Important Idioms and Phrases for UPSC , BCS, IPS,CSP , IELTS, TOEFL , Bank exams and all competitive Examinations ( Part -4)

Important Idioms and Phrases for UPSC , BCS, IPS,CSP , IELTS, TOEFL , Bank exams and all competitive Examinations ( Part -4)

1.      Neck and crop ( completely , bodily , in a heap ) He was down and out neck and crop.

2.      Neck and neck ( side by side ) It was a neck and neck race to invent the aero plane.

3.      Hornet’s nest ( dangerous place ) Few take the courage of going to a Hornet’s nest.

4.      Heave to ( bring a vessel to a standstill) The vessel was heaved to.

5.      Under the heels ( crushed tyrannized) Hitler put many people under the heels.

6.      Heel and toe ( with strict walking pace, as opposed to running ) You cannot overtake a cycle heel and toe.

7.      Heave in sight ( come in view ) I will be there to welcome you when heave in sight .

8.      Come to heel ( come in behind, to obey or follow like a dog) Wherever a minister goes , sycophants come to heel.

9.      Help over ( to enable to surmount) Help over the little boy in his studies.

10. Heyday ( period of fullest vigor) He gained everything during the heyday of his life.

11. On high ( Aloft, in heaven ) After drink he was on high.

12. High spot ( an outstanding feature ) Bhangra is a high spot of Punjabi marriages.

13. High time( time for action ) It is high time that you should realize your responsibility towards your parents.

14. High words ( angry altercation ) Let us avoid a bargain with high words.

15. Up to the hilt ( completely , thoroughly , to the full ) Napoleon was a soldier up to the hill.

16. Off the hinges ( disorganized , out of gear ) An army must never be off the hinges.

17. Hit a blot ( to find a weak spot ) A politician always hits a blot in the opposition.

18. Dismal science ( political economy ) You find many leaders sunk in the dismal science.

19. At discretions ( according to one’s judgment )  The magistrate decided the matter at discretion.

20. Apple of discord ( cause of quarrel ) Money was the apple of discord among the brothers.

21. Dispense with ( terminated) His services have been dispensed with from Monday.

22. In all conscience ( certainly ) In all conscience I will get first class in the examination.

23. Contempt of court ( Interference with the administration of justice) Om Prakash was found guilty of the contempt of court

24. New fangled ( Newly achieved ) New fangled things do not live long.

25. Bid fair ( promise ) He bids fair to become a minister.

26. Fair trade ( the principle of reciprocity ) The trade to do may be free but it certainly is not fair.

27. Fall across ( to meet by chance)  I fell across an old friend on the  road.

28. Man in the moon ( very rare person ) You have become a man in the moon now a days.

29. Man Friday ( a servile attendant ) I will be Man Friday to you.

30. Make up to ( to make friendly approach to, to compensate) I will make up to her.

Important Idioms and Phrases for UPSC , BCS, IPS,CSP , IELTS, TOEFL , Bank exams and all competitive Examinations ( Part -3)

Important Idioms and Phrases for UPSC , BCS, IPS,CSP , IELTS, TOEFL , Bank exams and all competitive Examinations ( Part -3)

1)    Cut a figure – (to make a conspicuous appearance ) Ninja cuts a figure at every social function.

2)    Figure on – ( count on ) In every emergency I figure on you for help.

3)    In fine ( in short) In fine, I cannot meet you today.

4)    Fix up ( to arrange or settle) They have fixed up an interview tomorrow.

5)    Full fling ( at the utmost speed) He is working with full fling.

6)    Flesh and felt ( the whole body) The flesh and felt is subject to decay.

7)    Fool’s paradise ( a state of false expectations ) For quarter  of a century after attaining independence , the people of India have lived in fool’s paradise.

8)    For all (notwithstanding) He fought and lost for all my advice.

9)    To try one’s fortune (to take a risky step) Let us try our fortune and join in his business.

10)           For the better (indicates improvement) The patient has taken a turn for the better.

11)           For to (in order to) He worked hard for to pay off his debts.

12)           Fall foul of (to come into conflict) The students are falling foul of the authorities everywhere.

13)           Foul play (dishonest dealing) We should not indulge in a foul play with our friends.

14)           Fret and fume ( to be angry with , to be cross) There is no use fretting and fuming about a loss in business or in life.

15)           The four sea (everywhere) Wind blows over the four seas.

16)           Take a French leave ( to proceed on leave without permission) Many government servants are fond of availing French leave.

17)           Leading light ( very influential member) The President has the leading light of the ruling party.

18)           Leading lady ( heroine) Victoria was the leading lady of her times.

19)           Lean year ( famine) A lean year is generally followed after the war.

20)           By leaps and bounds ( very quickly) The whole country is progressing by leaps and bounds.

21)           Go all lengths ( to do everything ) A politician will go all lengths to stay in power.

22)           Let in ( to allow to enter, to take in , to swindle) Let in all sincere men.

23)           Liberty Hall ( a place where one may do what one pleases) A university is not a liberty Hall.

24)           In lieu of ( instead of ) In lieu of his going , I shall myself go there and see what can be done.

25)           Come to light ( to be revealed) The murder of Alexander has not yet come to light.

Important Idioms and Phrases ( Part -2)

Important Idioms and Phrases ( Part -2)

1.     By and large –( generally speaking) By and large , mothers control the house.

2.     Buy off ( to get rid of by bribery) The prisoner bought off his release.

3.     A piece of cake ( something easy and pleasant) Life these days is not a piece of cake.

4.     At call ( readily available) For some fortunate people money is at call.

5.     Call attention to ( to point out, to recall) Let me call attention to your childhood days when your condition was miserable.

6.     At command ( Available for use) My house is at your command.

7.     Pros and cons ( points in favor and against) You must study the pros and cons of the whole situation.

8.     In a crack ( In a moment ) I shall be there in a crack.

9.     A far cry ( a great distance ) Truth in India is a far cry.

10.                        Cry off ( to withdraw from agreement ) The CPI will cry off from the Congress.

11.                        Cry up ( Praise) People cry up the rising sun.

12.                        Cut and dried ( ready made)  She was offered cut and dried food.

13.                        Cut out for ( fit for) He is cut out for a minister.

14.                        Hue and cry ( noise) There is much hue and cry in the market.

15.                        Cut dead ( refuse to recognize) When she talked to him, he cut her dead.

16.                        At daggers drawn ( In a state of hostility ) America and Russia are at daggers drawn.

17.                        To strike a damp into ( to discourage) I don’t know why some parents strike a damp into the heart of their children in doing some work.

18.                        Sword of Damocles ( A big danger ) The Pakistan – China alliance is a sword of Damocles hanging over India.

19.                        Call it a day ( leave off) Let us call it a day and go home now.

20.                        Dash out ( knock out ) She has dashed out her enemies one by one.

Important Idioms and Phrases ( Part -1)

Important Idioms and Phrases ( Part -1)

1)    Find one in – (to supply one with ) you will find God in children.

2)    Fall off – ( to deteriorate , to die , to perish , to draw back ) The leaves fall off in autumn .

3)    Fall on – ( to begin eagerly ) The studious students fall on their books near the examination .

4)    White flag – ( an emblem of truce or surrender ) Since you have lost the battle of life , it is time to show the white flag.

5)    Fit out – ( equip ) The train is fitted out for the tour.

6)    Kill off ( exterminate) The doctors have failed to kill off the germs of any disease.

7)    Kiss the book ( take a legal oath ) You kiss the book for marriage .

8)    In kind ( in goods instead of money) When payment is made in kind, it is called barter.

9)    Kiss the dust ( to humble oneself) Unless one has the quality of kissing the dust , one cannot rise in life .

10)                       Lay under ( to subject to) No country should be laid under a military dictator .

11)                       Feed one’s legs ( to begin to support oneself) The youth must feel his legs sooner rather than later.

12)                       To pull one’s legs ( to deceive) Never pull legs of your friends .

13)                       At length ( in full , at last , fully extended) We discussed the marriage proposal at length.

Author : Mohammad Arif Mohiuddin