Idioms-the ornaments of language The importance of idioms cannot be over-emphasised. The students preparing for PMS/PCS/CSS exams are advised to master sufficient number of idioms. Idioms have been defined as the peculiar meanings of words and peculiar turns of expression which from long usage have become established in the English language. It is needless to add that every language has its idioms. Whereas the vocabulary of a language can be easily mastered, it is hard to master its idioms. A long acquaintance is needed for this the students should, therefore, revise the idioms regularly. Here we are giving some very important and expressive idioms for the benefit of students. FAKE Degrees Sunday, August 01, 2010 1. ANIMAL SPIRITS means natural buoyancy and vivacity of healthy youth. This young man is full of animal spirits. 2. ARMED NEUTRALITY. It is the neutrality of a nation which is ready to fight any of the two powers that are at war if there is a provocation. England has often been in a state of armed neutrality against the contending European powers. 3. BACKSTAIRS INFLUENCE means secret and improper influence. He was not qualified for the post, but he got it through backstairs influence. 4. ONE’S BETTER SELF is the higher part of one’s native which stands for conscience and judgment. My better self was all for my joining hands with the patriots. 5. CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. It means indirect evidence. When a crime is committed, though there may not be any actual eye-witness, by putting together many indirect pieces of evidence, we may come to know who is guilty. These pieces of evidence are called circumstantial evidence. 6. A CLOSE SHAVE is colloquially used for a narrow miss or escape. The car brushed past me; it was a close shave indeed. books2.jpg 7. AN OILY TONGUE is a smooth flattering tongue. Beware of the oily tongue of your new friend; that man is dangerous. 8. AN OPEN MIND is a mind not yet made up about a particular thing. I am ready to listen to what you have to say about this matter for I have an open mind about it. 9. PLAIN SAILING means advancing smoothly without any obstacles or difficulties. After his departure, all was plain sailing in the meeting; no one stood up to oppose any resolution and it was carried unanimously. 10. A RED LETTER DAY is an auspicious fortunate day. In the old Greek calendars, the holy days or saints’ days were marked with red letters. Twenty-third of March is a red letter day in the history of Pakistan. 11. A SHOOTING PAIN is a quick sharp pain. I had a shooting pain in my leg-joint. The doctor said it was rheumatism. 12. A SIDE ISSUE is a question concerning the one at issue, but not directly concerning it. Communalism is only a side-issue; why give it such an importance? 13. POINT BLANK means direct. His point blank refusal was thought to be very tactless. 14. CASTING VOTE. The vote of the chairman of a meeting when there is a tie (i.e. when the votes for and against a question are equal) and which decides the matter, is known as casting vote. The Speaker’s casting vote went in favour of the government. home-library-7.jpg 15. COLD COMFORT is comfort which pains or irritates rather than console. It is cold comfort to me to hear that many a man has lost his child like me. 16. THE IRON AGE is a bad age, when there is no fellow-feeling between men, when everyone cares for his own gains only. A hard, materialistic age. The people have become so selfish that one feels one is living in the iron age. 17. A KNOWING LOOK is a significant look suggesting the persons knowledge of the matter at issue. He gave me a knowing look and I kept quiet. 18. A LEADING QUESTION is one so put to a witness as to suggest to him the anser he should give. Counsels often put leading questions to the witnesses. 19. A LINE DAYS’ WONDER is an unexpected occurrence which creates a good deal of popular interest for a short time and is soon forgotten. The Japanese dancers were a nine days’ wonder in Lahore. 20. SMALL TALK means trivial conversation, gossip. They spent the whole afternoon in small talk in the drawing room. 21. A SWAN SONG. It was believed that the swan would sing sweetly before dying. A persons swan song is the last time that he does something for which he is famous, for example the last time that an actor gives a performance in the theatre. It was said that his speech that day would be his swan song. 22. A WILD GOOSE CHASE is a wild venture which has no clear goal or hope of success. He spent many years of his life to find gold in the Himalayas. It proved to be a wild goose chase. 23. HAMMER AND TONGS. It is a colloquial adverbial phrase meaning vigorously or violently. He set about it, hammer and tongs, and was rewarded with success. 24. A MOOT-POINT is a point or question still open to discussion. It is a moot-point whether the Indian civilization is older than the Chinese civilization or not. 25. THE POWERS THAT BE denotes those persons who are in authority. Generally the government of a country is referred to as the powers that be. It is now up to the powers that he to decide whether the elections should be
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 17:16:48 +0000
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