IDIOMS/PHRASES
576. (4) floor : to surprise or confuse  585. (3) know how many beans               l   He deliberately threw a red her-
     somebody so that he may not               make five : well informed and            ring into the conversation.
     sure what to say or do; puzzle            intelligent.                             The best option is clues intend-
   l His reply completely floored me.        l She knows how many beans                 ed to distract/mislead.
     The best option is puzzled                make five.                         594. (4) carve out a niche : to work
577. (1) go to the dogs : to go into a         The best option is well informed         hard in order to have a success-
     very bad state ; ruin.                    and intelligent.                         ful career, reputation etc.
                                         586. (1) at a stretch : a continuous        l In today’s competitive market
  l This firm has gone to the dogs
     since the new management took             period of time.                          it’s better to carve out a niche
     over.                                   l The baby doesn’t sleep for more          and try to become
     The best option is is ruined              than three hours at a stretch.           The best option is the best in
578. (1) average out : to balance ; to         The best option is continuously.         that area.
     result in an average amount         587. (3) put a spoke in somebody’s             developed a specific position
     over a period of time.                    wheel : to prevent somebody              for himself.
   l Sometimes I pay, sometimes he             from putting their plans into op-  595. (3) to the letter : doing/follow-
     pays; it seems to average out our         eration.                                 ing exactly what somebody/
     budget.                                 l His letter really put a spoke in         something says, paying attention
     The best option is balance itself         our wheel.                               to every detail.
                                               The best option is thwarted in        l I followed your instructions to
579. (1) on second thoughts : used
     to say that you have changed              the execution of the plan.               the letter.
     your opinion                        588. (4) bear down : to move quickly           The best option is in every de-
   l You’re not having second                  towards somebody/something in            tail.
     thoughts about it, are you ?              a determined or threatening        596.(3) to read between the lines : to
     The best option is reconsider-            way.                                     look for or discover a meaning
     ing                                     l The storm bore down and rav-             in something that is not openly
                                               aged the island.                         stated.
580. (2) stir the hornets’ nest : a dif-
                                               The best option is moved quickly      l Reading between the lines, I
     ficult situation in which a lot of
                                               towards.                                 think she needs money.
     people get very angry.
                                         589. (2) a big draw : to get attraction/       The best option is to understand
  l His letter to the papers stirred
                                               attention; success                       the inner meaning.
     up a real hornets’ nest.
                                             l The cricket match proved to be     597.(1) put your foot down : to be
     The best option is caused anger
                                               a big draw.                              very strict in opposing what
     in many people
                                               The best option is huge attrac-          somebody wishes to do.
581. (3) break in : to train some-
                                               tion.                                 l you’ve got to put your foot down
     body/ something in something
                                         590. (2) look sharp : be alert                 and make him stop seeing her.
     new that he must do.
                                               The coach told the team they             The best option is take a firm
  l The young horse was not yet bro-       l
                                               would have to look sharp if they         stand
     ken in (trained to carry a rider).
                                               wanted to win.                     598.(4) stand/hold your ground : to
     The best option is train
                                               The best option is pay attention.        continue with your opinions or
582. (4) null and Void : having no                                                      intentions when somebody is op-
     legal force ; not valid             591. (1)
                                                                                        posing you.
  l The contract was declared null         l   The new office block has become
                                                                                     l Don’t let him persuade you-
     and void.                                 an expensive white elephant
                                                                                        stand your ground.
     The best option is not binding            The best option is a costly but
                                                                                        The best option is refused to
583. (3) bury the hatchet : to stop            useless possession.
                                                                                        yield
     being unfriendly and become         592. (3) to cut one’s coat according
                                               to one’s cloth : to only buy what  599. (1) at daggers drawn : if two peo-
     friends again
                                               you have enough money to pay            ple are at daggers drawn, they are
   l After not speaking to each other
                                               for                                     very angry with each other.
     for years, the two brothers
                                                                                    l They have been at daggers drawn
     decided to bury the hatchet.          l   we would like a bigger house,
                                               but we must cut our coat ac-            for weeks over tactics.
     The best option is make peace
                                               cording to our cloth.                   The best option is angry.
584. (3) be in/get into hot water :
                                               The best option is live within     600. (1) a penelope’s web : a job that
     to be in or get into trouble.
                                               one’s means.                            never ends ; an endless job.
  l He found himself in hot water
                                         593. (3) red herring : an unimportant      l Debates are a penelopes web.
     over his speech about immigra-
     tion.                                     fact, idea, event etc. that takes       The best option is endless.
                                               people’s attention from the im-    601. (4) pay on the nail : payment
     The best option is to get into
                                               portant ones.                           without delay.
     trouble.
                                                        SEE–774