Autumn is a season full of changes. The air gets cooler, leaves turn bright colors, and many people enjoy the outdoors before winter comes. People also use special sayings, called idioms, to talk about autumn. Idioms are groups of words that have meanings different from the words alone. They help make language more fun and interesting.
In this article, you will learn 30 common idioms about autumn. These idioms describe the season’s sights, feelings, and events. Knowing them can help you understand stories and talk about fall in a better way. You will see how each idiom is used and what it means in simple words. This will make it easier to remember and use these sayings yourself.
Idioms for Autumn
1. Turn over a new leaf
Meaning: To start fresh or change for the better.
Samples: After summer vacation, I turned over a new leaf and studied harder. / She turned over a new leaf by being kinder to her friends.
To Put it Another Way: I made a good change. / I started doing better things.
2. Apple of my eye
Meaning: Someone very special or loved.
Samples: My little brother is the apple of my eye. / Grandma says I’m the apple of her eye.
To Put it Another Way: I am very important to someone. / Someone cares about me a lot.
3. In full bloom
Meaning: When flowers or plants are fully open and beautiful.
Samples: The maple trees are in full bloom with bright red leaves. / The garden was in full bloom during autumn.
To Put it Another Way: Everything looks bright and pretty. / The plants are at their best.
4. Harvest time
Meaning: The season to collect crops.
Samples: It’s harvest time for pumpkins at the farm. / We help our family during harvest time every fall.
To Put it Another Way: Time to gather food from plants. / We pick fruits and vegetables now.
5. Leaf it alone
Meaning: A funny way to say “leave it alone,” using the word “leaf.”
Samples: Don’t pick the leaves off the tree—leaf it alone! / I told my brother to leaf it alone when he wanted to touch the pumpkins.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t bother it. / Let it stay as it is.
6. Go out on a limb
Meaning: To take a risk or try something new.
Samples: I went out on a limb and asked my crush to the fall dance. / She went out on a limb by trying the new apple pie recipe.
To Put it Another Way: I took a chance. / I tried something even if it was scary.
7. Rake it in
Meaning: To earn or collect a lot, often money or success.
Samples: The farmer raked it in after selling all the apples. / We raked it in at the school fundraiser this fall.
To Put it Another Way: We got a lot. / We earned plenty.
8. The calm before the storm
Meaning: A quiet time before something busy or difficult happens.
Samples: The morning was peaceful, the calm before the storm of Halloween parties. / The week before Thanksgiving felt like the calm before the storm.
To Put it Another Way: Quiet time before things get busy. / A pause before a big event.
9. Fall into place
Meaning: When things happen as planned or make sense.
Samples: My homework and fun time finally fell into place this autumn. / All my plans for the fall festival fell into place.
To Put it Another Way: Everything worked out. / Things fit together well.
10. Turn the corner
Meaning: To get better after a hard time.
Samples: After a slow start, our soccer team turned the corner in October. / I turned the corner with my reading skills this fall.
To Put it Another Way: I got better. / Things improved.
11. Cool as a cucumber
Meaning: To stay calm and relaxed, even in a tough situation.
Samples: She was cool as a cucumber during the fall play tryouts. / I stayed cool as a cucumber when I got lost in the corn maze.
To Put it Another Way: I stayed calm. / I didn’t get worried.
12. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling a little sick.
Samples: I felt under the weather after playing outside on a rainy autumn day. / He stayed home because he was under the weather.
To Put it Another Way: I felt sick. / I wasn’t feeling well.
13. Bundle up
Meaning: To wear warm clothes because it’s cold.
Samples: Don’t forget to bundle up before going to the pumpkin patch. / We bundled up in scarves and hats for the fall hike.
To Put it Another Way: Wear warm clothes. / Dress to stay warm.
14. Crisp as a fall morning
Meaning: Cold and fresh like autumn air.
Samples: The air was crisp as a fall morning when we walked to school. / I love the smell of leaves on a crisp fall day.
To Put it Another Way: Cool and fresh. / The air feels clean and chilly.
15. Bite the dust
Meaning: To fail or fall down.
Samples: My old bike finally bit the dust after a big fall. / The football team bit the dust in the last game of autumn.
To Put it Another Way: Something stopped working. / I fell or lost.
16. Spice things up
Meaning: To make something more exciting or interesting.
Samples: We spiced up our Halloween party with fun games. / Adding cinnamon to apple cider really spices things up.
To Put it Another Way: Make it more fun. / Add excitement.
17. Fall behind
Meaning: To be late or slower than others.
Samples: I fell behind in reading when I missed school last week. / Don’t fall behind on your homework during autumn break.
To Put it Another Way: Get late. / Don’t keep up.
18. Put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: To risk everything on one plan.
Samples: I put all my eggs in one basket by trying out only for the soccer team. / Mom said not to put all my eggs in one basket with fall projects.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t risk everything. / Have other plans too.
19. Harvest moon
Meaning: The full moon closest to the autumn harvest.
Samples: We watched the harvest moon light up the night sky. / The harvest moon made the pumpkin patch glow.
To Put it Another Way: A special full moon in fall. / The moon during harvest time.
20. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: Making a wrong guess or blaming the wrong person.
Samples: If you think I lost your scarf, you’re barking up the wrong tree. / He was barking up the wrong tree when he blamed his sister for the missing candy.
To Put it Another Way: You guessed wrong. / You blamed the wrong one.
21. Jump the gun
Meaning: To do something too early.
Samples: Don’t jump the gun by carving pumpkins before Halloween. / I jumped the gun and wore my winter coat too soon.
To Put it Another Way: Do it too soon. / Act before the right time.
22. Blow away
Meaning: To impress someone greatly or to be carried by wind.
Samples: The autumn colors blew me away this year. / The leaves blew away in the strong wind.
To Put it Another Way: Really impress. / Move quickly in the wind.
23. Keep your eyes peeled
Meaning: To watch carefully.
Samples: Keep your eyes peeled for the best pumpkins at the patch. / We kept our eyes peeled for the first snowfall.
To Put it Another Way: Watch closely. / Be ready to see.
24. Put a sock in it
Meaning: To tell someone to be quiet.
Samples: During the fall rehearsal, the director said, “Put a sock in it!” to the noisy kids. / I told my brother to put a sock in it while I was studying.
To Put it Another Way: Be quiet. / Stop talking.
25. Cool your jets
Meaning: To calm down or wait patiently.
Samples: Cool your jets before jumping into the hayride line. / I told my friends to cool their jets before the big football game.
To Put it Another Way: Calm down. / Wait a little.
26. Eat like a bird
Meaning: To eat very little.
Samples: She eats like a bird at Thanksgiving dinner. / I ate like a bird because I wasn’t very hungry after the football game.
To Put it Another Way: Eat a little. / Not very hungry.
27. Hit the hay
Meaning: To go to bed.
Samples: After a busy day at the harvest festival, I hit the hay early. / We hit the hay after the Halloween party.
To Put it Another Way: Go to sleep. / Time to rest.
28. Swept away
Meaning: To be carried off by wind or strong feelings.
Samples: The leaves were swept away by the autumn breeze. / I was swept away by the excitement of the fall fair.
To Put it Another Way: Carried off. / Feeling very excited.
29. Full plate
Meaning: Having many things to do.
Samples: I had a full plate with school and soccer this fall. / Mom said she had a full plate during Thanksgiving week.
To Put it Another Way: Lots to do. / Busy with many tasks.
30. Pumpkin spice everything
Meaning: Refers to the popular fall flavor used in many foods.
Samples: I love pumpkin spice everything during autumn. / The café has pumpkin spice everything on the menu this fall.
To Put it Another Way: Fall flavors. / Tastes of autumn.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Autumn
It was a cool autumn afternoon, and the school was busy getting ready for the fall festival. Sarah was excited but told her mom, “I don’t want to fall behind with my homework this week.” Her mom smiled and said, “Just bundle up, and you’ll be fine.”
At the festival, Sarah and her friends kept their eyes peeled for the pumpkin pie contest. Sarah felt cool as a cucumber even though she was nervous about presenting her project. Later, she said, “I hope everything falls into place.”
As the sun set, the harvest moon rose bright in the sky. The wind blew the leaves away, making a colorful carpet on the ground. Sarah’s teacher reminded the class, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket when planning your autumn activities.”
After the festival, Sarah was ready to hit the hay. It had been a busy day with a full plate of fun and learning.
Task: Underline or list all the idioms you find in this story.
Answer Key
- Fall behind
- Bundle up
- Keep your eyes peeled
- Cool as a cucumber
- Fall into place
- Harvest moon
- Blow away
- Put all your eggs in one basket
Conclusion
Idioms about autumn help us talk about the season in a fun and easy way. These sayings describe how we feel, what we see, and what we do in fall. Learning these idioms makes reading and speaking more interesting. When you use them, your stories sound more lively and colorful. Whether you are bundling up or watching the harvest moon, these phrases add meaning and life to your words.
