These idioms are phrases that use the moon symbolically to convey different meanings and emotions.
In this article, we will explore some common idioms related to the moon, unravel their meanings, and use each one in a sentence to shed light on their usage.
What is an idiom for the moon?
Idioms are expressions that convey a message beyond their literal words. They are a way to add depth and color to our language.
Moon idioms often evoke feelings of wonder, mystery, or even a touch of whimsy. Let’s delve into these lunar expressions:
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Over the moon | Extremely happy or delighted | She was over the moon when she received her acceptance letter. |
| Shoot for the moon | To set ambitious and challenging goals | Don’t be afraid to shoot for the moon; you might achieve more than you think. |
| Once in a blue moon | An event that happens very rarely or infrequently | Meeting a childhood friend like this is a once in a blue moon occurrence. |
| Moonlighting | Holding a second job or engaging in additional work, often secretly | She’s been moonlighting as a freelance writer to make ends meet. |
| Fly me to the moon | Expressing a desire for an ideal or dream-like experience | Their romantic getaway felt like “fly me to the moon” with stunning views and cozy evenings. |
| Bark at the moon | To engage in futile or pointless actions | Arguing with him about politics is like barking at the moon; he never changes his views. |
| Ask for the moon | To make extravagant or unreasonable demands | She wanted a raise, a corner office, and extra vacation days – she’s asking for the moon! |
| The man in the moon | A fanciful figure or face seen on the surface of the moon | As kids, we used to look up and imagine stories about the man in the moon. |
| Moonstruck | To be deeply infatuated or in love with someone | Since their first date, they’ve been moonstruck and inseparable. |
| Howl at the moon | To express strong emotions, often sadness or frustration | After the breakup, he would often go to the hill and howl at the moon to vent his feelings. |
| The dark side of the moon | The hidden, mysterious, or unknown aspects of something | We’re only just beginning to understand the dark side of the moon when it comes to human psychology. |
| Promise the moon | To make extravagant or unrealistic promises | Politicians often promise the moon during election campaigns, but delivering on those promises can be challenging. |
| Moonwalk | A dance move popularized by Michael Jackson | He impressed everyone with his smooth moonwalk at the dance competition. |
| Moonshot | A highly ambitious and innovative project or idea | The company’s new project is a moonshot that could revolutionize the industry. |
| Mooning | To expose one’s buttocks in a public and often disrespectful manner | The prankster got in trouble for mooning passing cars from the school bus. |
| Moon on a stick | An exaggerated or unrealistic desire or expectation | She wants a promotion, a raise, and a corner office – she’s asking for the moon on a stick! |
| Moon-faced | Having a round or pale face | The baby had a cute, moon-faced appearance that melted everyone’s hearts. |
| Bad moon rising | A foreboding or sense of impending trouble or danger | There’s a bad moon rising with the recent economic downturn; we need to be prepared. |
| Blue moon | A second full moon in a calendar month, which occurs infrequently | The last time we had a blue moon was two years ago. |
| Moonlit | Illuminated by the light of the moon | The garden looked enchanting under the moonlit sky. |
| Moonshine | Homemade or illegally distilled alcoholic liquor | He brewed his own moonshine in his backyard, and it had quite a kick! |
| Moonlight flit | To leave a place or residence suddenly and often secretly | They pulled a moonlight flit in the middle of the night, leaving no trace behind. |
| Many moons ago | A long time ago, in the distant past | Many moons ago, this town was just a small village with a few houses. |
| Moon of honey | A sweet and romantic phase in a relationship | During their honeymoon, they were in the moon of honey, sharing laughter and love. |
The moon is like a silvery coin in the night sky, casting its gentle glow on the world below. If you’re interested in more comparisons to describe the moon, you can visit this link: Similes for the moon. And for a variety of metaphors related to the moon, you can explore this link: Metaphors for the moon.
Idioms for the Moon
1. Over the moon
Meaning: Extremely happy or delighted.
In a Sentence: She was over the moon when she received her acceptance letter to her dream college.
2. Shoot for the moon
Meaning: To set ambitious and challenging goals.
In a Sentence: Don’t be afraid to shoot for the moon; you might just achieve more than you think.
3. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: An event that happens very rarely or infrequently.
In a Sentence: Meeting a childhood friend like this is a once in a blue moon occurrence.
4. Moonlighting
Meaning: Holding a second job or engaging in additional work, often secretly.
In a Sentence: She’s been moonlighting as a freelance writer to make ends meet.
5. Fly me to the moon
Meaning: A poetic way of expressing a desire for an ideal or dream-like experience.
In a Sentence: Their romantic getaway felt like “fly me to the moon” with the stunning views and cozy evenings.
6. Bark at the moon
Meaning: To engage in futile or pointless actions.
In a Sentence: Arguing with him about politics is like barking at the moon; he never changes his views.
7. Ask for the moon
Meaning: To make extravagant or unreasonable demands.
In a Sentence: She wanted a raise, a corner office, and extra vacation days – she’s asking for the moon!
8. The man in the moon
Meaning: A fanciful figure or face that some believe they see on the surface of the moon.
In a Sentence: As kids, we used to look up and imagine stories about the man in the moon.
9. Moonstruck
Meaning: To be deeply infatuated or in love with someone.
In a Sentence: Since their first date, they’ve been moonstruck and inseparable.
10. Howl at the moon
Meaning: To express strong emotions, often sadness or frustration.
In a Sentence: After the breakup, he would often go to the hill and howl at the moon to vent his feelings.
11. The dark side of the moon
Meaning: The hidden, mysterious, or unknown aspects of something.
In a Sentence: We’re only just beginning to understand the dark side of the moon when it comes to human psychology.
12. Promise the moon
Meaning: To make extravagant or unrealistic promises.
In a Sentence: Politicians often promise the moon during election campaigns, but delivering on those promises can be challenging.
13. Moonwalk
Meaning: A dance move popularized by Michael Jackson that creates an illusion of gliding backward.
In a Sentence: He impressed everyone with his smooth moonwalk at the dance competition.
14. Moonshot
Meaning: A highly ambitious and innovative project or idea.
In a Sentence: The company’s new project is a moonshot that could revolutionize the industry.
15. Mooning
Meaning: To expose one’s buttocks in a public and often disrespectful manner.
In a Sentence: The prankster got in trouble for mooning passing cars from the school bus.
16. Moon on a stick
Meaning: An exaggerated or unrealistic desire or expectation.
In a Sentence: She wants a promotion, a raise, and a corner office – she’s asking for the moon on a stick!
17. Moon-faced
Meaning: Having a round or pale face.
In a Sentence: The baby had a cute, moon-faced appearance that melted everyone’s hearts.
18. Bad moon rising
Meaning: A foreboding or sense of impending trouble or danger.
In a Sentence: There’s a bad moon rising with the recent economic downturn; we need to be prepared.
19. Blue moon
Meaning: A second full moon in a calendar month, which occurs infrequently.
In a Sentence: The last time we had a blue moon was two years ago.
20. Moonlit
Meaning: Illuminated by the light of the moon.
In a Sentence: The garden looked enchanting under the moonlit sky.
21. Moonshine
Meaning: Homemade or illegally distilled alcoholic liquor.
In a Sentence: He brewed his own moonshine in his backyard, and it had quite a kick!
22. Over the moon (again)
Meaning: Extremely happy or delighted.
In a Sentence: Winning the championship made him over the moon for the second time in his career.
23. Moonlight flit
Meaning: To leave a place or residence suddenly and often secretly.
In a Sentence: They pulled a moonlight flit in the middle of the night, leaving no trace behind.
24. Many moons ago
Meaning: A long time ago, in the distant past.
In a Sentence: Many moons ago, this town was just a small village with a few houses.
25. Once in a blue moon (again)
Meaning: An event that happens very rarely or infrequently.
In a Sentence: She bakes her famous apple pie once in a blue moon, and we savor every bite.
26. Moon-faced (again)
Meaning: Having a round or pale face.
In a Sentence: The little girl had a moon-faced innocence that charmed everyone she met.
27. Moon of honey
Meaning: A sweet and romantic phase in a relationship.
In a Sentence: During their honeymoon, they were in the moon of honey, sharing laughter and love.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Quiz 1: Over the Moon
- What does the idiom “over the moon” mean?
a) Feeling tired
b) Extremely happy
c) Annoyed
Quiz 2: Shoot for the Moon
- What does the expression “shoot for the moon” suggest?
a) To aim for the sky
b) To set ambitious goals
c) To admire the moon
Quiz 3: Once in a Blue Moon
- When does something happen if it occurs “once in a blue moon”?
a) Frequently
b) Rarely or infrequently
c) Every day
Quiz 4: Moonlighting
- What does “moonlighting” typically involve?
a) Holding two jobs simultaneously
b) Taking a break from work
c) Traveling at night
Quiz 5: Fly Me to the Moon
- What kind of experience is associated with “fly me to the moon”?
a) A boring trip
b) An ideal or dream-like experience
c) A risky adventure
Quiz 6: Bark at the Moon
- What does it mean when someone is said to “bark at the moon”?
a) Expressing strong emotions
b) Engaging in fruitful actions
c) Sleeping peacefully
Quiz 7: Ask for the Moon
- What happens when someone is said to “ask for the moon”?
a) They make extravagant or unreasonable demands
b) They make sensible requests
c) They remain silent
Quiz 8: The Man in the Moon
- What does “the man in the moon” refer to?
a) An imaginary figure seen on the moon’s surface
b) A famous astronaut
c) A mythical creature
Quiz 9: Moonstruck
- What does it mean when someone is described as “moonstruck”?
a) They are deeply infatuated or in love
b) They are uninterested in romance
c) They are afraid of the moon
Quiz 10: Howl at the Moon
- When might someone “howl at the moon”?
a) To express strong emotions, often sadness or frustration
b) To call for help
c) To communicate with animals
Answers:
- b) Extremely happy
- b) To set ambitious goals
- b) Rarely or infrequently
- a) Holding two jobs simultaneously
- b) An ideal or dream-like experience
- a) Expressing strong emotions
- a) They make extravagant or unreasonable demands
- a) An imaginary figure seen on the moon’s surface
- a) They are deeply infatuated or in love
- a) To express strong emotions, often sadness or frustration
Conclusion
The moon, with its mystique and allure, has inspired a rich tapestry of idiomatic expressions in our language. From expressing joy with being “over the moon” to setting ambitious goals by “shooting for the moon,” these idioms add a touch of celestial magic to our everyday conversations.
