English Idioms and Phrases

To catch a tartar

Why must you look a gift horse in the mouth ?

In the organised society of today no individual or nation can plough a lonely furrow.

I am afraid he is burning the candle at both ends and ruining his life.

To play second fiddle

Some people now wonder whether we just pay lip service or genuinely subscribe to democracy.

To make clean breast of

To end in smoke

To put one's hand to plough

To keeps one's temper

Dowry is a burning question of the day.

The recent film "Secular India" has tried to keep the pot boiling for Muslim women's.

The robber took to his heels when the police arrived.

I hope it will not put you out If I am late.

A black sheep

He is leaving the country for a good.

To have an axe to grind

To drive home

To hit the nail right on the head

The teacher warned the student once for all that no mischief shall be tolerated in the class.

We should abstain from casting aspersions on the character of our colleagues.

The case was held over due to the great opposition to it.

He visits the doctor off and on.

It was he who put a spoke in my wheel.

The cricket match proved to be a big draw.

To cry wolf

To pick holes

Although he has failed in the written examination, he is using backstairs influence to get the job.

When he heard that he had once again not been selected he lost heart.

Since he knew what would happen, he should be left to stew in his own juice.

The thief took to his heels when he saw a policeman on the beat.

To leave someone in the lurch

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

To set one's face against

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

In the armed forces, it is considered a great privilege to die in harness.

Sanjay is very different about passing the Civil Services Examination this year.

He sold his house for a song.

I felt like afish out of water among all those business tycoons.

The staff have felt on edge ever since they heard the rumour about retrenchment.

The party stalwarts have advised the President to take it lying down for a while.

To beg the question

Govind has left his country for good.

He struck several bad patches before he made good.

The project did not appear to hold out bright prospects.

Do no trust a man who blows his own trumpet

Companies producing goods play to the gallery to boost their sales.

Women should be paid the same as men when they do the same job, for, surely what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

The university will have to shelve its plans for expansion in view of present situation

Leaders should not only make speeches they should also be prepared to bell the cat.

The popularity of the yesterday's superstar is on the wane.

The accounts of the murder made her flesh creep.

How long will the people put up with the increasing economic hardships?

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

He is an interesting speaker but tends to go off at a tangent.

I did not mind what he was saying, he was only through his hat.

Don't thrust your nose into my affairs.

Sanjay was the real power behind the throne and all politicians were aware of this.

To be above board

Despite the trust bestowed on the minister he turned out to be a snake in the grass during the revolution.

His friends let him down.

A man of straw

He passed himself off as a noble man.

He was undecided. He let the grass grow under his feet.

To smell a rat

He is out and out a reactionary.

It is no longer easy to strike gold in Shakespeare's research since much work has already been done on him.

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

He has built a big business empire by his sharp practices.

To talk through one's hat

Discipline is on the wane in schools and colleges these days.

I cannot get along with a man who plays fast and loose.

To be in abeyance

Their business is now on its last legs.

Mohan always keeps himself to himself

My father strained every nerve to enable me to get settled in life.

The old father brought home the moral of unity by asking each of his sons to break the bundle of sticks

He went to his friend's house in the evening as was his wont.

To get into hot waters

This regular absenteeism is a bad business since on work is being completed.

I have a bone to pick with you in this matter.

The parliamentary inquiry into the Bofors deal did not bring to light any startling facts.

The speaker gave a bird's eye view of the political conditions in the country.

The secretary and the treasurer are hand in glove with each other.

His friends advised him to be fair and square in his dealings.

He believes in the policy of making hay while the sun shines.

He resigned the post of his own accord.

Rohit has bitten off more than he chew.

To be at daggers drawn

Harp on

When he tells stories about himself, he is inclined to draw the longbow.

In his youth, he was practically rolling in money

To catch somebody on the hop

To turn over a new leaf

I ran out of money on my European tour.

The clerk wiped the nose of his employer by submitting a false bill and was dismissed from his job.

In spite of the efforts of all peace loving people, world peace is still a far cry.

If you give John all your money, you are likely to burn your fingers.

The time is running out, you must look sharp.

The authorities took him to task for his negligence.

While the ladies continued their small talk in the drawing room, I felt bored.

By the skin of one's teeth

I felt that it was a tall order to expect Monisha to go home alone at twelve in the night.

To keep one's head

Vikram said that he has got a problem to square up with the manager.

There is no love lost between two neighbours.

Pt. Nehru was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

In modern democratic societies lynch law seems to have become the spheres of life.

Do not imagine that Dharmendra is really sorry that his wife died. Those are only crocodile tears.

Why do you wish to tread on the toes?

The P.M has pulled up Orissa partymen.

The detective left no stone unturned to trace the culprit.

Although both the parents are running the show for the last ten years but their business is now on its last legs.

The autographed bat from the famous cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is worth a jew's eye

The curious neighbours were disappointed as the young couple's quarrel was just a storm in a teacup.

The sight of the accident made myflesh creep.

A fair crack of the whip

To snap one's fingers

Madhuri might scream blue murder, but I feel Deepali should get the promotion since she is better qualified for the job.

Maya had a checkered career. since I first knew him as an office assistant in the insurance company.

To throw down the glove

I cannot conceive of a time when I was without a refrigerator

The question of abolition of private property is still a moot point.

It is high time that India did something about the population problem.

The new C.M stuck his neck out today and promised 10kgs. free wheat a month for all rural families.

He intends setting up as a lawyer in the adjoining district.

There was no opposition to the new policy by the rank and file of the Government.

A pipe dream

You have to be a cool customer and be patient if you want to get the best buys.

I requested him to put in a word for me.

To turn up one's nose at a thing

As a politician he is used to being in the limelight all the time.

He was in high spirits when I met him in the restaurant.

He is in the habit of throwing dust in eyes of his superiors.

There is no hard and fast rule regarding this subject.

I am sure they will fight tooth and nail for their rights.

He did me a good turn by recommending me for the post of Vice Principal.

Will o' the wisp

My car broke down on way to the railway station.

His plan was so complicated that it floored his listeners.

We should give a wide berth to bad characters.

Harassed by repeated acts of injustice. he decided to put his foot down.

Having sold off his factory, he is now a gentleman at large.

A close shave

The old beggar ran amuck and began to throw stones at the passerby.

He is always standing up for the weak and oppressed.

Don't lose patience, things will improve by and by

The dacoit murdered the man in cold blood.

The die is cast and now let us hope for the best.

The new economic policy is likely to run into rough weather.

The rebels held out for about a month

The old man was cut to the quick when his rich son refused to recognise him.

To talk one's head off

Though he has lot of money, yet all his plans are built upon sand.

The arrival of the mother-in-law in the family proved a rift in the lute.

His speech went down well with the majority of the audience.

Turban is in vogue in some communities.

To take with a grain of salt

The class could not keep a straight face on hearing the strange pronunciation of the new teacher.

He is always picking holes in every project.

He went back on his promise to vote for me.

You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

There has been bad blood between the two communities even before shouting.

He never liked the idea of keeping his wife under his thumb and so he let her do what she liked.

It is time that professors came down from their ivory towers and studied the real needs of the students.

The prince did not take after the king.

We were in hurry. The road being zigzag we had to cut off a corner to reach in time.

A baker's dozen

A jaundiced eye

To blaze trail

To make umbrage

To fight to the bitter end

A snake in the grass

To put the cart before the horse

To beggars description

To hold something in leash

To have an easy time of it

To bite one's lips

To carry the coal to Newcastle

To haul over the coals

By the rule of thumb

Within an ace of

To be rolling in money

To worship the rising sun