Like Oil and Water (Idioms)

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Welcome to English in a Minute!

Oil and water are two very different substances. So, what could the expression “like oil and water” mean?

Like Oil and Water

Speaker A: Dan, I just got your birthday invitation! But I don’t know if I can come.
Speaker B: You have to come. I’ve only invited five people.
Speaker A: Yeah, and Donna and Shauna are two of them. Those two are like oil and water.
Speaker B: It’s my birthday, so they will have to get along, like adults.

If we say two people are like oil and water, it means they don’t get along well. This expression is not just used for people. Anything that does not mix together easily can be compared to oil and water.

And that’s English in a Minute!

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*This article has been edited and reprinted from VOA Learning English with permission from Voice of America (VOA) for use in English language materials.