101 Important Idioms for Competitive Exams Part 1

101 Important Idioms for Competitive Exams Part 1

101 Important Idioms for Competitive Exams Part 1

An arm chair jobGood income job with high comfort
An old flameOld lover from the past
An old head on young shouldersA young person talking or thinking like an experienced person
An olive branchPeace request
Apple of discordCause of quarrel or dispute
Apple of one’s eyeOne who is very dear to someone
At a lossUnable to decide
Apple-pie orderIn very good condition
At a pinchIn a trouble
At arm’s lengthMaintaining distance, avoiding friendship
At daggers drawnEnmity
Bad BloodEnmity
At easeComfortable, free from pain and anxiety
At one’s fingertipsTo have complete knowledge of something
At one’s wit’s endPuzzled, surprised, confused
At sixes and sevensIn disorder
At stakeAt risk and unsecured
Back stairs gossipUnfair talks, talk among servants
Baker’s dozen13 in number
Be in the driving seatControlling everything, bearing all responsibilities
Beat black and blueTo beat mercilessly
Beat hollowTo defeat thoroughly and convincingly
Beck and callReady to obey instantly
Beggar DescriptionSomething that is very difficult to describe
Bell the catTaking the first step at personal risk
Bird of passageOccasional appearance
Bird’s eye viewOverview
Birds of featherPeople with similar characteristics
Black sheepone who is regarded as a disgrace to one’s family
Blind alleyA situation where no further progress can be made
Blue bloodOne from a royal descendant
Blue bookGovernment report
Body and soulCompletely
Bolt from the blueunexpected sudden trouble
Bone of contentionThe subject of a dispute
Bosom friendVery close or best friend
Breathe one’s lastTo pass away
Broken reedUnreliable person
Brown studyA state of deep thought
Burn a hole in the pocketTo spend money quickly
Burn the candle at both endsTo waste money
Burn the midnight oilStudying till late at night
Burning questionHot topic
Bury the hatchetTo end the hostility or enmity
By the skin of one’s teethNarrow margin
Carry the coal to NewcastleWasting time and energy on useless things
Cast pearls before swinea right thing in a wrong hand
Cat and dog lifeTroublesome life
Cat’s pawA person used by another as a tool
Chew the cudTo ponder (think) over something
Chicken heartedCowardly
Cock and bull storyA concocted or made-up story
Cry for the moonTo desire for unattainable
Cut a sorry figureTo give a poor show
Cut both waysTo argue in favor of both sides
Cut no iceFail to make an impression
Dark horseOne who wins unexpectedly
Dead letterA law that is no longer in use
Democle’s swordConstant threat
Die in harnessDie while in service
Dog in the mangerOne who prevents others from enjoying what he cannot
Donkey’s yearsA long time
Draw a lineSet a limit
Duck in the thunderstormIn a painful condition
Eagled eyedWith a keen eyesight
Eat humble pieTo apologize
Eat one’s wordsTake a statement back
Elbow roomSufficient scope to move or work
End in smokeCame to nothing
Escape one’s lipsSpeak unintentionally or unexpectedly
Fabian policyA policy of delaying decisions
Fair sexWomen
Fair weather friendA selfish friend who is with us only in our good times
Feather in the capAdditional success
Feather one’s nestTo enrich oneself by taking advantage of one’s position
Fool’s paradiseA state of being happy for foolish things
Forty winksA quick nap (sleep)
French leaveLeave without permission
Fringe benefitsAdditional benefits apart from salary
From hand to mouthJust enough to survive, nothing extra
Gala dayDay of Celebration
Get into a soupGet into trouble
Get off scot freeTo escape without punishment
Get on one’s nervesTo irritate or annoy
Gibble-gabbleFoolish talk
Gift of the gabTalent for speaking
Give a piece of mindTo scold or rebuke
Good SamaritanKind and helpful person
Grass widowA woman who is separated, divorced, or lives apart from her husband
Green roomA room where performers get ready for the show
Grease the palmTo bribe
Hang by a threadIn a risky situation
Hammer and sickleA symbol of communism
Have one’s hands fullTo be completely occupied
Have several irons in the fireTo be onvolved in many projects at the same time
Hen-pecked husbandOne who is dominated by wife
High and dryStranded, helpless, deprived
Hole and corner policySecret policy
Hush moneyMoney given to someone to keep something secret
Hobson’s choiceNo real choice at all
Herculean taskTask requiring great efforts