IDIOMS

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Idioms

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01 02 03 04

Introduction What are How are Some


Idioms ? Idioms Commonly
different from used Idioms
Phrases ?
Know us….

Hi we are Avinandan
Sharma
and Aarushi Sharma,
students of class XI ‘A’.
We’re here to initiate
you with a very
important topics for
English Language, that
is, IDIOMS.
“English Language is a strange
paradise. It’s where fish flies and
sparrow swims.”

—Vishal Yadav
Don’t they sound unrealistic and in fact funny !!
Ok let’s resolve this problem

The terms are called

IDIOMS

An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically


presents a figurative, non-
literal meaning attached to the phrase; but
some phrases become figurative idioms while
retaining the literal meaning of the phrase.
Some important points on
Idioms….

 Takes figurative meaning and


not the literal one.

 Is basically used for


exaggeration.

 The words constituting the


idiom may or may not constitute
to its meaning.
How are Phrases and Idioms different??

Both, the terms ‘idioms’ and ‘phrases’ are useful elements of phrases
linguistics, and are often considered similar to each other. The term
‘phrase’ is defined as a collection of words, which are used
together to form a sentence or an expression. It uses a verb, an
adverb and/or a preposition to define the sentence. A phrase does
not entirely comprise of a sentence, it can be a small part of a
sentence.
It is easy to understand using few examples:
• The house at the end of the street
• Take off
• Needless to say.
Therefore, from the above examples, it is clear that the term
‘phrase’ really just describes a small group of words. The words are
arranged in a grammatical manner and act as a single and a
conceptual unit in a sentence.
An idiom, on the other hand, is an expression made by a group of
words. An idiom has a totally different meaning, than the individual
meaning of the words used to form the expression. For example:
• To catch one's eye
• Keep one's fingers crossed
• State of the art
• You have bitten more than you can chew

From the above examples, one can understand that an idiom is a


combination of words which have figurative meaning. Also, the
figurative meaning is quite different from the literal meaning of the
words used in an idiom. It is a figure of speech, which is said to be
inherited and modified over time.
Most Commonly used Idioms….

It’s Raining Cats and Dogs : A heavy downpour, rain coming down very quickly and hard.

Example of use:
“There’s no way they’ll be playing at the park. It’s raining cats and dogs out there!”
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To feel under the weather : To be ill or feel ill ; Having hangover

Example of use:
“I did not go to work today, as I was feeling a bit under the weather.”
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Cost an arm and a leg : Very expensive

Example of use:
“I'd really like to have a new farm house, but it may cost me an arm and a leg.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kill the goose that lays the golden egg : To destroy something that is profitable to you
mostly because of greed.
Example of use:
“By selling off his business, Alex killed the goose that lays the golden egg. ”
A blessing in disguise: A good thing that initially seemed bad.

Example of use:
Covid lockdown could prove to be a blessing in disguise for India.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A dime a dozen : Something that is very common, not unique .

Example of use:
“Those antique dishes are pretty, but they’re a dime a dozen.”
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Adding insult to injury : To make a bad situation even worse.

Example of use:
“My car broke down in the middle of nowhere, then, to add insult to injury, it started to rain.”
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Beat about the bush : Avoid sharing your true viewpoint or feelings because it is
uncomfortable .
Example of use:
“Will you please stop beating about the bush and get to the point?”
Beating a dead horse: Giving time or energy to something that is ended or over
Example of use:
He already told you no; don’t beat a dead horse.
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Bite the bullet : To get an unfavorable situation or chore over with now because it will need
to get finished eventually.
Example of use:
“The accused man bit the bullet as the judge handed down his sentence. ”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biting off more than you can chew : Not having the capacity to take on a new
assignment or task that is just too taxing
Example of use:
“Do your best. Do whatever you can, but don't bite off more than you can chew.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the skin of your teeth : Just barely making it.
Example of use:
“We managed to complete the project on time by the skin of our teeth. ”
Doing something at the drop of a hat: Doing something at the moment of being asked.

Example of use:
We now have a situation where laws are bent at the drop of a hat.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch : Not to count on something happening
until after it’s already happened.
Example of use:
“You may get the job, but don't count your chickens before they hatch; wait till you get the offer
letter before you throw the party.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Caught between a rock and a hard place : Making a choice between two unpleasant
choices.
Example of use:
“I’d like to help you but I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Devil’s advocate : To take the side of the counter-argument, or offer an alternative point of view.

Example of use:
“I agree with what you say, but I'll play devil's advocate so that we can cover all the possibilities that may
arise.”
A hot potato: Speak of an issue which many people are talking about.

Example of use:
The issue of gun control is a political hot potato in the United States. ---------
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A penny for your thoughts : A way of asking what someone is thinking .

Example of use:
"You seem pretty serious. A penny for your thoughts."
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Back to drawing board : When an attempt fails and its time to start all over again.

Example of use:
“My experiment was a failure, so I'm back to the drawing board.”
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Some other IDIOMS……
In a nutshell: A concise summary of everything that has been
said.
Example of use:
In a nutshell, all the new mayor was saying is that the fight against
crime will be taken much more seriously.

Piece of Cake: used to describe something that is very easy to


complete.
Example of use:
“The boy found the project to be a piece of cake because it was
incredibly easy.”
Kick the bucket: to indicate that someone has died.
Example of use:
“Every one of us will kick the bucket someday.”
A big fish: An important person in a company or an organization is a big fish.

Example of use:
Ram is the big fish of the company .
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Hit the nail on the head : Doing or saying something that is precisely right.

Example of use:
“You’ve spotted the flaw, Sally. You hit the nail on the head.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Born with a silver spoon in mouth : To be born to parents who are rich and have a good
social rank.

Example of use:
“The students in this college are almost all born with silver spoons in their mouths.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
● Select the most appropriate Idiom (in the context)
to fill in the sentence.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

?
1. Rahul hates to speak in the public, but Riya holds the
mic .

i. at the drop of a hat


ii. to beat around the bush
iii. cut corners
iv. on the ball
_________________________________________________________
?
2. The judge told the prosecutor to as the court was in
no mood to waste its precious time. .

i. miss the boat


ii. make a long story
iii. put wool over other’s eyes
iv. see eye to eye
3. She may give the impression that she but it’s Tony
who makes the final decisions.

i. rips up old sores


ii. holds at bay

?
iii. is ill at ease
iv. wear the trousers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. All delegates have a voice at the Conference and can


on any raised issue.

i. task to task
?
ii. take the floor
iii. take the heels
iv. turn an honest penny
5. With his vast experience and charming personality, it was clear
to see that Henry was a the rest of the
candidates who interviewed for the sales position.

i. snake in the grass

?
ii. cut above
iii. man of straw
iv. cloven hoof

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. I tried to attract his attention, but he was in .

i. a nutshell
?
ii. a fair way
iii. tune
iv. a brown study
7. Ideally we would settle the matter now, but I think we would
until the general situation becomes clearer.

i. hold water
ii. have feet of clay

?
iii. hang fire
iv. hang by a thread

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. He knew he had to in order to complete his syllabus


by tomorrow.

i. cry over split milk


?
ii. blessing in disguise
iii. bark up the wrong tree
iv. burn the midnight oil
5. For him, winning this competition is just like .

i. crying for the moon


ii. blue blood
iii. digging the grave

?
iv. eating humble pie

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. The contractor was determined to get the tender .

i. at the stone’s throw


ii.
iii.
by hook or by crook
crying over split milk
?
iv. down in the mouth
● Fill in to form appropriate Idioms…..
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

?
1. To separate the ____________ from the chaff.

2. To leave no _____________ unturned.

3. To cut through the _____________.

4. To jump the ____________.


?
5. _____________ on the wall.

6. Tip of the ____________.

7. To have to eat one’s ____________.

8. To end up ___________ on the face.


9. To put the cart before the ____________.

10. Get it straight from the _____________ mouth.

11. To throw the _____________ with the bathwater. ?


12. Just what the ____________ entered.

13. _____________ for the course.

14. ____________ the gun.


?
15. Starring down the ____________.

16. Eat out of one’s ___________.

17. Bury the__________.

18. __________ the faith.


19. Labor of____________.

20. Get the wrong end of the _____________ .

21. Tilt at the _________.

22.Be on the same____________. ?


23.Tick the right _____________ .

24. Back from the ____________ .


?
25. Armed to the ____________.

26. Way to ___________.

27. Dressed to__________.

28. Always on a short__________ .


EXERCISE…..

● You can try to find out


?
more Idioms from internet.
There is a long list of them
and note them down.

● You can try to learn these ?


Idioms and those which you
browse for and use it in
sentences of your own.
THANKS!

A special Thanks to our


English teacher Ms. Sheril
Bhaskar for giving us the
opportunity for working on
Idioms and for her constant
support on the topic.

Credits: This template was


created by Slidesgo. Sites
like Slideshare, The Idioms
and Bkacontent were the
source of information.

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