Idioms and Phrases
Definition: An idiom is a group of words whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of the individual words. Idioms cannot be understood by translating each word separately.
Examples
- A piece of cake
Meaning: Something very easy
Sentence: The maths test was a piece of cake for him. - Spill the beans
Meaning: Reveal a secret
Sentence: She spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Definition: A phrase is a group of words that makes sense but does not form a complete sentence because it lacks a subject or a verb (or both).
Examples
- At a loss
Meaning: Confused
Sentence: He was at a loss after hearing the sudden news. - In a hurry
Meaning: Quickly / without delay
Sentence: She left the room in a hurry. - By chance
Meaning: Accidentally
Sentence: I met my old friend by chance.
Difference Between Idioms and Phrases
| Idioms | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Meaning is indirect | Meaning is mostly direct |
| Cannot be understood literally | Usually understood easily |
| Fixed expressions | Flexible usage |
| Example: Kick the bucket | Example: In a hurry |
List of Idioms
| S. No | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A blessing in disguise | A good thing hidden as bad |
| 2 | A piece of cake | Very easy |
| 3 | Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| 4 | Break the ice | Start conversation |
| 5 | Hit the nail on the head | Say exactly right |
| 6 | Burn the midnight oil | Work late at night |
| 7 | Cry over spilled milk | Regret past |
| 8 | By hook or by crook | By any means |
| 9 | At sixes and sevens | In confusion |
| 10 | Apple of one’s eye | Very dear |
| 11 | Barking up the wrong tree | Mistaken |
| 12 | Beat around the bush | Avoid main point |
| 13 | Spill the beans | Reveal secret |
| 14 | In hot water | In trouble |
| 15 | Call it a day | Stop working |
| 16 | Turn a deaf ear | Ignore |
| 17 | Under the weather | Feeling ill |
| 18 | Face the music | Accept punishment |
| 19 | Feather in one’s cap | Achievement |
| 20 | Fish out of water | Uncomfortable |
| 21 | Go the extra mile | Do more |
| 22 | In the nick of time | Just in time |
| 23 | Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal secret |
| 24 | On cloud nine | Very happy |
| 25 | Pull someone’s leg | Tease |
| 26 | Rome was not built in a day | Takes time |
| 27 | See eye to eye | Agree |
| 28 | Sit on the fence | Undecided |
| 29 | Smell a rat | Suspect |
| 30 | Take the bull by the horns | Face boldly |
| 31 | Through thick and thin | Always |
| 32 | Wash one’s hands of | Disown |
| 33 | With flying colours | Great success |
| 34 | Zip one’s lips | Keep silent |
| 35 | A wild goose chase | Useless search |
| 36 | Add fuel to the fire | Make worse |
| 37 | Back to square one | Start again |
| 38 | Bite the dust | Defeated |
| 39 | Burn bridges | End relations |
| 40 | Cast pearls before swine | Waste effort |
| 41 | Cut corners | Do cheaply |
| 42 | Give a cold shoulder | Ignore |
| 43 | Go haywire | Go wrong |
| 44 | Hang in the balance | Uncertain |
| 45 | In cold blood | Cruelly |
| 46 | Jump the gun | Act too early |
| 47 | Leave no stone unturned | Try all |
| 48 | Make a mountain out of molehill | Exaggerate |
| 49 | On thin ice | In danger |
| 50 | Out of the blue | Suddenly |
| 51 | Read between the lines | Understand hidden |
| 52 | Show one’s true colours | Reveal nature |
| 53 | Take a back seat | Be inactive |
| 54 | Up in arms | Angry |
| 55 | Walk on air | Very happy |
| 56 | At arm’s length | Keep distance |
| 57 | Behind the scenes | Secretly |
| 58 | Blow one’s own trumpet | Boast |
| 59 | Cold feet | Fear |
| 60 | Crocodile tears | Fake sorrow |
| 61 | Fair and square | Honestly |
| 62 | Give up the ghost | Die |
| 63 | In full swing | At peak |
| 64 | Keep fingers crossed | Hope |
| 65 | Lend a hand | Help |
| 66 | Make a clean sweep | Win all |
| 67 | Off the record | Unofficial |
| 68 | Play with fire | Take risk |
| 69 | Rain cats and dogs | Heavy rain |
| 70 | Take it for granted | Assume |
| 71 | Under one’s nose | Very near |
| 72 | Wear and tear | Damage |
| 73 | With open arms | Welcome |
| 74 | A red-letter day | Important day |
| 75 | Bell the cat | Take risk |
| 76 | By leaps and bounds | Rapidly |
| 77 | Cut a sorry figure | Appear foolish |
| 78 | Devil’s advocate | Opponent |
| 79 | Give the green light | Permit |
| 80 | In the long run | Eventually |
| 81 | Keep at bay | Prevent |
| 82 | Make headway | Progress |
| 83 | Out of question | Impossible |
| 84 | Play second fiddle | Be subordinate |
| 85 | Rub salt in the wound | Increase pain |
| 86 | Turn the tables | Reverse situation |
| 87 | Under lock and key | Secure |
| 88 | Win hands down | Win easily |
| 89 | Yeoman’s service | Great help |
| 90 | The last straw | Final irritation |
| 91 | Break the record | Achieve highest |
| 92 | Burn one’s fingers | Suffer loss |
| 93 | Call a spade a spade | Speak frankly |
| 94 | Draw the line | Set limit |
| 95 | Get cold feet | Lose courage |
| 96 | In black and white | In writing |
| 97 | Keep one’s word | Be faithful |
| 98 | Move heaven and earth | Try hard |
| 99 | See red | Get angry |
| 100 | Stand one’s ground | Not give up |
List of Phrases
| S. No | Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | At a loss | Confused |
| 2 | In a hurry | Quickly |
| 3 | By chance | Accidentally |
| 4 | In advance | Beforehand |
| 5 | In vain | Without success |
| 6 | On time | Punctual |
| 7 | At present | Now |
| 8 | In danger | At risk |
| 9 | By hand | Manually |
| 10 | On foot | Walking |
| 11 | In public | Openly |
| 12 | In private | Secretly |
| 13 | At home | Comfortable |
| 14 | In trouble | Difficulty |
| 15 | At once | Immediately |
| 16 | On purpose | Intentionally |
| 17 | In fact | Actually |
| 18 | At last | Finally |
| 19 | By mistake | Accidentally |
| 20 | In short | Briefly |
| 21 | In detail | Fully |
| 22 | On duty | Working |
| 23 | At night | During night |
| 24 | In time | Not late |
| 25 | At school | Studying |
| 26 | In love | Having affection |
| 27 | On fire | Burning |
| 28 | At peace | Calm |
| 29 | In charge of | Responsible |
| 30 | On behalf of | Representing |
| 31 | At risk | In danger |
| 32 | In favour of | Supporting |
| 33 | On sale | Available |
| 34 | At fault | Guilty |
| 35 | In need of | Require |
| 36 | On trial | Being tested |
| 37 | In memory of | Remembering |
| 38 | At random | Without order |
| 39 | In common | Shared |
| 40 | On average | Usually |
| 41 | At heart | Basically |
| 42 | In search of | Looking for |
| 43 | On the way | Coming |
| 44 | At work | Busy |
| 45 | In return | As exchange |
| 46 | On record | Officially noted |
| 47 | At sight | Immediately |
| 48 | In cash | Money form |
| 49 | On credit | Payment later |
| 50 | At stake | In danger |
| 51 | In silence | Quietly |
| 52 | On request | When asked |
| 53 | At hand | Nearby |
| 54 | In future | Later |
| 55 | On demand | When needed |
| 56 | At ease | Comfortable |
| 57 | In brief | Short |
| 58 | On condition | With requirement |
| 59 | At speed | Fast |
| 60 | In progress | Continuing |
| 61 | On account of | Because of |
| 62 | At any cost | Whatever happens |
| 63 | In addition to | Extra |
| 64 | On arrival | When arriving |
| 65 | At times | Sometimes |
| 66 | In reality | Actually |
| 67 | On the whole | Generally |
| 68 | At length | In detail |
| 69 | In front of | Before |
| 70 | On the spot | Immediately |
| 71 | At a glance | Quickly |
| 72 | In practice | Actually |
| 73 | On principle | Based on rule |
| 74 | At noon | Midday |
| 75 | In secret | Privately |
| 76 | On probation | Under observation |
| 77 | At sunset | Evening |
| 78 | In writing | Written |
| 79 | On the rise | Increasing |
| 80 | At a time | One by one |
| 81 | In brief | Short |
| 82 | On approval | After permission |
| 83 | At midnight | 12 a.m. |
| 84 | In charge | Responsible |
| 85 | On record | Documented |
| 86 | At will | Freely |
| 87 | In confidence | Trust |
| 88 | On guard | Alert |
| 89 | At the cost of | Sacrificing |
| 90 | In uniform | Same dress |
| 91 | On schedule | As planned |
| 92 | At rest | Relaxed |
| 93 | In custody | Under control |
| 94 | On principle | Morally |
| 95 | At fault | Guilty |
| 96 | In demand | Popular |
| 97 | On leave | Absent |
| 98 | At risk | In danger |
| 99 | In doubt | Uncertain |
| 100 | On trial | Under testing |
Mastering Idioms and Phrases MCQs
⏱ 20:00
Q1: What does the idiom “A blessing in disguise” mean?
A blessing in disguise refers to something that appears bad but results in good.
Q2: The idiom “Break the ice” means?
Break the ice means to make people feel comfortable.
Q3: What does “Once in a blue moon” mean?
Once in a blue moon means something that happens very rarely.
Q4: The phrase “Spill the beans” means?
Spill the beans means to disclose confidential information.
Q5: What does “Hit the nail on the head” mean?
It means to be absolutely correct.
Q6: The idiom “Under the weather” means?
Under the weather means feeling sick or unwell.
Q7: What does “Burn the midnight oil” mean?
It means to study or work late at night.
Q8: The phrase “In hot water” means?
In hot water means facing trouble or difficulty.
Q9: What does “A piece of cake” mean?
A piece of cake refers to an easy task.
Q10: The idiom “Cost an arm and a leg” means?
It means something costs a lot of money.
Q11: What does “At the drop of a hat” mean?
It means without any delay.
Q12: The phrase “On cloud nine” means?
On cloud nine means extremely happy.
Q13: What does “Bite the bullet” mean?
It means to accept something unpleasant.
Q14: The idiom “Cry over spilled milk” means?
It refers to worrying about past mistakes.
Q15: What does “Let the cat out of the bag” mean?
It means to disclose a secret unintentionally.
Q16: The phrase “A hot potato” means?
A hot potato refers to a sensitive or controversial matter.
Q17: What does “Back to square one” mean?
It means to restart after failure.
Q18: The idiom “By hook or by crook” means?
It means achieving something by fair or unfair means.
Q19: What does “The ball is in your court” mean?
It means the next move depends on you.
Q20: The idiom “To smell a rat” means?
It means to sense that something is not right.
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Correct: 0 |
Wrong: 0 |
Score: 0
