Imagine being able to express your respect for others and understand when others show respect to you, using not just plain words, but vibrant idiomatic expressions! Such is the magic of English idioms. They can give your conversations an interesting twist and help you connect more deeply with native speakers. Wondering how? Let’s dive in!
Let’s embark on a fascinating journey to explore 25 idioms that express the theme of respect.
1. Hat’s off to someone: Showing respect or admiration for someone.
Example: Hats off to the team for completing the project on time.
2. Take one’s hat off to someone: To admire or respect someone.
Example: I take my hat off to her for handling such a tough situation.
3. Give credit where credit is due: Acknowledging someone’s effort or good work.
Example: He always gives credit where credit is due.
4. Stand in awe of: To respect someone deeply.
Example: I stand in awe of her ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
5. Kudos to someone: Praise or recognition for an achievement.
Example: Kudos to you for finishing the report so quickly!
6. Tipping your hat: Showing respect or admiration for someone.
Example: By helping the elderly woman, he was tipping his hat to his own grandmother.
7. Salute someone: To show respect or admiration for someone.
Example: I salute her for her dedication to the job.
8. A feather in your cap: An achievement or honor that makes you proud.
Example: Getting that promotion was certainly a feather in his cap.
9. Speak highly of someone: To talk about someone with respect.
Example: His colleagues always speak highly of him.
10. A pat on the back: Recognition or praise for doing something well.
Example: He deserves a pat on the back for his hard work.
11. Look up to someone: To respect and admire someone.
Example: She has always looked up to her mother.
12. In high regard: Having a lot of respect for someone.
Example: His integrity is held in high regard.
13. Bow down to someone: To show respect to someone by bending your body forward.
Example: They all bowed down to the queen.
14. Take a bow: To accept applause or praise by bending your body forward.
Example: He took a bow after his magnificent performance.
15. Hold someone in esteem: To respect someone a lot.
Example: The community holds the mayor in high esteem.
16. Give a round of applause: To show approval or appreciation of someone by clapping hands.
Example: Please give a round of applause for our guest speaker.
17. Golden handshake: A large amount of money given to a high-ranking employee when they leave their job.
Example: After 30 years at the company, he received a golden handshake.
18. Show someone the ropes: To explain to someone how to do a job or activity.
Example: As the most experienced member, it’s your job to show the new recruits the ropes.
19. Red carpet treatment: Very special treatment.
Example: The hotel staff gave us the red carpet treatment.
20. Pay homage to: To show respect to someone or something.
Example: The event was held to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the war.
21. Grace with your presence: To honor an event, place, or person by going there.
Example: She graced the charity event with her presence.
22. Tip one’s hat: To express recognition, respect, or admiration.
Example: He tipped his hat to the chef after a delicious meal.
23. Kneel before someone: To show respect by bending your knee to the ground.
Example: The knights knelt before the king.
24. Pay your respects: To show respect, especially by visiting someone.
Example: We went to pay our respects at his grave.
25. Golden boy: Someone who is very successful and is much admired.
Example: He is the golden boy of the music industry.
To wrap up, these idioms paint the theme of respect with vibrant strokes, making your conversations more engaging and relatable. Mastering them will not only enrich your English vocabulary but also help you navigate social situations with ease.