Idiom Topics
The Ubiquitous Essentials
10- On the other hand
- At the end of the day
- In the long run
- Bear in mind
- A piece of cake
- Keep an eye on
- Out of the blue
- Rule of thumb
- So far, so good
- Behind the scenes
Everyday Casual & Workplace
10- Under the weather
- Call it a day
- Up in the air
- Wrap your head around
- Break the ice
- Get out of hand
- Go the extra mile
- Touch base
- Hit the nail on the head
- Cut corners
Problem Solving & Interaction
10- See eye to eye
- Read between the lines
- Take it with a grain of salt
- Get the hang of it
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- The elephant in the room
- Hit the ground running
- Play it by ear
- Bite the bullet
- Sit on the fence
Decisions & Perspectives
9- Jump on the bandwagon
- Cross that bridge when we come to it
- The best of both worlds
- A blessing in disguise
- Once in a blue moon
- Pull someone's leg
- Miss the boat
- Better late than never
- Get your act together
Colorful & Traditional
10- Spill the beans
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Go back to the drawing board
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Actions speak louder than words
- A penny for your thoughts
- Break a leg
- Hit the sack
- Beat around the bush
Academic & Formal Discourse
10- Bear fruit
- Pave the way
- Shed light on
- Go hand in hand
- Tip the scales
- Fly in the face of
- Bring to the table
- Turn a blind eye
- Draw a blank
- State of the art
Emotions & Reactions
10- Over the moon
- Down in the dumps
- On edge
- Blow off steam
- Keep your cool
- Drive someone up the wall
- On cloud nine
- A weight off my shoulders
- At your wits' end
- Thrilled to bits
Effort, Success, & Failure
10- Start from scratch
- Pass with flying colors
- Fall flat
- Go down the drain
- Keep your head above water
- Pay off
- Throw in the towel
- Make headway
- Uphill battle
- Back to square one
Time, Speed, & Urgency
10- Beat the clock
- At the eleventh hour
- Around the clock
- In the nick of time
- Drag your feet
- Time flies
- Make up for lost time
- Call time on
- Ahead of the curve
- On the spur of the moment
Resources, Money, & Value
10- Make ends meet
- Foot the bill
- Break the bank
- Tighten your belt
- Bang for your buck
- A drop in the ocean
- Make a killing
- On a shoestring budget
- Worth your weight in gold
- Pay top dollar
On the spur of the moment
Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "On the spur of the moment" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourTime, Speed, & Urgency collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.
On the spur of the moment
Done suddenly and spontaneously, without any prior planning or preparation.
History & Origin
The idiom originates from the literal use of riding spurs, which are sharp tools attached to a rider's boots used to instantly prod a horse into a fast gallop. By the late 1500s, 'the spur' became a metaphor for any sudden incentive or urgent impulse, eventually evolving into the full phrase to describe actions taken instantly without thinking.
Examples
We didn't book any flights in advance; we just decided on the spur of the moment to drive down to the coast for the weekend.
Please note that this was not a decision made on the spur of the moment; the management team analyzed quarterly data for three weeks before shifting the project timeline.
The pop star's performance culminated in an on-the-spur-of-the-moment stage dive that left both security guards and fans utterly shocked.
Psychological studies indicate that consumer purchases made on the spur of the moment are heavily influenced by strategic product placement at checkout counters.
Standing before you today, I confess that my initial enlistment in the volunteer corps was done on the spur of the moment, yet it completely redefined the trajectory of my life.
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?
A. After studying the blueprint for six months, the architects finally constructed the skyscraper on the spur of the moment.
B. When she realized her flight was canceled, she bought a train ticket on the spur of the moment so she wouldn't miss the wedding.
C. The chef carefully weighed every single gram of flour on the spur of the moment to ensure the recipe was perfectly exact.
D. He managed to save enough money on the spur of the moment over ten years to buy his first house in the suburbs.