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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.

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2
Q

A dime a dozen

A

Anything that is common and easy to get

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3
Q

A Doubting Thomas

A

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

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4
Q

A gentleman at Large

A

An unreliable person

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5
Q

A mare’s Nest

A

A false invention

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6
Q

All and sundry

A

Without making any distinction

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7
Q

At sixes and seven

A

Persons who are having different opinions

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8
Q

Bakers dozen

A

13

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9
Q

Between scylla and charibdis

A

Choice between two unpleasant alternatives

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10
Q

Between the cup and the lips

A

On the point of achievement

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11
Q

Call spade a spade

A

Straight talk

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12
Q

Can’t cut the mustard

A

Someone who isn’t adequate enough to compete or participate

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13
Q

Cast iron stomach

A

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

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14
Q

Chip On his shoulder

A

Angry today about something that occurred in the past

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15
Q

Close but no cigar

A

And almost accomplish a goal, but fall short

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16
Q

cock And bull story

A

An unbelievable tale, and untrue story

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17
Q

Come hell or high water

A

Any difficult situation or obstacle

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18
Q

Dark horse

A

Someone who was previously unknown but now prominent

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19
Q

Down to the wire

A

Something is at the last minute or last few seconds

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20
Q

86

A

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

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21
Q

Elvis has left the building

A

the show has come to an end its all over

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22
Q

Fabian policy

A

Policy of delaying decisions

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23
Q

Flash in the pan

A

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

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24
Q

Get your working papers

A

Get

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25
Q

Gird of the loin

A

To be ready

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26
Q

Hand a gloves

A

Very intimate friends

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27
Q

Hell in a hand basket

A

Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster

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28
Q

High on the hog

A

Living in luxury

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29
Q

Hit Below the belt

A

Contrary to Principles of fairness

30
Q

In like flynn

A

To be easily successful specially when sexual or romantic

31
Q

ivory tower

A

Imaginery world

32
Q

Make no bones about

A

To state of fact so that there are no of doubts or objections

33
Q

Method to my madness

A

Crazy actions that a beer meaningless but in the end are done for a good reason

34
Q

Fiddling while Rome burns’

A

means to occupy oneself with unimportant matters and neglect priorities during a crisis.

35
Q

Fly on the wall’

A

alludes to the position of being able to freely observe a situation without being noticed.

36
Q

green horn

A

inexpirienced

37
Q

A stalking horse (

A

pretence The demands of the trade union seem only a stalking horse to blackmail the management.

38
Q

A mare’s nest

A

(a false invention) : The involvement of politicians in the developmental scheme proved to be a mare’s nest.

39
Q

An eye wash

A

(a pretence) : He does nothing without self interest, all his excuses are, but an eye wash.

40
Q

Between the cup and the lips (

A

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
Q

Confusion worse confounded (

A

be in further worse position) : Such demonstrations and communal
speeches in present situation make confusion worse confounded.

42
Q

Cut and dried (

A

readymade form) : There is no cut and dried method of English speaking.

43
Q

Curtain lecture

A

(a reproof by wife to her husband) : My younger brother never pays any attention to his
wife’s curtain lecture.

44
Q

Ever and anon

A

(now and then) : She goes to temple ever and anon.

45
Q

Fair field and no favour (

A

equal opportunity to all) : All the staff want fair field and no favour in the
matter of transfer.

46
Q

Fabian policy (

A

policy of delaying decisions) : Mr. Narsimha Rao always followed a Fabian policy in all
political issues.

47
Q

Fire and brimstone (

A

fearful penalties) : The USA has threatened Iraq with fire and brimstone, if she
refuses to follow the resolutions of UNO.

48
Q

Fire and fury (

A

extreme enthusiasm) : The speech of the leader was full of fire and fury.

49
Q

Gall and wormwood (

A

source of irritation) : Her remarks about his father were gall and wormwood
to him.

50
Q

Gird up the loin (

A

to be ready) : We should gird up the loin to fight the poverty and menace of dowery.

51
Q

Hand and gloves (

A

very intimate friends) : Ram and Rahim are hand and gloves to each other.

52
Q

Head and shoulder (

A

superior) : Shri Man Mohan Singh is head and shoulder above his counter parts.

53
Q

Helter skelter (

A

here and there) : On arrival of the police the strikers ran helter skelter.

54
Q

Hit below the belt (

A

contrary to principles of fairness) : By making his private secretes public he hit him
below the belt.

55
Q

from stem to stern

A

from front to the back

56
Q

over egg the pudding

A

try so hard to improve something that you spoil it,

57
Q

with main and might

A

with ones all strength

58
Q

Hole and corner policy (

A

a secret policy for an evil purpose) : The officer adopted hole and corner
policy to get his P.A. transferred.

59
Q

Hush money (

A

a bribe) : He managed to escape punishment by paying hush money.

60
Q

Ins and outs

A

(full detail) : Before starting any new business you must know all ins and outs of it.

61
Q

Ivory tower (

A

imaginary world) : Those who talk of non-violence as a useful tool in tackling the
militants live in ivory tower.

62
Q

Live-wire (

A

energetic) : India needs live-wire scientists who can put the country on the fast track of
progress.

63
Q

Loaves and fish (

A

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
Q

Milk and water (

A

weak) : The foreign policy of India is nothing more than a milk and water policy.

65
Q

Neck and crop (

A

with brisk dispatch and completeness: The Pak army ruined the border village neck and crop.

66
Q

going dutch

A

pay for ur share

67
Q

rain or shine

A

whatever the circumstances

68
Q

play it by the ear

A

Play music by remembering the sound rather than reading notes

69
Q

Dead in the water

A

failed and impossible that it will be impossible in the future

70
Q

Red letter day

A

Pleasant and memorable occasion

71
Q

chaise ones tail

A

Spend a lot of time in energy doing a lot of things but actually achieving too little

72
Q

Waiting in the wings

A

Waiting for an opportunity to take action

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