Idioms And Phrases - 1

22 IDIOMS AND PHRASES -1

CHAPTER

S.N. PHRASES .................. fgUnh esa vFkZ

.................. Meaning in English
1. Achilles’ heels ...............detksj i{k...................... A small but fatal weakness.
2. Add fuel to fire ..............vkx esa ?kh Mkyuk............... To make a matter worse.
3. An arm chair job ............ vklku ,oa vPNh vk;.......... Good income job with high
okyh ukSdjh
...................... comfort.
4. An axe to grind .............. LokFkZ ls Hkjk mís'; Something done for selfish
..............
reasons.
5. An iron-will .................... n`<+ bPNk 'kfDr
.................. Strong will power.
6. An old flame .................. iqjkuk I;kj
....................... A person, one had a romantic
relationship with, in the past.
7. An old head on .............. viuh mez ls T;knk .............. A child or young person who
young shoulders ............ le>nkj gksuk .................... thinks and talks like an older and
experienced person.
8. An olive branch ............. 'kkafr fuosnu ..................... Peace request/ peace treaty.
9. Apple of discord ............. >xM+s dk dkj.k .................. Matter of dispute.
10. Apple of one’s eye ......... nqykjk] I;kjk ..................... Very lovable/ dearest one.
11. Apple-pie-order .............. fcYdqy Bhd gkyr .......... esa In good condition
12. At a loss ........................ fu.kZ; u ys ikuk ................ To be unable to decide.
13. At a pinch ...................... leL;k esa gksuk .................. In a trouble.
14. At arm’s length ............. nwj j[kuk (nksLrh u j[kuk) ..... Avoid becoming too friendly.
15. At daggers drawn ........... dV~Vj nq'euh gksuk .............. To have bitter enmity.
16. At ease .......................... fpUrk jfgr...................... Free from pain and anxiety.
17. At one’s finger’s ends .... iw.kZ tkudkjh...............
gksuk To have complete knowledge.
18. At one’s wit’s end .......... pfdr ............................ Puzzled / confused / perplexed.
19. At sixes and sevens ....... vLr&O;Lr ....................... In disorder.
20. At stake ......................... nko ij ........................... At risk and insecured.
21. At the eleventh hour ..... vfUre le; esa.................. At the last moment.
22. Back stairs gossip ......... ukSdjks ds chp dk xi'ki ...... Talk among servants/ unfair
talks.

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 Idioms Ans Phrases - 1
23. Bad blood ....................... 'k=kqrk
............................. Enmity/ bitter relations.
24. Bag and baggage ........... cksfj;k
-fcLrj lesr .............. With all belongings.
25. Baker’s dozen ................ la[;k esa rsssjg
.................... Thirteen in number.
26. Be born with a silver ..... /uh ifjokj esa iSnk gksuk ........ To be born in a rich family.
spoon in one’s mouth
27. Be in the driving seat .... lkjh ftEesnkjh dk Hkkj ..mBkuk Bearing all responsibilities.
28. Bear the brunt of ........... ifj.kke Hkqxruk
.................. To bear the main part of
something unpleasant.
29. Beat about the bush ...... ?kqek&fiQjk dj ckrsa djuk
....... To talk in a roundabout
manner/ circumlocution.
30. Beat black and blue ....... vR;f/d fiVkbZ djuk ........... Beating mercilessly.
31. Beat hollow ................... dkiQh vklkuh .................... To defeat thoroughly and
,oa cqjh rjg ls ijkftr djukconvincingly.
32. Beck and call ................. vkKk esa jguk.................... Ready to obey order instantly.
33. Bed of roses ................... vkuan ls Hkjiwj.................. Pleasant situation of comfort.
34. Bed of thorns ................. nq%[k ,oa rdyhiQ ls Hkjiwj ..... A situation of extreme difficulty.
35. Beggar description ........ vo.kZuh;......................... A person with no resource.
36. Bell the cat .................... tksf[ke mBkuk.................... Taking first step at personal
risk.
37. Between the devil and ... nks xaHkhj ijs'kkfu;ksa .....ds chp
Between two difficult situations.
the deep sea
38. Big gun .......................... Å¡ph igq¡p okyk O;fDr........ An influential person
39. Bird of passage .............. ;nk&dnk vkusokyk .............. One who comes occasionally.
40. Bird’s eye view .............. ljljh fuxkg..................... Overview.
41. Birds of feather ............. ,d gh izo`fr ds yksx ........... People with the same idea,
charact-eristics and interests.
42. Bite the dust ................. ijkftr gksuk..................... To be defeated.
43. Black sheep ................... ,slk O;fDr tks ifjokj @Vhe ds. A person who is regarded as
fy, 'kehZanxh dk dkj.k disgrace cusa for his family/ team etc.
44. Blind alley ..................... dk;Z ftlesa vkxs izxfr ......... A situation in which no further
laHko ugh........................ progress can be made.
45. Blind date ...................... fdlh vatku O;fDr ls feyuk .. A meeting between a girl and
a boy, who have not met before.
46. Blow one’s own trumpet vius eq¡g fe;k¡ feV~Bw........... To praise oneself.
47. Blue blood ..................... 'kkgh O;fDr...................... Royal or aristocratic descent.
48. Blue book ...................... ljdkjh fjiksZV
.................... Government report.
49. Body and soul ................ iw.kZr;k
........................... Entirely.
50. Bolt from the blue ......... vkdfLed foifÙk ................ Unexpected problem.
51. Bone of contention ........ >xM+s dh oLrq@dkj.k ............ Subject of a dispute.
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52. Boon/blessing in disguisefNik gqvk ojnku ................ Hidden blessing.
53. Bosom friend ................. ftxjh nksLr...................... Fast friend.
54. Break the ice ................. pqIih rksM+uk
...................... To start a conversation.
55. Breathe one’s last ......... ej tkuk ......................... To pass away/ to die.
56. Broad day light .............. fnu&ngkM+s
........................ In day light (when crime cannot
be hidden).
57. Broken reed ................... vfo'oklh O;fDr ................ A weak, unreliable person.
58. Brown study .................. fopkjeXurk ...................... A state of deep thought.
59. Bull in the china shop ... tks txg ds vuqdwy u gks ..... One who is out of place in a delicate
situation.
60. Burn a hole in the pocket 'kh?kzrk ls [kpZ............
djuk Money spent quickly.
61. Burn one’s fingers ......... [kqn dk uqdlku dj cSBuk ...... To get oneself into trouble.
62. Burn the candle at both ends fiQtwy[kphZ djuk ............... To waste money.
63. Burn the midnight oil ... nsj jkr rd esgur djuk....... Labouring/studying till late
night.
64. Burning question .......... ToyUr iz'u..................... Hot issue.
65. Bury the hatchet ........... nq'euh [kRe djuk .............. To end a hostility.
66. By fits and starts ........... #d&#d dj vfu;fer :i ls Irregularly.
67. By hook or by crook ....... xyr ;k lgh fdlh Hkh <ax..lsBy any means, right or wrong.
68. By leaps and bounds ...... fnu nwuh vkSj jkr pkSxquh ........ At a rapid pace.
69. By the skin of one’s teeth/ FkksM+s ls varjky ls
............... Narrowly/by a hair breadth
by a whisker
70. Carry the coal to newcastle csotg esgur djuk........... Spending time and energy in
doing something that is useless
and wastage of energy.
71. Cast pearls before swine canj ds gkFk esa ukfj;y ......... A right thing in a wrong hand.
(fdlh oLrq dks ,sls O;fDr
dks nsuk tks mldk ewY; u le>s)
72. Castles in the air .......... gokbZ fdyk cukuk
............... Day dream/ a hope or desire
unlikely to be realized.
73. Cat and dog life ............. dygiw.kZ thou .................. Troublesome life.
74. Catch a tartar ................ 'k=kq ;k cgqr cM+h ijs'kkuh ls
... To grapple with a unexpectedly.
lkeuk gksuk ........................ formidable opponent.
75. Cat’s paw ....................... futh LokFkZ ds iwfrZ esaAftlperson used by another as
......
O;fDrdk iz;ksx fd;k tk,..... a dupe or tool.
76. Chew the cud ................ euu djuk....................... To ponder over / meditate.
77. Chicken hearted ........... dk;j ............................. Lacking courage / cowardly.
78. Cock-and-bull story ....... eux<+ar dgkuh .................. A concocted story.
79. Crocodile tears .............. fn[kkoVh vk¡lw .................... An false display of grief.
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 Idioms Ans Phrases - 1
yM+uk
80. Cross swords ................. ............................. To quarrel or fight.
fdlh vlaHko oLrq dh dkeuk
81. Cry for the moon ........... .... To desire the unattainable.
djuk
82. Cry over spilled milk .... O;FkZ iNrkuk ..................... Regret in vain for what cannot be
undone.
83. Cut a sorry figure .......... vius iz;kl ls rfud Hkh ........... To give a poor show.
izHkko u NksM+uk
84. Cut both ways ............... nksuksa gh ikVhZ......... ds i{kArgue
esa in favour of both sides.
rdZ djuk
85. Cut no ice ...................... dksbZ vlj ugha Mkyuk .......... To fail to make an impression.
86. Cut one’s coat according viuh vk; ds vuqlkj.......... To live within one’s means.
to one’s cloth ................ O;; djuk
87. Dance to one’s tune ...... gqDe dk ikyu djuk ........... Obeying one's order.
88. Dark horse .................... tks vizR;kf'kr :i ls thr tk, ..One who wins unexpectedly.
89. Dead letter .................... dkuwu] tks dHkh ykxw A law or ordinance that is no
............
Fkk ysfdu vc ykxw ughalonger gSA enforced.
90. Democle’s sword ............ flj ij eaMjkrk [krjk ........... Constant threat.
91. Die a dog’s death ........... yTtktud ekSr ejuk ........... To die a shameful death.
92. Die in harness ............... vius dk;kZof/ ds nkSjku ........... Die while in service.
gh e`R;q gksuk
93. Dog in the manger ........ tks nwljks dks ml............ lq[k A person who prevents others
dk Hkksx djus ugha nsrk gS from enjoying what he cannot.
tks mlds fdlh dke dk ugha
94. Donkey’s years .............. dkiQh le; ckn................. A long time.
95. Draw a line .................... e;kZnk r; djuk ................. Set a limit.
96. Duck in a thunder storm O;Fkk ..........................
esa In a painful condition.
97. Eagle eyed .................... rst utj okyk .................. With keen eye sight.
98. Eat humble pie ............. 'kehZUnxh >syuk .................. To apologize.
99. Eat one’s words ............. 'kCn okil ysuk .................. Take a statement back.
100. Elbow room ................... dke djus dh Lora=krk ......... Sufficient scope to move or
function.
101. End in smoke ................ dksbZ ifj.kke u fudyuk ........ Come to nothing.
102. Escape one’s lips ........... cksy tkuk ........................ Speak unintentionally or
unexpectedly.
103. Fabian policy ................ lko/kuhiw.kZ eUnxfr uhfrDeliberate slow policy/ policy of
.......
delaying decisions.
104. Fair and square ............. fu"i{k............................ In an honest way .
105. Fair sex ......................... ukjh tkfr........................ Women.
106. Fair weather friend ....... eqlhcr esa lkFk...............
u Selfish friends who are with us
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Idioms And Phrases - 1
nsus okyk fe=k only in comfortable situation.
107. Fancy price .................... eqagekaxh ...................
dher At any cost/ at demanded price.
108. Feather in the cap ......... vPNh mIyfC/ ................... Additional success.
109. Feather one’s nest ........ vius in dk ykHk ............... To enrich oneself by taking
mBk dj dekbZ djuk] Hkfo"; advantage of one's position.
ds fy, tqxkM+ djuk
110. Fight shy of ................... Vkyuk ............................ To attempt to avoid a thing or
person.
111. Fish in troubled waters .. fo"ke ifjfLFkfr dk ykHk .mBkuk
To take advantage of the problems
of others.
112. Fish out of water ........... d"Vizn voLFkk esa
............... Out of one’s usual and comfortable
place.
113. Fly in the ointment ....... vlqfo/k.......................... A slight unpleasant thing that
obstruct the enjoyment of
something.
114. Fool’s paradise .............. >qBh mEehn esa [kq'k gksuk
........ A state of being happy for foolish
or unfounded reasons.
115. Forty winks ................... >idh ............................ A nap.
116. French leave ................. fcuk lwpuk ds vuqifLFkr
. Agksuk
leave without information or
permission.
117. Fringe benefits ............. osru ds vykok feyus .......... An additional benefit apart
okyk ykHk....................... from salary.
118. From hand to mouth ..... fliQZ xqtkjk..................
Hkj Providing only bare essentials.
119. Gala day ........................ vkuanksRlo dk..............
fnu Celebration day.
120. Get away with ................ cp fudyuk..................... To escape.
121. Get down to ................... dke xaHkhjrkiwoZd vkjaHk djuk to work seriously.
. To attend
122. Get into a soup .............. >a>V esa iM+uk ................... Get into trouble.
123. Get into hot water ......... leL;k esa iQ¡luk ................. Get into trouble.
124. Get off scot free ............. vnf.Mr fudy tkuk........... To escape without punishment.
125. Get on one’s nerves ....... rax djuk........................ To irritate or annoy.
126. Gibble-gabble ................ ew[kZrkiw.kZ ..............
okrkZykiFoolish talk.
127. Gift of the gab ............... prqjkbZiwoZd /kjk izokgTalent for speaking.
..........
cksyus dh 'kfDr
128. Give a piece of mind ...... Mk¡Vuk ............................. To rebuke or scold.
129. Go through fire and water dksbZ Hkh [krjk eksy ......ysuk
To brave any danger.
130. Go to dogs ..................... O;FkZ gksuk
........................ To deteriorate/ degenerate.
131. Go to rack and ruin ....... fouk'k gksuk ...................... To decay or get destroyed.
132. Good Samaritan ............ n;kyq O;fDr ..................... A person who helps and pays
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 Idioms Ans Phrases - 1
sympathy to those in distress.
133. Grass widow ................... ,slh fookfgrk ftl dk.......... A woman who is separated,
ifr mlls nwj gks divorced or lives apart from her
husband.
134. Grease the palm ............ fj'or nsuk....................... To bribe.
135. Green room ................... vfHkusrk dk Hks"k&Hkw"kk dk dejk
A lounge in a theater or studio
for the performers to get ready.
136. Grist to one’s mill ......... iQk;nsean
.......................... Something that can be used for
one's advantage.
137. Halcyon days ................. [kq'kxokj fnu
.................... Peaceful days.
138. Hammer and sickle ....... lektokn dk izrhd............. A symbolic representation of
commu-nism in general.
139. Hammer and tongs ........ cgqr vf/d esgur ls .......... With great effort or energy.
140. Hand and glove with ...... vPNs lg;ksx ls ................. In close co-operation.
141. Hang by a thread ........... cgqr uktqd fLFkfr esa..... gksuk
Be in a risky situation.
142. Hard nut to crack .......... tfVy leL;k@ O;fDr ........... A difficult problem to solve/ A
person difficult to understand.
143. Haul over the coals ....... dksluk] HkRlZuk...........
djuk To take to task, to reprimand.
144. Have finger in the pie ... fdlh dk;Z esa 'kkfey jguk ..... To be involved in something.
145. Have one’s hands full .... dke dh deh ugha gksuk ........ To be completely occupied.
146. Have one’s way .............. viuh bPNk ds vuqlkj .......... The way one wants.
147. Have several irons ........ ,d gh le; dbZ dk;ksZa...... esaTo be involved in many projects
in the fire ...................... 'kkfey gksuk
..................... or activities at the same time.
148. Hen-pecked husband ..... tks: dk xqyke .................. Admirer of one’s own wife in a
servile manner.
149. Herculean task .............. cgqr dfBu dk;Z
................ Task requiring tremendous
effort.
150. High and dry .................. vdsyk............................ In a deprived situation (alone).
151. High handed .................. fujadq'k
........................... Overbearing.
,s'k vkjke dh ftUnxh
152. High living .................... .......... Living with comfort and ease.
153. Hit below the belt .......... xyr rjhds ls izgkj djuk ...... To strike unfairly.
154. Hit the jackpot .............. cM+h dke;kch feyuk ............ Gaining a big/ great success
(speci-ally by luck).
155. Hit the nail on the head lgh le; ij lgh .............. To do the right thing at the
ckr@dk;Z djuk right time
156. Hobson’s choice ............. dksbZ fodYi u gksuk ............ No alternative.
157. Hole and corner policy .. xqIr uhfr ......................... Secret policy.
158. Hue and cry ................... gks
-gYyk.......................... Any loud public outcry.
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159. Hush money .................. fdlh ckr dks xqIr j[kus.... dsMoney given to someone to
fy, fn;k tkus okyk iSlk ....... keep something secret.
160. In a nutshell ................. la{ksi esa
.......................... In very brief form.
161. In black and white ......... fyf[kr esa........................ In printed or written form.
162. In full swing .................. iwjs tksjksa ij
...................... At the height of activity.
163. In the blues ................... nq%[k@larki esa
.................... In dumps depressed.
164. In the long run .............. vUrr% ............................ Ultimately.
165. In the nick of time ........ Bhd le; ij ................... At the last possible moment.
166. In the same boat ........... ,d gh gkykr esa ................ Sharing the same problems.
167. In vogue ........................ izpfyr........................... In the current fashions.
168. Ins and outs .................. foLr`r fooj.k .................... Intricacies or complications/ full
detail.
169. Iron hand/ Iron fist ....... dM+kbZ ls
......................... Rigorous control.
170. Itching palm .................. fj'or ysus dh vknr gksuk ...... Craving for bribe.
171. Itsy bitsy ....................... vR;Ur NksVk ..................... Very small or tiny.
172. Jack of all trades and .... tks vkneh fdlh Hkh dke...esa A person who knows many
master of none fuiq.k u gks] ysfdu lHkh........ different kinds of work but is a
dk;ks± dh tkudkjh j[krk gks .... master of none.
173. Jail bird ........................ tks tsy esa gks ;k igys s A person who is or has been
...........
jg pqdk gk...................... confined to jail.
174. Jaundiced eye ............... i{kikriw.kZ n`f"Vdks.k ............. To look at something with a
prejudiced view.
>wBk I;kj
175. Judas kiss ..................... ......................... False love.
176. Jump to a conclusion .... fcuk lksps&le>s urhts ij To come to a conclusion
.........
igq¡p tkuk
......................... prematurely.
177. Kangaroo court ............. xSj
-dkuwuh U;k;ky; ............. An illegal court.
178. Keep one’s cards close .. fdlh ckr dks fNikuk ........... Hiding something.
to one’s chest
179. Keep one’s fingers crosses fdlh vPNh ?kVuk ds gksus
. Todh
wait expectantly.
dkeuk djuk
180. Keep one’s word ............ izrhKk iwjh djuk
................ To keep one’s promise.
181. Keep the ball rolling ..... tkjh j[kuk
....................... To maintain the progress of a
project or plan.
182. Keep the wolf from the door nfjnzrk ls la?k"kZ djuk To avert poverty/ starvation.
...........
183. Kill two birds with one stone ,d dk;Z djds nks leL;kvksa ls two things at the same
Doing
fuiV ysuk
....................... time while effort is made for one
184. Kith and kin .................. cU/q&ckU/o
...................... Blood relations.

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185. Knit one’s brow ............. R;kSfj;k¡ p<+kuk (xqLlk djuk)
.. To frown.
tks efgykvksa ds laxr esa
186. Lady’s man .................... . Ajguk
man who is fond of the
ilan djrk gks .................. company of women.
187. Lame excuse ................. vlarks"ktud cgkuk............. False excuse/ baseless excuse.
188. Left- handed complimentiz'kaalk ds :i esa vieku ....... An insult disguised as a
compliment.
189. Lion’s share .................. lcls cM+k fgLlk................. Large part.
190. Live in an ivory tower ... lEiUurk esa thuk...........,oa Living in comfort and being
vke yksxksa ds nq%[k ls unaware of realities of others'
[kqn dks nwj j[kuk miseries.
191. Loaves and fishes .......... O;fDrxr ykHk ................... Material benefit.
192. Look off colours ............ vLoLFk fn[kkbZ nsuk Look ill or unhealthy.
..............
193. Look through coloured ....... >wBs vkoj.k ls ns[kuk ............ To see with different/ wrong
glasses views.
194. Lump in the throat ....... xyk Hkj tkuk (HkkoukRed A {k.k esa)or uncomfortable feeling
tight
in throat due to emotions.
195. Mad as a march hare ..... fljfiQjk.......................... Crazy and insane.
196. Make a clean breast ...... lp dcwy ysuk .................. To confess especially something
bad or illegal.
197. Maiden name ................ fookfgrk L=kh dk fookg ls A women’s surname before
...........
iwoZ dk uke marriage.
198. Maiden speech .............. izFke lkoZtfud Hkk"k.k .......... First speech.
199. Make a hash ................. xM+cM dj nsuk .................. To mess up.
200. Make a mountain .......... ckr dk craxM+ cukuk ........... To exaggerate a minor difficulty.
out of a mole hill
201. Make both ends meet ... vk; ds vanj gh xqtkjk djuk .. To live within one’s means.
202. Make hay while the ..... ekSds dk ykHk mBkuk ............ To take the benefit of an
sun shines opportunity.
203. Make or mar ................. cukuk ;k fcxkM+uk ............... To make or destroy.
204. Make the best of ........... nksuksa gkFk ...............
esa yM~Mw Getting benefited from both the
both the worlds sides.
205. Make up one’s mind ...... fu'p; djuk .................... To decide.
206. Man of means .............. le`¼ O;fDr ..................... A wealthy man.
207. Man of iron ................... n`<+ bPNk 'kfDr...........
okyk Man with strong will-power.
208. Man of letter ................. fo}ku vkneh..................... Learned person.
209. Man of parts .................. lq;ksX; O;fDr
.................... A man of qualities.
210. Man of spirit ................. mRlkfgr O;fDr .................. A man full of enthusiasm.
211. Man of straw ................. og vkneh ftldk dksbZ er u gks A weak person.

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212. Man of the world ........... vuqHkoh O;fDr
................... An experienced person.
213. Man of word .................. tqcku dk lPpk................. True to one's word.
214. Mare’s nest ................... >wBh viQokg
..................... A false invention.
215. Midas touch .................. tknwbZ 'kfDr (ftl dke esaAgkFk man with extraordinary
yxk, og ykHknk;d fl¼ gks) power or capacity to make any
venture profitable.
216. Mince matters .............. T;knk l[r 'kCnksa ds iz;ksx lsTocpuk
moderate or restrain one's
language.
217. To Mind one’s P’s .......... f'k"Vkpkj dk iwjk è;ku..j[kuk Taking care of behaviour
and Q’s properly.
218. Miss the beat ................ volj [kksuk
..................... To lose an opportunity.
219. Mother wit .................... vke tkudkjh................... Common sense.
220. Move heaven and earth vkdk'k&ikrky ,d djuk ...... To try one's best.
221. Much cry and little wool/jkbZ dk igkM+ cukuk ............ Lot of fanfare for something
Much ado about nothing ................................... which has very little importance.
222. Narrow escape/Close Shave cky&cky cpuk .............. To escape by a little margin.
223. Nig-nag .......................... tks yxkrkj ijs'kku djsa
......... A noun used to address someone
(African-American (with joke or frustation).
ds fy, uLy-lwpd 'kCn
ds :i esa iz;qDr 'kCn)
224. Nine day’s wonder ......... de le; dk lq[k (pkj .......... Something that arouses great
fnu dh pk¡nuh) interest but for a very short
period.
225. Nip in the bud ............... vkjaHk esa gh u"V dj nsuk
....... To put on end to something in
its initial stage.
226. Null and void ................. csdkj............................. Ineffective.
227. Nurse a grudge .............. 'k=kqrk Hkko dk;e........ j[kuk Bear resentment for long period.
228. Oily tongue ................... [kq'kken dh Hkk"kk ................ Flattering words.
229. On one’s guard .............. lko/ku@lpsr jguk .............. Vigilant.
230. On one’s last legs .......... [kRe gksus dh fLFkfr esa gksukto collapsing.
... Close
231. Once for all .................... ges'kk ds fy, (dke............ For the last time/ Conclusively.
[kRe djuk)
232. Open question ............... loky ftl dk ,d ls vf/d . A question which may have more
mÙkj gks ldrk gSA than one answer.
233. Palmy days .................... vPNs o 'kkafriw.kZ fnu Prosperous/ affluent days.
...........
234. Pandora’s box ................ leL;kvksa dk HkaMkj ............. A source of extensive but
(ftlls okfdiQ u gks) unforeseen troubles.
235. Part and parcel .............. vko';d vax .................... Inseparable part.
English – from Plinth to Paramount 375
 Idioms Ans Phrases - 1
236. Past master ................... fo'ks"kK
........................... An expert.
237. Pay the piper ................. [kpZ ogu djuk ................. To bear the cost of something/
some service rendered.
238. Pay through his nose .... vR;f/d [kpZ ogu djuk...... To pay dearly.
239. Penny wise pound foolish NksVs [kpZ esa fdiQk;r .... djuk
Careful about trifles but wasteful
vkSj cM+h jde mM+kuk in large ventures.
240. Pick up the gauntlet ..... pSysat dcwy dj ysuk ........... To accept the challenge.
241. Play ducks and drakes .. iSls cckZn djuk .................. To waste money.
242. Play second fiddle ......... fupyk LFkku Lohdkjuk .......... To be at a subordinate position.
243. Play truant .................... fcuk btktr dke ls............ To be absent from duty without
xk;c jguk...................... permission.
244. Poison someone’s ears .. dku Hkjuk ........................ To speak against one to another.
245. Poke one’s nose ............ Vk¡x vM+kuk ....................... To Interfere.
246. Pour oil on troubled waters Øks/ 'kkar djuk ................ To pacify the matters.
247. Pros and cons ................ i{k vkSj foi{k .................. For and against.
248. Pull ones’ legs ............... Vk¡x f[kapuk (etkd mM+kuk) ... To make fun of or to tease.
249. Pull the wool over ......... /ks[kk nsuk ........................ To mislead.
somebody’s eyes
250. Put a spoke in one’s wheel rax djuk@ ck/k mRiÂ...
djuk
To obstruct.
251. Put in cold storage ........ dke dks yfEcr dj nsuk
....... To keep a work pending.
252. Put one’s foot down ....... vius izkf/dkj dks n'kkZuk
....... To act firmly.
253. Put one’s shoulders ....... Lo;a vius iz;klks ls fdlh...... To work or exert oneself heavily.
to the wheel .................. dk;Z dks djuk
254. Put the cart before the horse dksbZ dke mYVs............
fljs ls To do things wrongly.
izkjaHk djuk
255. Put the cat among pigeons xyr dke@ ckr ls dkiQh ...... To say/ do something that
yksxks dk xqLlk HkM+dk nsuk causes trouble or make many
very angry.
256. Quarrel with one’s ......... tgk¡ ls jksth&jksVh....... feyrhTo fight with the executive or
bread and butter ............ gS] ogk¡ ds ofj"B vf/dkjh ..... employer, who is providing one’s
ls yM+uk means of living.
257. Queer fish ..................... vthc O;ogkj okyk O;fDr .... Strange person.
258. Rain cats and dogs ........ rst ckfj'k gksuk.................. Rain very heavily.
259. Rainy day ...................... vkfFkZd d"V ds ............
fnu Future time of need, especially
financial need.
260. Read between the lines . fNik gqvk vFkZ le> tkuk ..... To understand the hidden
meaning.

376 English – from Plinth to Paramount

Idioms And Phrases - 1
261. Red handed ................... vijk/ djrs le; .............. Exactly while committing a
crime or doing something wrong
262. Red letter day ............... lkSHkkX; dk vR;Ur .............. A memorably important or happy
egÙoiw.kZ...................
fnu occasion.
263. Red tapism .................... yky iQhrk'kkgh .................. Strict adherence to excessive
paper work and official
formalities.
264. Rest on one’s laurels .... Hkwrdky ds miyfC/ .............. Depending on the achievement
ij fuHkZj jguk
.................... made in the past.
265. Rhyme or reason ........... fdlh Hkh dkj.k...............
ls Sense, logic or meaning.
266. Right hand man ............ eq[; lgk;d O;fDr............ One’s most valuable assistant or
supporter.
267. Rise like a phoenix ....... cgqr cM+h leL;k ls mcj..djTo make a miraculous comeback
from its ashes fudy vkuk after a seemingly insurmountable
setback.
268. Rock the boat ................ larqyu fcxkM+uk.................. To disturb a situation which was
otherwise stable.
269. Rolling stone ................ tks fLFkjrk ds lkFk dk;Z ugha SA djrk g person.
restless
270. Royal road ..................... vklku jkLrk ..................... An easy or direct way of
achieving a desired result.
271. Rule the roost ............... jksc tekuk....................... To dominate.
272. Run amuck .................... lud lokj gksuk................ Mad with murderous frenzy.
273. Run in the same groove laca/ks dks e/qj cuk, j[kuk .... Maintaining a sweet
relationship.
274. Run-of-the mill .............. lkekU;........................... Average/ common.
275. Run the gauntlet .......... cqjs vuqHko ls xqtjuk............ To go through an unpleasant
experience.
276. Sail under false colours /ks[kk nsuk
........................ To pretend to be something that
you are not.
277. Save ones’ skin ............. Lo;a dks cpkuk .................. To save oneself.
278. See eye-to-eye ............... iw.kZr% lger gksuk .............. Showing agreement/ to agree.
279. See pink elephants ....... vR;f/d u'kk ds................. Any visual hallucination arising
dkj.k mu phT+kksa
dks ns[kuk ...... due to intoxication.
tks okLro esa u gks
280. See red .......................... xqLls esa .....................
gksuk Be very angry.
281. See through .................. le> tkuk ....................... Comprehend/ understand.
282. Set at naught ................ vlEeku djuk.................. To disregard or treat as of no
importance.
283. Set one’s face against ... dM+k fojks/ djuk
............... To oppose with determination.

English – from Plinth to Paramount 377

 Idioms Ans Phrases - 1
284. Set one’s heart on ......... cgqr pkguk
...................... To have as one’s ambition to
obtain something.
285. Set one’s teeth on edge . ijs'kku djuk
..................... To irritate or annoy someone.
286. Set the Thames on fire . vk'p;Ztud dk;Z djuk ........ To achieve something amazing.
287. Shoulder to shoulder .... iw.kZ lg;ksx ds .............
lkFk With united effort.
288. Show white feather ....... Hk; iznf'Zkr djuk............... To show cowardice.
289. Sine die ......................... vfuf'pr dky ds fy, ......... Indefinitely.
290. Sit on the fence ............. fdlh dk i{k ugha ysuk ......... Refuse to take side in a dispute.
291. Slip of the tongue ......... tqcku fiQlyuk .................. Spoken unintentionally.
292. Slow coach .................... vkylh O;fDr................... A person with lazy approach of
working.
293. Small fry ....................... xSj egRoiw.kZ .............
O;fDr Insignificant person.
294. Smell a rat .................... dqN xyr gS&;s .................. To suspect of something wrong
eglwl dj ysuk done.
295. Smooth sailing .............. ijs'kkuh ds fcuk
................. Easy progress.
296. Snake in the grass ........ vkLrhu dk lkai@ diVh...fe=k A secret enemy.
297. Shake in the shoes ....... Mj ls dk¡iuk.................... A tremble with fear or
apprehension.
298. Sow the dragon’s teeth . Hkfo"; ds fy, isj'kkuh
............ To create future troubles for
bDV~Bk djuk yourself or others.
299. Speak one’s mind .......... eu dh ckr djuk............... Speak what one really thinks.
300. Spick and span .............. lkiQ&lqFkjk
....................... In order/ neat and clean.

301. Stand on one’s own legs vkRe&fuHkZj gksuk To be self dependent.

................
302. Stand/Stick to one’s guns vVy jguk.................... To be strict and determined.
303. Stand somebody in ............ ykHknk;d fl¼ gksuk ........... To be of great use and benefit to
good stead someone.
304. Steal a march ................ pqids ls ykHk izkIr dj ... ysukTo obtain an advantage by secret
means.
305. Step into another’s shoes fdlh nwljs dh txg ysuk ....... To take over a job/responsibility
of some other person.
306. Stiff-necked person ....... <+hV ............................... Stubborn or arrogant.
307. Stir a finger ................... dksf'k'k djuk .................... Making effort.
308. Stone’s throw ................ cgqr utnhd..................... Very near.
309. Street Arabs .................. cs?kj ,oa vukFk
.................. A homeless person (especially
who survives by begging).
310. Sum and substance ....... lkjka'k
............................ Main idea or gist.
311. Swan song ..................... ejus@ lsokfuo`fr ds igys dh last ceremony or farewell.
... The
fcnkbZ laxhr ;k lekjksg
378 English – from Plinth to Paramount
Idioms And Phrases - 1
312. Sweat of one’s brow ....... dM+h esgur ...................... Hard labour.
313. Swelled head ................. ?keaMh
............................. Grand opinion of oneself/
conceited.
314. dV~Vj nq'eu
Sworn enemies .............. ..................... People hating each other a lot.
315. Take away one’s breath .HkkSpDdk dj................
nsuk To overwhelm with surprise.
316. vpkud izHkkfor djuk
Take by storm ............... ......... To surprise unexpectedly.
317. ij fopkj djuk ................. To consider.
Take into account .........
318. Take one at one's word .. fdlh ds dgus ij ............... To be convinced of one's
fo'okl djuk sincerity and act in accordance
with his/her statement.
319. Take the bull by the horns ladV dk lh/k ,oa [krjukd ... To adopt the most direct but the
rjhds ls lkeuk djuk most dangerous way of facing
adifficulty.
320. Take to one’s heels ....... Hkkx tkuk ........................ To run away.
321. Talk big ......................... Mhaxsa ekjuk
....................... To boast or brag.
322. Talk of the town ............ pfpZr ckr....................... To be the person or subject
everyone is talking about.
323. The printer’s devils ....... NikbZ =kqfV ........................ Error in printing.
324. Think twice ................... lksp le> dj fu.kZ; ysuk ..... To consider carefully before
deciding.
325. Through thick and thin . lHkh ifjfLFkfr;ksa esa In good and bad times.
..............
326. Throw cold water upon .. grksRlkfgr djuk ................ To discourage.
327. Throw down the gauntlet pSysat djuk
..................... To challenge.
328. Tooth and nail ............... iwjh rkdr ls ..................... Violently.
329. True to one’s salt .......... oiQknkj@ ued gyky ........... Loyal person.
330. Turn a deaf ear to .......... vulquk djuk .................... Not to pay attention to.
331. Turn over a new leaf ..... cqjs vkpj.k NksM+ vPNh .. Tofn'kk
be entirely changed (for good).
esa iw.kZ :i ls cnyuk
332. Turn the corner ............. fdlh dk;Z esa vk;s ladViw.kZ ... To pass through a critical point
fLFkfr ls mcj tkuk in a process.
333. Turn turtle .................... myV&iyV tkuk ................. To overturn.
334. Turn up one’s nose at .... uhpk le>uk ..................... To take lightly with contempt.
335. Under the nose of .......... vk¡[kksa ds lkeus] ukd ds uhps in front of someone.
. Right
336. Under the thumb of ....... ds o'k esa gksuk .................. Under the power or influence of.
337. Up and doing ................. dke esa lfØ; :i ls yxuk ... Active in work.
338. Up one’s sleeves ............ fNik ds j[kh xbZ oLrq ftldk . An item kept hidden and used
iz;ksx t:jr iM+us ij djsa whenever required.
English – from Plinth to Paramount 379
 Idioms Ans Phrases - 1
339. Uphill task .................... cgqr dfBu dk;Z ................ Difficult task.
340. Upon one’s sweet will .... viuh bPNk ij.................. On self desire or wish.
341. Ups and downs ............... mrkj&p<+ko ...................... Good and bad times.
342. Utopian scheme ............ vkn'kZ fdUrq dk;kZfUor ....... Au visionary scheme though
gksus okyh ;kstuk ................. Impractical.
343. Weather the storm ........ leL;k ls eqdkcyk dj......... Survive by coming out of
lqjf{kr ckgj fudyuk difficulties.
344. Well-to-do ...................... lEHkzkar
............................ Affluent.
345. Wet blanket .................. etk fdjfdjk djus okyk ....... One who spoils the enjoyment.
346. Wheels within wheels ... tfVy dk;Z dk vkSj ............. A series of intricately connected
tfVy gksuk events
347. White elephant ............. egaxk ijarq csdkj ................ Expensive but of no use.
348. White lie ....................... NksVk ,oa -egÙoiw.kZ
xSj >wB
..... A minor lie.
349. Will O’ the wisp ............. Hkzked mEehn .................... Elusive/ unreal.
350. Windfall ........................ ,slk ykHk ftl dh.............. Sudden gain received
mEehn uk gks unexpectedly.
351. With a grain of salt ....... Lohdkj djuk ysfdu 'kadk dsTo lkFk
accept with misgiving.
352. With one accord/ in one voice ,d Loj esa...................... Unanimously.
353. Wolf in sheep’s clothing fe=krk trkus okyk ................ A malicious person in harmless
[krjukd vkneh ................... or benevolent disguise.
354. Word for word ................ 'kCn'k% ............................ In exactly the same word.
355. Word of mouth .............. vukSipkfjd okrkZyki ........... Informal oral communication.
356. Yeoman’s service .......... vfr mÙke ........................ Excellent work.

380 English – from Plinth to Paramount