Idioms and Phrases -

Idioms & Phrases

An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning cannot always be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words.

Example:

A blessing in disguise

Literal meaning may seem unclear, but the idiomatic meaning is:

Something that appears bad at first but later proves beneficial.

Similarly:

Break the ice

does not literally mean breaking frozen water. It means:

to begin a conversation and make people feel more comfortable.

Idioms and phrases are frequently asked in competitive examinations through:

direct meaning questions
fill in the blanks
sentence improvement
phrase replacement
matching questions
comprehension passages
contextual vocabulary

The best method is to learn every idiom with:

its meaning
its correct usage
a short example sentence

Table of Contents

Alphabetical List

The following list contains important idioms arranged alphabetically for quick revision.

A

A blessing in disguise
Meaning: Something that initially appears unfortunate but later proves beneficial.
Sentence: Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise because he found a better one.

A bone of contention
Meaning: A cause of disagreement or dispute.
Sentence: The boundary issue became a bone of contention between the two states.

A bolt from the blue
Meaning: A sudden and unexpected event.
Sentence: The news of his resignation came as a bolt from the blue.

A close shave
Meaning: A narrow escape from danger.
Sentence: The driver had a close shave when the truck suddenly changed lanes.

A cock and bull story
Meaning: An unbelievable or fabricated story.
Sentence: Nobody believed his cock and bull story about losing the documents.

A far cry from
Meaning: Very different from.
Sentence: The present situation is a far cry from what we had expected.

A feather in one’s cap
Meaning: An achievement to be proud of.
Sentence: Winning the national award was a feather in her cap.

A fish out of water
Meaning: A person who feels uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.
Sentence: He felt like a fish out of water at the formal gathering.

A hard nut to crack
Meaning: A difficult problem or difficult person to understand.
Sentence: This mathematics problem is a hard nut to crack.

A man of letters
Meaning: A learned person, especially a writer or scholar.
Sentence: Rabindranath Tagore was a man of letters.

A red-letter day
Meaning: A very important or memorable day.
Sentence: The day she cleared the examination was a red-letter day in her life.

A storm in a teacup
Meaning: Great excitement over a trivial matter.
Sentence: The argument was merely a storm in a teacup.

A white elephant
Meaning: Something expensive to maintain but of little practical value.
Sentence: The unused stadium became a white elephant for the local authority.

Above board
Meaning: Honest and transparent.
Sentence: All the financial dealings were completely above board.

Add fuel to the fire
Meaning: Make a bad situation worse.
Sentence: His angry remarks only added fuel to the fire.

At arm’s length
Meaning: At a safe distance; avoiding close involvement.
Sentence: She prefers to keep strangers at arm’s length.

At one’s fingertips
Meaning: Readily available in one’s knowledge.
Sentence: A good teacher should have the basic facts at his fingertips.

At sixes and sevens
Meaning: In confusion or disorder.
Sentence: After the sudden announcement, everyone was at sixes and sevens.

At the eleventh hour
Meaning: At the last possible moment.
Sentence: He submitted the application at the eleventh hour.

B

Back to square one
Meaning: Return to the beginning after failure.
Sentence: When the plan failed, the team was back to square one.

Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: Following a mistaken line of thought or accusing the wrong person.
Sentence: If you think I leaked the information, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Beat about the bush
Meaning: Avoid coming directly to the point.
Sentence: Stop beating about the bush and tell me what happened.

Bed of roses
Meaning: A comfortable and easy situation.
Sentence: Success in competitive examinations is not a bed of roses.

Between the devil and the deep blue sea
Meaning: Caught between two difficult choices.
Sentence: He was between the devil and the deep blue sea when both options seemed risky.

Birds of a feather flock together
Meaning: People with similar interests or character tend to associate with one another.
Sentence: The two dishonest officials became close friends; birds of a feather flock together.

Bite off more than one can chew
Meaning: Take on more responsibility than one can manage.
Sentence: By accepting four major projects at once, he bit off more than he could chew.

Bite the bullet
Meaning: Face a difficult situation courageously.
Sentence: She decided to bite the bullet and prepare again for the examination.

Blow one’s own trumpet
Meaning: Boast about one’s own achievements.
Sentence: Nobody likes a person who constantly blows his own trumpet.

Break the ice
Meaning: Begin a conversation or make people feel comfortable.
Sentence: The teacher told a joke to break the ice.

Bring to light
Meaning: Reveal or discover something previously unknown.
Sentence: The investigation brought several irregularities to light.

Burn the candle at both ends
Meaning: Work excessively and exhaust oneself.
Sentence: He was burning the candle at both ends by studying late and working all day.

Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work or study late into the night.
Sentence: Aspirants often burn the midnight oil before an important examination.

By and large
Meaning: Generally; on the whole.
Sentence: By and large, the programme was successful.

By hook or by crook
Meaning: By any possible means.
Sentence: He was determined to achieve his goal by hook or by crook.

C

Call a spade a spade
Meaning: Speak plainly and directly.
Sentence: She is known for calling a spade a spade.

Carry the day
Meaning: Win or succeed.
Sentence: His convincing argument finally carried the day.

Castles in the air
Meaning: Unrealistic dreams or plans.
Sentence: Without preparation, your plans are merely castles in the air.

Cat and dog life
Meaning: A life full of constant quarrels.
Sentence: The couple led a cat and dog life for years.

Catch red-handed
Meaning: Catch someone while committing an offence.
Sentence: The thief was caught red-handed.

Chicken-hearted
Meaning: Cowardly.
Sentence: A chicken-hearted person may hesitate in a crisis.

Child’s play
Meaning: Something very easy to do.
Sentence: The test was child’s play for an experienced candidate.

Come rain or shine
Meaning: Regardless of difficulties or circumstances.
Sentence: He attends class every day, come rain or shine.

Cry over spilt milk
Meaning: Regret something that cannot be changed.
Sentence: There is no use crying over spilt milk after the deadline has passed.

Cut a sorry figure
Meaning: Make a poor impression.
Sentence: He cut a sorry figure because he was unprepared for the interview.

Cut corners
Meaning: Do something cheaply or carelessly by avoiding proper procedures.
Sentence: The contractor was accused of cutting corners on safety.

D

Dark horse
Meaning: A person whose abilities are not well known but who unexpectedly succeeds.
Sentence: She proved to be the dark horse of the competition.

Day in and day out
Meaning: Continuously, every day.
Sentence: He worked day in and day out to complete the project.

Dead letter
Meaning: A rule or law that is no longer effective or enforced.
Sentence: Without implementation, the regulation became a dead letter.

Dog in the manger
Meaning: A person who prevents others from using something they themselves do not need.
Sentence: Do not behave like a dog in the manger.

Draw a blank
Meaning: Fail to remember or obtain an answer.
Sentence: I drew a blank when asked the final question.

Drop in the ocean
Meaning: A very small amount compared with what is needed.
Sentence: The relief fund was only a drop in the ocean compared with the total losses.

E

Eat humble pie
Meaning: Admit one’s mistake and apologise.
Sentence: After the evidence emerged, he had to eat humble pie.

End in smoke
Meaning: Come to nothing; fail completely.
Sentence: Their ambitious plan ended in smoke because of poor management.

Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: There is something positive in every difficult situation.
Sentence: Losing the competition was disappointing, but every cloud has a silver lining.

Eye-opener
Meaning: Something that reveals an unexpected truth.
Sentence: The survey was an eye-opener for policymakers.

F

Face the music
Meaning: Accept the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.
Sentence: After breaking the rules, he had to face the music.

Fair and square
Meaning: Honestly and according to the rules.
Sentence: She won the competition fair and square.

Feather one’s own nest
Meaning: Use one’s position for personal gain.
Sentence: The officer was accused of feathering his own nest.

Fight tooth and nail
Meaning: Fight with great determination.
Sentence: The villagers fought tooth and nail to protect their land.

Fish in troubled waters
Meaning: Take advantage of a confused or difficult situation.
Sentence: Some traders tried to fish in troubled waters during the shortage.

From pillar to post
Meaning: From one place or person to another without success.
Sentence: He was sent from pillar to post to get the certificate.

G

Get cold feet
Meaning: Become nervous or frightened before doing something.
Sentence: He got cold feet just before the interview.

Get into hot water
Meaning: Get into trouble.
Sentence: He got into hot water after violating the rules.

Give the benefit of the doubt
Meaning: Believe someone despite uncertainty.
Sentence: The judge decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Go against the grain
Meaning: Be contrary to one’s beliefs or nature.
Sentence: Lying goes against the grain for an honest person.

Go the extra mile
Meaning: Make more effort than expected.
Sentence: A dedicated teacher often goes the extra mile for students.

Greek to me
Meaning: Completely incomprehensible.
Sentence: The technical instructions were Greek to me.

H

Hand in glove
Meaning: In close association, often for dishonest purposes.
Sentence: The officials were allegedly hand in glove with the contractors.

Hang in the balance
Meaning: Remain uncertain or undecided.
Sentence: The future of the project hangs in the balance.

Hard and fast rule
Meaning: A strict and fixed rule.
Sentence: There is no hard and fast rule for choosing a career.

Have an axe to grind
Meaning: Have a selfish personal motive.
Sentence: His criticism seemed unfair because he had an axe to grind.

Hit below the belt
Meaning: Act unfairly or make an unfair personal attack.
Sentence: Bringing up his family problems was hitting below the belt.

Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: Say exactly the right thing.
Sentence: You hit the nail on the head when you identified the real problem.

Hold one’s tongue
Meaning: Remain silent.
Sentence: He wisely held his tongue during the argument.

I

In black and white
Meaning: In written form.
Sentence: The agreement should be given in black and white.

In cold blood
Meaning: Deliberately and without emotion.
Sentence: The crime was committed in cold blood.

In hot water
Meaning: In difficulty or trouble.
Sentence: The company is in hot water over its financial practices.

In the good books of
Meaning: In someone’s favour.
Sentence: He is in the good books of his supervisor.

In the long run
Meaning: Over a long period of time.
Sentence: Regular revision helps in the long run.

In the nick of time
Meaning: Just before it is too late.
Sentence: The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.

In the same boat
Meaning: In the same difficult situation.
Sentence: During the crisis, all the small businesses were in the same boat.

J

Jack of all trades
Meaning: A person who can do many different kinds of work.
Sentence: He is a jack of all trades, but he specialises in none.

Jump the gun
Meaning: Act before the appropriate time.
Sentence: Do not jump the gun before the official announcement.

K

Keep an eye on
Meaning: Watch carefully.
Sentence: Please keep an eye on my bag.

Keep body and soul together
Meaning: Earn enough to survive.
Sentence: He worked two jobs to keep body and soul together.

Keep one’s fingers crossed
Meaning: Hope for good luck.
Sentence: I have submitted my application; now I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Keep the wolf from the door
Meaning: Earn enough to avoid poverty or hunger.
Sentence: The temporary job helped him keep the wolf from the door.

Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: Achieve two objectives with one action.
Sentence: Cycling to work helps him exercise and save money, so he kills two birds with one stone.

L

Leave no stone unturned
Meaning: Make every possible effort.
Sentence: The rescue team left no stone unturned in searching for the missing people.

Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: Reveal a secret accidentally.
Sentence: Rahul let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.

Lion’s share
Meaning: The largest share.
Sentence: The transport sector received the lion’s share of the budget.

Look before you leap
Meaning: Think carefully before acting.
Sentence: Before investing your savings, look before you leap.

M

Make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning: Exaggerate a small problem.
Sentence: Do not make a mountain out of a molehill over such a minor mistake.

Make both ends meet
Meaning: Manage one’s income and expenses.
Sentence: With rising prices, many families struggle to make both ends meet.

Make hay while the sun shines
Meaning: Take advantage of a favourable opportunity.
Sentence: You should make hay while the sun shines and use your free time productively.

Meet one’s Waterloo
Meaning: Suffer a final or decisive defeat.
Sentence: The previously undefeated team finally met its Waterloo.

Miss the boat
Meaning: Lose an opportunity.
Sentence: Apply before the deadline or you may miss the boat.

N

Nip in the bud
Meaning: Stop something at an early stage.
Sentence: Corruption must be nipped in the bud.

Not one’s cup of tea
Meaning: Not something one likes or is good at.
Sentence: Advanced mathematics is not my cup of tea.

Null and void
Meaning: Legally invalid or having no effect.
Sentence: The agreement was declared null and void.

O

On cloud nine
Meaning: Extremely happy.
Sentence: She was on cloud nine after hearing the result.

On the spur of the moment
Meaning: Suddenly, without prior planning.
Sentence: We decided to travel on the spur of the moment.

Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Very rarely.
Sentence: He visits his hometown once in a blue moon.

Out of the blue
Meaning: Unexpectedly.
Sentence: He called me out of the blue after many years.

Out of the frying pan into the fire
Meaning: Move from a bad situation to an even worse one.
Sentence: Leaving one unstable job for another was like going out of the frying pan into the fire.

P

Pay through the nose
Meaning: Pay an excessively high price.
Sentence: Tourists had to pay through the nose for accommodation during the festival.

Play second fiddle
Meaning: Take a less important role.
Sentence: He refused to play second fiddle to his younger colleague.

Pull someone’s leg
Meaning: Tease or joke with someone.
Sentence: Do not worry; I was only pulling your leg.

Put all one’s eggs in one basket
Meaning: Risk everything on one plan or opportunity.
Sentence: Investors should avoid putting all their eggs in one basket.

Put the cart before the horse
Meaning: Do things in the wrong order.
Sentence: Buying expensive equipment before making a business plan is putting the cart before the horse.

R

Rain cats and dogs
Meaning: Rain very heavily.
Sentence: It was raining cats and dogs throughout the evening.

Read between the lines
Meaning: Understand the hidden meaning.
Sentence: If you read between the lines, the letter clearly shows his disappointment.

Red tape
Meaning: Excessive official rules and procedures.
Sentence: The project was delayed because of red tape.

Rule of thumb
Meaning: A practical general guideline rather than an exact rule.
Sentence: As a rule of thumb, revise important topics regularly.

S

See eye to eye
Meaning: Agree completely.
Sentence: The two leaders do not always see eye to eye on economic policy.

Show a clean pair of heels
Meaning: Run away quickly.
Sentence: The thief showed a clean pair of heels when he saw the police.

Sit on the fence
Meaning: Avoid taking sides or making a decision.
Sentence: A leader cannot always sit on the fence during a crisis.

Smell a rat
Meaning: Suspect that something is wrong.
Sentence: I smelled a rat when the documents suddenly disappeared.

Spill the beans
Meaning: Reveal secret information.
Sentence: One of the employees spilled the beans about the confidential plan.

Stand on one’s own feet
Meaning: Become independent.
Sentence: Education enables people to stand on their own feet.

Stone’s throw
Meaning: A very short distance.
Sentence: The railway station is a stone’s throw from my house.

Strike while the iron is hot
Meaning: Act when the opportunity is favourable.
Sentence: The market is growing rapidly, so the company should strike while the iron is hot.

T

Take French leave
Meaning: Leave without permission or notice.
Sentence: The employee was warned for taking French leave.

Take to one’s heels
Meaning: Run away.
Sentence: The thief took to his heels when the police arrived.

The apple of one’s eye
Meaning: A person who is greatly loved.
Sentence: His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye.

The ball is in your court
Meaning: It is now your responsibility to act or decide.
Sentence: I have made my proposal; now the ball is in your court.

The last straw
Meaning: The final problem that makes a situation unbearable.
Sentence: His repeated absence was the last straw for the manager.

Through thick and thin
Meaning: In both good and bad times.
Sentence: True friends remain together through thick and thin.

Throw cold water on
Meaning: Discourage an idea or enthusiasm.
Sentence: His negative comments threw cold water on our plans.

Tooth and nail
Meaning: With great effort and determination.
Sentence: They fought tooth and nail to defend their rights.

Turn a deaf ear
Meaning: Ignore deliberately.
Sentence: The authorities turned a deaf ear to repeated complaints.

Turn over a new leaf
Meaning: Begin behaving in a better way.
Sentence: After the warning, he decided to turn over a new leaf.

U

Under a cloud
Meaning: Under suspicion or disgrace.
Sentence: The official resigned while under a cloud.

Under one’s nose
Meaning: Directly in front of someone, often without being noticed.
Sentence: The documents were lying under his nose all along.

Ups and downs
Meaning: Good and bad experiences.
Sentence: Every career has its ups and downs.

W

Wash one’s hands of
Meaning: Refuse further responsibility for something.
Sentence: The organisation washed its hands of the dispute.

Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
Meaning: Show one’s emotions openly.
Sentence: He wears his heart on his sleeve, so everyone knows how he feels.

Wild-goose chase
Meaning: A useless or hopeless search.
Sentence: Looking for the missing file without any clue became a wild-goose chase.

With flying colours
Meaning: With great success.
Sentence: She passed the examination with flying colours.

Y

Yeoman’s service
Meaning: Valuable and loyal service.
Sentence: Volunteers rendered yeoman’s service during the floods.

Meaning

Idioms should be interpreted according to their figurative meaning, not their literal wording.

Literal Meaning vs Idiomatic Meaning

Consider:

Spill the beans

Literal interpretation:

To drop beans from a container.

Idiomatic meaning:

To reveal a secret.

Sentence:

Rahul spilled the beans about the surprise plan.

Another:

Hit the nail on the head

Literal meaning:

Strike a nail accurately.

Idiomatic meaning:

Identify or state something exactly correctly.

Sentence:

Your explanation hit the nail on the head.

Meaning Depends on Context

Some expressions can be used both literally and idiomatically.

Example:

He broke the ice with a hammer.

Here, the meaning is literal.

But:

He told a joke to break the ice.

Here, the meaning is idiomatic:

to make people feel comfortable and start interaction.

Therefore, always read the whole sentence.

Idioms Expressing Success

Common examples include:

carry the day → succeed
with flying colours → achieve great success
a feather in one’s cap → a notable achievement
make one’s mark → become successful or recognised
come off with flying colours → perform successfully

Idioms Expressing Failure

Examples:

end in smoke → fail completely
draw a blank → fail to get an answer/result
miss the boat → lose an opportunity
meet one’s Waterloo → suffer a decisive defeat
come to grief → fail or suffer misfortune

Idioms Expressing Difficulty

Examples:

hard nut to crack → difficult problem/person
uphill task → difficult undertaking
between the devil and the deep blue sea → trapped between two difficult options
in hot water → in trouble

Idioms Expressing Secrecy

Examples:

spill the beans → reveal a secret
let the cat out of the bag → reveal a secret accidentally
keep under one’s hat → keep secret

Example:

Keep this information under your hat until the announcement is made.

Idioms Expressing Honesty

Examples:

above board → honest and transparent
fair and square → honestly and according to rules
call a spade a spade → speak frankly

Idioms Expressing Effort

Examples:

leave no stone unturned → make every possible effort
go the extra mile → make extra effort
fight tooth and nail → make a determined effort
burn the midnight oil → work late into the night

Idioms Expressing Rare Occurrence

Once in a blue moon = very rarely

Example:

He goes to the cinema once in a blue moon.

Idioms Expressing Immediate Action

Strike while the iron is hot = use an opportunity at the right time.

Make hay while the sun shines = take advantage of favourable circumstances.

Though similar, the imagery differs; both emphasise timely action.

Idioms Expressing Confusion

At sixes and sevens = in disorder or confusion.

Example:

The office was at sixes and sevens after the sudden transfer of staff.

Idioms Expressing Independence

Stand on one’s own feet = become self-reliant.

Example:

Professional training helped her stand on her own feet.

Usage in Sentences

Correct usage requires attention to meaning, grammar, tense and pronoun form.

Idioms Behave as Parts of Sentences

Some idioms function like verbs.

Example:

break the ice

Present:

He breaks the ice easily in new groups.

Past:

She broke the ice with a friendly introduction.

Perfect:

The moderator has broken the ice successfully.

The idiomatic expression may change grammatically according to tense.

Possessive Pronouns May Change

Idiom:

blow one’s own trumpet

Depending on subject:

He blows his own trumpet.

She blows her own trumpet.

They blow their own trumpets.

Similarly:

lose one’s temper

I lost my temper.

She lost her temper.

They lost their temper.

Do Not Change Fixed Prepositions Arbitrarily

Correct:

in hot water

Not:

on hot water ✘

Correct:

at the eleventh hour

Not:

in the eleventh hour ✘ in the standard idiomatic expression

Correct:

by hook or by crook

Not:

with hook or crook ✘

Fixed expressions should generally be learned as complete units.

Use the Correct Verb Form

Base idiom:

take to one’s heels

Past:

The thief took to his heels.

Not:

The thief taked to his heels. ✘

Base idiom:

eat humble pie

Past:

He ate humble pie.

Do Not Interpret Idioms Literally

Sentence:

The officer smelled a rat.

This normally does not mean that he literally detected the smell of an animal.

It means:

The officer suspected that something was wrong.

Use Idioms in Appropriate Context

Correct:

The examination result came as a bolt from the blue.

The event was unexpected.

Less appropriate:

He drinks water once in a blue moon.

This is grammatically possible, but unless the person almost never drinks water, the context is illogical.

Thus, a correct idiom must also make logical sense.

Formal vs Informal Usage

Some idioms are informal or conversational.

Examples:

pull someone’s leg
spill the beans
not my cup of tea

Others are suitable in formal writing when used carefully:

bone of contention
above board
red tape
in the long run
by and large
null and void

Everything possible or the full extent.

Sentence:

They provided accommodation, transport, meals—the whole nine yards.

Frequently Asked Idioms Revision Table

Idiom	Meaning
A blessing in disguise	Something apparently bad that becomes beneficial
A bolt from the blue	Sudden unexpected event
A bone of contention	Cause of dispute
A close shave	Narrow escape
A feather in one’s cap	Notable achievement
A fish out of water	Uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings
A hard nut to crack	Difficult problem/person
A red-letter day	Memorable day
A white elephant	Costly but useless possession
Above board	Honest and transparent
Add fuel to the fire	Make a bad situation worse
At sixes and sevens	In confusion
At the eleventh hour	At the last moment
Back to square one	Return to the beginning
Barking up the wrong tree	Following a wrong approach
Beat about the bush	Avoid the main point
Bite the bullet	Face difficulty bravely
Break the ice	Start friendly interaction
Burn the midnight oil	Study/work late
By and large	Generally
By hook or by crook	By any means
Call a spade a spade	Speak frankly
Castles in the air	Unrealistic dreams
Catch red-handed	Catch while committing an offence
Cry over spilt milk	Regret what cannot be changed
Dark horse	Unexpectedly successful person
Draw a blank	Fail to remember/get a result
Eat humble pie	Admit error/apologise
Face the music	Accept unpleasant consequences
Fair and square	Honestly
Fight tooth and nail	Fight with determination
From pillar to post	From place to place without success
Get cold feet	Become nervous
Hand in glove	Closely associated, often dishonestly
Hit below the belt	Act unfairly
Hit the nail on the head	Say exactly the right thing
In black and white	In writing
In the nick of time	Just before too late
Keep an eye on	Watch carefully
Kill two birds with one stone	Achieve two aims with one action
Leave no stone unturned	Make every possible effort
Let the cat out of the bag	Reveal a secret
Lion’s share	Largest share
Make both ends meet	Manage financially
Miss the boat	Lose an opportunity
Nip in the bud	Stop at an early stage
Once in a blue moon	Very rarely
Pay through the nose	Pay excessively
Pull someone’s leg	Tease jokingly
Read between the lines	Understand hidden meaning
Red tape	Excessive bureaucracy
See eye to eye	Agree
Sit on the fence	Avoid taking sides
Smell a rat	Suspect wrongdoing
Spill the beans	Reveal a secret
Take to one’s heels	Run away
The ball is in your court	It is your turn to act
Through thick and thin	In good and bad times
Turn a deaf ear	Deliberately ignore
Turn over a new leaf	Improve one’s behaviour
Wild-goose chase	Useless search
With flying colours	With great success

Commonly Confused Idioms

Some idioms are similar in wording but different in meaning.

On the spur of the moment
= without previous planning

At the eleventh hour
= at the last possible moment

These are not identical.

Example:

We decided to visit Shillong on the spur of the moment.

→ The decision was unplanned.

He submitted the form at the eleventh hour.

→ He submitted it just before the deadline.

Another pair:

A fish out of water
= uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings

A big fish
= an important or influential person

Another:

Hold one’s tongue
= remain silent

Have a slip of the tongue
= make an accidental verbal mistake

Idioms with Colours

Colour-based idioms are frequently tested.

Black sheep
= disreputable member of a group

Black and white
= in writing

Blue blood
= noble birth

Once in a blue moon
= very rarely

Out of the blue
= unexpectedly

Red-letter day
= important day

Red tape
= excessive bureaucracy

Caught red-handed
= caught while committing an offence

Green with envy
= extremely jealous

White elephant
= expensive but useless possession

Idioms with Animals

A fish out of water
= uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings

Dog in the manger
= person who prevents others from using what they themselves do not need

Let the cat out of the bag
= reveal a secret

Smell a rat
= suspect something wrong

Kill two birds with one stone
= achieve two aims with one action

Wild-goose chase
= useless search

Crocodile tears
= insincere sorrow

Lion’s share
= largest portion

Idioms with Body Parts

At arm’s length
= at a distance

Cold feet
= nervousness

Hold one’s tongue
= remain silent

Keep an eye on
= watch carefully

Turn a deaf ear
= ignore deliberately

Under one’s nose
= directly in front of someone

Put one’s foot down
= take a firm stand

Stand on one’s own feet
= become independent

Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
= show emotions openly

Idioms Related to Work and Effort

Burn the midnight oil
= work/study late

Go the extra mile
= make additional effort

Leave no stone unturned
= make every possible effort

Fight tooth and nail
= fight with determination

Burn the candle at both ends
= overwork oneself

Strike while the iron is hot
= act at the favourable moment

Make hay while the sun shines
= use favourable conditions wisely

Idioms Related to Trouble and Danger

In hot water
= in trouble

Between the devil and the deep blue sea
= trapped between two difficulties

A close shave
= narrow escape

Out of the frying pan into the fire
= move from bad to worse

Hang in the balance
= remain uncertain

Under a cloud
= under suspicion

Idioms Related to Speech and Secrecy

Beat about the bush
= avoid the point

Call a spade a spade
= speak frankly

Spill the beans
= reveal a secret

Let the cat out of the bag
= reveal a secret

Hold one’s tongue
= remain silent

Blow one’s own trumpet
= boast

Read between the lines
= understand hidden meaning

Exam-Oriented Usage Tips

Do not choose an idiom merely because one word appears related to the sentence.
Focus on the entire figurative meaning.
Learn fixed prepositions as part of the idiom.
Check whether the idiom fits the tone and context.
Do not translate idioms word for word into another language.
Memorise frequently tested idioms through sentences, not isolated meanings.

Example:

Question:

His explanation did not _____ because it was inconsistent with the evidence.

Best expression:

hold water

Meaning:

be logically convincing

Correct sentence:

His explanation did not hold water because it was inconsistent with the evidence.

Quick Memory Groups

For fast revision, group idioms according to meaning:

Success

carry the day
with flying colours
feather in one’s cap

Failure

end in smoke
draw a blank
meet one’s Waterloo

Secrecy

keep under one’s hat
spill the beans
let the cat out of the bag

Effort

leave no stone unturned
go the extra mile
fight tooth and nail

Trouble

in hot water
under a cloud
between the devil and the deep blue sea

Rarely

once in a blue moon

Unexpectedly

out of the blue
bolt from the blue

Agreement

see eye to eye

Disagreement

at daggers drawn
bone of contention

Honesty

above board
fair and square

Key Points to Remember

An idiom has a figurative meaning that may differ completely from its literal wording.
Learn every idiom in three parts:
- Idiom
- Meaning
- Sentence
Remember:
- break the ice → begin friendly interaction
- spill the beans → reveal a secret
- hit the nail on the head → say exactly the right thing
- smell a rat → suspect something wrong
- burn the midnight oil → study/work late
- leave no stone unturned → make every effort
- once in a blue moon → very rarely
- in the nick of time → just before it is too late
- at the eleventh hour → at the last possible moment
- with flying colours → with great success
Do not confuse:
- out of the blue → unexpectedly
- once in a blue moon → very rarely
Do not confuse:
- at the eleventh hour → at the last moment
- on the spur of the moment → without planning
Do not confuse:
- spill the beans → reveal a secret
- hold one’s tongue → remain silent
Remember:
- No stone unturned → maximum effort
- Back to square one → starting again
- Miss the boat → lose an opportunity
- Bite the bullet → face difficulty bravely
- Face the music → accept consequences
- Bury the hatchet → end a quarrel
- Sit on the fence → avoid taking a side
- Turn over a new leaf → improve one’s behaviour
Idioms are normally fixed expressions. Do not unnecessarily change:
- their prepositions
- word order
- key vocabulary
However, grammatical elements such as verb tense and possessive pronouns may change:
- blow one’s own trumpet
- he blew his own trumpet
- she blew her own trumpet
In competitive examinations, context is the final test. An idiom may have the correct dictionary meaning but still be inappropriate if it does not logically fit the sentence.

Regular revision is especially important for idioms because they depend heavily on memory and contextual familiarity. Instead of trying to memorise hundreds of expressions at once, learn them in small groups according to themes such as success, failure, secrecy, effort, trouble, time, emotions and relationships. This makes recall much faster during competitive examinations.

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30