Idiom

An idiom is a phrase or expression that usually presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase. Some phrases which become figurative idioms, however, do retain the phrase's literal meaning. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning.^[1] Idioms occur frequently in all languages; in English alone there are an estimated twenty-five million idiomatic expressions.^[2]

^ The Oxford companion to the English language (1992:495f.)
^ Jackendoff (1997).

[1] The Oxford companion to the English language (1992:495f.)

[2] Jackendoff (1997).

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