Learn Idioms & Phrases with Usage in Sentences

Idioms and phrases are the integral part of any language. They are the ornaments. In order to make a language effective, the speaker must Idioms & Phrases. They form a rich, strong and effective vocabulary.

As a result their use is always desirable. Idioms and Phrases are also very important from competitive examinations’ point of view. There are some questions related with them in almost each and every exam. There is the need of constant preparation so that they may be fixed in the mind.

Below are given some Idioms/ Phrases which you may find in your upcoming exams. So get ready to prepare them.

• Out of Question – Impossible
• My going there to attend his wedding is out of question.
• Lion’s share – Major Share
• The elder son got the lion’s share in the property.
• An Axe to Grind – Selfish Motive
• Every body in this world has his own axe to grind.
• Beat a Retreat – Withdraw to avoid any unpleasant condition
• Seeing that he was dominating, I had to beat a retreat.
• Call a spade a spade – to speak very plainly
• I am not afraid of calling a spade a spade.
• By hook or by crook – by fair or foul means
• He will win the match by hook or by crook.
• Born with a silver spoon – Born of wealthy parents
• Rahul Gandhi was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
• A gala day – a day of festivity
• His coming has proved a gala day for his parents.
• A man of straw – a man who has no influence
• He is a man of straw. That’s why no body will attention on him.

Learn Important  Idioms and Phrases

• A White Elephant – Costly but useless possession
• With this poor income, this Mercedes  has become a white elephant for me.
• A fool’s paradise – in a state of happiness based on vain hopes
• If Rudra thinks, he can defeat Kinjal in the game, he is living in a fool’s paradise.
• Cut a sorry figure – Make a poor show
• Work hard otherwise you will have to cut a sorry figure in the exam.
• Turn over a new leaf – to make a reformed beginning
• After his release from the jail, Peter has turned a new leaf by getting a new job.
• Poke One’s nose in to – to interfere
• Don’t poke your nose in to my affairs.
• In the arms of Morpheus – Sound Sleep
• After doing work for the whole day, I found myself in the arms of Morpheus.
• A Jail Bird – A criminal who is jailed quite often
• John is a jail bird. He is not worried of being arrested.
• Bolt from the blue – A sudden crisis
• The sudden death of his wife came to him as a bolt from the blue.
• Bone of contention – Any thing that causes quarrel
• The ancestral property has become a bone of contention for the brothers.
• Birds of a feather – People of same nature
• Birds of a feather flock together.
• Capital Punishment – Death Sentence
• The traitors must be served with Capital Punishment.
• Fair sex – Women
• Fair Sex is always dealt in unfair way in this man-dominated world.
• Bated Breath – In anxiety
• People saw India vs West Indies match with bated breath.
• Bandy words – To wrangle
• Good children don’t bandy words with their parents on any of the issues.
• Brown study – Reverie / In a day dream
• He is always in brown study. He can’t do hard work.
• By the skin of the teeth – Narrow Escape
• They escaped death in the accident by the skin of the teeth.
• Chequered career – Full of ups and downs
• Most of the people don’t like chequered career.
• Carrot and Stick policy – Reward and Punishment
• Carrot and stick policy is always beneficial for a good democracy.
• Helter Skelter – Here and there
• Seeing the police, the agitators started running helter and skelter.
• Hornet’s Nest – To raise controversy
• The leader stirred up hornet’s nest by criticizing the Govt policies.
• Hush money – a bribe
• Hush money hastens the official work.

Idioms and Phrases Practice Set 1

You can enhance your vocabulary from here.

Learn Antonyms and Synonyms

Prepare Famous Proverbs / Sayings from here.

Learn Phrasal Verbs