IDIOMS

By Dhanesh in reference with unacademy.com

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON
• Meaning: something that happens very rarely.
• Usage: Once in a blue moon I get time
to spend with my family.

After every two three years

there are 13 blue moon. If u
see the blue moon, it is not
blue actually but due to the
refraction and reflection of light.
(very rare)
BEATING AROUND THE BUSH
• Meaning: Avoiding the topic
• Usage: The politician was beating around the bush when
citizens demanded a reason for the scam.

Earlier when people go to

hunting, one person job is to
beat the bush so that birds
hidden in the bush can come
out and other person hunt
them. Their main purpose to
hunt. (other person not doing
the actual task by beating the
bush)
CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER
• Meaning: When someone is upset about something that
happened a while ago.
• Usage: he has a chip on his shoulder for being abandoned by
his friends in school days.

I am upset!
I am done with life!
Because world treat me
unfairly or you have
some feeling of
disability.
Bad behavior due to
past experiences.
(really long ago)
CRY OVER SPILT MILK
• Meaning: complaining about a loss or failure from the past.
• Usage: There is no use of crying over spilt milk, instead be
cautious in the future.

Travelling in the metro and

somebody have stolen
your wallet and you cry oh
mom! Then mother told him
it ok! Make sure you more
cautious in future.
PIECE OF CAKE
• Meaning: something that is easy to understand or do.
• Usage: Passing MBA is a piece of cake. I don’t think that any of
you will fail.

It is appropriate if it is
used with like. E.g.
hitting sixes for Yuvraj
Singh is like eating a
piece of cake.
BLESSING IN DISGUISE (BLESSING-DUA, DISGUISE-
HIDDEN)

• Meaning: something good and useful that did not initially seem
that way.
• Usage: the course that I choose was a blessing in disguise and I
realized that only now.

Ap hamare liye bhagwan

ka roop banke ae!
Let say you took
admission in MBA rather
than MTECH, you were
initially skeptical about
this. But later on you get a
good job and happy with
your life.
COME HELL OR HIGH WATER
• Meaning: possible obstacles in your path.
• Usage: I have decided that come hell or high water, I will finish
the task.

No matter if no electricity in my
home, no facilities, I will do my
job. So instead of saying all this
just…
Come hell or high water I will
do the task.
TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE
Meaning: when someone receives the same treatment, usually
negative, that he/she gives to others.
Usage: bad people will surely have a chance to taste their own
medicine.

Ancient Greek story,

Swindler, used to give
false medicines but one
day when he falls sick
people give him his own
medicine.
GOLDEN HANDSHAKE
• Meaning: a big sum of money given to a person when he/she
leaves a company or retires.
• Usage: its better to offer a golden handshake to the aged
employees.

Usually company fires

employees, they give 6
month or 1 year salary in the
form of golden handshake.
MEAN BUSINESS
• Meaning: being serious/dedicated
• Usage: The border is surrounded by forces who mean business.

Some people come in the college

with the attitude that they want to do
something or top the university. They
mean business.
APPLE OF ONE'S EYE (ANKH KA TARA)
• Meaning: being cherished more than others are
• Usage: my brother is always an apple of my family’s eye.

One of the Oldest phrase in English language

Shakespeare used it many times in his plays .
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS ( DONO HATHO M
LADDOO)

• Meaning: the benefits of widely differing situations, enjoyed at

the same time.
• Usage: I had the best of both words since I worked as an
ordinary member of the team but got to learn from the leaders.

e.g. I don’t have much experience and skills, but still

got a chance to work with great people and also not
much pressure was there on me. I had best of both
words.
FEELING A BIT UNDER WEATHER
• Meaning: feeling slightly ill.
• Usage: I am not going to gym today, as I am feeling a bit under
the weather.

Hey! I cant come to the

meeting because I am
feeling bit under the
weather. It is commonly
used.
ICING ON THE CAKE (SONE PE SUHAGA)
• Meaning: something that turns good into great.
• Usage: I got MS in the university that I wished to and
scholarship was like icing on the cake.
JUMP THE BANDWAGON
• Meaning: to join a popular activity or trend.
• Usage: when I put on few pounds, I quickly jumped on the
bandwagon and joined gymnasium.

Following the trend.

For instance, everybody copy
Bollywood style or jump the
bandwagon of Bollywood.
COST AN ARM AND A LEG
• Meaning: be very expensive
• Usage: my laziness costs me an arm and a leg every time.

I ended up late in the

interview. My laziness cost
me an arm and a leg.
BALL IN YOUR COURT
• Meaning: when it is up to you to make the next decision or step.
• Usage: Now the ball is in my court, and I will take revenge on
him.

In basketball, when ball comes to you it is your

turn to make a move or take decision.
BITE ON MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW
• Meaning: to take up a task which you may not be able to
accomplish due to lack of ability.
• Usage: I bit off more than I could chew when I decided to take
up this research project.

Don’t take the work which later on you cant accomplish.

LAST STRAW
• the final problem in a series of problems.
• If I complete this last straw I will be hiered.

Got late for the office.

Argument with the boss.
Got your lunch at home.
Given up big project late in
the office.
Got late for the train.
When reached home no
electricity, this is the last
straw in the day.
CANT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
• Meaning: cannot judge something primarily on appearance.
• Usage: it is wise not to judge a book by its cover.

Suppose new person

comes to your office. He is
not talking to anyone. We
may think he is rude but
who knows he might be shy
or afraid. (don’t see
superficial
appearance)
HEAR IT ON GRAPEVINE
• To hear rumors about something or someone.
• I heard it on grapevine that he has cheated the organization.

This actor is dating that actor, I heard

it on grapevine.
Gossiping about something .
“Udti-Udti khabar”
IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO
• Meaning: actions or communication need more than one person.
• Usage: she blames her for stealing her husband. Well it takes
two to tango.

Tango is the form of dance which takes

boy and a girl to dance.
In Hindi, we say “taali ek hath se
nahi bajti”
BREAK THE EYES
• Meaning: to initiate a social conversation.
• Usage: always break the ice in a group discussion.

If you go for a arrange marriage.

You both were shy and
someone started the
conversation would be breaking
the eyes.
In GDs everybody wants to
break the eye by start the
discussion.
BIRDS EYE VIEW
• View from a very high place that allows you to see a very large
area.
• Eiffel tower gives you a birds eye view of Paris.
LITMUS TEST
• A method that helps to know if something is correct.
• Taking up the job served as a litmus test for me to know how
good I was at applying my knowledge.

If acidic it becomes red and if basic it turn

blue.
Suppose people are evaluated on the
basis of one to one interaction for job.
This interaction acts as the litmus test
which pass through it will be hired.
AT THE DROP OF A HAT
• Willingness to do something instantly.
• She expects me to make dinner at the drop of a hat even if I am
very busy with office work.

It takes very few seconds to

drop the hat.
Eager to do some task very
quickly. (palak jhapkte hi)
AFRAID OF ONE’S OWN SHADOW
• Meaning: to become easily frightened
• Usage: my friend is afraid of his own shadow after watching a
horror movie.

Ab mujhe apni parchai se bhi dar lagta hai…

When we went to that horror house we were
afraid of our own shadow.
A HOUSE OF CARDS
• Meaning: a poor plan.
• Usage: my friends always come up with a house of cards.

Weak foundation..
I have made a plan to crack
PO exam but it came out
like the house of cards.
BLACK AND BLUE
• MEANING: FULL OF BRUISES
• USAGE: MY BROTHER CAME HOME BLACK AND BLUE
AFTER PLAYING.
(to hurt or injure badly)
TO BE IN THE DOLDRUMS
• To be in low spirits.
• Avoid being in the doldrums, it fails you.

Don’t let your mind

overcome you.
Try to be positive and
work hard. Don’t be in
the doldrums..
“Chip on one shoulder”
I am upset.
BE ON CLOUD NINE
• Meaning: be very happy
• Usage: I will be on cloud nine when I get a dream job.

Extremely happy.
Satve asman par!
BONE OF CONTENTION
• Meaning: A subject or issue over which there is continuing
disagreement.
• Usage: The examination system has long been a serious bone
of contention in the HRD Ministry.

Contention- problem
“Fasad ki jad”
EAT HUMBLE PIE
• Meaning: to apologize humbly
• Usage: He will have to eat humble pie for the disrespect shown
to his boss.

You are forced to say that you are sorry!

Publicly!
When Yuvraj hit a English bowler six
sixes he is forced to eat humble pie.
In Hindi, nak ragadna…
FOOLS PARADISE
• Meaning: False sense of happiness or success.
• Usage: they were living in a fool’s paradise, refusing to accept
that they were facing poverty.
False sense of happiness. Vijay Malaya is living on fools paradise,
ignoring bankruptcy.
GET A RAW DEAL
• Meaning: To not be treated as well as other people.
• Usage: The fact is that students in government schools get a
raw deal.

In coaching classes,
hundreds and hundreds
of students, and you
ended up getting a row
deal. Means you do not
get the best of what it
can be.
Kind of Unfair treatment.
HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD
• Meaning: To do the correct thing
• Usage: He always hit the nail on the head when it comes to
helping.

Hit the bulls eye..

When you hit the axe on nail, it must be
as accurate that nail is fixed on the wall.
Also it is opposite to the phrase “beating
around the bush”.
HAND TO MOUTH
• Meaning: Live on only basic necessities.
• Usage: Heavy rainfall led the farmer to live hand to mouth.

Do waqt ki roti mil pa rhi

h.. Means living on a
very basic necessities
like food, cloth and
shelter.
HIT THE BULL’S EYE
• Meaning: To be exactly right about something or achieve the
best result possible.
• Usage: Police will surely hit the bull’s eye in this case.

Nail on the head…

Hit the mark..
Achieve goal perfectively..
LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG
• Meaning: To reveal the secret carelessly or by mistake.
• Usage: Now that she had let the cat out of the bag, she had no
option but to confess.

I was trying to keep the party secret but

Abhishek let the cat out of the bag.
Accidently revealing the secret
MAKE A FACE
• Meaning: To show dislike or disappointment through facial
expressions.
• Usage: I made a face at the sight of bitter ground in my plate

Sada hua mu bnana..

When your mom make
lauki you don’t like it and
your mom say..
Don’t make faces.
OPEN PANDORA’S BOX
• Meaning: To find a source of great troubles and problems.
• Usage: Never read others diary and it is like opening Pandora’s
box.

Ancient Greek story..

King gave a box to the girl Pandora and
tell not to open it until I say. But
Pandora opened the box and get into
all sorts of trouble.
If you open a Pandora box you will get
into trouble.
Apne per par kulhadi marna..
DON’T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET
• Meaning: Do not put all your resources in one basket.
• Usage: The boy put all his money into his dream startup that
eventually failed. I had told him not to put all his eggs in one
basket.
It starts with a negative
word.. Don’t..
If you talk about some
business project, this
holds true. E.g. mutual
fund investment is
considered good these
days.
TO CALL A SPADE A SPADE
• Meaning: To be brutally frank, outspoken, blunt in speech.
• Usage: Lets call a spade a spade, popular he may be, but that
man is a liar.
• Stating it as it is…jo hai mu par bolna
TO BE A GOOD SAMARITAN
• Meaning: To be kind and compassionate to someone in distress.
• Usage: I was sure I would be stuck on the highway till the
morning, but a good Samaritan offered me a ride home.

Helpful..
Ek nek admi..
TO PUT IN A NUTSHELL
• Meaning: To say in a few words or to make something concise.
• Usage: One of my lecturer is expert in teaching the course in a
nutshell.

I went to the party and it was so fun, I

did so many cool things and I can’t wait
for the next one it was so cool! In a
nutshell, it was really fun!
TO POUR OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS
• Meaning: To make peace
• Usage: I am always stuck pouring oil on troubled waters when
my mother and wife start their bickering.

There was a practice of pouring oil on ocean waves to calm the turbulence. In 8th century.
TO MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH
• Meaning: To exert all efforts.
• Usage: He moved heaven and earth to ensure that his family
was taken care of in the foreign land in his absence.

Zameen asman ek kar dena..

A LEOPARD CANT CHANGE HIS SPOTS
• Meaning: You cannot change who you are.
• Usage: After our breakup, he came crawling back,
trying to convince me that he'd changed, but I know that a leopa
rd can't change its spots.

Specially for negatives..

You can not go against your
nature specially if that
character is bad.
In hindi, we can relate it to
Sap dasta hi h kitna b dud
pila lo…
ITS GREEK TO ME
• Meaning: Something that is not understandable.
• Usage: I failed in my coding test as it was all Greek to me.

I hope these idioms would

be helpful for you and these
are not Greek to you…