Idioms and Phrases for Competitive Exams, CUET, Class 12 with Meaning

The English language has idioms and phrases, which are frequently employed to add interest to sentences. Idioms are frequently employed in poetry, storytelling, and spoken language. Although their exact roots are not always known, many idioms are said to have developed through time from storytelling and other forms of creative writing. In contrast to idioms, phrases are straightforward and to the point. The phrase means what the words imply; it has no figurative undertones. In Board exams and Many competitive exams like CUET, CLAT, NDA, and other competitive exams involving English language themes, usually include idioms and phrases questions.

Idioms Meaning

Idioms are a group of expressions that have a common, established, and understood metaphorical meaning. Therefore, it is impossible to interpret these sentences literally because doing so would make them absurd. Idioms may also look grammatically out of the ordinary.

Idioms are a helpful language tool. They give the prose life and colour. Instead of writing simple, dull paragraphs, it enables the authors to play with words and make the text exciting to read. Idioms are frequently employed in poetry, storytelling, and spoken language. Although their exact roots are not always known, many idioms are said to have developed through time from storytelling and other forms of creative writing.

Let’s look at some incredibly inventive idioms and their corresponding meanings.

10 Idioms with Meanings and Examples

As you watch American TV shows or films, you must have seen commonly used English idioms. English idioms, proverbs, and phrases are widely used in written and spoken common English. Idioms don’t always make sense literally, therefore students need to understand what they mean and how to utilise them. Even though it might seem like a lot of work, idioms are enjoyable! It is frequently referred to as a speaking style that sounds more native, thus learning some of these terms is really helpful.

So, the top 10 idioms together with their definitions and use examples are listed below:

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20 Idioms with Meanings

Some idioms with their meanings are given below in the form of a tables

Idioms and Phrases in English Examples with Meaning

Phrases Meaning

A phrase is a short collection of words that functions as a whole. These pieces are a component of a longer phrase or clause. In contrast to idioms, phrases are straightforward and to the point. The term means what the words suggest; there are no figurative undertones.
In contrast to a complete sentence, a phrase contains a subject and a verb. They are a part of a complete sentence, hence it does not express a complete sentence. Noun, verb, infinitive, gerund, appositive, participial, prepositional, and absolute phrases are the eight major categories of phrases.

Phrases Examples

• Anjana loves to hang out.
• Aleena has no kith and kin here.
• Next year my friend will come here.
• John has to decide; the ball is in his court.
• We were walking very slowly.
• The book you gifted me was really interesting.
• Mark will be always with you through thick and thin.
• Rohit is slow and steady.

Phrases in English

Here are a few common phrases in English along with their meanings:

Break the ice – To initiate conversation in a social setting.
Spill the beans – To reveal a secret.
Once in a blue moon – Something that happens very rarely.
Piece of cake – Something that is very easy.
Burn the midnight oil – To work late into the night.
Hit the sack – To go to bed.
Under the weather – Feeling sick or unwell.
Bite the bullet – To endure a painful situation courageously.
The ball is in your court – It’s your decision or responsibility to take the next step.
A blessing in disguise – Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be beneficial.

Hit the nail on the head – To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
Let the cat out of the bag – To accidentally reveal a secret.
Cost an arm and a leg – Very expensive.

Idioms and Phrases for CUET

List of 100 commonly used idioms and phrases, along with their meanings, which are helpful for CUET and other competitive exams:

A
A blessing in disguise – Something good that isn’t recognized at first.
A penny for your thoughts – Asking what someone is thinking.
A piece of cake – Something very easy.
Add insult to injury – To make a bad situation worse.
All ears – Fully listening.
At the drop of a hat – Without any hesitation.
An arm and a leg – Very expensive.
Apple of one’s eye – Someone cherished above others.
B
Back to the drawing board – Start over.
Ball is in your court – It’s your decision now.
Barking up the wrong tree – Making a mistake or false assumption.
Beat around the bush – Avoiding the main topic.
Better late than never – It’s better to arrive late than not at all.
Bite off more than you can chew – Taking on a task that is too big.
Burn the midnight oil – To work late into the night.
Break the ice – To initiate conversation in a social setting.
C
Call it a day – Stop working on something.
Caught between a rock and a hard place – In a difficult situation.
Costs an arm and a leg – Very expensive.
Cry over spilt milk – Complain about a loss from the past.
Cut corners – To do something poorly to save time or money.
Curiosity killed the cat – Being too curious can lead to trouble.
D
Devil’s advocate – Someone who presents a counter-argument.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – Don’t assume the outcome before it happens.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Don’t risk everything on one venture.
Down to the wire – At the last possible moment.
Draw the line – Set a limit.
E
Elbow grease – Hard physical work.
Every cloud has a silver lining – There is something good in every bad situation.
Easier said than done – Not as easy as it appears.
F
Face the music – Accept the consequences.
Feeling under the weather – Feeling ill.
Fish out of water – Uncomfortable in a particular situation.
Fit as a fiddle – In excellent health.
Fortune favors the bold – Success comes to those who take risks.
G
Get out of hand – Get out of control.
Give the benefit of the doubt – Trust what someone says.
Go the extra mile – Do more than is expected.
Green with envy – Jealous of someone’s success.
Grasp at straws – Try something with little chance of success.
H
Hit the nail on the head – Say something exactly right.
Hold your horses – Be patient.
Haste makes waste – Doing something too quickly leads to mistakes.
Home is where the heart is – Your true home is where you are loved.
Hitting the books – Studying hard.
I
In the same boat – In the same situation.
It’s not rocket science – It’s not complicated.
In hot water – In trouble.
It takes two to tango – Actions or communication require mutual effort.
It’s a small world – Meeting someone unexpectedly in an unlikely place.
J
Jack of all trades – Someone good at many things but not an expert in any.
Jump on the bandwagon – Join others in doing something popular.
Judge a book by its cover – Base opinions on appearances.
K
Keep an eye on – Watch carefully.
Kill two birds with one stone – Achieve two things with a single effort.
Kick the bucket – To die.
Keep your chin up – Stay optimistic.
L
Let the cat out of the bag – Reveal a secret.
Look before you leap – Think carefully before acting.
Last straw – The final problem that makes a situation unbearable.
M
Make a mountain out of a molehill – Overreact to a small problem.
Miss the boat – Miss an opportunity.
Mind your P’s and Q’s – Be polite and careful.
N
Not the sharpest tool in the shed – Not very smart.
No pain, no gain – You have to work for what you want.
No stone unturned – Do everything possible.
O
On the ball – Alert and efficient.
Once in a blue moon – Rarely.
Out of the frying pan into the fire – Move from a bad situation to a worse one.
P
Piece of cake – Very easy.
Pulling someone’s leg – Joking or teasing.
Put your foot in your mouth – Say something embarrassing.
Pull yourself together – Calm down and behave normally.
R
Raining cats and dogs – Raining heavily.
Rome wasn’t built in a day – Important things take time.
S
Spill the beans – Reveal a secret.
Steal someone’s thunder – Take credit for someone else’s idea.
Speak of the devil – The person you’re talking about appears.
Skeleton in the closet – A hidden and embarrassing secret.
Straight from the horse’s mouth – Directly from the source.
T
The ball is in your court – It’s your turn to act.
Throw in the towel – To give up.
Take it with a grain of salt – Don’t take it too seriously.
The writing on the wall – Clear sign of something bad happening.
Turn a blind eye – Ignore something intentionally.
U
Under the weather – Feeling sick.
Up in the air – Uncertain or undecided.
Use your loaf – Think carefully.
V
Value for money – Worth the cost.
W
When pigs fly – Something that will never happen.
Wild goose chase – A futile search.
Word of mouth – Information passed orally.
Wear your heart on your sleeve – Show emotions openly.
Y
You can’t judge a book by its cover – Appearances can be deceptive.
Your guess is as good as mine – I don’t know either.
Z
Zero in on – Focus on something.
Zip your lip – Be quiet.
Zigzag course – A path that doesn’t follow a straight line.
Zoom past – Move quickly.
Zest for life – Enthusiasm and energy for living.

100 Idioms and Phrases for Competitive Exams and Class 12

100 idioms and phrases that are commonly asked in competitive exams:

A blessing in disguise – A good thing that initially seemed bad.
A dime a dozen – Something very common and of little value.
Beat around the bush – Avoid saying what one means, typically because it is uncomfortable.
Bite the bullet – Face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage.
Break the ice – Start a conversation in a social setting.
By the skin of one’s teeth – Barely managing to do something.
Cut corners – To do something in a way that saves time or money, but is not of the highest quality.
Cry over spilled milk – To waste time worrying about something that cannot be changed.
Devil’s advocate – Someone who argues a point they do not believe in for the sake of argument.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – Don’t assume success or outcomes before they happen.
Hit the nail on the head – To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
In the heat of the moment – Overcome by emotions at the time.
Kill two birds with one stone – Accomplish two tasks with one action.
Let the cat out of the bag – To reveal a secret by accident.
Once in a blue moon – Rarely.
Piece of cake – Something very easy to do.
Raining cats and dogs – Raining heavily.
Spill the beans – Reveal secret information.
Take it with a grain of salt – To view something with skepticism.
Burn the midnight oil – To work late into the night.
A penny for your thoughts – Asking someone what they are thinking.
Barking up the wrong tree – Accusing the wrong person or pursuing the wrong course.
Burn bridges – To destroy relationships.
Caught between a rock and a hard place – To be in a difficult situation with no easy escape.
Cut to the chase – Get to the point.
Under the weather – Feeling ill.
Throw in the towel – To give up.
The ball is in your court – It’s up to you to make the next decision.
Off the hook – To be free from blame or trouble.
Hit the sack – To go to bed.
Pull yourself together – Calm down.
Under the radar – To go unnoticed.
Actions speak louder than words – What you do is more important than what you say.
Back to the drawing board – Start over after a failure.
Birds of a feather flock together – People with similar interests often group together.
Bite off more than you can chew – To take on more responsibility than one can handle.
Blow off steam – To release pent-up energy or emotion.
Call it a day – To stop working for the day.
Caught red-handed – Caught in the act of doing something wrong.
Curiosity killed the cat – Being too curious can lead to trouble.
Every cloud has a silver lining – There is something good in every bad situation.
Fit as a fiddle – In very good health.
Hit the ground running – Start something and proceed energetically.
Let sleeping dogs lie – To avoid bringing up an old problem.
On cloud nine – Extremely happy.
Out of the blue – Unexpectedly.
Play devil’s advocate – Argue against something to test the argument’s strength.
Put all your eggs in one basket – To risk everything on one thing.
Read between the lines – Understand something that isn’t stated directly.
Steal someone’s thunder – Take attention away from someone else.
Take the bull by the horns – To confront a difficult situation head-on.
Throw caution to the wind – To take a risk.
Turn a blind eye – To ignore something wrong or bad.
Water under the bridge – Something from the past that is no longer important.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too – You can’t have everything you want.
Bite the hand that feeds you – To treat someone badly who has helped you.
Make a mountain out of a molehill – Exaggerate a minor problem.
Pull the wool over someone’s eyes – Deceive someone.
Go the extra mile – To make a special effort.
Leave no stone unturned – To do everything possible to achieve something.
Throw the baby out with the bathwater – Discard something valuable while trying to get rid of something unwanted.
On thin ice – In a risky situation.
Pour salt on the wound – To make a bad situation worse.
Hit the books – Study hard.
In hot water – In trouble.
Jump the gun – Act too soon without thinking.
Keep your chin up – Remain positive in a difficult situation.
Put your foot in your mouth – Say something unintentionally offensive.
On the same page – To agree or understand things similarly.
Burn the candle at both ends – To overwork oneself.
Fly off the handle – Lose temper suddenly.
The tip of the iceberg – A small part of a larger problem.
Play it by ear – To decide what to do as a situation develops.
Skeleton in the closet – A hidden and potentially embarrassing secret.
The best of both worlds – A situation where you can enjoy two different opportunities at the same time.
No pain, no gain – Hard work is necessary to achieve something.
Face the music – To accept the consequences of one’s actions.
Come hell or high water – No matter what happens.
Jump on the bandwagon – Join others in doing something fashionable or popular.
Have a chip on your shoulder – To be easily angered or ready to fight.
Don’t cry wolf – Don’t call for help unless you really need it.
Get cold feet – Become nervous or anxious about something.
Hit the jackpot – To be highly successful or get a big reward.
It’s a small world – The occurrence of unexpected connections.
Keep your eyes peeled – Be alert and watchful.
Let bygones be bygones – To forget past offenses.
Miss the boat – To miss an opportunity.
Out of sight, out of mind – To forget about someone or something once it’s gone.
Rock the boat – To cause trouble or disrupt the status quo.
Sink or swim – To either succeed by your own efforts or fail.
The writing on the wall – An indication that something bad will happen.
Throw in the towel – To give up or quit.
Two peas in a pod – Very similar people or things.
Up in the air – Uncertain or unresolved.
Wear your heart on your sleeve – To show your emotions openly.
Whole nine yards – Everything; all the way.
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours – If you do me a favor, I’ll do one for you.
Like a fish out of water – To feel uncomfortable in a situation.
Against the clock – To be in a rush to finish something in time.
Zip your lip – To keep quiet about something.

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