Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

my study portal > Idioms and phrases > Flashcards

Idioms and phrases Flashcards

1
Q

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

A

Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might risk losing everything.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

A dime a dozen

A

Anything that is common and easy to get

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

A Doubting Thomas

A

A sceptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to believe something

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

A gentleman at Large

A

An unreliable person

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

A mare’s Nest

A

A false invention

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

All and sundry

A

Without making any distinction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

At sixes and seven

A

Persons who are having different opinions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Bakers dozen

A

13

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Between scylla and charibdis

A

Choice between two unpleasant alternatives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Between the cup and the lips

A

On the point of achievement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Call spade a spade

A

Straight talk

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Can’t cut the mustard

A

Someone who isn’t adequate enough to compete or participate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Cast iron stomach

A

Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects with eating anything

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Chip On his shoulder

A

Angry today about something that occurred in the past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Close but no cigar

A

And almost accomplish a goal, but fall short

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

cock And bull story

A

An unbelievable tale, and untrue story

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Come hell or high water

A

Any difficult situation or obstacle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Dark horse

A

Someone who was previously unknown but now prominent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Down to the wire

A

Something is at the last minute or last few seconds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

86

A

to throw out,” “to get rid of,” or “to refuse service t

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Elvis has left the building

A

the show has come to an end its all over

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Fabian policy

A

Policy of delaying decisions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Flash in the pan

A

Something that shows potential looks promising in the beginning but fails to deliver

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Get your working papers

A

Get

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Gird of the loin
To be ready
26
Hand a gloves
Very intimate friends
27
Hell in a hand basket
Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster
28
High on the hog
Living in luxury
29
Hit Below the belt
Contrary to Principles of fairness
30
In like flynn
To be easily successful specially when sexual or romantic
31
ivory tower
Imaginery world
32
Make no bones about
To state of fact so that there are no of doubts or objections
33
Method to my madness
Crazy actions that a beer meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason
34
Fiddling while Rome burns'
means to occupy oneself with unimportant matters and neglect priorities during a crisis.
35
Fly on the wall'
alludes to the position of being able to freely observe a situation without being noticed.
36
green horn
inexpirienced
37
A stalking horse (
pretence The demands of the trade union seem only a stalking horse to blackmail the management.
38
A mare’s nest
(a false invention) : The involvement of politicians in the developmental scheme proved to be a mare’s nest.
39
An eye wash
(a pretence) : He does nothing without self interest, all his excuses are, but an eye wash.
40
Between the cup and the lips (
on the point of achievement) : Until I got the appointment letter in hand, I was not sure of the posting as there were many slips between the cup and the lips.
41
Confusion worse confounded (
be in further worse position) : Such demonstrations and communal speeches in present situation make confusion worse confounded.
42
Cut and dried (
readymade form) : There is no cut and dried method of English speaking.
43
Curtain lecture
(a reproof by wife to her husband) : My younger brother never pays any attention to his wife’s curtain lecture.
44
Ever and anon
(now and then) : She goes to temple ever and anon.
45
Fair field and no favour (
equal opportunity to all) : All the staff want fair field and no favour in the matter of transfer.
46
Fabian policy (
policy of delaying decisions) : Mr. Narsimha Rao always followed a Fabian policy in all political issues.
47
Fire and brimstone (
fearful penalties) : The USA has threatened Iraq with fire and brimstone, if she refuses to follow the resolutions of UNO.
48
Fire and fury (
extreme enthusiasm) : The speech of the leader was full of fire and fury.
49
Gall and wormwood (
source of irritation) : Her remarks about his father were gall and wormwood to him.
50
Gird up the loin (
to be ready) : We should gird up the loin to fight the poverty and menace of dowery.
51
Hand and gloves (
very intimate friends) : Ram and Rahim are hand and gloves to each other.
52
Head and shoulder (
superior) : Shri Man Mohan Singh is head and shoulder above his counter parts.
53
Helter skelter (
here and there) : On arrival of the police the strikers ran helter skelter.
54
Hit below the belt (
contrary to principles of fairness) : By making his private secretes public he hit him below the belt.
55
from stem to stern
from front to the back
56
over egg the pudding
try so hard to improve something that you spoil it,
57
with main and might
with ones all strength
58
Hole and corner policy (
a secret policy for an evil purpose) : The officer adopted hole and corner policy to get his P.A. transferred.
59
Hush money (
a bribe) : He managed to escape punishment by paying hush money.
60
Ins and outs
(full detail) : Before starting any new business you must know all ins and outs of it.
61
Ivory tower (
imaginary world) : Those who talk of non-violence as a useful tool in tackling the militants live in ivory tower.
62
Live-wire (
energetic) : India needs live-wire scientists who can put the country on the fast track of progress.
63
Loaves and fish (
material interests) : Now-a-days Government servants are concerned with the loaves and fish of the office than to solve the problems of common public.
64
Milk and water (
weak) : The foreign policy of India is nothing more than a milk and water policy.
65
Neck and crop (
with brisk dispatch and completeness: The Pak army ruined the border village neck and crop.
66
going dutch
pay for ur share
67
rain or shine
whatever the circumstances
68
play it by the ear
Play music by remembering the sound rather than reading notes
69
Dead in the water
failed and impossible that it will be impossible in the future
70
Red letter day
Pleasant and memorable occasion
71
chaise ones tail
Spend a lot of time in energy doing a lot of things but actually achieving too little
72
Waiting in the wings
Waiting for an opportunity to take action

my study portal (17 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions