Chapter 21
Idioms and Phrases
Theory
3.1 Idiom vs Phrase vs Proverb
| Term | What it is | Key feature | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idiom | A fixed group of words whose meaning is figurative and cannot be worked out from the individual words. | Fixed form + non-literal meaning. | To kick the bucket = to die. |
| Phrase | Any small group of words acting as a single grammatical unit, with no verb–subject of its own. Its meaning is usually literal. | Grammatical building block; often literal. | In the morning, a cup of tea. |
| Proverb | A short, well-known complete sentence stating a general truth or piece of advice. | Full sentence carrying a moral/lesson. | A stitch in time saves nine. |
Quick test: If it is figurative and fixed → idiom. If it is just a grammatical chunk → phrase. If it is a complete sentence teaching a lesson → proverb. Every idiom is a phrase, but not every phrase is an idiom.
3.2 Phrasal Verbs
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a particle (preposition or adverb) that creates a meaning different from the verb alone. Because the particle is fixed, exams love to swap it.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| break down | to stop functioning; to collapse emotionally | The car broke down on the motorway. |
| break out | (of war, disease, fire) to begin suddenly | A fire broke out in the warehouse at midnight. |
| call off | to cancel | The match was called off because of rain. |
| carry out | to perform or complete (a task, order) | The team carried out the survey efficiently. |
| give in | to yield or surrender | After hours of arguing, she finally gave in. |
| give up | to stop trying; to abandon (a habit) | He gave up smoking last year. |
| put off | to postpone | They put off the meeting until Friday. |
| put up with | to tolerate | I cannot put up with his rudeness any longer. |
| look after | to take care of | She looks after her ageing parents. |
| look into | to investigate | The police are looking into the theft. |
| look up to | to respect or admire | Students look up to a dedicated teacher. |
| run out of | to exhaust the supply of | We have run out of petrol. |
| turn down | to reject; to reduce (volume) | He turned down the job offer. |
| turn up | to arrive or appear, often unexpectedly | She turned up late for the interview. |
| bring up | to raise (a child); to mention (a topic) | He was brought up by his grandmother. |
| take after | to resemble (a relative) | She takes after her mother. |
| come across | to meet or find by chance | I came across an old photograph today. |
| get along | to have a friendly relationship | The two colleagues get along well. |
| go through | to experience (hardship); to examine carefully | She went through a difficult phase after the loss. |
| pull off | to succeed in (something difficult) | The team pulled off a remarkable victory. |
| set up | to establish or arrange | They set up a new school in the village. |
| back out | to withdraw from a commitment | He backed out of the deal at the last minute. |
| blow up | to explode; to lose one's temper | The bomb blew up the bridge. |
Particle alert: the particle is part of the meaning. Look after (care) ≠ look into (investigate) ≠ look up to (admire). Change the particle and you change the sense entirely.
3.3 Common Idioms
Table A — Alphabetical core idioms:
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a blessing in disguise | a misfortune that turns out to be beneficial |
| a bolt from the blue | a sudden, unexpected (usually unpleasant) event |
| a wild goose chase | a hopeless, fruitless pursuit |
| at one's wit's end | utterly perplexed; not knowing what to do |
| beat about the bush | to avoid coming to the point |
| bite the dust | to fail, die, or be defeated |
| burn the midnight oil | to work or study late into the night |
| call a spade a spade | to speak frankly and plainly |
| cut corners | to do something cheaply or carelessly to save time/money |
| hit the nail on the head | to identify exactly the right point |
| in cold blood | deliberately and without pity |
| let the cat out of the bag | to reveal a secret carelessly |
| make ends meet | to manage on a limited income |
| on the spur of the moment | suddenly, without planning |
| once in a blue moon | very rarely |
| smell a rat | to suspect that something is wrong |
| the lion's share | the largest part or portion |
| to add fuel to the fire | to make a bad situation worse |
| to be in hot water | to be in trouble |
| turn over a new leaf | to begin afresh; to reform one's conduct |
Table B — More high-frequency idioms (thematic):
| Theme | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Effort / Money | tighten one's belt | to spend less; to economise |
| Effort / Money | cost an arm and a leg | to be very expensive |
| Trouble | a storm in a teacup | a great fuss over a trivial matter |
| Trouble | face the music | to accept the unpleasant consequences |
| Ease / Success | a piece of cake | something very easy |
| Ease / Success | steal the show | to attract the most attention/praise |
| People | a fair-weather friend | a friend only in good times |
| People | a black sheep | a disreputable member of a group/family |
| Speech | get cold feet | to lose nerve at the last moment |
| Speech | spill the beans | to disclose a secret |
| Time | in the nick of time | at the very last possible moment |
| Time | against the clock | racing to finish before a deadline |
Example sentences using idioms correctly (≥5):
1. Losing that job was a blessing in disguise, for it led me to a better career.
2. Stop beating about the bush and tell me what really happened.
3. The students had to burn the midnight oil before the final examination.
4. His sudden resignation came as a bolt from the blue.
5. With prices rising, the family struggles to make ends meet.
6. She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
3.4 Proverbs
| Proverb | Meaning / Lesson |
|---|---|
| A stitch in time saves nine. | Timely action prevents bigger problems later. |
| All that glitters is not gold. | Attractive appearances can be deceptive. |
| Look before you leap. | Think carefully before acting. |
| Too many cooks spoil the broth. | Too many people handling one task ruin it. |
| A rolling stone gathers no moss. | Constant change prevents lasting gain/stability. |
| Birds of a feather flock together. | Like-minded people associate with one another. |
| Strike while the iron is hot. | Act at the most favourable moment. |
| Empty vessels make the most noise. | The least knowledgeable often talk the most. |
Common Exam Errors
| # | Wrong (misused idiom) | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | burn the midnight lamp | burn the midnight oil | The fixed noun is oil, not lamp. |
| 2 | once in a red moon | once in a blue moon | The colour is blue (a rare second full moon). |
| 3 | beat around the tree | beat about the bush | British form is about the bush. |
| 4 | a blessing in the sky | a blessing in disguise | The word is disguise, not "in the sky". |
| 5 | let the cat out of the box | let the cat out of the bag | The container is a bag. |
| 6 | hit the nail on the top | hit the nail on the head | You hit the nail on the head. |
| 7 | the lion's part | the lion's share | The noun is share. |
| 8 | add oil to the fire | add fuel to the fire | The standard idiom uses fuel. |
| 9 | in cold heart | in cold blood | The phrase is in cold blood. |
| 10 | make both ends join | make ends meet | The verb is meet; ends "meet". |
| 11 | smell a mouse | smell a rat | The animal is a rat. |
| 12 | turn over a new page | turn over a new leaf | One turns a new leaf (book leaf/page metaphor fixed as "leaf"). |
| 13 | at one's wit end | at one's wit's end | Requires possessive wit's. |
| 14 | a bolt from the sky | a bolt from the blue | It is from the blue (clear sky). |
| 15 | call a spade a shovel | call a spade a spade | The repeated noun is spade. |
| 16 | a wild duck chase | a wild goose chase | The bird is a goose. |
| 17 | cut edges | cut corners | The noun is corners. |
| 18 | on the spur of moment | on the spur of the moment | Requires the article the before moment. |
| 19 | be in hot soup | be in hot water | Standard idiom is hot water. |
| 20 | bite the ground | bite the dust | One bites the dust. |
| 21 | a storm in a tea-kettle | a storm in a teacup | The vessel is a teacup. |
| 22 | spill the peas | spill the beans | The food item is beans. |
| 23 | cost an arm and a foot | cost an arm and a leg | The limbs are arm and leg. |
| 24 | get cold hands | get cold feet | The body part is feet. |
| 25 | face the music band | face the music | The idiom ends at music. |
Exam Tricks
- Never read idioms literally. If a literal option seems "too obvious", it is usually the distractor.
- Spot the altered word. Examiners change one key noun/preposition (lamp→oil, around→about); the option that keeps the standard wording is right.
- Match the register. If the sentence is about secrecy, choose let the cat out of the bag/spill the beans; about trouble, in hot water; about rarity, once in a blue moon.
- Phrasal-verb particles. Test the meaning: put off=postpone but put up with=tolerate; give in=surrender but give up=quit.
- Common distractors: a near-synonym that is slightly off (e.g. "to be very rich" offered for cost an arm and a leg whose real meaning is "very expensive"); a literal paraphrase; a related but opposite idiom (offering "to reveal a secret" as a distractor for smell a rat = "to suspect").
- Eliminate emotion-flips. Positive idioms (steal the show) will be paired with negative distractors to mislead — keep the polarity straight.
Frequently Confused Pairs
| Pair | Expression 1 | Expression 2 |
|---|---|---|
| take off / take after | take off = (of a plane) to leave the ground; to remove | take after = to resemble a relative |
| give in / give up | give in = to yield/surrender | give up = to abandon or stop trying |
| look for / look after | look for = to search for | look after = to take care of |
| put off / put up (with) | put off = to postpone | put up with = to tolerate |
| break down / break out | break down = to stop functioning/collapse | break out = to begin suddenly (war, fire) |
| turn down / turn up | turn down = to reject/reduce | turn up = to arrive/appear |
| bring up / bring about | bring up = to raise a child/topic | bring about = to cause to happen |
| run out of / run into | run out of = to exhaust a supply | run into = to meet by chance; to collide with |
Exceptions — Important, Rare & Advanced
- Frozen form. Most idioms cannot be pluralised, made passive, or reordered. We say kick the bucket, not "the bucket was kicked" (to mean "die").
- Possessive variation. Some idioms flex the pronoun: at one's wit's end → "at my wit's end". Only the pronoun changes; the rest is fixed.
- Separable vs inseparable phrasal verbs. Separable: "call off the match" / "call the match off". Inseparable: look after, run out of — the object cannot split the verb ("look the children after" is wrong).
- Transparent look-alikes. Beware literal phrases that mimic idioms: "He turned up the volume" (literal) vs "He turned up late" (phrasal/idiomatic appearance). Context decides.
- British vs American wording. British beat about the bush vs American "beat around the bush"; British storm in a teacup vs American "tempest in a teapot". Use the British form for UPESSC.
- Advanced rarities. a fly in the ointment (a small flaw spoiling something), to throw in the towel (to admit defeat), to bell the cat (to undertake a dangerous task for others), hobson's choice (no real choice at all) — these appear in higher-difficulty sets.
50 MCQs
Easy (1–15)
1. The idiom "a blessing in disguise" means:
(a) a hidden curse (b) a misfortune that proves beneficial (c) a religious gift (d) a clever disguise
Answer: (b) a misfortune that proves beneficial
Explanation: A bad event that turns out to be good.
2. Choose the meaning of "once in a blue moon":
(a) every month (b) very often (c) very rarely (d) at night
Answer: (c) very rarely
Explanation: A blue moon is an uncommon occurrence.
3. "Burn the midnight oil" means to:
(a) waste fuel (b) study or work late at night (c) sleep early (d) light a lamp
Answer: (b) study or work late at night
Explanation: Working into the small hours.
4. The phrasal verb "call off" means to:
(a) shout (b) postpone (c) cancel (d) telephone
Answer: (c) cancel
Explanation: The match was called off = cancelled.
5. "Look after" means to:
(a) search for (b) take care of (c) look behind (d) investigate
Answer: (b) take care of
Explanation: Caring for someone/something.
6. Fill in: He finally decided to ______ smoking for health reasons.
(a) give in (b) give up (c) give away (d) give off
Answer: (b) give up
Explanation: Give up = abandon a habit.
7. "Make ends meet" means to:
(a) finish a task (b) manage on a limited income (c) join two ropes (d) reach a destination
Answer: (b) manage on a limited income
Explanation: Balancing income and expenses.
8. The idiom "let the cat out of the bag" means to:
(a) release a pet (b) reveal a secret (c) make a mistake (d) start a fight
Answer: (b) reveal a secret
Explanation: Accidentally disclosing something hidden.
9. "Put off" means to:
(a) wear (b) remove (c) postpone (d) annoy
Answer: (c) postpone
Explanation: The meeting was put off = delayed.
10. The idiom "beat about the bush" means to:
(a) hit a plant (b) come straight to the point (c) avoid the main point (d) waste money
Answer: (c) avoid the main point
Explanation: Talking around an issue.
11. "Run out of" means to:
(a) escape (b) exhaust the supply of (c) run quickly (d) collide with
Answer: (b) exhaust the supply of
Explanation: We ran out of petrol = none left.
12. Fill in: The fire ______ in the factory during the night.
(a) broke down (b) broke out (c) broke in (d) broke up
Answer: (b) broke out
Explanation: Break out = begin suddenly.
13. "Turn down" an offer means to:
(a) accept it (b) reject it (c) consider it (d) negotiate it
Answer: (b) reject it
Explanation: He turned down the job = refused it.
14. The idiom "the lion's share" means:
(a) the smallest part (b) the largest part (c) an equal part (d) a missing part
Answer: (b) the largest part
Explanation: The biggest portion.
15. "Look up to" someone means to:
(a) search for them (b) admire and respect them (c) ignore them (d) look upwards
Answer: (b) admire and respect them
Explanation: Students look up to good teachers.
Moderate (16–35)
16. "A bolt from the blue" means:
(a) a flash of lightning (b) a sudden unexpected event (c) a blue-coloured object (d) a planned surprise
Answer: (b) a sudden unexpected event
Explanation: A complete shock.
17. Choose the correct idiom: She did the project carelessly to save money; she ______.
(a) hit the nail on the head (b) cut corners (c) made ends meet (d) called a spade a spade
Answer: (b) cut corners
Explanation: Doing something cheaply/carelessly.
18. "Smell a rat" means to:
(a) detect a bad odour (b) suspect something is wrong (c) catch a rat (d) be afraid
Answer: (b) suspect something is wrong
Explanation: Sensing deceit.
19. The phrasal verb "put up with" means to:
(a) build (b) tolerate (c) accommodate someone overnight (d) lift up
Answer: (b) tolerate
Explanation: Enduring something unpleasant.
20. "Take after" means to:
(a) chase (b) resemble a relative (c) follow later (d) imitate a stranger
Answer: (b) resemble a relative
Explanation: She takes after her mother.
21. "Hit the nail on the head" means to:
(a) injure oneself (b) say exactly the right thing (c) work hard (d) make a mistake
Answer: (b) say exactly the right thing
Explanation: Being precisely correct.
22. Fill in: After years of crime, he decided to ______ and live honestly.
(a) turn over a new leaf (b) add fuel to the fire (c) beat about the bush (d) bite the dust
Answer: (a) turn over a new leaf
Explanation: To make a fresh, reformed start.
23. "In cold blood" means:
(a) in cold weather (b) deliberately and without pity (c) while shivering (d) in fear
Answer: (b) deliberately and without pity
Explanation: A ruthless, premeditated act.
24. "Call a spade a spade" means to:
(a) speak plainly and frankly (b) dig the ground (c) accuse falsely (d) flatter someone
Answer: (a) speak plainly and frankly
Explanation: Speaking the blunt truth.
25. The idiom "to add fuel to the fire" means to:
(a) help solve a problem (b) make a bad situation worse (c) cook food (d) start a debate
Answer: (b) make a bad situation worse
Explanation: Aggravating matters.
26. "A wild goose chase" means:
(a) a hunting trip (b) a fruitless pursuit (c) a fast race (d) a game
Answer: (b) a fruitless pursuit
Explanation: A hopeless search.
27. Choose the correct phrasal verb: The police are ______ the matter.
(a) looking after (b) looking for (c) looking into (d) looking up to
Answer: (c) looking into
Explanation: Look into = investigate.
28. "To be in hot water" means to:
(a) take a bath (b) be in trouble (c) be excited (d) be relaxed
Answer: (b) be in trouble
Explanation: Facing difficulty.
29. "Bite the dust" means to:
(a) eat hurriedly (b) fail or be defeated (c) clean the floor (d) win
Answer: (b) fail or be defeated
Explanation: To fail, fall, or die.
30. Fill in: He ______ an old friend at the railway station yesterday.
(a) came across (b) came up (c) came off (d) came round
Answer: (a) came across
Explanation: Come across = meet by chance.
31. "At one's wit's end" means:
(a) very clever (b) utterly perplexed (c) almost finished (d) very witty
Answer: (b) utterly perplexed
Explanation: Not knowing what to do.
32. The phrasal verb "back out" means to:
(a) reverse a car only (b) withdraw from a commitment (c) support someone (d) return
Answer: (b) withdraw from a commitment
Explanation: He backed out of the deal.
33. "On the spur of the moment" means:
(a) after long planning (b) suddenly, without planning (c) at the right time (d) too late
Answer: (b) suddenly, without planning
Explanation: An impulsive decision.
34. "Get along (with)" means to:
(a) walk together (b) have a friendly relationship (c) leave (d) compete
Answer: (b) have a friendly relationship
Explanation: The colleagues get along well.
35. Fill in: The magician managed to ______ a difficult trick flawlessly.
(a) pull off (b) pull down (c) pull up (d) pull through
Answer: (a) pull off
Explanation: Pull off = succeed in something difficult.
Difficult (36–50)
36. Identify the idiom meaning "a great fuss over a trivial matter":
(a) a storm in a teacup (b) a bolt from the blue (c) a wild goose chase (d) a blessing in disguise
Answer: (a) a storm in a teacup
Explanation: Exaggerated reaction to a small matter.
37. "To bell the cat" means to:
(a) frighten a cat (b) undertake a risky task for the common good (c) make noise (d) avoid danger
Answer: (b) undertake a risky task for the common good
Explanation: From the fable of the mice and the cat.
38. Which expression means "to admit defeat"?
(a) steal the show (b) throw in the towel (c) face the music (d) cut corners
Answer: (b) throw in the towel
Explanation: From boxing — conceding the fight.
39. "A fly in the ointment" refers to:
(a) a tiny insect (b) a small flaw spoiling something otherwise good (c) a medicine (d) a clever trick
Answer: (b) a small flaw spoiling something otherwise good
Explanation: A minor drawback.
40. Choose the correct meaning: The new tax "cost the company an arm and a leg".
(a) caused injuries (b) was very expensive (c) saved money (d) was illegal
Answer: (b) was very expensive
Explanation: Extremely costly.
41. Which idiom means "to confront and accept the unpleasant consequences of one's actions"?
(a) bring up (b) get cold feet (c) steal the show (d) face the music
Answer: (d) face the music
Explanation: Face the music = confront an unpleasant situation bravely.
42. "Empty vessels make the most noise" is a proverb meaning:
(a) silence is golden (b) the least knowledgeable talk the most (c) noise is harmful (d) hard work pays
Answer: (b) the least knowledgeable talk the most
Explanation: Foolish people boast loudest.
43. Which idiom means "a friend only in prosperity"?
(a) a black sheep (b) a fair-weather friend (c) a wet blanket (d) a bosom friend
Answer: (b) a fair-weather friend
Explanation: Loyal only in good times.
44. "Steal the show" means to:
(a) commit theft (b) attract the most attention/praise (c) leave quietly (d) ruin a performance
Answer: (b) attract the most attention/praise
Explanation: Outshining everyone else.
45. Choose the correct phrasal verb: They have decided to ______ a charitable trust.
(a) set up (b) set off (c) set in (d) set aside
Answer: (a) set up
Explanation: Set up = establish.
46. "In the nick of time" means:
(a) far too late (b) at the very last moment (c) ahead of schedule (d) by accident
Answer: (b) at the very last moment
Explanation: Just in time.
47. Identify the odd one out (does NOT mean "to reveal a secret"):
(a) spill the beans (b) let the cat out of the bag (c) smell a rat (d) give the game away
Answer: (c) smell a rat
Explanation: Smell a rat = to suspect, not to reveal.
48. "A black sheep" of the family means:
(a) the favourite child (b) a disreputable member (c) the eldest (d) a hard worker
Answer: (b) a disreputable member
Explanation: One who brings disgrace.
49. Fill in: The negotiations were tough, but neither side would ______.
(a) give up (b) give in (c) give off (d) give away
Answer: (b) give in
Explanation: Give in = yield/surrender to the other side.
50. "Strike while the iron is hot" advises one to:
(a) avoid risk (b) act at the most favourable moment (c) work with metal (d) wait patiently
Answer: (b) act at the most favourable moment
Explanation: Seize the opportune time.