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Idiom and Phrases > English Idiom > Flashcards

English Idiom Flashcards

1
Q

An axe to grind

A

Selfish reason

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2
Q

Old head on young shoulder

A

Child thinks like experienced person

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3
Q

Apple pie order

A

In good condition

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4
Q

At a loss

A

Unable to decide

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5
Q

At a pinch

A

In a trouble

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6
Q

At arms length

A

Avoid becoming too friendly

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7
Q

At daggers drawn

A

Bitter enmity

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8
Q

At ones wits end

A

Puzzled and confused

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9
Q

At sixes and seven

A

Disorder

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10
Q

Cry for the moon

A

To desire the unattainable

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11
Q

Cut a sorry figure

A

To give a poor show

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12
Q

Cut both ways

A

Argue in favour of both sides

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13
Q

Cut no ice

A

To fail to make an impression

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14
Q

Dark horse

A

One who wins unexpectedly

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15
Q

Dead letter

A

Law no longer enforced

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16
Q

Democles Sword

A

Constant threat

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17
Q

Die in harness

A

Die while in service

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18
Q

Dog in manger

A

Person who prevents others from enjoying what he cannot

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19
Q

Donkeys years

A

A long time

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20
Q

Duck in thunderstorm

A

In painful condition

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21
Q

Eagle eyed

A

With keen eyesight

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22
Q

Eat humble pie

A

To apologize

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23
Q

Elbow room

A

Sufficient scope to move

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24
Q

Escape ones lips

A

Speak unintentionally

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25
Q

Fabian policy

A

Slow policy or delaying action

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26
Q

Fair sex

A

Women

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27
Q

Feather ones nest

A

Enrich oneself by taking advantage of ones position

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28
Q

Fight shy of

A

Attempt to avoid a thing or person

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29
Q

Fish in troubled waters

A

To take advantage of the problems of others

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30
Q

Fools paradise

A

Happy for foolish or unfounded reason

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31
Q

Forty winks

A

Nap

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32
Q

French leave

A

Leave without informing

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33
Q

Fringe benefits

A

Additional benefit from salary

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34
Q

Gala day

A

Celebration day

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35
Q

Get down to

A

To attend work seriously

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36
Q

Get on ones nerve

A

To annoy

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37
Q

Give a piece of mind

A

Rebuke

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38
Q

Go to dogs

A

Deteriorate

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39
Q

Grass widow

A

Divorced

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40
Q

Halcyon days

A

Peaceful

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41
Q

Hammer and sickle

A

Communism

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42
Q

Hammer and tongs

A

Great effort

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43
Q

Hand and glove with

A

Great cooperation

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44
Q

Haul over the coal

A

Reprimand

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45
Q

Have finger in pie

A

To be involved in something

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46
Q

Hen packed husband

A

Admirer to ones wife

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47
Q

High and dry

A

In deprived situation alone

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48
Q

Hobsons choice

A

No alternative

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49
Q

Hole and corner policy

A

Secret policy

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50
Q

Hue and cry

A

Loud public outcry

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51
Q

Hush money

A

Secret keeping money

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52
Q

In black and white

A

Printed form

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53
Q

In the blues

A

Depressed

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54
Q

In the nick of time

A

At last possible moment

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55
Q

In vogue

A

In the current fashions

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56
Q

Ins and outs

A

Intricacies or full detail

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57
Q

Itsy bitsy

A

Very small

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58
Q

Judas kiss

A

False love

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59
Q

Kangaroo court

A

Illegal court

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60
Q

Keep the wolf from door

A

Avert poverty

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61
Q

Left hand compliment

A

Insult disguised as compliment

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62
Q

Loaves and fishes

A

Material benefit

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63
Q

Look off colours

A

Look ill

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64
Q

Mad as March hare

A

Crazy and Insane

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65
Q

Lump in throat

A

Uncomfortable feeling due to emotions

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66
Q

Make a clean breast

A

Confess something illegal

67
Q

Maiden speech

A

First speech

68
Q

Maiden speech

A

First speech

69
Q

Make a hash

A

Mess up

70
Q

Man of straw

A

A weak person

71
Q

Mares nest

A

False invention

72
Q

Midas touch

A

Make business profitable

73
Q

Midas touch

A

Make business profitable

74
Q

Mince matters

A

Moderate or restrain language

75
Q

Mind ones P and Q

A

Take care of behavior properly

76
Q

Mind ones P and Q

A

Take care of behavior properly

77
Q

Mother wit

A

Common sense

78
Q

Mother wit

A

Common sense

79
Q

Nig nag

A

Annoy with joke

80
Q

Nig nag

A

Annoy with joke

81
Q

Nine days wonder

A

Great interest for short time

82
Q

Nine days wonder

A

Great interest for short time

83
Q

Nip in the bud

A

Put an end to something in initial stage

84
Q

Nurse a grudge

A

Resentment for long period

85
Q

Nurse a grudge

A

Resentment for long period

86
Q

Oily tongue

A

Flattering words

87
Q

Oily tongue

A

Flattering words

88
Q

Part and parcel

A

Inseparable part

89
Q

Pay the piper

A

Bear the cost of something

90
Q

Pay the piper

A

Bear the cost of something

91
Q

Past master

A

Expert

92
Q

Pay through his nose

A

Pay dearly

93
Q

Penny wise pound foolish

A

Careful about trifles but wasteful in large ventures

94
Q

Penny wise pound foolish

A

Careful about trifles but wasteful in large ventures

95
Q

Play ducks and drakes

A

Waste money

96
Q

Play ducks and drakes

A

Waste money

97
Q

Play truant

A

Absent from duty

98
Q

Pull the wool over somebody eyes

A

Mislead

99
Q

Pull the wool over somebody eyes

A

Mislead

100
Q

Put a spoke in wheel

A

Obstruct

101
Q

Put a spoke in wheel

A

Obstruct

102
Q

Put in cold storage

A

Keep work pending

103
Q

Put in cold storage

A

Keep work pending

104
Q

Put ones foot down

A

Act firmly

105
Q

Put ones foot down

A

Act firmly

106
Q

Put ones shoulder to the wheel

A

Work heavily

107
Q

Put ones shoulder to the wheel

A

Work heavily

108
Q

Rain cats and dogs

A

Rain heavily

109
Q

Rain cats and dogs

A

Rain heavily

110
Q

Rainy day

A

Financial need

111
Q

Red letter day

A

Important happy occassion

112
Q

Red tapism

A

Excessive paper work

113
Q

Red tapism

A

Excessive paper work

114
Q

Rest on ones laurel

A

Achievement from past

115
Q

Rest on ones laurel

A

Achievement from past

116
Q

Rock the boat

A

Disturb stable situation

117
Q

Rock the boat

A

Disturb stable situation

118
Q

Rolling stone

A

Restless person

119
Q

Run in the same groove

A

Maintain sweet relationship

120
Q

Run in the same groove

A

Maintain sweet relationship

121
Q

Run of the mill

A

Common

122
Q

Run the gauntlet

A

Go through unpleasant experience

123
Q

See eye to eye

A

Agree

124
Q

See eye to eye

A

Agree

125
Q

See pink elephant

A

Hallucinations

126
Q

Set at naught

A

To disregard or no importance

127
Q

Set ones teeth on edge

A

Annoy irritate

128
Q

Set ones teeth on edge

A

Annoy irritate

129
Q

Set thames on fire

A

Achieve something amazing

130
Q

Show white feather

A

Cowardice

131
Q

Small fry

A

Insignificant person

132
Q

Shake in the shoes

A

Tremble with fear

133
Q

Sow the dragon teeth

A

Future trouble for others

134
Q

Sow the dragon teeth

A

Future trouble for others

135
Q

Spick and span

A

Neat and clean

136
Q

Spick and span

A

Neat and clean

137
Q

Steal a march

A

To obtain advantage by secret means

138
Q

Steal a march

A

To obtain advantage by secret means

139
Q

Stir a finger

A

Making effort

140
Q

Stones throw

A

Very near

141
Q

Stones throw

A

Very near

142
Q

Street arabs

A

Very poor

143
Q

Swan song

A

Farewell

144
Q

Take away ones breath

A

Overwhelm with surprise

145
Q

Take the bull by horns

A

Most dangerous ways of facing difficulty

146
Q

Through thick and thin

A

In good and bad times

147
Q

Through thick and thin

A

In good and bad times

148
Q

Throw cold water upon

A

To discourage

149
Q

Throw cold water upon

A

To discourage

150
Q

Throw down the gauntlet

A

Challenge

151
Q

Throw down the gauntlet

A

Challenge

152
Q

Tooth and nail

A

Violent

153
Q

Turn over new leaf

A

Entirely changed

154
Q

Turn turtle

A

Overturn

155
Q

Up ones sleeves

A

Item kept hidden

156
Q

Wet blanket

A

One who spoils enjoyment

157
Q

Wet blanket

A

One who spoils enjoyment

158
Q

Wheels within wheel

A

Intricate connected events

159
Q

Wheels within wheel

A

Intricate connected events

160
Q

White elephant

A

Expensive no use

161
Q

Will o wisp

A

Unreal

162
Q

Will o wisp

A

Unreal

163
Q

With a grain of salt

A

Accept with misgiving

164
Q

Yeoman service

A

Excellent work

Idiom and Phrases (2 decks)

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