Class XII, ENGLISH, Grammar, "Idioms & Phrases"

Idioms & Phrases

1. At sixes and sevens: Home ruler, who were all at sixes and sevens among themselves agreed only upon the one thing and that was the freedom of India.

2. All in all: The Head clerk is all in all in this office.

3. All the same: It is all the same to me whether the pull over is home-made or bazaar-made. 

4. At large: The culprits are still at large.

5. By fits and starts: He works by fits and starts and does not apply him steadily.

6. Black sheep: We should be aware of the black sheep in our society.

7. A bone of contention: This property is a bone of contention between the two brothers.

8. To break the ice: We all wanted to talk on this subject by no one willing to break the ice.

9. A burning question: Kashmir is a burning question of the day.

10. To back out: He promised to help me but backed out at the eleventh hour.

11. To beat about the bush: Stop beating about the bush; say exactly what you mean.

12. Bed of roses: A military life is not bed of roses.

13. In cold blood: He murdered the merchant in cold blood.

14. To fall to the ground: The theory has fallen to the ground.

15. Go hand in hand: Diligence and prosperity go hand in hand.

16. Leave no stone unturned: Shah Faisal left no stone unturned to bring about unity in the Islamic world.

17. Live from hand to mouth: Our middle class people live generally from hand to mouth.

18. Look down upon: He is so proud of his promotion that he looks down upon all his former friends.

19. At a loss: He is never at a loss for an appropriate word.

20. To pay back in the same coin: If a person rude towards you, it does not mean that you should pay him in the same coin.

21. To keep pace with: Agriculture in the states has kept pace with manufacture, but it has far out stepped commerce.

22. Red tape: Flourence Nightingale was a sworn enemy of red tape.

23. To speak volumes: The murders spoke volumes about political conditions before Indian elections.

24. Up to the mark: You don’t look quite up to the mark today.

25. To get into hot water: Do not quarrel with your officers or you will soon get into hot water.

26. Time and again: Time and again proverbs come to be true.

27. Cut off: The supplies were cut off from the soldier due to snow fall.

28. Run against: Zuhair Akram Nadeem was running against Dr. Farooq Sattar in the elections 89.

29. To turn over a new leaf: The teacher pardoned the boy on the condition that he promised to turn over a new leaf in future.

30. To nip in the bud: The plot to overthrow the Government was detected and nipped in the bud.

31. To feel like a fish out of water: Being the only educated person in that village, I felt like a fish out of water.

32. To shed crocodile terars: Don’t be deceived by the beggar’s crying. They are only crocodile’s tears.

33. Lion share: The stronger person generally gets the lions share of the property.

34. To cry over spilt milk: The damage has been done but instead of crying over spilt milk do something to repair it.

35. It is high time: The exams begin next month so it is high time to study seriously.

36. To save something for the rainy day: He wasted his savings and has kept nothing for the rainy day.

37. With a high hand: He is the most unpopular because he decides matters with a high hand.

38. Day in and day out: I have been warning you day in and day out.

39. To make the most of: He let me use his bicycle for a week and I am going to make the most of it.

40. To make the fun of: We should not make fun of handicaps.

41. To make room for: They made room for more guests as all seats were full.

42. To go through: He went through the whole book within a week.

43. In all: He got 782 marks in all.

44. All alone: Yesterday night she was all alone in her house.

45. To put into practice: The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) put into practice what he preaches.

46. A wild goose chase: The robbers fled away and the police gave them a wild goose chase.

47. To end in smoke: All his efforts ended in smoke because they were not made sincerely.

48. With flying colours: If you work hard you will pass your examination with flying colours.

49. Odds and ends: The shopkeeper does not sell any particular article, but deals in odds and ends.

50. Under one’s nose: The police were on the look out for the culprit who was hiding under their nose.

51. To poke one’s nose into: One should not poke one’s nose into others affairs.

52. To kick up a row: It is useless kicking up a row when the matters can be decided peacefully.

53. To wind up: He is winding up his business in the city, as he going abroad.

54. In black and white: I want your statement in black and white.

55. A red letter day: 14th August is a red letter day in the history of Pakistan.

56. To run into: Last night my friend ran into a cheat who deprived him of his brief case by changing it with an empty one.

57. To bring to light: A number of facts were brought to light by the Prime Minister in the recent Press Conference.

58. At the eleventh hour: The president postponed his meeting with the journalists due to visit of the French delegation at the eleventh hour.

59. To come across: In the wedding party, she come across he two very close friends of the University life.

60. To give up: The doctor has strictly advised him to give up drinking and smoking for the sake of his life.

61. To call a spade, a spade: Islam teaches us to call a spade, a spade even before a cruel ruler.

62. To look after: All the parents have to look after their children during the early period of the school life.

63. To break up: The two partners have decided to break up the partnership and divide the assets equally.

64. To get rid of: Pakistan must get rid of that type of foreign aid, which puts on her, undue political pressure.

65. At a stretch: Saeed Anwer played an aggressive inning and continued to score runs at a stretch.

66. To give in: Imran Khan and Miandad were real fighters and they would never give in till the last ball.

67. To let down: The rich feel proud of their wealth and usually let down the poor.

68. Once in a blue moon: I am not so fond of movies and watch some fine art movie once in a blue moon.

69. To fall out: A short tempered football player fell out with his opponents and got wounded.

70. To call on: The winners of 1994 World Cup called on the President, with their captain.

71. To call off: The University students finally decided to call off the strike as their demands were accepted.

72. To bring home to: Rizwan brought home to her all the important aspects of the matter.

73. To get over: The Indian Government made all possible efforts to get over the epidemic of plague.

74. To get across: The news of Mr. Eddhi’s self-exile got across the country within no time.

75. To make up for: The Government and people of Iraq are working day and night to make up the loss caused by the Gulf war.

76. To make off: The robbers made off through the back door just as the security guard started firing into air.

77. To bring out: The telephone Corporation has brought a decent Directory in three volumes.

78. To bring up: Abraham Lincoln was brought up by his parents in a state of very limited financial resources.

79. To take off: The Hajj flight will take off every morning during the next couple of weeks.

80. To take place: The wedding of my cousin will take place in the first week of November, next.

81. To keep up: Our cricket team must go through an extensive training and practice session to keep up their position in the next world cup.

82. To stir up: The statement given by Mr. Abdul Sattar Eddhi caused great stir up in the political circles. 

83. To go off: While the police man was cleaning his rifle, it suddenly went off because it was loaded.

84. To let off: Finally, the defaulter was let off by the civil authorities in view of his undertaking to abide by the rules in future.

85. To beg for: The Quaid-e-Azam begged for peace and friendship with his former enemies, the Congress leaders.

86. To furnish with: The chief justice was furnished with all the documentary proofs against the accused.

87. To look for: After the panic had subsided, people started looking for their misplaced baggage.

88. To run after: According to Einstein, ordinary people run after ordinary objects such as property and luxury.

89. To turn down: The secretary was taking down the main points to prepare a summary of the Seminar on pollution.

90. To watch over: Sensible parents make it a point to watch over the outdoor activities of their growing up children.

91. To bank on: Never bank on a fair weather friend because he will certainly cheat you.

92. To blow hot and cold: It is part of his nature to blow hot and cold as he favours this political party today the other party tomorrow.

93. To break the news: It was really very hard to break the shocking news of her husband’s accidental death to her.

94. To call names: He is such loose tempered man that he often begins to call names to his neighbours.

95. To turn the tables: The pace attack by Wasim Akram and Waqar turned the tables against India and our cricket team got victory.

96. To hold water: The judge will give a favourable verdict only when you lawyer’s arguments hold water.

97. To face the music: Those who are responsible for terrorism in the city must face the music and be dealt with.

98. To be under the cloud: These days, the opposition leaders are under a cloud and being tortured by the Government.

99. By hook or by crook: The corrupt politicians try to win in every general election by hook or by crook.

100. To run short of: These days most areas in Karachi are running short of water supply.