Useful Idioms & Phrases with their meanings

100 Useful Idioms & Phrases to Crack BANK & SSC Exam

Important idioms and phrases that can be asked in any government exams

1. Head & Ears - Every Where / Completely.
2. In black and white - In writing.
3. In a nut shell - In brief.
4. Hobson's choice - No choice at all.
5. In the nick of time - Just in time.
6. Jack of all trades - One who knows everything but master of none.
7. Ins & outs - Full detail.
8. A Jail bird - One who use to jail many times.
9. To keep the body & soul together - To remain a live.
10. Kith & kin - Relatives.
11. To keep the wolf away from the door - To keep away from hunger or starvation.
12. To make both ends meet - leave with in own income.
13. To look off colors - Seem unwell.
14. To make a mountain out of a molehill - To exaggerate a small matter.
15. To look black at somebody - To look angry.
16. To blow one's own trumpet - to do crowdedly of one self.
17. To kick up a row - To create disturbances.
18. Back out - Failed to keep the promise.
19. To break the ice - To break the silence.
20. Blue blood - From royal family.
21. To burn the candle at both ends - To waste the money, energy and time.
22. To burn the midnight oil - To work very hard.
23. By hook or by crook - By enemies.
24. A brown study - Day dreaming.
25. A bolt from the blue - A sudden shock.
26. To carry the day - To get the success.
27. To beat hollow - To defeat badly.
28. A bird of the passage - A traveler / migratory person.
29. A burning question - An important question.
30. A birds eye view - General view.
31. Birds of a feather - Persons having same profession.
32. Between the devil & the deep sea - Between to great difficulty.
33. To build castle in the air - To form imaginary plane .
34. A cat's paw - To make someone a fool.
35. To cry for the moon - To demand for the impossible think.
36. Crocodile tears - false tears.
37. To cry in the wild - useless cry.
38. A died letter - No longer in use.
39. To dance to one's tune - To follow the order's
40. Every inch - Completely.
41. A fish out of water - In an uncomfortable situation.
42. A Cock & bull story - Imaginary story.
43. To come to grief - To fail.
44. A child's play - Very easy task.
45. Cast down - To be depressed.
46. A dark horse - A competitor with unknown capabilities.
47. A drug in the market - An unsaleable product due to lack of demand.
48. Fed up - To be tired of.
49. A fools paradise - Joy ways wrong false.
50. To fish in troubled water - To take advantage of others problems.
51. A fly visit - Brief & hasty visit.
52. To get the sack - To be dismissed.
53. To get into hot water - To get into troubles.
54. In high spirits - To be very happy an energetic.
55. To grease the palm - To give bribe.
56. To go a long way - To have some great help.
57. A gala day - Happy and prosperous day.
58. To give a slip - To escape.
59. To face the music - To face the trouble.
60. Half hearted - Lacking enthusiasm.
61. Heart and Soul - With full dedication and energy.
62. A hard nut to crack - Very tuff task.
63. To hammer out - To make a plane.
64. To have clean hands - To be innocent.
65. To have a wind fall - To have an expected fortune.
66. Head & shoulders - To be Superior.
67. To have a hand in - To take part.
68. To hit the nail on the head - To do the right work at the proper place & time.
69. Hush money - Money from bribe.
70. To have a finger in a pie - To interfere.
71. A wef blanket - One who kills our joy.
72. Wheels with in wheels - Complications.
73. To have a wind fall - To have un expected good fortune.
74. Yeo mains service - Excellent service.
75. Judas-kiss - False love.
76. Black ox - Misfortune.
77. A herculean task - A very tuff task.
78. Donkey's years - After a very long time.
79. A cold blooded murder - Pitiless murder
80. Lame excuse - False excuse.
81. To show pink elephants - To show courage.
82. Blind alley - Un profitable person.
83. Kangaroo court -  An unofficial court.
84. All the go - In a Fashion.
85. Mother wit - Common sense.
86. A grass widow - A woman whose husband is temporarily away from her.
87. Elbow room - Species room.
88. A lady's habit - Always late.
89. Ifs & buts - doubtful.
90. The heels of Achilles - Weak point in a person.
91. Lump in the throat - In a highly emotional.
92. A fly in the ointment - Problem in a situation.
93. Halcyon lays - Happiness.
94. An olive branch - An offer piece.
95. To burn a hole in the pocket - Spend the money very quickly.
96. To mind one's p's - Once behavior.
97. To rain cats & dogs - Heavy rain.
98. To pick holes in ones coat - To find out faults in others.
99. Nine days wonder - pleasure for a short period
100. Needle woman - Lady tailor.