Topic 48

Topic 48        Idiom and Phrases

1.  to build castles in the air         (to day-dream)

2.  the apple of one’s eye           (a favoured person)

3.  to keep a person at arm’s length  ( avoid being too familiar)

4.  to receive with open arms     (to welcome cordially)

5.  to back out  (to withdraw)

6.  a bad egg  (a worthless person)

7.  like a bear with a sore head  (very bad tempered)

8.  to beat about the bush  (to talk in a roundabout way)

9.  to bell the cat   (to do something very dangerous)

10.  to be in black and white  (to write it down on paper)

11.  blood is thicker than water  ( takes the side of one’s relation)

12.  in the same boat    (in the same  circumstances)

13.  to have a bone to pick  (to be fussy)

14.  a book worm     (a person who always reads)

15.  one’s bread and butter    (one’s livelihood)

16.  to kick the bucket    (to die)

17.  to burn the candle at both ends    (to use too much energy)

18.  a cat on hot bricks    (very nervous)

19.  a cat and dog life     (always quarrelling)

20.  to rain cats and dogs    (to rain heavily)

21.  chicken-hearted    (weak and cowardly)

22.  a chip of the old block    (very much like the father)

23.  to pick and choose      (to choose very carefully)

24.  a cock and bull story     (a silly and incredible story)

25.  to be cocksure          (to be very certain)

26.  to pass with flying colours  (to do very well in a test)

27.  to shed crocodile tears    (to shed false tears)

28.  by hook or by crook     (by fair or foul means)

29.  a dare-devil      (a brave and reckless person)

30.  up-to-date         (modern)

31.  out-of-date         (old-fashioned)

32.  to win the day     (to be victorious)

33.  dead broke       (without a cent)

34.  a dog with two tails        (a person who is extremely pleased)

35.  donkey work    ( work needing no skill)

36.  ups and downs     (good and bad times)

37.  Dutch courage       (false courage)

38.  a white elephant   (a useless but expensive object)

39.  at the eleventh hour      (at the last hour)

40.  an eye for an eye      (to return evil for evil)

41.  to keep an eye on     (to watch carefully) 

42.  eye-wash        (deceive)                                                       (126)

Topic 48         Idioms and Phrases          

Exercise 197

1.  Tina often builds  _________ in the air.  She day-dreams a lot in class.

2.  I have to write it down on paper because she wants it to be in ______

     and white .

3.  Hassan often withdraws in the last minute.  He often ________ out.

4.  My grandparents often welcome us cordially.  They really receive us

     with ___________________.

5.  Rahim lies a lot, so we all keep him at arm’s ______________.

6.  Peter’s grandfather loves him very much.  He is the ____________ of   

     his grandfather’s eye.

7.  Jack is lazy and bad.  He is a bad _____________.

8.  His father is like a __________ with a ________ head.  He is always

     very bad tempered.

9.  It is a dangerous thing to do.  To do it is just like to _______ the cat.

10.  She likes to talk in a roundabout way.  She likes to ________ about

      the bush.

Exercise 198       Proverbs and Idioms

1.  Selling vegetables is her livelihood.  It is her bread and ___________.

2.  Joe’s grandfather kicked the __________ a few days ago.

3.  My aunt is very fussy.  She always has a __________ to pick.

4.  She often laughs at others.  But she likes to shed ___________ tears.

5.  Susan is very nervous and she is just like a cat on hot ___________.

6.  Leena reads all the time.  She is like a ______________.

7.  It rained _________ and _________last night.  It was very heavy.

8.  Alan uses too much energy in his work.  He seems to burn the

     _________ at both ___________.

9.  Tom and Jack are in the same _____________.  They both can’t pass

     up the work tomorrow.

10.  The two sisters are always quarrelling.  They lead a _________ and

       __________ life.

Exercise 199

1.  He was __________-hearted as he was so weak and cowardly.

2.  He won the game by _________ and by crook.

3.  This machine is up-to-__________.  It is a modern model.

4.  They always stick together during _________ and downs.

5.  This work does not need any skill.  It is __________ work.

6.  The man was _________ broke as he did not have a cent.

7.  The old man was so pleased that he was like a dog with two ______.

8.  He has __________ courage.  That is the false one.

9.  My aunt went shopping at the ___________ hour last Sunday.    (127)