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Idioms

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Insaf Ali
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94 views

Idioms

Uploaded by

Insaf Ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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English Text Idioms

1. To back out of something: to withdraw from an agreement.


Example: once you have made an agreement, you should not try to back out of it.
2. To beat about the bush: to go around the topic in order to avoid the point.
Example: if you have got a bad news, don’t beat about the bush come to the straight point.
3. To have a bone to pick with someone: to have grievance about something.
Example: he has a bone to pick with you.
4. To break the ice: to overcome shyness and put people at ease with one another.
Example: both persons kept quiet, each waiting for the other to break the ice.
5. To make the most of: to take the fullest advantage of the circumstances.
Example: youth is the best time to of one’s life so make the most of it.
6. To make both ends meet: to be able to live within one’s income.
Example: Due to inflation salaried people can’t make both ends meet.
7. To make one’s mouth water: to cause some one desire something intensely, especially
food.
Example: the sight of food was enough to make his mouth water.
8. By fits and starts: not steadily and regularly.
Example: he can never hold a steady job since he works by fits and starts.
9. Day in and day out: daily, day after day.
Example: I worked day in and day out, for a whole month to prepare for exams.
10. With heart and soul: all one’s energies and interest.
Example: it’s no use having an employee who does not put heart and soul in his work.
11. With a high hand: disregarding the feelings of others.
Example: he settled matters with a high hand and ignored the requests of all the concerned.
12. To have lion’s share: to take the biggest share of something.
Example: the stronger person generally gets the lion’s share.
13. To save something for rainy day: to keep for some future necessity which may arise.
Example: don’t spend all your money. Keep something for a rainy day.
14. To cry over split milk: to grieve over something uselessly.
Example: there is no sense in crying over split milk. If the glass is broken just buy another
one.
15. It’s high time: the moment has already come.
Example: the movie will start in fifteen minutes so it’s high time we left.
16. To shed crocodile tears: to weep in sincerely, or hypocritically.
Example: don’t be deceived by that beggar’s crying. They are only crocodile tears.
17. To feel like a fish out of water: to feel out of place.
Example: I was the only who spoke English and felt like a fish out of water in that group.
18. To nip in the bud: to stop an evil in the early stages.
Example: bad behavior in the children must be nipped in the bud.
19. To turn over a new leaf: to reform, to behave better.
Example: the criminal promised the judge that he would turn a new leaf.
20. In black and white: in writing.
Example: I will not accept your offer until I see it in black and white.
21. To see eye to eye with someone: to have the same opinion or to agree with.
Example: I don’t see eye to eye with my friends specially when they ask me to further
studies and join some service.
22. To turn a deaf ear to: to pay no attention.
Example: never listen to rumors. Turn a deaf ear to them.
23. A black sheep: a bad character in an otherwise good group.
Example: all others are respectable, but he’s the black sheep in the family.
24. To take to task: to call to account, to blame, to rebuke.
Example: the boy was taken to task for coming late.
25. Far and wide: over a large area.
Example: we searched far and wide but couldn’t find the lost child.
26. At large: at liberty, or free.
Example: the people were afraid because the murderer was at large.
27. To put into practice: to carry out in deeds.
Example: now is the time to put in the practice all the good things you were taught in
schools.
28. A wild goose chase: an enterprise which will not succeed.
Example: the thief led the police on a wild goose chase.
29. To end in smoke: to have no result: to come to nothing.
Example: all his efforts ended in smoke.
30. At a loss: puzzled not knowing what to do.
Example: the news stunned him and he was at loss for works.
31. With flying colors: to emerge successfully from some difficult task.
Example: he passed his examinations with flying colors.
32. Odds and ends: a collection of objects not belonging to any group or order; left over and
discarded.
Example: I have no complete sets of text books, only odds and ends.
33. Under one’s nose: immediately within reach.
Example: he searched all over for it, though it was under his nose all the time.
34. To poke one’s nose into: The meddle or interfere.
Example: don’t poke your nose into other people’s affairs.
35. To kick up a row: to make a noise, or disturbance.
Example: you need not kick up a row. Ask politely.
36. To wind up: to bring an end.
Example: that company is winding up its affairs.

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