Word Usage (Idioms and Phrases)

Sakshi Education

IDIOMS AND PHRASES	MEANINGS
ABIDE BY	BE FAITHFUL TO
ABOVE BOARD	HONEST, FAIR, AND UPRIGHT
APPLE OF DISCORD	CAUSE OF QUARREL, A BONE OF CONTENTION
APPLE OF ONE'S EYE	AN OBJECT OF LOVE, THE MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION
APPLE PIE ORDER	IN PERFECT ORDER
TO BE AT ONE'S WIT'S END	TO BE CONFUSED
AN AXE TO GRIND	SELFISH MOTIVE
AT RANDOM	HAPHAZARD, WITHOUT AIM OR PURPOSE
TO BE AT LARGE	TO BE FREE
ALL THE SUNDAY	EVERY ONE WITHOUT EXCEPTION
AT A STONE'S THROW	VERY NEAR
AT STAKE	IN DANGER
AT THE BOTTOM OF	REAL CAUSE
AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR	AT A LATE STAGE, AT THE LAST MOMENT
ALL IN ALL	THE MOST IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL PERSON
AT ONE’S FINGER TIPS OR ENDS	TO BE EXPERT IN
TO ACCOUNT FOR	TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION
TO BE ADDICTED TO	TO BE ACCUSTOMED TO
AFFILIATE TO	ATTACH TO
ALL-ROUND	HAVING ABILITY IN MANY DEPARTMENTS
ALL FOOL'S DAY	FIRST OF APRIL
TO BE THE ARCHITECT OF	MAKER OF
TO AVAIL ONESELF OF	TO PROFIT
ANSWER ONE'S PURPOSE	TO SERVE A PURPOSE
AT THE BACK OF	BEHIND
BEHIND ONE'S BACK	DURING ONE'S ABSENCE
TO TURN ONE’S BACK UPON	TO RUN AWAY
TO THE BACKBONE	THOROUGHLY
BAD BLOOD	ILL FEELINGS
BACK OUT	TO WITHDRAW
TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING	TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING ON
TO BANK UPON	TO DEPEND
TO STRIKE A BARGAIN	TO COME TO TERMS
TO BEAR WITH	TO BE PATIENT
TO BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH	TO APPROACH A SUBJECT IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY
BED- FELLOW	CLOSE ASSOCIATE
BEE IN ONE'S BONNET	TO BE MAD OR CRAZY ABOUT SOMETHING
TO BEGGAR DESCRIPTION	HIGHLY INDESCRIBABLE
BIRD’S-EYE-VIEW	GENERAL STUDY
FLESH AND BLOOD	HUMAN NATURE
IN COLD BLOOD	DELIBERATELY, UNPROVOKED
BLUE BLOOD	NOBLE BLOOD
BLOOD AND IRON	RELENTLESS USE OF FORCE
BLOW HOT AND COLD	TO VACILLATE, TO BE INCONSISTENT
TO BOIL DOWN	TO REDUCE TO
THE BONE OF CONTENTION	CAUSE OF QUARREL
TO PICK A BONE WITH SOMEONE	TO DISPUTE
TO BE IN GOOD BOOKS	TO BE IN FAVOUR
TO BE IN BAD BOOKS	BE IN DISFAVOR
FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE’S HEART	GENUINELY
BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS	VERY RAPIDLY
BREAD AND BUTTER	LIVELIHOOD
TO BREAK OUT	TO START
TO BREAK WITH	TO CEASE RELATIONS
TO BREATH ONE'S LAST	TO DIE
TO BRING ABOUT	TO CAUSE, TO HAPPEN
TO BRING DOWN THE HOUSE	TO DRAW APPLAUSE
BULL IN A CHINA SHOP	RUTHLESS DESTROYER
TO BURN THE CANCLE AT BOTH ENDS	TO WASTE MONEY AND HEALTH QUCKLY
TO BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL	TO WORK HARD
BYAND BY	BEFORE LONG
BY HOOK OR BY CROOK	BY ALL MEANS, FAIR OR FOUL
BAG AND BAGGAGE	COMPLETELY, LEAVING BEHIND NOTHING
BE OFF ONE’S HEAD	TO BE BAD
BY FAR	BEYOND ALL COMPARISON
GRAPES ARE SOUR	UNAVAILABLE THINGS ARE UNDESIRABLE
BED OF ROSES	EASY LIFE
BY DINT OF	BY MEANS OF
BY ALL MEANS	CERTAINLY
BY VIRTUE OF	ON ACCOUNT OF
TO BURY THE HATCHET	TO FORGET A QUARREL, TO MAKE PEACE
BESIDE THE MARK	IRRELEVANT, NOT TO THE POINT
TO BELL THE CAT	TO FACE A RISK
A BED OF THORNS	FULL OF SUFFERING AND SORROWS
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE	A THING WHICH APPEARS TO BE A CURSE BUT PROVES TO BE A BLESSING
A BIG GUN	AN IMPORTANT FIGURE
TO BEAR THE PALM	TO WIN REWARD
TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF	TO BEAR THE MAIN FORCE OF STRESS
TO BEAT HOLLOW	TO DEFEAT COMPLETELY
BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP SEA	BETWEEN THE GREAT DIFFICULTIES
TO BITE ON GRANITE	TO WASTE ENERGY
BEYOND ONE'S GRASP	OUT OF ONE'S REACH
TO CALL IN QUESTION	TO DISPUTE
TO CALL TO MIND	TO RECALL
TO CARRY THE DAY	TO WIN
TO CARRY ON	TO CONTINUE
TO CARRY WEIGHT	TO BE EFFECTIVE
TO CHEW THE CUD	TO REFLECT
UNDER A CLOUD	IN DISFAVOUR
A TURNCOAT	A POLITICIAN WHO CHANGES SIDES
COCK AND BULL STORY	IDLE INVENTION, MADE UP STORY
TO SEE IN TRUE COLOUR	TO SEE PROPERLY
TO COME OFF WITH FLYING COLOURS	TO BE SUCCESSFUL
FIFTH COLUMNIST	HE WHO WORKS AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF HIS OWN COUNTRY
ON THE CONTRARY	ON THE OTHER HAND
TO CURRY FAVOUR WITH	TO FLATTER
TO CUT SHORT	TO MAKE BRIEF, TO SHORTEN
TO CUT ONE DEAD	TO REFUSE TO RECOGNISE
A CHILD'S PLAY	SOMETHING VERY EASY
TO COOL ONE'S HEELS	TO WAIT FOR SOMEBODY PATIENTLY