Idioms And Phrases Previous Year Questions with Solutions

Questions: Find the correct meaning of the highlighted word in each of the sentences from the choices given below.

Q.1. Ravi was an impecunious student noted for his academic excellence.    (AIELT, 2021)
(a) brilliant and studious
(b) rude and arrogant
(c) shrewd and manipulative
(d) having little or no money

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.2. The lady looked rather lugubrious.    (AIELT, 2021)
(a) sad and sorrowful
(b) eager and anxious
(c) happy and cheerful
(d) high and energetic

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Q.3. She displayed a recalcitrant attitude.    (AIELT, 2021)
(a) enthusiastic
(b) resisting authority or discipline
(c) weak and frightened
(d) hollow and insincere

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Direction: Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase in the question.

Q.4. Purple Patch    (NLUD, 2020)
(a) a dark period
(b) a period of success
(c) safe way to royalty
(d) mending old ties

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.5. French Leave    (NLUD, 2020)
(a) an insulting defeat
(b) leave without permission
(c) a time of revelry
(d) a great deception

Correct Answer is Option (c)

Q.6. Hang out to dry    (NLUD, 2020)
(a) to desert one in troubling situation
(b) to ridicule
(c) a time of truce
(d) be critical of

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Q.7. Down to the wire    (NLUD, 2020)
(a) digging deep
(b) no chance of error
(c) in great details
(d) until the last moment

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Directions: Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase in the question.

Q.8. Find your feet    (AILET, 2018)
(a) desire to escape from a situation
(b) adapting and attuning to something
(c) finding one's own space
(d) ready to fight a war.

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.9. (To be) On the ball    (AILET, 2018)
(a) another thing coming
(b) having fun
(c) being alert or well prepared
(d) raise the roof.

Correct Answer is Option (c)

Q.10. (To) Go cold turkey     (AILET, 2018)
(a) speaking truth
(b) getting down to business
(c) gradually cutting down
(d) withdraw abruptly and completely

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.11. Break a leg    (AILET, 2018)
(a) good luck
(b) take a break
(c) bad luck
(d) trying hard to succeed

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Q.12. White-knuckled handshake    (AILET, 2018)
(a) sign of stressful situation
(b) friendly handshake
(c) sign of peace
(d) holding hands very lightly

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Directions: In the question below, a related phrase is followed by a group of words. Select the group of words that best expresses a relationship similar to the one expressed in the original phrase.

Q.13. At one's wits end    (CLAT, 2018)
(a) cannot say anything funny
(b) not able to think logically
(c) not able to work
(d) clarity of thought.

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.14. Gift of the gab    (CLAT, 2018)
(a) clever at work
(b) flatter someone
(c) promise blatantly
(d) fluent at speaking

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.15. Die in harness    (CLAT, 2018)
(a) die while riding
(b) die at the height of one's success
(c) die with help
(d) die when the work has been completed.

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Directions: Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/Phrase in the question.

Q.16. Pell-mell    (NLU Delhi, 2017)
(a) In hurried disorder
(b) Gaiety and excitement
(c) Extremely worried
(d) None of these.

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Q.17. To have one's heart in one's boots    (NLU Delhi, 2017)
(a) To get angry
(b) To be deeply depressed
(c) To be frightened
(d) To keep a secret

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.18. To give one's ears    (NLU Delhi, 2017)
(a) To listen carefully
(b) To act in a foolish way
(c) To make a guess
(d) To make almost any sacrifice.

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Directions: In the following questions, four alternatives are given for idiom/phrases. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase from the options given.

Q.19. To blaze a trail     (CLAT, 2013)
(a) To set on fire
(b) To blow the trumpet
(c) To initiate work in a movement
(d) To be hopeful.

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.20. A snake in the grass    (CLAT, 2013)
(a) A secret or hidden enemy
(b) An unreliable person
(c) Unforeseen happening
(d) A dangerous enemy

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Q.21. Have too many irons in the fire    (CLAT, 2013)
(a) Engaged in too many enterprises at the same time
(b) Facing too many problems at the same time
(c) Said or done too many things at the same time
(d) To incite the feeling amongst the people.

Correct Answer is Option (c)

Q.22. A fair weather friend.    (CLAT, 2013)
(a) A friend who is fair to us at all the times
(b) A friend who deserts us in difficulties
(c) A friend whom we love the most
(d) A friend who loves us the most.

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.23. A Panacea    (CLAT, 2013)
(a) An injection that serves as a life line
(b) A lecture full of precepts
(c) A strong drug that induces sleep
(d) A single cure for all diseases or troubles.

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.24. He burnt his fingers by interfering in his neighbour's affair.    (CLAT, 2012)
(a) got himself into trouble
(b) burnt himself
(c) got himself insulted
(d) got rebuked

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Q.25. Mr. Gupta, who is one of the trustees of a big charity, is suspected of feathering his own nest.    (CLAT, 2012)
(a) being lazy in doing his work
(b) being too generous
(c) neglecting his job
(d) making money unfairly.

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.26. Mrs. Hashmi has been in the blues for the last several weeks    (CLAT, 2012)
(a) abroad
(b) unwell
(c) depressed
(d) penniless

Correct Answer is Option (c)

Q.27. For the first week, the apprentice felt like a fish out of water.    (CLAT, 2012)
(a) frustrated
(b) homeless
(c) disappointed
(d) uncomfortable

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.28. His friends failed to see why he should ride the high horse just because he had won an election.    (CLAT, 2012)
(a) become abnormal
(b) appear arrogant
(c) indulge in dreams
(d) hate others

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.29. Prohibition is gall and wormwood to distillers.    (D.U. LL.B, 2012)
(a) Opportunity
(b) Mayhem
(c) Abominable
(d) Heaven

Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.30. The girls hit it off right away.    (D.U. LL.B, 2012)
(a) Got along very well
(b) Clobbered
(c) Became agitated
(d) Cracked the plan.

Correct Answer is Option (a)

Q.31. You have to hustle to get there on time.    (D.U. LL.B, 2012)
(a) Jostle
(b) Catch a bus
(c) Get ready
(d) Get a move on

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.32. To hold something in leash    (D.U. LL.B, 2012)
(a) To restrain
(b) To discourage
(c) To disappoint
(d) To dismiss

Correct Answer is Option (a)