Idioms and Phrases

By – Faris’ English
(Prepared by MOHAMMED FARIS KP)
(BA, MA, B.Ed, M.Ed ENGLISH)

“A”
1. At the spur of the moment-
suddenly and spontaneously

Example- #Without
planning
#I had to leave town on the spur of the moment.
#we hadn't planned to go away. It was one of those spur-of-the moment decisions. #In
an interview we must reply at the spur of the moment.

2. All in all- on the whole, all

things considered

Example-
#All in all it's been a good year.
#All in all, it was a very good party.
#All in all, the criticism seemed fair.

3. At close quarters- close examinations, from

a short distance away

Example-
#If you do something at close quarters, you do it very near to a particular person or things.
#many of my friends proved selfish at close quarters.
#When you see famous people at close quarters, they always appear much smaller than you
imagined them.

4. Apple- pie order-

in perfect order
Example-
#please put everything in apple pie order before you leave.
#their house is always in apple pie order.

5. Above board- honest and

straightforward and legal

Example-
#the deal was completely open and above board.
#he is known for his above board conduct.

6. Above all- before

everything else

Example-
#above all, he is blunt and dare devil.

7. As fit as a fiddle- strong

and healthy

Example-
#my nana is 82, but he is as fit as a fiddle.
#I feel as fit as a fiddle.

8. At a loose end- unoccupied,

unemployed, idle

Example-
#If you find yourself at a loose end, you could always clean the bathroom. #he
has been at a loose end ever since he lost his job.

9. At logger heads- in conflict with someone,

strongly disagreeing

Example-
#If two people or groups are at loggerheads, they disagree strongly about something.
#Kejriwal is at loggerheads with the Prime Minister over public spending. #We
are at loggerheads with each other.

10. At odds in opposition to someone, to

disagree - in dispute

Example-
#They are at odds over the funding of the project.
#Gautam and his brother are always at odds over what to watch on t.v #the
members of the group were at odds over the selection procedure.
11. At cross purposes- with
opposing viewpoint

Example-
#If two or more people are at cross purposes, they do not understand each other because they are
talking about different subjects without realizing this.
#I think we have been talking at cross purposes- I meant next year, not this year.
#We are arguing at cross purposes. We are not even discussing the same thing.
#I think we are talking at cross purposes here. You mean the old building, but I am talking about
the new one.

12. After one's own heart – someone who is similar to you - having the
same opinions or interests as you

Example-
#She's a woman after my own heart.
#when she met a man after her own heart. She got married to him.
#I was delighted by your comments about spirituality, you are clearly a man after my own heart.

13. At the bottom of - to be the real reason

for something unpleasant

Example-
#mainly responsible for something.
#the desire for the money is at the bottom of much of the world's violence.
#I don't know for certain why she dislikes you, but I suspect jealousy is at the bottom of it. #It
was found later that simran was at the bottom of the whole trouble.

14. At loss not know what

to do or say

Example-
#I'm at a loss to know how I can help you.
#I was so surprised that I was at a loss for words.
#I was terribly confused- really at a loss.

15. At dagger's drawn

to have bitter enmity

Example-
#If two people or groups are at daggers drawn, they are angry and ready to fight or argue with
each other.
#the two countries are at daggers drawn over the future of the Kashmir.
#the quarrel between the two brothers has grown more bitter now and they are at dagger's drawn.
16. At large- uncaptured and to
keep unchained

Example-
#If someone dangerous is at large, that person is free when they should not be.
#twelve prisoners are at large following a series of escapes.
#people keep their dogs at large, at night.

17. Assume airs- to

pretend superiority

Example-
#to act better than one really is, to pretend to be good or to be superior) #Pay
no attention to her. She is just putting on airs.
#the rich are in the habit of assuming airs in the presence of in their poor relatives.

18. Argus eyed- extremely observant, vigilant or

careful. Keen-sighted

Example-
#As a politician, he is Argus eyed

“B”
1. Bear the brunt of- to bear

the main shock of

Example-
#the poor have to bear the brunt of increasing prices.
#ordinary citizens will bear the brunt of higher taxes.

2. Bell the cat- to agree to

perform a risky, dangerous, or

impossible job, or task

Example-
#to perform a daring act.
#Who's going to bell the cat and tell mom we wrecked the car?
3. Bid defiance- to ignore, to

refuse to submit

Example-
#Parth bade defiance to his father's wish of becoming a doctor and instead became an
engineer.

4. Beside oneself- in an extreme

state of some emotion

Example-
#If you are beside yourself with a particular feeling or emotion, it is so strong that it makes you
almost out of the control)
#he was beside himself with grief when his wife died.
#I was beside myself with joy.
#She couldn't speak. She was beside herself with anger.

5. Bring to book- to punish

someone and make that

person explain their behaviour,

call to account.

Example-
#the manager was brought to book for his negligence.
#a crime has been committed and whoever is responsible must be brought to book.

6. Breathe one's last-

to die

Example-
#he breathed his last on Tuesday.
#her eyes fluttered open for a moment then she fluttered her last.

7. Back stairs influence- by

unfair means

Example-
#these days many persons are given good posts through back stairs influence.
8. Bird's eye view- a view seen

from high above, a concise

view

Example-
#from the top of the church tower you get a splendid bird's eye view of the village.
#climb to the top of the Eiffel tower if you want a bird's eye view of the Paris.
#we had a bird's eye view of the whole fair from the top of a giant wheel.

9. Burn your boats/bridges-

point of no return

Example-
#If you are in situation and you burn your boats/bridges, you destroy all possible ways of going
back to that situation.
#she didn't want to burn her boats by asking for a divorce.

10. By the by- by the way

Example-
#by the by, what is your age?

after a short period

Example-
#you will get used to it by and by.
#the weather is sure to clear up by and by.
#you will feel better by and by.

gradually

Example-
#he is recovering by and by after long illness.

11. Bated breath- nervously

waiting, in anxiety, expectancy

Example-
#the fate of the match hung in balance and everybody waited for the result with bated breath.

12. Bandy words-

to argue pointlessly or rudely

Example-
#I'm not going to bandy words with you.
#I haven't come here to bandy words with you.
#obedient children don't bandy words with their parents when they are advised.

13. Bee in one's bonnet- to talk

a lot about something you

think is important

Example-
#tarun has bee in his bonnet about spirituality.
#she never stops talking about dieting- she's got a real bee in her bonnet about it.

to be fussy, fastidious- hard to please

Example-
#She seems to have a bee in her bonnet because she is always finding faults with others.
#He is very fussy about what he eats.

syno- over-particular, selective

14. Bluestocking- a scholarly

and intellectual woman

Example-
#educated but pedantic lady.
#nobody likes to mix with her because she is a blue stocking.

15. Browbeat- someone into

something-

to bully or intimidate someone into sth

Example-
#the president of the college always tries to brow beat the students opposed to him.
#Don't be browbeaten into working more hours than you want.
#I was browbeaten into doing it once. I refuse to do it again.

16. Bad egg- dishonest or ill-

behaved person, a worthless

Example-
#He is a bad egg- don't believe anything he says.
#he comes of a noble family but he himself is a bad egg.

17. Beside the mark-

beside the point- irrelevant

Example-
#nobody agreed with him because his arguments were beside the mark.

18. Brown study- a state of

deep, serious absorption in

thoughts

Example-
#day dream, reverie
#is he lost in a brown study?
#he could not follow the significance of my offer. Because he was in brown study.

19. Blaze the trail- to start a

movement

Example-
#to do something that has never been done before.
#Gandhi blazed the trail of indian national movement.
#the hospital has blazed a trail in developing new techniques for treating infertility.
#Professor william blazed a trail in the study of physics.

20. Bull in a china shop- a very

clumsy person in a delicate

situation

Example-
#If someone is like a bull in a china shop, they are very careless in the way that they move or
behave
#I never know what to say at funeral. I feel like a bull in a china shop.
#We told her it was a delicate situation but she went into the meeting like a bull in a china shop.
#most of the leaders of the freedom struggle have proved bulls in a china shop.( one who
causes damage)
21. By the rule of thumb-

according to practical

experience

Example-
#a general principal developed through experiential rather than scientific means) #going
by a rule of thumb, we stop for gas every 200 miles when we travels.
#In older times, business was run by the rule of thumb.

22. Bid draw- a huge attraction

Example-
#the match btw India and Pakistan is always a big draw.

23. Broken reed- a weak or

unreliable support or person

Example-
#you can't rely on Simran's support. She is a broken reed.
#I'd counted on her to help, but she turned out to be a broken reed.
#don't rely on him. He's a broken reed.

24. By the skin of the teeth- just

barely, narrowly

Example-
#if you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeed in doing it.
#he escaped death in the accident by the skin of the teeth.
#he escaped the secret police by the skin of his teeth.

25. Bit/piece of one's mind-

to scold

Example-
#to speak angrily to someone about something they have done wrong.
#I have had enough from john. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind.
#I'm going to give that mechanic a piece of my mind if the car's not fixed this time.
 “C”
1. Carry matters with high hand-

to deal with a person or thing strictly

Example-
#the owner carried matters with high hand and expelled two workers who were caught
doing mischief in the office.

2. Clip one's wings- to weaken the power, to limit

someone's freedom

Example-
#My mother clipped my wings, I can't go out tonight.
#You had better learn to get home one time, or I will clip your wings.
#My elder sister is very ambitious but my mother will surely clip her wings.

3. Come home to-

to understand clearly

Example-
#She wanted to be the teacher in the college but soon it came home to her that she was
not fit for the job.

4. Call a spade a spade- to speak frankly or say the truth

about something- even if it is not polite or pleasant

Example-
#People often get angry when one calls a spade a spade.
#Let's call a spade a spade. The man is a liar.
#Well, I believe it's time to call a spade a spade. We are just avoiding the issue.

1. Carry the day/win

the day- to be

successful, to win
 the competition,

argument etc.

Example-
#our team didn't play well first, but we carried the day in the end.
#the republicans carried the day in the dispute over the new jet fighter.

2. Cut a sorry figure-

to give a poor show

Example-
#the speaker cut a sorry figure in the meeting.
#she cut a sorry figure in his maiden speech.

3. Call names- to call

someone by an

abusive and insulting

name

Example-
#billy cried when the other kids called him names.
#Neeta called me names, so she was severely punished by the teacher.
#I was afraid that if I wore glasses to school, the other kids would call me names.

4. Curtain lecture-

wife's tough talk

Example-
#A reprimand that a wife gives her husband.
#my brother never pays attention to his wife's curtain lecture and does what he thinks.
#The husband seemed to have a curtain lecture at home.

5. Cave in-

to collapse - for a roof or ceiling

Example-
#the tunnel caved in the train.
#because of the explosion, the roof of the building caved in, trapping several people.
to give in to someone or something – yield

Example-
#finally the manager caved in to the customer's demand.
#I refuse to cave in under pressure from my opponent.
6. Cloven hoof-

evil intention

Example-
#he showed cloven hoof by cheating his parents.
#the sign of devilish character.

7. Cut throat- Tough

Example-
#competing in strong and unfair way, without considering any harm caused to others.
#It's very difficult for us to survive in the cut-throat competition.
#a cut- throat business/ market/ world
#many firms have fallen victim to cut-throat comepetition.

8. Clinch the

issue/deal- to clear

the controversy

Example-
#decide the matter.
#the minister clinched the issue by accepting the genuine demand of the students.
#after two weeks of negotiations, we were finally able to clinch the deal with the other
firm.
#when he agreed to leave the house for good, it clinched the issue in the favour of his
wife.

9. Checkered/chequer

ed career- full of

ups and downs

Example-
#A background that includes many changes, especially of employment. #Parth
had a checkered career, hopping from one city to another and one job to
another.
#I had a checkered career after college, taking any kind of work that I could find.
#politicians have generally checkered career all along.

10. Cut both ends-

argue in favour of

both sides

Example-
#while participating in debate you should not cut both ends.
#he is ambiguous because he always cut both ends.

11. Cock a snook- to

show contempt

Example-
#to show that you do not respect something or someone by doing something that insults
them.
#she is so proud of her wealth that she always cocks a snook at the acts of her
husband.
#he could never resist an opportunity to cock a snook at traditional Hindu culture.

12. Chapter and verse-

in full detail or to give proof

Example-
#I know all about it, chapter and verse.
#He has such a sharp memory that he can narrate the story chapter and verse.

13. Cool one's heels-

to keep waiting

Example-
#to wait for someone.
#I spent an hour cooling my heels in the waiting room while the doctor saw the other
patients.
#he had to cool his heels before he could meet the president of the party.
14. Come in handy – to

be useful

Example-
#This money will come in handy when we go on vacation.
#take some woollen clothes. They may come in handy in Shimla.
#I think that this gadget will come in handy in the kitchen.

“D”
1. Dig the grave- to

destroy - to cause harm

Example-
#By taking the side of the culprit he dug the grave of his reputation.
#She dug her own grave when she made fun of her boss.
#if you try to cheat the bank, you will be digging your own grave.

2. Draw the long bow- to

exaggerate

Example- #In calling him the best politician of the world, his followers draw
the long bow.

3. Dutch courage-

Bravery under alcoholic influence

Example-
#the confidence that some people get from drinking alcohol before they do something that
needs courage.
#It was the Dutch courage that made the football fan attack the policeman.

4. Down and out- poor

and ruined

Example-
#someone who has no job, no home, no money.
#I just assumed he was down and out, begging on the street corner.
#after a slump in share market he is down and out these days.

5. Die- hard- to end with

difficulty

Example-

#old friendships die hard.

#old habits die hard.
#old prejudice die hard.

Die-hard- very

determined or loyal

Example-
#very loyal to a set of beliefs and not willing to change those beliefs.
#die-hard fans-(loyal and devoted)
#a die-hard conservative
#he is a die-hard person and will not easily surrender.(determined)

6. Days of reckoning- time to

answer for one's actions

Example-
#time when something must be dealt with.
#you may commit crime after crime but days of reckoning are never far off.
#taking out a further loan to cover your debts will only postpone the day of reckoning.

1. Down in the mouth- to

be sad or depressed / out of

elements

Example-
#now-a-days he is down in the mouth because he has suffered heavy loss in the business.
#He looks a bit down in the mouth. Shall we try to find out what's wrong with him?

2. Damp squib- complete

failure

Example-
#An event that is not as exciting or popular as people thought it would be.
#the visit of our foreign minister to china proved a damp squib on border issue.
#After all that media attention, the whole event turned out to be a damp squib, with very few
people attending.
#the party turned out to be a bit of damp squib. Half the people who'd been invited didn't turn
up.

“E”
1. Egg on- to urge someone to do

something, usually something unwise

Example-
#to provoke, encourage, to incite someone
#Don't egg him on! He gets himself into enough trouble without your encouragement.
#the two boys kept throwing stones because the other children were egging them on.

2. Eke out- supplement income - to

add to something.

Example-
#he worked at two jobs in order to eke his income out.
#To eke out his income he also works as a part time accountant in the evening.

3. Every dog has his day-

everyone gets a chance eventually

Example-
#good fortune comes sooner or later)
#don't be disappointed. It is truly said that every dog has his day.
#Don't worry. You'll get chosen for the team. Every dog has its day.

4. Ever and anon now and then,

sometimes – occasionally Example-

#his visits his parents ever and anon.

5. An eye wash- a pretence,

deception, nonsense

Example-
#It's not an eyewash. It's true.
#my friend's promise to help me just proved an eye-wash.

“F”
1. Fish in troubled waters-

to involve oneself in difficult, confused or dangerous situation, or someone else's problems,

especially with a view to gaining an advantage

Example-
#Shubham is fishing in troubled waters by buying more shares of that company.

2. Follow suit- to do the same thing,

to follow in the same pattern

Example-
#if you don't obey your elders, your children will follow suit.
#when one airlines reduces its ticket prices, the rest usually follow suit.

3. Fight shy of- to try to avoid

something or someone

Example-
#I generally fight shy of confronting my elder sister.
#she fights shy of parties, because she hates crowd.

4. Fabian policy- very few and very

rare

Example-
#not very many or not appearing very frequently
#he grew up at a time when jobs were few and far between.
#his visits to his home town are few and far between because of his expanding business.

5. Fool's errand- an attempt to do

something that has no chance of

success

Example-
#It's a fool's errand trying to get Rahul to join in anything.
#billions of dollars have been spent on long-range weather forecasting. But it's a fool's errand.

6. Fall foul of somebody- to quarrel

Example-
#thing were going well for her till she fell foul of the director.
#they were once bosom friends but now they have fallen foul of each other.

7. Fly off the handle- to lose one's

temper

Example-
#he's extremely irritable- he flies off the handle at the slightest thing.

8. From pillar to post- from one

place to a series of other places

Example-
#my father was in the army, and we moved from pillar to post year after year.
#after I told one person my secret I told one person my secret, it went quickly from pillar to post.

9. Foot the bill- to pay for something

or bill, especially expensive

Example-
#my boss took me out for lunch and company footed the bill.
#his parents can't afford to foot the bill for his college education.

10. Fair weather friend-

selfish friend

Example-
#A fair weather friend will never stand by you in difficulty.

11. Flash in the pan- something that

happened only for a short time and

was not repeated

Example-
#sadly, their success was just a flash in the pan.
#tom had hoped to be a major film star, but his career was only a flash in the pan.
12. Fit to hold a candle to- not equal

to someone, unable to , measure

up to someone

Example-
#her latest book is readable enough, but it can't hold a candle to her earlier work.
#mary can’t hold a candle tarun when it comes to athletics.

13. Feather in one's cap- an

achievement to be proud of

Example-
#it's a real feather in our cap to be playing in the state champion ship.

14. Fly in the face of- to completely

oppose what seems sensible or

normal

Example-
#this is an argument that seems to fly in the face of common sense.
#don't quit now, that just flies in the face of all your hard work.
#I can't believe you said something so awful. It flies in the face of everything we stand for.

“G”
1. Gain ground- to become successful

and popular

Example-
#the U.S. is gaining ground as cotton producer.
#our new product is gaining ground against that of our competitor.

2. Get off scot free- to escape

punishment for a crime or wrongdoing

Example-
#his wealthy uncle influenced the jury, and he ended up getting off scot-free.
#a murderer can also very easily get off scot free for lack of evidence.

3. Gird up the lions- to get ready,

especially for hard work, to prepare

oneself for something

Example-
#somebody has to do something about the problem, why don't you gird up your loins and do
something?
#well, I guess I had better gird up my loins and go to work.

4. Go to the dogs- to be ruined, or to

become worse in quality or character

Example-
#he was a marvelous actor, but his drinking problems caused his career to go to the dogs.
#the rich business man will go to the dogs because of his son's bad habits.

If a country or an organization is going to the dogs. It is becoming less successful than it was
in the past

Example-
#they sat in the bar the night before the election, moaning that the country was going to the
dogs.

5. Get oneself into a mess-

to get yourself into trouble or difficult situation

Example-
#due, to sheer ignorance, shubham seems to have got himself into a mess in his office.

6. Give a wide berth- to avoid a person

or a place

Example-
#we should always give a wide berth to all selfish and mean persons.
#the dog we are approaching is very mean. Better give it a wide berth.

7. Gentleman at large- an unreliable

person
Example-
#we must not believe in a gentleman at large.

8. Give a good account of oneself- to

do something well or thoroughly

Example-
#the company will probably give a good account of itself in the next quarter.
#she was not feeling well, and she didn't give a good account of herself in last night's game.

9. Give the devil his due- give credit to

a worthless person or enemy for his

good qualities

Example-
#when you admit that someone you don't like or admire, does have some good qualities.
#we should give the devil his due for his good qualities.
#she's very messy in the kitchen, but I have to give the devil her due. She bakes a terrific cherry
pie.

10. Green horn- an inexperienced or

immature person, especially one who

is easily deceived

Example-
#though a green horn in political field, he appears to have a bright future.

11. Give up the ghost- to die, or pass

away

Example-
#after long illness he gave up the ghost last week.

12. Go the whole hog- to do something

as completely as possible or

thoroughly

Example-
#you will have to go the whole hog to come out of this mess.
13. Get into a scrape- awkward situation,

to tangle into some sort of problem

Example-
#he got into a scrape when his wife refused to let him help his sister.

14. Go broke- to completely run out of

money or other assets

Example-
#as a result of heavy gambling, he had to go broke in the long run.
#the company is going to go broke if you don't stop spending money foolishly.

15. Get into hot water- get into trouble

Example-
#he got into the hot waters by marrying a girl of another caste.
#you are going to get into hot water with simran about that.

16. Give currency- to make publicly

known, to spread a story around

Example-
#we give no currency to those stories.
#the govt has refused to give currency to a number of scams.

17. Great hand-

expert at

Example-
#he is a great hand at organizing social parties.

18. Get down to brass tracks-

to deal with matter straight

Example-
#to start talking about the most important or basic facts of the situation.
#let's get down to brass tracks. Who's paying for all this?
#instead of wasting time in discussion, please get down to brass tracks.
#let's get down to brass tracks. We have wasted too much time chatting.
19. Give one a long rope- to let someone

commit mistakes

Example-
#to allow someone to do what they want to, knowing that they will probably fail or get into
trouble.
#he never give his employees a long rope.
#never give your children a long rope.

20. Good turn- an act of kindness, an

action that helps someone

Example-
#my neighbor did me a good turn by lending me his car.
#he did me a good turn by recommending me for the post of vice- president.

“H”
1. Hold water- if a reason,
argument or explanation
hold water, it is true or
sound, valid

Example-
#her alibi(excuse) just didn't hold water.
#most of the arguments put forward by our opponents simply do not hold water. #his
statement will not hold water as it is not based on facts.

2. Hang together- support

one another

Example-
#the two statements delivered by the leader of the party do not hang together. #the
story simply doesn't hang together.

3. Hope against hope- to

have hope even when the
situation appears to be
hopeless

Example-
#there is little point in hoping against hope, except that it makes you feel better.
#Gautam's case is very weak and everybody knows that finally he will lose, but he is still
hoping against hope.

4. Have an axe to grind- to

have selfish interest

Example-
#environmentalists have no political axe to grind- they just want to save the planet.
#I don't have an axe to grind about the fact that Christmas has become commercialized.

5. Hit below the belt- to

strike unfairly

Example-
#we should always face the enemy boldly and never hit him below the belt.

6. Hold one's tongue- to

keep quiet

Example-
#if you don't hold your tongue, you will have to go outside.
#we should always hold our tongue before our elders.

7. Herculean task-
very difficult

Example-
#It is a herculean task to root out corruption in India.

8. Haul over the coals- to

speak angrily to someone
because they have done
something you disapprove
of;

Example-
#he was hauled over the coals for coming in late for work.
#she was hauled over the coals by her parents for her misconduct.

9. Have a finger in every

pie- to be involved in and
have influence over many
different activities , often in
 a way that other people do
not approve of

Example-
#you can't make a decision on any kind of funding without consulting him- he has a
finger in every pie.

10. Halcyon days- a very

happy and successful
period in the past

Example-
#she recalled the halcyon days of her youth/childhood.

11. Have an iron will- strong

will

Example-
#if we have to live among the mean and selfish people, we must have an iron will.

12. Hanky-panky-
Deceitfulness , jugglery- mayajal, indrajal, bajigiri

Example-
#none of this hanky-panky, tell me the truth.
#there is some hanky-panky going on in the treasurer's office.

13. Have feet of clay- to have

hidden faults

Example-
#to have a bad quality that you keep hidden
#some of the greatest geniuses In the history had feet of clay.
#the c.b.i. inquiry has revealed that many ministers have feet of clay.

14. Heart and soul-

completely and devotedly

Example-
#she loves those children heart and soul.
#he took part in annual function heart and soul.
15. Hang/hold fire- to delay
or wait, to remain
unresolved

Example-
#Kashmir problem has been hanging fire for many years.
#I think we should hang fire and wait for other information.

16. High and dry- to leave

someone in a difficult
situation without any help

Example-
#we were left high and dry without any money or credit cards.
#the stock market crash left us high and dry with debts of over 5 million.
17. Hit the nail on the head-
to do the right thing at the
right time

Example-
#he hit the nail on the head by resigning the job.
#you have spotted the flaw, Gautam. You hit the nail on the head.

18. Hobson's choice- no

alternative

Example-
#the choice between taking what is offered and getting nothing at all.
#we didn't really want that particular hotel, but it was the case of the Hobson's choice.
We booked very late and there was nothing else left.
#It's Hobson's choice, because If I don't agree to do what they want, I'll lose my job.

19. Have too many irons in

the fire- doing many
things at a time

Example-
#he is fickle minded and has too many irons in the fire.
#Tarun had too many irons in the fire and missed some important deadlines.

20. Hold in abeyance- to stall

or postpone something

Example-
#this is a good plan but not at this time. Let's just hold it in abeyance until things get
better.

21. High and mighty- proud

persons - behaving as if
you are much important
than other people

Example-
#he was acting all high and mighty.
#the high and mighty forget that everything in the world is transient.

22. Hard nosed attitude-

Aggressive

Example-
#I don't know why my teacher always has a hard nosed attitude towards me.

practical and determined

Example-
#Ambani has a reputation as a hard-nosed businessman who always gets what he
wants.

23. Hold in leash- to control

or to restrain

Example-
#As a responsible leader of a party you must hold criticism of party workers in leash.

24. Head and shoulders-

clearly superior to someone or something

Example-
#much better than other similar people or things.
#this wine is head and shoulders above that one.
#there's no competition- they are head and shoulders above the rest.

25. Hold a brief-

to defend or support someone

Example-
#It is very improper for parents to hold a brief for their children who are in the wrong.
#Mahatma Gandhi held a brief for the poor and fought for their rights.

Hold no brief for someone/ something- refused to support or dislike

Example-
#I hold no briefs for liars.
#He holds no brief for that kind of thing.

26. Hush money-

to bribe

Example-
#He managed to escape punishment by paying hush money.

27. Hold/keep at bay- to

prevent someone or
something unpleasant from
harming you

Example-
#he held the police at bay with a gun for several hours.
#I held the attacker at bay while she got away and called the police.

28. Helter-skelter- quickly

and in all directions
Example-
#when the police arrived the rioters ran helter-skelter.

29. Have a brush with- have

an encounter or come in
contact with something

Example-
#this was not the first time that rahul had a brush with the law.
#Our principal had a brush with the V.C. over the appointment of a lecturer.

30. Hornet's nest- raise

controversy

Example-
#a very difficult or unpleasant situation, especially in which a lot of people get very
angry and complain.
#his remarks on the role of women have stirred up hornet's nest amongst feminists.
#His remarks about the lack of good women tennis players stirred up a (real) hornet's
nest.

31. Hold somebody to

ransom- to force
someone to do something
by putting that person in a
situation where they have
no choice

Example-
#to demand concession by making someone captive.
#It is a pity that a handful of militants are holding the nation to ransom.

32. Hole-and-corner- secret

Example-
#I have come to know of your hole and corner method of dealing with people. #I
don't want any more hole-in-the-corner deals.

“I”
1. Ill at ease-

worried and uncomfortable

#I feel ill at ease about the interview.
#you look ill at ease. Please relax.

2. In a fair way- likely to

achieve something

Example-
#you are in a fair way to have cured yourself.
#the doctor feels that patient is in a fair way on to recovery.

3. In the good books of- to

be in favor with a person

Example-
#If you are in someone's good books, they are pleased with you.
#I cleaned the bathroom yesterday so I'm in mum's good books.

4. In tune-

in a mood

Example-
#the teacher asked the students if they were in the tune for study.

in tune with someone or something

Example-

#he is more in tune with his players today, because he had asked them for their opinions.

5. In the lurch- to leave a

friend in difficulty

Example-
#to not do for someone what had promised you would do.
#you must never leave you best friend in the lurch.
#he said he would help with rent, but he left me in the lurch.

6. Ins and outs- intricate

details of a situation or

process #david really know

 the ins and outs of how this

engine works.

#I'm learning the ins and outs of this business.

secrets

Example-
#the servants are generally familiar with the ins and outs of the family.

7. In the blues- completely

gone or disappeared,

entirely out of the sight or

reach

Example-
#I have no idea where my keys have gone. They seem to have disappeared in the blue!

depressed

Example-
#After his failure in the examination he is in the blues these days.

8. In the red- loosing money,

or suffer a loss

Example-
#state government has been operating in the red for five straight years.
#Tourism is down and many hotels are operating in the red.

9. In the limelight- to receive

attention and interest from

the public

Example-
#he's been in the limelight recently, following the publication of a controversial novel.
#he is again in the limelight these days.
10. In a tight corner- to

be in a difficult situation

Example-
#after loosing in gambling heavily, he is in a tight corner.
#she had been in tight corners before and always managed to get out of them.

11. In cold blood-

intentionally and without

emotion or feeling #the child

was murdered in cold blood.

12. In doldrums- lacking

activity or progress

Example-
#he is usually in the doldrums in the winter.
#her career was in the doldrums during those days.

sad/ depressed and with no energy or enthusiasm

Example-
#he has been in the doldrums since his girlfriend left for college.
#after his failure in the examination he is in doldrums these days.

13. In the family way-

pregnant

Example-
#she has been advised complete rest because she is in the family way.
#have you heard that simran is in the family way?

14. Ivory tower-

imaginary world

Example-
#if you are in ivory tower, you are in a place or situation where you are separated from ordinary
life and its problems.
#those who talk of non-violence as a useful tool in international politics live in ivory tower.
15. In the dumps-

unhappy

Example-
#she is a bit down in the dumps because she failed one of her exams.
#her visit cheered me up as I was in the dumps before her visits.

16. In a flutter- in a

confused and excited state

Example-
#my sister is in a flutter today because she is going for the interview.
“J”
1. Jaundiced eye prejudice- prejudice means

preconceived opinion not based on reason

or experience

Example-
#You must not evaluate anything jaundiced eye.

jealous

Example-

#one who looks at others with a jaundiced eye can never be happy. “K”
2. Keep body and soul together-

to maintain life

Example-
#to be able to pay for your food, clothing and somewhere to live.
#his wages are barely enough to keep body and soul together.
#these days because of rising prices it is difficult to keep body and soul together.

3. Keep the wolf from the door- to have

enough money to be able to eat and live, to

avoid starvation

Example-
#to maintain oneself at a minimum level.
#I don't make a lot of money, just enough to keep the wolf from the door.
#In Indian millions of people struggle hard to keep the wolf from the door.

4. Kith and kin- relatives, blood relation

Example-
#If we have no love for our kith and kin, we cannot be expected to love humanity.

5. Knit the brow- to move you eyebrows

closer together when you are worried or

thinking carefully

Example-
#sasha knitted her brows as she listened to the storm forecast.
#her mother-in-law always knits the brow at everything she does.

6. Kick the bucket-

to die

Example-
#he kicked the bucket after long illness in the prime of his life.

7. Keep up appearances-

to make things look all right whether they are or not

Example-
#to pretend to be happier, less poor, etc. than you really are, because you don't want people to
know how bad your situation is.
#though he is in financial crisis, he is able to keep up appearances.
#things may be unpleasant, but we will keep up appearances.

8. Keep the pot boiling- to earn hardly

enough for living

Example-
#To earn enough money to buy one's food.
#main motive of every worker is to keep the pot boiling.

9. Kick one's heels- to waste time in waiting),

to be forced to wait for a period of time.

Example-
#as the train was late we had to kick our heals at the station.

10. Keep abreast of-

not to fall behind
Example-
#stay up to date, or to have knowledge or most recent information about something) #she
keep herself abreast of the situation of the city.
#It is very important for the young persons to keep abreast of political developments in the
country.

“L”

11. Lost in the clouds-

Confused

Example-
#we often lost in clouds in exam, if we have not done practice of questions.
#my psychology teacher is often lost in the clouds as she sometimes is unable to explain the
questions clearly.

12. Lose ground-fail to keep

one's positions to fall

behind someone or

something

Example-
#to become less popular or less successful.
#the democrats were losing ground in this district.
#the belief in prophecies and horoscopes is losing ground these days.
#the left wing politics are losing ground.

13. Laugh in one's sleeves- to

laugh secretly, to secretly

find something funny.

Example-
#the students laugh in their sleeves at the teacher's ignorance of the subject.
#they are very polite in your presence, but you get the feeling they are laughing up their
sleeves.

14. Leave no stone unturned-

to make all possible efforts

Example-
#don't worry, we will find your stolen car. We will leave no stone unturned.
#he left no stone unturned in his search for his natural mother.

15. Leap in the dark- to take a

risk deliberately

Example-
#something you do without being certain what will happen as a result.
#you must not leap in the dark by entering the business without experience.

16. Look sharp- be quick or to

make haste

Example-
#look sharp! We have to leave in five minutes.

17. Let the cat out of the bag-

to reveal a secret or surprise

by accident

Example-
#I was trying to keep the party a secret, but venus went and let the cat out of the bag.
#It's secret. Try not to let the cat out of the bag.

18. Live in a fool's paradise-

false hope

Example-
#my brother is living in a fool's paradise if he thinks that he can be a rich man without working
hard.
#she lived in a fool's paradise, looking forward to a promotion she would never get.

to be happy because you do not know or will not accept how bad a situation really is

Example-
#they were living in a fool's paradise, refusing to accept that they were in debt.
19. Loaves and fishes-

materialist wealth Example-

#most of the ministers are more concerned with the loaves and fishes of office than the service
of man.

20. Live-wire- an energetic

person

Example-
#India needs live-wire political leaders who can put the country on the right track.

21. Look a gift horse in the

mouth- to be ungrateful to

someone who gives you

something

Example-
#I know that car is not in good condition, but you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
#one should not look a gift horse in the mouth because it is given out of love and regards.

22. Lose one's head-

to lose self control, panic

Example-
#he usually stays quite calm in meetings but this time he just lost his head.

23. The long and short of it-

the most important point, the

summary of the matter

Example-
#the long and short of it that they are willing to start the work in January.
#the long and short of the principal's speech was that examination would be held on time.

24. Latin and Greek-

Incomprehensible

Example-
#It's all Greek to me
#the speech of literary persons is always Latin and Greek to illiterate persons.

25. Last nail in the coffin-

causing ruin

Example-
#an event that causes the failure of something that had already started to fail #I
think that argument was the final/last nail in the coffin of our friendship.
#second world war proved to be a last nail in the coffin of British Imperialism.

26. Lead up the garden path-

to cheat or deceive someone

Example-
#the traders led the credulous customers up the garden path by assuring them of warranty.

27. Leaps and bounds-

rapidly

Example-
#In comparison to India, China has progressed by leaps and bounds in every field.

28. Last/final straw-that straw

that broke the camel's

back the final difficulty in a

series, the last little burden or

problem that causes

everything to collapse

Example-
#the final trail of patience.
#Losing my job was bad enough, but being evicted was the final straw.
#when she showed up late third time, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. We had to
fire her.
29. Let the grass grow under

the feet- to delay the

matters

Example-
#we are bound to suffer if we let the grass grow under the feet by postponing action.
#we can’t let the grass grow under the feet- we have really got to get going with this project.

“M”
1. Make both ends meet-

to live within one's mean

Example-
#to have enough money to pay for your basic expenses.
#I have to work at two jobs to make ends meet.
#My wages were so low that I had to take a second job just to make ends meet.

2. Mend one's fences- to make

peace

Example-
#to repair a relationship with someone.
#It is high time for the two brothers to bury the hatchet and mend their fences.
#China is trying to mend fences with India after the recent border dispute.

3. Make a clean breast- to confess

Example-
#to tell the truth about something, especially something bad or illegal that you have done.
#after months of lying about the money, I decided to make a clean breast of it and tell the truth.
#when asked by the Magistrate sternly, the thief made a clean breast of the whole crime.
4. Make amends- to give

compensation, compensate

someone for a grievance or injury

Example-
#the government made amends to the family for the loss of their earning member in the war.
#I wanted to make amends for the worry I have caused you.
#they must make amends for the harm they have caused you.

5. Make the most of-

to utilize time

Example-
#to use or enjoy something as much as possible.
#we are only in Paris for a day, so let's make the most out of it.
#students should make the most of their time if they want to get and administrative job.

6. Move heaven and earth- to do

everything you can to achieve

something

Example-
#he will move heaven and earth to get it done on time.
#I'd move heaven and earth to get an apartment here.

7. Make sure- to check something

and be certain about it

Example-
#please make sure of your facts before you write the report.
#please double-check and make sure.
#make sure all the doors are locked.

8. Make neither head or nor tail-

can't make head nor tail of

something-

Example-
#to not be able to understand something at all.
#I can't make head nor tail of these instructions on the packet.
#we couldn't make head or tail of the film.
#what does his message say?- I don't know, I can't make head or tail of it.

9. Moot point- a debatable

question, an issue open to

argument

Example-
#also an irrelevant question, a matter of no importance.
#whether Shakespeare actually wrote the poem remains a moot point among critics.
#It's a moot point whether the chicken or the egg came first.

10. Meet one's waterloo-

to face final defeat

Example-
#to be defeated by someone who is too strong for you or by a problem that is too difficult for
you.
#Tipu sultan met his waterloo in the fourth battle of Mysore.

11. Make light of- to treat something

as if it were unimportant or

humorous - not to care.

Example-
#they have both had knee injuries, but the two friends make light of their weakness.
#I make light of my problems and that makes me feel better.
#he is in the habit of making light of the advice of his parents.

12. Midas touch- a touch which turn

everything into gold

Example-
#the ability to make a lot of money.
#Bob is a merchant banker and really has the Midas touch.
#our manager seems to be gifted with Midas touch because he is capable of selling every
product.

13. Man of parts- a man of qualities

Example-
#a man who is able to do many different things.
#Tabish is a man of many parts- ruthless businessman, loving father, accomplished sportsman,
to name a few.
#Our principal is a man of parts and is respected by all and one.

14. Meanly mouthed- soft spoken

Example-
#a mealy mouthed shopkeeper is always successful.

Not outspoken - not brave enough to say what you mean directly or honestly
Example-
#mealy mouthed excuses.
#a mealy mouthed spokesperson.

15. Man of straw- a person or an

idea that is weak and easy to

defeat

Example-
#the king being a man of straw, his orders were often disobeyed.
#he was accused by his opponents of being a man of straw and lacking in decisiveness.

16. Mince matters- moderate or

restrain one's language to be

polite or avoid giving offense

Example-
#not to mince matters, I feel he should resign.

hide the truth and pretend

Example-
#don't mince words- say the truth.
#tell the truth to your parents because it does not pay to mince matters.
#she is not straight forward in her speech, she minces matters.
17. Mare's nest- a false invention or

wrong discovery

Example-
#something imagined to be an extraordinary discovery but proving to be a delusion or a hoax.
#the announced cure for the disease was merely another mare's feet.
#he made a discovery after a number of years, but is proved a mare's nest.

extremely confused or entangled situation and disordered place

Example-
#we just moved in, and the place is a mare' nest.

“N”
18. Null and void-

ineffective, having no legal

effect

Example-
#cancel, invalid
#the court declared the law to be null and void.
#strangely, the laws made by the British in India are not yet null and void.

19. Next to nothing-

hardly anything, almost

nothing

Example-
#I bought this antique chair for next to nothing.
#the thieves made off with everything from the kitchen and there was next to nothing left.
#she know next to nothing about the politics.
20. Neck and crop-

completely, wholly, altogether,

roughly at once

Example-
#the decoits finished him off neck and crop beyond recognition.

21. No love lost- intense

dislike

Example-
#there is no love lost between the two neighbors.

22. Not worth one's salt-

not deserving

Example-
#you are not worth your salt. Pack up!

“O”
1. Off hand- without
preparation, immediately

Example-
#people say that they don't know the answer off-hand, meaning that they don't know it
at that time.
#I'm very poor in English grammar & can't answer all the questions off hand.

Off hands-
No longer within one's responsibility( if someone or something is off someone's hands,
they are not responsible for them anymore)

Example-
#we finally got that project off our hands.
#I have got a lot of freedom now the kids are off my hands.
2. Over head and ears- with
the whole person,
completely and wholly

Example-
#he was over head and ears in debts of SBI.
#Rahul is over head and ears in love with Simran. (ughh! I hate Rahul)

3. Out of question- certain,

undoubtedly

Example-
#his success his out question because he is working hard these days.

4. Out of the question- not

possible, unlikely, uncertain

Example-
#A trip to New Zealand is out of the question this year.
#the class ends at 2, and leaving before then is out of the question.
#his success is out of the question, because he is not working hard these days.

5. Out of the woods- out of

danger or difficulty

Example-
#the patient is not out of the woods yet.
#when the patient got out of the woods, everyone relaxed.

6. Order of the day- in

fashion, something that is
very common.

Example-
#something necessary or usual at a certain time.
#going to bed early was the order of the day when we were young.
#on these TV channels, reality shows and repeats are becoming the order of the day. #It
is difficult to get any work done, without bribery because bribery is the order of the day.

7. On the score of- on the

ground of, because of, basis

Example-
#he was debarred from appearing in the examination on the score of indiscipline.
8. On that score- for the
reason

Example-
#you can use "on this score or on that score" to refer to something that has just been
mentioned, especially an area of difficulty and concern.
#I became pregnant easily. At least I have had no problems on that score. #you
need not worry on that score.

9. Over and above- plus in

addition to something,
besides, moreover

Example-
#I shall lend you books over and above what I have promised to give you in cash. #she
had an allowance from her father over and above her paltry salary.

10. Out and out- in every

respect, absolute,
completely

Example-
#Shri Bhagat Singh was a patriot out and out.

11. Off and on-

now and then- occasionally

Example-
#I have been exercising kind of off and on for a while now.
#since she is over busy these days, she visits me off and on.

12. One's Achilles heel a

weak point

Example-
#a small problem or weakness in a person or system that can result in failure.
#Maths has always been my Achilles heel.
#however powerful a person may be, he is vulnerable because of his Achilles' heel.

13. Off color- not in usual form

Example-
#once a glamourous actress, she is off color these days.
 slightly
ill
Example-
#He had a flu a couple of months ago and he's been a bit of off-color ever since.

14. Odds and ends-

miscellaneous things

Example-
#various things of different types, usually small and not important, or of little value.
#I eventually found my keys buried beneath the odds and ends in the bottom of my bag.
#I took most of the big things to the new house, but there a few odds and ends left to
pick.

15. Off the hook- out of trouble

Example-
#he's just happy to be off the hook on that harassment charge.
#he is not yet off the hook because Income tax department is making a thorough inquiry
into his financial status.

16. Oily tongue-

flattering tongue –sychophant

Example-
#she has an oily tongue but bad heart.
#he has often won over the enemies by his oily tongue.

17. On the horns of dilemma-

in a fix

Example-
#to be unable to decide which of the two things to do because either could have bad
results.
#tarun is on the horns of dilemma in the matter of his marriage.

18. One' cup of tea- to one's

liking, one's choice or
preference

Example-
#if something is not your cup of tea, it is not the type of thing of that you like.
#Fishing is not my cup of tea
#going to church was not my cup of tea.
#I like suspense in movies. It's my cup of tea.
#gaming is not my cup of tea.

19. Out of sorts- not feeling

well, grumpy and irritable

Example-
#I have been feeling tired and generally out of sorts.
#Rahul had been out of sorts the whole day and could not do his office work properly.

20. On its last legs- about to

collapse, about to stop
working

Example-
#I have had this laptop for five years now, and it's really on its last legs.
#In many sections of Indian society the system of child marriage is on its last legs.

21. On the carpet-

under discussion or consideration

Example-
#what is one the carpet these days is in the newspapers.
#Important matters will be on the carpet at today's meeting.

to be in trouble with someone in authority

Example-
#he is going to be on the carpet for his rudeness.
#was called on the carpet for cheating.

“P”
1. Past master- an expert

Example-
#a person who is very skilled in a particular activity.
#he is a past master in befooling the people by his oily tongue.
#Mary is a past master at cooking omelets.
2. Palmy days- days of

happiness), prosperous days

Example-
#No one can forget the Palmy days of his life.
#we still remember the palmy days of our life when we had nothing much to do and still got
everything to fulfill our needs.

3. Part and parcel- inseparable

part

Example-
#to be a feature of something, especially a feature that cannot be avoided.
#being recognized on the street is part and parcel of being a celebrity.
#every Indian citizen living in India must regard himself as part and parcel of a larger whole.

4. Pass the buck- to blame

each other

Example-
#Don't try to pass the buck! It's your fault, and everybody knows it.
#Political parties pass the buck on to one another for failure on economic front.

5. Pay off old scores- to take

revenge

Example-
#From her attitude it is clear that she wants to pay off old scores.
6. Pay through one's nose- to

pay too much money for

something

Example-
#we paid through the nose to get the car fixed.
#If you want a decent wine in a restaurant, you have to pay through the nose for it.

7. Pay lip service- pretend to

regard

Example-
#To express loyalty, respect, or support for something insincerely.
#most of the political parties pay lip service to the plight of the poor.

8. Pay one back in the same

coin-

tit for that

Example-
#to treat someone in a same way that they have treated you.
#I decided to pay her back in her own coin and refuse to help her.

9. Pin-money-

a small amount of extra money that a person earns to buy things for himself that they want but
do not need

Example-
#she has a part time job that gives her pin money for extra treats for herself and the kids.
#Grandma usually gives the children some pin money whenever she visits.

10. Pell- mell- in a confused, rushed

or disorderly manner

Example-
#at the sound of the alarm, the customers ran pell-mell for the doors.
#after the thieves have ransacked the house, everything was pell-mell.

11. Play fast and lose- to treat

something without enough care

and attention

Example-
#the film is very entertaining even though it plays fast and loose with the historical facts.
to act carelessly, thoughtlessly, and irresponsibly

Example-
#No one can trust sohan as he is used to playing fast and loose with his friends.
#I'm tired of your playing fast and loose with me. Leave me alone.

12. Play second fiddle to – to play a

subordinate part

Example-
#to be less important or in a weaker position than someone else.
#A self-respecting man can never play second fiddle to anyone.
#he resented playing second fiddle to his younger brother.

13. Play truant- to absent from duty

and school without permission

Example-
#It is very bad habit of the employees to play truant from office.

14. Play to the gallery- to gain cheap

popularity

Example-
#to spend time doing or saying things that will make people admire or support you, instead of
dealing with more important matters.
#when he made the rude remark, he was just playing to the gallery.
#the speeches of our leaders are not sincere, they are intended to play to the gallery.

15. Play ducks and drakes- to

squander or waste money

Example-
#after the death of his father, he got into heavy debt by playing ducks and drakes with money.

16. Play foul- to do something wrong,

illegal practices

Example-
#Don't play foul with your well-wishers.

17. Plough the sand- do something

that seems impossible, futile labour

Example-
#he cannot make money because he appears to be ploughing the sands.

18. Pour oil on troubled matters- to

pacify the matters

Example-
#to do or say something in order to make people stop arguing and become calmer.
#My husband is always arguing with my father, and I am the one who has to pour oil on troubled
waters.
#the twins are quarreling so I'd best go pour oil on troubled waters.

19. Pull a long face- to look sad,

disapproving and angry

Example-
#she pulls a long face when her mother scolds him.
#Why have you got such a long face?- my boyfriend doesn't want to see me anymore.

20. Pull one's socks up- work hard

Example-
#to make an effort to improve your work or behavior because it is not good enough.
#he's going to have to pull his socks up if he wants to stay in the team.
#you must pull your socks up to get over financial problems.

21. Pull strings- make use of one's

influence and contacts to gain

advantage

Example-
#to secretly use the influence you have over important people in order to get something or to
help someone.
#I can get it done easily by pulling a few strings.
#It is impossible to get anything done around here without pulling some strings.
#I may be able to pull a few strings for you if you need the document urgently.

22. Put heads together- to share

ideas in trying to solve a problem

Example-
#If we put our heads together, we can think of a solution.
#If we can put our heads together we'll figure out a way to deal with this.

23. Put a spoke in a wheel- prevent

someone from carrying out a plan

Example-
#he would not like me to succeed, so he always put a spoke in a wheel.
24. Put the cart before the horse- to

do things in the wrong order

Example-
#you are eating your desert first, you have put the cart before the horse.
#tune the guitar first, the play it. Don't put the cart before the horse.

25. Pyrrhic victory- a victory that is

not worth winning, because the

winner has lost so much in winning

it

Example-
#Greeks victory over Trojans proved to be Pyrrhic victory.

26. Pick holes-

to find fault with

Example-
#to criticize something severely
#he is always picking holes in every project. #stop
picking holes in everything I say.

“S”
1. Sit on the fence-

avoid/delay making a

decision or choice

Example-
#you can't sit on the fence any longer, you have to decide whose side you are on!
#no one knows which of the candidates Rahul will vote for! He is sitting on the fence.
2. Smell a rat- to suspect that

something is wrong

Example-
#he has been working late with her every night this week- I smell a rat!

3. Shed crocodile tears- to

shed false tears

Example-
#the child was not really hurt, but she shed crocodile tears anyway.

4. Split hair- to argue about

small details of something

Example-
#we should not try to split hair with our elders.
#she earns three times what I earn, actually it is more like two and a half, oh stop splitting hairs!

5. Stand in good stead- to be

helpful in need

Example-
#To be of great use and benefit to someone.
#During the time of distress the advice of elders always stands in good stead.
#I know that my large vocabulary will always stand me in good stead at college. #Getting
some work experience now will stand you in good stead when you apply for a
permanent job.

6. See eye to eye- to be in full

agreement

Example-
#My mother and I see eye to eye in most things.
#We don't see eye to eye on a lot of things.

7. Set great, little store by

something- to consider
 something to be of great,

little importance or value

Example-
#I have always set store by my father's opinion.
#What would happen if this relationship that she set so much store by ended?

8. Snap one's fingers at-

treat with contempt, scorn,

disregard

Example-
#the industry owner feels that he may snap his fingers at the demands of his workers, but he is
greatly mistaken. #or.. chutki bajana

9. Speak volumes for-

to express something very clearly and completely), usually said about expressing something
without words

Example-
#to have an abundant proof.
#the happy expressions on both their faces spoke volumes about their marriage.
#he didn't say anything about what happened at the meeting, but his furious expression spoke
volumes.
#she said very little but her face spoke volumes.

10. Steal a march- to get

ahead secretly

Example-
#to accomplish something(the same goal) before someone else does.
#If you steal a march on someone, you get an advantage over that person by acting before they
do.
#Shubham stole a march on my brother in business and is very rich today.
#Our competitor stole a march on us and got the big contract.

11. Steer clear of- to avoid

something or someone

because they are dangerous

or bad for you

Example-
#they warned their children to steer clear of drugs.
#everyone, if possible, should steer clear of selfish people.
#I'd steer clear of joe If I were you- he will only cause trouble.
#steer clear of fatty food.

12. Snake in the grass- a

secret enemy

Example-
#deceitful person, someone who pretends to be your friend while secretly doing things to harm
you.
#It's upsetting to learn that someone you once viewed as a good colleague is in fact a snake in
the grass.
#How could I ever have trusted that snake in the grass?
#he secretly applied for the same job as his best friend, no one knew he was such a snake in
the grass.

13. Sail under the false color-

a hypocrite

Example-
#to pretend to be something that you are not in order to deceive people.
#we should not believe our leaders because they sail under false colors.
#he is not who he seems to be- he is sailing under false colors.

14. Spartan life- life of ascetic

Example-
#rigorously self-disciplined or self-restrained
#a Spartan diet #A Spartan lifestyle.

15. Save face- to escape

humiliation

Example-
#to do something so that people will continue to respect you.
#He seemed more interesting in saving face than telling the truth.
#he is making lame excuses to save his face because he could not qualify the examination.
16. A scarlet woman- a

woman with loose morals

Example-
#A woman who is considered to be immoral because she has sex with a lot of men.
#being a scarlet woman she is looked down upon by her neighbors.
#she was labeled a scarlet woman and excluded from polite society.

17. Set people by ears- to

incite people, to provoke

them.

Example-
#the communal speeches set people by ears.
#few people set people by ears.

18. To set Thames on fire- to

achieve something

impossible

Example-
#or.. To do wonderful or exciting things)
#qualifying civil services examination for you is like setting Thames on fire.
#She dreamed of setting the Thames on fire as famous actress.

19. Sweat of the brow- by

one's hard work

Example-
#the honest persons live by sweat of the brow.
#A decent hard working man, he supported his family by the sweet of the brow.

20. Steal someone's thunder-

make a better impression

than someone's

Example-
#to do something that takes attention away from what someone else has done.
#the young actor performed so well that he stole his rival's thunder.
#I kept quiet about my pregnancy because sonali was getting married, and I didn't want to steal
her thunder.

21. Straight from the

shoulders

- straight - to speak very directly and honestly

Example-
#blunt, candid, outspoken, plainspoken
#my lawyer told me straight from the shoulders that my case was weak.
#I gave it to him straight from the shoulders- you are talking garbage.
#I'll tell you, straight from the shoulders- that you will have to do better or they will fire you.

22. Shop lifter- one who steals

from the shop

Example-
#he was charged with shoplifting.
#A shoplifter often visits a shop as a customer.

23. Spick and span- neat, clean

and spotless - or in order

Example-
#her house looked spick and span because everything was in its place.

24. Shot in the arm- a boost or an

act of encouragement

Example-
#winning this award is a big shot in the arm for our students.
#the opening of a new research center will give a much needed shot in the arm for science in
Britain.

25. Something up one's sleeve-

to have secret plans or ideas

Example-
#she is quite a mischievous lady. There is always something up her sleeve.
#I have got something up my sleeve, and it should solve all your problems.
#If this trip doesn't work out I've still got a few ideas up my sleeve.
26. Send about one's business-

to dismiss, to send someone

away, usually in an unfriendly

way

Example-
#his employees sent him about his business when he behaved insolently.
#Is that annoying man on the telephone again?- please send him about his business.

27. Stand one's ground-

to remain firm, to stand up for one's rights

Example-
#to resist an attack.
#He did not yield to pressure and stood his ground till the end.
#you have got to respect him for standing his ground when all the others disagree.
#The battalion stood its ground in the face of repeated attacks.

28. Small fry- insignificant person

Example-
#people or things that are not considered to be important.
#the police have only caught the small fry. The leader of the gang is still free.
#you people are just small fry. I want to talk to the boss.

29. Seamy side of the life-

immoral side of society

Example-
#the most unpleasant or roughest aspect of life.
#the picture depicts realism and presents the seamy side of the life in modern India.

30. Sow wild oats- to do wild and

foolish things in one's youth

Example-
#often assumed to have some sort of sexual meaning
#If a young man sows his wild oats, he has a period of his life when he does a lot of exciting
things and has a lot of sexual relationships.
#he'd spent his twenties sowing his wild oats but felt that it was time to settle down.

31. Spill the beans- to the tell the

secret information,

unintentionally

Example-
#there is surprise party for Gautam on Wednesday. Please don't spill the beans.
#so who spilled the beans about her affair with Akhil?

32. A stalking horse- something

that is used to hide someone's

real purpose

Example-
#It's feared that the talks are just a stalking horse for a much wider deal between the two
parties.

a person or a thing that is used to conceal someone's real intentions

Example-
#You have used me simply as a stalking horse for some of your more outrageous views.

“T”
1. Turn the tables- to reverse

the condition

Example-
#to change a situation so that someone's position is the opposite of what it was.
#A batsman often turns the table on the opposite team by his good batting.
#she turned the tables on her rival with the allegations of corruption.
2. Turn up one's nose- to not

like something because you

think it is good enough for

you

Example-
#she turned up her nose at the job because she didn't think it had enough status.
#I never turn my nose up at homemade Cake.

3. Turn coat- a politician who

changes side

Example-
#apostate
#a disloyal person who betrays his party.
#one who switches, (allegiance(Loyalty or support for a ruler, country of belief)

4. To take up the cudgels

for/against something or

somebody- to argue

strongly in support of

something, defend - or

against something

Example-
#one of my lawyer friends took up the cudgels on my behalf to defend me.
#there was no one else to take the cudgels on their behalf.

5. Turn the corner-improve

to pass a critical point in a process

Example-
#If a situation turns the corner, it starts to improve after a difficult period.
#after nine months of poor sales we have finally turned the corner.
#after long illness my friend turned the corner and was completely out of danger.

6. Tall talk-

exaggerate the matters

Example-
#no one likes to be in the company of neema as she always indulges in tall talk.

7. Tooth and nail- to use a lot

of effort to oppose someone

or achieve something
Example-
#we fought tooth and nail to keep our share of the business.
#all the students revolted tooth and nail against the partiality of the teachers towards some
students.

8. Throw in a towel/sponge-

to admit defeat

Example-
#when the wrestler could not resist the opponent, he had to throw in a towel.
#Don't give up now! It's too soon to throw in the sponge.

9. Take with a pinch of salt-

to accept with doubt

Example-
#to listen to a story or an explanation with considerable doubt
#you have to take everything she says with a pinch of salt, because she tends to exaggerate.
#It's interesting to read the reports in the newspapers, but I tend to take them with a grain of
salt.

10. not Turn a hair- to not

show any reaction or

emotion

Example-
#to not show any emotion when you are told something bad or when something bad happens.
#I was expecting him to be horrified when he heard the cost but he didn't turn a hair.

11. Tall stories- exaggerated

stories

Example-
#a story or statement that is difficult to believe
#He told me tall story about having met some top models in a night club.
#since he retired from Army, he has been famous for his tall stories which regal(amuse or
entertain with talk) the villagers.

12. Take the floor-

make a speech

Example-
#the last time you had the floor, you talked for an hour.
#when the Prime minister took the floor in the cabinet meeting there was pin drop silence.

to go the dance floor in order to dance

Example-
#when the band played, everyone took the floor.

13. Take something lying

down- to endure something

unpleasant without fighting

back

Example-
#not take something lying down- to complain about a situation rather than accepting it.
#he insulted me publicly. You don't expect me to take that lying down do you?
#I'm not kind of person who'll take something like that lying down.
#I can't take criticism lying down.

14. Turn to account- to be

made profitable or

advantageous

Example-
#To make a good use of a situation, experience, etc.
#the brave turn their failures to account.
#pam turned her illness to good account and did a lot of reading.
#she turned her natural curiosity to good account by becoming a detective.

15. Take heart- to feel

encouraged or bold

Example-
#Even though you did not win the race, take heart from the fact that you did your best.
#you must take heart and face life boldly.

16. Take to heart- feel

excessively

Example-
#to consider something very seriously.
#he took his failure to heart and lost interest in worldly affairs.
#Don't take it to heart-I'm only joking about your hair.
#don't take my criticism to heart.
#Everything he said is true, and I hope people will take it to heart.

17. Take bull by horns- to do

something difficult in a brave

and determined way

Example-
#It's time to take the bull by the horns and get this job done.
#you can succeed in life only if you have courage to take bull by horns.

18. Through and through-

entirely and completely

Example-
#I was angry through and through.
#I was wet through and through.
#he is a military man through and through.

19. To the back bone-

thoroughly and entirely

Example-
#we need leaders who are selfless to the backbone.
#tilak was a patriot to the backbone.

20. Take wind out of another's

sail-

to make you feel less confident and determined, usually by saying or doing something
unexpected.

Example-
#To challenge someone's boasting and arrogance.
#I was really mad at him, but he greeted me with flowers, which immediately took the wind out
of my sails.
21. Throw down the

glove/gauntlet- to

challenge

Example-
#to invite someone to fight or compete with you.
#He has thrown down the gauntlet to its competitors.

22. Take leaf out of

somebody's book- to copy

something that someone

else has done because it

will bring you advantages

Example-

#to behave or do something in a way that someone else would do.

#Maybe I should take a leaf out of Akshay's book and start coming in early every week.
#you had better do it your way. Don't take a leaf out of my book. I don't do it well.

23. Take people by storm- to

be suddenly or extremely

successful, in a place or

popular with someone

Example-
#the pink floyd took the US by storm in the early 1960s.
#A new play that took new York city by storm.

24. Tall order- something

difficult

Example-
#they have given us three weeks to get the project finished. "that's a tall order) #building
the bridge in time for the Olympics will be a tall order.
25. Throw/put a spanner in

the works- to sabotage a

plan

Example-
#put/throw a monkey wrench in the works.
#the funding for the project was withdrawn so that really threw a spanner in the works.
#he refused to finance my project and so threw a spanner in it.

26. Take to task- to scold or

criticize someone

Example-
#the teacher took me to task for my bad behavior.
#I lost a big contract, and the boss took me to task in front of everyone.

27. Throw out of gear- not

working properly

Example-
#many of our small scale industries have been thrown out of gear because of lack of finance.

28. Throw cold water-

to discourage or criticize

Example-
#Instead of encouraging me, my business partner threw cold water on my plans.
#you are always throwing cold water on my suggestions.

29. Turn over a new leaf- to be

entirely changed

Example-
#to start behaving in a different way.
#Apparently he's turned over a new leaf and he's not smoking any more.
#I have made a mess of my life. I'll turn over a new leaf and hope to do better.
#why don't you turn over a new leaf and surprise everyone with your good characteristics?
30. Take somebody for a ride-

to deceive someone

Example-
#I think we have been taken for a ride.

31. Take up arms-

to fight

Example-
#the tribals of this region have taken up arms against government.

32. To and fro- backward and

forward

Example-
#He was strolling in the garden to and fro.

33. Throw up the

sponge/towel- to give up

or acknowledge defeat

“U”
1. Uphill task-

difficult task

Example-
#It's an uphill task to go there.

2. Ups and downs- the

mixture of good and bad

things which happen to

people

Example-
#I have had many ups and downs, but in general life has been good to me.
#all people have their ups and downs.
#like most married couples we have had our ups and downs but things are going fairly well now.

3. Under the rose- secretly

Example-
#they used to meet each other under the rose.

4. Up and doing- active,

busy

Example-
#a laborer should be up and doing daily if he has to earn his living.

5. Under a cloud- to be

under suspicion

Example-
#his secret connection with the smugglers have brought him under a cloud.
#the cabinet minister left office under a cloud after a fraud scandal.

6. Up to the mark- to be

good enough, as good as

should be

Example-
#you speech was upto the mark.

“W”
7. With open arms- cordially,

warmly, with happiness

Example-
#they received their new daughter in law with open arms.

8. Win laurels- to win honor

Example-
#Dr. Tagore won laurels in the field of Literature.
9. White elephant- something

with less utility and more

expenditure

Example-
#Father has given me an old rolls Royce, but it's a real white elephant. I
have no place to park it and can't afford the gas for it.

10. Well disposed to- friendly

or helpful to somebody

Example-
#If you feel good about yourself, you are more likely to feel well disposed to/towards other
people.
#he has never well disposed towards her relatives.

11. Writing on the wall- signal

or warning that something

bad will happen

Example-
#the factory owner read the writing on the wall and closed down the factory. #As
leaders, they should have seen the handwriting on the wall and come up with and
alternative course of action.

12. When the crunch comes-

when it comes to the crunch- the moment of decision

Example-
#when a situation becomes serious or an important decision has to be made.
#you know that when it comes to the crunch, she will do what needs to be done.
#if it comes to the crunch and you and your husband do split up, you can always stay with us.

13. Willy-nilly – whether one

wishes or not

Example-
#if something happens willy-nilly, it happens whether the people who are involved want it
happen or not.
#willy-nilly, she has to agree to the views of her husband all the time.
#both sides were drawn, willy-nilly, into the conflict.

without any order

Example-
#she threw her clothes willy-nilly into a drawer.

14. Window shopping-

to look at good displayed but not for buying

Example-
#the activity of spending time looking at the goods on sale in shop windows without intending to
buy any of them.
#Window shopping is the favorite past time of all New Yorkers.

15. Wear and tear- the

damage that happens to an

object in ordinary use during

a period

Example-
#seat cover on buses take a lot of wear and tear.
#this sofa shows a lot of wear and tear. We should replace it.

16. Weal and woe- joy and

sorrow

Example-
#good and bad days.
#we must learn to bear weal and woe of life patiently.
#Weal and woe comes in everybody's life. One should learn to live with them.

17. Wash hands of- to end all

involvement with someone

or something

Example-
#to have nothing to do.
#To stop being involved with or responsible for someone or something, usually because they
have caused too many problem for you.
#he washed his hands of the matter.
#i have washed hands of your affairs because you do not take me seriously.
#that car was a real headache. I washed my hands of it long ago.

18. Wide berth- to avoid a

person or place

Example-
#to steer clear of something
#we should give wide berth to bad characters.
#he believes that his neighbors give him a wide berth because he is black.

19. Will o' the wisp- a person

or thing that is impossible to

reach, get or catch

Example-
#unreal, elusive- thing difficult to catch, achieve- mayavi
#Full employment is the will o the wisp that politicians have been chasing for decades.
#to romantic poets, reality appears to be will o the wisp.

20. Wry face- disappointed

look

Example-
#he made a wry face when he was refused admission to the college of his choice.

21. Win hands down-

to win easily

Example-
#she won the debate hands down.
#India won hands down in the world cup finals.

22. Within an ace of- very

close to doing something

Example-
#to almost achieve something.
#I came within an ace of getting into an accident.
#we were within an ace of beating the all-time record.
23. Wear the trousers/pants-

Dominant

Example-
#to be the person in a relationship who makes all the important decisions.
#It is simran who wears the trousers and her husband simply obeys her.
#I don't think there's any doubt about who wears the trousers in their house.

24. Wee hours- the early hours

of the morning, between

twelve o'clock at night and

the time when the sun rises.

Example-
#small hours of night.
#he was up until the wee hours trying to finish his work.
#he goes to bed in the wee hours and gets up at lunchtime.

25. With a high hand-

oppressively

Example-
#the sultan rules his subject with a high hand.

26. Wet blanket- a dull or

depressing person who

spoils other people's

enjoyment

Example-
#someone who does or says something that stops other people from enjoying themselves.
#the principal proved a wet blanket while the students were on picnic.
#I don't want to be a wet blanket, but you really must play your music more quietly or you will
disturb the people next door.

27. Wild-goose chase-

a worthless chase, or futile pursuit

Example-
#all the efforts of the government to remove illiteracy in India is like a wild-goose chase.

28. Wind fall- sudden gain

Example-
#the legacy left by his uncle proved a wind fall for him.

29. Wrangle over an ass' shadow-

to quarrel over trifles

Example-
#Trifles- a thing of little value or importance.
#their long friendship ended because they wrangled over an ass' shadow.

“Y”

30. Yellow press-

journalism that exploits, distorts or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract
readers.

Example-
#newspaper printing stunning news.
#the yellow press is full of sensational news every other day.

31. Yeoman's service-

efficient or useful help in need

Example-
#the minister has performed yeoman service for him.

“Q”
1. Queer fish- a strange person

Example-
#One can't make anything out of sohan's attitude as he is such a queer fish.
2. Quixotic project- foolishly
ideal - impractically idealistic

Example-
#having or showing ideas that are different and unusual but nor practical or likely to
succeed.
#Being not worldly wise he wasted his money in quixotic project.

3. Rise to the occasion- to act

as the occasion demands, to
do what is needed at the time.

Example-
#To meet the challenge of an event, to try extra hard to do a task. #in
the exam she rose to the occasion and wrote a brilliant essay.
#to face critical situations boldly you should rise to the occasion. #when
a crisis hits, will you rise to the occasion?

4. Rank and file- the ordinary

workers in a company or the
ordinary members of an
organization, and not the
leaders, common man

Example-
#the rank and file of the labor party.
#If we want our country to progress in every field, we must improve the economic lot of
the rank and file.

5. Red-tapism-
official delay

Example-
#the practice of requiring excessive paperwork and tedious procedures before official
action can be considered or completed. #Red tapism is bane of Indian bureaucracy.

6. Rock the boat- to cause

problems and upset people

Example-
#to disturb a situation that is otherwise stable and satisfactory.
#If your party withdraws the support from the government, it may rock the boat.
7. Red herring-
something to distract attention

Example-
#a piece of information or suggestion introduced to draw attention away from the real
facts of a situation)
#the detectives were following a red herring, but they are on the right track now. #the
police investigated many clues, but they were all red herring.

8. Rip up old sores- to revive

forgotten quarrel

Example-
#Rahul and his wife can't live in peace, they are always ripping up old sores.

9. Rule the roost- to dominate

Example-
#to be the person who makes all the decisions in a group.
#who rules the roost at your house?
#today the rich rule the roost.

10. Red rag to a bull-

anything that provokes

Example-
#If a statement or an action is like a red rag to a bull, it makes someone very angry. #the
law against the dowry system is like a red rag to a bull for the greedy persons.

11. Ride rough shod over- to

act in the way you want to,
ignoring rules, traditions, or
other people's wishes

Example-
#to treat someone or something with disdain or scorn.
#you shouldn't ride roughshod over our laws and our traditions.
#he was a bully and rode roughshod over his workers whenever he felt they weren't
working hard enough.

12. Rub one the wrong way-

to irritate someone without
intending to-
Example-
#rub someone's fur the wrong way.
#as soon as they met they started to rub each other up the wrong way.
#if you rub him the wrong way, he is bound to react.