* Idioms are figurative language: Idioms are phrases that have a meaning different from the literal meaning of the words they contain. For example, "kick the bucket" doesn't actually involve kicking a bucket, it means to die.
* Inference is needed to decipher meaning: To understand an idiom, you need to infer the intended meaning based on context, cultural understanding, and the common usage of the phrase. You can't simply rely on the dictionary definition of each word.
* Process of reasoning: You need to reason about the relationship between the words and their metaphorical representation. For example, "kick the bucket" might make you think about a bucket being used for something, like a bucket of water, and then connect that to the act of dying.
* Drawing connections: You draw connections between the literal meaning and the figurative meaning, often based on shared cultural experiences or understandings.
In short, explaining an idiom is a great example of inference because it requires you to go beyond the literal meaning of the words and understand the intended message through reasoning, connection, and cultural understanding.