Government of Tamilnadu

Department of Employment and Training

Course : TNPSC Group II Exam

Subject : General English
Topic : Idioms and Phrases

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 IDIOMS AND PHRASES

IDIOMS:

Idioms may be defined as expressions peculiar to a language. They play an

important part in all languages. Many verbs, when followed by various prepositions,
or adverbs, acquire an idiomatic sense.

1. a chance in a million - either no chance at all or a very slim chance

2. two sides of the same coin - two contrasting characters in the same
category
3. a million dollar question - a question with a much awaited and valuable
answer
4. as good as gold - very well behaved
5. to cash in on - to take advantage
6. thirty pieces of silver - the money paid to Judas Iscariot for an act of
betrayal.
7. child’s play - a simple task for anyone to accomplish
8. a brain child - one’s original ideas
9. child-like - having the innocent and frank qualities of a
child
10. second childhood - old age
11. a Chip on Your Shoulder - Being angry about something that happened
in the past; a grudge
12. a Dime a Dozen - When something is extremely common and
simple to acquire.
13. a Piece of Cake - A task that is simple to complete; similar to
the common phrase "as easy as pie."
14. all greek to me - When something is incomprehensible due to
complexity.
15. an arm and a leg - Something that is extremely expensive; an
idiom meaning the price paid was costly,
excessively so.
16. back to the drawing board - Similar to the phrase above, it means starting
over again from a previously failed attempt.

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 IDIOMS AND PHRASES

17. barking up the wrong tree - To make a wrong assumption about

something.
18. beating around the bush - Avoiding the main point; a common phrase
meaning a person is failing to get to the
bottom line.
19. beating a dead horse - Something that is seen as futile; a popular
saying used to describe how bringing up older
issues that have already been resolved is
pointless
20. between a rock and a hard - Being faced with two difficult choices; a Place
dilemma.
21. break the ice - Breaking down a social stiffness or
awkwardness.
22. burst your bubble - To ruin someone's happy moment or mood,
usually by telling them disappointing news or
information.
23. close but no cigar - Coming close to a successful outcome only to
fall short at the end.
24. cry over spilt milk - One shouldn't worry over things that have
already happenend and that cannot be
changed.
25. cry wolf - Lying; a common phrase meaning someone is
calling for help when it's not really needed.
26. curiosity killed the cat - An idiom meaning mind your own business,
as too much poking and prodding could lead
to harm.
27. cut the mustard - Meeting expectations; used as a way to
describe how someone has met the required
standards that were set.
28. cut to the chase - To get to the point, leaving out all of the
unnecessary details. Similar to popular
sayings such as "beating around the bush."
29. don’t count the chicken - Don’t rely on something you are not they
before hatch sure of.
30. down to the wire - A tense situation where the outcome is
decided only in the last few seconds.

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 IDIOMS AND PHRASES

PHRASAL VERBS:
A phrase is a group of two or more words functioning as a meaningful unit
within a sentence or clause. A phrase is commonly characterized as
a grammatical unit at a level between a word and a clause.
takeover – assume charge
took off – left the ground
went about – did as a routine
went out – stopped, ended, or was not in existence
went on – continued without changing
act on – act according to an effect
act upto – act fully
act for – officiate
bear out – confirm
breakdown – fail lose composure health
break up – end
break in – enter illegally interrupt
back up – support
back out – quit
bring in – earn
bring on – produce
bring up – rear
call off – cancel
call for – require
call up – to calling
call down – reprimand
cut down – reduce
cut in – interrupt
cut off – stop
cut out – have talent
come in – arrive, be useful
come up – arise
come about – happen
come across – find by chance
come round – change
come under – included
die out – stop existing
die away – decrease sound

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 IDIOMS AND PHRASES

do for – serve the purpose

do with – manage
do over – again
draw on – depend
draw up – write
draw back – retreat
drop in – informal visit
drop out – leave
fall in – collapse
fall out – quarrel
fall off – decrease
fall through – fail
fall to – begin
fall behind – make less progress
fall back on – depend
get up – rise from bed
get in – enter
get off – leave
get through – succeed
get away – escape
give up – abandon/discontinue something
give in – surrender/yield
give away – distribute
go into – examine
go for – attack
go at – attack
go off – leave/proceed/explode
go ahead – continue/make progress
go without – manage without
go through – pass through
go back on – fail to keep promise
go down – believe
go ahead of – pass/take over
go after – chase
go about – perform
go with – match
hand in – submit
hand on – transmit

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 IDIOMS AND PHRASES

hand over – transfer

hand down – give
hang on – hold
hang out – frequent
hold on – wait
hold up – delay
hold over – postpone
keep up – to keep something
keep away – to avoid going near
keep on – to continue
keep off – to avoid
knock out – stop working
knock down – struck
see about – deal with
see to – attend to
set out – start
set in – begin
set up – establish something before you do something
set apart – keep away
stand against – oppose
stand up for – defend/support
stand for – represent
stand upon – depend
set on – determined
set back – check progress
take down – write
take to – to start liking
take up – to continue
take for – mistake for
turn up – to be found
turn off – return
turn over – attend
turn down – reject
wait on – wait for
wake up – awaken
watch out – be careful
work out – solve

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 IDIOMS AND PHRASES

work off – dispose

write down – record
write up – compose
lay out – arrange
lay down – establish
let in – allow to enter
let out – release
let down – disappoint
look after – take care of
look ahead – plan for future
look around – search
look for – search
look into – make investigation
look on – regard as
make of – understand
make up – invent a story
make off – escape/steal
make up for – compensate
pass over – ignore
pass away – die
pass by – go by the side
pass on – give/die
pick up – increase/learn
pick out – select
pick on – single out
pull out – leave
pull up – critisize someone for doing
pull through – recover
put in – enter
put on – wear/add to
put up – erect/lodge
put off – postpone
put across – convey
run to – reach an amount
run for – contest election
run over – hit with
run after – follow

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