Idioms and phrases are an essential part of the English language and play a significant role in competitive exams such as SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, Banking exams (IBPS, SBI), RRB, and other government tests. These expressions convey a meaning different from their literal sense, and examiners frequently test candidates’ knowledge through idioms and phrases questions. Mastering them not only improves vocabulary but also enhances reading comprehension and sentence formation skills.
What Are Idioms and Phrases in English?
An idiom is a group of words that conveys a figurative meaning, while a phrase is a group of words expressing a concept but not forming a complete sentence. For example, the idiom “spill the beans” means to reveal a secret, whereas a phrase like “in a nutshell” means to explain briefly.
Why Idioms and Phrases Matter in Exams
In exams like SSC, Bank, and other government tests, idioms and phrases questions are commonly included in the English section. They test not only vocabulary knowledge but also the candidate’s ability to understand contextual usage. Many previous year idioms and phrases questions reappear in exams, so regular practice can give aspirants a big advantage.
High-Frequency Idioms & Phrases You Must Know
Some idioms and phrases appear repeatedly in competitive exams. For example:
-
Hit the nail on the head – to describe exactly what is causing a situation.
-
A blessing in disguise – something that seems bad but turns out good.
-
Burn the midnight oil – to work late into the night.
Learning such common idioms and phrases with meanings and examples helps in quick recognition during tests.
Practice Idioms and Phrases with Examples and Answers
The best way to master this topic is by solving idioms and phrases practice questions. Many online platforms provide idioms and phrases PDFs with answers for practice. For example, questions like:
Q: He decided to throw in the towel.
A: To give up.
Practicing such examples builds confidence and ensures accuracy in exams.
Download Free Idioms and Phrases PDF with Meanings
Aspirants can download idioms and phrases PDF lists from trusted sources for quick revision. These PDFs often include 300+ or even 800+ idioms and phrases with meanings, examples, and answers, making them a handy resource for SSC and Bank preparation.
Tips & Tricks to Remember Idioms Fast
-
Create flashcards with idioms and meanings.
-
Revise through stories or conversations using idioms.
-
Learn idioms topic-wise, such as “animal idioms” or “color idioms.”
-
Review previous year idioms and phrases questions (PYQs) to focus on frequently asked ones.
Preparing idioms and phrases for English is not just about memorizing; it’s about understanding their usage. With consistent practice, solving previous year papers, and downloading idioms and phrases PDFs for revision, aspirants can score higher in SSC, Bank, and other government exams. A strong command over idioms makes your English richer, sharper, and more effective both in exams and in real life.
100 Important Idioms & Phrases with Explanation
1–20 (Common Idioms in Exams)
-
A blessing in disguise → A good thing that seems bad at first.
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise; I found a better one.
👉 It appears negative but results positively. -
Beat around the bush → Avoiding the main topic.
Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth. -
Burn the midnight oil → Work late at night.
He burnt the midnight oil to finish his project. -
By hook or by crook → By any means possible.
He will pass the exam by hook or by crook. -
Call it a day → Stop working.
After 10 hours, the workers called it a day. -
Cry over spilt milk → Worry about something that can’t be undone.
Don’t cry over spilt milk; move on. -
Devil’s advocate → One who argues against something just for debate.
She played the devil’s advocate in the meeting. -
Every cloud has a silver lining → Every bad situation has some good.
Even in failures, remember every cloud has a silver lining. -
Hit the nail on the head → Say exactly the right thing.
Her analysis hit the nail on the head. -
In the nick of time → At the last possible moment.
The fireman arrived in the nick of time. -
Jump on the bandwagon → Follow a trend.
Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon of AI courses. -
Kill two birds with one stone → Solve two problems at once.
I killed two birds with one stone by shopping while waiting. -
Let the cat out of the bag → Reveal a secret.
He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise. -
Make a long story short → Get to the point.
To make a long story short, we lost the deal. -
Once in a blue moon → Very rarely.
We go to a restaurant once in a blue moon. -
Piece of cake → Very easy.
This exam was a piece of cake for me. -
Pull someone’s leg → To joke with someone.
Relax, I was just pulling your leg. -
Rome wasn’t built in a day → Big things take time.
Be patient, Rome wasn’t built in a day. -
Throw in the towel → To give up.
After repeated failures, he threw in the towel. -
Under the weather → Feeling sick.
I can’t attend, I’m under the weather today.
21–40 (Advanced for Exams)
-
At the drop of a hat → Instantly, without hesitation.
-
Back to the drawing board → Start again after failure.
-
Ball is in your court → It’s your decision now.
-
Bite the bullet → To face difficulty bravely.
-
Burn bridges → Ruin relationships permanently.
-
Caught between two stools → Caught between two options, fail both.
-
Cut to the chase → Get directly to the point.
-
Give someone the cold shoulder → Ignore someone deliberately.
-
Go the extra mile → Put in extra effort.
-
Hit the sack → Go to sleep.
-
In hot water → In trouble.
-
Keep an eye on → Watch carefully.
-
Know the ropes → Understand how something works.
-
Leave no stone unturned → Try everything possible.
-
Miss the boat → Miss an opportunity.
-
On thin ice → In a risky situation.
-
Out of the blue → Unexpectedly.
-
Play it by ear → Act without a plan.
-
Put all your eggs in one basket → Rely on one thing only.
-
Spill the beans → Reveal a secret.
41–60 (Frequently Asked)
-
Take it with a grain of salt → Don’t take it literally.
-
Through thick and thin → In good and bad times.
-
Throw caution to the wind → Take a risk.
-
To beat a dead horse → Keep talking about a settled matter.
-
Touch wood → To hope for good luck.
-
Up in the air → Uncertain.
-
Walk on eggshells → Act carefully.
-
Whole nine yards → Everything possible.
-
Worth its weight in gold → Very valuable.
-
Zip your lip → Keep quiet.
-
Hit below the belt → Use unfair tactics.
-
At sixes and sevens → In confusion.
-
Break the ice → Start a conversation.
-
To eat humble pie → To apologize.
-
Face the music → Accept the punishment.
-
Get cold feet → Become nervous.
-
Hand in glove → In close association.
-
In black and white → In writing.
-
To take French leave → Leave without permission.
-
To pay through the nose → Pay heavily.
61–80 (SSC & Banking Favorite)
-
To hit the jackpot → To achieve sudden success.
-
To turn over a new leaf → To reform.
-
To smell a rat → Suspect something wrong.
-
To leave someone in the lurch → To abandon in difficulty.
-
To grease someone’s palm → To bribe.
-
To stick one’s neck out → To take a risk.
-
To throw light on → To explain.
-
To carry the day → To win.
-
To catch someone red-handed → To catch in the act.
-
To cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth → To live within means.
-
To have a narrow escape → To barely avoid danger.
-
To cry wolf → Raise a false alarm.
-
To hit the roof → To become very angry.
-
To put the cart before the horse → To do things in the wrong order.
-
To rise like a phoenix → To rise again after defeat.
-
To shed crocodile tears → To show false sympathy.
-
To stick to one’s guns → To remain firm.
-
To take someone for a ride → To cheat.
-
To take the bull by the horns → To face boldly.
-
To wash dirty linen in public → Discuss private affairs publicly.
81–100 (High-Scoring Set)
-
To keep the wolf from the door → To avoid poverty.
-
To read between the lines → Understand hidden meaning.
-
To take to task → To scold.
-
To turn a deaf ear → Ignore.
-
To weather the storm → To survive difficulty.
-
To win laurels → To earn praise.
-
To call spade a spade → To speak the truth bluntly.
-
To burn the candle at both ends → Work excessively.
-
To throw mud at → To defame.
-
To bear the brunt of → To suffer the main impact.
-
To move heaven and earth → To try everything possible.
-
To make both ends meet → To earn just enough.
-
To keep something at bay → To keep away.
-
To fish in troubled waters → To take advantage of a crisis.
-
To eat like a horse → Eat a lot.
-
To fly off the handle → To lose temper.
-
To hang by a thread → In great danger.
-
To go down in flames → To fail spectacularly.
-
To give someone the benefit of the doubt → Trust without proof.
-
To go the whole hog → To do something completely.