IDIOMS AND PHRASES
Idioms
An idiom is an expression, word or phrase that has a
figurative meaning. This thing is different from the literary meaning of the
idiom. In other words, idioms don’t mean exactly what the words express. They
have, however hidden meaning.
Idioms and Idiomatic Phrases:
1. Acid Test (A conclusive test of the success or value of something) : I practised hard but the acid test will come at the time of my
exam.
2. A red letter day (An important day) : 26th January is a red
letter day for our nation.
3. A white elephant (of no use) That super size desk is a white
elephant for him.
4. An early bird (some who gets up early in the morning) : My
father has been an early bird his whole life.
5. Abide by (obey a decision) : If you want to live here, you must abide by our rules.
6. Account for (give a reason) : I hope you can account for being late.
7. Allow for (To take into consideration) : One needs to allow for unexpected charges along the way.
8. Appeal to (Make a request): The victim appealed to the court to change its decision.
9. Blow up(To get angry) : I said to my brother,"please don't blow up at me as I haven't broken the chair".
10. Break into (to enter by force) : Burglars Brock into my house last night.
11. Bring up (to raise a child) : Nirmala is bringing up her children by herself as her husband is no more.
12. Burn out (become exhausted from over working) : she needs to take rest othewise she will burn out.
13. Back-room boys (people who perform important work but have no contact with the public) : The director praised his back room boys for the success of this project.
5. Abide by (obey a decision) : If you want to live here, you must abide by our rules.
6. Account for (give a reason) : I hope you can account for being late.
7. Allow for (To take into consideration) : One needs to allow for unexpected charges along the way.
8. Appeal to (Make a request): The victim appealed to the court to change its decision.
9. Blow up(To get angry) : I said to my brother,"please don't blow up at me as I haven't broken the chair".
10. Break into (to enter by force) : Burglars Brock into my house last night.
11. Bring up (to raise a child) : Nirmala is bringing up her children by herself as her husband is no more.
12. Burn out (become exhausted from over working) : she needs to take rest othewise she will burn out.
13. Back-room boys (people who perform important work but have no contact with the public) : The director praised his back room boys for the success of this project.
14. Black sheep (a traitor) : Later on Mr Prakash proved a black
sheep for the company where he was working.
15. Bee in one’s bonnet (carrying an idea which constantly
occupies your thoughts) : Meera is not happy in Africa. She has a bee in the
bonnet about moving to India.
16. Blood, sweat and tears (something that requires a lot of
affort and hard work) : Being an actor is not just a matter of luck for him, it
is his blood, sweat and tears which has got him there.
17. Bottom fell out (refers to a situation when a plan or
project fails) :when the police announced red alert in the city, the bottom
fell out of their plan to hold a rally.
18. Carry on (to continue) : Please carry on working while I'm away.
19. Carry out (to perform or conduct) : That company doesn't carry out tests on animals.
20. Check in (to register) : Teena said that you must check in at least two hours before you flight.
21. Check out (to pay one's bill and leave) : Raj checked out from the hotel this morning.
22. Come across (to find by chance) : While cleaning up I came across some old photos of you.
18. Carry on (to continue) : Please carry on working while I'm away.
19. Carry out (to perform or conduct) : That company doesn't carry out tests on animals.
20. Check in (to register) : Teena said that you must check in at least two hours before you flight.
21. Check out (to pay one's bill and leave) : Raj checked out from the hotel this morning.
22. Come across (to find by chance) : While cleaning up I came across some old photos of you.
23. Cut-throat competition (a tough competition) : There is a
cut-throat competition among the publishers in the market.
24. Close to home (a comment which is true and one can relate to
it) : Her remarks were embarrassingly close to home.
25. Dead in the water (plan or project that has ceased to
function and is not expected to be re-activated in future) : Because of GST,
the plan to get the FDI in various sectors is now dead in the water.
26. Dead wood ( people or things which are no longer useful or
necessary) : The company bought in a lot of new computers. They no longer want
the dead woods.
27. Deep down (describing what a
person really feels deep inside or what he is like) : A mother has an outward
appearance of calm, but deep down she is really worried for her children.
28. Drop off (to release something from one's grasp) : The helicopters dropped off the food packages for flood affected people.
29. Drop out (to leave school without finishing) : Angkit dropped out of college and focused at cricket.
30. End in (to finish in a certain way) :Her marriage ended in divorce.
31. End up (place or action) :If you don't improve your work habits, you will end up being fired.
32. Fever pitch (when a feeling is very intense and exciting, it is said to be at fever pitch) :His love for music had reached a fever pitch before he became a world known musician.
33. Fish out of water( feeling uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings) : Being Indian,I felt like a fish out of water in the group of Russian people.
34. Fine-tooth comb( examining something carefully to not miss out any details): The teacher examined my notebook with a fine tooth comb before submitting it to the principal.
35. Fill out (to complete) : Please fill out the enclosed form and return it as soon as possible.
36. Find out (to discover) : Police are trying to find out who's the responsible for the murder.
37. Focus on (to concentrate on something) : Pallab had difficulty focusing on work the day before his holiday started.
35. Fill out (to complete) : Please fill out the enclosed form and return it as soon as possible.
36. Find out (to discover) : Police are trying to find out who's the responsible for the murder.
37. Focus on (to concentrate on something) : Pallab had difficulty focusing on work the day before his holiday started.
38. Flying start (something that is immediately successful) : The film hits the box office with a flying start and collected the highest revenue on the day.
39. Foot in the door (small but good start with a possibility for a bright future) : With customers coming in,his new venture has got a foot in the door.
40. Get away (to escape) : I think we should get away for the weekend.
41. Get off (`to remove): I can't get the ink stain off my shirt.
42. Get on (to get into) : I'm trying to get on the flight to Delhi.
43. Get out (to leave) : He had a hard time getting out of New York because of the snow.
44. Get over (disappointment) :Has she gotten over the flu?
45. Get rid of (to eliminate) : Please get rid of the debt first.
46. Give in (to hand in) : I'll give in my paper tomorrow.
40. Get away (to escape) : I think we should get away for the weekend.
41. Get off (`to remove): I can't get the ink stain off my shirt.
42. Get on (to get into) : I'm trying to get on the flight to Delhi.
43. Get out (to leave) : He had a hard time getting out of New York because of the snow.
44. Get over (disappointment) :Has she gotten over the flu?
45. Get rid of (to eliminate) : Please get rid of the debt first.
46. Give in (to hand in) : I'll give in my paper tomorrow.
47. Go bananas (Refers to someone who behaves in a crazy way out of emotions) : Your decision to go abroad for a year will make your family go bananas.
48. Hurry up (act speedily) : Hurry up and finish your lunch or we'll miss the train.
49. Keep on (to contune doing something): If you keep on making the noise I will get annoyed.
50. Kick off (to begin) :The cricket match kicked off at 3 o' clock.
51. Leave out (not mention) : Please check your form again and make sure nothing is left out.
52. Look for (to try to find something) : Harry went to the shop to look for a new computer.
53. Look up to (to admire) : I always looked up to my father. He was a great man.
48. Hurry up (act speedily) : Hurry up and finish your lunch or we'll miss the train.
49. Keep on (to contune doing something): If you keep on making the noise I will get annoyed.
50. Kick off (to begin) :The cricket match kicked off at 3 o' clock.
51. Leave out (not mention) : Please check your form again and make sure nothing is left out.
52. Look for (to try to find something) : Harry went to the shop to look for a new computer.
53. Look up to (to admire) : I always looked up to my father. He was a great man.
54. Proud as a peacock ( Refers to an extremely proud person) : His son has finally become a doctor. He is an proud as a peacock
55. Put up (to accommodate): I can put you up until the weekend.
56. Rely on (depend on) : You can rely on me. I always arrive on time.
57. Rule out (to eliminate): Since he had a sound alibi, the police ruled him out as suspect.
58. Run away (suddenly leave) : He ran away from home and joined the team.
59. Rags to riches ( Becoming very rich while staring very poor) : His innovative ideas in business got him from rags to riches.
55. Put up (to accommodate): I can put you up until the weekend.
56. Rely on (depend on) : You can rely on me. I always arrive on time.
57. Rule out (to eliminate): Since he had a sound alibi, the police ruled him out as suspect.
58. Run away (suddenly leave) : He ran away from home and joined the team.
59. Rags to riches ( Becoming very rich while staring very poor) : His innovative ideas in business got him from rags to riches.
60. Slow and steady ( consistent and effective efforts): slow and steady wins the race
.
.
61. Smash hit ( Refers to music, films which are very successful) His music become a smash hit in a week's time.
62. Tongue-tied ( Difficulty in expressing): As her prospective in laws came to see her, She was completely tongue tied.
63. Top dog (Very successful group) : The economic survey proved that they are the top dogs of the industry.
64. Tricks of the trade (Expert way doing something) : Being into the construction business for last ten years,I know all tricks of the trade.
65. Take off (to leave the group) : The plane will take off as soon as the fog lifts.
66. Take on (to hire or engage staff) : They are taking on extra staff for this event.
67. Take out (to remove): Place take out your mobile phones and turn them off.
68. urn down (to refuse) : I asked her for a movie but she turned down my offer.
69. Wooden spoon (Imaginary prize) : We won a wooden spoon at the fashion show.
70. Watch out (to be careful) : Watch out ! There is a dog on the road.
71. Work out (calculate something) : Can you work this out? I'm not good at math.
72. Wipe off (to clean a board or table) : Please wipe off the table as it is dirty.
73. Fall out (Quarrel) : He fell out with his elder brother over money.
74. Take off (Remove) : Place take off your shoes.
Also read: First in Assam
63. Top dog (Very successful group) : The economic survey proved that they are the top dogs of the industry.
64. Tricks of the trade (Expert way doing something) : Being into the construction business for last ten years,I know all tricks of the trade.
65. Take off (to leave the group) : The plane will take off as soon as the fog lifts.
66. Take on (to hire or engage staff) : They are taking on extra staff for this event.
67. Take out (to remove): Place take out your mobile phones and turn them off.
68. urn down (to refuse) : I asked her for a movie but she turned down my offer.
69. Wooden spoon (Imaginary prize) : We won a wooden spoon at the fashion show.
70. Watch out (to be careful) : Watch out ! There is a dog on the road.
71. Work out (calculate something) : Can you work this out? I'm not good at math.
72. Wipe off (to clean a board or table) : Please wipe off the table as it is dirty.
73. Fall out (Quarrel) : He fell out with his elder brother over money.
74. Take off (Remove) : Place take off your shoes.
Also read: First in Assam
