A to Z Idioms and Phrases - Summary
An Idiom is an expression or way of speaking that is used in common parlance. They are the amalgamation of words that convey a separate meaning altogether. A Phrase is a collection of words that stands together as a single unit in a sentence, typically as part of a clause or a sentence. A Phrase does not contain any subject and verb so it cannot convey any thought. Example:- Noun Phrase, Verb Phrase, and Prepositional Phrase.
A Phrase is a combination of words that functions as a single unit. These components make it into a larger sentence or clause. Phrases, unlike Idioms, are straightforward and to the point. They don’t have any figurative interpretations; the term means exactly what the words say.
A to Z Idioms and Phrases
| S.No. | Idioms & Phrases | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Rank and File | Ordinary People |
| 2. | By fits and starts | In short periods, not regularly |
| 3. | A wee bit | A little |
| 4. | Out of the wood | Free from difficulties and dangers |
| 5. | Under his thumb | Under his control |
| 6. | At one’s wit’s end | In a state where one does not know what to do |
| 7. | Between the devil and the deep sea | Between two dangers |
| 8. | Burn the midnight oil | Work or study hard |
| 9. | Call a spade a spade | Speak frankly and directly |
| 10. | Come off with flying colors | Be highly successful |
| 11. | Hoping against hope | Without hope |
| 12. | Hit the nail on the head | Do or say the exact thing |
| 13. | An axe to grind | A personal interest in the matter |
| 14. | To get rid of | Dispose of |
| 15. | At daggers drawn | Bitterly hostile |
| 16. | To play ducks and drakes | To act foolishly or inconsistently |
| 17. | To take the bull by the horns | To tackle a problem in a bold and direct fashion |
| 18. | Rain cats and dogs | Rain heavily |
| 19. | To move heaven and earth | To make a supreme effort |
| 20. | No avail | Without any result |
| 21. | Bark up the wrong tree | Accuse or denounce the wrong person |
| 22. | Keep one at bay | Keep one at a distance |
| 23. | Make a clean breast of it | Confess – especially when a person has done a wrong thing |
| 24. | Have a card up one’s sleeve | Have a secret plan in reserve |
| 25. | Like a cat on hot bricks | Very nervous |
| 26. | Cat and dog life | Life full of quarrels |
| 27. | Cock and bull story | Made up story that one should not believe |
| 28. | Cry for the moon | Ask for the impossible |
| 29. | The pros and cons | The various aspects of a matter in detail |
| 30. | Be in a tight corner | In a very difficult situation |
| 31. | Cross one’s t’s and dot | Be precise, careful and one’s i’s exact |
| 32. | At arm’s length | To keep at a distance |
| 33. | Out of the question | Impossible |
| 34. | Out of the way | Strange |
| 35. | Show a clean pair of heals | Run away |
| 36. | Keep one’s fingers crossed | The anxiety in which you hope that nothing will upset your plans |
| 37. | In the nick of time | Just at the last moment |
| 38. | Sitting on the fence | Hesitate between two decisions |
| 39. | Spread like wild fire | Spread quickly |
| 40. | The gift of the gab | Talent for speaking |
| 41. | By hook or by crook | By fair or foul means |
| 42. | Feather one’s own nest | Make money unfairly |
| 43. | Throw out of gear | Disturb the work |
| 44. | Take to one’s heels | Run away |
| 45. | Tooth and nail | With all one’s power |
| 46. | Die in harness | Die while in service |
| 47. | Take a leaf out of one’s book | Imitate one |
| 48. | Leave no stone unturned | Use all available means |
| 49. | A man of straw | A man of no substance |
| 50. | Read between the lines | Understand the hidden meaning |
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