Idioms are so interesting to learn, and it's fun when you can tie them to a relevant theme, like spring.
Here are 10 idioms which all use the word "spring" and many of which, are directly related to an idea or symbol of spring.
Just a tip before we get started: The past simple of "spring" is "sprang", and the past participle is "sprung".
1. Spring Cleaning
Meaning: making the house clean and fresh after winter
Example: I have been so busy with spring cleaning.
After staying nice and warm in our cozy homes over the winter, it's very natural to want to open the windows to let in fresh air, to bring in flowers, and to get the house clean, which is why we have the idiom "spring cleaning".
Spring cleaning is a tradition that has Chinese, Jewish, and Iranian history. In Iran, the new year is on March 21, which is the spring equinox. It is a custom to clean everything in the house.
This tradition is also in Chinese culture. Chinese people clean their house for the Lunar New Year to get rid of bad luck and to welcome a fresh start.
For Jewish people, the time just before Passover is for cleaning the pantry and removing leavened foods, like bread, rolls, and donuts.
2. No Spring Chicken
Meaning: not young anymore
Example: I'm too old to play tennis. I'm no spring chicken.
When you hear someone say "I'm no spring chicken" they mean that they're not young any more, so they probably don't have the energy or strength to do something that someone is suggesting.
Other people might say this idiom to talk negatively about an older person.
This idiom came from the 1700s, when farmers tried to sell all their chicks in the spring when they were still young. If they didn't sell them, then they wouldn't get as much money when the chicks grew into hens.
3. Have a Spring in One's Step
Meaning: to walk with energy and happiness
Example: Jack was so happy he passed the test, that he walked with a spring in his step.
Many of our spring idioms come from the idea of a sudden burst of energy that you get when you release a metal coil or spring, or "slinky" toy.
This is similar to when new buds burst through the winter snow, so there is a link with the season of spring too.
To "have a spring in your step" means you're walking with energy and enthusiasm, probably because you've heard some good news, or you're going to do something that makes you happy.
4. Spring into Action / 5. Spring to Life / 6. Spring to One's Feet
Meaning: to do something suddenly, to start moving with energy
Example: I sprang into action when I heard there would be ice cream after my chores.
The class sprang to life when they heard the bell ring at the end of the day.
I sprang to my feet when I heard my name called as the winner.
These idioms also have a feeling of sudden energy. Often something good is going to happen, which motivates a person to suddenly feel like taking action.
7. Spring to Mind
Meaning: you suddenly get an idea (or don't get an idea)
Example: What's the first thing that springs to mind when you hear the word "present"?
I don't know the answer - nothing springs to mind.
Again, there is a sense of sudden movement, but this time it is related to thinking. If you are trying to remember something, and finally an idea comes into your head, then it "springs to mind".
We often use this in a negative sentence to say that "nothing springs to mind" when we're asked to remember something or to give an answer to a question, but we can't.
8. Spring out of Something
Meaning: to suddenly appear
Example: I was walking past Ella's house when she suddenly sprang out of a bush!
I was driving along when a deer sprang out of the woods.
This idiom has the idea of a coil or spring that releases energy, and is used when something or someone appears suddenly, usually because the person or thing is hiding.
9. Spring a Leak
Meaning: an object suddenly has water coming in
Example: The paddling pool suddenly sprang a leak.
This idiom came from boats and ships which were made of wood. When the wooden planks of a boat suddenly moved out of place, water would come in. So, if an object like a boat, a pool, or a bucket suddenly gets a hole, then it has sprung a leak.
10. Spring Something on Someone
Meaning: to surprise someone with something unpleasant
Example: You shouldn't have sprung this on me! Why didn't you tell me I had to give a speech tonight?
Again, there is an idea of something sudden happening, but this time it's something that wasn't expected, and is often something we don't want to happen, like having to give a speech at the last minute.
Summary:
Those are 10 spring idioms that "spring to mind". It's interesting how language can be based on the things we notice in a season.
If you're covering idioms with your primary/elementary students, then you might like this pack of activities which includes worksheets (printable and digital) and a hands-on craft where children make a 3D flowerpot and fill it with flowers that have their favorite idioms on them.
If you're teaching teenagers or adults, or you're a student and want to practice the spring idioms from above, you might like this free matching activity.
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