150 Most Important Idioms For FPSC, and CSS Preparation

Important 150 idioms taken from newspapers

1.Dab Hand-a person who is an expert at a particular activity-Liam is a dab hand at golf.


2. Count On-to depend on someone or expect something-You can always count on Michael in a crisis.


3. Eager Beaver-someone who is very enthusiastic, someone who works very hard-The young assistant gets to work very early. She's a real eager beaver.


4. Kill The Goose That Lays The Golden Egg-to ruin or destroy something that brings one wealth-Firing the programmer who created your most successful app is like killing the goose that lays the golden egg.


5. Come Clean-to tell the truth about something that you have been keeping secret-I thought it was time to come clean about my sneaking out in the night.


6. Slippery Slope-a bad situation or habit that, after it has started, is likely to get very much worse-You're on a slippery slope once you start lying about your age!


7. Take Stock-make an overall assessment of a particular situation, typically before making a decision-He needed a period of peace and quiet in order to take stock of his life.


8. In A Huff-feeling angry and upset-When Julia criticized his art, Geraldo left in a huff.


9. Go Places-to be progressing or finding success in some area of one's life-Alice is definitely going places with that singing voice of hers.


10. Learning Curve-the rate of someone's progress in learning a new skill-It's a steep learning curve when you're thrown into a job.


11. Pain In The Neck-someone or something that is very annoying-That child is a real pain in the neck.


12. Soften The Blow-to make a bad situation less serious-He lost his job, but he has enough money in the bank to soften the blow.


13. Slip Through The Cracks-to not be noticed or dealt with by a system-Too many young people slip through the cracks in the healthcare system.


14. Dangle A Carrot In Front Of Someone-try to persuade someone to do something by offering them a reward-The team has dangled a 17 million dollar carrot in front of the Italian to remain in North America.


15. Get Something Off One's Chest-to express one's repressed feelings about something-I'm sorry but I just have to get something off my chest. How could you treat me like that last night?


16. Walk Down Memory Lane-to reminisce over memories of past events, especially happy ones-My grandmother spends more time walking down memory lane these days than talking about the present.


17. Hard - Wired-automatically thinking or behaving in a particular way-Babies are hard-wired to pay attention to anything that is fast-moving, brightly colored, or loud.


18. Down The Drain-in a state of failure or ruination, wasted-If the factory closes, that will be a million dollars' worth of investment down the drain.


19. Shades Of Grey-used to describe something that is vague, ambiguous or unclear-The film presents a straightforward choice between good and evil, with no shades of grey.


20. Necessary Evil-something bad that must exist or occur in order for something good to happen-These days, student loans are a necessary evil in order to get an education that leads to a well-paying job.
21. Finishing Touches-a final adjustment of something, some effort or action that completes something-Norm is in his workshop putting the finishing touches on his latest project.


22. Treasure Trove-a place that is full of something good-Though small, this museum is a veritable treasure trove of history.


23. Household Name-a person, thing, or brand that has become widely popular or commonly known-Now old and forgotten, he was a household name in the 1950s.


24. Get Blood Out Of A Stone-to do something that is very hard to accomplish-Persuading Chris to buy a round of drinks is like getting blood from a stone.


25. Follow Suit-to do the same thing-When one airline reduces its ticket prices, the rest usually follow suit.


26. Be Full Of Beans-to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm-Kelly's outstanding results in her finals made her parents full of beans.


27. Saved By The Bell-saved or spared from difficulty or misfortune by some intervention at the very last moment-The teacher was just getting ready to hand out the quizzes when the fire alarm went off - saved by the bell!


28. Stack The Deck Against-to make arrangements that result in an unfair advantage over someone or something-By dating the boss's daughter, Jeremy has stacked the deck against the rest of us for an early promotion.


29. Keep A Stiff Upper Lip-to not show your feelings when upset, show courage in the face of pain or adversity-Even though he was only three years old, Jonathan kept a stiff upper lip the whole time he was in the hospital recovering from his surgery.


30. Shed Light On Something-to help to explain a situation-Experts hope the plane's flight recorders will shed light on the cause of the crash.


31. Tip Of The Iceberg-a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater-These small local protests are just the tip of the iceberg. The problem is much deeper.


32. Up A Blind Alley-at a dead end, on a route that leads nowhere-The police are up a blind alley in their investigation of the crime.


33. Volte Face-a complete change of opinion or belief-Everyone was surprised when the candidate made a complete volte-face on her stance on taxes.


34. The X Factor-a quality that you cannot describe that makes someone very special-There are a lot of really talented singers in this contest, but I think Molly is the only one with the X factor.


35. Be A Recipe For Disaster-very likely to have unpleasant consequences or lead to failure-All those children unsupervised sounds to me like a recipe for disaster.


36. Pour Oil On Troubled Waters-to do or say something in order to make people stop arguing and become calmer-My husband is always arguing with my father, and I am the one who has to pour oil on troubled waters.


37. In The Cross Hairs-in a position in which other people are eager to criticize or attack-The CEO has been in the cross hairs of politicians and business people alike for his recent comments on immigration.


38. First Things First-said when one thing needs to be prioritized over others-I know we have a lot to discuss, but first things first, has anyone heard back from the client?


39. Within Earshot-close enough to something to hear it-As soon as I got within earshot of the music, I decided that I really didn't belong there.


40. Every Nook And Cranny-every part of a place-Every nook and cranny of the house was stuffed with souvenirs of their trips abroad.


41. The Jury Is Still Out-a decision has not been reached on someone or something-The jury's still out on the safety of irradiated food.


42. Pecking Order-a hierarchy of status seen among members of a group of people or animals, originally as observed among hens-He started as a clerk but gradually rose in the pecking order.


43. Dead Ringer-someone or something that looks very similar to someone or something else-Susie was such a dead ringer for Kate Winslet that sometimes people would ask her for her autograph.


44. Cutting Edge-very modern, latest and with all the newest features-The new phone is an epitome of cutting-edge design/technology.


45. Chill To The Bone/marrow-to frighten someone very much-This is a film that will chill you to the marrow.


46. Polish The Apple-try to win favor through flattery-It may help your standing with the boss if you polish the apple.


47. Apples And Oranges-two unlike things or people-Talking about her current book and her previous bestseller is like comparing apples and oranges.


48. Less Is More-used to say that it is more effective to give a small amount of detail, information, etc. than a large amount-When it comes to Web design, less is more.


49. Float Somebody's Boat-to be what someone likes or is interested in-Motor racing doesn't really float my boat.


50. Take Your Eye Off The Ball-to not give your attention to what you are doing at the time-If you're a manager, you can't afford to take your eye off the ball for one minute.


51. Take A Leaf Out Of Someone's Book-to copy something that someone else does because it will bring you advantages-Maybe I should take a leaf out of Rick's book and start coming in early every morning.


52. Call The Shots-to make the decisions, to decide what is to be done-Mom calls the shots for Thanksgiving dinner, so you better get her approval for any dish you want to bring.


53. Wishful Thinking-the imagining or discussion of a very unlikely future event or situation as if it were possible and might one day happen-"Do you think you might be in line for promotion?" "No, it's just wishful thinking.".


54. Gut-Wrenching-making you feel very upset or worried-Gut-wrenching scenes of bloodshed.


55. Keep On A Short Leash-to maintain strict or tight control over someone-The boss has kept her assistant on a short leash ever since she hired her.


56. Go Through The Roof-to rise to a very high level-Real estate prices have gone through the roof.


57. Cull The Herd-to separate or remove people from a larger group-Universities have long used standardized test results as a means of culling the herd of applicants they receive each year.


58. Sell One's Soul To The Devil-to abandon one's values or morals in return for some highly desired benefit, typically success, power, wealth, etc-I am afraid we have sold our soul to the devil by agreeing to this partnership.


59. Fizzle Out-to gradually end, often in a disappointing or weak way-They went to different universities and their relationship just fizzled out.


60. High Handed-arrogantly or inconsiderately overbearing-The new boss is unbearably high-handed in dealing with employees.


61. When It Rains, It Pours-when something good or bad happens, similarly good or bad things tend to follow-I have a new supervisor at the office, three new assistants to train, and enough work to keep me busy for months - when it rains, it pours.


62. Too Little Too Late-not enough of something that should have been provided earlier-A spokeswoman described the aid for the refugees as too little, too late.


63. Fight Fire With Fire-use against your opponent the same methods he or she is using against you-When evangelists would come to our house and try to convert us, Mother would fight fire with fire and try 
to convert them to her religion.

64. Be Over The Moon-to be very pleased-She was over the moon with her new bike.


65. Chase Rainbows-to constantly pursue things that are unrealistic or unlikely to happen-You can't chase rainbows your whole life, you need to pick a stable career and start being an adult.


66. Wave A White Flag-to offer a sign of surrender or defeat, to yield or give in-After the prosecutors brought forward their newest evidence, the defendant waved the white flag and agreed to the plea bargain.


67. Get Cold Feet-to experience nervousness or anxiety before one attempts to do something-Good luck getting her out on stage, she always gets cold feet before a performance.


68. Look Down One's Nose-to regard oneself as superior to others and thus act in a haughty or snobbish manner-Once Jane was promoted to management, she looked down her nose at the people who used to be her colleagues.


69. Topsy-Turvy-confused, not well organized, or giving importance to unexpected things-The government's topsy-turvy priorities meant that the spending on education would remain low.


70. Get Under Someone's Skin-to bother or irritate someone-I know he is bothersome, but don't let him get under your skin.


71. Neck And Neck-exactly even or level especially in a race or a contest-Opinion polls showed the two major parties neck and neck.


72. Every Trick In The Book-every possible way-I've tried every trick in the book to get him to notice me, and still no luck!


73. Be In The Lap Of The Gods-to be out of one's control or power-The doctors have done everything possible for him, so his recovery now is in the lap of the gods.


74. On The Line-at risk of failing or being harmed-Firefighters regularly put their lives on the line.


75. Look Over One's Shoulder-watch for danger or threats to oneself-Bob has been a little paranoid since the robbery, and is always looking over his shoulder.


76. Wiggle Room-the space, time, or freedom to make changes as needed-We need to leave ourselves some wiggle room when we're negotiating the deal.


77. Steal Thunder-to take attention or credit away from someone else-She did not announce the news at the party because her friend was getting married and she did not want to steal her thunder.


78. Worth Your Salt-good at your job-Any accountant worth their salt should be aware of the latest changes in taxation.


79. In Bits And Pieces-in many small fragments-We heard about the boss's affair in bits and pieces from her secretary.


80. Hand Over Fist-make or lose a lot of money very quickly-Business was good and we were making money hand over fist.


81. Foot The Bill-to pay for something-I hope the production company is footing the bill for all of this air travel.


82. Let The Dust Settle-to allow a situation to become calm or normal again after something exciting or unusual has happened-Let's just let the dust settle before we decide what to do.


83. Get Your Foot In The Door-to obtain some kind of advantage at the beginning of a bigger or longer process-An internship might not sound very interesting, but it's a great way to get your foot in the door at this company.


84. Throw Your Hat Into The Ring-to announce your intention of entering a competition or election-After Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California, it seemed like all sorts of celebrities tried tossing their hats in the ring.


85. Beyond The Grave-after death-Do you think there's life beyond the grave?


86. In A Pickle-in a troublesome or difficult situation-John has gotten himself into a pickle. He has two dates for the party.


87. Get Someone's Goat-to annoy someone very much-That sort of attitude really gets my goat.


88. Wing It-to improvise, to do something extemporaneously-I didn't have time to prepare this speech, so I'll have to wing it.


89. Go To Town-do something thoroughly, enthusiastically, or extravagantly-They've really gone to town on their wedding.


90. Cast In Concrete-firmly or permanently established, not subject to change, unalterable-The healthcare law looks promising, but we'll have to wait until it's cast in concrete before we know exactly what it will do.


91. Oil The Wheels-to make it easier for something to happen-An aid programme was established to oil the wheels of economic reform in the region.


92. Have A Field Day-to have the freedom or an opportunity to do something one wants, to have a very enjoyable time-The press is going to have a field day if this story gets out.


93. Tick All The Boxes-to satisfy or fulfill everything that is necessary or desired-His newest thriller ticks all the boxes the author's fans will be hoping for.


94. Mealy-Mouthed-not brave enough to say what you mean directly and honestly-The mealy-mouthed politician was severely criticized by the public.


95. Be Done And Dusted-be completely finished or ready-I'm exhausted, but at least the work is done and dusted.


96. Magnum Opus-the most important piece of work done by a writer or artist-Picasso's Guernica is considered by many to be his magnum opus.


97. Helter-Skelter-in chaos, here and there-People were screaming and running helter-skelter down the steps to escape the flames.


98. Smoking Gun-information that proves who committed a crime-The tape recordings provided prosecutors with the smoking gun they needed to prove he'd been involved in the conspiracy.


99. Put On A Pedestal-to admire or love someone so much that you believe they have no faults-Most people put athletes and movie stars on a pedestal.


100. Cup Of Tea-if something is not your cup of tea, it is not the type of thing of that you like-Thanks for inviting me, but ballet isn't really my cup of tea.


101. Urban Legend-a modern story of obscure origin and with little or no supporting evidence-Are there alligators living in the New York City sewer system, or is that just an urban legend?


102.Strike A Chord-cause someone to feel sympathy, emotion, or enthusiasm-The issue of food safety strikes a chord with almost everyone.


103. Tie Up Loose Ends-take care of issues that are not critical but have remained outstanding-I'm just about ready to move to Europe, but I need to tie up some loose ends with my ex-girlfriend before I go.


104. Catch Someone Off Guard-to surprise someone in a way that makes the person feel confused or uncertain-The news caught her completely off guard - she didn't know what to say.


105. Set Up Shop-to start your own business-She set up shop back in 1965 with a very small restaurant in the Kings Road.


106. Have Something Under Your Belt-to have learned or succeeded in something that might be an advantage in the future-Basic computer skills are a good thing to have under your belt.


107. Reinvent The Wheel-waste a great deal of time or effort in creating something that already exists-You can use the existing blueprints and improve upon them, there is no need to start from scratch and reinvent the wheel.


108. Rhyme Or Reason-logical explanation-His mood suddenly changed without rhyme or reason.


109. Put Words In Someone's Mouth-to say that someone means one thing when the person really meant something else-I never said you should leave - don't put words in my mouth.


110. Point-Blank-saying something very clearly in very few words, without trying to be polite or pleasant-He asked me to work at the weekend, but I refused point-blank.


111. Wee Hours-the early hours of the morning, between twelve o'clock at night and the time when the sun rises-He was up until the wee hours trying to finish his work.


112. Stepping Stone-an event or experience that helps you achieve something else-I see this job just as a stepping stone to better things.


113. Not Bat An Eyelid-show no surprise or concern-She paid the bill without batting an eyelid.


114. Be All Ears-to be waiting eagerly to hear about something-I'm all ears, tell us what they had to say.


115. Inside Out-thoroughly, down to the last detail-I have been studying this material for weeks now, so I know it inside and out.


116. Rise To The Occasion-to show that you can deal with a difficult situation successfully-John was able 
to rise to the occasion and make the conference a success.
117. Be In Apple-Pie Order-perfect order or neatness-His room is always in apple-pie order.


118. Keep Someone On Their Toes-cause someone to remain alert and ready for anything that might happen-He keeps changing the rules, just to keep us on our toes.


119. Strike One's Fancy-to seem interesting or pleasing to oneself-She has enough money to buy anything that strikes her fancy.


120. Full Of Oneself-to think that one is very important in a way that annoys other people-I doubt he even thought about what you might need, he's so full of himself.


121. Trials And Tribulations-troubles and events that cause suffering-The trials and tribulations of marriage.


122. Jump Through Hoops-to do a lot of difficult things before you are allowed to have or do something you want-I had to jump through hoops to get you that job.


123. Go The Extra Mile-to make more effort than is expected of you-He is a nice guy, always ready to go the extra mile for his friends.


124. Hear On The Grapevine-to hear or learn of something through an informal means of communication, especially gossip-I heard on the grapevine that Stacy and Mark are getting a divorce.


125. Mean Business-to be very serious and determined-The border is sealed by troops who mean business.


126. Leave High And Dry-to leave one in a situation that they have little chance of escaping or improving-The departure of several key employees has left the business high and dry.


127. Shot In The Dark-an attempt that is not expected to succeed or has very little chance of working-Well, this is just a shot in the dark, but I'm going to say that the answer to the question is 52.


128. Hold Your Cards Close To Your Chest-to keep your intended actions secret-You never quite know what Barry's going to do next - he keeps his cards very close to his chest.


129. Nitty-Gritty-the most basic, important aspects or practical details of a subject or situation-Instead of starting with the nitty-gritty, the teacher introduced the topic with a live demonstration.


130. Chink In Armour-a fault in someone's character or an argument that may cause problems for them-A single chink in our armour at the negotiating table means we could lose out badly.


131. Pet Peeve-something that a particular person finds especially annoying-One of my biggest pet peeves is poor customer service.


132. Walk On Eggshells-to try very hard not to upset someone or something-When my mother is staying at our house, I feel like I am walking on eggshells.


133. High Horse-an attitude of moral superiority-My sister needs to get off her high horse and stop lecturing me because I know she was a troublemaker as a teenager!


134. By Leaps And Bounds-rapid, by large movements forward-The profits of my company are increasing by leaps and bounds.


135. A Leap Of Faith-an act of believing something that is not easily believed-It took a big leap of faith to decide to quit my job and try something new.


136. Make No Bones About-not to try to hide your feelings-He made no bones about his dissatisfaction with the service.


137. At The Helm Of-in control, in charge-She is the first woman to be at the helm of this corporation.


138. By The Book-strictly according to the rules-A cop who doesn't exactly play it by the book.


139. Argy - Bargy-loud argument or disagreement that is not usually serious-A bit of argy-bargy between actor and director.


140. Get A Word In Edgewise-to have an opportunity to speak-Brad talked so much that nobody could get a word in edgewise.


141. Cover All The Bases-to deal with every part of a situation or activity-I think I have covered all the bases - I called everyone, ordered the food , and bought some decorations.


142. A Sledgehammer To Crack A Nut-use much more force or put more effort than needed-Fifty police officers to arrest two unarmed men is surely using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.


143. Be None The Wiser-to still be confused about something even after it has been explained to you-I've read the instructions twice and I'm still none the wiser.


144. A Means To An End-something done to achieve something else-I didn't particularly like the job - it was just a means to an end.


145. Work For Peanuts-to work for very little money-I need a raise - I'm sick of still working for peanuts after three years!


146. Bells And Whistles-attractive additional features or trimmings-Manufacturers still build luxury cars with all the bells and whistles.


147. Weasel Out-to squeeze one's way out of something, to evade or avoid a job or responsibility-Although they had signed the contract they tried to weasel out of the deal later.


148. The Gift Of The Gab-the ability to speak easily and confidently in a way that makes people want to listen to you and believe you-She's got the gift of the gab - she should work in sales and marketing.


149. The Devil Is In The Details-used for saying that something may seem simple, but in fact the details are complicated and likely to cause problems-The Irish economy is performing strongly, but the devil is in the detail.


150. Fool's Errand-a task or activity that has no hope of success-It is a fool's errand trying to get Lena to join in anything.
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