List of Important Idioms
1. Sell someone down the river means:
A. Deliberately kill (a person or animal) by drowning
B. Betray someone for personal profit or advantage (Correct Answer)
C. Hate someone to an extreme level
D. To destroy or get rid of someone
Explanation: "Sell someone down the river" refers to betraying someone, often for one's gain.
2. Burn the midnight oil means:
A. Turn on light in late night
B. Work late into the night (Correct Answer)
C. Work hard to achieve something
D. Waste the resources
Explanation: This idiom means working very late into the night, as if using oil lamps to continue working.
3. Penny wise and pound foolish means:
A. Wise to spend each penny carefully
B. Careful about small amounts but careless about large amounts (Correct Answer)
C. People who don’t understand the importance of each penny
D. A part of life
Explanation: This phrase describes being cautious with minor costs while being reckless with significant expenses.
4. Cry over spilt milk means:
A. Brief explanation
B. When you complain about a loss from the past (Correct Answer)
C. Express your feelings
D. Be sad over little things
Explanation: It signifies lamenting past misfortunes that can’t be changed.
5. Water under the bridge means:
A. A stagnant pond
B. Something that happened in the past and cannot now be changed (Correct Answer)
C. Alter facts or figures dishonestly or illegally
D. Unresolved issue or conflict
Explanation: Refers to past events that are no longer relevant.
6. Be under the scanner means:
A. Being closely examined (Correct Answer)
B. Be under the watchful eye
C. Be under scrutiny
D. All of Above
Explanation: To be thoroughly examined or investigated.
7. Hold the ring means:
A. Monitor a dispute without becoming involved in it (Correct Answer)
B. Become involved in a conflict
C. Set the alarm
D. Make new ringtones
Explanation: Means observing a situation without interfering.
8. Cook the books means:
A. Alter facts or figures dishonestly or illegally (Correct Answer)
B. Read or write a lot of books
C. Give exact information
D. Come to an agreement
Explanation: Refers to manipulating financial records unethically.
9. There was a ‘whiff of’ consensus on the proposed constitutional amendments during talks between the government and opposition. Here ‘whiff of’ means:
A. Lack of something
B. A slight sign of something (Correct Answer)
C. Disagreement on something
D. Quarrel on something
Explanation: A faint indication or hint of something.
10. Egging on means:
A. Embarrass
B. Strongly encourage (Correct Answer)
C. Feel ashamed
D. Make fool
Explanation: To urge someone to continue or escalate an action.
11. Get under someone’s skin means:
A. Irritate or upset someone (Correct Answer)
B. Do it with a lot of force and energy
C. To meet and spend time with someone
D. Say or do something that someone should not have
Explanation: To bother someone significantly.
12. Take something with a pinch of salt means:
A. Without wholly believing (Correct Answer)
B. Eat with some extra salt
C. Eat without salt
D. Believe something completely
Explanation: To doubt the full accuracy of something.
13. Spill the beans means:
A. To make a mess
B. To reveal a secret (Correct Answer)
C. To tell a lie
D. To start a fight
Explanation: Means to disclose confidential information.
14. Be quids in means:
A. To be making a profit (Correct Answer)
B. To suffer loss
C. To be in a situation
D. To be a part of a group
Explanation: British slang for being in a profitable position.
15. Ready to roll means:
A. Near to be finished
B. Start to be ruined
C. Going to start soon (Correct Answer)
D. Ready to leave soon
Explanation: Implies being prepared to begin.
16. Be pushing up the daisies means:
A. Live for a long time
B. To be dead (Correct Answer)
C. Try hard for success
D. Trying something irrelevant
Explanation: A humorous way of referring to death.
17. Follow hot on the heels of means:
A. Happen very slowly
B. Happen very soon (Correct Answer)
C. Happen in hidden manner
D. Happen slow and secretly
Explanation: Means something that quickly follows another.
18. Keep a tight rein on means:
A. Exercise strict control over (Correct Answer)
B. Reign masses by force
C. Ride horse fast
D. Make uncomfortable
Explanation: Refers to closely supervising or controlling.
19. Till the cows come home means:
A. Until evening time
B. For a very long time (Correct Answer)
C. Futile efforts every day
D. Sometimes in a day
Explanation: For an indefinite or very long period.
20. In for a penny, in for a pound means:
A. Very expensive to purchase
B. Finish a project once started at any cost (Correct Answer)
C. Leave as soon as possible
D. Desire for wealth
Explanation: If committed, stay fully invested.
21. To put your foot in your mouth means:
A. Behave immaturely
B. Compulsively bite or chew your skin
C. Say something unnecessary and embarrassing (Correct Answer)
D. Remain silent until you are asked to speak
Explanation: Refers to unintentionally saying something embarrassing.
22. Paint the town red means:
A. Make town colorful
B. Keep something secret
C. Go out and enjoy oneself (Correct Answer)
D. Show the sign of danger
Explanation: Celebrating and enjoying oneself publicly.
23. To keep your nose clean means:
A. Drink extra fluids during flu
B. Always remain clean and healthy
C. Avoid getting into trouble (Correct Answer)
D. Be quiet and careful
Explanation: To behave properly.
24. Take a dim view of means:
A. Blur something
B. Take it easy
C. Pay no heed
D. Disapprove and criticize (Correct Answer)
Explanation: To look upon something with disfavor.
25. Wake up and smell the coffee means:
A. Rouse and enjoy morning coffee
B. Ignore everything and enjoy
C. Realize the truth and facts (Correct Answer)
D. Be confident about yourself
Explanation: Means to face reality.
26. All hat and no cattle means:
A. Very impressive
B. All talk but no action (Correct Answer)
C. Much powerful and strong
D. Place without animals
Explanation: Describes a person who talks big but has no substance.
27. Without further ado means:
A. With no more trouble
B. With no more delay (Correct Answer)
C. With no more respect
D. With no more silence
Explanation: Implies proceeding without delay.
28. Meat and potatoes means:
A. Important and necessary food
B. Important and basic parts of something (Correct Answer)
C. Unnecessary parts of something
D. Unpredictable things
Explanation: Refers to essential, fundamental parts.
29. Make sheep’s eyes at means:
A. Look at (someone) in a foolishly amorous way (Correct Answer)
B. Leer at
C. Gaze at
D. None of These
Explanation: To look at someone affectionately.
30. Keep the pot boiling means:
A. To sustain a state of active interest (Correct Answer)
B. Show no interest
C. Be neutral
D. Keep expectations low
Explanation: Keeping an exciting or intriguing state active.
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