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Dr. Sandeep Patil English 22101

1 Marathwada Mitra Mandal’s Polytechnic

Idioms and Phrases

The language of English is a funny one. Sometimes, it feels like people aren’t saying what they really mean to say, using, instead,

strings of words that make no sense on their own. Confusing as they may be, these strings of random words stitched together are

the essence of the language. Here are 51 often-used idioms and phrases in day to day communication.

1. Once in a blue moon (क्वचिति घडणारे)

Meaning-Something that happens very rarely

Sentence- Once in a blue moon, the blue jay can be seen in these parts of the forest.

2. Beating around the bush (मुळ मुद्या पासनू भटकणे)

Meaning-Avoiding the main topic

Sentence-The President was beating around the bush when the citizens demanded a reason for the forgery of legal documents.

3. Chip on your shoulder (घडलेल्या वाईट गोष्टीने दुखी असणे)

Meaning-When someone is upset about something that happened a while ago

Sentence-He has a chip on his shoulder for being abandoned by his parents in his childhood.

4. Cry over spilt milk (घडून गेलेल्या गोष्टीवर रडत बसणे)

Meaning-Complaining about a loss or failure from the past

Sentence-He was mad because he couldn’t clear the cut off due to a silly mistake. But, then he realized there was no use crying

over spilt milk and decided to become more careful.

5. Spill the beans (गुचपत फोडणे)

Meaning-To disclose a secret

Sentence-The little one spilled the beans about the surprise vacation we had planned.

6. Piece of cake (खूपि सोपे)

Meaning-Something that is easy to understand or do

Sentence-I thought that the problem would be tough, but it turned out to be a piece of cake!

7. Blessing in disguise (इष्टापत्ती- काहीतरी िाांगले जे सरुुवातीला वाईट भासते)

Meaning-Something good and useful that did not initially seem that way

Sentence-His accident was a blessing in disguise because it gave him a lot of time to think about his life while he was recovering,

and as a result, he made some important decisions that improved his life.

8. Come hell or high water (मागाातील/कामातील अडथळे)

Meaning-Possible obstacles in your path (will not stop you)

Sentence-I have decided that come hell or high water I will become an engineer.

9. Taste of your own medicine (दुसयाांना चदलेला त्रास स्वत: भोगणे)

Meaning-When someone receives the same treatment, usually negative, that he/she gives to others

UNIT FOUR

VOCABULARY BUILDING



Sentence-She is always taunting others and hurting their sentiments. I just wish someone would give her a taste of her own

medicine.

10. Golden handshake (चनरोपा वेळी चदलेली मोठी रक्कम)

Meaning-A big sum of money given to a person when he/she leaves a company or retires

Sentence-The management of the company wanted to decrease their workforce. They offered a golden handshake to their aged

employees.

11. Mean business (गांभीर / पूणा समपाण)

Meaning-Being serious/dedicated

Sentence-The border is sealed by troops who mean business.

12. Apple of one’s eye (सवाात/सवाांिा लाडका)

Meaning-Being cherished more than others are

Sentence-Sam is adored by his teacher for his childlike nature. He is the apple of her eye.

13. The best of both worlds (एकाि वेळी दोन चभन्न गोष्टींिा लाभ घेणे)

Meaning-The benefits of widely differing situations, enjoyed at the same time.

Sentence-I had the best of both worlds since I worked as an ordinary member of the team but got to learn from the leaders.

14. Feeling a bit under the weather (आजारी असणे)

Meaning-Feeling slightly ill

Sentence-I may not be able to jog today, as I am feeling a bit under the weather.

15. Icing on the cake (एखादी िाांगली गोष्ट)

Meaning-Something that turns good into great

Sentence-India’s victory over England on India’s Independence Day was like icing on the cake.

16. Cost an arm and a leg (खूप महागडे / तोटा होणे)

Meaning-Be very expensive

Sentence-His laziness made him miss his flight to Chandigarh. The next ticket cost him an arm and a leg.

17. Jump the bandwagon (एखाया गोष्टीत सामील होणे)

Meaning-To join a popular activity or trend

Sentence-When he was detected with diabetes, he quickly jumped on the bandwagon and joined the Zumba dance class.

18. Ball is in your court (एखादा चनणाय घ्यावा लागणे / घेण्यािी सांधी येणे)

Meaning-When it is up to you to make the next decision or step.

Sentence-Now the ball is in your court; decide whether you want to reply or not.

19. Bite off more than you can chew (कुवती पेक्षा जास्त घेणे)

Meaning-To take up a task which you may not be able to accomplish due to lack of ability.

Sentence-I bit off more than I could chew when I decided to take up the 300-page research project.

20. Can’t judge a book by its cover (खात्री केल्याचिवाय मत न बनचवणे)

Meaning-Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

Sentence-The house looked impressive in the advertisement. Still I made a trip to the house to check everything. It is wise not to

judge a book by its cover.

21. Hear it on grapevine: (इकडून चतकडून अफवा ऐकणे)

Meaning-To hear rumors about something or someone

Sentence-I heard it on grapevine that he had stiffed an old man asking for his pension.

22. It takes two to tango: (एखाया गोष्टी साठी दोघािी गरज असणे)



Meaning-Actions or communications need more than one person

Sentence-Even though I thought I would be fired after the altercation with my manager, thankfully upper management realized that

it takes two to tango.

23. Last straw: (िेवटिी समस्या)

Meaning-The final problem in a series of problems

Sentence-My body was already in bad shape. The accident was the last straw. I am now on complete bed rest.

24. To be in the doldrums: (मनोधैया कमी असणे)

Meaning-To be in low spirits

Sentence-Sam was in the doldrums after he was insulted by the boss in front of his colleagues.

25. To sit on the fence: (तटस्थ राहणे)

Meaning-To remain neutral

Sentence-Since I wasn’t aware of the details, I decided to sit on the fence during the argument between my cousins.

26. Break the ice: (ििेसाठी पुढाकार घेणे)

Meaning-To initiate a social conversation or interaction

Sentence-At the start of the lecture, the new professor tried to break the ice by telling a joke.

27. A bird’s eye view: (उांिी वरून पाहणी)

Meaning-A view from a very high place that allows you to see a very large area

Sentence-The Singapore Big Wheel offers a bird’s eye view of the city.

28. A litmus test: ( एखादी परीक्षा घेणे)

Meaning-A method that helps to know if something is correct

Sentence-Taking up the job served as a litmus test for me to know how good I was at applying my knowledge.

29. At the drop of a hat: (ताबडतोब)

Meaning-Willingness to do something instantly

Sentence-She expects me to make dinner at the drop of a hat even if I am very busy with office work.

30. Afraid of one’s own shadow: (खूप चभत्रा असणे)

Meaning-To become easily frightened

Sentence-Her creepy encounter with the supernatural had a devastating effect on her. She is now afraid of her own shadow.

31. A house of cards: (िुकीिी योजना / दोषपूणा योजना)

Meaning-A poor plan

Sentence-The State’s new scheme was initially welcomed, but later turned out to be a house of cards when it was discovered how

easy it was to perpetrate a scam.

32. Black and blue: (मार खालेला/खरिटलेले)

Meaning-Full of bruises

Sentence-The young lad was all black and blue after a tiff with a raging senior.

33. Be on cloud nine: (खूप आनांदी असणे)

Meaning-Be very happy

Sentence-I will be on cloud nine when my first article gets published.

34. Bone of contention: (भाांडणािे मुल कारण)

Meaning-A subject or issue over which there is continuing disagreement

Sentence-The examination system has long been a serious bone of contention in the HRD Ministry.

35. Eat humble pie: (चवनम्रपणे माफी मागणे)



Meaning-To apologize humbly

Sentence-He will have to eat humble pie for the disrespect shown to the Captain.

36. Fool’s paradise: (खोट्या आनांदात)

Meaning-False sense of happiness or success

Sentence-They were living in a fool’s paradise, refusing to accept that they were facing poverty.

37. Give cold shoulder: (दुलाक्ष करणे)

Meaning-To ignore

Sentence-I sent her a message to apologize for my misbehavior, but she gave me the cold shoulder.

38. Get a raw deal: (दुसयाा पेक्षा वाईट वागणूक चमळणे)

Meaning-To not be treated as well as other people

Sentence-The fact is that students in government schools get a raw deal.

39. Hit the nail on the head: (एखादी गोष्ट अिूकपणे करणे)

Meaning-To do the correct thing

Sentence-She hit the nail on the head when she laid out a list of justifiable grievances she had with the company.

40. Hand to mouth: (काटकसरीने जगणे)

Meaning-live on only basic necessities

Sentence-The severe drought led the farmers to live hand to mouth.

41. Hit the bull’s eye: (घवघवीत यि चमळवणे)

Meaning-To be exactly right about something or achieve the best result possible.

Sentence-The detective hit the bull’s eye when he figured out that nobody but the doctor could have had access to the poison.

42. Let the cat out of the bag: (नकळतपणे एखादे रहस्य साांगणे)

Meaning-To reveal the secret carelessly or by mistake

Sentence-Now that she had let the cat out of the bag, she had no option but to confess.

43. Make a face: (एखादी गोष्ट न आवडणे)

Meaning-To show dislike or disappointment through facial expressions

Sentence-Little Stella made a face at the sight of bitter gourd in her food.

44. Open Pandora’s Box: (अनेक समस्या ओढून घेणे)

Meaning-To find a source of great troubles and problems

Sentence-Finding the wallet on the road opened up a Pandora’s box. I was arrested for stealing when I went to report it at the police

station.

45. It’s Greek to me (काहीही न समजणे)

Meaning-Something that is not understandable

Sentence-I failed my commerce test; it was all Greek to me!

46. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: (एकाि चठकाणी सवा गुांतवणे)

Meaning-Do not put all your resources in one basket.

Sentence-The boy put all his money into his dream startup that eventually failed. I had told him not to put all his eggs in one basket.

47. To call a spade a spade: (स्पष्टपणे बोलणे)

Meaning-To be brutally frank, outspoken, blunt in speech.

Sentence- Let’s call a spade a spade – popular he may be, but that man is a liar.

48. To be a Good Samaritan: (दु:खात एखायाच्या सोबत राहणे)

Meaning-To be kind and compassionate to someone in distress



Sentence-I was sure I would be stuck on the highway till the morning, but a Good Samaritan offered me a ride home.

49. To put in a nutshell: (थोडक्यात साांगणे)

Meaning-To say in a few words or to make something concise

Sentence-The Textbook Development Committee decided to put the 30-page chapter in a nutshell to help save time for students

during revision.

50. To pour oil on troubled waters: (वाद चमटचवणे)

Meaning-To make peace

Sentence-I am always stuck pouring oil on troubled waters when my mother and wife start their bickering.

Some More Idioms and Phrases for Practice

Above all (chiefly, mainly) प्रामखु्याने

On Account of (due to, for the reason) च्या मळेु

On no account (not for any reason) काहीही कारण नसताना

Above board (honest, beyond reproach) प्रामाणणक

To give a good account of oneself (to act with credit to oneself) चाांगल्या प्रकारे वागणकू दाखणवणे

A fidus Achates (a faithful friend) णवश्वास ूणमत्र

The heel of Achilles (a week point) कमकुवत बाज ू

An Adonis (a very handsome man) देखणा परुुष

To build castles in the air (To day dream) हवेत माडी बाांधणे

To assume airs (to affect superiority) प्रस्थ दाखणवणे

To air one's opinions (to give vent to one's feeling in public) मत माांडणे

To stand aloof (To keep to oneself and not mix with others) तटस्थ राहणे

To lead to the altar (to marry) लग्न करणे

An Amazon (a warlike masculine woman) धष्ट-पषु्ट स्त्री/वीराांगना

An Ananias (a liar) खोटारडा

An Apollo (a man with perfect physique) सुांदर शरीरयष्टी असलेला

The apple of discord (cause of quarrel) भाांडणच कारण

To upset the apple cart (to disturb the peace) शाांतता भांग करणे

Apple pie order (in perfect order) एकदम व्यवणस्थत

Arcadian life (a blissful, happy, rural and simple life) साधे-सखुी आयषु्य

To keep a person at an arm's length (to avoid and keep distance from a person) एखाद्यास टाळणे/दरू ठेवणे

To take up arms (to fight, to go to war) भाांडण करणे

To have an axe to grind (to have some selfish objective in view) व्यणिगत स्वाथथ असणे

Not to know a B from a bull's foot (to be ignorant of even the simplest things) पणूथपणे अज्ञानी असणे

To break the back of any thing (to perform the most difficult part of it) अवघड भाग यशस्वीपणे पणूथ करणे

To get one's back up (to rouse one's anger) एखाद्यास रागास आणणे

To backbite a person (to slander or speak ill of someone) He has no backbone (he has no will of his own)

To cause bad blood (to cause enmity)

Bag and baggage (with all one's belongings)



To keep the ball rolling (to keep things going)

Baptism of fire (a soldier's first experience of actual war)

To call to the bar (to admit as a barrister)

Barmecide's feast (imaginary benefits)

To beat about the bush (to approach a matter in an indirect and round about manner)

To be dead beat (worn out by fatigue)

Bed and board (lodging and food)

As you make your bed, so must lie on it (you will have to bear the consequences of your crimes or your own mistakes or

misdeeds)

To take to one's bed (to have to be confined to bed as a result of sickness)

Bee-line (the shortest distance between two places)

To go a begging (to be sold very cheaply because no one cares to buy)

Behind one's back (without one's Knowledge) Behind the scenes (in private, out of sight)

To bell the cat (to undertake a dangerous task and the enemy is common)

To hit below the belt (to act unfairly in a contest) His better half (a man's wife)

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (certainty is better then possibility)

An old bird is not to be caught with chaff (experienced people are not easily fooled or deceived)

To take the bit between one's teeth (to get out of control)

To bite the dust (to be defeated in battle)

The biter bit (to cheat the cheater)

His bark was worse than his bite (he usually makes a lot of vain verbal threats)

A wet Blanket (a person who is a discourage)

In cold Blood (deliberately)

Blood is thicker than water (One usually takes the side of ones relation against another who is not one's own blood)

To blow hot and cold (to do one think at one time and the opposite soon after)

A blue stocking (a learned woman)

Once in a blue moon (a very rare occurrence)

Blue ribbon (the highest prize in any sport competition) At first Blush (at first sight)

In the same boat (in the same misfortune or circumstances)

A bolt from the blue (a sudden) A bone of contention (a cause of dispute)

A Book-worm (a person always poring over books)

By leaps and bounds (with remarkable speed) Breach of promise (failure to keep a promise to marry one of whom you are

betrothed)

One's bread and butter (one's means of livelihood)

His bread is well butter (he is in fortunate circumstance) The bread winner (one who provides the means of livelihood for

himself and his family)

To Break in (to tame, to control in a gentle manner)



To break the news (to tell someone some important news, usually bad news)

To break the ice (to be the first to begin)

To breadth one's last (to die)

To breadth freely again (to be no longer in a fear or anxiety)

To make bricks without straw (to attempt to do something without proper materials or due preparations)

Never cross the Bridge until you come to it (don't anticipate difficulties)

It is an broad as it is long (it is the same whichever way you view it)

To brow beat (to bully)

To kick the bucket (to die)

John bull (an Englishman)

To bury the hatchet (to forget past quarrels and be friends again) भाांडण णवसरून णमत्र बनणे

Good wine needs no bush (there is no need to advertise something good) चाांगल्या गोष्टीला जाणहराताची गरज नसते

To raise Cain (to rebuke severely) खपू रागावणे/खरडपट्टी काढणे

To take the cake (to take the first prize) प्रथम बक्षीस णमळणवणे

To burn the candle at both ends (to expend energy in two directions at the same time) एखादी गोष्ट दपु्पट वेगाने करणे णकां वा सांपवणे

If the cap fits, wear it (if you think the remarks refer to you) योग्य असेलतर स्वीकारणे

Capitan punishment (the death sentence or penalty)

To put the cart before the horse (to do first what ought to be done afterwards)

To let the cat out of the bag (to expose the trick)

To fight like cats and dog (to be always quarrelling and fighting)

Care killed the cat (don't fret and worry yourself to death)

See which way the cat jumps (sit on fence) To rain cats and dogs (to rain incessantly)

He is a cat's paw (one used as a to something dangerous)

To Catch one's eye (to attract attention)

To take the chair (to preside a meeting)

She is no chicken (she is older than she says)

Chicken hearted (weak, timid)

Don't count your chickens before they are hatched (don't calculate your gains before they are realized)

A chip of the old block (a son resembling his father in face disposition, habits etc.)

Hobson's choice (no alterative)

To pick and choose (to make a careful selection)

Every cloud has a silver lining (adverse conditions do not last for ever)

To square the circle (to attempt something impossible) Close fisted (mean)

To have one's head in the cloud (to live in dreamland)

To carry coals to New castle (to do anything superfluous)

Cut your cloth according to your cloth (live within your income)

A cock and bull story (a foolishly incredible story)



To be cock sure (to be absolutely certain)

To throw cold water upon anything (to discourage effort) Off colour (not in the usual form)

To came off with flying colour (to succeed brilliantly)

To commit to memory (to learn by heart)

Too many cooks spoil the broth (when there are more workers than necessary)

To send to Coventry (to boycott)

An admirable Crichton (a very talented person)

Crocodile tears (hypocritical tears)

By hook or by crook (by fair or foul means)

As the crow flies (in a direct line)

To take up the cudgels (to champion or flight for someone)

To curry favour (to seek favour by flattery)

Cut and dried (ready-made)

To cut a dash (to make an impression)

To be at daggers drawn (to be deadly enemies)

A dare-devil (a fearless, reckless man)

Up to date (recent, modern)

Out of date (obsolete)

Evil days (a period of misfortune)

Halcyon days (A time when there is peace and happiness in the land)

To step into dead man's shoes (to come into an inheritance)

To give the devil his due (give a person credit for his good qualities however worthless he may be)

Go to the devil (be off)

Devil's playthings (playing cards)

Devil's bones (dice)

To be between the devil and the deep sea (to be faced with two dangerous situations, each of which is to be dreaded as much

as the other)

To be on the horns of dilemma (to in such a position that it is difficult to decide what to do)

Give a dog a bad name and hang him (once a person loses his reputation)

To be a dog in the manger (to prevent others from using what one can't use oneself)

Every dog has his day (sooner or later, everyone has his share of good fortune)

To be in the doldrums (to be in low spirits, to be out of spirits)

Ups and downs (varying fortunes; changes and chances of life)

To throw dust in one's eyes (to try to deceive someone)

Dutch courage (bravery induced by alcoholic liquors)

Eagle eye (quick to discover; very discerning)

A bad egg (a worthless person)



Don't put your eggs in one basket (Don't stake all your money on a single industry)

A white elephant (a useless possession which is extremely expensive to keep)

At the eleventh hour (at the last moment)

To make both ends meet (to keep expenses within one's income)

An eye for an eye (tit for tat to return evil for evil; retaliate)

Bad faith (dishonest intentions)

A breach of faith (to act contrary to what one had professed)

To fall out (to quarrel)

To fall through (fail)

Birds of a feather flock together (people of similar tastes and dis-positions crave each other's company)

To set the Thames on fire (to do something sensational or remarkable)

A burnt child dreads the fire (one who has had a previous unpleasant experience is always scared of situations where such

experience are likely to be repeated)

A fish out of water (anyone in an awkward)

Other fish to fry (more important business to attend to)

By fits and starts (spasmodically)

Foul play (cheating)

To jump from a frying pan into fire (to come out of one trouble and get into a worse)

To gain ground (to make progress in any undertaking)

To play to the gallery (to endeavour to gain cheap popularity)

To give up the ghost (to die)

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones (people who do not live blameless lives should not find fault with

others)

All that glitters is not gold (things are not always as attractive as they appears)

A good for nothing (a worth less person)

A good Samaritan (a friend in need)

A wild goose chase (a vain attempt)

To kill the goose that laid the golden egg (to lose a valuable source of income though greed)

To cut a Gordian knot (to solve a difficult problem by adopting bold and drastic measures)

From hand to hand (from one person to another)

Hard and fast rules (strict rules) Hard to hearing (almost deaf)

Back in harness (to resume work after a holiday)

To die in harness (to continue at one's occupation until death)

More haste less speed (work done hurriedly is apt to be badly done)

Make hay while the sun shines (take advantage of all opportunities)

To be in hot water (to be in trouble or difficulty)

To eat an humble pie (to submit oneself to humiliation and insult)



To kiss the book (to take an oath in a produce or commodities)

To kiss the dust (to be defeated in battle)

A laconic speech (a concise)

To look to one's laurels (to take care not to lose one's place)

To win laurels (to gain distinction or glory in s contest)

To smell of the lamp (to show signs of strenuous preparation for an examination or a speech etc.)

Look before you leap (think before action)

To stand on one's own legs (to depend entirely on one's own resources)

To give the lie to (to prove to be false)

To bring to light (to reveal)

A Lilliputian (a pygmy)

The lion's share (the largest part)

Lock, stock and barrel (the whole of everything)

A Martinet (a very strict disciplinarian)

A miss is as good as a mile (comes nowhere near it)

To move heaven and earth (to exert all efforts)

To hit the nail on the head (to mention the true facts of a case)

A stitch in time saves nine (If we give our attention to the little details of life)

In a nutshell (Summed up in a few words)

Out of temper (angry)

To pick to pieces (to analyses critically)

The proof of the pudding is in eating (people are judged by their actions)

To put down a person (to degrade or humiliate a person)

To make a silk purse out of a sow's ear (to attempt to accomplish great things with inferior materials)

Pyrrhic victory (a victory that is as costly as defeat)

To be like a drowned rat (to be soaking wet)

Red flag (the symbol of revolution)

To be caught red-handed (to be caught in the very act of committing a crime)

Red letter-day (a memorable day)

Red tape (a team used to describe the delay in attending to matters in government department because the official routine and

formality)

Rome was not built in a day (it takes time to accomplish anything really worthwhile)

To be between Scylla and Charybdis (to be faced with two dangerous alternatives)

To see daylight (to begin to understand)

A close shave (a narrow escape)

A skeleton in the cupboard/the family skeleton (a dreadful domestic secret)

By the skin of the teeth (very narrowly)



A snake in the grass (an enemy who strikes under cover)

A Spartan life (a life of extreme self-discipline)

To call a spade a spade (to be brutally frank)

A rolling stone gathers no moss (unstable people never achieve anything worthwhile)

One swallow does not make a summer (it is unreliable to base one's conclusions on only a single test or incident)

Empty vessels make the most noise (those who know or have little knowledge often shout the loudest)

If wishes were horses, beggars might ride (if all people's wishes came true everybody would be rich)

A nine days' wonder (an event which relates a sensation for a time but is soon forgotten)

Yellow press (newspapers which publish sensational and unscrupulous stories about crime, sex etc.)

Exercise 4.4: Write sentences using the idioms in the dotted line:

a) In a nutshell:

Ans: The Textbook Development Committee decided to put the 30-page chapter in a nutshell

to help save time for students during revision

b) At the outset:

Ans: I learned at the outset of the project that I was to lead it.

c) A bosom friend:

Ans: The two girls had become bosom friends.

d) In full swing:

Ans: When we arrived the party was already in full swing.

e) Hit the hay:

Ans: While watching movie he hit the hay.

f) In the dark:

Ans: She arrived at the meeting as much in the dark as everyone else

g) True to the salt:

Ans: He stayed True to the salt throughout his life.

h) For the sake of:

Ans: I believe in education for its own sake.

i) In a state of:

Ans: He died in a state of grace.

j) Look forward to:

Ans: I was looking forward to meeting you.

k) Look out for:

Ans: Do look out for spelling mistakes in your work.

l) Turn down:

EXERCISE



Ans: He asked her to marry him but she turned him down.

m) Lay down:

Ans: She laid the book down on the table.

n) Get your walking papers:

Ans: You’d better clean up your act or you’re going to get your walking papers.”

o) By all means:

Ans: I was ready to go, obviously by all means..

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