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Idioms And Phrases Beginning With B

Idioms And Phrases - Concepts

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With A

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With B

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With C

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With D,E,F

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With G,H,I,J

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With K,L,M,N

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With O,P,Q

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With R,S,T

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With U,V,W

Class - EXIM AO Prelims Subjects

Concept Explanation

Idioms And Phrases Beginning With B

Idioms and Phrases

The command of idiomatic expressions in any language is pre-requisite for expressive writing and comprehension. Phrasal verbs, idiomatic adjectives and noun phrases and idiomatic pairs of nouns, adjectives and adverbs comprise such a vast portion of idiomatic expressions that it is nearly impossible to deal with them comprehensively in such a short space. However, this chapter contains the most important usages that indispensable for any competitive examination. Students would do well to consult the dictionary for further improvement in this field.

Idioms and Phrases Starting With B:

Here is a list of idioms and phrases staring with the letter B.

By hook or by crook (by one means or another) He is determined to obtain first division in his class by hook or by crook.

Bear the brunt of (to hear the main shock of) The poor have to bear the brunt of increasing prices.

Bell the cat (to take first step at personal risk) Many people can boast of their bravery, but very few can bell the cat.

Bid defiance (to ignore) Rohan bade defiance to his father's wish of becoming a doctor and instead became an engineer.

Blow one's trumpet (to praise oneself) No one likes to talk to those who are always blowing their own trumpet.

Break the news (to give had news) He broke the news of her husband's death very gently so as to lessen the intensity of the shock.

Burn a hole in one's pocket (money spent quickly) Money given to a Spendthrift only burns a hole in his pocket.

Bury the hatchet (to make peace) India and Pakistan must bury the hatchet to bring about peace to the region.

Beside oneself (to feel excessively) Due to the accidental death of his wife he was beside himself with grief.

Bad blood (bitter relations) The riots have created bad blood between the two communities in India.

Black and blue (to beat mercilessly) The thief was beaten black and blue by the police.

Beat about the bush (to talk in a round about manner) We should always come to the point and should not beat about the bush.

Beat the air (to make useless efforts) Some speakers merely beat the air in speech while preaching.

Build castles in the air (to make visionary schemes) Many people who live in dreams build castles in the air and do not succeed in life.

Break the ice (to speak first after prolonged silence) In the meeting Rajesh broke the ice and suggested the plan to solve the problem.

Bring to book (to punish. to call to account) The manager was bought to book for his negligence.

Breathe one's last (to die) He breathed his last in the prime of his life.

Back stairs influence (by unfair means) These days many persons are given good posts through back stairs influence.

Bird's eye view (concise view) We had a bird's eye view of the whole fair from the top of a giant wheel.

Bolt from the blue (sudden or unexpected shock) The news of her husband's death in the air crash came to her as a bolt from the blue.

Burn one's boats (point of no return) We had burnt our boats by declaring that we were not going to sign C.T.B.T.

By the by (by the way) By the by, what is your age?

Be upto (to be equal to) He is upto all the tricks of the trade to grind his own axe.

Bated breath (in anxiety, expectancy) The fate of the match hung in balance and every body waited for the result with bated breath.

Bandy words (to wrangle, to argue) Obedient children don't bandy words with their parents when they are advised.

Bee in one's bonnet (to be fussy) She seems to have a bee in her bonnet because she is always finding faults with others.

Bite the dust (to be defeated) Pakistan had to bite the dust in the final of the World Cup.

Blue stocking (educated but pedantic lady) No body likes to mix with be because she is a blue stocking.

Book worm (a person in the habit of pouring over books) He has no time for social activities because he is a book worm.

Bring down the house (receive applause) Though it was his maiden brought down the house because of his oratory skill.

Brow beat (to bully) The President of the college union always tries to be beat the students opposed to him.

Bad egg (a worthless) He comes of a noble family but he himself is a bad egg.

Beside the mark (irrelevant) No body agreed with him because his arguments were beside the mark.

Burn one's fingers (to get into trouble) Those who interfere in the affairs of others, often burn their fingers.

Brown study (reverie, day-dream) He could not follow the significance of offer. He was in brown study.

Bank on (depend on, count on) The rich always bank on money to get things done.

Blaze the trail (to start a movement) Surinder Nath Bannerjee blazed the trail of Indian National Movement.

Bull in a China shop (one who causes damage) Most of the leaders of the freedom struggle have proved bulls in a China shop.

By the rule of thumb (according to practical experience) lIn older times business was run by the rule of thumb.

Big draw (a huge attraction) The match between India and Pakistan is always a big draw.

Broken reed (support that failed) When he needed help, his friend proved a broken reed.

By the skin of the teeth (narrowly) He escaped death in the accident by the skin of the teeth.

Bone of contention (cause of quarrel) Since India got independence, Kashmir problem has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan.

Bit/piece of one's mind (to scold) My father wrote to my brother giving a piece of his mind about his insulting conduct.

Born with silver spoon (to be born in a rich family) My friend does not have to worry about spending any amount of money as she is born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

Burn candle at both ends (squander) After the death of his father he is burning candle at both ends.

By fits and starts (irregularly) If we study by fits and starts we can never be

successful in our exams.

By dint of (by force of) He achieved success in life by dint of hard work.

Blow hot and cold (to speak in favour and against at the same time) Do not trust

these who blow hot and cold in the same breath.

By and by (gradua!ly) He is recovering by and by after long illness.

Blue blood (aristocratic blood) Though my friend has blue blood yet her conduct is very mean and vulgar.

Illustration: Choose the correct meaning of the given idiom/phrase: Beside the mark

A. Outrageous B. Dependent C. Irrelevant D. Fascinating

Answer: C

Illustration: Given below is a sentence with idiom/phrase in bold letters. Choose the correct option which best express the meaning of the given idiom/phrase.

My car broke on way to college yesterday.

A met with an accident B broke into pieces

C Stopped due to mechanical failure D Dashed against another vehicle

Answer: C

Sample Questions

(More Questions for each concept available in Login)

Question : 1

Given below is a sentence with idiom/phrase in bold letters. Choose the correct option which best express the meaning of the given idiom/phrase: The speaker gave a bird's eye view of the political conditions in the country.
A. A detailed presentation		B. A biased view
C. A general view		D. A personal view
Right Option : C
View Explanation

Question : 2

Directions : - In the sentence an idiom highlighted as blue and bold is give. Choose the correct meaning of the Idioms in the sentences. Raman is the black sheep of the family because he is often jailed for burglaries.
A. Having the darkest coloured skin		B. Owning a black coloured sheep
C. Best person		D. Person who causes shame or embarrassment
Right Option : D
View Explanation

Question : 3

Given below is a sentence with idiom/phrase in bold letters. Choose the correct option which best express the meaning of the given idiom/phrase: He bids fair to be an excellent cricketer.
A. Seems likely		B. is ambitious
C. Is confident		D. Is unlikely
Right Option : A
View Explanation