1-100 idioms Flashcards
first 200 idioms from blackbook
a bad patch
a period of difficulty
a beast of burden
An animal that carries luggage
A bee Hive
a busy place
a bird in hand is worth two in the bush
having something for certain is better than the possibility of getting something better
a big draw
huge attraction
a bird’s eye view
a general view from above
aerial view
Good and comprehensive idea
an overall view
a bite at the cherry
An attempt or opportunity to do something
(kuch kerne ka moka milna )
A blessing/boon in disguise
An apparent misfortune that eventually has good results .
A hidden favour
A blue-eyed boy
one who is favourite
A bolt from the blue
-> something unexpected and unplesant
-> A complete surprise
-> A sudden calamity
-> An unexpected disaster
A bone of contention
-> cause of dispute/quarrel
-> point of an argument
A bull market
A period of rising prices in the stock market
A bull in a china shop
A clumsy person in a delicate situation
A close-fisted person
A miser (kanjoos admi )
A cakewalk
-> An easy achievement
-> An easy task or victory
A can of worms
A complicated situation or problem
A carrot and a stick approach
rewards and punishments that influence someone’s behaviour
A change of heart
-> A change in one’s opinion
-> Different opinion about something or someone
A closed book
A mystery
A cog in the machine
very small part of a big organization
A clean slate
Situation in which you can start again
A cold fish
someone who seems unfriendly and who does not share his feelings (bhavnao ko sajha nahi kerne wala admi )
A cut above something
superior to (behetar)
A cuckoo in the nest
An unwelcome intruder
A damp squib
-> A disappointing result
-> A situation or event which is much less impressive than expected.
A “squib” is an old-fashioned term for a small firework or explosive.
If it’s damp, it fails to go off properly, or doesn’t explode at all. So a damp squib = a failed bang.
A damsel in distress
A helpless woman
“Damsel” comes from the Old French word “demoiselle”, meaning a young noblewoman.
A dark horse
-> An unexpected winner
-> Someone who unexpectedly suceeds
-> An unknown entry
-> A competitor of unknown capabilities
A dead letter
A law or agreement that is no longer enforced or followed
A dead loss
completely useless
A diamond in the rough
Someone or something with potential or talent but lacking training or polish .
Diamonds, when first mined, look like dull, unpolished stones.
It takes cutting, shaping, and polishing to reveal their true brilliance.
A dime a dozen
-> very common and of no particular value
-> Anything that is common and easy to get
A dog’s breakfast
A total mess
A dog’s life
A miserable existence
A drop in the bucket / ocean
-> A very small part of something big or whole
-> A quantity too small to make an impact
A dry run
-> Rehearsal of an event
-> A practice session
A fine state of affairs
An unpleasant situation
The phrase dates back to the 1700s-1800s, when “state of affairs” referred to the condition or situation of things — usually political or social.
Throwing in “fine” adds that sarcastic twist, which became more popular in British English.
A fire in someone’s belly
One who is energetic and enthsiastic about something
The “fire” represents energy, drive, or passion, while “belly” refers to the stomach (where we often feel emotional reactions, like hunger or excitement).
A fish out of water
An uncomfortable , unfamiliar or unsuitable position or situation.
A fly on the wall
An unpercieved observer
(chori chupe dekhne wala vyakti)
The phrase goes back to the 1600s, with the idea that a fly, being tiny, can sit unnoticed on the wall of a room, observing what’s going on around it.
A flying visit
A very short visit
A fool’s paradise
-> Being happy for foolish reasons
-> A state of happiness based on a person’s not knowing about potential trouble
A gentleman at large
A man without job.
The phrase “at large” has been used for centuries to mean free or without specific responsibilities.
A golden mean
-> Middle course between two extremes
-> neither too much or too little
A good samaritan
A helpful person.
A Samaritan (considered an outsider by the Jews at the time) helps an injured man on the road after others (a priest and a Levite) passed him by.
The Samaritan shows compassion, bandages the man’s wounds, and takes him to an inn, paying for his care — demonstrating that true kindness transcends boundaries.
A green horn
An inexperienced person.
“Greenhorn” dates back to the 18th century and was originally used to describe someone who was new or young, with “green” symbolizing inexperience (kind of like the tender shoots of a new plant).
A grey area
-> An area where things aren’t clearly defined
-> An unclear situation.
The phrase “gray area” comes from the idea that gray is neither black nor white, making it the ideal metaphor for something that lacks clarity.
A hair in the butter
A challenging situation.
The phrase “a hair in the butter” likely comes from the idea that a hair is a small, unwanted impurity, and butter represents something smooth and perfect.
It plays on the contrast between something that’s meant to be perfectly smooth (butter) and the unwanted imperfection of a hair, which is completely out of place in something that’s supposed to be creamy and flawless.
A hair’s breadth
Telling about the smallest possible amount or degree of something
A hairbreadth escape
-> A narrow escape
-> Narrow margin
A hard nut to crack
-> Difficult task
-> A tough challenge
-> A difficult person
-> An inflexible person who is hard to convince
A hornet’s nest
-> An unpleasant , difficult or troublesome situation
-> Raising controversy
The phrase “a hornet’s nest” comes from the idea that hornets, unlike bees, are aggressive and will swarm and sting anyone who disturbs their nest.
A hot potato
-> A controversial issue
-> Situation that is difficult to deal with
The phrase “a hot potato” dates back to the 16th century, and it likely came from the idea of a hot potato being uncomfortable to hold and something you’d want to pass on quickly.
A house of cards
A fragile or unstable situation that can easily collapse or fail
A kick in the teeth
-> A grave setback
-> Great dissapointment
A lame excuse
-> Unsatisfactory explanation
-> Weak excuse
A laughing stock
-> An object of laughter
-> An object of ridicule
In olden times, “stock” could mean a wooden figure or post — and people used to make effigies (like creepy mannequins) to mock others. So, a laughing-stock was quite literally a dummy everyone laughed at. (And not the inflatable kind at parties.)
A lean patch
A period of poor performance
A left handed compliment
-> An ambiguous compliment
-> Insulting remark appearing as praise
A leopard can’t change its spots
It is impossible for one to change one’s character
A little bird told me
-> To keep the identity of informant secret
-> Receive information from a secret source .
A little gush of gratitude
Friendly feeling
A live wire
A person who is full of energy
A long shot
little chance of success
A lot on your plate
-> To have a large number of problems to deal with
-> Having many responsibilities
A man of letters
-> Proficient in literary art
-> Scholar
-> A well educated and a wise person
A man of means
A wealthy man with lots of money and assets
A man of spirit
A very courageous man
A man of straw
-> A man with no substance
-> A weak or cowardly person
A mare’s nest
-> A difficult/complicated situation
-> A false invention
A month of Sundays
A long time
A moot point
Disputed
A needle in a haystack
-> Something that is very difficult to locate
-> Attempting something impossible
A night owl
A person who prefers to be awake late at night
A nig-nog
A fool
A pain in the neck
Someone or something that is annoying/irritating or a nuisance.
A penelope’s web
An endless job
A penny for your thoughts
A way of asking what someone is thinking
