Sreedhar’s CCE IDIOMS

IDIOMS
* TOOTH AND NAIL
* IN A NUT SHELL * TAKE TO HEEL
* TIME AND AGAIN * BREAK THE ICE
* NOW AND THEN * BLACK AND BLUE
* ONCE IN A BLUE MOON * BLUE BLOOD
* AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR * PINK SLIP

r’s
* AT THE STROKE OF THE BELL * PINK HEALTH
* DAWN TO DUSK * GREEN FLAG
* DONKEY’S YEARS * RED LETTER DAY
* PROS AND CONS * RED HANDED
* OFF AND ON * GREY BEARD
* FITS AND STARTS * WHITE FEATHER
* OLIVE BRANCH
*
*
BURY THE HATCHET
ha
BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR
*
*
YELLOW LIVER
CHICKEN HEARTED
* BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL
* CROCODILE TEARS * BY HOOK OR CROOK
*
*
*
ADD FUEL TO FIRE
END IN SMOKE
ADD INSULT TO INJURY

E *
*
*
AT DAGGERS DRAWN
ITCHING PALM
GREEZE THE PALM
d
* BLACK SHEEP * TOPSY-TURVY
* WHITE ELEPHANT * HELTER-SKELTER
* MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH * HURLY-BURLY
ee

* DARK HORSE * A BULL IN A CHINA SHOP

* BLACK CAT * LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED
* A SNAKE IN THE GRASS * BEAT AROUND THE BUSH
* FISH OUT OF WATER * WET BEHIND EARS
C
* CATS AND DOGS * COUCH POTATO
* LION’S SHARE * HOT POTATO
* TURN TURTLE
Sr

* BLOW ONE’S OWN TRUMPET

* LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG * PULL THE LEG
* CALL A SPADE A SPADE * FLAGGINGA DEAD HORSE
* CAKE WALK * CLOUD NINE
* HARD NUT TO CRACK * PAY THROUGH THE NOSE
* HERCULIAN TASK * IN THE GOOD BOOKS
* APPLE OF EYES * SPILL THE BEANS
* APPLE OF DISCORD * HOBSON’S CHOICE
* TURN TABLES/CUPS/COLORS
C
* A BOLT FROM THE BLUE
* BONE OF CONTENTION BURN THE * DIE IN HARNESS
CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS * AT STONE’S THROW
* FACE THE MUSIC * END IN FIASCO
* TURN A NEW LEAF * SMELL RAT
* TURN A DEAF EAR * AT SNAIL’S PACE
* BURN FINGERS * HAND ABOVE WATER
* ON FINGER TIPS * HEAD ABOVE WATER
* FINGERS ON EVERY PIE * BAGS UNDER EYES
* FINGERS CROSSED * KICK THE BUCKET
* GREEN FINGERS * FEATHER ONE’S NEST
* TAKE A LEAF FROM OTHERS * GIFT OF THE GAB
* LOSE HEAD * SCAPE GOAT
* LOSE FACE * AT SIXES AND SEVENS
* LOSE HEART * BLACK AND WHITE
* HEART AND SOUL * MISS THE BUS/BOAT
* HEAD AND SHOULDERS * CUP OF TEA
* ON TOES * CUP OF COFEE
1
Sreedhar’s CCE IDIOMS
EXERCISE
Directions: Choose the correct meanings of these idoms and phrases out of the
five options.
1. All and sundry
1) Everybody without distinction 2) Only rich person
3) Together 4) Selected people 5) None
2. At arm’s length
1) Length of arm 2) At a distance 3) Insult
4) Very near 5) None
3. At daggers drawn
1) Real cause 2) To be puzzled 3) At enmity
4) At friendship 5) None

r’s
4. Bag and baggage
1) All the clothing 2) Without any belonging
3) Leave 4) With all one’s belongings 5) None
5. Bed of roses
1) Very soft bed 2) Dull life

6.
3) Belong to
By leaps and bounds
ha 4) Full of joys 5) None

1) Very fast 2) Very slow 3) In details 4) Aimlessly 5) None

7. In cold blood
1) In full operation
3) Deliberately

E
2) Unintentionally
4) To chase 5) None
d
8. In the teeth of
1) Real cause 2) In the face of 3) In the end
4) In the beginning 5) None
ee

9. Ins and outs

1) No details 2) Finally 3) Major share 4) Full details 5) None
10. Lion’s share
C
1) Look angrily 2) Major share 3) Minor share
4) Heart of the prey 5) None
11. Out of question
Sr

1) Resemble 2) Easy 3) Impossible 4) For the end 5) None

12. Up to the mark
1) Feel greatly 2) Standard 3) Extinguish
4) Below standard 5) None
13. With open arms
1) Warmly 2) Cold-blooded 3) Resemble 4) Coldly 5) None
14. A black sheep
C
1) Stranger 2) On the run 3) Scoundrel 4) Gentleman 5) None
15. A bone of contention
1) Bone of a lion 2) A reason for discord
3) Cause of friendship 4) Continued to bed 5) None
16. A cock and bull story
1) Interesting story 2) A detective story
3) An absurd tale 4) A relevant story 5) None
17. A gala day
1) A day of festivity 2) A day of grief
3) A rainy day 4) A relevant story 5) None
18. A hard nut to crack
1) To be deceived 2) Lazy
3) To confirm 4) A difficult problem 5) None
19. A man of straw
1) A puppet 2) Influential
3) One who has no influence 4) To struggle in vain 5) None

2
Sreedhar’s CCE IDIOMS
20. A turn coat
1) One who changes one’s opinion or parry 2) A wet coat
3) A poor man 4) Man of principles 5) None
21. A fool’s paradise
1) An underdeveloped country 2) Utopia
3) In a state of happiness founded on vain hopes 4) Object to 5) None
22. A white elephant
1) Elephants of Kerala 2) A burdensome possession
3) In disguise 4) A snobbish person 5) None
23. An axe to grind

r’s
1) Touch life 2) An unselfish motive
3) Selfish motive 4) Win by any means 5) None
24. Beat a retreat
1) To retire before the enemy 2) To face the enemy
3) To object
ha
25. Be on the horns of a dilemma
4) Feel greatly 5) None

1) Of the first quality 2) Be very busy

4) To choose between two goods

E
3) To have a choice between two equal evils
5) None
d
26. Go without saying
1) To need no proof 2) To quote
3) Adjoining 4) Uninterrupted 5) None
ee

27. From the bottom of one’s heart

1) A division of heart 2) Adjoining
C
3) Genuinely and deeply 4) Self-satisfied 5) None
28. To play up
1) To criticize 2) To explain briefly
Sr

3) To neglect 4) To over-emphasize a point 5) None

29. Cut and dried
1) Instigate 2) Mechanical
3) Cowardly 4) Show contempt 5) None
30. To be taken aback
C
1) To be surprised 2) By force
3) Wrong path 4) Childish manners 5) None
31. Be even with
1) To gaze 2) To agree with
3) To fly high 4) To settle scores with 5) None
32. Olive branch
1) A gesture of chaos 2) Tragic
3) Gesture of peace 4) Sorrowful 5) None
33. A crying need
1) A scoundrel 2) Urgent demanding attention
3) Specified position 4) Perform 5) None
34. A maiden speech
1) The first speech 2) Outlandish
3) A beautiful lady 4) A lady’s speech 5) None
3
Sreedhar’s CCE IDIOMS
35. Enough and to spare
1) More than enough 2) Straightforward
3) Dissipated life 4) To threaten 5) None
36. Hue and cry
1) To keep aloof from 2) To create crisis
3) A general outcry of alarm 4) To conclude 5) None
37. Hand in hand
1) To starve 2) To welcome 3) To destroy 4) Together 5) None
38. Make-believe
1) That something exists 2) That something does not exist

r’s
3) Realistic 4) Scientific 5) None
39. In black and white
1) In writing 2) In detail 3) To quarrel 4) To be bold 5) None
40. Upto one’s ears

41. In lieu of
ha
1) Deeply involved 2) Youthful 3) Worn out 4) Alarmed 5) None

1) To improve matter 2) In place of

3) To reach climax
42. Not worth his salt

E
4) Past problems 5) None
d
1) To beat severely 2) Light drink
3) Not worth keeping 4) Sense of adventure 5) None
43. In the long run
ee

1) In the end 2) From the very beginning

3) To run very fast 4) A slow runner 5) None
C
44. In keeping with
1) Unfortunately 2) Sincerely
3) In harmony with 4) Not binding 5) None
Sr

45. In defence of
1) In concrete terms 2) In support of
3) In consistency 4) A lovable person 5) None
46. Out of the wood
1) Very clean 2) A crazy person
C
3) Clear of dangers or difficulties
4) Essential part 5) None
47. Of no avail
1) Persistently 2) Unfortunately 3) Expectations
4) Useless 5) None
48. Once for all
1) Finally 2) Beginning 3) Summary 4) Directly 5) None
49. To be in bad odour
1) Unnecessarily 2) Hesistantly
3) To have a bad reputation 4) To make better 5) None
50. To hang back
1) To show unwillingness to act 2) To withdraw
3) To give up 4) To rely on 5) None
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