Some Important IDIOMS AND PHRASES for CGL mains

1. A bed of roses- comfortable
and easy work
2. A black sheep- rogue
3. A bolt from the blue- sudden
shock and sad event
4. A bone of contention- cause
of dispute
5. A bottle neck- hindrance
6. A fair weather friend-
companion of good times
7. A far cry- something very
difficult
8. A feather in one’s cap-
distinction
9. A fool’s paradise- utopia
10. A golden mean- middle
course between two extremes
11. A herculean task- daring
deed.
12. A hornet nest- cause of
trouble
13. A lame excuse- greatest
share
14. A laughing stock- an object
of ridicule
15. A rainy day- a time of
difficulty
16. A lion’s share- a major part
17. A red letter day -a very
important day
18. A rolling stone -a fickle
minded person
19. A shady deal -a dishonest
and questionable transaction
20. A square deal- a fair
bargain
21. A tall- talk boasting
22. A turn coat- one who
deserts his principles,
renegade
23. A white elephant-
something very costly to
maintain.
24. A wild goose chase-
fruitless work.
25. Above broad -clear
26. All greek and latin- beyond
understanding
27. The apple of discord- cause
of dispute
28. All in all -having full power
29. An axe to grind selfish-
motive to serve
30. An open secret- already
known
31. Apple of one’s eyes- very
dear
32. At a loss- worried
33. At a stone throw- very near
34. At dagger’s drawn- with
enmity
35. At home- in very strong
36. At large- free
37. At one’s fingers ends -be
master of
38. At one’s wit end- worried
and confusion
39. At random- aimlessly
40. At sixes and sevens-
scattered
41. At the eleventh hour- at
the last moment
42. Bad blood- enmity
43. Bag and baggage- with all
belongings
44. Bear the brunt of- be the
main victim of
45. Beat about the bush -say
indirectly
46. Beggar description- difficult
to describe
47. Bell the cat lead- in a
dangerous situation
48. Besides the mark-
irrelevant
49. Block headed -fool
50. Blot out -erase or remove
51. Blow hot and cold- be
favourable and unfavourable at
the same time
52. Blow one’s own trumpet-
to boast
53. Break the ice- start
conversation
54. Bring to the books- punish
55. Bury the hatchet- make
peace, end enmity
56. By and by -after a while
57. By fits and starts-
irregularly
58. By hook or crook- anyhow
59. By leaps and bounds-
rapidly
60. Call a spade -a spade speak
plainly
61. Carry the day- be victorious
62. Catch red handed- to catch
at the spot
63. Chicken hearted- timid,
coward
64. Child’s play- easy work
65. Cut the Gordian knot -to
solve a difficult problem
66. Die hard- to refuse to
change
67. Die in harness- die while on
duty
68. End in smoke- come to
nothing
69. Ever and anon- occasionally
70. Fall flat- to be ineffective
71. Fall short -decrease
72. Feel the pulse of know- the
opinion
73. Flesh and blood- body
74. Follow suit- do the same
thing
75. From hand to mouth -to
pass life in difficulty
76. Get into hot water- be in
trouble
77. Get rid of- be free
78. Get the wind of come- to
know
79. Go to rack and ruin- be
ruined
80. Grease the palm- bribe
81. Hard and fast- definite
82. High and low- people of all
ranks
83. Hold good- remain in force
84. Hue and cry- in confusion
85. In a fix- in confusion
86. In black and white- in
writing
87. In cold blood- mercilessly
88. In full swing- very active
89. In lieu of -in place of
90. In quest of -in search of
91. In the nick of time- just at
the right time
92. In the prime of- quite
young
93. In vogue- in fashion
94. Ins and outs -full details
95. Keep company with -to
associate
96. Kit and kin -all relatives
97. Leave in lurch- leave in
difficulty
98. Live fast- live in luxury
99. Live from hand to mouth-
pass life in difficulty
100. Loaves and fishes- profit
101. A queer fish -a strange
person
102. To pour oil on troubled
waters- to pacify matters
103. A rainy day -a time of
difficulty
104. A red letter day- a very
important day
105. Root and branch- entirely
106. A red rag to a bull- cause
of anger
107. Rough and ready-
unpolished manners
108. Red tapism- official
formality
109. Round and corner- near
110. A rolling stone- one who
is not constant at one work
111. A royal road -an easy way
to achieve an end
112. To smell a rat- to suspect
something.
113. Snake in grass- to be in a
state of fear
114. Shoulder to shoulder -in
co operation
115. Safe and sound- safely
116. To stand on ones legs -to
be independent
117. To see eye to eye- to
agree
118. Snake in the grass- a
hidden enemy
119. A sheet anchor- the chief
supporter.
120. To sail under flase
colours -to try to deceive
121. Smooth sailing -no
difficulty
122. Spick and span- neat and
tidy
123. Swan song- a last great
achievement
124. To stink fast to grow-
worse and worse
125. A stiff necked person- an
obstinate person
126. A short cut -an easy way
127. To shut one’s eye- to
ignore
128. To see red- to get angry
129. Street arabs- homeless
and parentless person
130. Through thick and thin-
under all circumstances
131. A slow coach- a lazy
person
132. To sit on the fence- to be
neutral.
133. From hand to mouth- a
miserable existence
134. Fed up- to be tired of
135. A fish out of water- in an
uncomfortable existence
136. A fools paradise- joy
based on false hopes
137. Face to face- personally
138. To face the music- to face
trouble
139. To fish in troubled water-
to take advantage of others
trouble
140. To give a slip -to escape
141. First and foremost- very
important
142. A fly visit- hasty and brief
visit
143. Foul play -bad intention
144. A gala day- day of
rejoicing
145. A fatal disease- a disease
that causes death
146. To get the sack- to be
dismissed
147. To go without saying -to
be clear
148. Give and take- mutual
cooperation
149. To go through fire and
water -to make sacfice
150. To get into hot water -to
get into trouble
151. To grease the plam -the
bribe
152. To gain ground- to
progress
153. To be a good hand at -to
be expert
154. Hand to hand- a close
fight
155. Hide and seek- to deceive
156. High spirits- to be very
happy
157. The high and low- of all
ranks
158. Half hearted -very healty
and sound
159. Hue and cry- to raise
alarm
160. A hard nut to crack- a
difficult problem to solve
161. Heart and soul- with full
energy
162. A broken reed -a
frustrated person
163. A bird eye view- a general
view
164. To carry the day- to
succeed
165. A begger description-
difficult to describe
166. Birds of feather person-
having same profession
167. To beat the hollow- to
defeat completely
168. To bear the brunt of -to
bear the consequences of
169. A bed of throns- full of
sorrow and sufferings
170. A bed of roses- full of joy
and pleasures
171. Between the deep and
devil -sea between two great
difficulties
172. A bird of passage- a
migratory person
173. To build the castles in
the air- to form imaginary
scheme
174. Bread and butter-
livelihood
175. To come to hand- receive
176. A cock and bull story-
imaginary story
177. A cool head- a clam
judgement
178. To cry for the moon wish-
for something impossible
179. Crocodile tears -to show
false sorrow
180. To catch red handed- to
catch while committing crimes
181. A child play- something
very easy
182. To come of age- be major
183. To carry fire and sword-
to cause destruction
184. To cry over spilt milk -to
reach crisis
185. To change hands- to pass
from one person to another
186. A cry in the wilderness-
useless cry
187. By fits and starts-
irregularly
188. A dead letter -no longer in
use
189. To dance to ones tune- to
carry out orders
190. A dark horse- a
competition of unknown
capabilities
191. Eye for eye- tit for tat
192. A drawn game -in which
no team wins
193. At random- Aimlessly
194. At first sight- at first
meeting
195. Above all- more than
anything else
196. Above broad- openly
197. At a discount- declining
198. Apple of one’s eye- an
object of love
199. Apple pie order -in
perfect order
200. At draggers drawn with-
to be enemies
201. An axe to grind selfish-
motive to serve
202. At one’s wit end- to be in
confusion
203. At an arm length- very
near
204. Add fuel to the fire- to
increase anger
205. At a stone throw- very
near
206. As a matter of fact -really
207. At all events- positively
208. A feather in the cup- a
very good achievement
209. At home in- to be very
strong
210. All in all- the most
important and powerful person
211. At sixes and sevens- in
disorder
212. A man of iron- a man of
strong will and determination
213. To show white feather -to
show fear
214. At the eleventh hour -at
the last moment
215. To rise like a phoenix -to
start afresh from the lower
position
216. To meet one’s waterloo-
to meet one’s defeat
217. High and low of- all ranks
218. A man of letter- scholar
219. To bury the hatchet -to
make peace
220. To set the thames on fire-
to do a heroic deed
221. To sound a red alert -to
make alert
222. To beat about the bush-
to talk about unimportant
things
223. A boon in disguise -a
benefit in loss
224. A big shoot- important
person
225. To play ducks and drakes
with- to squander money
226. To die a dog’s death-
unheroic death
227. To break the duck- to
begin
228. Rise form the ashes- rise
form the low
229. My hands are full- I m
very busy
230. To give someone a piece
of mind- to scold
231. A bull in the china shop-
an awkard position
232. To kick one’s heels- to
waste time
233. Make hay while sun shine-
make best use of favourable
situation
234. To put the spoke in one’s
wheel -to disturb
235. Fancy price- very high
price
236. Fair weather friend -a
friend of good times
237. Hole and corner policy-
improper policy
238. Cut no ice to make- no
effect
239. Once and for all- forever
240. Oily tongue -one who
flatters
241. Hand in glove with -close
friendship
242. To work like a dog- to
work very hard
243. To keep’s one’s finger
crossed- to wish good for
someone
244. To keep wolf away from
the door -to keep off from the
poverty
245. To have several irons in
the fire- to have many pieces
of work
246. A blue book- a govt book
247. To feather in one’s nest-
rumour
248. Odds and ends- various
articles
249. A hot line- a direct
telephone line between the
heads of state
250. To read between the
lines -to read the hidden
meanings
251. A mare’s nest- a
discovery which looks valuable
252. To stand one’s guns -to
preserve when hardship
presses
253. To throw one’s nose -at
disgust
254. A lady’s man- a man of
women company
255. A baker’s dozen- thirteen
256. To turn the coat- pass the
crisis
257. To rock the boat-
unbalance
258. To chew the cuds- to
muse on
259. A duck in the
thunderstorm- distressed
260. Fair and square- in a fair
way
261. A man of the world- an
experience man
262. Midas touch- ability to
succeed in all projects
263. To come down the world-
to lose one’s social and
financial position
264. A sleeping partner- an
inactive business man
265. French leave- absent
without permission
266. To cut both ends- to
argue in support and against
267. An arm chair job- an easy
and well paid job
268. Hammer and sickle-
emblem of socialism
269. Null and void- invalid
270. Back stair gossip- gossip
among the servants
271. To bell the cat -a very
difficult task
272. To bite the dust -to
defeat
273. To be in a driving seat -in
control
274. To cross the swords- to
enter into a dispute
275. To cut a sorry figure -to
create poor impression
276. To die in harness- die
while doing job
277. To get into hot water- to
be in difficulty
278. To go through fire and
water -to pass the difficulty
279. To go to dogs- to be
ruined
280. To keep one’s card close-
to one’s chest to be secretive
281. To hit below the belt -to
blow unfairly
282. To hit the jackpot- to
make money unexpectedly
283. To jump to the
conclusion -to arrive on a
conclusion without any
justification
284. To keep the ball rolling-
to maintain progress
285. To let oneself go- to allow
emotionally
286. To lead a cat and a dog
life- to quarrel constantly
287. To make good- to repair
288. To miss the bus- to miss
the opportunity
289. To make one’s blood cold-
to frighten
290. To make both end meet-
to earn more and more
291. To look through coloured
glass -to see things not as they
are
292. To look black at
somebody -to look him angrily
293. To bear a grudge- to have
better feelings
294. By dint of -by means of
295. By and by -after
sometime
296. Bag and baggage-
completely
297. To blow one’s own
trumphet -to speak loudly
about oneself
298. Back out- to break the
promises
299. Bad blood- enmity
300. Blue blood -noble blood
301. The bury the ice- to break
silence
302. By leaps and bounds-
rapidly
303. To burn the candle at
both ends- to waste one’s time,
energy and money uselessly
304. By hook or by crook- any
how
305. To burn the midnight oil-
to work very hard till late
night
306. Below one’s dignity-
below one’s position
307. Beside the mark- not to
the point
308. A brown study- dreaming
309. A burning question- a
widely debatable question
310. A big gun- an important
figure