PHRASES / IDOMS

Question 1

What does ‘Cold war’ mean?

Answer 1

Mutual bad relations.

There should not be cold war among super powers of the world.

Question 2

What is ‘Red tapism’?

Answer 2

Too many official formalities.

Many development projects are held up due to red tapism.

Question 3

What does ‘Sharp practice’ refer to?

Answer 3

Cunningness in legal profession.

No lawyer can become renowned by adopting sharp practice.

Question 4

What does ‘Hand in glove’ mean?

Answer 4

To conspire with someone.

I am hand in glove with my business associates.

Question 5

What is a ‘Big gun’?

Answer 5

An important person.

My brother is a big gun in Delhi.

Question 6

What does ‘Out of date’ mean?

Answer 6

Not prevailing.

Multicoloured shirts have become out of date.

Question 7

What does ‘In hand’ mean?

Answer 7

Under control.

In Allahabad, law and order situation is in hand now.

Question 8

What does ‘Out of question’ mean?

Answer 8

Impossible.

My success in U.G.C. examination is out of question.

Question 9

What does ‘By degrees’ mean?

Answer 9

Gradually.

She is recovering from a prolonged illness by degrees.

Question 10

What does ‘At random’ mean?

Answer 10

Not in order.

He checked the coins at random, that’s why I did not rely.

Question 11

What does ‘At the outset’ mean?

Answer 11

Beginning.

One should work very hard at the outset of his career.

Question 12

What does ‘Of course’ mean?

Answer 12

Naturally, as is or was to be expected, admittedly.

Of course, she will guide me.

Question 13

What does ‘First and foremost’ mean?

Answer 13

Most important.

My first and foremost duty is to take care of my ailing mother.

Question 14

What does ‘In response to’ mean?

Answer 14

In reply to.

In response to your advertisement, I have come to see you.

Question 15

What does ‘In lieu of’ mean?

Answer 15

Instead of.

You can write definitions in lieu of numericals in the science paper.

Question 16

What does ‘In spite of’ mean?

Answer 16

Notwithstanding.

In spite of hard work he could not succeed.

Question 17

What does ‘In view of’ mean?

Answer 17

Having regard to.

In view of communal riots, the city market was ordered to be closed.

Question 18

What does ‘With a view to’ mean?

Answer 18

With the aim of attaining, with the hope of.

He went to U.S.A. with a view to set up a branch office of his company.

Question 19

What does ‘Call off’ mean?

Answer 19

Cancel.

The strike has been called off.

Question 20

Call For

Answer 20

Demand for

Question 21

Deal in

Answer 21

Trade in

Question 22

Deal with

Answer 22

Discuss with

Question 23

Do away with

Answer 23

Give up

Question 24

Lay down

Answer 24

Sacrifice

Question 25

Look into

Answer 25

To examine

Question 26

Set aside

Answer 26

To postpone

Question 27

Strike off

Answer 27

Cancel

Question 28

Kith and kin

Answer 28

Blood and close relatives

Question 29

Null and void

Answer 29

Ineffective

Question 30

Hard and fast

Answer 30

Definite

Question 31

At logger head

Answer 31

Terms of hostility

Question 32

At ones fingertips

Answer 32

To be thoroughly familiar with

Question 33

For a rainy day

Answer 33

Precaution for emergency

Question 34

To be in good books of

Answer 34

To be in kind favour

Question 35

By leaps and bounds

Answer 35

Very rapidly

Question 36

Bone of contention

Answer 36

Cause of quarrel

Question 37

Black sheep

Answer 37

Undesirable

Question 38

Capital punishment

Answer 38

Death penalty

Question 39

To be caught red handed

Answer 39

To be caught while committing the crime

Question 40

To die in harness

Answer 40

To die while on duty

Question 41

Corporal punishment

Answer 41

Bodily punishment

Question 42

Fair play

Answer 42

Just dealing

Question 43

Hush money

Answer 43

Bribe given for conceding secrets

Question 44

To make both ends meet

Answer 44

To live within one's income with difficulty

Question 45

To hang in balance

Answer 45

To remain undecided

Question 46

A Himalayan blunder

Answer 46

A serious mistake

Question 47

To wash dirty lien in public

Answer 47

To expose private affairs in public

Question 48

A man of letters

Answer 48

A learned man

Question 49

A red letter day

Answer 49

A historic day

Question 50

White lie

Answer 50

Falsehood

Question 51

Lions share

Answer 51

Biggest share

Question 52

Pros and cons

Answer 52

Advantage and disadvantages

Question 53

Pandoras box

Answer 53

Source of all evil powers

Question 54

Part and parcel

Answer 54

An essential part

Question 55

Maidens speech

Answer 55

1st speech

Question 56

9 days of wonder

Answer 56

A short lived glory

Question 57

Under the thumb of

Answer 57

Under the authority of someone

Question 58

By and large

Answer 58

On the whole

Question 59

A Tower of strength

Answer 59

Chief support

Question 60

To go back on

Answer 60

To withdraw

Question 61

A dogs life

Answer 61

A hand phase of life

Question 62

A rule of thumb

Answer 62

Governess of general rule

Question 63

A smoke in the grass

Answer 63

A deceptive person

Question 64

Apple of Discord

Answer 64

A cause of jealousness

Question 65

Appear out of no where

Answer 65

A sudden appreance

Question 66

Acid test

Answer 66

A tough task

Question 67

Have a heart

Answer 67

Charitable

Question 68

A drop in ocean

Answer 68

A very little amount

Question 69

A black sheep

Answer 69

Bad character

Question 70

Below the belt

Answer 70

Not fairly

Question 71

Behind the bars

Answer 71

Lodged in jail

Question 72

Fish out of water

Answer 72

Not comfortable

Question 73

Beat about the bush

Answer 73

Avoidance of straight answer

Question 74

Bit by bit

Answer 74

Piecemeal dealing

Question 75

Behind the times

Answer 75

Backward

Question 76

Be in ones blood

Answer 76

Inherently

Question 77

Blue blood

Answer 77

Originally Aristocratic

Question 78

Be at the bottom of

Answer 78

To be the root cause of

Question 79

Bad blood

Answer 79

Anger

Question 80

Bear fruit

Answer 80

To yield positive result

Question 81

Break into laughter

Answer 81

To laugh

Question 82

Cast a spell on

Answer 82

To explain

Question 83

Chicken hearted

Answer 83

Lack of courage

Question 84

Clear the decks

Answer 84

Get ready for action

Question 85

Child's play

Answer 85

Most easy

Question 86

Call it a day

Answer 86

Retirement

Question 87

Crocodile tears

Answer 87

Pretending

Question 88

Down in mouth

Answer 88

Discouraged

Question 89

For the time being

Answer 89

Temporarily

Question 90

From bottom of one's heart

Answer 90

Wholeheartedly

Question 91

High time

Answer 91

Most appropriate time

Question 92

In a jiffy

Answer 92

Very soon

Question 93

In no time

Answer 93

At once

Question 94

In the lime light

Answer 94

In the full glare of publicity

Question 95

In the heat of moment

Answer 95

Emotional force, without pause for thought.

Question 96

In hot water

Answer 96

Difficulty, trouble or disgrace.

Question 97

In any case

Answer 97

In any situation.

Question 98

Jut around the corner

Answer 98

Very near.

Question 99

Keep an eye on

Answer 99

To be watchful.

Question 100

Keep eyes open

Answer 100

To be sensitive.

Question 101

Keep up spirit

Answer 101

To remain courageous.

Question 102

Keep an open mind

Answer 102

Wait till all facts are known.

Question 103

Loose one's life

Answer 103

End one's life.

Question 104

Last resort

Answer 104

Having no option.

Question 105

Live from hand to mouth

Answer 105

A very hard life.

Question 106

Lame excuse

Answer 106

No excuse.

Question 107

Make headway

Answer 107

To progress.

Question 108

Make up mind

Answer 108

Decide.

Question 109

Maiden speech

Answer 109

A speaker's first speech.

Question 110

Nine times out of ten

Answer 110

Almost always.

Question 111

Off hand

Answer 111

A careless way.

Question 112

On account of

Answer 112

For reason of.

Question 113

On a knife edge

Answer 113

A very difficult situation.

Question 114

On the dot

Answer 114

At appropriate time.

Question 115

On the square

Answer 115

Above the board.

Question 116

Put an end to

Answer 116

To complete.

Question 117

Prepare a ground

Answer 117

To create good situation.

Question 118

Plain sailing

Answer 118

Very easy.

Question 119

Pillar to post

Answer 119

Struggle.

Question 120

Rob Peter to pay Paul

Answer 120

To borrow money to pay to another.

Question 121

Salt of the Earth

Answer 121

A very honest person.

Question 122

Spring to mind

Answer 122

Think immediately.

Question 123

Stand to reason

Answer 123

Be logical.

Question 124

Sit on ones hands

Answer 124

Idleness, take no action.

Question 125

Step by step

Answer 125

Slowly.

Question 126

Sooner or later

Answer 126

Some future time.

Question 127

To the best of one's ability

Answer 127

To make best efforts.

Question 128

Take the bread out of person mouth

Answer 128

To make someone unemployed.

Question 129

To pay lip service

Answer 129

Pretending to be good.

Question 130

To put a fight

Answer 130

To contest.

Question 131

To feel blue

Answer 131

Miserable.

Question 132

To take heart

Answer 132

To be encouraged.

Question 133

To speak ill of

Answer 133

To defame somebody.

Question 134

Tooth and nail

Answer 134

With whole energy.

Question 135

To double cross

Answer 135

To cheat.

Question 136

To beat around the bush

Answer 136

Not replying to the point.

Question 137

To loose ground

Answer 137

To become unacceptable.

Question 138

What does 'with bad grace' mean?

Answer 138

Unhappily.

Question 139

What does 'upper crust' refer to?

Answer 139

High social crust.

Question 140

What does 'to bell the cat' mean?

Answer 140

A great risk.

Question 141

What does 'to be on tenter hooks' mean?

Answer 141

A state of painful suspense.

Question 142

What does 'two and two make four' signify?

Answer 142

Just not to be controverted, obvious.

Question 143

What does 'to have a narrow escape' mean?

Answer 143

Just manage to avoid danger.

Question 144

What does 'to hold water' mean?

Answer 144

To be sound.