Idioms And Phrases

 ❏ Acid Test (A conclusive test of the success or value of something)

➨ I practised hard but the acid test will come at the time of my exam.

❏ A red letter day (An important day)

➨ 26 January is a red letter day for our nation.

❏ A white elephant (Of no use)

➨ That super size desk is a white elephant for him.

❏ Back-room boys (People who perform important work but have no contact with the public)

➨ The director praised his back room boys for the success of this project.

❏ Black sheep (A traitor)

➨ Later on Mr Subhash proved a black sheep for the company where he was working.

❏ Bee in one's bonnet (Carrying an idea which constantly occupies your thoughts)

➨ Seema is not happy in Africa. She has a bee in the bonnet about moving to India.

❏ Blood, sweat and tears (Something that requires a lot of effort and hard work)

➨ Being an actor is not just a matter of luck for him, it is his blood, sweat and tears which has got him there.

❏ Bottom fell out (Refers to a situation wwhen a plan or project fails)

➨ When the police announced a red alert in the city, the bottom fell out of their plan to hold a rally.

❏ Cut-throat competition (A tough competition)

➨ There is a cut-throat competition among the publishers in the market.

❏ Close to home (A comment which is true and and one cam relate to it)

➨ Her remarks were embarrassingly close to home.

❏ Dead in the water (Plan or project that has ceased to function and is not expected to be re-activated in future)

➨ Because of GST, the plan to get the FDI in various sectors is now dead in the water.

❏ Dead wood (People or things which are no longer useful or necessary)

➨ The company bought in a lot of new computers. They no longer want the dead woods.

❏ Deep down (Describing what a person really feels deep inside or what he is like)

➨ A mother has an outward appearance of calm, but deep down she is really worried for her children.

❏ Fever pitch (When a feeling is very intense and exciting, it is said to be at a fever pitch)

➨ His love for music had reached a fever pitch before he became a world known musician.

❏ Fish out of water (Feeling uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings)

➨ Being Indian, I felt like a fish out of water in the group of Chinese people.

❏ Fine-tooth comb (Examining something carefully to not miss out any details)

➨ The teacher examined my notebook with a fine tooth comb before submitting it to the principal.

❏ Flying start (Something that is immediately successful)

➨ The film hits the box office with a flying start and collected the highest revenue on the first day.

❏ Foot in the door (Small but good start with a possibility for a bright future)

➨ With customers coming in, his new venture has got a foot in the door.

❏ Go bananas (Refers to someone who behaves in a crazy way out of emotions)

➨ Your decision to go abroad for a year will make your family go bananas.

❏ Proud as a peacock (Refers to an extremely proud person)

➨ His son has finally become a doctor. He is as proud a peacock.

❏ Rags to riches (Becoming very rich while starting very poor)

➨ His innovative ideas in business got him from rags to riches.

❏ Slow and steady (Consistent and effective efforts)

➨ Slow and steady wins the race.

❏ Smash hit (Refers to music, films which are very successful)

➨ His music became a smash hit in a week's time.

❏ Tongue-tied (Difficulty in expressing)

➨ As her prospective in laws came to see her, she was completely tongue tied.

❏ Top dog (Very successful group, company, person, country etc.)

➨ The economic survey proved that they are the top dogs of the IT industry.

❏ Tricks of the trade (Clever or expert way of doing something)

➨ Being into the construction business for the last 10 years, I know all tricks of the trade.

❏ Under a cloud (to not be trusted or popular because people think you have done something bad)

➨ Neha was under a cloud as she dropped off the plan at the last minute.

❏ Wooden spoon (Imaginary prize för the last person in a race)

➨ We won a wooden spoon at the fashion show.

❏ Whole bag of tricks (Trying all the clever means to achieve something)

➨ It was really difficult to find the information even after applying the whole bag of tricks.