Idioms List

1. Add fuel to the fire
Meaning : When something is done to make a bad situation even worse.
Example : In the world of politics it is a common observance for the opposition to Add Fuel To The Fire when any crisis occurs.

2. To beggar description
Meaning : Highly indescribable
Example : The beauty of the Lotus Temple beggars describable.

3. Beat about the bush
Meaning : Irrelevant talking.
Example : Do not beat about the bush, come to the point.

4. To blow one’s own trumpet
Meaning : Boast himself.
Example : He always bore us by blowing his trumpet.

5. Break the ice
Meaning : To find solution.
Example :  Everybody was tense after the fight between the husband and wife then a common friend broke the ice by starting the dialogue between the two.

6. To Build castle in the air.
Meaning : Day dreaming.
Example :  He is always building castles in the air and does nothing in reality.

7. To break the news
Meaning : To tell.
Example :  It was Ravi who broke the news of your progress.

8. To burn the candle at both ends
Meaning : To waste money and health quickly.
Example : If he burns the candle at both ends, he will soon be ruined.

9. To burn the midnight oil
Meaning : To work hard.
Example : One has to burn the midnight oil in order to do well in the I.A.S. examination.

10. To carry the day
Meaning : To win.
Example : Sabina carried the day in the inter- school debate competition.

11. To come of age
Meaning : To reach the age of twenty-one.
Example : My sister comes of age next year.

12. To cut a sorry figure
Meaning : To be ashamed.
Example : She cut a sorry figure in his maiden speech.

13. To die in harness
Meaning : To die while still at work.
Example : Lal Bahadur Shastri died in harness in Tashkent.

14. To eat humble pie
Meaning : To apologize humbly, to yield under humiliating circumstances.
Example : In spite of all her brag she had to eat humble pie.

15. To end in smoke
Meaning : To come to nothing.
Example : All the  efforts of the principal to bring him round ended in smoke.

16. To find fault with
Meaning : To claim.
Example : You should not find fault wit others.

17. To follow suit
Meaning : To fallow example of.
Example : The leader left the meeting: others followed suit.

18. To get into hot water
Meaning : To get into trouble.
Example :  Ritu defied her boss and got into hot water.

19. Go to the dogs
Meaning : To say that a company, organization or country is going to the dogs means that it is becoming less successful or efficient than before.
Example : Some think the company will go to the dogs if it is nationalized.

20. At one’s finger tips or ends
Meaning : To be expert in.
Example : All the important topics of history are at my finger tops.

21. To keep pace with
Meaning : To remain equivalent.
Example :  You should keep pace with your classmates and teachers in the school trip.

22. Keep someone at arm’s length
Meaning : If you keep someone at arm’s length, you do not allow yourself to become too friendly with them.
Example : It’s not easy to become friends with Sophie; she tends to keep
everyone at arm’s length.

23. To keep in the dark
Meaning : To keep away from the truth.
Example : My brother kept me in the dark about this matter.

24. To kill two birds with one stone
Meaning : To get double benefit with one task.
Example : To deposit money in this scheme is to kill two birds with one stone.

25. Leave no stone unturned
Meaning : Do full efforts.
Example : Delhi government left no stone unturned to make common wealth games a success.

26. To lose heart
Meaning : To lose courage.
Example : You should be brave; brave men do not lose heart in difficulties.

27. To make both ends meet
Meaning : To earn daily living.
Example :  It is not easy for a middle class family to make both ends meet these days.

28. To make good the loss
Meaning : Recover.
Example : I have made good the loss he had done me.

29. To mind one’s own business
Meaning : Avoid interruption.
Example : You should mind your own business.

30. To nip in the bud
Meaning : To check the growth of.
Example : We should always nip the evil in the bud or it will overcome you in the end.

31. To play false
Meaning : To cheat.
Example : Do not play false with your parents.

32. To pay in the same coin
Meaning : Behave in the same manner.
Example : Gandhiji didn’t believe in paying people in the same coin.

33. To pocket an insult
Meaning : To bear insult.
Example : When her friend insulted her she pocket this insult.

34. To rain cats and dogs
Meaning : Heavy rain.
Example : It rained cats and dogs yesterday.

35. To see eye to eye with
Meaning : To be agree.
Example : You do not see eye to eye with me in this matter.

36. To take to task
Meaning : To scold.
Example :  His father took him to task for not coming at time.

37. To take heart
Meaning : To dare.
Example : Take heart and try again.

38. To take to heart
Meaning : To take on heart.
Example : The old man took his daughter’s death to heart.

39. To turn one’s head
Meaning : To change the mind.
Example : Riches have turned his head.

40. To turn a deaf ear to
Meaning : to be unperterbed.
Example : Turn a deaf ear to all the nonsense she speaks.

41. At one’s beck and call
Meaning : Ready to serve.
Example : Governor of a state has hundreds of officers at his beck and call.

42. To be at large
Meaning : To be free.
Example : The police have not been able to trace the thief who is still at large.

43. At sixes and sevens
Meaning : Scattered.
Example : In kids room things are always lying at sixes and sevens.

44. Red-handed
Meaning : In the very act of committing the theft.
Example : The thief was caught red-handed.

45. To be wide of the mark
Meaning : To have no relation with the matter.
Example : Your remark is wide of the mark.

46. Hand and glove
Meaning : Closed relationship.
Example :  Vivek and me are hand and glove with each other.

47. To be out of pocket
Meaning : No money.
Example : She is out of pocket these days; we should help her with money.

48. To be out of sorts
Meaning : Sick.
Example : He is out of sorts today.

49. To be in a fix
Meaning : Confused.
Example : I am in a fix and do not know what to do.

50. To be in good books
Meaning : To be in favour.
Example : We should be in  the good books  of our elders.