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English Vocabulary · Chapter 17 · Idioms & Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

An idiom is a group of words whose meaning is not the sum of its words — "kick the bucket" has nothing to do with a bucket; it means to die. SSC gives an idiom in bold and asks for its meaning. The golden rule: never pick the literal option — that is the planted trap. Learn idioms in themes (trouble, effort, speech, everyday life), picture them, and they stick. This chapter groups the highest-frequency ones.एक मुहावरा (idiom) शब्दों का समूह है जिसका अर्थ उसके शब्दों का जोड़ नहीं होता — "kick the bucket" का बाल्टी से कोई संबंध नहीं; इसका अर्थ है मरना। SSC मोटे अक्षरों में मुहावरा देकर उसका अर्थ पूछता है। स्वर्णिम नियम: शाब्दिक विकल्प कभी न चुनें — वही रखा गया जाल है। मुहावरे विषयों में सीखें (मुसीबत, प्रयास, वाणी, दैनिक जीवन), उन्हें चित्र में देखें, वे याद रह जाते हैं। यह अध्याय सर्वाधिक आने वाले मुहावरों को समूहित करता है।
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Topic 01

What Idioms Are & How to Solve

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HANDWRITTEN PDF NOTES
Idioms & Phrases — downloadable PDF
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Step 1 — eliminate the literal option. A choice that simply restates the words ("under a cloud" → "experiencing cloudy weather") is always wrong; it is there to trap you. Step 2 — find the figurative meaning. Put the idiom into a real sentence and feel what it implies — "under a cloud" clearly means under suspicion. Learning idioms in themes and by their origin stories makes them far easier to recall.चरण 1 — शाब्दिक विकल्प हटाएँ। जो विकल्प केवल शब्दों को दोहराए ("under a cloud" → "बादल वाला मौसम") हमेशा गलत होता है; वह फँसाने को है। चरण 2 — लाक्षणिक अर्थ खोजें। मुहावरे को असली वाक्य में रखें — "under a cloud" स्पष्ट रूप से संदेह के घेरे में है। विषयों और उद्गम-कथाओं से मुहावरे याद रखना आसान होता है।

📝 Self-test — pick the meaningस्वयं-परीक्षण — अर्थ चुनें 4 MCQs

He is under a cloud these days.He is under a cloud these days.

  1. experiencing cloudy weather
  2. enjoying good luck
  3. under observation
  4. under suspicion
✔ D. "Under a cloud" = under suspicion / out of favour.✔ D. "Under a cloud" = संदेह के घेरे में।

Because of his misbehaviour, he is bound to face the music.Because of his misbehaviour, he is bound to face the music.

  1. get reprimanded
  2. feel sorry
  3. get finished
  4. listen to music
✔ A. "Face the music" = accept the consequences / be reprimanded.✔ A. "Face the music" = परिणाम भुगतना / डाँट खाना।

There is no use flogging a dead horse now.There is no use flogging a dead horse now.

  1. wasting effort on a hopeless task
  2. making him see reason
  3. repeating our request
  4. beating about the bush
✔ A. "Flog a dead horse" = waste effort on something hopeless.✔ A. "Flog a dead horse" = व्यर्थ प्रयास करना।

Those who work by fits and starts seldom succeed.Those who work by fits and starts seldom succeed.

  1. irregularly
  2. rarely
  3. regularly
  4. disinterestedly
✔ A. "By fits and starts" = in an irregular, on-and-off way.✔ A. "By fits and starts" = अनियमित रूप से।
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Topic 02

Trouble & Difficulty

  • fall foul of — get into trouble with someone.fall foul of — किसी से बिगाड़/मुसीबत में पड़ना।
  • in hot water — in serious trouble.in hot water — गंभीर मुसीबत में।
  • a bolt from the blue — a sudden, unexpected shock.a bolt from the blue — अचानक झटका।
  • a white elephant — a costly but useless possession.a white elephant — महँगी पर बेकार वस्तु।
📝 Self-test — pick the meaningस्वयं-परीक्षण — अर्थ चुनें 4 MCQs

By opposing the plan, he fell foul of his boss.By opposing the plan, he fell foul of his boss.

  1. fell down before
  2. got into trouble with
  3. praised
  4. agreed with
✔ B. "Fall foul of" = come into conflict with.✔ B. "Fall foul of" = से बिगाड़ लेना।

After the audit, the clerk found himself in hot water.After the audit, the clerk found himself in hot water.

  1. in serious trouble
  2. very busy
  3. feeling feverish
  4. having a hot bath
✔ A. "In hot water" = in trouble.✔ A. "In hot water" = मुसीबत में।

The news of his resignation came like a bolt from the blue.The news of his resignation came like a bolt from the blue.

  1. a blue-coloured bolt
  2. a welcome relief
  3. a sudden shock
  4. a slow process
✔ C. "A bolt from the blue" = a sudden, unexpected event.✔ C. "A bolt from the blue" = अचानक अप्रत्याशित घटना।

The new stadium turned out to be a white elephant.The new stadium turned out to be a white elephant.

  1. a rare white animal
  2. a costly, useless possession
  3. a small building
  4. a great success
✔ B. "A white elephant" = something expensive but of no use.✔ B. "A white elephant" = महँगी पर बेकार वस्तु।
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Topic 03

Effort & Speech

  • beat about the bush — avoid coming to the point.beat about the bush — मुद्दे पर न आना, इधर-उधर की बात।
  • burn the midnight oil — work or study late into the night.burn the midnight oil — देर रात तक काम/पढ़ाई करना।
  • turn a deaf ear — refuse to listen / ignore.turn a deaf ear — अनसुना करना।
  • look down upon — regard with contempt.look down upon — तुच्छ समझना।
📝 Self-test — pick the meaningस्वयं-परीक्षण — अर्थ चुनें 4 MCQs

Stop beating about the bush and tell me the truth.Stop beating about the bush and tell me the truth.

  1. hitting the bushes
  2. speaking clearly
  3. working hard
  4. avoiding the main point
✔ D. "Beat about the bush" = talk without coming to the point.✔ D. "Beat about the bush" = मुद्दे से बचना।

She burned the midnight oil before the exam.She burned the midnight oil before the exam.

  1. wasted her money
  2. slept early
  3. studied late into the night
  4. lit an oil lamp
✔ C. "Burn the midnight oil" = work/study late at night.✔ C. "Burn the midnight oil" = देर रात तक पढ़ना।

The manager turned a deaf ear to their complaints.The manager turned a deaf ear to their complaints.

  1. became deaf
  2. listened carefully
  3. solved them
  4. ignored / refused to listen
✔ D. "Turn a deaf ear" = deliberately ignore.✔ D. "Turn a deaf ear" = जानबूझकर अनसुना करना।

We should not look down upon the poor.We should not look down upon the poor.

  1. sympathise with
  2. be indifferent to
  3. regard with contempt
  4. look below
✔ C. "Look down upon" = to despise / regard as inferior.✔ C. "Look down upon" = तुच्छ समझना।
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Topic 04

Everyday Idioms

  • once in a blue moon — very rarely · a piece of cake — very easy · let the cat out of the bag — reveal a secret.once in a blue moon — बहुत कम · a piece of cake — बहुत आसान · let the cat out of the bag — भेद खोलना।
  • make both ends meet — live within one's income · at the eleventh hour — at the last moment · bury the hatchet — make peace.make both ends meet — आय में गुज़ारा करना · at the eleventh hour — ऐन मौके पर · bury the hatchet — सुलह करना।
📝 Self-test — pick the meaningस्वयं-परीक्षण — अर्थ चुनें 4 MCQs

He visits his village once in a blue moon.He visits his village once in a blue moon.

  1. every month
  2. at night
  3. often
  4. very rarely
✔ D. "Once in a blue moon" = very rarely.✔ D. "Once in a blue moon" = बहुत कम।

For her, solving that sum was a piece of cake.For her, solving that sum was a piece of cake.

  1. a sweet dish
  2. very easy
  3. expensive
  4. impossible
✔ B. "A piece of cake" = something very easy.✔ B. "A piece of cake" = बहुत आसान।

He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.

  1. told a lie
  2. revealed a secret
  3. made a mistake
  4. freed a cat
✔ B. "Let the cat out of the bag" = disclose a secret.✔ B. "Let the cat out of the bag" = भेद खोल देना।

With a small salary, it is hard to make both ends meet.With a small salary, it is hard to make both ends meet.

  1. save a lot
  2. join two ropes
  3. manage within one's income
  4. work overtime
✔ C. "Make both ends meet" = live within one's means.✔ C. "Make both ends meet" = आमदनी में गुज़ारा करना।

Test Yourself · Idioms & Phrases

12 questions — choose the meaning of the idiom. Tap an option to check, then read Why.

12 प्रश्न — मुहावरे का अर्थ चुनें। जाँचने के लिए विकल्प पर टैप करें, फिर Why पढ़ें।