idioms-and-phrases

Q1. Fill in the blanks. Trisha seems to be under the weather. She looks ______.

• 1) sick
• 2) ecstatic
• 3) lost
• 4) depressed

Solution

Trisha seems to be under the weather. She looks sick. ‘To be under the weather’ means to be sick.

Q2. State the meaning of the underlined idiom. After our pet dog destroyed my assignment, I had to start again from scratch.

Solution

From scratch - From the beginning

Q3. What does the underlined idiom mean?  Donald is an honest person. If you are interrogating him about the missing money, you are barking up the wrong tree.

• 1) To verbally insult the accused
• 2) To accuse the wrong person
• 3) To question incessantly
• 4) To intimidate the person till he/she confesses

Solution

‘Barking up the wrong tree’ means to wrongly accuse someone or to completely misunderstand something.  

Q4. What does the given phrase mean? Smitha hasn’t forgiven Mariam yet. Her attitude towards her erstwhile best friend shows that she still has a chip on her shoulder.

Solution

A chip on her shoulder - To hold a grudge

Q5. What does the underlined idiom mean? The proverbial ‘elephant in the room’ was the issue of Roy’s criminal past. No one at the table dared to ask him about it.

• 1) Something that causes annoyance but cannot be dealt with.
• 2) Something that is known to everyone but is not acknowledged.
• 3) Something that frightens everyone but is not questioned.
• 4) Something that is embarrassing but is not discussed.

Solution

‘The elephant in the room’ means something that is known to everyone but is not acknowledged.

Q6. What does the underlined idiom mean? Lalith paid Rahul a backhanded compliment possibly out of jealousy.

• 1) Insults disguised as compliments
• 2) To abuse someone directly
• 3) Grudgingly compliment someone
• 4) To compliment someone generously despite one’s hatred for that individual

Solution

‘Backhanded compliments’ are insults disguised as compliments.

Q7. State the meaning of the underlined idiom. Skeletons tumbled out of the closet when Maria started opening up to her psychologist.

Solution

Skeletons tumbled out of the closet - To expose one’s deepest, darkest secrets

Q8. What does the underlined idiom mean?  When I was in need of money, Gregory came to my aid. He truly is the salt of the earth.

• 1) Someone who helps others financially
• 2) The best human being on earth
• 3) A very friendly person
• 4) Someone who is trustworthy and kind

Solution

‘The salt of the earth’ refers to someone who is trustworthy and kind. This phrase was first used in the Bible. (Matthew 5:13)

Q9. Fill in the blanks by taking clues from the idiom used. The salesman took the customer down the garden path by enumerating the so-called merits of the car. He was _________ in nature.

• 1) Imaginative  
• 2) Annoying  
• 3) Talkative  
• 4) Deceptive  

Solution

The idiom ‘lead someone down the garden path’ means to deceive someone. The salesman took the customer down the garden path by enumerating the so-called merits of the car. He was deceptive in nature.

Q10. What does the underlined idiom mean?  Hansel expects me to lend him a huge sum of money at short notice just because he has scratched my back once.

• 1) Asked for a favour
• 2) Was ready to help a friend
• 3) Did someone a favour
• 4) Promised to be friends though thick and thin

Solution

‘To scratch someone’s back’ means to do someone a favour with the hopes of it being returned someday.

Q11. Which among the following uses the given idiom correctly? ‘Method in the madness’

• 1) There is method in Ravi’s madness because he systematically arranges his antipsychotic medication.
• 2) The patients in the ward ambushed the nurse and ran away with her notepad. There is indeed a method in their madness.
• 3) Mumbai may seem chaotic, but there is an underlying sense of harmony which helps it navigate through all the chaos. There is a method in Mumbai’s madness.
• 4) We were shocked when Girish squandered away his inheritance foolishly. Therefore, there is a method in his madness.

Solution

‘Method in the madness’ means to have a purpose behind a seemingly strange behaviour. Correct Answer Mumbai may seem chaotic, but there is an underlying sense of harmony which helps it navigate through all the disorder. There is a method in Mumbai’s madness.

Q12. State the meaning of the underlined idiom. The house painted in gaudy colours is an eyesore compared to the stately looking buildings around it. It is a fly in the ointment.

Solution

A fly in the ointment - A flaw which ruins the beauty of the whole thing despite being small.

Q13. State the meaning of the given idiom and use it in a sentence. To be the underdog

Solution

Meaning: The person who is least likely to win in a race Usage: The three times champion was shocked when he was defeated by someone who was thought to be an underdog.

Q14. What does the underlined idiom mean?  It will be foolish to invest all your money in the software company. Do not put all your eggs in one basket.

• 1) To trust one thing excessively
• 2) To invest in one place that is bound to fail
• 3) Depend on one thing that seems appealing but is not
• 4) Put all resources in one place

Solution

‘To put all your eggs in one basket’ means to put all resources in one place.

Q15. State the meaning of the underlined idiom. I have never heard about Mr Ezra before. My guess is as good as yours. 

Solution

My guess is as good as yours - The idiom means that the speaker is equally unaware as the opposite person.

Q16. What does the underlined idiom mean?  I have also heard about her alleged engagement to a Greek billionaire. If I were you, I would take the news with a grain of salt.

• 1) To trust something entirely
• 2) To treat something with suspicion
• 3) To make a piece of gossip more interesting by adding imaginary details
• 4) To investigate the authenticity of a piece of news

Solution

‘With a grain of salt’ means to treat something with suspicion.

Q17. What does it mean when somebody says that Ganesh is like a bull in a china shop?

Solution

‘Bull in a china shop’ means someone who is very clumsy and careless in the way they behave.

Q18. What does the underlined idiom mean?  The aides complained to the mob boss that his right-hand man, Eddie, had become too big for his boots and may pose a threat to the boss himself.

• 1) Suddenly grow in size
• 2) Get ambitious
• 3) Believe he/she is superior to everyone else
• 4) Plot an attack against someone

Solution

To become ‘too big for his boots’ is when someone considers himself superior to everyone else.

Q19. What does the underlined idiom mean?  After a tiring day at work, Ramesh went to the gym to blow off steam.

• 1) To relieve oneself after undergoing something stressful
• 2) To do arduous physical activities
• 3) To uplift one’s spirit
• 4) To sit in the sauna after a stressful day

Solution

The phrase ‘to blow off steam’ means to relieve oneself after undergoing something stressful.

Q20. Which among the following uses the given idiom correctly? ‘Can’t hold a candle to’

• 1) Though she was a renowned beauty, Marianne couldn’t hold a candle to her mother who was ethereal during her youth.
• 2) The old model cannot hold a candle to the new one since both the phones are quite similar to each other as far as their features are concerned.
• 3) Meena can’t hold a candle to Rani’s achievements because the former is more talented than the latter.
• 4) Rachael cannot hold a candle to anyone because it was very windy.

Solution

When something ‘can’t hold a candle to’ another means that it cannot measure up to the other or is inferior to it. Correct Answer Though she was a renowned beauty, Marianne couldn’t hold a candle to her mother who was ethereal during her youth.

Q21. State the meaning of the underlined idiom. When Mr Subramanian found about the illegal assets of the company, he decided to blow the whistle.

Solution

To blow the whistle - To expose a wrongdoing

Q22. What does the underlined idiom mean?  Mr Thakur does not necessarily think you are wrong. But he loves to play the devil’s advocate.

• 1) Someone who trusts every word you say
• 2) Someone who wants to support what is right
• 3) Someone who opposes for the sake of it
• 4) Someone who is a mischief maker

Solution

‘A devil’s advocate’ is someone who opposes an opinion because he wants to test its strength.

Q23. Fill in the blanks.  Ritika got a raw deal from her employer. Therefore, she wrote a _________ letter to him.

• 1) thank you
• 2) Congratulatory
• 3) Leave
• 4) Complaint

Solution

A ‘raw deal’ means unfair treatment. Ritika would therefore write a complaint letter to her employer.

Q24. Which among the following phrases has been used correctly? Though she had asked for an exact number, the employee gave her a back-of-the-envelope calculation which infuriated her. The teacher asked for a back-of-the-envelope calculation so the obedient students gave her the exact number.

Solution

‘Back-of-the-envelope calculation’ refers to an approximate number, not an exact number. So, the usage in b is wrong.

Q25. State the meaning of the underlined idiom. Tahir’s new apartment doesn’t have enough room to swing a cat.

Solution

It means there is not enough space.

Q26. Is the usage of the underlined idiom in the sentence correct? Namrata burnt her fingers after she foolishly sold her property for a nominal cost.

Solution

‘Burn one’s fingers’ means to suffer as a result of a bad financial decision.

Q27. Which among the following phrases has been used correctly? Fred’s harsh remarks did not go down well with Michael. He took heart to his rude statements. After the motivational speaker’s encouraging words, the students took heart. Looking at the pathetic living conditions at the old age home, Rohan took heart.

Solution

The phrase ‘take heart’ means to be motivated by someone or something. The idiom is used correctly in sentence b.

Q28. Is the usage of the underlined idiom in the sentence correct? The mistress cried wolf when she realised that the maid was slowly poisoning her.

Solution

‘To cry wolf’ means to say there is danger when there is none. In the sentence, the mistress sensed genuine danger. Hence, the idiom has been incorrectly used.

Q29. What is the meaning of the underlined phrase? When I was bedridden, Ramya used to call on me every day. Call up on the phone Visit To pray for someone’s good health

Solution

‘Call on someone’ means to visit. The phrase is used correctly in sentence b.

Q30. State the meaning of the underlined phrase. Orlando was a little down in the mouth after learning the news about his grandmother’s death.

Solution

Down in the mouth - Upset or depressed