iDIOMS and pHRASES SET-1 SSC CGL-2018

#65 Important idioms for ssc cgl #everydayquiz

Idioms

1.For his alleged involvement in
espio-nage, he is under a cloud
these days.
(1) experiencing cloudy weather
(2) enjoying favourable luck
(3) under suspicion
(4) under observation

1. (3) under a cloud : under a suspicion
l As he behaved in an abnormal
way, his activities were under a
cloud.
The best option is under suspicion.

2. We have appealed to him again
and again; there is no use
flogging a dead horse now.
(1) repeating our request
(2) making him see reason
(3) beating about the bush
(4) wasting time in useless effort

2. (4) flogging a dead horse : wasting your effort by trying to do

something that is no longer possible
l He was warned again and again,
but now I think there is no use
flogging a dead horse.
The best option is wasting time
in useful effort.

3. We shouldn’t look down upon
the wretched of the earth.
(1) sympathise with
(2) hate intensely
(3) be indifferent to
(4) regard with contempt

3. (4) look down upon : think you
are better than somebody/something
l He always looks down upon his
poor brother.
The best option is regard with
contempt.

4. Because of his misbehaviour, he
is bound to face the music.
(1) get finished
(2) get reprimanded
(3) feel sorry
(4) listen to the music

4. (2) face the music : to accept or
deal with criticism or punishment
for something you have done
l He is prepared to face the music
for his conduct at the meeting.
The best option is get reprimanded.

5. The working of the factory was
distru-pted on account of a
token strike by the workers.
(1) total strike
(2) carefully planned strike
(3) short strike held as a warning
(4) sudden call of strike

5. (3) token strike : a brief strike
intended to convey the strength
of feeling on a disputed issue
l The workers went on a one-day
token strike to get their demands
fulfilled.
The best option is short strike
held as a warning.

6. By opposing his proposal he fell
foul of him.
(1) quarrel with
(2) felt annoyed with
(3) agreed with
(4) got into trouble with

6. (4) fell foul of : to get into trouble with a person/an organisation because of doing something
wrong
l The boy fell foul of his best
friend, when he disagreed to his
friends’s opinion.
The best option is got into trouble with.

7. Those who work by fits and
starts seldom show good
results.
(1) rarely
(2) disinterestedly
(3) irregularly
(4) regularly

7. (3) by fits and starts : impulsively and irregularly
l A sincere student works regularly, not by fits and starts.
The best option is irregularly.

8. The new manager thought that
he would give employees enough

rope for the first six months
after which he would check the
work done himself.
(1) many directives and orders
(2) sufficient advice
(3) all the material they needed
(4) enough freedom for action

8. (4) enough rope : to allow freedom to do what one wants
l The question was so irrelevant
that it gave the interviewee enough rope to frame her own
answer.
The best option is enough freedom for action.

9. He was all at sea when he
began his new Job.
(1) happy (2) sad
(3) puzzled (4) triumphant

9. (3) all at sea : confused and not

knowing what to do
l I’m all at sea with these new rules
and regulations.
The best option is puzzled.

10. The sweeping statement by the
boss left the conscientious
workers disgusted.
(1) rash statement
(2) unpremeditated statement
(3) thoughtless statement
(4) generalised statement

10. (4) sweeping statement : too general and failing to think about or
understand
l His sweeping statement left the
board speechless.
The best option is generalised
statement.

11. The failure of crops in successive
years put the farmer in a tight
corner.
(1) in a closed room
(2) in a small field
(3) in a difficult situation
(4) in a meadow

11. (3) in a tight corner : in a difficult situation
l Unexpected excuses put him in
a tight corner.
The best option is in a difficult
situation.

12. The effort to trace the culprit was
a wild goose chase.
(1) fruitful hunting
(2) futile search
(3) ideal seeking
(4) genuine effort

12. (2) a wild goose chase : a search
for something that is impossible
for you to find or that does not
exist, that makes you waste a lot
of time
l I cannot accompany you in this
wild goose chase.
The best option is futile search.

13. The story does not hold water.
(1) does not deserve appreciation
(2) does not fulfil the
requirements
(3) cannot be believed
(4) cannot be valued

13. (3) does not hold water : cannot
be believed
l His argument is baseless and
does not hold water.
The best option is cannot be believed.

14. Raj couldn’t pay the bill, so he
asked the owner to put it on the
cuff.
(1) on credit
(2) against his credit card
(3) in his bank account
(4) in his friend’s account

14. (1) on the cuff : on credit
l I helped him clean up the shop,
so the mechanic gave me an oil
change on the cuff.
The best option is on credit.

15. His statement is out and out a
lie.
(1) totally (2) simply
(3) merely (4) slightly

15. (1) out and out : in every way;
complete
l What she said was an out and
out a lie.
The best option is totally.

16. The luxury car that they bought
turned out to be a white
elephant.
(1) a rare article
(2) useful mode of transport
(3) costly or troublesome
possession
(4) a proud possession

16. (3) a white elephant : a thing that
is useless and no longer needed,
although it may have cost a lot of
money
l The new office block has become
an expensive white elephant.
The best option is costly or troublesome possession.

17. If you are fair and square in
your work you will definitely
prosper.
(1) active
(2) honest
(3) business like
(4) authoritative

17. (2) fair and square : honest and
according to the rules

l He is fair and square in his dealings.
The best option is honest.

18. There is no love lost between
any two neighbouring countries
in the world.
(1) stop loving
(2) not on good terms
(3) forming a group
(4) have good understanding

18. (2) no love lost between : do
not like each other
l These is no love lost between
them.
The best option is not on good
terms.

19. The heavy downpour played
havoc in the coastal area.
(1) caused destruction
(2) caused diseases
(3) caused floods
(4) caused hardship

19. (1) played havoc : caused damage, destruction or confusion
l The severe earthquake played
havoc all around the area.
The best option is caused destruction.

20. To have a green thumb means
(1) one’s nails are painted green
(2) one is artistic
(3) to have a natural interest in
gardening
(4) one has a green tattoo on the
thumb

20. (3) green thumb : a person good
at making plants grow
l Her beautiful garden shows that
she has a green thumb.
The best option is to have a natural interest in gardening.

21. When he saw the snake he took
to his heels.
(1) ran away in fear
(2) went slowly
(3) walked in fear
(4) jumped fast

21. (1) took to his heels : ran away
l As soon as the thief saw the police, he took to his heels.
The best option is ran away in
fear.

22. He has to abide by the hard and
fast rule of the company.
(1) flexible (2) strict
(3) difficult (4) honest

22. (2) hard and fast : that cannot be
changed in any circumstances
l One must abide by the hard and
fast rules of this organisation.
The best option is strict.

23. She goes to her mother’s house
off and on.
(1) frequently (2) rarely
(3) occasionally (4) sometimes

23. (3) off and on : from time to time;
now and again; occasionally
l She always remains sick. She has
to visit the doctor off and on.
The best option is occasionally.

24. The robber murdered , the
woman in cold blood for the
sake of the jewels.
(1) a murder done without
feeling
(2) a murder done in revenge
(3) a murder done in great anger
(4) a murder done in enmity

24. (1) murdered in cold blood :
murdering in a way that is deliberately cruel/with no pity
l The whole family was murdered
in cold blood.
The best option is a murder done
without feeling.

25. Indians are going places in the
field of software technology.
(1) going abroad
(2) going to spaces
(3) talented and successful
(4) friendly and amicable

25. (3) going places : to be getting
more and more successful in your
life or career
l Maria writes very well. She is
definitely going places.
The best option is talented and
successful.

26. The poet drew on his fancy, not
his knowledge of Nature, when
he wrote his poem on birds.
(1) used his understanding
(2) used his knowledge
(3) used his imagination
(4) used his skill

26. (3) drew on his fancy : used his
imagination
l Painters draw on their fancy in
their sketches and paintings.
The best option is used his imagination

27. My neighbour had to pay
through his nose for a brand
new car.
(1) pay huge loans
(2) pay a reasonable price
(3) pay an extremely high price
(4) make a quick buck

27. (3) play through his nose : to pay
too much money for something
l We paid through the nose for
that vacation.
The best option is pay an extremely high price

28. Very ambitious people do not like
to rest on their laurels.
(1) to be unhappy
(2) to be motivated
(3) to be impatient
(4) to be complacent

28. (4) rest on their laurels : to feel
so satisfied with what you have
already achieved that you do not
try to do any more.
(1) complacent : too satisfied with
yourself or with a situation, so
that you may not feel that any
change is necessary
l Despite our success, this is not
the time to rest on our laurels.
The best option is to be complacent.

29. If he phones again, I am going
to give him a piece of my
mind.
(1) to be nice to him
(2) to take revenge on him
(3) to reprimand him
(4) to support him

29. (3) to give him a piece of my
mind : to tell somebody that you
disapprove of his behaviour or
angry with him
l I’ve had enough of Raju. I’m going to give him a piece of my
mind.
The best option is to reprimand
him.

30. The party high command wanted
to stave off an open battle.
(1) postpone
(2) wait and see
(3) allow it to take its own course
(4) prevent

30. (1) to stave off : to prevent
something bad from affecting you
for a period of time; to delay
something
l He could stave off an open argument.
The best option is postpone.

31. Ramesh takes after his father.
(1) follows (2) imitates
(3) obeys (4) resembles

31. (4) takes after : to look or behave
like an older member of your family, especially your mother or father
l John takes after his grand father.
The best option is resembles.

32. They made no bones about
acknowledging their debt to his
genius.
(1) did not have any hesitation
in
(2) did not have any faith in
(3) demanded compensation for
(4) had problems in

32. (1) made no bones about : to be
honest and open about something; not to hesitate to do something
l She made no bones about in accepting her defeat at the Olympics.
The best option is did not have
any hesitation in.

33. It is evident from the minister’s
statement that heads will roll
in the Secretariat.
(1) transfers will take place
(2) heads will be cut off
(3) people will die
(4) dismissals will occur

33. (4) heads will roll : will be punished because of something that
has happened
l When the company’s year-end
results are known, heads will
roll .
The best option is dismissals will
occur

34. During the last moments of his
life, the criminal made a clean
breast of everything he had
done.
(1) showed his breast
(2) fought like a hero
(3) confessed without reserve
(4) faced bravely

34. (3) made a clean breast of : to
tell the truth about something so
that you may no longer feel guilty
l You’ll feel better if you make a
clean breast of the incident.
The best option is confessed without reserve.

35. She tries very hard to keep up
with her rich neighbours.
(1) to imitate
(2) to keep in touch
(3) to avoid
(4) to be on par

35. (2) to keep up : to continue to be
in contact with somebody
l He couldn’t keep up with his
friends who went into business.
The best option is to keep in
touch.

36. He went on sowing wild oats;
he reaped suffering in his later
life.
(1) inviting troubles as a boy
(2) warning others as a
youngman
(3) irresponsible pleasure
seeking in young age
(4) sowing grains called oats
when young

36. (3) souring wild oats : (of young
men) to go through a period of
wild behaviour while young, especially having a lot of romantic
or sexual relationships
l He sowed his wild oats in early
life, but has become sober now.
The best option is irresponsible
pleasure seeking in young age.

37. I don’t know why she has
become stand-offish recently.
(1) angry
(2) hilarious
(3) indifferent
(4) unmanageable

37. (3) stand-offish : not friendly towards other people; aloof
l He can be quite stand-offish and
rude, even to his friends.
The best option is indifferent.

38. Why don’t you put an end to
blowing your own trumpet ?
(1) playing your own trumpet to
produce music
(2) making too much noise
(3) praising your own abilities
and achievements
(4) None of these

38. (3) blowing your own trumpet :
to praise your own abilities and
achievements; boast
l Anyone will tell you she’s one of
the best journalists we have got,
although she never blows her
own trumpet.
The best option is prasising your
own abilities and achievements.

39. I knew he had an axe to grind
and turned down his offer of
help.
(1) a blunt axe
(2) a sharp tongue
(3) a private interest to serve
(4) a tendency to fight

39. (3) an axe to grind : to have private reasons for being involved
in something or for arguing for a
particular cause
l He claimed to be disinterested,
but I knew he had an axe to
grind.
The best option is a private interest to serve.

40. The saint’s life was an open
book .
(1) an uncomplicated one
(2) one that held no secrets
(3) an example to all
(4) an interesting biography

40. (2) an open book : can easily understand and know everything
about somebody
l Your health secrets will be an
open book to anyone who can do
an online search.
The best option is one that held
no secrets.

41. Reading between the lines I
realised that my friend wanted
to keep something from me.
(1) looking for meanings that are
not actually expressed
(2) reading carelessly
(3) reading with anxiety
(4) glancing over the lines

41. (1) reading between the lines :
looking for or discovering a meaning

l Reading between the lines of the
letter, she realised that her friend
was in great trouble.
The best option is looking for
meanings that are not actually
expressed.

42. Sometimes, it happens that we
have to give the devil his due.
(1) to give credit to even a
notorious person
(2) to give encouragement even
to the enemy
(3) to invite the devil
(4) to stand in the way of the
devil

42. (2) to give the devil his due :
said when you admit that someone you don’t like or admire does
have some good qualities
l I don’t like her views, but still I
give the devil her due; she has
always something important to
say.
The best option is to give encouragement even to the enemy.

43. The king had been made to eat
humble pie.
(1) to eat slowly
(2) to have an excellent dish
(3) to eat a good pie
(4) to apologise

43. (4) to eat humble pie : to say
and show that you are sorry for
a mistake that you made
l The producers of the advertisement had to eat humble pie for
misrepresenting the facts.
The best option is to apologise.

44. He was given Hobson’s choice
by the employer.
(1) excellent choice
(2) no real choice at all
(3) choice to live or die
(4) first choice

44. (2) Hobson’s choice : a situation
in which somebody has no choice
because if he does not accept what
is offered, he will get nothing
l We didn’t really want that particular hotel, but it was a case of
Hobson’s choice.
The best option is no real choice
at all.

45. He has a very nice manner, but
you would better take what he
says with a grain of salt.
(1) to listen to something with
considerable doubt
(2) to talk sensibly
(3) to criticise
(4) to complement

45. (1) take with a grain of salt : to
hear/ listen/believe with some
doubt
l You must take anything she says
with a grain of salt. She doesn’t
always speak the truth.
The best option is to listen to
something with considerable
doubt

46. He didn’t tell me directly, but
reading between the lines. I
think he is not happy with them.
(1) reading slowly and haltingly
(2) understanding the sense
rather than the actual words
(3) understanding the meaning
of words and not the sense
(4) reading superficially

46. (2) reading between the lines :
looking for or discovering a meaning; something that is not openly
stated
l Reading between the lines of the
letter, she realised that her friend
was in great trouble.
The best option is understanding the sense rather than the
actual words.

47. Gopi works by fits and starts.
(1) consistently
(2) irregularly
(3) in high spirits
(4) enthusiastically

47. (2) by fits and starts : impulsively and irregularly
l A sincere student works regularly, not by fits and starts
The best option is irregularly.

48. I cannot put up with your
misconduct any longer.
(1) excuse (2) refuse
(3) accept (4) tolerate

48. (4) put up with : to accept somebody/something that is annoying,
unpleasant, etc. without complaining

l I cannot put up with your constant complaining any longer.
The best option is tolerate

49. I did not mind what he was
saying, he was only talking
through his hat.
(1) talking nonsense
(2) talking ignorantly
(3) talking irresponsibly
(4) talking insultingly

49. (1) talking through his hat : to
say silly things while you are talking about a subject you do not
understand
l He was talking through his hat
when he described the shipwreck.
The best option is talking nonsense.

50. He is so furious that he would
go through fire and water to
revenge himself on his foe.
(1) approach everybody for help
(2) avail himself of any
opportunity
(3) use any conceivable method
(4) undergo any risk

50. (4) go through fire and water :
face any difficulty
l They went through fire and water to ensure the child’s safety.
The best option is undergo any
risk.

51. The watchdogs were asleep
when the bulls ran riot.
(1) behaved cleverly
(2) acted without restraint
(3) wandered aimlessly
(4) had the best of time

51. (2) ran riot : to act without restraint or control
l The children ran riot when there
was nobody (elders) at home.
The best option is acted without
restraint.

52. In spite of the immense pressure
exerted by the militants, the
Government, has decided not to
give in

(1) accede (2) yield
(3) oblige (4) conform

52. (2) give in : to admit that you
have been defeated by somebody/something
l The strikers seem determined,
and are not likely to give in.
The best option is yield.

53. The young and the old sat cheek
by jowl in the large audience.
(1) very near (2) very far
(3) tongue tied (4) irritated

53. (1) cheek by jowl : side by side,
close together
l The two families lived cheek by
jowl in one house.
The best option is very near.

54. We wanted to keep the gift as a
surprise for mother but my
sister gave the game away .
(1) lost the game
(2) gave out the secret
(3) played badly
(4) withdrew from the game

54. (2) gave the game away : betray; to make known something
that somebody wants to keep
secret
l Though they were the oldest of
the employees of the company,
they were giving the game
away.
The best option is gave out the
secret.

55. I don’t think the law will interfere with us as we are just

trying to turn an honest penny.
(1) make a legitimate living
(2) make a good living
(3) have dealings in white money
(4) become more honest

55. (1) turn an honest penny : to
earn money honestly
l I cannot miss the opportunity of
turning an honest penny.
The best option is make a legitimate living.

56. a dark horse
(1) an unforeseen competitor
(2) a black horse
(3) a nightmare
(4) an unknown person

56. (1) a dark horse : a person who
does not tell other people much
about his life, and who surprises other people by having interesting qualities; a person taking
part in a race, etc., who surprises everyone by winning

57. to run across
(1) to have an appointed meeting
(2) to meet by chance
(3) to run in the playground
(4) to run very fast

57. (2) to run across : to meet somebody or find something by
chance
l I ran across some old friends at
the Mall.
The best option is to meet by
chance.

58. to get one’s own back
(1) to get one’s revenge
(2) to get control over someone
(3) to get one’s position back
(4) to get hold of someone

58. (1) to get one’s own back : to
obtain something again after
having lost it; have one’s revenge
l She finally saw a chance to get
her own back.
The best option is to get one’s
revenge.

59. to steer clear of
(1) drive carefully
(2) avoid
(3) explain clearly
(4) escape

59. (2) to steer clear of : to avoid a
person or thing because it may
cause problems
l Dad warned us to steer clear
of Dr. Gupta and his poor advice.
The best option is avoid.

60. to beat a retreat
(1) to withdraw in defeat or
humiliation
(2) to withdraw after scoring a
victory
(3) to march back after a
ceremonious parade
(4) to run away in fear

60. (4) to beat a retreat : to go away
or back quickly, especially to
avoid something unpleasant
l The dog beat a retreat to its own
yard.
The best option is to run away
in fear.

61. to blaze a trail
(1) to lead the way as a pioneer
(2) to light a track
(3) to set up a fire
(4) to wear a blazer while
running

61. (1) to blaze a trail : to be the
first to do/ to discover something that others follow
l The hospital has blazed a trail
in developing new techniques for
treating infertility.
The best option is to lead the
way as a pioneer.

62. red-letter day
(1) a colourful day
(2) fatal day
(3) happy and significant day
(4) hapless day

62. (3) red-letter day : an important day, or a day that you will
remember, because of something good that happened then.
l 15th August is a red-letter day
in the history of India.
The best option is happy and
significant day

63. have the last laugh
(1) be of a cheerful nature
(2) laugh only after understanding something
(3) to be victorious at the end of
an argument
(4) to crack the final joke

63. (3) have the last laugh : to make
someone who has criticized or
defeated you, look stupid by
succeeding at something more
important
l They fined her last year but she
had the last laugh because she
was taken on by her rivals at
once

The best option is to be victorious at the end of an argument.

64. turn a deaf ear
(1) disregard (2) defy
(3) disobey (4) dismiss

64. (1) turn a deaf ear : to ignore or
refuse to listen to somebody/
something
l Sheela turned a deaf ear to our
pleadings.
The best option is disregard.

65. to smell a rat
(1) to experience bad smell
(2) to misunderstand
(3) to see a hidden meaning
(4) to suspect a trick

65. (4) to smell a rat : to suspect
that something is wrong about
a situation
l I don’t think this was an accident. I smell a rat.
The best option is to suspect a
trick.

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