Idioms & Phrases. Home ruler, who were all at sixes and sevens among themselves agreed only upon the one thing and that was the freedom of Pakistan.

Transcription

1 Idioms & Phrases 1. At sixes and sevens: Home ruler, who were all at sixes and sevens among themselves agreed only upon the one thing and that was the freedom of Pakistan. 2. All in all: The Head clerk is all in all in this office. 3. All the same: It is all the same to me whether the pull over is home-made or bazaar-made. 4. At large: The culprits are still at large. 5. By fits and starts: He works by fits and starts and does not apply him steadily. 6. Black sheep: We should be aware of the black sheep in our society. 7. A bone of contention: This property is a bone of contention between the two brothers. 8. To break the ice: We all wanted to talk on this subject by no one willing to break the ice. 9. A burning question: Kashmir is a burning question of the day. 10. To back out:he promised to help me but backed out at the eleventh hour. 11. To beat about the bush:

2 Stop beating about the bush; say exactly what you mean. 12. Bed of roses: A military life is not bed of roses. 13. In cold blood: He murdered the merchant in cold blood. 14. To fall to the ground: The theory has fallen to the ground. 15. Go hand in hand Contentment and prosperity go hand in hand. 16. Leave no stone unturned: Shah Faisal left no stone unturned to bring about unity in the Islamic world. 17. Live from hand to mouth our lower class people live generally from hand to mouth. 18. Look down upon: He is so proud of his promotion that he looks down upon all his former friends. 19. At a loss: He is never at a loss for an appropriate word. 20. To pay back in the same coin: If a person rude towards you, it does not mean that you should pay him in the same coin. 21. To keep pace with: Agriculture in the states has kept pace with manufacture, but it has far out stepped commerce.

3 22. Red tape: Flourence Nightingale was a sworn enemy of red tape. 23. To speak volumes: The murders spoke volumes about political conditions before Indian elections. 24. Up to the mark: You don t look quite up to the mark today. 25. To get into hot water Do not quarrel with your officers or you will soon get into hot water. 26. Time and again: Time and again proverbs come to be true. 27. Cut off: The supplies were cut off from the soldier due to snow fall. 28. Run against: Zuhair Akram Nadeem was running against Dr. Farooq Sattar in the elections To turn over a new leaf: The teacher pardoned the boy on the condition that he promised to turn over a new leaf in future. 30. To nip in the bud: The plot to overthrow the Government was detected and nipped in the bud. 31. To feel like a fish out of water: Being the only educated person in that village, I felt like a fish out of water. 32. To shed crocodile terars

4 Don t be deceived by the beggar s crying. They are only crocodile s tears. 33. Lion share: The stronger person generally gets the lions share of the property. 34. To cry over spilt milk: The damage has been done but instead of crying over spilt milk do something to repair it. 35. It is high time: The exams begin next month so it is high time to study seriously. 36. To save something for the rainy day: He wasted his savings and has kept nothing for the rainy day. 37. With a high hand: He is the most unpopular because he decides matters with a high hand. 38. Day in and day out: I have been warning you day in and day out. 39. To make the most of: He let me use his bicycle for a week and I am going to make the most of it. 40. To make the fun of: We should not make fun of handicaps. 41. To make room for: They made room for more guests as all seats were full. 42. To go through: He went through the whole book within a week. 43. In all:

5 He got 782 marks in all. 44. All alone: Yesterday night she was all alone in her house. 45. To put into practice: The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) put into practice what he preaches. 46. A wild goose chase: The robbers fled away and the police gave them a wild goose chase. 47. To end in smoke: All his efforts ended in smoke because they were not made sincerely. 48. With flying colours: If you work hard you will pass your examination with flying colours. 49. Odds and ends: The shopkeeper does not sell any particular article, but deals in odds and ends. 50. Under one s nose: The police were on the look out for the culprit who was hiding under their nose. 51. To poke one s nose into One should not poke one s nose into others affairs. 52. To kick up a row: It is useless kicking up a row when the matters can be decided peacefully. 53. To wind up: He is winding up his business in the city, as he going abroad. 54. In black and white: I want your statement in black and white.