IDIOMS/PHRASES
526. (4) On the same page : If two or    535. (1) rub somebody the wrong          543. (4) put something in a nutshell :
     more people or groups are on the         way : to make somebody annoyed           to express something in a very
     same page, they agree about what         or angry, often without intending        clear way, using few words.
     they are trying to achieve.              to.                                    l To put in a nutshell, we are
  l It was an effort to get us all on      l She tends to rub people up the            bankrupt.
     the same page.                           wrong way.                               The best option is in a brief
     The best option is thinks in a           The best option is irked or irri-        manner
     similar way                              tated him.                          544. (1) a close shave/call : a situa-
527. (3) in the air : felt by a number   536. (4) in the swim : involved in            tion in which you only just man-
     of people to exist or to be hap-         things that are happening in so-         age to avoid an accident.
     pening.                                  ciety or in a particular situation.    l The speeding car passed only a
  l Excitement was in the air.             l Since leaving the company, he’s           few inches from us - a real close
     The best option is under consid-         no longer in the swim of things.         shave.
     eration.                                 The best option is well-informed         The best option is a narrow es-
528. (1) back to the drawing board :          and up-to-date.                          cape from danger.
     to start thinking about a new way   537. (2) barking up the wrong tree :
                                                                                  545. (3) have other fish to fry : to
     of doing something after a previ-         to have the wrong idea about
                                                                                       have more important or more in-
     ous plan or idea has failed.              how to get or achieve it.
                                                                                       teresting things to do.
                                            l You’re barking up the wrong
  l They rejected our proposal, so it’s                                              l He declined to come along to the
                                               tree if you’re expecting us to
     back to the drawing board.                                                        movie, saying he had other fish
                                               lend you any money.
     The best option is plan it all over                                               to fry.
                                               The best option is trying to find
     again.                                                                            The best option is some impor-
                                               something at a wrong place
529. (3) cut and dried : decided in a                                                  tant work to attend to
                                         538. (3) know the ropes : to show
     way that cannot be changed or             somebody/know/learn how a          546. (4) not hold water : If an argu-
     argued about.                             particular job should be done.          ment, an excuse, a theory etc.,
  l The inquiry is by no means cut                                                     does not hold water, you cannot
                                            l Don’t worry about Suma’s tak-
     and dried.                                ing over that reporter’s job; she       believe it.
     The best option is ready made.            already knows the ropes.                Hold water : to stand up to crit-
530. (3) black out : to lose conscious-        The best option is learn the pro-       ical examination
     ness sight or memory temporarily.         cedures                               l Your explanation doesn’t hold
  l The driver had probably blacked      539. (3) to gather roses only : to            water.
     out at the wheel.                         seek all the enjoyments of life         The best option is sound logi-
     The best option is lost conscious-     l Gathering roses only, without            cal fact
     ness                                      taking care of parents is not a    547. (4) maiden speech : the first
531. (1) hold your horse : used to tell        good quality in any child.              speech made by an MP in the
     somebody that they should wait            The best option is to seek all          parliaments of some countries.
     a moment and not be excited.              enjoyments of life.
                                                                                     l She was terrified of making her
  l Dad asked me to hold my horses       540. (2) A close-fisted (person) : not        maiden speech.
     on shopping.                              willing to spend or give much
                                                                                       The best option is first speech
     The best option is be patient             money ; mean; stingy.
                                            l My uncle is a close-fisted per-
                                                                                  548. (3) a wild goose chase : a search
532. (2) a cut above somebo dy/                                                        for something that is impossi-
     something : better than some-             son.
                                               The best option is a miser              ble for you to find or that does
     body/ something.                                                                  not exist, that makes you waste
  l Our new luxury apartment is a
                                         541. (3) to feather one’s nest : to make
                                                                                       a lot of time.
     cut above the rest.                       oneself richer, especially by
                                               spending money on oneself that        l After two hours spent wander-
     The best option is superior to                                                    ing in the snow, I realized we
                                               should be spent on something
533. (4) in the loop : provided with           else.                                   were on a wild goose chase.
     information regularly                  l Bob’s many profitable assign-            The best option is unprofitable
  l I don’t know what’s going on be-           ments enabled him to feather            adventure
     cause I’m not in the loop.                his nest comfortably.              549. (2) maiden speech : the first
     The best option is informed reg-          The best option is to enrich one        speech made by an MP in the
     ularly                                    self when opportunity occurs.           Parliaments of some countries.
534. (2) add fuel to fire : to make an   542. (3) within a stone’s throw : a         l Her maiden speech fell flat on
     argument continue or get worse.           very short distance away.               the audience.
  l Shouting at a crying child is add-      l We live just a stone’s throw from        The best option is first speech
     ing fuel to the fire.                     here.                              550. (4) all ears = to be waiting with
     The best option is worsened the           The best option is at a short           interest to hear what somebody
     difficult situation.                      distance                                has to say; attentive.
                                                        SEE–772