14 Halloween Idioms & Expressions

1. Spill one's guts

Meaning: to tell all

Example: Okay, spill your guts—I want to hear whatever it is you’ve been hiding from me.

2. Scared stiff

Meaning: very frightened (so scared that a person can't move)

Example: When I saw the giant spider in my shower this morning, I was scared stiff. 

3. Death trap

Meaning: a building or other structure that is dangerous

Example: That old roller coaster is a death trap. It will collapse one day if they don't fix it.

4. Come back to haunt someone

Meaning: to make a mistake that will affect a person later on

Example: I skipped school a month ago, and now it’s come back to haunt me because my parents just found out.

5. Skeleton(s) in one's closet / skeleton(s) in the cupboard

Meaning: an embarrassing secret (or secrets)

Example: If you decide to become a politician, be aware that reporters will look for skeletons in your closet.

6. Make one's blood boil

Meaning: to cause a person to be very angry

Example: When my boss ignores me during a meeting, it really makes my blood boil.

7. Witching hour

Meaning: midnight

Example: Last Halloween, we stayed up till the witching hour listening to “Thriller,” the famous song by Michael Jackson.

8. Ghost town

Meaning: an area that’s empty and devoid of life or activity

Example: My hometown becomes a ghost town after 9:00 pm every night. There’s nothing to do!

9. Night owl

Meaning: a person who loves staying up late

Example: My brother is an early bird who likes to study in the morning, but I’m a night owl so I always study at night.

10. The cat's out of the bag / let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: revealing a surprise that was supposed to stay hidden

Example: We weren’t going to tell anyone we were expecting a baby for three months, but my mom posted it on Facebook, so the cat’s out of the bag.

11. Dig one's own grave

Meaning: doing something foolish that will cause problems in the future

Example: My sister dug her own grave when she decided to cheat on her exams.

12. Scaredy-cat

Meaning: someone who is easily frightened

Example: My friend is a scaredy-cat when it comes to heights.

13. Over one's dead body

Meaning: when someone will do everything they can to prevent something from happening

Example: My husband told me that he wanted us to go cage diving with sharks in Hawaii. I replied, “Over my dead body! I’m way too scared of sharks!”

14. To stab someone in the back

Meaning: to betray someone

Example: I haven’t spoken to him since he stabbed me in the back when he told my secret to the whole class.

Click the image below to print our Halloween idioms and expressions cheat sheet! 

Related materials

• Halloween Idioms
• Halloween Flashcards
• Halloween Lesson: Low Int
• Halloween Lesson: Int – High Int
• Earth Day Idioms
• Lucky Idioms
• Spring & Easter Idioms
• Love Idioms
• Eye Idioms
• Family Idioms
• 8 Ways to Practice Idioms in Class

Editor's note: This post was updated on October 19, 2022, to include even more spooky idioms and expressions.