PHRASES/IDIOMS - Examples

PHRASES / IDIOMS

TYPE-I

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with appropriate phrases given below in each of the options to make it grammatically correct?

1.     The argument between the lawyers went __________ before the judge made a decision.
(1) ups and downs                     (2) indecisive
(3) back and forth                      (4) fruitful

2.     The city plans to close the public swimming pool ___________.
(1) for good                               (2) for betterment
(3) to increase the charge           (4) for a week

3.     This cable channel provides the latest news _____________.
(1) accurately                            (2) incorrectly
(3) in a nutshell                          (4) full-fledged

4.     I hope I will pass the examination. I am keeping my ______________.
(1) expectation high                   (2) mind focused
(3) books with me                      (4) fingers crossed

5.     The reporter said today’s death toll might be ___________
(1) tip of the iceberg                   (2) incredible
(3) a lot of                                 (4) in the same boat

6.     Two friends __________ on the distribution of the money.
(1) for good                               (2) fell out
(3) cry down                              (4) cry up

7.     He is a great actor and will rarely appear ___________.
(1) in true colours                      (2) a far cry
(3) weal and woe                       (4) to steer clear

8.     I will not be satisfied till he _____________.
(1) draw out                               (2) cut out
(3) break out                              (4) eat his word

9.     Tragedy and comedy lay ______________.
(1) bring forth                            (2) cheek by jowl
(3) bring round                          (4) do away with

10.  These diseases will ___________ in the neighboring towns also.
(1) break out                             (2) bear out
(3) drawn up                              (4) cut out

11.  The courts of this country are places where __________ may be righted
(1) lawyers                                (2) judges
(3) evidence                              (4) justifications

12.  Many secretaries fail because they are not__________.
(1) voracious                             (2) vivacious
(3) versatile                               (4) vindictive

13.  People believe others because they are___________.
(1) credible                                (2) credulous
(3) critical                                  (4) creditable

Answers:

1. (3)  2. (4) 3. (3)     4. (4)     5. (1)     6. (2)     7. (1)     8. (4)     9. (2)     10. (1)   11. (1)   12. (3)   13. (2)

TYPE-II

Instructions: Which of the phrases given below in each of the options will replace the phrase printed in bold to make it grammatically correct?

1.     You need not answer unless you want to

(1)   You answer only when you want to

(2)   You don't need to answer unless you want to

(3)   You need not answer until you don't want

(4)   No changing required

2.     The whole family were shocked at his absence from the ceremony.

(1)   Had shocked on

(2)   Was shocked at

(3)   Were shocked for

(4)   Was shocked for

3.     The Christians were not beware of all these facts.

(1)   Not aware of

(2)   Must not be aware of

(3)   Not aware for

(4)   No correction required

4.     It is always wise to make people aware with the disciplinary guidelines of the govt. that to impose them on it.

(1)   Impose them with it

(2)   Imposing them on it

(3)   Impose it on them

(4)   No correction required

5.     The moment stars appeared in sky, they felt delight.

(1)   Were delight

(2)   Turned delighted

(3)   Have been delighted

(4)   Are delighted

6. Your correspondence is lost and I am trying to locate it.

(1)   Being acted                 

(2)   Action is being taken

(3)   Go with

(4)   Do away with

Answers:          1.  (2)    2. (2)     3. (1)     4. (3)     5. (2)     6. (2)

TYPE-III

Instructions: Choose the correct meaning of the idioms/phrases from the options given below.

1.     It is raining cats and dogs. 

(1) Crying                     

(2) Heavily raining         

(3) Interfere      

(4) Quarreling

2.     His shirt costs an arm and a leg. 

(1) Very funny              

(2) Very cheap              

(3) Very bad     

(4) Very expensive

3.     Thanks and bless you.

(1) Blessed                  

(2) Gifted                     

(3) Regards      

(4) Offered

4.     Hold all the cards

(1)   Most valuable card in the card game

(2)   Always try with your cards

(3)   Work hard to win the game

(4)   None of these

5.     Face someone down.
(1) Not to face any one             

(2) To make a face-to-face stand with someone who backs down.
(3) Go for downswing               

(4) None of these

6.     Feel blue.
(1) Become sad

(2) Celebrate the moment

(3) Feel funny   

(4) Work seriously

7.     Go Dutch.
(1) Play with enthusiasm

(2) Work hard to succeed

(3) Without money

(4) None of these

8.     Grab a bite.
(1) Snatch the opportunity

(2) Bite something
(3) Eat hurriedly

(4) Bitter taste

9.     Off the hook.
(1) Try hard

(2) Get in trouble
(3) Work tactfully

(4) Suspend something

10.  An uphill task.
(1) An easy task                       

(2) A very difficult job
(3) To go for mountaineering     

(4) A very big responsibility

11.  Couch potato.
(1) A lazy person                     

(2) An active person
(3) A kind of Potato chips

(4) A hardworking person

12.  Spill the beans.
(1) To make someone fool        

(2) To come at the right time
(3) To cast spell

(4) To reveal someone’s secret

13.  A hard nut to crack.
(1) A difficult task

(2) A tough competition
(3) An easy job

(4) A very obstinate person

14.  Through thick and thin.
(1) Ups and downs                               

(2) In bad times
(3) In both good and bad times

(4) In good times

15.  To beat about the bush.
(1) To hide behind the bush       

(2) To speak the truth
(3) To avoid the main topic       

(4) To beat someone very badly

16.  To burn the midnight oil.
(1) To work hard                       

(2) To work very late into the night
(3) To burn the candle              

(4) None of these

17.  Every cloud has a silver lining.
(1) To be optimistic                              

(2) Clouds do have silver linings
(3) Life is filled with ups and downs       

(4) None of these

18.  To be in someone’s good book.
(1) To read a number of books  

(2) To be favourite of someone
(3) To praise someone highly    

(4) To become one’s friend

19.  To hold good.
(1) To tolerate                           

(2) To do
(3) To hate                               

(4) To be acceptable

20.  To kick up a row.
(1) Maintain discipline   

(2) To go away
(3) Create disturbance       

(4) Dismiss

21.  Fall out.
(1) Quarrels                              

(2) Silence
(3) Dismiss                  

(4) Misbehave

22.  Carry out.
(1) To go through                     

(2) To put into practice
(3) To be in trouble

(4) Ready-made

23.  A man of straw.
(1) Strong man

(2) Depending on other
(3) Not dependable

(4) Strict

24.  To save one's face.
(1) To hide oneself                   

(2) To evade disagree
(3) To stand against someone   

(4) To wash one’s face

25.  To keep one’s head.
(1) To shave one’s head

(2) To work under someone
(3) To lose patience

(4) To keep calm

26.  To get into the hot water.
(1) To become excited                          

(2) To get into trouble
(3) To be in a confused state of mind

(4) To face financial crisis

27.  A black sheep.
(1) An unlucky person                           

(2) A sheep whose colour is black
(3) Disreputable member of a group      

(4) A lucky person

28.  At the eleventh hour.
(1) At the last minute                 

(2) To be punctual
(3) To take decisions properly   

(4) To be too happy

29.  To bring to book.
(1) To punish                            

(2) To conciliate                        
(3) To produce             

(4) To convince

30.  By hook or by crook.
(1) Widely known

(2) Somehow                
(3) To boast

(4) About to finish

31.  Every inch.
(1) Inconsistent

(2) Prepare                   
(3) Thoroughly

(4) Condemn

32.  To bring to light.
(1) To cause

(2) To make known        
(3) To do some good

(4) To fail

33.  Out of sorts.
(1) To avoid

(2) Reject                     
(3) Resemble

(4) Not well

34.  Pass the hat around.
(1) To throw the hat in the air                 

(2) To put on a hat
(3) To distribute money to beggars        

(4) To collect money from people

35.  Poke your nose into something.
(1) To interfere in other’s affair  

(2) To kill someone
(3) To hurt your nose                            

(4) To help others

36.  Apple of somebody’s eye.
(1) The person someone hates most      

(2) The person someone likes most
(3) A kind of disease of eye                  

(4) Eating an apple is good for health

37.  A ray of sunshine.
(1) A very hot day                                 

(2) Someone or something that makes you feel hopeful
(3) A very happy day                

(4) Someone or something that makes your life difficult

38.  Fool's paradise.
(1) A paradise for fools            

(2) Fools like paradise
(3) A happy situation                            

(4) A state of being happy for foolish reasons

39.  Herculean task.
(1) Easy work

(2) Difficult work

(3) Good work

(4) Mysterious work

40.  From pillar to post.
(1) from one place to another

(2) To face the problem
(3) To work hard

(4) From here and there

41.  Eye to eye.
(1) To rebuke

(2) To escape

(3) To hate

(4) To agree

42.  Weal and woe.
(1) Feel proud

(2) Weep out

(3) Good or evil

(4) Do or die

43.  To be on the last legs.
(1) Widely known

(2) About to finish

(3) Hotly debated

(4) To be aware of

44.  To cry wolf.
(1) To laugh boisterously          

(2) To cry loudly
(3) To give false alarm  

(4) None of these

45.  To kick the bucket.
(1) To fight with someone         

(2) To commit suicide
(3) To play football       

(4) To resign from one’s job

46.  To leave someone in the lurch.
(1) To make someone feel comfortable  

(2) To annoy somebody
(3) To compromise with someone          

(4) To leave someone in his difficulties

47.  To smell a rat.
(1) To suspect that something is wrong 

(2) To be in a bad mood
(3) To smell a dead rat                                      

(4) To see signs of epidemic

48.  Once in a blue moon.
(1) Always

(2) Very rarely

(3) Once in whole life

(4) None of these

49.  A blessing in disguise

(1)   Some good things aren’t recognized at first

(2)   Blessing for goodness

(3)   Some astonishing accomplishments

(4)   None of these

50.  To end in smoke

(1)   To overcome someone

(2)   To ruin oneself

(3)   To excite great applause

(4)   To make completely understand

51.  To have an axe to grind

(1)   Work to meet both ends

(2)   Failure at arousing interest

(3)   To have private end to serve

(4)   Having a strong opinion about something

52.  To play second fiddle

(1)   To be happy, cheerful and healthy

(2)   To be in a less important position than someone or something

(3)   To do back seat driving

(4)   To support the role and view of another person

53.  To add insult to injury

(1)   Manage the things after its expiry

(2)   To worsen an unfavorable situation

(3)   To help somebody

(4)   None of these

54.  Spoilt for choice

(1)   Confused to choose when so many things are in place

(2)   Seeing the signs of plague epidemic

(3)   Choose carefully

(4)   None of these

55.  Let the dust settle

(1)   To turn calm after settling the score

(2)   Wait until the confusion is over

(3)   To excite great applause

(4)   None of these

56.  Bank for the buck

(1)   Trust on bank

(2)   Not to rely on your won

(3)   To have private end to serve

(4)   Value for the money spent

57.  Cut your coat according to your cloth

(1)   Making your task easy

(2)   Always be within your means

(3)   Don't trust on future

(4)   None of these

58.  Loud enough to be heard

(1)   Laudable

(2)   Oral

(3)   Audible

(4)   Applaudable

59.  A system of government in which important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

(1) Bureaucracy

(2) Democracy

(3) Autocracy

(4) Aristocracy

60.  Pleasant to taste

(1)   Sumptuous            

(2)   Tantalising

(3)   Appetising

(4)   Palatable

61.  Hating women in particular

(1)   Misologist  

(2)   Misogynist

(3)   Misanthropist

(4)    Bibliophile

62.  Be all and end all.

(1)   Search for

(2)   The whole thing. The last word.

(3)   Doubt in your own action

(4)   None of these

63.  All hat and no cattle

(1)   Someone who is full of big talk but lacking action, power, or substance

(2)   Seeing the signs of plague epidemic

(3)   Choose carefully

(4)   None of these

64.  Alive and kicking

(1)   To continue to be well, healthy or successful

(2)   Work hard to accomplish the mission

(3)   To work for the betterment of the masses

(4)   None of these

65.  Balance the books

(1)   Trust on books

(2)   To check all the money in the business is accounted for

(3)   Trust on your balance

(4)   None of these

Answers:

1. (2)     2. (4)     3. (3)     4. (1)     5. (2)     6. (1)     7. (3)     8. (3)     9. (4)     10. (2)

11. (1)   12. (4)   13. (1)   14. (3)   15. (3)   16. (2)   17. (1)   18. (2)   19. (2)   20. (4)

21. (2)   22. (3)   23. (1)   24. (4)   25. (3)   26. (1)   27. (2)   28. (3)   29. (1)   30. (2)

31. (3)   32. (2)   33. (4)   34. (4)   35. (1)   36. (2)   37. (2)   38. (4)   39. (2)   40. (1)

41. (4)   42. (3)   43. (2)   44. (3)   45. (2)   46. (4)   47. (1)   48. (2)   49. (1)   50. (2)

51. (3)   52. (2)   53. (2)   54. (1)   55. (2)   56. (4)   57. (2)   58. (3)   59. (1)   60. (4)

61. (2)   62. (2)   63. (1)   64. (1)   65. (2)