IDIOMS/PHRASES
l Nowadays, the salesmen take us l I was straining every nerve to l I don’t make a lot of money; it is
for a ride. catch what they were saying. just enough to keep the wolf
The best option is to deceive The best option is to make ut- from the door.
someone. most efforts. The best option is escape star-
189. (2) to move heaven and earth : 197. (2) to flog a dead horse : to vation.
to do everything you possibly can waste your effort by trying to do 205. (3) soft option : a choice which
in order to achieve something something that is no longer pos- is thought to be easier because
l I would move heaven and earth sible it involves less effort, difficulty,
to get an apartment here. l He was warned again and again, etc.
The best option is to try every- but now I think there is no use l The instructor took the soft op-
thing possible. flogging a dead horse. tion and gave the boy a passing
The best option is to attempt grade.
190. (4) to smell a rat : to suspect
to do the impossible. The best option is easy and agree-
that something is wrong about a
198. (2) to show a clean pair of heels : able option.
situation
to escape by superior speed; to 206. (2) a little gush of gratitude : a
l I don’t think this was an acci-
outrun. feeling of thankfulness
dent. I smell a rat.
l Sam showed them all a clean pair l I felt a little gush of gratitude
The best option is to be suspi- of heels as he raced for the fin- when I met her at the airport.
cious. ishing line. The best option is friendly feel-
191. (3) a bolt from the blue : an The best option is to escape. ing.
event or a piece of news which 199. (3) to die in harness : to die 207. (2) to lose ground : to lose an
is sudden and unexpected; a while in service (job/work) advantage for yoursel; to become
complete surprise
l My friend, Rashi, died in har- less popular
l She seemed to be very involved ness. l Good restaurants are losing
in her job, so her resignation The best option is to die while ground to less expensive, more
came as a bolt from the blue. in service. informal places that have opened
The best option is an unexpect- 200. (3) to feather one’s nest : to all around the city.
ed event. make oneself rich, especially in The best option is to become less
192. (3) cold comfort : the fact that a way that is wrong and dishon- popular
something that would normally est 208. (4) to fall back on : to go to
be good does not make you hap- l Ravish feathered hi s nest somebody for support ; to have
py because the whole situation through his connection with big something to use when you are
is bad business houses. in difficulty
l It was cold comfort to the stu- The best option is to profit in a l I fall back on old friends in time
dent that others had failed as he dishonest way. of need.
had done. 201. (2) a bolt from the blue : a com- The best option is to seek sup-
The best option is slight satis- plete surprise port out of necessity.
faction. l She seemed to be very involved 209. (1) to make one’s blood boil :
193. (2) to be all at sea : confused in her job, so her resignation to make somebody extremely an-
and not knowing what to do came as a bolt from the blue. gry
l I’m all at sea with these new The best option is unexpected. l Whenever my son criticizes his
rules and regulations. 202. (3) sailing in the same boat : to father, it makes my blood boil.
The best option is lost and con- be in the same difficult situation The best option is to make some-
fused. l Everyone’s got too much work; body furious.
we’re all sailing in the same boat. 210. (4) to speak one’s mind : to say
194. (2) to take to one’s heels : to
run away from somebody/some- The best option is being in the exactly what one thinks, in a
thing same difficult situation. very direct way
l As soon as the thief saw the po- 203. (1) gift of the gab : the ability to l One should speak out one’s
speak easily and to persuade mind rather than agree with ev-
lice, he took to his heels.
other people with your words erything that is said.
The best option is to run away.
l My brother really has the gift of The best option is to express
195. (4) to bite the dust : to fail; to gab. He can convince anyone of one’s thoughts.
be defeated or destroyed; to die anything. 211. (2) to make a mountain of a
l The soldier was too young to bite The best option is ability to molehill : to make an unimpor-
the dust. (to die) speak well. tant matter seem important
None of the above 204. (2) to keep the wolf from the l You are making a mountain of
196. (1) to strain every nerve : to try door : to have enough money to a molehill. You wrote one bad
as hard as you can to do some- avoid going hungry; to stop essay; it doesn’t mean you’re go-
thing somebody feeling hungry ing to fail.
SEE–759