BY BRILLIANT ACADEMY OF LEARNING SOME VERY IMPORTANT IDIOMS AND PHRASES : At arm’s length (To keep at a distance) He is a thorough crook, so keep him at arm’s length. At daggers drawn (To be sworn enemies) Ram and Sham are at daggers drawn over a small piece of land. All and sundry (Everything without exception) All and sundry were full of praise for him. At one’s wits end (Confused; not knowing what to do) He was at his wits end when he heard of the income-tax raid on his firm. (Have) an axe to grind (Have a selfish purpose) I am helping her out of kindness and I have no particular axe to grind. At sixes and sevens (In a disordered manner) In a writer’s room, the books always remain at sixes and sevens. At loggerheads (To be enemies; to be at war) Three times India and Pakistan were at loggerheads over the of Kashmir issue. At a loss (To be puzzled) At the time of accident, I was at a loss to understand what to do. Alpha and omega (The beginning and the end) The alpha and omega of Gandhi’s life was truth and non-violence. At sea (Confused or lost) Since the interview was in Hindi, the candidates from Kerala were completely at sea. In the nick of time (Just at the last moment) He thought he wouldn’t be able to sit for the exam, but his hall ticket arrived in the nick of time. At large (Free; not confined ) The escaped terrorist is still at large (used for wrongdoers in this sense). (An) Acid test (A decisive or critical test) The acid test of a truly educated person is whether he maintains his temper in his predicament; Adversity is the acid test of a man’s courage. Alive and kicking (Active and healthy) Ramlal is alive and kicking even at the age of eighty. Out of the frying pan, into the fire (From a bad situation to a worse one) By selling his failed business and investing in a collapsing bank, he was going out of the frying pan into the fire. Add fuel to the fire (To increase anger) The two communities were already in the grip of communal tension. The article in the newspaper added fuel to the fire, resulting in bloody clashes between the members of those communities. Too many irons in the fire (Engage in too many enterprises at the same time) My friend has too many irons in the fire; he is always busy. To beat a hasty retreat (To go away quickly) As soon as the thief saw the police, he beat a hasty retreat. To miss the boat (To miss an opportunity) He really missed the boat when he turned down an offer of job in the Gulf. To burn one’s boats (To take a decision which cannot be changed) I must stick to my new appointment because I have burnt my boats by resigning the previous one. To burn the candle at both ends (To work extremely hard; to use up too much energy; work very early and very late. ) You will ruin your health as you are burning the candle at both ends. To burn one’s fingers (To lose on account of foolish behaviour) You will burn your fingers if you refuse to obey the orders of your boss. Hoping against hope (To continue hoping, especially when all grounds for hope is lost) Even though she did badly in the exam, she is hoping against hope that she will pass. Behind one’s back (In the absence of) Modern friends praise you to your face and condemn you behind your back. To hit below the belt. (Unfair act) Spreading a false rumour about someone is hitting below the belt. To build castles in the air (To make imaginary schemes) Those who simply build castles in the air hardly achieve anything worth-while in life. A bolt from the blue (Something unexpected) The news of his father’s death came to us like a bolt from the blue. To be in someone’s good books (To be favoured by someone) He is in the boss’s good books ever since he finalised an important deal. To break the ice (To break the silence) There was perfect silence in the hall; but when the Chief Guest came, Mr Swamy broke the ice by welcoming him. By hook or by crook (By all means — fair or foul) The aim of the majority of the students is to pass an examination by hook or by crook. To blow one’s own trumpet (To praise one’s own abilities and achievements) People who blow their own trumpets are disliked by others. Blow hot and cold (Keep changing one’s opinion) Pakistan has been blowing hot and cold about a peaceful solution of the Kashmir problem since 1971. A bird’s eye view (A general view or study) This pamphlet gives a bird’s eye view of the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. A bee in one’s bonnet (To be obsessed by something) He always has a bee in his bonnet and is therefore regarded as a crank. To take the bull by the horns (To tackle a problem boldly) When the firm was making a loss he decided to take the bull by the horns and fired some staff, hired others, computerised the accounts and streamlined the whole business. Red rag to a bull (Something which always makes one angry) To my uncle, income tax is a red rag to a bull. A bull in a china shop (A misfit) He was basically a teacher. When he was asked to work as an administrator, he proved to be a bull in a china shop. To bring to book (To call to account) The clerk was brought to book by the officer for his neglect of duty. To call a spade a spade (To be frank and truthful) I believe in calling a spade a spade even if the heavens fall. To put the cat among the pigeons (Introduce someone who is likely to cause trouble) The new officer is an efficiency expert; that will put the cat among the pigeons. To let the cat out of the bag (To accidentally reveal a secret) She let the cat out of the bag when she revealed that they were planning a surprise party for him. To bell the cat (To face the risk) Every teacher is against the principal but no one is prepared to bell the cat and complain about him to the Chairman. To rain cats and dogs (To rain very heavily) He couldn’t go out, even though he had his umbrella, because it was raining cats and dogs. A cat and dog life (To lead a life full of quarrels) The old man and his young wife have been leading a cat and dog life ever since their marriage. (Like) a cat on hot bricks (To be very nervous) Many employees feel like a cat on hot bricks before their boss. To curry favour (To seek or to win favour) Clever people know how to curry favour with their officers. To carry weight (To be significant/important) He is only a clerk; his suggestion will not carry any weight with the chairman. A cold fish (A person devoid of emotions) It is no use making a sentimental appeal to that man. He is a cold fish. To cut no ice (Have little or no effect) His arguments cut no ice before the magistrate. To cross the Rubicon (To take a decisive step) I have submitted my resignation. I have crossed the Rubicon. There is no going back. As cool as a cucumber (Very calm and controlled) He kept as cool as a cucumber even when his son was murdered. To come off with flying colours (To succeed with credit) I honestly hope that my son will come off with flying colours in the IAS examination. To be led by the nose (to be easily influenced) The new manager can be easily led by the nose; you only have to flatter him. A dark horse (A person of hidden qualities) Our new Principal is a dark horse. No one thought that he was so capable. To flog a dead horse (To waste energy on some already rejected activity) He was flogging a dead horse when he tried to revive the failed business deal. A dog’s life (A life of hard work) An educated man who does menial work leads a dog’s life. To be like a dog with two tails (To be very happy and proud) The father was like a dog with two tails when his son won the first prize. A dog in the manger attitude (A selfish attitude) Mohan behaves with a dog in the manger attitude. That is why he has not endeared himself to his colleagues. A dog in the manger (Person who does not allow others to enjoy things which are not useful to him) He was like a dog in the manger at the party, and spoiled it for us all. Dog days (Hottest period of the year) June and July are dog days in India. A deadlock (A position when no progress can be made) The manager agreed to grant some concession to the striking staff because he wanted to break the deadlock. To draw a blank (Get no result) He drew a blank when he tried to find the error in the accounts. Sword of Damocles (An impending danger) The possibility of a third world war is hanging over our heads like a sword of Damocles. To dance attendance upon (To wait on somebody always) The poor boy dances attendance upon the manager of the hotel in the vain hope of getting a job. Double-dealing (Deceiving) Fraud and double-dealing have come to stay as an essential feature of the modern man. To dig one’s own grave (To do something which results in one’s own downfall) By developing enmity with the minister, he has dug his own grave. To die hard (Change with great difficulty) Old habits die hard. To be a diehard ( Stubborn) Diehards in Bangladesh want Taslima to suffer the death penalty. To eat humble pie (To apologise in a humble manner) If I place the facts before you, you shall have to eat humble pie. Easy money (Money earned through dishonest means) Easy money does not stay with a man for long. Enough is enough (A limit beyond which there should be no saying or doing) We will not tolerate Pakistan’s interference in our affairs any more. After all, enough is enough. To fight a losing battle (Struggle without hope of success) Punjab militants are fighting a losing battle against India. A feather in one’s cap (A credit or achievement) Winning the Jnanpith Award was yet another feather in his cap. To feather one’s nest (To make money unfairly) When he was elected treasurer of the club, it was an opportunity for him to feather his nest. To fish in troubled waters (To take advantage of others’ troubles) Politicians are callous. They always fish in troubled waters. A fish out of water (Feeling uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings) A poor man if made to sit in the company of the rich will feel like a fish out of water. A daredevil (A person who does not care for any consequences) That daredevil is going to jump into the water from a great height. A far cry (A long way) India’s 120 for five wickets is a far cry from the good score they wanted. To go scot-free (To escape unharmed) In our system, innocent people are punished whereas the culprits often go scot-free even after committing the most heinous crimes. Gift of the gab (Fluency of speech) A person without the gift of the gab cannot be a successful teacher. Greenhorn (A novice, an inexperienced person) You cannot expect perfect work from a greenhorn. A hard nut to crack (A problem difficult to solve) The Kashmir issue is really a hard nut to crack for the U.N.O. An iota of (Little of truth, doubt etc.) Your statement does not have even an iota of truth. To iron out (To smooth out differences) Let us iron out our differences and be friendly again. An iron will (Strong determination) Trust in God and an iron will are essential for success. To keep the wolf from the door (To keep away hunger and starvation) The poor fellow has five children. He works overtime to keep the wolf from the door. To keep abreast of (To be in touch with) Read the newspapers if you want to keep abreast of the times. Kith and kin (Friends and relations) All my kith and kin left me in the lurch in my predicament. To leave no stone unturned (To do one’s best, take all possible effort) I will leave no stone unturned to prove myself worthy of your expectations. Within a stone’s throw (Very close) Arjun is very lucky; his school is within a stone’s throw of his house. Lock, stock and barrel (Completely) The British left India lock, stock and barrel in 1947. The long and the short (The main point) The long and the short of the report is that the clerk is at fault. To die in harness (To work till the last day of one’s life) Sardar Patel died in harness. He attended to his work till the last moment grabbed him. A laughing stock (An object of ridicule) Ramesh makes foolish remarks and has become the laughing stock of the office. Once in a blue moon (Very rarely) Anita comes to see us once in a blue moon. On tenterhooks (In a state of anxious suspense or uncertainty) We did not want to be on tenterhooks on the issue of the winner of the match. So, we requested the judges to announce their decision without any further loss of time. To pocket an insult (To bear an insult quietly) No self-respecting person can pocket an insult. He must retaliate. On the cards (Probable) Mr Kittu’s promotion is on the cards. His boss is very pleased with him. In the pipeline (Certain to happen) Mr Mohan’s promotion is in the pipeline. It only has to be approved by the Chairman. To plough a lonely furrow (To work without help or support) He has not made progress because he ploughs a lonely furrow. At a premium (Difficult to get or obtain) Residential accommodation is at a premium in Delhi. From pillar to post (From one person to another) He moved from pillar to post for his son’s admission to the public school but in vain. To have a card up one’s sleeve (To have a secret plan in reserve) When the taxi failed to arrive, he was not worried, he had a card up his sleeve: he could ask his brother to drive him. To play the game (To act honestly) I will support you only if you promise to play the game. Rank and file (Ordinary members of an organisation) The rank and file of the BJP expect a change in favour of their party. By the skin of one’s teeth (A narrow margin) He managed to slip through the exam by the skin of his teeth. To rub salt in the wounds (To make a painful situation more painful) It is the way of the world that no one works for healing your wounds – they rather rub salt into them. Not worth one’s salt (Quite worthless) It was a mistake hiring Girish: as an employee, he is not worth his salt. Not letting the grass grow under one’s feet (To act swiftly and decisively) He does not let the grass grow under his feet; within two years of his appointment, the firm’s profits have doubled. A square meal (A full meal) A square meal is a dream for millions of poor Indians. To stick to one’s guns (To stand firm) If a person has the spirit to stick to his guns, no power on earth can make him yield. To stand in good stead (To be useful) My father’s advice stood me in good stead when I started a business. To steal a march (To gain advantage over) I stole a march on him and frustrated his evil designs against me. A stumbling block (An obstacle) If a person is determined to do something, he can uproot any stumbling block on his way. A square peg in a round hole (Misfit) Roshan is only a matriculate. If you promote him as an administrator, he will prove to be a square peg in a round hole. To make eyes at someone (To admire someone) Even at a very early age, young Mohan spent most of his schooldays making eyes at the teachers. To be up to the eyes (To be very busy) Until the audit next month, I shall be up to the eyes getting the accounts in order. To throw dust in one’s eyes (To deceive) You cannot throw dust in my eyes. I know all about the matter. To take the wind out of one’s sails (Deprive one’s argument of all force) The Prime Minister took the wind out of the opposition’s sails when he exposed their attempt to bring down the government. Spread like wildfire (Spread quickly) Rumours of Ashok’s promotion spread like wildfire through the office. A big gun (An important person) Arjun Singh is a big gun in politics. It will be difficult for the Prime Minister to dethrone him. Bring to light (Disclose) Ashok was dismissed when his misdemeanours were brought to light. Bury the hatchet (Make peace after a quarrel) After a compromise, they decided to bury the hatchet and become friends again. To get to the bottom of something (To understand fully) It was only when the culprit confessed that we got to the bottom of the affair. The bottom line (The final criteria) The teacher was good enough; but the bottom line was whether he could get the boy through the exam. All along the line (At all times, consistently) While everybody opposed the new manager, Arun supported him all along the line. To read between the lines (To discover a hidden meaning) One cannot understand the themes in the poetry of Keats unless one reads between the lines. A cock and bull story (An improbable excuse) When asked why he was late, the boy made up a cock and bull story which nobody believed. To eat one’s words (To apologise in a humiliating manner) He had to eat his words when he discovered that his employee, whom he had accused of theft, was quite innocent. To call someone names (To abuse someone) Ajith was dismissed after he called the manager names. To let loose (To set free) The curses of heaven were let loose on him. Well-heeled (Smart, well dressed, prosperous) You can tell Sunil will succeed in life: he is always so well-heeled. Down at heel (Out of luck, shabbily dressed) Since Ashok lost his job, he is always down at heel. To kick one’s heels (To wait with nothing to do) Until the exam results are published, he can do nothing but kick his heels. To turn the tables (To reverse the situation) Mohan was beaten in the first two games, but in the third one he turned the tables on his opponent. To sow one’s wild oats (To indulge in youthful follies) Those who sow their wild oats during their college days usually make good husbands. To pour oil on troubled waters (Solve a dispute with tact) After the boy was rude to the teacher his father poured oil on troubled waters by apologising. Take a leaf out of one’s book (To imitate someone) When she left school, she took a leaf out of her sister’s book and joined a computer class. Break down (fail to work (machine) I would have arrived earlier, but my car broke down miles from a garage. To cut the cackle (To stop delaying and take action) It was a difficult job, but once we had decided to cut the cackle and get going, it was done. A bone of contention (A source of quarrel) Kashmir is a bone of contention between India and Pakistan. A curtain lecture (A rebuke by a wife to her husband in private) A henpecked husband has to listen to a curtain lecture from his wife almost every night. Duck in a thunderstorm (Distressed) When Harish failed the interview he returned home like a duck in a thunderstorm. To fan the flames (To make more intense) The abuse hurled by Ram fanned the flames resulting in a fierce fight between the two parties. To play second fiddle (To be a yes-man/flatterer) This clerk plays second fiddle to his officer. Above board (Open and honest) All his business deals are above board. To throw cold water over something (To discourage something) He threw cold water over our suggestion for an outing. To make both ends meet (To live within one’s income, often used in the negative) Even with a good wage, nowadays it is difficult to make both ends meet. To pull a long face (To look sad) Ever since he failed the exam, he has been pulling a long face. To go off the rails (To become wild) When his father died, the boy went off the rails and dropped out of college. To get the sack (To be dismissed from a job, usually for a fault) He got the sack after he was absent for three days running. In cold blood (Deliberately, without feeling) The robber shot the shopkeeper in cold blood as though he were a dog. One’s own flesh and blood (One’s relatives) The new Chief Minister has given all the key posts to his own flesh and blood. To take to one’s heels, to show a clean pair of heels (To run away) The thieves took to their heels (showed a clean pair of heels) when the police arrived. To turn a deaf ear (To ignore) The boss turned a deaf ear to the secretary’s pleading and dismissed her. To throw in the towel (To abandon a practice or activity) After being hit by a lawsuit, he threw in the towel and sold his business. To split hairs (To make useless or petty distinctions in argument) To say Hari was a youth and not a boy was splitting hairs. Tooth and nail (With all one’s power) When he was attacked he defended himself tooth and nail. To smell a rat (To be suspicious) Though the business was sound, he smelt a rat when he examined the figures. To fall short of one’s expectations (To be disappointed) The new film was not very good; it fell short of my expectations. To turn over a new leaf (To reform oneself) After Rajesh was sacked for drinking, he turned over a new leaf and became a teetotaller. To give someone a piece of one’s mind (To scold, esp. frankly) When he admitted that he had spent all the housekeeping money, his wife gave him a piece of her mind. In the long run (Eventually) Although the house is expensive, in the long run it will be cheaper than renting. At one’s beck and call (At one’s service) I will be at your beck and call through thick and thin. Through thick and thin (Through good times and bad) Good friends stick by you through thick and thin. Sitting on the fence (Being indecisive, hesitating between two decisions) He couldn’t decide who was better so he sat on the fence and promoted neither. To hit the nail on the head (Say exactly the right thing at exactly the right time) He hit the nail on the head when he said that the reason for the fall in sales was the new salesman. To be in the bad books of (In disfavour with) After failing the exam, he was in his teacher’s bad books. To kill two birds with one stone (To achieve two results with one effort) He killed two birds with one stone when he gave up smoking; he saved money and his health improved. Storm in a teacup (Something that seemed exciting at the time but was in fact unimportant) The new scam proved to be a storm in a teacup; everyone forgot it soon. An old head on young shoulders (To expect a young person to be wiser than his years) The trouble with my father is that he expects me to have an old head on young shoulders. Cock of the walk (Very proud) On hearing the news of his selection, Arun was cock of the walk for weeks. Chew the cud (To discuss matters in a ponderous manner, especially reminiscing) He always chews the cud when he meets his old school friends. By fits and starts (Shorty, irregular bursts of activity) The company is growing by fits and starts. By leaps and bounds (Rapid growth) The company is growing by leaps and bounds. To be under someone’s thumb (To be dominated by someone) He is very much under his wife’s thumb; she makes all the decisions. To move heaven and earth (To make a supreme effort) He moved heaven and earth to get a transfer to his home town. To bark up the wrong tree (To be mistaken in argument) When he accused his brother of taking his pen, he was barking up the wrong tree; his sister had taken it. At stake (In danger) I resigned my post because my honour was at stake. Chip off the old block (As good as one’s father) The director’s son is a chip off the old block and runs the company just as well as his father. (Note : This idiom can only be used in a positive sense) To make a clean breast of it (To confess a wrong doing) The boy made a clean breast of it and told his father that he had smashed the window. A close shave (A narrow escape) My cousin had a close shave when the car nearly crashed. To cut a sorry figure (To make a poor show) Abraham Lincoln cut a sorry figure when he made his maiden speech. To put the cart before the horse (To do something in the wrong order) Planning how to spend money before earning it, is like putting the cart before the horse. To cross the bridge when one gets to it (To plan something too far in advance) I will reinvest the profits of this project into the next, but since this project is not certain, I will cross that bridge when I get to it. A wolf in sheep’s clothing (A bad person appearing to be a good person) The kind professor is a wolf in sheep’s clothing as many young female students have discovered to their cost. To be in a tight corner (To be in a difficult situation) He is in a tight corner now his rivals have started operating. To be on the wrong side of sixty (To be getting old) Although he is very active, my father is on the wrong side of sixty To bury one’s head in the sand (To refuse to face facts) Joseph buried his head in the sand when told of his son’s debts. Not to bat an eyelid (To show no sign of concern) When he lied about his score, George did not bat an eyelid. To put all one’s eggs in one basket (To rely entirely on one plan or scheme) By investing all his capital in the project, he was putting all his eggs in one basket. To play fast and loose (To behave in an immoral manner) My brother plays fast and loose with every girl he meets. At a snail’s pace (Very slowly) The Indian economy is moving at a snail’s pace towards self-dependence. Between the devil and the deep blue sea (Between two dangers) Having to choose between climbing the tree and risking his neck and allowing the mangoes to go rotten, he was between the devil and the deep blue sea. To give someone apple pie (To make obsequious flattery) “Don’t give me apple pie. I may be as handsome as a prince, but you are still late!” A blessing in disguise (Something which appears unfortunate at the time but proves ultimately to be fortunate) The transfer to the city turned out to be a blessing in disguise because at his new post he met the girl who was to become his wife. To carry coals to Newcastle (Do something unnecessary) By taking a bucket of water to the well, he was carrying coals to Newcastle. (Note : Newcastle is a town in northern England and its main industry is coal mining.) The pros and cons (The arguments for and against a proposition) They argued the pros and cons before accepting the assignment. To turn the corner (To pass the crisis) The company was doing badly until they obtained the government contract, but then they turned the corner and prospered. The law of the jungle (Exploiting others) It is the law of the jungle that in business only the ruthless survive. The die is cast (A decision which cannot be changed) He has advertised to rent out his house. So the die is cast; he’ll have to move. Down-to-earth (Practical, sensible) His down-to-earth approach to the issue helps us a lot. To give lip service (Make insincere compliments or promises) He gives lip service to the boss; he always says what he thinks the boss expects to hear. To be born with a silver spoon in the mouth (To be born in a wealthy family) He doesn’t have to earn his living; he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Harp on the same string (Dwell on the same subject repetitively) He is a bore, he is always harping on the same string. A snake in the grass (A hidden enemy) I had taken him for a trusted friend but he turned out to be a snake in the grass. To leave one in the lurch (To desert one in difficulties) As soon as the income tax inspector called, my partner left me in the lurch. To rub shoulders (To come into close contact) He being a journalist, he rubs shoulders with VIPs on a daily basis. To turn a cold shoulder (To ignore or snub someone) He turned a cold shoulder on me after I refused his loan. A wild goose chase (A useless and foolish search) Your efforts to find a solution to your son’s problems are nothing short of a wild goose chase. To shoot off one’s mouth (To speak thoughtlessly, esp. aggressively) When he talked about setting up a business, he was only shooting off his mouth. To get the better of someone (To take advantage of someone) He tried to cheat me, but I got the better of him and he won’t try to cheat me again. To have a chip on one’s shoulder (To have a constant resentment) He has had a chip on his shoulder ever since he got the sack; he thinks he was dismissed because he is dark-skinned To make a mountain out of a molehill (To make a big issue out of a small matter) He made a mountain out of a molehill when he could not get a ticket for the new movie. By word of mouth (By spoken message) The news of the accident spread throughout the locality by word of mouth. Hard and fast rules (Rigid rules) There are hard and fast rules about punctuality in my firm; I dare not be late. To be a wet blanket (To discourage or depress others) While everyone was celebrating at the party I was a wet blanket because I had a toothache. No love lost between them (They dislike each other) There was no love lost between the brothers since the one crashed the other’s motorbike. To ride the high horse (To assume an air of superiority) Although she is neither beautiful nor rich, she always rides the high horse. To keep one’s fingers crossed (To hope fervently) Although I was doubtful, I kept my fingers crossed in the hope that I would pass the exam. To burn the midnight oil (Work until late at night) My son is burning the midnight oil because his final examination is at hand. To pull one’s leg (to joke; tease someone) He told me he had won the lottery, but he was pulling my leg. To bring matters to a head (To force a confrontation) The managing director brought matters to a head by firing the union activist. Donkey’s years (A very long time) Nowadays one has to wait donkey’s years to get justice. To make a pig of oneself (To over-eat) He made a pig of himself at the office party and was sick. To go window shopping (To look at goods on sale without a serious intention of buying) My sister goes window shopping every Saturday; if she were to buy what she buys in her imagination, we would all be bankrupt. To make a go of something (To make something succeed) He bought a small shop and was determined to make a go of it. To sail under false colours (To pretend to be what one is not) Though he appears to be very tolerant, he is in fact sailing under false colours. He is an absolute bigot. To make one’s mouth water (To stimulate one’s appetite) The smell from the kitchen makes my mouth water. To make up one’s mind (To decide) Offered a job in the Gulf, it didn’t take him long to make up his mind to leave home and go abroad. To talk through one’s hat (To talk ignorantly) He was talking through his hat when he said all boys were bad. To call in question (To disprove or doubt) No one can call in question his integrity. To put one’s enemies to flight (To defeat one’s enemies) With the proof of his innocence, he put his enemies to flight. To rub someone the wrong way (To annoy someone) No matter how hard he tries, he always rubs the manager the wrong way. Let bygones be bygones (To forget the past, especially after a quarrel) The two enemies agreed to let bygones be bygones and become friends. To blow someone up (To scold someone severely) When he crashed his motorbike, his father blew him up for speeding. Under the weather (Unwell) My cold has passed but I still feel a bit under the weather. Under the counter (Secretly and illegally) Certain magazines are banned by the censor, but you can usually get them under the counter. To cry for the moon (Ask for the impossible) Calling for the eradication of poverty is crying for the moon. The order of the day (The prevailing state of things) Inflation is the order of the day. A thorn in one’s side (A constant source of annoyance) His neighbour’s barking dog is a thorn in his side. A man of straw (A man of no substance; a symbolic representative of power or office) The new managing director is so much under the chairman’s thumb that he is a man of straw. To play ducks and drakes (To behave inconsistently especially when it is done intentionally to delay something) “Don’t play ducks and drakes with me. Tell me what you intend to do”. Hide one’s light under a bushel (To be genuinely modest) He’s very shy; he always hides his light under a bushel. To cross one’s Ts and dot one’s Is (To be very careful, to be precise) “Mind you cross your Ts and dot your Is when you write the exam”. (Note: This idiom is usually used when giving advice to others; “Mind”, commonly used with this idiom, means “remember”.) Wearing one’s heart on one’s sleeve (Being openly emotional) It is easy to see when Anish is in love; he wears his heart on his sleeve. To rack one’s brains (To think very hard) No matter how hard I racked my brains, I could not remember his name. Make head or tail of something (To understand something) Sunil’s report was so complicated that I could not make head or tail of it. To paint the town red (indulge in noisy merrymaking) The law students went out to paint the town red when they had passed their exams. Throw down the gauntlet (To issue a challenge) By defying the manager, Satheesh effectively threw down the gauntlet. To end in smoke (To end in failure) For all his expensive promotion, his business venture ended in smoke. To be in the blues (To be depressed) Shushila was in the blues for a week after her friend quarrelled with her. To have one’s hands full (To be very busy) With a full-time job, and two small children, Anitha had her hands full. Out of hand (Out of control) There is no discipline in this school; the boys are quite out of hand. To take in hand (To take charge of) The unruly boys will have to be taken in hand by a strict teacher. An old hand (An experienced person) Call Varma. He is an old hand at controlling naughty boys. To have in hand (To have in immediate possession) I have in hand enough money to buy a motorcycle without taking a loan. To change hands (To become the property of another) I bought a used car. It has changed hands five times. To lend a hand (To help) Lend me a hand to rearrange these books. At hand (close by) I have your letter at hand. Hand in hand (Closely linked together) Diligence and prosperity go hand in hand. Off hand (Casually, without checking) It is amazing that he gave the entire speech off hand. To wash one’s hands of something (To give up responsibility for something) If you insist on agreeing to his terms now, I will wash my hands of the whole affair. Heavy handed (harsh, tactless) The new manager ran the office in a heavy handed manner, which left the staff resentful. A handful (A troublesome person or job) Manoj is a handful; he is really a mischievous little boy. With a high hand (Oppressively) His father rules him with a high hand; he does not even let him go out with his friends. To catch red handed (To catch someone in the act of committing a crime) The thief was caught red handed when the householder returned home unexpectedly. brilliantacademyoflearning
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 02:51:37 +0000
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