Idioms and Phrases

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Idioms and Phrases > Section 1

Directions to Solve
Some proverbs/idioms are given below together with their meanings. Choose the correct meaning of proverb/idiom, If there is no correct meaning given, E (i.e.) 'None of these' will be the answer.

1.
To make clean breast of

A. To gain prominence
B. To praise oneself
C. To confess without of reserve
D. To destroy before it blooms
E. None of these

2.
To keeps one's temper

A. To become hungry B. To be in good mood
C. To preserve ones energy D. To be aloof from
E. None of these

3.
To catch a tarter

A. To trap wanted criminal with great difficulty
B. To catch a dangerous person
C. To meet with disaster
D. To deal with a person who is more than one's match
E. None of these

4.
To drive home

A. To find one's roots B. To return to place of rest
C. Back to original position D. To emphasise
E. None of these

5.
To have an axe to grind

A. A private end to serve B. To fail to arouse interest
C. To have no result D. To work for both sides
E. None of these

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6.
To cry wolf

A. To listen eagerly B. To give false alarm
C. To turn pale D. To keep off starvation
E. None of these

7.
To end in smoke

A. To make completely understand
B. To ruin oneself
C. To excite great applause
D. To overcome someone
E. None of these

8.
To be above board

A. To have a good height
B. To be honest in any business deal
C. They have no debts
D. To try to be beautiful
E. None of these

9.
To put one's hand to plough

A. To take up agricultural farming
B. To take a difficult task
C. To get entangled into unnecessary things
D. Take interest in technical work
E. None of these

10.
To pick holes

A. To find some reason to quarrel
B. To destroy something
C. To criticise someone
D. To cut some part of an item
E. None of these

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11.
To leave someone in the lurch

A. To come to compromise with someone
B. Constant source of annoyance to someone
C. To put someone at ease
D. To desert someone in his difficulties
E. None of these

12.
To play second fiddle

A. To be happy, cheerful and healthy
B. To reduce importance of one's senior
C. To support the role and view of another person
D. To do back seat driving
E. None of these

13.
To be the question

A. To refer to
B. To take for granted
C. To raise objections
D. To be discussed
E. None of these

14.
A black sheep

A. An unlucky person
B. A lucky person
C. An ugly person
D. A partner who takes no share of the profits
E. None of these

In the English language, 'Black sheep' is an idiom used to describe an odd or disreputable member of a group, especially within a family.

15.
A man of straw

A. A man of no substance
B. A very active person
C. A worthy fellow
D. An unreasonable person
E. None of these

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16.
To smell a rat

A. To see signs of plague epidemic
B. To get bad small of a bad dead rat
C. To suspect foul dealings
D. To be in a bad mood
E. None of these


17.
To hit the nail right on the head

A. To do the right thing
B. To destroy one's reputation
C. To announce one's fixed views
D. To teach someone a lesson
E. None of these

18.
To set one's face against

A. To oppose with determination
B. To judge by appearance
C. To get out of difficulty
D. To look at one steadily
E. None of these

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Idioms and Phrases > Section 2
Directions to Solve
In the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase italicised and underlined in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of idiom/phrase.

1.
Sobhraj could be easily arrested because the police were tipped off in a advance.

A. Toppled over
B. Bribed
C. Given advance information
D. Threatened

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2.
I met him after a long time, but he gave me the cold shoulder.

A. scolded me
B. insulted me
C. abused me
D. ignored me

3.
He passed himself off as a noble man.

A. Was regarded as
B. Pretended to be
C. Was thought to be
D. Was looked upon

4.
This matter has been hanging fire for the last many months and must therefore be decided one way or the other.

A. going on slowly
B. hotly debated
C. stuck up
D. ignored