Idioms & Phrases Asked in Different Competitive Exams in Different years – 4

401. Give in – To agree to do something that you don’t want to do (MTS, 2013)

402. Leaps and bounds - Irregularly (MTS, 2013)

403. Wide off the mark - Irrelevant / Not accurate / Inadequate (MTS, 2013)

404. Out of the world – Extraordinary (MTS, 2013)

405. Sweep under the carpet – Keep hidden (MTS, 2013)

406. By leaps and bound – Very rapidly (MTS, 2013)

407. To toe the line – To follow the lead / To follow boss’s orders (MTS, 2013)

408. Stick to guns – Maintain opinion (MTS, 2013)

409. Take hat off – Encourage / To admire somebody very much for something he has done(MTS, 2013)

410. Null and void – Empty (FCI, 2013)

411. Break the ice – Initiate a talk (FCI, 2013)

412. Keep the wolf from the door – Avoid starvation (FCI, 2013)

413. Fish in troubled water – To make a profit out of troubled situation (FCI, 2013)

414. Look into – To investigate (FCI, 2013)

415. Smell the rat – Suspect that something is fishy (CGL T-1, 2013)

416. Let the grass grow under the feet – Delay in getting things done (CGL T-1, 2013)

417. Apple of discord – Cause of animosity (CGL T-1, 2013)

418. A fish out of water – In uncomfortable situation (CGL T-1, 2013)

419. In the long run – Over a period of time (CGL T-1, 2013)

420. Jumping down one’s throat – To react very angrily to somebody (CGL T-1, 2013)

421. Out of wits – Greatly confused (CGL T-1, 2013)

422. Call spade a spade – To speak in a straightforward manner (frankly) (CGL T-1, 2013)

423. Face the music – Accept the punishment (CGL T-1, 2013)

424. To play second fiddle – Take a subordinate role (CGL T-1, 2013)

425. Casting pearl before swine – Offering good things to undeserving people (CGL T-1, 2013)

426. Putting the cart before the horse – Doing things in the wrong way (CGL T-1, 2013)

427. Not fit to hold candle – Not so good as somebody or something else (CGL T-1, 2013)

428. Egg someone on – TO encourage somebody to do something (CGL T-1, 2013)

429. For good - Permanently (CGL T-1, 2013)

430. Achilles’s heel – Weak spot (CGL T-1, 2013)

431. Take a leap in the dark – To take risk (CGL T-1, 2013)

432. Cut the guardian knot – Remove difficulty / To solve problem (CGL T-1, 2013)

433. Blow one’s own trumpet – Self boasting (CGL T-1, 2013)

434. A cakewalk – An easy achievement (CGL T-1, 2013)

435. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth – Not to find fault with the gift received (CGL T-1,

2013)

436. Man of straw – A man of no substance (CGL T-1, 2013)

437. Born with a silver spoon – Born in a rich family (CGL T-1, 2013)

438. Let sleeping dogs lie – Not to bring up an old controversial issue (CGL T-1, 2013)

439. A month of Sundays – A long time (CGL T-1, 2013)

440. A closed book – A mystery (CGL T-1, 2013)

441. In apple pie order – In perfect order (CGL T-1, 2013)

442. Thick and thin – In spite of all difficulties (CGL T-1, 2013)

443. Wet one’s whistle – To have a drink / Moistens one’s throat (CGL T-1, 2013)

444. Bury the hatchet – Make peace (CGL T-1, 2013)

445. Cool one’s heel – To keep waiting (CGL T-1, 2013)

446. Live-wire – A person who is lively or energetic (CGL T-1, 2013)

447. Feel blue – In trouble / depressed (Constable, 2013)

448. Above board – Legal and honest (Constable, 2013)

449. Pour cats and dogs – Rain heavily (Constable, 2013)

450. For good - Permanently (Constable, 2013)

451. Iron fist – To treat people in severe manner / strictly (Constable, 2013)

452. Time and again - Always (Constable, 2013)

454. Rule the roost – Exercise authority / To be the most powerful member in the group(CPO, 2013)

455. Have something up your sleeve – Have an alternate plan (CPO, 2013)

456. Take to task – Punished / Reprimanded (CPO, 2013)

457. Feel one’s pulse – To find what one is thinking on some point (CPO, 2013)

458. Donkey’s year – A long time (CGL T-2, 2013)

459. To make things done – To manage (CGL T-2, 2013)

460. Chicken out – Withdraw / To decide not to do something because you are afraid (CGL T-2,2013)

461. Ice braking – Starting a conversation (CGL T-2, 2013)

462. Bad hats – People of bad character (CGL T-2, 2013)

463. Give and take – Adjustment / Willingness in relationship to accept what somebody

else wants and gives up some of what you want (CGL T-2, 2013)

464. Off and on – Irregularly (CGL T-2, 2013)

465. Man of straw – A man of no substance (CGL T-2, 2013)

466. Break down – Weep bitterly (CGL T-2, 2013)

467. Get down to business – To begin work seriously (CHSL, 2013)

468. Giving a piece of one’s mind – Speak sharply / To disapprove (CHSL, 2013)

469. Go about470. Take exception - To object at something (CHSL, 2013)

470. Picking up holes in – Finding out faults with something (CHSL, 2013)

471. To cast a die – To take a decision (CHSL, 2013)

472. Put up with – Bear patiently / To bear or endure (CHSL, 2013)

473. The gift of the gab – Ability to speak well (CHSL, 2013)

474. See through – Detect / To realize the truth (CHSL, 2013)

477. Keep an open house – Welcome all members (CHSL, 2013)

478. Wet behind ears – Young and inexperienced / Naive (CHSL, 2013)

479. Pick on - Warn severely (MT(NT), 2014)

480. Fight tooth and nail – Fight with strength and fury (MT(NT), 2014)

481. Teething problems – Difficulties at the start (MT(NT), 2014)

482. A wild goose chase – Fruitless pursuit (MT(NT), 2014)

483. To get into hot water – To get into trouble (MT(NT), 2014)

484. A bolt from the blue – A complete surprise (MTS, 2014)

485. Plain sailing – Very easy (MTS, 2014)

486. Take to one’s heel – Run off (MTS, 2014)

487. To cut one short – To criticize one (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

488. Show the white flag – T o surrender (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

489. A cut above – Rather superior to (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

490. To throw dust in one’s eye – To deceive (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

492. Give vent to - Express (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

493. Bring about – Cause to happen (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

494. Husband one’s resource – Save / Economical (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

495. Foam at the mouth - Angry (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

496. Keep wolf away from the door – Keep away extreme poverty (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

497. Pin money – Additional money (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

498. The Alpha and Omega – Beginning and end (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

499. Salt of the earth – Good, honest and ideal (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

500. Bring the house down – Make the audience applaud enthusiastically (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

501. Gerrymandering way – In a manipulative and unfair way (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

502. Strain every nerve – Make all efforts / Try all tricks (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

503. Hard and fast – That cannot be altered / fixed (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

504. Dot one’s I’s and cross one T’s – Be detailed and exact (CGL T-1, RE-2013)

505. All moonshine – Superficial (CPO, 2014)

506. Wild goose chase – A foolish and useless enterprise (CPO, 2014)

507. Swan song – Last prayer (at funeral or farewell) (CPO, 2014)

508. By the skin of teeth – By the narrowest margin (CPO, 2014)

509. Bury the hatchet – Make peace / Forget the quarrels (CPO, 2014)

510. Keep up with – Go at equal pace (CPO, 2014)

511. Flies off at a tangent – Start discussing something irrelevant (CPO, 2014)

512. Batten down the hatches – Prepare for a difficult situation (CPO, 2014)

513. Nail one’s colours to the mast – Refuse to climb down (CPO, 2014)

514. All might and main – With full force (CPO, 2014)

515. Red herrings – Clues intended to distract or mislead / An unimportant fact, idea, event,

etc. that takes people attention from the important ones (CPO, 2014)

518. To cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth – To live within one’s means (CPO, 2014)

519. White elephant – A costly but useless possession (CPO, 2014)

520. Look sharp – Pay attention (CPO, 2014)

521. Big draw – Huge attraction (CPO, 2014)

522. Bear down – To move quickly towards something/someone in a determined or

threatening way (CPO, 2014)

523. To put a spoke in someone’s wheel – Destroy the plan / Cause hindrance / To

prevent somebody from putting their plan into action (CPO, 2014)

524. At a stretch - Continuously (CPO, 2014)

525. Know beans about something – Well informed and intelligent (CPO, 2014)

526. To get into hot water – To get into troubles (CPO, 2014)

527. Know the ropes – Learn the procedures (CGL T-1, 2014)

528. Barking up the wrong tree – Trying to find someone ay wrong place (CGL T-1, 2014)

529. In the swim – Well informed and up-to-date (CGL T-1, 2014)

530. Rub up the wrong way – To irk or irritate someone (CGL T-1, 2014)

531. Add fuel to the fire – Worsen the situation (CGL T-1, 2014)

532. In the loop – Informed regularly (CGL T-1, 2014)

533. Hold one’s horses – To keep waiting (CGL T-1, 2014)

534. Black out – Lost consciousness (CGL T-1, 2014)

535. Cut and dry method - Honest (CGL T-1, 2014)

536. Back to the drawing board – Plan it all over again (CGL T-1, 2014)

537. In the air – Certain / Able to be firmly relied on to happen or be the case / Specific but

not explicitly named or stated (CGL T-1, 2014)

538. On the same page – Thinks in a similar way (CGL T-1, 2014)

539. Pull no punch – Speaks frankly (CGL T-1, 2014)

540. Going places – Talented and successful (CGL T-1, 2014)

541. Stand/Hold your ground – Refuse to yield / To continue with your opinions or

intentions when someone is opposing you (CGL T-1, 2014)

542. Put your feet down – Take a firm stand / To be very strict in opposing what somebody

wishes to do (CGL T-1, 2014)

543. Read between the line – To understand the inner meaning (CGL T-1, 2014)

544. To the letter – Paying attention to every detail / Doing or following exactly what

somebody something says (CGL T-1, 2014)

545. To carve out a niche – To work harder in order to have successful career / Develop a

special position for oneself (CGL T-2, 2014)

546. Wild goose chase – Useless search / Unprofitable adventure (CHSL, 2014)

547. In Dutch – In trouble (CHSL, 2014)

548. See eye to eye – To have the same opinion (CHSL, 2014)

549. Come to light – Been revealed / To become known to people (CHSL, 2014)

550. Around the clock – Day and night (CHSL, 2014)

551. Balloon goes up – The situation turns unpleasant or serious (CHSL, 2014)

552. Watching grass grow – Very boring (CHSL, 2014)

553. Nine day’s wonder – A dazzling short-lived spectacle of no real value (CHSL, 2014)

554. Beyond the pale – Outside commonly accepted standards (CHSL, 2014)

555. Took after – Similar to / to look or behave like an older member of your family (CHSL, 2014)

556. Throw dust into one’s eye – To deceive (CHSL, 2014)

557. Cool about working – Not tense about working / Reading to work (CHSL, 2014)

558. Salad days - Adolescence (CHSL, 2014)

559. All ears - Attentive (CHSL, 2014)

560. Maiden speech – First speech (CHSL, 2014)

561. Hold water – With logical backing / To stand up to critical examination (CHSL, 2014)

562. Other fish to fry – Some important work to attend to (CHSL, 2014)

563. A close shave – A narrow escape from danger (CHSL, 2014)

564. To tell in a nut shell – In a brief manner / Summarize(CHSL, 2014)

565. Within a stone’s throw – At a short distance (CHSL, 2014)

566. To feather one’s nest – To enrich oneself when opportunity occurs (CHSL, 2014)

567. A close-fisted person – A miser (CHSL, 2014)

568. To gather roses only – To seek all enjoyments of life (CHSL, 2014)

569. A black sheep – A person with bad reputation (CHSL, 2014)

570. To grease the palm – To bribe (CHSL, 2014)

571. For good – Permanently (CHSL, 2014)

572. An about turn – Complete change of opinion or situation (CHSL, 2014

573. Make a mockery – to make something seem ridiculous or useless / No serious

outcome (CHSL, 2014)

574. Eat like a horse – Eat a lot (CHSL, 2014)

575. Go to the dogs – To be ruined (CHSL, 2014)

576. Pay on the nail – Pay promptly / Payment without delay (CHSL, 2014)

577. Penelope’s web – An endless job (CHSL, 2014)

578. At draggers drawn - Enmity (CHSL, 2014)

579. Bury the hatchet – Make peace (CGL T-2, 2014)

580. Null and void – Not binding / Having no legal force / Not binding (CGL T-2, 2014)

581. Break in - To train somebody or something in something (CGL T-2, 2014)

582. Stir up a Hornet’s nest - To create a lot of trouble (CGL T-2, 2014)

583. Second thoughts – Reconsidering the original idea (CGL T-2, 2014)

584. Average out - Balance (CGL T-2, 2014)

585. Go to the dogs – Ruin / to go to in very bad situation (CGL T-2, 2014)

586. Floored – To surprise or confuse (CGL T-2, 2014)

587. Give way - Collapse (CGL T-2, 2014)

588. Tall tales - Boasting (CGL T-2, 2014)

589. Backseat driver – A person who gives unwanted advice (CGL T-2, 2014)

590. At random - Without any aim or target (CGL T-2, 2014)

591. Break off – Suddenly stop (CGL T-2, 2014)

592. Go haywire – Become out of control (CGL T-2, 2014)

593. Above board – Honest / Without any secret (CGL T-2, 2014)

594. Feather in one’s cap – An achievement (CGL T-2, 2014)

595. Follow one’s nose – To go straight ahead (CGL T-2, 2014)

596. To latch onto – To promote (CGL T-2, 2014)

597. Fight shy of – To avoid someone/ something (CGL T-2, 2014)

598. Add fuel to the fire – Worsen the matter (CGL T-2, 2014)

599. Cock and bull story – Absurd an unbelievable story (CHSL, 2015)

600.  Hold water – Seem logical (CHSL, 2015)