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Biblical & Christian
Even fully secular culture is steeped in biblical language. Betrayal, redemption, exile, and apocalypse โ the source for an enormous slice of everyday English idioms.
20 entries
An Eye for an Eye
Strict proportional retribution.
Apocalypse
A catastrophic end of the world.
David and Goliath
An underdog defeating a much larger opponent.
Forbidden Fruit
Something tempting precisely because it is off-limits.
Good Samaritan
A stranger who helps someone in trouble without obligation.
Hail Mary
A desperate last-second attempt with little chance of success.
Judas
The ultimate betrayer.
Scapegoat
A person made to bear the blame for others.
The Holy Grail
The ultimate, perhaps unattainable, object of pursuit.
The Writing on the Wall
An unmistakable warning of impending disaster.
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Someone dangerous disguised as benign.
Cain and Abel
The original story of fratricide and jealousy.
Cross to Bear
A personal burden one has to carry.
Garden of Eden
A state of perfect innocence and abundance โ usually invoked to mark its loss.
Noah's Ark
A vessel preserving life through catastrophe.
Prodigal Son
Someone who leaves, fails, and returns โ and is welcomed back.
Turn the Other Cheek
Respond to aggression with non-retaliation.
Casting Pearls Before Swine
Offering something valuable to those who can't appreciate it.
Job
The man whose faith was tested through total loss.
Thirty Pieces of Silver
The price of betrayal โ especially a small or shameful one.