IDIOMS/PHRASES
   l He is such an armchair critic;        l I was in two minds whether or           The best option is to face a dif-
     he has no experience in the sub-        not to come this morning.               ficulty courageously.
     ject but he is ready to give plen-      The best option is to be unde-     695. (1) sail i n th e same bo at
     ty of advice.                           cided.                                  : to be in the same difficult situ-
     The best option is someone who     687. (3) To call it a day = to decide        ation.
     gives advice based on theory            or agree to stop doing something.     l Paul was in the same boat as
     not practice                          l After forty years in politics, I        any other worker who has lost
679. (1) take French leave : to leave        think it is time for me to call it      a job
     work without asking permission          a day.                                  The best option is be in the same
     first.                                  The best option decide to finish        situation
   l The caretaker had taken French          working.                           696. (3) a dog’s breakfast : a thing
     leave.                             688. (1) to make up one’s mind               that has been done badly; mess.
     The best option is being absent         : to decide something.                l He’s made a real dog’s break-
     without permission.                   l They are both beautiful, I can’t        fast of these accounts.
680. (3) a flying visit : a very short       make up my mind.                        The best option is a total mess
     visit.                                  The best option to decide what     697. (1) a sacred cow : a custom,
   l He paid a flying visit to Paris.        to do                                   system etc. that has existed for
     The best option is a very short    689. (3) the gnomes of Zurich                a long time that many people
     visit                                   : a slang term for Swiss bankers        think should not be questioned
681. (2) to take after : to look or be-      The best option is big interna-         or criticized.
                                             tional bankers.                       l A university education is a sa-
     have like an older member of
     your family.                       690. (2) To put in a nut-shell               cred cow in their family.
   l Your daughter doesn’t take af-          : to express something in a clear       The best option is a person nev-
     ter you at all.                         way using few words.                    er to be criticised
                                             To put it in a nutshell, we are    698. (1) seamy side : unpleasant and
     The best option is to resemble        l
                                             bankrupt                                immoral ; sordid part
682. (2) have a finger in every pie :
                                             The best option is to state some-     l The night club shows you the
     to be involved in a lot of differ-
                                             thing very concisely.                   seamy side of the community.
     ent activities and have influence
     over them ; interfering.           691. (3) To take F rench Leave               The best option is the unpleas-
                                             : to leave work without asking          ant aspects
   l You’ve to consult him; he has a
                                             permission first.                  699. (3) to shun : to avoid
     finger in every pie.
                                             The best option is absenting          l He was advised to shun evil
     The best option is to be med-
                                             oneself without permission              company.
     dlesome
                                        692. (1) to be in a quandary                 The best option is to give up.
683. (1) the jury is (still) out on
     something : used when you are           = the state of not being able to   700. (2) in the nick of time = at the
                                             decide what to do in a difficult        very last moment; just in time
     saying that something is still not
                                             situation; in dilemma.                  before something bad happens.
     certain.
                                           l He was in a quandary– should          l They escaped from the somke-
   l we asked people to comment on
                                             he go or shouldn’t he?                  filled house just in the nick of
     the latest male fashions, but it
                                             The best option is to be in a           time.
     seems the jury’s out.
                                             confusing situation.                    The best option is just in time.
     The best option is No decision
                                        693. (4) shed crocodile tears : If      701. (3) to be down to earth : sensi-
     has been reached.
                                             somebody sheds crocodile tears,         ble and practical, in a way that
684. (2) on cloud nine : extremely                                                   is helpful and practical.
                                             they pretend to be sad about
     happy.
                                             something, but they are not re-       l I like her down to earth ap-
   l When I got my promotion, I was          ally sad at all.                        proach to problem solving.
     on cloud nine.                                                                  The best option is to be realis-
                                           l Let’s have no more politicians
     The best option is very happy           shedding crocodile tears for the        tic
685. (1) put something by : to save          unemployed.                        702. (4) hold water : If something
     money for a particular purpose.         The best option is to pretend to        does holds water, you can be-
     Look at the sentence :                  be sympathetic                          lieve it.
   l I am putting by part of my wag-    694. (4) take the bull by the horns :      l Most of the agruments put for-
     es every week to buy a bike.            to face a difficult or dangerous        ward by our opponents simply
     The best option saves                   situation directly and with cour-       do not hold water.
686. (2) Be in two minds about               age.                                    The best option is seem accept-
     something : to be unable to de-       l Nora decided to take the bull           able
     cide what you think about some-         by the horns and organize          703. (4) cock and bull stories : ab-
     body/something.                         things for herself.                     surd and unbelievable.
                                                      SEE–778