idioms

practice
1. The new plan for traffic control is being put ____on an experimental basis.
A. into action B. in action C. out of action
if you put an idea or a plan into action, you start making it happen or work
if somebody/something is in action, they are doing the activity or work that is
typical for them
out of action: not able to work or be used because of injury or damage

2. I can’t wait to see the _____of that old car.

A. front B. back C. opposite
be glad, etc. to see the back of somebody/something
(informal, especially British English) to be happy that you will
not have to deal with or see somebody/something again
because you do not like them or it
3. They went ahead and sold it ____ my back.
A. beneath B. in front of C. behind
behind somebody’s back
without somebody’s knowledge or permission

4. If you enjoy the coast and the country, you'll get the ____ of both worlds on this
walk.
A. most B. best C. worst
the best of both worlds/all possible worlds
the benefits of two or more completely different situations that you can enjoy at
the same time
the worst of all (possible) worlds
all the disadvantages of every situation
5. Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want.
A. mess the conversation up B. complain around
C. avoid the main point
beat about the bush (British English)
(North American English beat around the bush)
to talk about something for a long time without coming to the main point
6. Think carefully before you resign—you don't want to burn your bridges.
B. regret for what you have done B. break the promise
C. break the connection between a relationship
burn your bridges (British English also burn your boats)
to do something that makes it impossible to return to the previous
situation later
7. Don’t judge a book by its _____.

A. appearance B. outfit C. cover

don’t judge a book by its cover
(saying) used to say that you should not form an opinion about
somebody/something from their appearance only

8. Her children tuition fees cost ______. A. an ear and a nose

B. an arm and a leg C. an elbow and a knee

cost/pay an arm and a leg
(informal) to cost/pay a lot of money
9. Nuclear physics is a _____ book to most of us.

A. closed B. opened C. secret D. private

a closed book (to somebody)
a subject or person that you know nothing about
an open book
if you describe somebody or their life as an open book, you mean that you
can easily understand them and know everything about them
10. There were good times around the _____ (= they would soon come).

A. neighbor B. edge C. pavements D. corner

(just) around/round the corner
very near
11. I’ve applied for several jobs. I don’t want to put all my ____ in one basket.

A. nuts B. tomatoes C. eggs D. effort

put all your eggs in one basket
to rely on one particular course of action for success
rather than giving yourself several different possibilities

12. She managed to hold her head ____ and ignore what people were saying.

A. low B. high C. down D. up

hold your head high, hold up your head
to be proud of or not feel ashamed about
something that you have done
13. Liam hits the nail on the head on all the questions from the interviewer.
A. say something ridiculously B. say something wrong
C. say something accurately D. avoid answering anything
hit the nail on the head
to say something that is exactly right

14. Now, it’s time you all need to hit the sack.
A. go back home B. go to sleep C. wake up D. make up

hit the hay/sack

(informal) to go to bed
15. Charlotte bit her lip to hold the tears _____.

A. at bay B. away C. onto D. upwards

hold/keep somebody/something at bay

to prevent an enemy from coming close or a problem from
having a bad effect SYNONYM WARD OFF

16. Their wisdom could definitely kill two birds with one ________.

A. knife B. stone C. horn D. sword

kill two birds with one stone
to achieve two things at the same time with one action
17. If you don't buy now, you may find that you've missed the ____.
A. chance B. opportunity C. boat D. ship
miss the boat (informal) to be unable to take advantage of something because
you are too late
18.Let me help you with this, it is such a piece of _____!
A. pie B. bread C. cake D. cookie
a piece of cake (informal) a thing that is very easy to do
19. I will try to pull the wool over her eyes and make up the stories.
A. ignore everything in sight B. tell the truth C. trick somebody
pull the wool over somebody’s eyes (informal) to try to trick somebody; to
hide your real actions or intentions from somebody
20. The authorities were either unaware of the problem or they _____ a blind eye
to it. A. had B. turned C. faked D. made
turn a blind eye (to something)
to pretend not to notice something bad that is happening, so you do not have
to do anything about it
21. He tends to sit ____ the fence at meetings.
A. on B. in C. at D. over
sit on the fence to avoid becoming involved in deciding or influencing something
22. Let the bully have a _____ of his own medicine.
A. smell B. thirst C. hunger D. taste
a taste/dose of your own medicine the same bad treatment that
you have given to others
23. We have to look after these, she has put the cart before the horse.
A. put in the wrong order B. reorganize C. feed the horses
put the cart before the horse to put or do things in the wrong order
24. When Dan cooks dinner he always goes the whole ____ yards, with three
courses and a choice of dessert.
A. six B. seven C. eight D. nine
the whole nine yards
(informal, especially North American English) everything, or a situation which
includes everything
25. ‘Who's going to win?’ ‘Your guess is as _____ as mine.’
A. bad B. good C. smart D. logic
your guess is as good as mine (informal) used to tell somebody that you do not know any
more about a subject than the person that you are talking to does
26. Well, speak of the _____—here's Alice now!
A. evil B. angel C. magician D. devil
people say speak/talk of the devil when sb they have been talking about appears unexpectedly
27. As always, the children stole the show.
A. disturb everyone B. disappoint everyone
C. attractive more than others steal the show
[no passive] to attract more attention and praise
than other people in a particular situation
28.The new publicity manager is really ____ the ball.
A. into B. over C. on D. up
(be) on the ball to be aware of and understand what is happening
and able to react quickly
 29. He led poor Amy a ____’s life. She was desperately lonely, poor dear.
A. cat B. dog C. pig D. horse
a dog’s life
an unhappy life, full of problems or unfair treatment
30. I wanted it to be a surprise, but my sister let the ___ out of the bag.
A. bird B. dog C. cat D. mouse
let the cat out of the bag
to tell a secret carelessly or by mistake
31. When pigs ____ she’ll tidy up her room. A. swim B. fly C. cry
pigs might fly (British English)(North American English when pigs fly)
(ironic, saying) used to show that you do not believe something will ever happen
32. I’m really feeling _____ the weather today; I have a terrible cold.
A. under B. above C. on D. in
under the weather (informal) if you are or feel under the weather, you feel slightly
ill/sick and not as well as usual
33.I’m not sure how many people are expected—we’ll just have to play it by ear.
A. hand B. mouth C. ear D. eye
play it by ear (informal) to decide how to deal with a situation as it develops
rather than by having a plan to follow
34. I only see him once in a ____ moon.
A. half B. blue C. full D. black
once in a blue moon (informal) very rarely
35. He’s not right for this role, he has his head ____ the clouds.
A. in B. on C. above D. upon
have your head in the clouds 1.to be thinking about something that is not
connected with what you are doing
2.to have ideas, plans, etc. that are not realistic
36. That constant drilling noise is driving me up the _____.
A. door B. wall C. ceiling D. roof
up the wall (informal) crazy, angry or annoy
37. I can’t concentrate – let’s call it a(an) _____.
A. day B. night C. end D. off
call it a day (informal) to decide or agree to stop doing something
38. Ask John, he _____ the ropes around here.
A. knows B. holds C. ties D. keeps
show somebody/know/learn the ropes
(informal) to show somebody/know/learn how a particular job should be done
39. He's a _____ than life character.
A. bigger B. larger C. wider D. stronger
larger than life looking or behaving in a way that is more interesting or
exciting than other people, and so is likely to attract attention
40. He deliberately threw a red herring into the conversation.
A. useful knowledge B. unrelated information C. leading question
an unimportant fact, idea, event, etc. that takes people’s attention away
from the important ones
41. I bit off _____than I could chew by taking on that extra class.
A. less B. fewer C. much D. more
bite off more than you can chew: try to do too much, or sth that is too difficult
42. Without meaning to blow my own _________, I came top of the class.
A. cornet B. trumpet C. saxophone D. flute
blow your own trumpet (esp. BrE) North AmE (blow/toot your own horn)
(informal) to praise your own abilities and achievements
43. The play had us in stitches.
A. make us itchy B. make us moving, sad C. make us laugh
in stitches (informal) laughing a lot
44. His name rings a bell but I can't think where we met.
A. sounds strange B. comes firstly in my head
C. sounds so familiar
ring a bell (informal) to sound familiar to you, as though you have heard it before
45. His name was on the tip of my tongue… but I couldn’t remember it.
A. about to be spoken out B. vague, not very clear at all
C. almost able to be remembered
on the tip of your tongue
if a word or name is on the tip of your tongue,
you are sure that you know it but you cannot
remember it speak your mind
46. She’s never hesitated about ______ her mind. to say exactly what you
think, in a very direct way
A. chatting B. talking C. speaking D. reading
47. I can't remember the name ___ the top of my head, but I can look it up for
off the top of your head (informal) just guessing or using your memory,
you. without taking time to think carefully or check the facts
A. of B. off C. in D. over
48. Reading ________ the lines, I think Clare needs money.
A. in B. among C. beneath D. between
read between the lines
to look for or discover a meaning in something that is not openly stated
49. The new employee, Gail, is a breath of ____ air in the office.
A. cool B. fresh C. new D. smoky
a breath of (fresh) air
clean air breathed in after being indoors or in a dirty atmosphere
50. The decision came out of the blue.
A. slowly B. quickly C. unexpectedly D. expectedly

out of the blue

unexpectedly; without warning