IDIOMS/PHRASES
l Mary has a bee in her bonnet 405. (4) give in : to agree to do some- 414. (3) keep the wolf from the door :
about recycling. thing that you do not want to do; to have enough money to avoid
The best option is is an obsessed yield going hungry; to stop somebody
person. l The strikers seem determined, feeling hungry
396. (4) by fits and starts : irregu- and are not likely to give in. l I don’t make a lot of money. It is
larly The best option is yield. just enough to keep the wolf
l A sincere student works regu- 406. (3) by leaps and bounds : very from the door.
larly, not by fits and starts. quickly/rapidly The best option is avoid starva-
The best option is irregularly. l India is progressing by leaps and tion.
397. (2) stand by : support; help bounds. 415. (4) break the ice : start a meet-
The best option is very rapidly. ing with an introduction
l I’ll stand by you at any cost.
407. (1) swept under the carpet : to l There should be someone who
The best option is support.
try to stop people from finding will break the ice at any social
398. (4) broke up : the ending of a
out about something wrong, ille- gathering.
relationship or an association;
gal, embarrassing, etc. that has The best option is initiate some-
the division of a large group into
happened or that you have done thing.
smaller parts
l You made a mistake that you can’t 416. (3) null and void : not valid; hav-
l Personal tensions broke the rock
sweep under the carpet. ing no legal force
band up.
The best option is kept hidden. l The court declared the law to be
The best option is disbanded it-
408. (1) out of this world : empha- null and void.
self.
sises how good/beautiful some- The best option is invalid.
399. (3) takes after : to look/behave
like on older member of your fam- thing is 417. (4) blowing his own trumpet :
ily l The cake is just out of this world. boasting
l She takes after her grandfather The best option is extraordinary. l Anyone will tell you she’s one of
in her talent for design. 409. (3) take my hat off : to admire the best journalists we have got,
somebody very much for some- although she never blows her
The best option is resembles.
thing he has done own trumpet.
400. (3) spick and span : neat and
l I take off my hat to you-you’ve The best option is boasting.
clean
done very well indeed. 418. (3) cut the Gordian knot : to
l When she finished cleaning, the
The best option is admire. solve a problem by taking action
whole house is spick and span.
410. (1) sticks to her guns : held on l He cut the Gordian knot by put-
The best option is tidy.
to her decision ting in lots of effort.
401. (4) changed colours : to turn
l I’ll stick to my guns in this mat- The best option is removed the
pale
ter. difficulty.
l She changed colours when I
The best option is maintains her 419. (1) took a leap in the dark : an
asked her about her result.
opinion. action or risk that you take with-
The best option is turned pale.
out knowing anything about the
402. (1) like a bull in a China shop : 411. (3) to toe the line : to say or do
activity or what the result will be
a person who is careless, or who what somebody in authority tells
you to say/do, even if you do not l I had very little information about
moves or acts in a rough or awk-
share the same opinions, etc. the company, so writing to them
ward way, in a place or situation
was a bit of a leap in the dark.
where skill and care are need- l Not everyone was happy with the
plan, but most of us toed the The best option is took a risk.
ed.
line. 420. (1) achilles’ heel : a weak point
l Her living room, with its delicate
furniture, made him feel like a The best option is to follow the l His Achilles’ heel was that he
bull in a China shop. lead. could not drive.
The best option is a clumsy per- 412. (1) look into : to examine some- The best option is weak spot.
son. thing 421. (2) for good : permanently
403. (1) wide off the mark : not ac- l I’ll have to look into the matter. l I’m moving to Europe for good.
curate; inadequate; far from the The best option is to investigate. The best option is permanent-
target 413. (1) fish in troubled waters : to ly.
l Sheena’s efforts were sincere but try to get a personal advantage 422. (1) egged you on : to encourage
wide off the mark. from a disturbed/troubled situ- somebody to do something, es-
The best option is irrelevant. ation pecially something that he should
404. (3) by leaps and bounds : very l Farhan is fishing in troubled not do
rapidly; very quickly waters by buying more shares l Calty wouldn’t have done the
l India is progressing by leaps and of that company. dangerous experiment if her
bounds. The best option is make a profit brother hadn’t egged her on.
The best option is rapidly. out of a disturbance. The best option is urged
SEE–767