Important Idioms and Phrases with Meaning
Idioms and phrases are important for competitive examination. Following are some important Idioms and Phrases with Meaning for various competitive examinations like SSC, CTET, UPTET and other TETs, Railways, GRE, KVS etc.
- Hit Below the belt- to strike unfairly
- A mare’s nest – a false invention
- Sow wild oats – irresponsible pleasure seeking
- With a high hand – Oppressively
- To build castles in the air – make imaginary schemes
- Once in a blue moon – something happen very rarely
- Hope against hope тАУ hope in-spite of disappointment
- Have the gift of the grab тАУ art of speaking
- Beat a dead horse – To persist or continue far beyond any purpose,interest or reason
- Have an axe to grind тАУ to have selfie interest
- Cry over spilled milk – complaining about a loss or failure from the past
- Hold water тАУSound tenable
- Hang together тАУ Support one another
- Spill the beans – to disclose a secret
- To sit on teh fence – to remain neutral
- Burn oneтАЩs Fingers тАУ to get into trouble
- Call off the dogs – When you want someone to stop criticizing you
- Bated breath тАУ in anxiety
- BirdтАЩs eye view тАУ concise viewing, general view
- Can’t judge a book by its cover – cannot judge something primarily on appearance
- Break the ice тАУ to speak first action prolonged silence
- Let the cat out of the bag – to reveal the secret carelessly or by mistake
- At the drop of a hat – willingness to do something instantly
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Do not put all your resources in one basket
- Back up – to support and sustain
- Break down – failure in something
Also Read: Learning Disabilities тАУ for CTET and other TET Exams
- To come to pass тАУ to occur
- Catch up with – to overtake
- Cry out against – to complain loudly against
- To come to light тАУ to become known
- To catch fire тАУ to become alight
- Be a chicken – Be a coward
- Hold to – abide by
- To catch oneтАЩs eye тАУ to attract oneтАЩs notice by being seen
- To come to age тАУ to become adult
- Pen is mightier than the sword – words and communication have a greater effect than war
- Reap the harvest – benefit or suffer as a direct result of past actions
- Be like a fish out of water – to feel uncomfortable in a situation
- To come to head тАУ to be ready to burst
- As gentle as a lamb – innocent, mild-mannered people
- At random тАУ without pattern or system
- Above board тАУ honest and straightforward
- See eye to eye – to be in agreement
- Back the wrong horse – to support someone or something that later cannot be successful
- Take a back seat – choose to be less important in a role
- To carry matters with a high hand тАУ to take strong measure
- Above all – chiefly,mainly
- To come to close quarters mean тАУ to tackle an enemy closely
- He has no backbone – he has no will of his own
- To burn candle at both ends – to expend energy in two directions at the same time
- To bring to light тАУ to reveal
- Be a cold fish – be a person who is distant and unfeel
- Burning question тАУ a widely debated issue
- To set the Thames on fire – to do something sensational or remarkable
- To commit the memory – to learn by heart
- Crocodile tears – hypocritical tears
- To be snowed under – to be very busy
- To put in a nutshell – to say in a few words to make something concise
- To beat the air тАУ to make effort that are useless or vain
- Evil days – a period of misfortune
- Whole nine yards – Everything All of it
- Your guess is as good as mine – to have no idea about anything
- To get the sack – to be dismissed from your job
- To move heaven and earth – to exert all efforts
- Goes back on his words тАУ breaks his promises
- To throw dust in one’s eyes – to try to deceive someone or mislead someone
Also Read: Human Growth and Development Difference for CTET
- To wash dirty linen in public тАУ to quarrel openly
- To read between the lines тАУ to understand the hidden meaning of the word
- Foul play – cheating
- Make hay while the sun shine – take advantage of all opportunities
- A cash cow – A product or service that makes alot of money for a company
- Have a card up one’s sleeve – have a secret plan in reserve
- Like a cat on hot bricks – very nervous
- To cook the book – to modify financial statements
- To put two and two together тАУ to conclude from obvious fact.
- Be in a tight corner – in a very difficult situation
- Out of the question – impossible
- Leave no stone unturned – use all available measure
- In hot water – in trouble
- To bell the cat – to face the risk
- To blow one’s own – to praise one’s own trumpet achievement
- Bring to light – disclose
- Through thick and thin – under all conditions
- A bone of contention- a source of quarrel
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