we’re doing -7- things to make this event perfect,” she said.
Despite the hectic schedule, Tom noticed that Mia was always calm and composed, almost like she was one in -8- for her organizational skills. They decided to go -9- with every aspect of the event, ensuring everything was as impressive as possible.
The night of the fundraiser arrived, and Tom had a bit too much to drink during the celebration. By the end of the evening, he was -10-, but everyone was having such a great time that it hardly mattered.
Sarah felt as if she were in -11- as the event was a resounding success. She was on -12-, thrilled with how everything had turned out. Tom, on the other hand, was still in -13- about whether to take on another big project soon or to take a well-deserved break.
In the end, their hard work paid off, and the event was a huge success, leaving everyone feeling grateful for the collaboration and the wonderful results they achieved together.
Answer key 🔑
- eleventh hour
- the eight ball
- two heads are better than one
- save nine
- a dozen
- of one, half a dozen of the other
- a thousand and one
- a million
- the whole nine yards
- three sheets to the wind
- seventh heaven
- cloud nine
- two minds
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