Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Set-1:
1. To do something above board – to do something openly, without any secrecy or deception (
)
2. To settle one’s account with –to pay what one owes to someone ( )
3. On account of - because of( )
4. To take into account – to consider ( )
5. Within an ace of - failing, escaping by a narrow margin ( )
6. Achilles heel – any part, spot or area that is vulnerable( )
7. To add fuel to fire – to say something that makes people react more strongly or fiercely (
)
8. To put on airs – to behave in an unnatural way in the hope of impressing people (
)
9. Air and graces – much amused, helpless with laughter( )
10. Rolling in the aisles – much amused, helpless with laughter ( )
11. All the day long – through the whole day( )
12. Visits like those of angles – rare visits( )
13. Ever and anon – now and then, occasionally ( )
14. On/Upon the anvilin the state of formation or preparation ( )
15. A Gods’ ape – a born fool ( )
16. To play the ape – to mimic, to imitate( )
17. To make someone one’s ape/To put an ape in one’s hood – to befool someone( )
18. To go ape over – to be extremely enthusiastic over ( )
19. To keep up appearance – to maintain a public impression of prosperity despite ( )
20. To put in an appearance – to attend a social gathering for a very short time (
)
21. Apple pie order – perfect order ( )
22. To upset the apple cart – to throw all plans in confusion ( )
23. With open arms – cordially )
24. In the arms of Morpheus – [in the lap of sleep ( )
25. To cast aspersions – to make damaging or destroying remarks ( )
26. At daggers drawn – at great enmity ( )
27. No vice like avarice – greed is greater than any other vice ( )
28. To have an axe to grind – to have a selfish motive ( )
29. To put the axe in the helve – to solve a problem ( )
30. To get the axe – to be dismissed from a job ( )
31. To be one’s back – to be ill in bed ( )
32. To back slide – to fall back in morals ( )
33. To back spear – to question in order to bring out some information(
)
34. To back the wrong horse – to make a wrong choice ( )
35. Back bite – denounce somebody in his absence ( )
36. With a bad grace – unwillingly ( )
37. Bad blood – bitterness, enmity ( )
38. Whole a bad tricks – everything needed for a purpose ( )
39. In bottom of bag – the last option ( )
40. A bag of bones – a lean and thin person ( )
41. To set the bait – to lay a trap ( )
42. To keep the ball rolling – to continue a conversation or an activity ( )
43. To beat about the bush – to approach a subject without coming to the point (
)
44. To beat a retreat – to go back ( )
45. To beat black and blue – to beat severely ( )
46. At somebody’s beck and call – at somebody’s command ( )
47. Below the belt – contrary to the principals of fairness( )
48. Between the devil and the deep sea – in a dilemma( )
49. At bird’s eye view – a panoramic view; a general view ( )
50. Blue blood – alleged superiority by reason of birth( )
51. To blow one’s own trumpet – to boast( )
52. From the blue – sudden or unexpected( )
53. A bone of contention – a thing/subject of dispute
54. By leaps and bounds – very rapidly
55. To break the ice – to make a beginning; to overcome reserve
56. To pass the buck – to shift responsibility or blame to another person
57. A drop in the bucket/ocean – a quantity too small to make an impact
58. To burn the candle at both ends – to overtax one’s energies steadily so as to injure his health; work to
much
59. To bury the hatchet – to stop quarreling and become friends
60. To call spade a spade – to speak in plain terms
61. A feather in one’s cap – something of which one may be proud
62. To cap the climax – to cross the highest point
63. The carrot and the stick– the hope of rewards and the threat of punishment
64. To put the cart before the horse – to do or put things in a wrong order
65. To build castles in the air – to daydream
66. To bell the cat – to attempt something dangerous
67. To let the cat out of the lagto divulge a secret carelessly or by mistake
68. Cheek by the jowl – very near, very close
69. To close the book on – to stop working on something, especially a police operation because it is not
making any progress
70. To clear the cobwebs away – to make mind clear of old though
71. A cock and bull story – an incredible story or imaginary story
72. To give somebody the cold shoulder – to show deliberate disregard or indifference
Set-2:
1. To spread like fire – to spread rapidly
2. A fish out of water – a person out of accustomed environment
93. To wear one’s heat in one’s sleeve – to express one’s emotion, especially one’s love for somebody
94. To take the rough with the smooth – to face the ups and down of life
84. To beg the question – to assume the truth of the very point raised in a question
91. A foul bill of health – a written statement certifying that there is some diseases
92. Birds of a feather – people of the same sort
93. Bit and sip – something to eat and drink
94. To bite one’s lips – to repress one’s emotion
Set-4:
1. To call someone’s bluff – to expose a person’s deception
2. In the same boat – in the same situation
3. To keep body and soul together – to maintain life, to support oneself
4. To take a leaf out of one’s book – to act as behave in a similar way to somebody
5. To die in one’s bootsto die while actively engaged in one’s work
6. In the same box – of the same nature
7. Brain sauce – wisdom
8. To cudgel one’s brainsto think hard
9. Bread and cheese – simple food
10. To eat the bread of idleness – to remain idle
11. By a hair’s breadth – by a very small amount or distance
12. To break into sweat – to perspire suddenly
13. To make a clean breast of – to make a full confession of, to confess everything of which one is guilty
31. To buy a pig in a poke – to purchase a thing without previously examining it to see what its real value
is
32. To set the by the ears – to instigate
33. Cakes and adle – the good things of life, enjoyments
34. Not worth the candle – not worth the trouble or effort involved
35. To speak by the card – to speak precisely and to the point
36. To carry hearer with one – to influence the audience
38. To put the cart before the house – to do or put things in a wrong order
39. A cast of the eye – a squint
40. To cast one’s net wide – to cover a wide field
41. A cat and dog life – a life in which parents are constantly quarrelling
42. To set the cat among the pigeons – to introduce something that creates disturbance
Set-5:
1. And so forth – and so on
2. To get into hot water – to get into trouble
3. To give up the ghost – to die
4. To go on a fool’s errand – to go on an expedition such as fool might go on
33. To reckon without one’s host – to plan or calculate without talking all important factors into account
34. To blow hot and cold – to keep changing one’s opinions; to beat and fondle
35. To break the ice – to succeed initially , to make a beginning; to overcome reserve
54. To play the market – to buy or sell stocks and shares to make a profit
80. Penny wise and pound foolish – saving small sums at the risk of large ones
81. A pretty penny – a lot of money
82. To pick and steal – to pilfer
83. Pie in the sky – the illusory aspects of future benefits
84. From pillar to post – from one person to another
85. Pitch and toss – a game of chance
86. To play off against – to cause two people or groups to oppose each other esp for one’s own advantage
Set-6:
1. To push the boat out – to celebrate unmindful of the expenditures
2. To put the saddle on the right horse – to impute blame to the proper party
3. To put one’s oar in – to interfere
4. To put to rights – to put in good order
5. To put one on the right scent – to put one on the right track
6. To patch up a quarrel – to end a quarrel
7. On the quivive – alert, watchful
8. On the rack – in severe pain or mental distress
9. To go to rack and ruin – to fall into a ruined or disorganized state through neglect
18. A rough diamond – a person, who is good – natured, but lacking polished manners, education, etc.
69. A straw in the wind – a slight indication of how things may develop
70. The man in the street – the common man
71. To strike at the root – to attack at the source
72. To strike a bargain – to agree to terms
73. Have two strings to one’s bow – to have two resources as security
74. To pull the strings/wires – to control events or the actions of other people
93. At the end of one’s tether – at the end of one’s strength or resources or patience
Set-7:
1. To work double tides – to work round the clock
2. To go with the tides – to work according to circumstances
3. To have a tile loose – to be whimsical
4. On the tiles – enjoying oneself away from home in a wild or drunken way
42. At one’s own sweet will – just as one pleases, often in spite of the wishes of others
43. To win something hands down – to get an easy win by a large margin
44. To get one’s second wind – to feel strong again after getting very tired
45. To get wind of something – to hear a rumour that something is happening
Set-8:
1. Hold off – keep at a distance
2. Hold off – remain at a distance
3. Hold with – agree; approve
4. Hunt for – search for; try to find
5. Idle away – spend in an idle nammer; spend (time) doing nothing very important
99. Strike off – remove something from a text or list by drawing a line through it
100. Strike on – get or find suddenly or unexpectedly
Set-9:
1. Strike up – being a friendship, a relationship, a conversation etc (with somebody)
2. Sum up – give the main points in a few words
3. Talk back to – reply defiantly; retort
4. Talk somebody down – silence him by talking loudly at him
5. Take after – resemble; look like; behave like an older member of your family
6. Take away from – make the effect or value of something seem less
7. Take off – leave the ground (of aeroplane)
8. Take in – allow somebody to stay in your home
9. Take off –remove clothes, etc
10. Take to – start liking
11. Take up – lift up; raise
12. Tear up – tear into pieces
13. Tell somebody/something apart – to able to distinguish somebody/something from other similar
people or things
14. Tell somebody off – speak angrily to somebody; rebuke, chide, scold
15. Thing something out – consider all the details carefully
16. Thing something over – consider something carefully before making a decision
21. Try on – put on a piece of clothing to see if it fits and how it looks
22. Tumble down– collapse
23. Tumble over – fall down
24. Turn back – return
25. Turn into – convert into
26. Turn off – change direction, leave (one road) for another
27. Turn on – depend on, rely on
28. Turn up – arrive
29. Use something up – consume
30. Usher something in – mark or be the start of something new
31. Vouch for – be responsible for
32. Wait on – serve as a servant
33. Wait up – not go to bed until somebody comes home or arrives
34. Wake up to – be surprised; come to sense
35. Walk away from – leave a difficult or unpleasant situation
36. Walk off – leave a place or a person suddenly because you are angry
37. Wash away/off/out – remove something by washing
38. Watch for – look and wait for something to happen or for suddenly to come
39. Wave aside – dismiss
40. Wave somebody off – wave goodbye to somebody as he leaves
41. Wind up – bring or come to an end
42. Wipe out – destroy completely
43. Wipe up – clean a substance, especially a liquid from a surface especially with a piece of cloth