Idiom And Phrase|Most Expected Previous Years Idiom And Phrase for Competitive Exam|

Idiom And Phrase|Most Expected Previous Years Idiom And Phrase for Competitive Exam|

1. Catch a tartar 

1. To catch a dangerous person

2. To deal with a person who is more than one's match

3. To trap a wanted criminal with great difficulty 

4. To live carefully and cautiously

Ans - 2

2. Cap in hand

1. Defiant

2. Screaming

3. Well behaved 

4. In a respectful manner

Ans - 4

3. In the blues

1. Cheerless and depressed 

2. Violent and angry

3. Wearing blue badges

4. Singing sad songs

Ans - 1

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4. Burn your boats

1. Have a burning desire to win

2. Become extremely tired after working very hard

3. Do something that makes it impossible to return to the previous situation

4. Want to spend money as soon as you get it

Ans - 3

5. Dressing-down 

1. Apply bandage 

2. Wear an expensive gown

3. Give a scolding

4. Pretend

Ans - 3

6. Null and Void 

1. Invalid

2. Observant

3. Uncontrolled

4. Homeless

Ans - 1

7. To get cold feet 

1. Drenched

2. Fear

3. Felicitate

4. Fever

Ans - 2

8. Beside the mark 

1. Perfect

2. Not to the point

3. Relevant

4. Charming

Ans - 2

9. On tenterhooks 

1. Happy and excited 

2. In suspense and anxiety

3. Angry and irritated

4. Surprised and shocked

Ans - 2

10. Cut the mustard

1. To get under expectations

2. To score average 

3. To perform well

4. To underperform

Ans - 3

11. A chip off the old block 

1. Reminds them of one's father

2. To reminds of one's son

3. Reminds them of one's son

4. Reminds of previous memories 

Ans - 1

12. To fish in troubled waters

1. To indulge in evil conspiracies

2. To make a profit out of disturbance 

3. To aggravate the situation

4. To make the most of bad bargain

Ans - 2

13. Cut a sorry figure 

1. Did not stand straight

2. Apologised for his remarks 

3. Created a wrong impression

4. Made a poor impression

Ans - 3

14. To take to task

1. Forgave him

2. Slapped him

3. Gave him extra work

4. Reprimanded him

Ans - 4

15. Bring to light

1. Introduced

2. Revealed

3. Seen

4. Brought to life

Ans - 2

16. To give oneself airs

1. Space to breathe

2. Time

3. Acting strange

4. Behaving arrogantly

Ans - 4

17. At a stone's throw

1. At a short distance

2. At a place where quarrels take place

3. At a great distance

4. A quarry

Ans - 1

18. Bone of contention

1. A delicious non-vegetarian item

2. An item which made them content

3. Cause for quarrel

4. A link between them

Ans -  3

19. Pros and cons

1. Professionals

2. Con artists

3. Professionals and con artists

4. Advantages and disadvantages

Ans - 4

20. Once in a blue moon

1. Very rarely

2. Common

3. Predictable

4. Ordinary

Ans - 1

21. Fish out of water

1. Dehydrated 

2. Comfortable position

3. An uncomfortable position

4. Fish in an aquarium

Ans - 3

22. Made light of 

1. Did not hear

2. Treated it lightly

3. Blew away

4. Carried with him

Ans - 2

23. Every inch a gentleman 

1. Somewhat

2. Partly

3. Entirely

4. Calculatively

Ans - 3

24. Gall and wormwood

1. A problem

2. Hateful

3. Useless

4. Hard to digest

Ans - 2

25. For keeps

1. Himself

2. Away

3. Forever

4. Hid

Ans - 3

26. Pale into insignificance

1. Seemed less important

2. Was less exciting

3. Was less hectic

4. Was dull and pale

Ans - 1

27. With one voice

1. By one man

2. By one community

3. Unanimously

4. In disharmony

Ans - 3

28. Beat around the bush 

1. Walk around the forest

2. Clean the bushy areas

3. Avoiding the main topic 

4. Play around the forest

Ans - 3

29. Make room

1. Clean the room

2. Make space

3. Attain the room

4. Make a clean sweep

Ans - 2

30. Mend your ways 

1. Happy with one's behaviour 

2. Sad with one's behaviour

3. Destroy one's behaviour

4. Improve one's behaviour

Ans - 4

31. Fit like a glove

1. To fit snugly

2. Something tight and sticky

3. Soft and easy to ware

4. Difficult to hold

Ans - 2

32. Pull a long face 

1. To make fun

2. To look sad

3. To irritate someone

4. To pull someone's face

Ans - 2

33. Cat nap

1. Take a long sleep

2. Sleep like a cat

3. Make a snoring sound while sleeping

4. To sleep briefly

Ans - 4

34. To flog a dead horse

1. To act in a foolish way

2. To waste one's efforts

3. To revive interest in an old effort

4. None of these

Ans - 2

35. Caught red-handed

1. Caught by mistake

2. Caught with a red handkerchief

3. Found wounded

4. Discovered in the act of doing

Ans - 4

36. Gate crasher

1. Invader

2. Thief

3. Uninvited guest

4. Children

Ans - 3

37. To angle

1. To measure the river breadth

2. To fish with a net

3. To fish

4. To sit and watch the river

Ans - 3

38. Gets on my nerves

1. Makes me nervous

2. Shakes my self-confidence

3. Annoys me

4. Makes me uncomfortable

Ans - 3

39. Catch time by the forelock

1. Speed up

2. Set up clock back 

3. Slow down

4. Seize opportunity

Ans - 4

40. A shot in the arm

1. Something that gives encouragement

2. Something that is painful

3. Something that needs attention

4. Something done with a purpose

Ans - 1

41. Horse sense

1. Advice of parents

2. Advice of teachers

3. Advice of colleagues

4. Basic common sense

Ans - 4

42. A man of letters

1. A great letter-writer

2. A great politician

3. A literary person

4. A great patriot

Ans - 3

43. At loggerheads

1. Agree on everything

2. Disagreeing on everything

3. Aloof from each other

4. Abusing each other

Ans - 2

44. Under the weather

1. Unhappy

2. Depressed

3. Irritated

4. Sick

Ans - 4

45. Kept a level head

1. Was impulsive

2. Was sensible

3. Was crazy

4. Was self centred

Ans - 2

46. Go for the jugular

1. Forfeit the match

2. Give easy opportunities to the opposite team

3. Give reserve players a chance

4. Attack all out

Ans - 4

47. Make believe

1. Hatred

2. Treachery

3. Reality

4. Pretence

Ans - 4

48. Left me high and dry 

1. Left me without a drop of water 

2. Left me in a state of anger 

3. Left me alone to do the work

4. Left me feeling like a fool

Ans - 3

49. Make amends for 

1. Improve

2. Confess

3. Compensate

4. Pay debt

Ans - 3

50. Spilled the beans 

1. Hinted at the consequences

2. Dropped the charges

3. Spilled the content of the package

4. Revealed the secret information

Ans - 4

51. "Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill".

1. Exaggerate a minor problem 

2. Attempt an impossible task

3. Create problems

4. Start looking for mole hills in mountains 

Ans - 1

52. Snake in the grass

1. Cowardly and brutal

2. A hidden enemy

3. An unreliable and deceitful person

4. Low and mean

Ans - 3

52. As daft as a brush 

1. A liar

2. Very funny

3. Really silly 

4. Unreliable

Ans - 3

53. Back me 

1. Criticise 

2. Speak after I do 

3. Follow

4. Support

Ans - 4

54. Closefisted man 

1. A poor man

2. A rich man

3. A miser

4. An ill-mannered man

Ans - 3

55. Alma mater

1. Institution where I got education 

2. Teacher who inspired me 

3. Mother's loving care

4. Kindergarten days

Ans - 1

56. Go Dutch

1. Drive together

2. Pay for each other's meal

3. Go together

4. Divide the costs

Ans - 4

57. Wild goose chase

1. Delayed action

2. Wise decision 

3. Useless search

4. Timely action

Ans - 3

58. Made a beeline

1. Went online

2. Rushed

3. Were doubtful

4. Refused

Ans - 2

59. At his wit's end

1. Overjoyed

2. After careful thinking

3. Confidently

4. Not knowing what to do

Ans - 4

60. All-thumbs

1. Lazy

2. An expert

3. A trainer

4. Clumsy

Ans - 4

61. Rises with the lark

1. At midnight

2. Very late

3. Very early

4. After sunrise

Ans - 3

62. Set about

1. Looked around

2. Took charge

3. Started

4. Took steps towards

Ans - 3

63. Go through the hoop

1. Be made to pay heavy amounts of money

2. Be punished severely

3. Be made to undergo gruelling tests

4. Be made to sign bonds

Ans - 3

64. Playing ducks and drakes

1. Spending diligently

2. Spending lavishly

3. Spending foolishly

4. Spending carefully

Ans - 3

65. Curtain lecture

1. Dramatic lecture

2. Brief lecture

3. Cautionary talk given in private

4. Talk behind the curtain

Ans - 3

66. Ended in 

1. Yielded no practical result

2. Yielded only confusion

3. Yielded no profit

4. Yielded no plan

Ans - 1

67. Added fuel to the fire

1. Added humour to the situation 

2. Worsened the difficult situation

3. Helped in improving the situation

4. Prevented the situation

Ans - 2

68. Rubbed him up the wrong way

1. Irked or irritated him

2. Asked him to speed up 

3. Suggested a wrong method

4. Advised him to be strict

Ans - 1

69. In the swim

1. Giving news to others

2. At the swimming pool

3. In search of news

4. Well-informed and up-to-date

Ans - 4

70. Barking up the wrong tree

1. Trying to solve problems 

2. Trying to find something at a wrong place

3. Keep working constantly

4. Climbing the wrong tree

Ans - 2

71. I know the ropes

1. Become bolder

2. Work in silence

3. Learn the procedures

4. Gain confidence

Ans - 3

72. Cut and dried method

1. Simple

2. Honest

3. Ready made

4. Understandable

Ans - 2

73. Blacked out 

1. Lost temper

2. Lost control over himself

3. Lost consciousness

4. Lost balance

Ans - 3

74. Hold your horses

1. Be patient

2. Stay Out

3. Be quite

4. Wait

Ans - 4

75. A cat above

1. Taller than

2. Superior to

3. Senior to

4. Different from

Ans - 2

76. In the loop

1. Out of it

2. Informed about the fees 

3. Informed about the last date of joining

4. Informed regularly

Ans - 1

77. Going places

1. Going abroad

2. Going to spaces

3. Talented and successful

4. Friendly and amicable

Ans - 3

78. Pulls no punches

1. Speaks politely

2. Speaks frankly

3. Speaks rudely

4. Speaks sweetly

Ans - 1

79. On the same page

1. Present for the meeting 

2. Registered for the work

3. Willing to pay the same fees

4. Thinks in a similar way

Ans - 4

80. In the air

1. Undecided

2. Certain

3. Under consideration

4. For approval

Ans - 2

81. Back to the drawing board

1. Plan it all over again

2. Take professional help

3. Spend some time researching abroad

4. Work at night

Ans - 1

82. Dot one's is and cross one's it is 

1. Complete one task at a time

2. Write great letters 

3. Deal with paperwork

4. Be detailed and exact

Ans - 4

83. Down in the dumps

1. Accusing others of stealing 

2. Searching everywhere [check spelling]

3. Sad and depressed

4. Very angry at himself

Ans - 3

84. Turned up his nose at my offer

1. Was taken aback by my offer

2. Found it hard to believe my offer

3. Treated my offer with contempt

4. Could not accept my offer

Ans - 3

85. Hard and fast

1. That is difficult to solve

2. That can be altered 

3. That is very quick 

4. That can not be altered 

Ans - 4

86. Strained every nerve

1. Worked very hard

2. Spent a huge amount 

3. Tried all tricks 

4. Bribed several persons

Ans - 1

87. Dead letter 

1. Not well thought out

2. No longer in force

3. No longer relevant

4. Not in keeping with the changing times

Ans - 2

88. Afraid of her own shadow

1. Cold and distant

2. Afraid of her own safety

3. Very nervous and easily frightened

4. Afraid of being alone

Ans - 3

89. To be fair and square

1. Worthy

2. Honest

3. Successful

4. Obedient

Ans - 2

90. Forty winks

1. Someone's help

2. To take a stroll

3. A short nap

4. A little Cooperation

Ans - 3

91. Pink slip

1. A raise

2. A promotion

3. A letter to inform that she had lost her job

4. A letter to inform that she had been transferred

Ans - 3

92. Keep the wolf from the door

1. Keep away extreme poverty

2. Earn an honest living

3. Regain his lost position

4. Defend from enemies

Ans - 1

93. Foam at the mouth 

1. Angry

2. Vomit

3. Shy

4. Fall sick

Ans - 1

94. Husband our resources

1. Save

2. Support

3. Sing

4. Concede

Ans - 1

95. Bring about

1. Produce

2. Make

3. Carry

4. Cause to happen

Ans - 4

96. Gave vent to 

1. Shared

2. Allowed

3. Expressed

4. Enjoyed

Ans - 3

97. In the long run

1. Always

2. Over a period of time

3. Indefinitely

4. Never

Ans - 2

98. A fish out of water

1. Special

2. Happy

3. Uncomfortable

4. Proud

Ans - 3

99. Apple of discord

1. Cause of anger

2. Cause of hatred

3. Cause of quarrel

4. Cause of animosity

Ans - 4

100. Let the grass grow under their feet

1. Grown grass all over the lawn 

2. Gone on a luxury tour

3. Delay doing the work

4. Demanded more benefits

Ans - 3

101. Smelt the rat 

1. Got very much confused

2. Identified the cause of death

3. Suspected that something is fishy

4. Jumped to the conclusion

Ans - 3

102. To play second fiddle

1. To reduce the importance of one's senior

2. Take a subordinate role

3. To do back seat driving

4. To be happy , cheerful and healthy

Ans - 2

103. Face the music

1. Listen carefully

2. Ask a lot of questions

3. Listen to music

4. Accept the punishment

Ans - 4

104. A spade a spade

1. To speak in a straight forward manner

2. To call someone a spade

3. To speak ill about someone

4. To speak about spades

Ans - 1

105. Out of my wits

1. Greatly confused

2. Helpless without power

3. Totally ignorant

4. Not intelligent enough

Ans - 1

106. Jumping down my throat 

1. Making a joke 

2. Scolding me 

3. Forcing me to cat 

4. Running away

Ans - 2

107. Back to square one

1. To return to the starting point

2. To run to the first square

3. To start and return

4. To come to a stop

Ans - 1

108. Blowing their own trumpets

1. To boast about their achievements

2. To use one's own trumpet

3. To blow their trumpet loudly

4. To praise others trumpeting

Ans - 1

109. In apple pie order

1. Orderly preparation of apple pie

2. In perfect order

3. Ordering for apple pie

4. Arranging apples neatly

Ans - 2

110. A closed book 

1. An unopened book 

2. A covered book

3. A mystery

4. A mysterious book

Ans - 3

111. A mouth of sundays

1. A short period

2. No time

3. A long time

4. A special sunday

Ans - 3

112. Live - wire

1. Lazy

2. Dangerous

3. Naughty

4. Energetic

Ans - 4

113. Cool his heels

1. To be kept waiting

2. To make publicly known

3. To exercise influence

4. To lose one's temper

Ans - 1

114. Bury the hatchet

1. Put up a stiff competition

2. Make peace

3. Win the game

4. Forget the past

Ans - 2

115. Wet his whistle

1. Have a nap

2. Be happy

3. Have a problem

4. Have a drink

Ans - 4

116. Thick and thin

1. To our principles

2. To employers and subordinates

3. In married life

4. In spite of all the difficulties

Ans - 4

117. To keep the ball rolling

1. To continue the work

2. More information

3. To do better

4. New strategies

Ans - 1

118. Bore the palm 

1. Played quite well

2. Was victorious

3. Was defeated

4. Played a very boring match

Ans - 2

119. Keep your wig on 

1. Hold on to your wig , so it won't fall off

2. Get another hair cut

3. Calm down

4. Take off your wig

Ans - 3

120. Through their nose 

1. By taking loans

2. An extremely high price

3. Grudgingly

4. Willingly

Ans - 2

121. Picking holes

1. Admiring people

2. Finding fault

3. Criticizing people

4. Arguing with people

Ans - 2

122. To cut his coat according to his cloth

1. Overcome his problems 

2. Wear modest clothes

3. Improve his tailoring abilities

4. Live within his income

Ans - 4

123. Blowing hot and cold

1. Being friendly at one moment and unfriendly the next

2. Trying to cool the situation down and then ranking it up again

3. Being unfriendly and critical

4. Being good and bad alternately

Ans - 1

124. At her fingertips 

1. On her typewriter

2. Readily available

3. In the compact disc

4. Not accessible

Ans - 2

125. To take the bull by the horns

1. To check rumours from spreading

2. To inflict a crushing defeat upon the enemy

3. To face danger

4. To restrain anger

Ans - 3

126. Crying over spilled milk

1. To slip and spill milk

2. Complaining about an event that can not be changed 

3. Worrying about the milk that was spilled 

4. To cry having a glass of milk 

Ans - 2

127. Out of spirits

1. Gloomy

2. Sober

3. Lifeless

4. Uninvolved

Ans - 1

128. To smell a rat 

1. To suspect a trick 

2. To misunderstand

3. To see hidden meaning

4. To smell a bad smell

Ans - 1

129. No backbone

1. Justification

2. Impact

3. Strength

4. Support

Ans - 3

130. On their toes

1. Eager

2. Alert

3. Harried

4. Quick

Ans - 2

131. Look into

1. Discuss

2. Watch

3. Grant

4. Examine

Ans - 4

132. Has an axe to grind 

1. Has no result

2. Works for both sides

3. Has a private agenda

4. Fails to arouse interest

Ans - 3

133. Drew a blank

1. Did not find him

2. Put him in prison

3. Arrested him

4. Took him to court

Ans - 1

134. Put her foot down

1. Stood up 

2. Was firm

3. Got down

4. Walked fast

Ans - 2

135. Make a killing

1. Lose money quickly

2. Plan a murder quickly

3. Murder someone quickly

4. Make money quickly

Ans - 4

136. No gainsaying

1. Ignoring

2. Hiding

3. Forgetting

4. Denying

Ans - 4

137. To strain every nerve

1. To make utmost efforts 

2. To feel weak and tired

3. To be a diligent worker

4. To be methodical in work

Ans - 1

138. To flog a dead horse 

1. To whip a dead horse

2. To attempt to do the impossible

3. Waste one's efforts

4. To take advantage of a weakness

Ans - 2

139. To show a clean pair of heels

1. To hide

2. To escape

3. To pursue

4. To follow

Ans - 2

140. To die in harness

1. Premeditated murder

2. Dying young in an accident

3. To die while in service

4. To be taken by surprise

Ans - 3

141. To feather one's nest

1. To make a residential house

2. Something that lasts for a short time

3. To profit in a dishonest way

4. None of the above

Ans - 3

142. A bolt from the blue 

1. A delayed event 

2. An inexplicable event

3. An unexpected event

4. An unpleasant event

Ans - 3

143. Cold comfort

1. Absurdity

2. Deception

3. Slight satisfaction

4. Foolish proposal

Ans - 3

144. To be all at sea

1. A family voyage

2. Lost and confused

3. In the middle of the ocean

4. A string of islands

Ans - 2

145. To take one's heels

1. To walk slowly

2. To run away

3. To march forward

4. To hop and jump

Ans - 2

146. To bite the dust

1. Eat voraciously

2. Have nothing to eat

3. Eat roots

4. None of the above

Ans - 4

147. A damb squib

1. Rainy weather

2. A disappointing result

3. A skirt in a laundry

4. None of the above

Ans - 2

148. In cold blood

1. Angrily

2. Deliberately

3. Excitedly

4. Slowly

Ans - 1

149. To take someone for a ride

1. To give a ride to someone

2. To deceive someone

3. To be indifferent

4. To disclose a secret

Ans - 2

150. To move heaven and earth

1. To cause an earthquake

2. To try everything possible

3. To pray to all Gods

4. To travel in a rocket

Ans - 2

151. To smell a rat 

1. To smell foul

2. To see a rat

3. To chase a rat 

4. To be suspicious

Ans - 4

152. To take to heart

1. To be encouraged

2. To grieve over

3. To like

4. To hate

Ans - 2

153. Yeoman's service

1. Medical help

2. Excellent work

3. Social work

4. Hard work

Ans - 2

154. To face the music

1. To enjoy a musical recital

2. To bear the consequences

3. To live in a pleasant atmosphere

4. To have a difficult time

Ans - 2

155. To put up with

1. To accomodate

2. To adjust

3. To understand

4. To tolerate

Ans - 4

156. To call it a day

1. To conclude proceedings

2. To initiate proceedings

3. To work through the day

4. None of the above

Ans - 4

157. Straw in the wind

1. A light-weight object

2. A lucky charm

3. A game that kids play

4. An indication of what might happen

Ans - 4

158. Curry favour

1. Seek impartial judgement

2. Seek favourable attention

3. Prepare a dish

4. Attract attention

Ans - 2