Idioms and Phrases
An idiom is a widely used saying or expression that contains a figurative meaning that is different from the phrase’s literal meaning. For example, if you say you’re feeling “under the weather,” you don’t literally mean that you’re standing underneath the rain. Idioms are a collection of words or phrases which have a figurative meaning that is generally well-established and known. So these words can’t be taken at their literal meanings since they would sound farcical. Idioms, at times, seem grammatically unusual as well.
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. For Example- His patience was put through an acid test, His patience was not actually put through an acid test but it means that the effectiveness of his patience was checked.
Idioms and Phrases With Hindi Meaning
| 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 |
Idioms Competitive Exams
- A Blessing in Disguise
Meaning: A good thing that initially seemed bad - A Dime a Dozen
Meaning: Something that is very common, not unique - Adding Insult to Injury
Meaning: To make a bad situation even worse - Beat Around the Bush
Meaning: Avoid sharing your true viewpoint or feelings because it is uncomfortable - Beating a Dead Horse
Meaning: Giving time or energy to something that is ended or over - Bite the Bullet
Meaning: To get an unfavorable situation or chore over with now because it will need to get finished eventually - Best of Both Worlds
Meaning: The choice or solution has all of the advantages of two contrasting things at the same time - Biting Off More Than You Can Chew
Meaning: Not having the capacity to take on a new assignment or task that is just too taxing - By the Skin of Your Teeth
Meaning: Just barely making it - Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
Meaning: Not judging something by its initial appearance - Doing Something at the Drop of a Hat
Meaning: Doing something at the moment of being asked - Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Meaning: Not to count on something happening until after it’s already happened - Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Meaning: Making a choice between two unpleasant choices
Phrases
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.
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