150 Useful Idioms with Examples, Sentences & Meanings | English for CLAT PDF Download

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1. Beat around the bush

• Meaning: To avoid talking about what’s important.
• Example: When asked about the project deadline, the manager beat around the bush instead of giving a clear answer.

2. Get your act together

• Meaning: Get organized and do things effectively.
• Example: If you want to succeed in your exams, you must get your act together and start studying seriously.

3. Hit the sack

• Meaning: Go to sleep.
• Example: After a long day at work, I hit the sack early.

4. Your guess is as good as mine

• Meaning: I do not know.
• Example: When she asked about the train's delay, I replied, "Your guess is as good as mine."

5. Good things come to those who wait

• Meaning: To have patience.
• Example: He finally got the desired promotion, proving that good things come to those who wait.

6. Back against the wall

• Meaning: Stuck in a difficult circumstance with no escape.
• Example: With mounting debts and no job, he had his back against the wall.

7. Up in arms

• Meaning: Being grumpy or angry about something.
• Example: The employees were up in arms about the sudden pay cuts.

8. Scrape the barrel

• Meaning: Making the most of the worst situations or things because you can’t do anything about it.
• Example: The school had to scrape the barrel to find someone to coach the team.

9. Burn your boats/bridges

• Meaning: Doing something that makes it impossible to go back to the original state.
• Example: She burned her bridges by resigning without serving the notice period.

10. Break fresh/new ground

• Meaning: Doing something that has never been done before.
• Example: The scientist broke fresh ground with her revolutionary research on renewable energy.

11. Sell like hot cakes

• Meaning: Quick sellout.
• Example: The new gaming console is selling like hotcakes this holiday season.

12. Run around in circles

• Meaning: Putting efforts into something that is not a worthwhile result.
• Example: Without a proper plan, they were running around in circles trying to complete the project.

13. On cloud nine

• Meaning: Being very happy.
• Example: She was on cloud nine after winning the singing competition.

14. Left out in the cold

• Meaning: Being ignored.
• Example: Despite being a senior team member, he was left out in the cold during key project decisions.

15. Blow hot and cold

• Meaning: Alternate inconsistently between moods and actions.
• Example: His behaviour during the meeting was confusing; he kept blowing hot and cold.

16. Cut corners

• Meaning: Doing something more easily and least expensively.
• Example: The builder cut corners to save money, which compromised the building’s safety.

17. Boil the ocean

• Meaning: Taking up an almost impossible or overly ambitious project.
• Example: Trying to revamp the entire company’s operations in a month is like boiling the ocean.

18. Keep an ear to the ground

• Meaning: Staying informed and updated about everything.
• Example: Journalists always keep an ear to the ground for breaking news.

19. Eat like a horse

• Meaning: Eating too excessively.
• Example: After the marathon, he was so hungry that he ate like a horse at dinner.

20. A snowball effect

• Meaning: The aspect of momentum in every event and how they build upon each other.
• Example: The viral post created a snowball effect, gaining millions of views within hours.

21. In for a penny, in for a pound

• Meaning: That someone is intentionally investing his time or money for a particular project or task.
• Example: When Athlead was booming, Jim was in for a penny and in for a pound, that’s how dedicated he was.

22. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush

• Meaning: An opportunity in hand, currently, is better than a prospect in the future, because time never repeats itself.
• Example: The detective apprehended 3 criminals and saw the other one running but didn’t chase him, because she knew a bird in one hand was better than two in the bush.

23. Chip off the old block

• Meaning: That a person is similar in behaviour or actions to his parents.
• Example: When grandmother saw her grandson collecting coins like her son used to do, she knew he was a Chip off the old block.

24. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

• Meaning: Treat people the same way you want to be treated.
• Example: I felt Peter was a little cold today towards that homeless man, he should do unto others as he would have them do unto him, because who knows about time.

25. Don’t cry over spilt milk

• Meaning: Don’t cry over what has happened as it can not be fixed.
• Example: Walter failed his examination but his dad came and said just one thing, “Son, Don’t cry over spilt milk.”

26. Every cloud has a silver lining

• Meaning: Bad things one day eventually lead to good things.
• Example: See, yesterday you were so morose as your phone was stolen but look at you today, you got a promotion. Is it rightly said that every cloud has a silver lining?

27. Beside yourself with joy

• Meaning: To be extremely happy.
• Example: I can see that you are beside yourself with joy on being selected for the job, congratulations.

28. Fair and square

• Meaning: Being direct or fair.
• Example: To tell you fair and square, I did everything that I was meant to do, but I still feel unfulfilled.

29. Having an Ace up the sleeve

• Meaning: Have an advantage that is currently being withheld for future purposes. 
• Example: Brian kept quiet at the board meeting, who knew he had an Ace hid up his sleeve the whole time.

30. A black sheep

• Meaning: Being a disgrace to the family.
• Example: They don’t talk about Olive anymore, turns out he was the Black sheep for the family, he married someone else while he was still arranged with his fiancé.

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31. Hook, line and sinker

• Meaning: Doing something or trying to achieve something with thoroughness and passion.
• Example: I have set my mind to go through the spreadsheets by Monday and I am working for it Hook, line and sinker.

32. Looking to your laurels

• Meaning: Do not be lost in your achievements and lose sight of what is supposed to happen.
• Example: Look to your laurels but do not rest on it.

33. Bear a grudge

• Meaning: To continue to feel angry or unfriendly toward someone or something because of a particular past incident.
• Example: I Bear a grudge against him for not taking me into confidence.

34. By the skin of your teeth

• Meaning: To just barely get by or make it.
• Example: Lester made the dance team By the skin of his teeth, you see the audition gates were about to get closed.

35. Down for the count

• Meaning: Tired; giving up.
• Example: My pet dog is down for the count after playing the whole day with the frisbee.

36. Draw the line

• Meaning: To stop before a point where something okay gets not okay.
• Example: Hey buddy, that’s enough, Draw the line before someone comes and beats you to a pulp.

37. Easier said than done

• Meaning: Not as easy as it appears to be.
• Example: Listen, losing weight is easier said than done, many people lack commitment.

38. Break a leg

• Meaning: Saying good luck to someone.
• Example: Hey Barry, it’s time for you to get on the stage and present your monologue, break a leg.

39. Up a creek without a paddle

• Meaning: In an unlucky situation.
• Example: Dan tried to dine and dash yesterday at a Chinese place but he was stopped by the waiters, guess he was up a creek without a paddle yesterday.

40. Give it a whirl

• Meaning: To give something a try.
• Example: I am terrified of skydiving, but I think once in my life, I will give it a whirl.

41. Fish out of water

• Meaning: To be out of your comfort zone.
• Example: Tom felt like a fish out of water when his girlfriend took him to a Star Wars convention in LA.

42. In the fast lane

• Meaning: A life filled with excitement.
• Example: When Chris turned forty, he decided to live his life in the fast lane and quit his job for his hobbies.

43. Go the extra mile

• Meaning: To make an extra effort.
• Example: He was willing to go the extra mile for the love of his life, Mia.

44. Snug as a bug in a rug

• Meaning: Warm and cosy.
• Meaning: The baby looks as snug as a bug in a rug next to her mother.

45. Step up your game

• Meaning: To start performing better
• Example: Jennifer better step up her game if she wants to make big in Basketball.

46. To not see the wood for the trees

• Meaning: To be so involved in trivial matters that you don’t get the important facts.
• Example: He always argues on the silliest topics, it’s like he can’t see wood for the trees.

47. Lose your marbles

• Meaning: To go insane.
• Example: Our mailman has lost his marbles, every day he drops Mr. Smith’s mail on our door.

48. Straight from the Horse’s mouth

• Meaning: Directly from the person involved.
• Example: Listen to the news straight from the horse’s mouth, his factory burned down right in front of his eyes.

49. Crying Wolf

• Meaning: To ask for help when you don’t need it.
• Example: You have cried Wolf so many times that no one believes you now.

50. Palm off

• Meaning: Pass off something as genuine when it is spurious.
• Example: This shopkeeper always palms off old stock to the customers.

51. Has bigger fish to fry

• Meaning: Has more important work to do.
• Example: Please don’t bother me today with any calls, I have bigger fish to fry.

52. Look before you leap

• Meaning: Calculate the risks before advancing towards a possibility.
• Example: You can’t just sell all of your shares when the market is low, look before you leap, Trump is coming tomorrow, the shares may grow.

53. On thin ice

• Meaning: In a precarious or risky situation.
• Example: Andy played hooky from work for a week saying he was sick, and now his boss says that he is on very thin ice.

54. Play devil’s advocate

• Meaning: To argue, just for the sake of it.
• Example: He was not agreeing to back off as if he was playing devil’s advocate.

55. Rain on someone’s parade

• Meaning: To spoil a moment.
• Example: He told his wife that he didn’t want to rain on her parade, but they had to shift their vacation dates.

56. Take a rain check

• Meaning: Postpone a plan.
• Example: He asked me whether I would like to have dinner with his family, but I had a thing so I said, rain check.

57. Take it with a grain of salt

• Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously.
• Example: She tells great tales but we take whatever she says with a grain of salt. 

58. Like a cakewalk

• Meaning: So easy task.
• Example: Everyone took hours to write the code but Adam did it like a cakewalk.

59. Throw caution to the wind

• Meaning: Take a risk.
• Example: The caretaker threw caution to the wind by taking a sick baby outside.

60. Penny-wise and Pound foolish

• Meaning: Careful in trivial matters but wasteful or extravagant in large matters.
• Example: That man eats Ramen noodles daily for dinner but for his dog, he threw a big party. He is indeed penny-wise and pound-foolish.

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61. The whole nine yards

• Meaning: Everything, all the way.
• Example: I want to know everything there is to know about this merger, the whole nine yards of the deal.

62. The best thing since sliced bread

• Meaning: A really good invention.
• Example: Bluetooth is officially the best thing since sliced bread.

63. Bite off more than you can chew

• Meaning: Take on difficult work that is beyond your capabilities. 
• Example: Andrew told his boss that he would triple the sales but in reality, he bit off more than he can chew and now all of us are in trouble.

64. Play by the ear

• Meaning: To improvise.
• Example: I just went to Canada and did everything by ear, no itinerary, no schedules.

65. Ignorance is bliss

• Meaning: You are better off not knowing some things.
• Example: His wife always asked him what it was he did late at night, turned out, he was insider trading. But she knew nothing about this so she won’t be convicted, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

66. Put something on ice

• Meaning: To put something on hold.
• Example: As per the boss’ order, Michael has put his personal matters on ice.

67. You can say that again

• Meaning: That’s absolutely true.
• Example: “The Earth is bleeding”, you can say that again, pal.

68. Bite the bullet

• Meaning: To get something over with because it is inevitable.
• Example: Vik was diagnosed with second-stage cancer but he didn’t want to get chemotherapy. By the will of his wife, he bit the bullet.

69. Go back to the drawing board

• Meaning: Start over.
• Example: It is not too late to go back to the drawing board and assess your mistakes.

70. Call it a day

• Meaning: Stop working on something.
• Example: Ah! So if we didn’t complete the puzzle today, let’s call it a day and come back again tomorrow.

71. Beating Around the Bush

• Meaning: To talk about unnecessary things.
• Example: When I asked my secretary about the missing file and documents, she was beating around the bush.

72. Be in a Tight Corner.

• Meaning: Being in a difficult situation.
• Example: Radha’s low grades despite her constant efforts have put her in a very tight corner.

73. At the 11th Hour

• Meaning: At the last moment.
• Example: While leaving for Shimla, Harshit kept his mobile phone charger in the bag at the 11th hour.

74. Swan Song

• Meaning: The last piece of work of an artist before his/her death.
• Example: This painting was M.F Hussain’s swan song.

75. Wild Goose Chase

• Meaning: Futile Chase
• Example: Catching the two thieves together on a jam-packed road was no less than a wild goose chase for the policeman.

76. Bury the Hatchet

• Meaning: Ending a quarrel to make peace.
• Example: My father buried the hatchet by equally dividing the pasta between me and my sister.

77. To Bell the Cat

• Meaning: To face a risk.
• Example: He belled the cat when he was trying to escape the prison.

78. Turn a deaf ear

• Meaning: To ignore what someone is saying.
• Example: Whenever her mother complained of her excessive use of her mobile phone, Anu turned a deaf ear.

79. At Sea

• Meaning: Confused
• Example: I was at sea while choosing a lehenga for my sister’s wedding at Manish Malhotra’s store.

80. To be in the doldrums

• Meaning: To be in a low spirit
• Example: When I got to know about the increasing cases of COVID-19 in my area, I was in the doldrums.

81. Hit the books

• Meaning: Going to study
• Example: I won’t be able to come for dinner as I have to hit the books for my half-yearly examinations. 

82. Twist someone’s arm

• Meaning: To convince someone
• Example: I was not planning to come to the party but by reminding me of all the good food you twisted my arm!

83. Stab someone in the back

• Meaning: To betray a close person
• Example: My uncle trusted his driver so much but he stabbed him in the back when he saw all the money bags.

84. Go cold turkey

• Meaning: To quit or stop addictive or dangerous behaviour
• Example: No one could believe that my father left eating sweets! He went cold turkey when the doctors told him that he had diabetes. 

85. Ring a bell

• Meaning: Sounds familiar
• Example: Why does this name ring a bell in my head? Was this girl in my school?

86. Cut to the chase

• Meaning: Getting to the important point
• Example: As the submissions were to be made tonight, the boss cut to the chase and asked us to start working.

87. Blow off steam

• Meaning: Experiencing strong feelings like anger or stress
• Example: Shina went running to blow off steam as she had a huge fight with her mother.

88. Face the music

• Meaning: Face the reality
• Example: Shikha asked her husband to not run away from the problem and just face the music once!

89. To have sticky fingers

• Meaning: Thief
• Example: The cashier had a sticky finger, he stole around $2000 and ran away from the bank. 

90. Break the bank

• Meaning: To be very expensive
• Example: I had to break the bank to buy these shoes!

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91. Face the music

• Meaning: Confront the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.
• Example: We have done it and now it’s time to face the music!

92. It is always darkest before the dawn

• Meaning: Things will get better
• Example: I know you have gone through the worst, but remember it is always darkest before the dawn.

93. Jump the gun

• Meaning: To act on something promptly before the right time
• Example: I think I jumped the gun by sending the e-mail before they tell the time.

94. Wear your heart on your sleeve

• Meaning: Expressing yourself too openly
• Example: She wears her heart on her sleeve and often gets hurt.

95. Cut no ice

• Meaning: Fail to make an impact
• Example: Your poetry cuts no ice with me.

96. Light at the end of the tunnel

• Meaning: Seeing signs of improvement in the future
• Example: I see the light at the end of the tunnel for my relationship with her.

97. Through thick and thin

• Meaning: Through good and bad times
• Example: Books and music stay by your side through thick and thin.

98. Cry for the moon

• Meaning: To ask for something rather difficult
• Example: You are crying for the moon for this concert’s tickets!

99. Read between the lines

• Meaning: Understanding the real message behind something
• Example: If you try to read between the lines, her song is actually about me.

100. Pour out one’s heart

• Meaning: To express openly
• Example: I can’t pour my heart out to you if you are too distracted by everything around you.

101. A left-handed compliment

• Meaning: Saying something insulting in the form of appreciative words.
• Example: Her words on my blog seem like a left-handed compliment.

102. Once in a blue moon

• Meaning: Not very often
• Example: I visit her place once in a blue moon.

103. Call a spade a spade

• Meaning: Talking frankly
• Example: I will not lie about it and call a spade a spade.

104. Flesh and blood

• Meaning: Referring to someone in the family or human nature
• Example: It’s flesh and blood to feel such strong emotions at this time.

105. Jam on the brakes

• Meaning: Press brakes of a vehicle suddenly
• Example: I had to jam on the brakes when I saw the deer.

106. Notch up

• Meaning: To win or create a record
• Example: One Direction notched up the finale with their amazing voice!

107. A slap on the wrist

• Meaning: Just a small punishment
• Example: You will get a slap on the wrist for painting this wall but don’t dare to do it again.

108. Knee Jerk Reaction

• Meaning: A quick response
• Example: The statement was just a knee-jerk reaction.

109. Once bitten, twice shy

• Meaning: Afraid of doing something again
• Example: Once bitten twice shy, he can’t ski.

110. Forty winks

• Meaning: A short nap
• Example: I will be just in for forty winks, I promise.

111. Up for grabs

• Meaning: Available for everyone
• Example: This pizza slice is up for grabs!

112. Old as the hills

• Meaning: Someone very old
• Example: The man looks as old as the hills.

113. Back to square one

• Meaning: Start all over again
• Example: Your mistake brought us back to square one.

114. Round the bend

• Meaning: Crazy
• Example: My neighbour is around the bend, don’t try to mess with her.

115. Against the clock

• Meaning: Rushed
• Example: I have to hurry for the meeting, I am against the clock.

116. Black and blue

• Meaning: Something bruised
• Example: What happened? Your eyes look black and blue.

117. Have the blues

• Meaning: Sad
• Example: After meeting her, I am feeling the blues.

118. Be glad to see the back of

• Meaning: Happy when someone leaves
• Example: Tomorrow, I will be glad to see the back of her.

119. Blackout

• Meaning: Faint
• Example: I blacked out after two drinks.

120. Get in Shape

• Meaning: To become strong or fit
• Example: I need to make a proper schedule to get in shape before the graduation ceremony.

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121. Shoot from the hip

• Meaning: To speak bluntly or rashly without thinking carefully
• Example: Don’t feel bad about what he said. He has a habit of shooting from the hip, but he means no harm

122. Shoot oneself in the foot

• Meaning: To harm one’s cause inadvertently
• Example: Foolishly harm one’s cause, as in He shot himself in the foot, telling the interviewer all about the others who were applying for the job he wanted.

123. In cold blood

• Meaning: If you do something violent and cruel in cold blood, you do it deliberately and in an unemotional way.
• Example: In a purposely ruthless and unfeeling manner, as in The whole family was murdered in cold blood.

124. Draw first blood

• Meaning: If you draw first blood, you cause the first damage to an opponent in a conflict or contest.
• Example: To be the first to gain an advantage or score against an opponent. I drew first blood in the tournament and quickly dispatched my opponent.

125. Ace up one’s sleeve

• Meaning: A secret or hidden advantage that you can use when you need it
• Example: Cheating at a card game by hiding a favourable card up one’s sleeve. I have an ace up my sleeve for this race—my stamina.

126. Play your cards right

• Meaning: To behave or work in a way that gives you an advantage or improves your odds of success.
• Example: Play your cards right in college and you’ll get a great job after you graduate

127. Egg on your face

• Meaning: If you’ve egg on your face, you look stupid and face embarrassment because of something you’ve done.
• Example: Terry had an egg on his face after boasting that the examinations were really easy, but ended up failing most of his papers.

128. Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

• Meaning: To destroy something that gives you lot of money to get immediate returns
• Example: Tearing down the top attraction in the theme park, “The Haunted House”, would be akin to killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

129. An arm and a leg

• Meaning: If something costs an arm and a leg, it costs a lot.
• Example: I want to buy a house by the beach, but it may cost me an arm and a leg.

130. Behind one’s back

• Meaning: If you do something behind someone’s back, you do it secretly without their knowledge (used in negative way).
• Example: My colleague is really nice to me but I don’t trust him because I know he talks negatively about me behind my back

131. Stab someone in the back

• Meaning: Harm someone who trusts you.
• Example: Don’t trust George; he’s been known to stab his friends in the back

132. Take a back seat

• Meaning: If you take a back seat, you choose not to be in a position of responsibility or power.
• Example: The founder of the company decided to take a back seat and let the board members run the business.

133. Back to the drawing board

• Meaning: If you go back to the drawing board, you make a fresh start or try another idea because the earlier one didn’t succeed.
• Example: It looks like my plans to kill the weeds in the garden failed. Back to the drawing board

134. Right off the bat

• Meaning: If you do something right off the bat, you do it immediately.
• Example: Nathan was in the mood for a cheeseburger, so he hopped into his car and bought some fast food. After unwrapping the burger, he took a bite and right off the bat he knew that something was wrong; it didn’t taste right.

135. Heart misses (skips) a beat

• Meaning: If your heart misses a beat, you feel excited or nervous.
• Example: Her heart missed a beat when she heard her name called out in the list of finalists, or When the bear appeared in front of us, my heart skipped a beat, or My heart stands still at the very thought of flying through a thunderstorm

136. Have your heart in your mouth

• Meaning: If you’ve your heart in your mouth, you’re feeling extremely nervous.
• Example:  You sure don’t seem relaxed—in fact, it seems like your heart is in your mouth.

137. Not the only fish in the sea

• Meaning: Not the only suitable thing or person one can find
• Example: When Bob walked out on Sally, all we could tell her was that he was not the only fish in the sea , or Bill knew she wasn’t the only pebble on the beach but he was determined to win her over.

138. Not your cup of tea

• Meaning: If you say that someone or something is not your cup of tea, you mean that they’re not the kind of person or thing you like.
• Example: We couldn’t decide which movie to watch, so we ended up settling on a comedy. Halfway through the movie, I concluded that its humour was not my cup of tea.

139. A piece of cake

• Meaning: If something is a piece of cake, it’s easy to do.
• Example: The boy found the project to be a piece of cake because it was incredibly easy.

140. Call it a day

• Meaning: If you call it a day, you stop what you’re doing because you’re tired of it or you’ve not been successful.
• Example: I think we have done enough work today, I am feeling tired now, let’s call it a day.

141. The pot calling the kettle black

• Meaning: Accusing someone of faults that you yourself have
• Example: I can’t believe that you are upset because I was late. That is the pot calling the kettle black. Peter called me a liar! That is the pot calling the kettle black.

142. Call a spade a spade

• Meaning: To speak truth even if it’s unpleasant
• Example: That dress made her look fat, let’s call a spade a spade before she goes out wearing it and embarrasses herself.

143. A bolt from the blue

• Meaning: A sudden, unexpected event
• Example: Let us hope the pandemic disappears. It came as a bolt from the blue in 2020.

144. In the same boat

• Meaning: If two or more persons are in the same boat, they’re in the same difficult situation.
• Example: If you lose your job, I’ll lose mine. We are both in the same boat.

145. Miss the boat/ bus

• Meaning: To miss an opportunity
• Example: He missed the boat when he did not apply for the job in time.

146. Over my dead body

• Meaning: If you say something will happen to your dead body, you mean you dislike it and will do everything you can to prevent it.
• Example: I told John that he could shave his head, over my dead body.

147. Make one’s blood boil

• Meaning: To make someone extremely angry
• Example: When I hear stories of cruelty to animals, it makes my blood boil.

148. Bounce something off someone

• Meaning: If you bounce something off someone, you discuss ideas or plan with someone to get their view on it.
• Example: I caught the rubber ball when it bounced off the wall. The light bouncing off of that mirror is blinding me—can we close the curtains?

149. Bell the cat

• Meaning: To undertake a risky or dangerous task.
• Example: Someone has to bell the cat and tell the commissioner that his own started the violence

150. Like a cat on the hot tin roof

• Meaning: In an uneasy or nervous state
• Example: She’s waiting for the doctor to call with her test results, so she’s been like a cat on a hot tin roof all-day