Idioms and Phrases
What are Idioms and Phrases?
A phrase is a group of words which represents a part of speech.
When a group of words or a phrase represents an idea or a thought which has a deeper, figurative meaning, it is called an idiom
Idioms Related to Animals:
Meaning: To raise a false alarm Usage: Naresh has a tendency to cry wolf every time, so don’t pay attention to him.
Meaning: Someone who is clumsy or unskilled Usage: Mario was like a bull in a china shop when it came to handling the finances.
Meaning: Something which spoils the beauty or balance Usage: The only fly in the ointment is the ugly looking house amid the beautiful buildings.
Meaning: A competitor who has little or no chance of winning Usage: No one had expected an underdog like Floyd to beat the three-time champion.
Meaning: A deliberately unaddressed topic which may cause embarrassment or awkwardness if mentioned Usage: Rohini’s ugly divorce was the elephant in the room at the party.
Meaning: To make a wrong choice or to ask the wrong person Usage: If the detectives think the house help is involved in the theft, they are barking up the wrong tree.
Usage: Why aren’t you answering? Did the cat get your tongue?
Usage: Being the person who invested the most, Rajan got the lion’s share of the profits.
Meaning: A deceptive piece of information intended to mislead someone from the truth Usage: The scarf at the crime scene was a red herring which made us think that the culprit is a woman. |
Idioms Related to Food:
Meaning: A beloved person cherished more than any other Usage: Samantha was the apple of her father’s eye.
Meaning: A person who is giving, trustworthy and honest Usage: I am glad that my friend married Kamlesh. He truly is the salt of the earth.
Meaning: To not trust something completely; to treat something with suspicion Usage: The news related to the cricketer’s retirement should be taken with a grain of salt.
Usage: By depending entirely on the written section of the examination, you have put all your eggs in one basket.
Usage: Singing is my bread and butter.
Usage: These days, women not only look after the needs of their family but also bring home the bacon |