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 are indispensable for any competitive examination. Students would do well to consult the dictionary for further improvement in this field.

Idioms and Phrases Starting With Letter R:

Here is a list of some idioms and phrases starting with R

Rise to the occasion : - (to act as the a on demands) To face critical situations holdly you should rise to the occasion.

Run short of : - (shortage) These days due to some financial crises my friend is running short of money.

Rank and file : - (common man) It we want our country to progress in every field, we must improve the economic lot of the rank and file.

Red tapism : - (official delay) Red tapism is a bane of Indian bureaucracy.

Rest on one's laurels : - (complacent, self satisfied) Ambitious persons never rest on their laurels because they dream of unending achievements.

Rock the boat : - (upset the balance) If your party withdraws the support from the Government, it may rock the boat.

Red herring : - (something to distract attention) The demand of inquiry into his conduct is just a red herring as there is no truth in it.

Rip up old sores : - (to revive forgotton quarrel) Rahul and his wife can't live in peace; they are always ripping up old sores.

Read between the lines : - (to understand the hidden meaning) If her essay is read between the lines, we will find that she has made comments against the Government.

Rule the roost : - (to dominate) Today the rich rule the roost.

Red rag to a bull : - (anything that provokes) The law against the dowry system is, for the greedy persons, like a red rag to a bull.

Ride rough shod over : - (to treat in a high handed fashion) Don't ride rough shod over a person when he is down and out.

Rub one the wrong way : - (annoy) If you rub him the wrong way, he is bound to react.

Idioms and Phrases Starting With Letter S:

Here is a list of some idioms and phrases starting with S

Sit on the fence : - (net to commit oneself) When the party split Ramesh was accused of sitting on the fence.

Smell a rat : - (to be suspicious) I smelt a rat in the bargain that my uncle made with my father.

Shed crocodile tears : - (to show false sorrow) The mother shed crocodile tears on the death of her step daughter.

Split hair : - (to indulge in over refined arguments) We should not try to split hair with our elders.

Stand in good stead : - (to be helpful in need) During the time of distress the advice of elders always stands in good stead.

Show white feather : - (to show cowardice) Brave people never show white. feather in the face of difficulties.

See eye to eye : - (to agre) Neema could never see eye to eye with her elder brother.

Set store by : - (to value) I have always set store by my father's opinion.

Snap one's fingers at : - (to show contempt) The industry owner feels that be may snap his fingers at the demands of his workers, but he is greatly mistaken.

Speak volumes for : - (to have abundant proof) The amount of sacrifice made Reena's friend speaks volumes for her true love for her friend.

Steal a march : - (to get ahead secretly) Rohan stole a march on my brother i business and is very rich today.

Steer clear of : - (to avoid) Everyone, if possible, should steer clear of selfish people.

Swan song : - (last creation) 'Lament' was the swan song of Shelley.

Snake in the grass : - (a secret enemy) The country is always betrayed by the snakes in the grass.

Sword of Damocles : - (facing imminent danger) A sword of Damocles is. hanging over the head of a soldier in the event of war.

Sail under false colours : - (a hypocrite) We should not believe our leaders because they sail under false colours.

Spartan life : - (life of ascetic) Swami Vivekanand led a spartan life for promoting health of mind and body.

Save one's face : - (to avoid disgrace) He is making lame excuses to save his face because he could not quality the examination.

A scarlet woman : - (a woman with lose morals) Being a scarlet woman she is looked down upon by her neighbours.

Set people by ears : - (to incite people) The communal speeches set people by cars.

To set Thames on fire : - (to achieve something impossible) Qualifying Civil Services examination for you is like setting Thames on fire.

Sweat of the brow : - (hard labour) The honest persons live by sweat of the brow.

Steal someone's thunder : - (make a better impression) The young actor performed so well that he stole his rival's thunder.

Straight from the shoulders : - (candidly) My lawyer told me straight from the shoulders that my case was weak.

Shop lifter : - (one who steals from the shop) A shop lifter often visits a shop as a customer.

Spick and span : - (in order) Her house looked spick and span because everything was in its place.

Shot in the arm : - (encouraging) A victory in Kargil war proved a shot in the arm of our Defence Forces.

Something up one's sleeve : - (a secret plan) She is quite a mischievous lady. There is always something up her sleeve.

Send about one's business : - (to dismiss) His employees sent him about his business when he behaved insolently.

Stand one's ground : - (remain firm) He did not yield to pressure and stood his ground till the end.

Small fry : - (insignificant person) Who cares for him, he is a small fry in the office.

Seamy side of life : - (immoral side of society) The picture depicts realism and the presents seamy side of life in modern India.

Sow wild oats : - (irresponsible pleasure seeking) After sowing his wild oats Ram has decided to stick to the straight and narrow path in future.

Spill the beans : - (to give information) Continuous interrogation finally made the man spill the beans and the disaster was averted,

A stalking horse : - (pretence) The trade union's seemingly rightful demand is only a stalking horse to black-mail the management.

Idioms and Phrases Starting With Letter T:

Here is a list of some idioms and phrases starting with T

Turn the tables : - (to reverse the condition) A batsman often turns the table on the opposite team by his good batting.

Turn up one's nose : - (to take lightly with contempt) Meena has failed twice in her class and yet she turns up her nose at my advice.

Turn coat : - (one who changes political affiliations) Anti-defection bill is aimed at checking the evil practices indulged in by turn coats.

Take up the cudgels : - (to support or defend) One of my lawyer friends took up the cudgels on my behalf to defend me.

Turn the corner : - (to pass a critical stage) After long illness at last my friend turned the corner and was completely out of danger.

Tall talk : - (exaggerate the matters) No one likes to be in the company of Neema as she always indulges in tall talk.

Tooth and nail : - (violently) All the students revolted tooth and nail against the partiality of the teachers towards some students.

Throw in a towel : - (to be defeated) When the wrestler could not resist the opponent, he had to throw in a towel.

Take with a pinch of salt : - (to accept with doubt) Everybody takes Rahul's problems with a pinch of salt because he is an unreliable person.

Turn a hair : - (show any reaction) Although his friends provoked him against Rohit, he did not turn a hair and remained calm.

Tall stories : - (exaggerated stories) Since he retired from Army, he has been famous for his tall stories which regale the villagers.

Take the floor : - (make a speech) When the Prime Minister took the floor in the cabinet meeting there was pin drop silence.

Take lying down : - (accept insult) It is impossible for me to take his remarks Tying down. It amounts to meek surrender

Tum to account : - (tum to advantage) The brave turn their failures to account

Take heart : - (fed bold) You must take heart and face life boldly.

Take to heart : - (feel excessively) He took his failure to heart and lost interest i worldly affairs.

Take bull by horns : - (to meet the danger boldly) You can succeed in life only if you have courage to take bull by horns.

Through and through : - (entirely) He was drenched in the rain through and through.

To the back bone : - (thoroughly) We need leaders who are selfless to the back bone.

Take wind out of another's sails : - (to gain advantage by anticipation) Farsighted Generals can win war by taking wind out of enemy's sails.

Throw down the glove/gauntlet : - (to challenge) China had thrown down the glove by not recognising Sikkim as part of India.

Take leaf out of somebody's book : - (to emulate) The young should take leaf out of great men's books.

Take people by storm : - (to surprise unexpectedly) The successful launching of GSLV-1 took the nation by storm.

Tall order : - (something difficult) It is a tall order to check population explosion in India.

Throw a spanner : - (to sabotage a plan) He refused to finance my project and so threw a spanner in it.

Take to task : - (punish, ask for explanation, to scold) I took my younger sister to task for not obeying her elders.

Turn a deaf car : - (not to pay attention to, refuse to listen) All the party members turned a deaf ear to their leader.

Throw out of gear : - (not working properly) Many of our small scale industries have been thrown out of gear because of lack of finance.

Take to heels : - (to run away) The students making mischief took to their heels on seeing the Principal.

Throw cold water : - (to discourage) Instead of encouraging me my business partner threw cold water on my plans.

Turn over a new leaf : - (to be entirely changed) After the sudden death of his father Rajesh turned over a new leaf and took all the responsibilities of the family on himself.

Take somebody for a ride : - (to deceive a person) The traders take the customers for a ride by selling fake foreign goods to them.

Take up arms : - (to fight) The tribals of this region have taken up arms against the government.

To and fro : - (forward and backward) He was strolling in the garden to and fro.

Throw up the sponge : - (surrender) He never threw up the sponge and at last got over his problems.

Illustration: Choose the correct meaning of the given idiom/phrase: To put up with.

A. To accommodate B. To adjust C. To understand D. To tolerate.

Answer: D

Illustration: Given below is a sentence with idiom/phrase underlined. In Bold Letters Choose the correct option which best express the meaning of the given idiom/phrase.

I am tired of the rat-race in the corporate sector.

A. Corruption B. Misery C. Unpleasant sight D. Fierce Competition

Answer : D

Sample Questions

(More Questions for each concept available in Login)

Question : 1

Direction : - An idiomatic phrase is given followed by four alternatives. Choose the alternative that best expresses the meaning of the expression. Tread on one's toes
A. To give offence		B. Walk on toes
C. Tread with toes		D. Flatter someone
Right Option : A
View Explanation

Question : 2

Directions : - In the sentence an idiom highlighted as blue and bold is given. Choose the correct meaning of the Idioms in the sentences. As soon as the police arrived, the bank robbers showed the white flag.
A. Calmly left the scene	B. Surrendered	C. Ran away	D. Were incensed
Right Option : B
View Explanation

Question : 3

Directions : - In the sentence an idiom highlighted as blue and bold is give. Choose the correct meaning of the Idioms in the sentences. "If he does not perform his duties properly, I will send him packing, " said the manager.
A. Send him to packing department		B. Give him a warning
C. Serve him a notice		D. Terminate his services
Right Option : D
View Explanation