Top 400 Idioms in English with Meaning
Top 400 Idioms in English with Meaning – Unlock the power of language with our comprehensive guide to the ‘Top 400 Idioms in English’ tailor-made for Bank and SSC exams! In the competitive arena of banking and government job tests, a solid grasp of idiomatic expressions is indispensable. These idioms not only enhance your understanding of English but also serve as crucial tools for excelling in comprehension and communication skills.
Top 400 Idioms in English with Meaning
1. A big cheese – an important or a powerful person in a group or family
2. A bird’s eye view – a view from a very high place which allows you to see a large area
3. A bone of contention – something that people argue for a long time
4. A cock and a bull story – a story or an explanation which is obviously not true.
5. At the crack of the dawn – very early in morning
6. A cuckoo in the nest – someone in a group of people but not liked by them.
7. A litmus test – a method which clearly proves something
8. As the crow flies – measuring distance between two places in a straight line.
9. A dead letter – an argument or law not followed by anyone.
10. At the drop of the hat – u do something easily and without any preparation
11. An early bird – someone who gets early in the morning
12. An educated guess – a guess which was likely to get corrected
13. At the eleventh hour – be too late.
14. A queer fish – a strange person
15. A wakeup call – an event done to warn someone
16. A worm’s eye view – having very little knowledge about something
17. A witch hunt – an attempt to find and punish those who have options that are believed to be dangerous
18. At the heels of – to follow someone
19. A dish fit for Gods – something of very high quality
20. A game of two equal halves – a sudden change in circumstances
21. Afraid of one’s own shadow – to become easily frightened
22. Against the clock – to be in a hurry to do something before a particular time
23. Air one’s dirty laundry – to make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret.
24. All systems go- everything is ready.
25. An arm and a leg – a large amount of money
26. Appear out of now here – to appear suddenly without warning.
27. Apple of someone’s eye – someone loved very much.
28. Ask for the moon – to ask for too much.
29. Asleep at the switch – not to be alert on opportunity
30. At sixes and sevens – to be lost and bewildered
31. At someone’s beck and call – to be always ready to serve
32. At the bottom of the ladder – at the lowest level
33. A house of cards – a poor plan
34. At an arm’s length – to keep at a distance
35. At sixes and sevens – in disorder
36. A boon in disguise – a benefit in loss
37. A bull in a China shop – an awkward person
38. A red letter day – an important day
39. A nine days wonder – pleasure for a short time
40. A bit under the weather – falling ill
41. Bad blood – feelings of hate between two families
42. Be a weight off your shoulders – When something is a weight off your shoulders, you are happy that you do not have to worry about it or feel responsible for what it was anymore
43. Bend your ears – to talk to someone for a very long time about something boring
44. Bite your tongue – to stop yourself from saying something because it would be better not to
45. Black and blue – full of bruises
46. Blue blood – belonging to high social class
47. Be above board – to be honest and legal
48. Be bouncing off the walls – excited and full of nervous energy
49. Bow and scrap – try too hard to please someone in a position of authority
50. Brass monkey weather – extremely cold weather
51. Be tailor made – to be completely suitable for someone.
52. Break the ice – to make more comfort or relaxed with a person whom you have not met earlier, to break the silence
53. Be as clear as mud – to be impossible to understand
54. Be on cloud nine – be very happy
55. Between the devil and deep blue sea – a type of situation where u must choose between two equally unpleasant situations
56. Be in the doldrums – not very successful or nothing new is taking place
57. Beat the drum – to speak eagerly about something you support
58. Be on the edge – to be nervous or worried about something
59. Be in seventh heaven – extremely happy
60. Be at each other’s throat – two persons arguing angrily
61. Batten down the hatches – to prepare for trouble
62. Back the wrong horse – to support someone weak
63. Back to square one – to reach again to the starting point
64. Back to the salt mines – back to something that you don’t want to do
65. Ball of fire – active and energetic
66. Beat one’s head against the wall- to try to do something that is hopeless
67. Bark up the wrong tree – to make a wrong assumption
68. Batten down the hatches – prepare for difficult times
69. Beat one’s brain out – to work hard
70. Begin to see the light – to begin to understand
71. Behind closed doors – done in secret
72. Bet on the wrong horse – to misread the future
73. Bent on doing – to be determined to do something
74. Bite off more than one can chew – to do more than one’s ability
75. Bite the bullet – to face a difficult situation bravely
76. Bitter pill to swallow – an unpleasant fact that must be accepted
77. Black sheep of the family – worst member
78. Blessing in disguise – something that turns out to be good which earlier appeared to be wrong
79. Blind leading the blind – someone who does not understand something but tries to explain it to other
80. Blow one’s own horn – to praise one
81. Blow someone’s mind – excite someone
82. Bone of contention – subject matter of the fight
83. Bring home the bacon – to earn money to live
84. Blue in the face – exhausted and speechless
85. Break the back of – reduce the power of something
86. Burn a hole in one’s pocket – to spend money quickly
87. Burn the midnight oil – to study till late of night
88. Bushman’s holiday – a holiday where you spend doing same thing as you did at working days
89. Button’s one lip – to keep quite
90. Break a leg – to wish good luck
91. Carrot and sticks – You use both awards as well as punishments to make someone do something.
92. Cloak and dragger – when people behave in a very secret manner
93. Cards are stacked against – luck is against you
94. Crack a book – to open book to study
95. Cross a bridge before one comes to it – worry about the future in advance
96. Carry coals to new castle – to take something to a place or a person that has a lot of that thing already
97. Cast in the same mould – to be very similar
98. Change horses in midstream – to change plans
99. Cap it all – to finish
100. Cried with eyes out – cried a lot
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Idioms in English with Meaning
101. Carry the can – If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even though you didn’t do it or are only partly at fault.
102. Cast a long shadow – Something or someone that casts a long shadow has considerable influence on other people or events.
103. Cat and dog life – If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing.
104. Drive a wedge between – to break relationship between the two
105. Dances to the tune – to always do what someone tells you to do
106. Dressed up to the nines – wearing fancy clothes
107. Dragging its feet – delaying in decision, not showing enthusiasm
108. Davey Jones’ locker – Davey Jones’ locker is the bottom of the sea or resting place of drowned sailors. (‘Davy Jones’ locker’ is an alternative spelling.)
109. Dancing on someone’s grave – If you will dance on someone’s grave, you will outlive or outlast them and will celebrate their demise
110. Dog in the manger – If someone acts like a dog in the manger, they don’t want other people to have or enjoy things that are useless to them
111. Don’t cry over spilt milk – When something bad happens and nothing can be done to help it people say, ‘Don’t cry over spilt milk’
112. Don’t wash your dirty laundry in public – People, especially couples, who argue in front of others or involve others in their personal problems and crises, are said to be washing their dirty laundry in public; making public things that are best left private.
113. Donkey work – Donkey work is any hard, boring work or task.
114. Don’t throw bricks when you live in a glass house – Don’t call others out on actions that you, yourself do. Don’t be a hypocrite.
115. Entering the 80th orbit – celebrating the 80th birthday
116. Eleventh hour decision – decision that is made at the last possible minute
117. End in smoke – to bear no result
118. Earth shattering – not at all surprising
119. Eat humble pie – to apologize humbly
120. Elephant in the room – An elephant in the room is a problem that everyone knows very well but no one talks about because it is taboo, embarrassing, etc.
121. Egg on your face – If someone has egg on their face; they are made to look foolish or embarrassed
122. Eye for an eye – This is an expression for retributive justice, where the punishment equals the crime.
123. Eyes are bigger than one’s stomach – If someone’s eyes are bigger than their stomach, they are greedy and take on more than they can consume or manage.
124. From cradle to grave – during the whole span of your life.
125. Face the music-to accept punishment for something you have done.
126. Feel the pinch – to have problems with money.
127. Fall on your own sword – to be cheated by someone you trust.
128. Feather in one’s cap – something that you achieve and proud of.
129. Firing on all cylinders – work every possible way to succeed.
130. French leave – absent without permission, to take French leave is to leave a gathering
without saying goodbye or without permission.
131. Fall on our feet – If you fall on your feet, you succeed in doing something where there was a risk of failure.
132. Fall on your sword – If someone falls on their sword, they resign or accept the consequences of what they have done wrong.
133. Fingers and thumbs – If you are all fingers and thumbs, you are being clumsy and not very skilled with your hands.
134. Finger in the pie – If you have a finger in the pie, you have an interest in something.
135. Flash in the pan – If something is a flash in the pan; it is very noticeable but doesn’t last long, like most singers, who are very successful for a while, then forgotten.
136. Follow your nose – When giving directions, telling someone to follow their nose means that they should go straight ahead.
137. Fool’s paradise – A fool’s paradise is a false sense of happiness or success
138. Foot in mouth – This is used to describe someone who has just said something embarrassing, inappropriate, wrong or stupid
139. For a song – If you buy or sell something for a song, it is very cheap
140. For donkey’s years – If people have done something, usually without much if any change, for an awfully long time, they can be said to have done it for donkey’s years
141. Get off the hook – free from all obligations
142. Give-up the ghost – to die
143. Got the slap on the wrist – got light punishment
144. Give someone a bird – make fun
145. Got the wind up – to be scared
146. Get a raw deal – not treated equally
147. Gift of the gab – talent of speaking, if someone has the gift of the gab, they speak in a persuasive and interesting way
148. Gives cold shoulder – to ignore
149. Get your wires crossed – If people get their wires cross, they misunderstand each other, especially when making arrangements.(‘Get your lines crossed’ is also used.)
150. Give me five – If someone says this, they want to hit your open hand against theirs as a way of congratulation or greetings
English Vocabulary with Hindi
Famous Idioms in English with Meaning
151. Give me a hand – If someone gives you a hand, they help you
152. Give someone a piece of your mind – If you give someone a piece of your mind, you criticize them strongly and angrily.
153. Go bananas – If you go bananas, you are wild with excitement, anxiety, or worry
154. Go tell it to birds – This is used when someone says something that is not credible or is a lie
155. Go under the hammer – If something goes under the hammer, it is sold in an auction
156. Graveyard shift – If you have to work very late at night, it is the graveyard shift
157. Grease monkey – A grease monkey is an idiomatic term for a mechanic
158. Have ants in your pants – not be able to keep still because you are very excited or worried about something.
159. Having a whole of a time – to enjoy very much
160. Hold one’s horse – be patient
161. Have a big mouth – one who gossips more or tells secret
162. Himalayan blunder – a serious mistake
163. Have a one track mind – think only of one thing
164. Have clean hands – be guiltless
165. Have an egg on the face – be embarrassed
166. Have eyes bigger than stomach – desiring more food than one can eat
167. Heart missed a beat – very excited
168. Heart in the right place – good natured
169. Hit the nail on the head – done the thing correctly
170. Hand to mouth – Someone who’s living from hand to mouth, is very poor and needs the little money they have coming in to cover their expenses
171. Have no truck with – If you have no truck with something or someone, you refuse to get involved with it or them
172. Hit the bull’s-eye – If someone hits the bull’s-eye, they are exactly right about something or achieve the best result possible.
173. Hold water – When you say that something does or does not ‘hold water’, it means that the point of view or argument put forward is or is not sound, strong or logical. For e.g. ‘Saying we should increase our interest rates because everyone else is doing so will not hold water’
174. Hornets’ nest – A hornets’ nest is a violent situation or one with a lot of dispute. (If you create the problem, you ‘stir up a hornets’ nest’.)
175. In dribs and drabs – in small amounts at a time
176. In black and white – to give in writing
177. In the blues – low spirited
178. In cahoots with – in a partnership usually for a dishonest reason
179. If the shoe fits, wear it – This is used to suggest that something that has been said might apply to a person
180. In droves – When things happen in droves, a lot happen at the same time or very quickly
181. In the doghouse – If someone is in the doghouse, they are in disgrace and very unpopular at the moment.
182. Jack Frost – If everything has frozen in winter, then Jack Frost has visited.
183. Jack the Lad – A confident and not very serious young man who behaves as he wants to without thinking about other people is a Jack the Lad.
184. Jack-of-all-trades – A jack-of-all-trades is someone that can do many different jobs.
185. Jam on your face – If you say that someone has jam on their face, they appear to be caught, embarrassed or found guilty.
186. Jam tomorrow – This idiom is used when people promise good things for the future that will never come.
187. Jane Doe – Jane Doe is a name given to an unidentified female who may be party to legal proceedings, or to an unidentified person in hospital, or dead. John Doe is the male equivalent.
188. Jekyll and Hyde – Someone who has a Jekyll and Hyde personality has a pleasant and a very unpleasant side to the character.
189. Jersey justice – Jersey justice is very severe justice.
190. Jet set – Very wealthy people who travel around the world to attend parties or functions are the jet set.
191. Jet-black – To emphasise just how black something is, such as someone’s hair, we can call it jet-black.
192. Job’s comforter – Someone who says they want to comfort, but actually discomforts people is a Job’s comforter.
193. Jobs for the boys – Where people give jobs, contracts, etc, to their friends and associates, these are jobs for the boys.
194. Jockey for position – If a number of people want the same opportunity and are struggling to emerge as the most likely candidate, they are jockeying for position.
195. Jog my memory – If you jog someone’s memory, you say words that will help someone trying to remember a thought, event, word, phrase, experience, etc.
196. John Doe – John Doe is a name given to an unidentified male who may be party to legal proceedings, or to an unidentified person in hospital, or dead. Jane Doe is the female equivalent.
197. Joe Public – Joe Public is the typical, average person.
198. Johnny on the spot – A person who is always available; ready, willing, and able to do what needs to be done.(‘Johnny-on-the-spot’ is also used.)
199. Johnny-come-lately – A Johnny-come-lately is someone who has recently joined something or arrived somewhere, especially when they want to make changes that are not welcome.
200. Join the club – Said when someone has expressed a desire or opinion, meaning “That viewpoint is not unique to you”. It can suggest that the speaker should stop complaining since many others are in the same position. Example: “If this train doesn’t come, I’ll be late for work!” “Join the club!”
Common Idioms in English
201. Joined at the hip – If people are joined at the hip, they are very closely connected and think the same way.
202. Judge, jury and executioner – If someone is said to be the judge, jury, and executioner, it means they are in charge of every decision made, and they have the power to be rid of whomever they choose.
203. Juggle frogs – If you are juggling frogs, you are trying to do something very difficult.
204. Jump down someone’s throat – If you jump down someone’s throat, you criticise or chastise them severely.
205. Jump on the bandwagon – If people jump on the bandwagon, they get involved in something that has recently become very popular.
206. Jump ship – If you leave a company or institution for another because it is doing badly, you are jumping ship.
207. Jump the broom – To jump the broom is to marry. (Jump over the broom, jump over the broomstick, jump the broomstick are also used.)
208. Jump the gun – If you jump the gun, you start doing something before the appropriate time.
209. Jump the track – Jumping the track is suddenly changing from one plan, activity, idea, etc, to another.
210. Jump through hoops – If you are prepared to jump through hoops for someone, you are prepared to make great efforts and sacrifices for them.
211. Jump to a conclusion – If someone jumps to a conclusion, they evaluate or judge something without a sufficient examination of the facts.
212. Jumping Judas! – An expression of surprise or shock.
213. Jungle out there – If someone says that it is a jungle out there, they mean that the situation is dangerous and there are no rules.
214. Jury’s out – If the jury’s out on an issue, then there is no general agreement or consensus on it.
215. Just around the corner – If something is just around the corner, then it is expected to happen very soon
216. Just coming up to – If the time is just coming up to nine o’clock, it means that it will be nine o’clock in a very few seconds. You’ll hear them say it on the radio in the morning.
217. Just deserts – If a bad or evil person gets their just deserts, they get the punishment or suffer the misfortune that it is felt they deserve.
218. Just for the heck of it – When someone does something just for the heck of it, they do it without a good reason.
219. Just for the record – If something is said to be just for the record, the person is saying it so that people know but does not necessarily agree with or support it.
220. Just in the nick of time – If you do something in the nick of time, you just manage to do it just in time, with seconds to spare.
221. Just off the boat – If someone is just off the boat, they are naive and inexperienced.
222. Just what the doctor ordered – If something’s just what the doctor ordered, it is precisely what is needed.
223. Justice is blind – Justice is blind means that justice is impartial and objective.
224. Kick up a row – to start a fight, to create disturbance
225. Keep ones eye on the ball – be ready for something
226. Keep under one’s hat – They tried to keep it under their hat but it soon became obvious that she is pregnant
227. Keep at bay – He always tries to keep his troubles at bay when he is on holiday.
228. Kangaroo court – When people take the law into their own hands and form courts that are not legal, these are known as kangaroo court
229. Keep body and soul together – If you earn enough to cover your basic expenses, but nothing more than that, you earn enough to keep body and soul together
230. Keep your eye on the ball – If you keep your eye on the ball, you stay alert and pay close attention to what is happening
231. Know something inside out – I studied and studied for my driving’s test until I knew all the rules inside out.
232. Know which way the wind blows – This means that you should know how things are
developing and be prepared for the future
233. Loaves and fishes – done for material benefits
234. Like a shag on a rock – completely alone.
235. Let someone slide – neglect something
236. Let the cat out of the bag – reveal the secret
237. Let nature take its course – to allow someone to live or die naturally.
238. Like a sitting duck – totally unaware
239. Lion’s share – a major share
240. Left to your own devices – If someone is left to their own devices, they are not controlled and can do whatever they want
241. Make castles in the air – plans or hopes that have very little chances of happening.
242. Make a bee line for – to go directly towards something.
243. Make ones bed and lie on it – to be responsible for what you have done and accept the results
244. Meet ones waterloo – meet ones final end
245. Monkey around – to waste time here and there
246. My hands are full – I am busy
247. Make a dry face – show disappointment
248. Make a monkey of someone – If you make a monkey of someone, you make them look foolish
249. Man of his word – A man of his word is a person who does what he says and keeps his Promises
250. Many moons ago – A very long time ago
Top 400 Common Idioms in English
251. Nobody’s fool – one who can take care of himself
252. Not having a leg to stand for – not having proof
253. Never-never land – ideal best place.
254. No love lost between – dislike
255. Needle in a haystack – If trying to find something is like looking for a needle in a haystack, it means that it is very difficult, if not impossible to find among everything around it
256. New brush sweeps clean – ‘A new brush sweeps clean’ means that someone with a new perspective can make great changes. However, the full version is ‘a new brush sweeps clean, but an old brush knows the corners’, which warns that experience is also a valuable thing
257. No smoke without fire – This idiom means that when people suspect something, there is normally a good reason for the suspicion, even if there is no concrete evidence. (‘Where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire’ is also used.)
258. Once in a blue moon – very rarely
259. On the bandwagon – doing something because others are also doing it
260. Open Pandora’s box – to discover more problems
261. Over the moon – being too happy
262. On its last legs – in a bad condition and will not last long
263. Old flames die hard – It’s very difficult to forget old things
264. On pins and needles – If you are on pins and needles, you are very worried about something
265. On the carpet – When you are called to the bosses office (since supposedly, they are the only ones who have carpet) and its definitely not for a good reason, i.e., you are in trouble, something has not gone according to plan and either maybe you are responsible and/or have some explaining to do
266. On the hook – If someone is on the hook, they are responsible for something.
267. Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches – This means that it’s hard to know how much someone else is suffering.
268. Pass muster – to be approved
269. Pick someone to pieces – to criticize sharply
270. Paper over the cracks – to try to hide something
271. Put the cart before the horse – doing things in a wrong manner
272. Pull up the shocks – do things in the right manner and correctly
273. Parrot fashion – If you learn something parrots fashion; you learn it word for word
274. Pay on the nail – If you pay on the nail, you pay promptly in cash
275. Pen is mightier than the sword – The idiom ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ means that
words and communication are more powerful than wars and fighting
276. Pick someone’s brains – If you pick someone’s brains, you ask them for advice, suggestions and information about something they know about
277. Pieces of the same cake – Pieces of the same cake are things that have the same characteristics or qualities
278. Play fast and loose – If people play fast and loose, they behave in an irresponsible way and don’t respect rules, etc.
279. Poker face – Someone with a poker face doesn’t show any emotion or reaction so that people don’t know what they are feeling
280. Quarrel with bread and butter – Bread and butter, here, indicate the means of one’s living. If a sub-ordinate in an organization is quarrelsome or if he is not patient enough to bear the reprimand he deserves, gets angry and retorts or provokes the higher-up, the top man dismisses him from the job. So, he loses the job that gave him bread and butter. Hence we say, he quarrelled with bread and butter (manager or the top man) and lost his job
281. Quiet as a cat – If somebody is as quiet as a cat they make as little noise as possible and try to be unnoticeable
282. Quiet as a mouse – If someone’s as quiet as a mouse, they make absolutely no noise
283. Queer fish – A strange person is a queer fish
284. Round the twist – go crazy
285. Read between the lines – read hidden meanings
286. Rack and ruin – If something or someone goes to rack and ruin, they are utterly destroyed or wrecked
287. Rain on your parade – If someone rains on your parade, they ruin your pleasure or your plans
288. Rake someone over the coals – If you rake someone over the coals, you criticize or scold them severely
289. Recipe for disaster – A recipe for disaster is a mixture of people and events that could only possibly result in trouble
290. Red carpet – If you give someone the red-carpet treatment, you give them a special Welcome to show that you think they are important
291. Red herring – If something is a distraction from the real issues, it is a red herring
292. Red letter day – A red letter day is a one of good luck, when something special happens to you
293. Reduce to ashes – If something is reduced to ashes, it is destroyed or made useless. His infidelities reduced their relationship to ashes
294. Round the houses – If you go round the houses, you do something in an inefficient way when there is a quicker, more convenient way
295. Rub shoulders – If you rub shoulders with people, you meet and spend time with them, especially when they are powerful or famous
296. Run into the sand – If something runs into the sand, it fails to achieve a result
297. Salt on the earth – fundamental good people
298. Sands of time – tiny amounts of time
299. Shake a leg – to go fast, hurry
300. Spill the beans – to expose a secret
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Phrases and Idioms in English
301. Snake in the grass – a hidden army
302. Salt on the earth – fundamental good people
303. Sands of time – tiny amounts of time
304. Shake a leg – to go fast, hurry
305. Spill the beans – to expose a secret
306. Snake in the grass – a hidden army
307. Snake in the shoes – to be in a state of fear
308. Stood to his guns – maintained to his opinion
309. Showing the door – asking someone to leave
310. Song and a dance – an excuse
311. Salad days – Your salad days are an especially happy period of your life
312. Sail under false colors – Someone who sails under false colors is hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren’t in order to deceive people
313. Threaded his way out – walked carefully through.
314. Take the cloth – to become a priest.
315. Talk turkey – to discuss a problem with a real intension to solve it.
316. Tit for tat – an action done to revenge against a person who has done some wrong to you
317. To crow over – to triumph over someone
318. To blow a fuse – to turn someone angry
319. Though thick and thin – under all conditions
320. To bell the cat – to take great risks
321. To look through colored glasses – to look the things not as they are
322. Taking to a brick wall – taking with a no response
323. Turned a deaf ear – disregarded
324. Take a back seat – choose to decrease involvement
325. Tables are turned – When the tables are turned, the situation has changed giving the advantage to the party who had previously been at a disadvantage
326. Take someone under your wing – If you take someone under your wing, you look after them while they are learning something
327. Take your medicine – If you take your medicine, you accept the consequences of something you have done wrong
328. Talking to a brick wall – If you talk to someone and they do not listen to you, it is like talking to a brick wall
329. Taste of your own medicine – If you give someone a taste of their own medicine, you do something bad to someone that they have done to you to teach them a lesson
330. The apple does not fall far from the tree – Offspring grow up to be like their parents
331. Through thick and thin – If someone supports you through thick and thin, they support you during good times and bad
332. Upset the apple cart – to create difficulty
333. Under a cloud – If someone is suspected of having done something wrong, they are under a cloud
334. Under fire – If someone is being attacked and criticized heavily, they are under fire
335. Under your nose – If something happens right in front of you, especially if it is surprising or audacious, it happens under your nose
336. Up for grabs – If something is up for grabs, it is available and whoever is first or is successful will get it
337. Up to the neck – If someone’s in something up to the neck, they are very involved in it, especially when it’s something wrong
338. Up a river without a paddle – If you up a river without a paddle, you are in an unfortunate situation, unprepared and with none of the resources to remedy the matter
339. Uncharted waters – If you’re in uncharted waters, you are in a situation that is unfamiliar to you, that you have no experience of and don’t know what might happen
340. Under lock and key – If something is under lock and key, it is stored very securely
341. Vale of tears – This vale of tears is the world and the suffering that life brings.
342. Velvet glove – This idiom is used to describe a person who appears gentle, but is determined and inflexible underneath. (‘Iron fist in a velvet glove’ is the full form.)
343. Vent your spleen – If someone vents their spleen, they release all their anger about something.
344. Vicar of Bray – A person who changes their beliefs and principles to stay popular with people above them is a Vicar of Bray
345. Vicious circle – A vicious circle is a sequence of events that make each other worsesomeone drinks because they are unhappy at work, then loses their job… ‘Vicious cycle’ is also used.
346. Vinegar tits – A mean spirited women lacking in love or compassion.
347. Virgin territory – If something is virgin territory, it hasn’t been explored before.
348. Voice in the wilderness – Someone who expresses an opinion that no one believes or listens to is a voice in the wilderness, especially if proved right later.
349. Volte-face – If you do a volte-face on something, you make a sudden and complete change in your stance or position over an issue.
350. Vultures are circling – If the vultures are circling, then something is in danger and its enemies are getting ready for the kill.
351. Weight one’s word – be careful to what one says
352. Wait for a raindrop in the drought – When someone is waiting for a raindrop in the drought, they are waiting or hoping for something that is extremely unlikely to happen
353. Walking on broken glass – When a person is punished for something
354. Wet behind the ears – Someone who is wet behind the ears is either very young or inexperienced
355. Whale of a time – If you have a whale of a time, you really enjoy yourself
356. Work your fingers to the bone – If you work your fingers to the bone, you work extremely hard on something
357. Wrench in the works – If someone puts or throws a wrench, or monkey wrench, in the works, they ruin a plan
358. X factor – The dangers for people in the military that civilians do not face, for which they receive payment, are known as the X factor.
359. X marks the spot – This is used to say where something is located or hidden.
360. X-rated – If something is x-rated, it is not suitable for children.
361. Yah boo sucks – Yah boo & yah boo sucks can be used to show that you have no sympathy with someone.
362. Yank my chain – If someone says this to another person (i.e. stop yanking my chain) it means for the other person to leave the person who said it alone and to stop bothering them.
363. Yell bloody murder – If someone yells bloody murder, they protest angrily and loudly, or scream in fear.
364. Yellow press – The yellow press is a term for the popular and sensationalist newspapers.
365. Yellow streak – If someone has a yellow streak, they are cowardly about something.
366. Yellow-bellied – A yellow-bellied person is a coward.
367. Yen – If you have a yen to do something, you have a desire to do it.
368. Yeoman’s service – To do yeoman’s service is to serve in an exemplary manner.
369. Yes-man – Someone who always agrees with people in authority is a yes-man.
370. Yesterday’s man or Yesterday’s woman – Someone, especially a politician or celebrity, whose career is over or on the decline is yesterday’s man or woman.
371. You are what you eat – This is used to emphasise the importance of a good diet as a key to good health.
372. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar – This means that it is easier to persuade people if you use polite arguments and flattery than if you are confrontational.
373. You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family – Some things you can choose, but others you cannot, so you have to try to make the best of what you have where you have no choice.
374. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink – This idiom means you can offer something to someone, like good advice, but you cannot make them take it.
375. You can say that again – If you want to agree strongly with what someone has said, you can say ‘You can say that again’ as a way of doing so.
376. You can’t fight City Hall – This phrase is used when one is so cynical that one doesn’t think one can change their Representatives. The phrase must have started with frustration towards a local body of government.
377. You can’t have cake and the topping, too – This idiom means that you can’t have everything the way you want it, especially if your desires are contradictory.
378. You can’t have your cake and eat it – This idiom means that you can’t have things both ways. For example, you can’t have very low taxes and a high standard of state care.
379. You can’t hide elephants in mouse holes – means that some issues/problems/challenges cannot be hidden/concealed but have to be faced and dealt with.
380. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear – If something isn’t very good to start with, you can’t do much to improve it.
381. You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs – This idiom means that in order to achieve something or make progress, there are often losers in the process.
382. You can’t take it with you – Enjoy life, enjoy what you have and don’t worry about not having a lot, especially money because once you’re dead, ‘you can’t take it with you.’ For some, it means to use up all you have before you die because it’s no use to you afterwards.
383. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks – It is difficult to make someone change the way they do something when they have been doing it the same way for a long time
384. You can’t un-ring a bell – This means that once something has been done, you have to live with the consequences as it can’t be undone.
385. You could have knocked me down with a feather – This idiom is used to mean that the person was very shocked or surprised.
386. You do not get a dog and bark yourself – If there is someone in a lower position who can or should do a task, then you shouldn’t do it.
387. You get what you pay for – Something that is very low in price is not usually of very good quality.
388. You reap what you sow – This means that if you do bad things to people, bad things will happen to you, or good things if you do good things. It is normally used when someone has done something bad.
389. You said it! – Used to say you agree completely with something just said.
390. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours – This idiom means that if you do something for me, I’ll return the favour.
391. You what? – This is a very colloquial way of expressing surprise or disbelief at something you have heard. It can also be used to ask someone to say something again.
392. You’re toast – If someone tells you that you are toast, you are in a lot of trouble.
393. You’ve got rocks in your head – Someone who has acted with a lack of intelligence has rocks in their head.
394. You’ve made your bed – you’ll have to lie in it – This means that someone will have to live with the consequences of their own actions.
395. Young blood – Young people with new ideas and fresh approaches are young blood.
396. Young Turk – A Young Turk is a young person who is rebellious and difficult to control in a company, team or organisation.
397. Your belly button is bigger than your stomach – If your belly button is bigger than your stomach, you take on more responsibilities than you can handle.
398. Your call – If something is your call, it is up to you to make a decision on the matter.
399. Your name is mud – If someone’s name is mud, then they have a bad reputation.
400. Your sins will find you out – This idiom means that things you do wrong will become known.
401. Zero hour – The time when something important is to begin is zero hour.
402. Zero tolerance – If the police have a zero tolerance policy, they will not overlook any crime, no matter how small or trivial.
403. Zigged before you zagged – If you did things in the wrong order, you zigged before you zagged.
404. Zip it – This is used to tell someone to be quiet.
405. Zip your lip – If someone tells you to zip your lip, they want to to shut up or keep quiet about something. (‘Zip it’ is also used.)
English For Competitive Exams
Top 100 Commonly Misspelled Words with Hindi
Preposition Errors Detection with Solution
20 Superfluous Errors in English
Preposition Common Errors with Solution
500 Top One Word Substitutions For SSC – Part-5
Top 50 Idioms & Phrases for SSC Exams
500 Top One Word Substitutions For SSC – Part-4
