Grass isn’t just something we see in yards or parks. In English, it also shows up in idioms expressions that don’t mean exactly what the words say. These idioms use “grass” to talk about ideas like jealousy, change, or telling on someone. Learning these phrases can help you understand jokes, stories, and everyday conversations more easily.
This article will explain some common idioms with the word “grass.” You’ll learn what each one means, how to use it in a sentence, and other ways to say the same thing. By the end, you’ll be able to recognize these expressions and even use a few on your own.
Idioms for Grass
1. Grass is greener on the other side
Meaning: People think others have it better than they do.
Sample Sentences: She wanted to switch schools because she thought the grass was greener on the other side. / He thought the other team was better, but the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Other Way to Say: Others seem luckier / Things look better somewhere else
2. Don’t let the grass grow under your feet
Meaning: Don’t wait too long; act quickly.
Sample Sentences: You should finish your homework now don’t let the grass grow under your feet. / We have to leave soon; don’t let the grass grow under your feet.
Other Way to Say: Act fast / Don’t wait too long
3. On the grass
Meaning: Being in trouble or caught doing something wrong.
Sample Sentences: He got caught on the grass for sneaking out. / If you keep breaking the rules, you’ll be on the grass.
Other Way to Say: In trouble / Caught red-handed
4. The grass roots
Meaning: The basic or most important part of a group or movement.
Sample Sentences: The grass roots of the school helped organize the event. / The change started with the grass roots, the students.
Other Way to Say: The base / The foundation
5. Make hay while the sun shines (related to grass and farming)
Meaning: Take advantage of a good opportunity.
Sample Sentences: Finish your work now; make hay while the sun shines. / We should play outside now make hay while the sun shines!
Other Way to Say: Use your chance / Don’t waste time
6. Let sleeping dogs lie (grass and nature related)
Meaning: Don’t cause trouble by bringing up old problems.
Sample Sentences: Don’t argue about that old fight again let sleeping dogs lie. / It’s better not to bring it up; let sleeping dogs lie.
Other Way to Say: Leave it alone / Don’t cause trouble
7. To hit the hay
Meaning: To go to bed or sleep.
Sample Sentences: I’m tired; I’m going to hit the hay. / After the long day, she hit the hay early.
Other Way to Say: Go to sleep / Turn in
8. Don’t cut the grass under someone’s feet
Meaning: Don’t take someone’s chance or idea away.
Sample Sentences: Don’t cut the grass under his feet by finishing his project. / She felt bad when her friend cut the grass under her feet.
Other Way to Say: Don’t steal the chance / Don’t take over
9. Green grass
Meaning: A good or fresh opportunity.
Sample Sentences: He found a green grass in his new job. / Moving to the city was like finding green grass.
Other Way to Say: A fresh start / A new chance
10. To be out in the grass
Meaning: To be outside, usually in nature.
Sample Sentences: We played out in the grass all afternoon. / The kids loved running out in the grass.
Other Way to Say: Outside / In the yard
11. Grass grows on a busy street
Meaning: Something unlikely or rare happens.
Sample Sentences: Grass grows on a busy street just like that kind of surprise. / Winning the game was like grass growing on a busy street.
Other Way to Say: Rare event / Unlikely to happen
12. Keep off the grass
Meaning: Stay away from something.
Sample Sentences: The sign said “Keep off the grass” in the park. / Mom told me to keep off the grass at the garden.
Other Way to Say: Don’t step on / Stay away
13. Make the grass grow
Meaning: To waste time or do nothing useful.
Sample Sentences: Stop making the grass grow and start your homework. / We can’t just sit here and make the grass grow all day.
Other Way to Say: Waste time / Do nothing
14. Grass stains
Meaning: Dirt marks from falling on the grass.
Sample Sentences: His pants had grass stains after playing soccer. / Be careful so you don’t get grass stains on your clothes.
Other Way to Say: Dirt marks / Green stains
15. To mow the grass
Meaning: To cut the grass short.
Sample Sentences: Dad will mow the grass this weekend. / It’s time to mow the grass before it gets too tall.
Other Way to Say: Cut the grass / Trim the lawn
16. The grass is greener where you water it
Meaning: Things get better where you take care of them.
Sample Sentences: She learned that the grass is greener where you water it and started working hard at her old school. / Taking care of your friends makes the grass greener where you water it.
Other Way to Say: Take care to improve / Work to succeed
17. On the green grass
Meaning: Relaxing or enjoying nature.
Sample Sentences: We had a picnic on the green grass. / Sitting on the green grass made us feel calm.
Other Way to Say: Outdoors / In nature
18. The grasshopper’s jump
Meaning: A quick or big move forward.
Sample Sentences: He made the grasshopper’s jump when he solved the problem fast. / The team made a grasshopper’s jump to win the game.
Other Way to Say: A big leap / A fast move
19. Grass fed
Meaning: Animals that eat grass, usually healthy food.
Sample Sentences: We bought grass-fed beef from the store. / Grass-fed cows are healthier than others.
Other Way to Say: Natural food / Grass-eating
20. To let the grass grow under you
Meaning: To delay or wait too long to act.
Sample Sentences: Don’t let the grass grow under you start your project now. / If you let the grass grow under you, you’ll miss the chance.
Other Way to Say: Don’t delay / Act quickly
21. Grass roots movement
Meaning: A group that starts with regular people, not leaders.
Sample Sentences: The grass roots movement helped change the school rules. / The idea began as a grass roots movement from the students.
Other Way to Say: Community group / People-powered start
22. Grass widow
Meaning: A person whose partner is away for a while.
Sample Sentences: She felt like a grass widow when her dad was away on a trip. / Mom was a grass widow while Dad worked far away.
Other Way to Say: Partner away / Left alone temporarily
23. Let the grass grow over something
Meaning: To forget about a problem or stop talking about it.
Sample Sentences: They let the grass grow over the argument and became friends again. / Sometimes it’s best to let the grass grow over mistakes.
Other Way to Say: Forget about it / Move on
24. To be full of fresh grass
Meaning: To be full of energy or life.
Sample Sentences: After the vacation, she was full of fresh grass and ready to play. / The team was full of fresh grass before the game started.
Other Way to Say: Full of energy / Ready to go
25. Take a leaf out of someone’s grass
Meaning: To copy someone’s good example.
Sample Sentences: You should take a leaf out of her grass and study hard. / He took a leaf out of his friend’s grass and started helping others.
Other Way to Say: Follow their example / Learn from someone
26. To cut the grass with a sharp blade
Meaning: To do something carefully and well.
Sample Sentences: She cut the grass with a sharp blade when she finished her homework perfectly. / Dad said to cut the grass with a sharp blade to keep the lawn neat.
Other Way to Say: Do carefully / Work well
27. Rolling in the grass
Meaning: Having fun outside, being playful.
Sample Sentences: The puppies were rolling in the grass all afternoon. / We had a great time rolling in the grass at the park.
Other Way to Say: Playing outside / Having fun
28. The grass is fresh and green
Meaning: Something is new and looks good.
Sample Sentences: The grass is fresh and green in the spring. / Starting a new school year feels like the grass is fresh and green.
Other Way to Say: New and nice / Fresh start
29. To be on fresh grass
Meaning: To be in a new or different place.
Sample Sentences: Moving to a new town felt like being on fresh grass. / Trying new things is like walking on fresh grass.
Other Way to Say: New place / Different situation
30. To grow tall grass
Meaning: To let problems get bigger by ignoring them.
Sample Sentences: Don’t grow tall grass by not talking about your problems. / If you grow tall grass, it will be harder to fix things later.
Other Way to Say: Let problems grow / Ignore troubles
31. To pull the grass from under someone’s feet
Meaning: To surprise someone by taking their advantage away.
Sample Sentences: He pulled the grass from under his rival’s feet by winning the race. / Don’t pull the grass from under her feet during the game.
Other Way to Say: Take away advantage / Surprise someone
32. Fresh as morning grass
Meaning: Feeling new, fresh, or ready.
Sample Sentences: After sleeping well, she was fresh as morning grass. / The team felt fresh as morning grass before the match.
Other Way to Say: Refreshed / Ready to start
33. To lie in the green grass
Meaning: To rest or relax outside.
Sample Sentences: We lay in the green grass and looked at the clouds. / She liked to lie in the green grass and read.
Other Way to Say: Rest outside / Relax outdoors
34. Grass roots support
Meaning: Help from normal people, not leaders.
Sample Sentences: The campaign got grass roots support from neighbors. / Grass roots support helped the team win.
Other Way to Say: Community help / People’s support
35. To have grass in your hair
Meaning: To be playful or messy after playing outside.
Sample Sentences: He had grass in his hair after playing soccer. / The kids came back with grass in their hair and big smiles.
Other Way to Say: Messy from playing / Covered in grass
36. Walk through the grass
Meaning: To move through a natural or quiet place.
Sample Sentences: We walked through the grass to get to the lake. / The animals walked quietly through the grass.
Other Way to Say: Stroll outside / Move in nature
37. Grass to grow on
Meaning: To have something to develop or improve.
Sample Sentences: She gave the story grass to grow on by adding details. / The project has grass to grow on with more time.
Other Way to Say: Room to improve / Chance to grow
38. To catch grass by the roots
Meaning: To deal with a problem completely.
Sample Sentences: The team caught the problem by the roots and fixed it fast. / We need to catch the grass by the roots before it spreads.
Other Way to Say: Solve fully / Fix completely
39. Grass in the wind
Meaning: Being unsure or easily changed.
Sample Sentences: He was like grass in the wind, changing his mind a lot. / Don’t be grass in the wind stand up for yourself.
Other Way to Say: Uncertain / Easily changed
40. To be knee-deep in grass
Meaning: To be very busy or involved in something.
Sample Sentences: She was knee-deep in grass with all her homework. / The farmer was knee-deep in grass during harvest.
Other Way to Say: Very busy / Deeply involved
41. To have grass on your shoes
Meaning: To show you have been outside or working hard.
Sample Sentences: He had grass on his shoes after playing outside all day. / Mom noticed the grass on my shoes and smiled.
Other Way to Say: Been outside / Worked outside
42. The grass bends but doesn’t break
Meaning: You can be flexible and still stay strong.
Sample Sentences: She knows the grass bends but doesn’t break when dealing with problems. / Sometimes you need to bend like grass to stay strong.
Other Way to Say: Stay strong / Be flexible
43. The longest grass hides the biggest snakes
Meaning: Problems can hide where you least expect them.
Sample Sentences: Be careful longest grass hides the biggest snakes in the jungle. / Sometimes the biggest trouble is where you least expect it, like in the longest grass.
Other Way to Say: Hidden problems / Unexpected danger
44. Grass in bloom
Meaning: Something growing or becoming successful.
Sample Sentences: The business is like grass in bloom getting better every day. / Her skills were grass in bloom after practice.
Other Way to Say: Growing well / Getting better
45. To throw grass on the fire
Meaning: To make a problem worse.
Sample Sentences: Don’t throw grass on the fire by arguing more. / She threw grass on the fire when she yelled back.
Other Way to Say: Make it worse / Add fuel to trouble
46. Grass and weeds grow together
Meaning: Good and bad things sometimes happen at the same time.
Sample Sentences: Grass and weeds grow together in the garden, just like good and bad days come. / Life is like grass and weeds growing side by side.
Other Way to Say: Mixed good and bad / Together in life
47. Green grass and blue skies
Meaning: A perfect, happy place or time.
Sample Sentences: We had a picnic in green grass and blue skies. / Her summer was full of green grass and blue skies.
Other Way to Say: Perfect day / Happy place
48. To keep the grass green
Meaning: To take care of something so it stays good.
Sample Sentences: You have to keep the grass green by watering it well. / Taking care of your friends helps keep the grass green in life.
Other Way to Say: Care for it / Keep it healthy
49. The grass is wet with dew
Meaning: A fresh and early morning.
Sample Sentences: We played outside when the grass was wet with dew. / The grass is wet with dew every morning in spring.
Other Way to Say: Early morning / Fresh start
50. To be covered in grass
Meaning: To be surrounded by nature or plants.
Sample Sentences: The hill was covered in grass and flowers. / We ran through fields covered in grass.
Other Way to Say: Surrounded by plants / Full of nature
51. The grass grows tall where it’s left alone
Meaning: Things get better or worse if you leave them without care.
Sample Sentences: The grass grows tall where it’s left alone, so you have to take care of your work. / If you don’t study, the grass grows tall and you fall behind.
Other Way to Say: Needs care / Changes without attention
52. Grass and flowers in spring
Meaning: A time of new growth and happiness.
Sample Sentences: Grass and flowers in spring make the world look bright. / She smiled like grass and flowers in spring.
Other Way to Say: New growth / Fresh start
53. To break the grass with your feet
Meaning: To start something new or exciting.
Sample Sentences: The first day of school felt like breaking the grass with your feet. / Starting the game was like breaking the grass with your feet.
Other Way to Say: Begin something / Take first step
54. To let the grass dry
Meaning: To wait for a chance or time to pass.
Sample Sentences: Let the grass dry before mowing the lawn. / Sometimes it’s best to let the grass dry before deciding.
Other Way to Say: Wait patiently / Let time pass
55. To hide in the grass
Meaning: To stay quiet or secret.
Sample Sentences: He hid in the grass during the game of hide and seek. / The cat hid in the grass, waiting to pounce.
Other Way to Say: Stay hidden / Be quiet
Multiple Choice Quiz: Idioms for Grass
1. What does “The grass is always greener on the other side” mean?
A) Grass grows faster on the other side of the fence
B) Other people’s lives seem better than yours
C) You should always move to a new place
2. If someone is called a “snake in the grass,” what are they like?
A) Kind and helpful
B) Quiet but friendly
C) Sneaky and cannot be trusted
3. “Don’t let the grass grow under your feet” means:
A) Don’t stand on the grass
B) Don’t wait too long to do something
C) Water your yard often
4. When someone says “He grassed me up,” what happened?
A) He told someone’s secret
B) He cut the grass
C) He helped you with homework
5. If someone is “green as grass,” what does it mean?
A) They are new at something
B) They like being outdoors
C) They wear green clothes
6. What does “Grass grows where you water it” mean?
A) If you take care of something, it will do well
B) Grass needs a lot of rain
C) You should water everything you see
7. If someone says “That place is so bad, grass won’t grow there,” they mean:
A) The soil is dry
B) The area is in bad shape or unsafe
C) There’s no one there to water it
8. What does “Sleeping in the grass” mean?
A) Taking a nap outside
B) Lying in the sun
C) Not paying attention or being lazy
9. When something “goes by like grass through fingers,” it means:
A) It grows fast
B) It disappears quickly
C) It feels soft
10. If your teacher says, “Don’t walk on the grass,” what kind of rule is that?
A) A safety rule
B) A small or simple rule
C) A classroom rule
11. “Chew the grass” most likely means:
A) Think or talk for a long time
B) Eat grass like a cow
C) Chew gum outside
12. What does it mean if someone says “The grass turned brown” about a friendship?
A) The friendship ended or lost its happiness
B) They planted grass together
C) The grass changed color in winter
Answer Key
1. B) Other people’s lives seem better than yours
2. C) Sneaky and cannot be trusted
3. B) Don’t wait too long to do something
4. A) He told someone’s secret
5. A) They are new at something
6. A) If you take care of something, it will do well
7. B) The area is in bad shape or unsafe
8. C) Not paying attention or being lazy
9. B) It disappears quickly
10. B) A small or simple rule
11. A) Think or talk for a long time
12. A) The friendship ended or lost its happiness
Scoring Guide
- 12 Correct Answers: Love Idiom Master! You really get how these idioms work.
- 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding love idioms. Just a bit more practice!
- 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there! Keep learning.
- 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore the world of love idioms together. You’re just starting out, and that’s okay.
Conclusion
Understanding idioms with the word “grass” can help you sound more natural in everyday conversations. These phrases might not mean exactly what they say, but they carry ideas that people use all the time like being jealous, acting slow, or telling someone’s secret.
Now that you’ve learned what they mean and how to use them, try to listen for them in books, shows, or even when people talk. The more you hear and use these idioms, the easier they’ll become to understand and say.
