PHRASE VS IDIOM.
A PHRASE
A phrase is a group of words that work together to convey a particular meaning, but whose individual words do not have a fixed or idiomatic meaning. In other words, the meaning of a phrase is determined by the context in which it is used.
For example,
"barking up the wrong tree" is a phrase that means pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action. Each of the words in the phrase has a clear and literal meaning, but the phrase as a whole has a figurative meaning that is not directly related to the meanings of its individual words.
AN IDIOM
An idiom, on the other hand, is a group of words whose meaning cannot be understood by the individual meanings of its words. Idioms are a type of figurative language that use colorful and often exaggerated language to convey a particular idea or concept.
For example,
"the cat's out of the bag" is an idiom that means a secret has been revealed. The meaning of the idiom cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of its individual words.
In summary, while both phrases and idioms are groups of words, a phrase has a literal meaning that can be understood from the meanings of its individual words, while an idiom has a figurative or non-literal meaning that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words.