To make clean breast of

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

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.

He visits the doctor off and on.

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

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

Dowry is a burning question of the day.

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

To keeps one’s temper

To end in smoke

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

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

To put one’s hand to plough

He is out and out a reactionary.

Do no trust a man who blows his own trumpet

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

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

Govind has left his country for good.

He struck several bad patches before he made good.

He passed himself off as a noble man.

To leave someone in the lurch

He sold his house for a song.

To set one’s face against

To hit the nail right on the head

To catch a tartar

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

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

Why must you look a gift horse in the mouth ?

To cry wolf

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

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

To play second fiddle

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

A black sheep

To be above board

He is leaving the country for a good.

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

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

Don’t thrust your nose into my affairs.

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

The cricket match proved to be a big draw.

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

A man of straw

The recent film “Secular India” has tried to keep the pot boiling for Muslim women’s.

To beg the question

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

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

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

To smell a rat

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

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

The accounts of the murder made her flesh creep.

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

The robber took to his heels when the police arrived.

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

It was he who put a spoke in my wheel.

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

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

His friends let him down.

The project did not appear to hold out bright prospects.

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

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

To have an axe to grind

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

To drive home

To pick holes

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