IDIOMS/PHRASES
859. (1) An insecure scheme              866. (4) Interrupt                            Look at the sentence :
     A ho u se o f c ard s = an               Butt in = interrupt or intrude           He refused to blow his own
     organisation or a plan that is           on a conversation or activity;           trumpet and blushingly declined
     very weak and can easily be              break in; interject in                   to speak.
     destroyed; an insecure scheme.           Look at the sentence :              874. (2) Maintain his own opinion
      Look at the sentence :                  He kept on butting in with silly         Stick to his guns = to continue
      Their partners began to suspect         comments.                                to have his own beliefs.
      that the company was a financial   867. (2) A person who prefers to              Look at the sentence :
      house of cards.                         watch television                         Despite harsh criticism, he is
860. (3) To suspect foul dealings             Couch potato = a person who              sticking to his guns on this issue.
      To smell a rat = to suspect that        takes little or no exercise and     875. (2) at a loss
      something is wrong; to sense            watches a lot of television.             At sea = confused.
      that someo ne has caused                Look at the sentence :                   Look at the sentence :
      something wrong.                        It is no good you being a couch          Reading economic theory leaves
      Look at the sentence :                  potato and having a Dobermann.           me feeling at sea.
      The minute I came in I smelt a     868. (2) Be in charge                    876. (4) Good times and bad times
      rat. Sure enough I had been                                                      Weal and woe = good and bad
                                              Carry the ball = to be incharge;
      robbed.                                                                          times; the joys and sorrows;
                                              to be considered reliable enough
861. (3) To be wise beyond his years                                                   prosperity and misfortune.
                                              to make sure that a job gets
      Old head on young shoulders             done.                                    Look at the sentence :
      = a young person who behaves                                                     We all get our share of weal and
                                              Look at the sentences :
      like an older person with more                                                   woe in life.
      experience; to be wise beyong           John can’t carry the ball. He isn’t
                                                                                  877. (4) Challenge
      his years.                              organised enough.
                                                                                       Call in/into question = to
      Look at the sentences :            869. (3) Reject
                                                                                       cause something or someone to
      You can’t put a wise head on            Tur n do wn = to reject                  be evaluated; interrogate; to
      young shoulders. Young people           something; to deny someone’s             cause doubts.
      inevitably lack the experience          request.                                 Look at the sentence :
      and wisdom which come with              Look at the sentence :                   How can you call her honesty
      age.                                    The board turned our request             into question ?
862. (2) A pointless search                   down.                               878. (1) Live within means
      A wild–goose chase = a foolish     870. (1) very close together                  Make both ends meet = earn just
      and ho pel ess search fo r              Cheek by jowl = side by side             enou gh money to li ve o n;
      something.                              Look at the sentence :                   manage; survive.
      Look at the sentence :                                                           Look at the sentence :
                                              They lived cheek by jowl in a
      Physicists searching for the            one–room flat.                           They were finding it hard to
      hypothetical particle may be on                                                  make ends meet.
                                         871. (1) Unreasonable or unaccept-
      a wild goose chase.                                                         879. (1) Went out of business
                                              able
863. (3) To be deaf                                                                    Put up the shutters = cease
                                              Beyond the pale = outside the
      Ha rd of hea rin g refe rs to                                                    tradi n g for the day or
                                              bounds of acceptable behaviour;
      someone who doesn’t hear well;                                                   permanently.
                                              improper; unreasonable; objec-
      somewhat deaf.                                                                   Look at the sentence :
                                              tionable.
      Look at the sentences :                                                          The village post office put up the
                                              Look at the sentence :
      You will have to speak distinctly.                                               shutters for the last time.
      Dad is a little hard of hearing.        The language my father used
                                                                                  880. (4) A very insignificant amount
                                              was beyond the pale.
864. (3) An unknown entry                                                              A drop in a bucket = a very
                                         872. (3) Praise oneself                       small or unimportant amount.
      A dark horse = a little known
      person or thing that emerges to         Blow one’s own trumpet = talk            Look at the sentence :
      prominence.                             boastfull y      about      one’s        What we were paid for our work
      Look at the sentence :                  achievements; sing one’s own             was a drop i n the bucket
                                              praises.                                 compared to what the company
      You can never say, some dark
      horse may come along and win            Look at the sentence :                   earned.
      a House of Lords seat.                  He refused to blow his own          881. (2) Find no favour
865. (2) Discourage                           trumpet and blushingly declined          Draw a blank = to fail to get an
      Throw cold water = to be                to speak.                                answer or a result.
      unenthusiastic or discourage       873. (3) to praise a oneself                  Look at the sentence :
      Look at the sentence :                  Blow one’s trumpet = talk                He asked me for my phone
      Our boss never likes to throw           boastfully about one’s achieve-          number and I drew a blank – I
      cold water on our suggestions.          ment.                                    just couldn’t remember it.
                                                       SEE–786