Here are the most repeated Idioms for the Preparation of PPSC, FPSC, and all other Government and Private Sector Job Vacancies Tests. Prepare these Idioms before going for Tests.
1. Dab Hand
A person who is an expert at a particular activity-Liam is a dab hand at golf.
2. Count On
To depend on someone or expect something-You can always count on Michael in a crisis.
3. Eager Beaver
Someone who is very enthusiastic, someone who works very hard-The young assistant gets to work very early. She’s a real eager beaver.
4. Come Clean
To tell the truth about something that you have been keeping secret-I thought it was time to come clean about my sneaking out in the night.
5. Slippery Slope
A bad situation or habit that, after it has started, is likely to get very much worse-You’re on a slippery slope once you start lying about your age!
6. Take Stock
Make an overall assessment of a particular situation, typically before making a decision-He needed a period of peace and quiet in order to take stock of his life.
7. In A Huff
Feeling angry and upset-When Julia criticized his art, Geraldo left in a huff.
8. Go Places
To be progressing or finding success in some area of one’s life-Alice is definitely going places with that singing voice of hers.
9. Learning Curve
The rate of someone’s progress in learning a new skill-It’s a steep learning curve when you’re thrown into a job.
10. Pain In The Neck
Someone or something that is very annoying-That child is a real pain in the neck.
11. Soften The Blow
To make a bad situation less serious-He lost his job, but he has enough money in the bank to soften the blow.
12. Slip Through The Cracks
To not be noticed or dealt with by a system-Too many young people slip through the cracks in the healthcare system.
13. Get Something Off One’s Chest
To express one’s repressed feelings about something-I’m sorry but I just have to get something off my chest. How could you treat me like that last night?
14. Get A Word In Edgewise
To have an opportunity to speak-Brad talked so much that nobody could get a word in edgewise.
15. Down The Drain
In a state of failure or ruination, wasted-If the factory closes, that will be a million dollars’ worth of investment down the drain.
16. Shades Of Grey
Used to describe something that is vague, ambiguous or unclear-The film presents a straightforward choice between good and evil, with no shades of grey.
17. Finishing Touches
A final adjustment of something, some effort or action that completes something-Norm is in his workshop putting the finishing touches on his latest project.
18. Treasure Trove
A place that is full of something good-Though small, this museum is a veritable treasure trove of history.
19. Household Name
A person, thing, or brand that has become widely popular or commonly known-Now old and forgotten, he was a household name in the 1950s.
20. Get Blood Out Of A Stone
To do something that is very hard to accomplish-Persuading Chris to buy a round of drinks is like getting blood from a stone.
21. Follow Suit
To do the same thing-When one airline reduces its ticket prices, the rest usually follow suit.
22. Be Full Of Beans
To have a lot of energy and enthusiasm-Kelly’s outstanding results in her finals made her parents full of beans.
23. Shed Light On Something
To help to explain a situation-Experts hope the plane’s flight recorders will shed light on the cause of the crash.
24. Tip Of The Iceberg
A small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater-These small local protests are just the tip of the iceberg. The problem is much deeper.
25. Up A Blind Alley
At a dead end, on a route that leads nowhere-The police are up a blind alley in their investigation of the crime.
26. Volte Face
A complete change of opinion or belief-Everyone was surprised when the candidate made a complete volte-face on her stance on taxes.
27. The X Factor
A quality that you cannot describe that makes someone very special-There are a lot of really talented singers in this contest, but I think Molly is the only one with the X factor.
28. Be A Recipe For Disaster
Very likely to have unpleasant consequences or lead to failure-All those children unsupervised sounds to me like a recipe for disaster.
29. First Things First
Said when one thing needs to be prioritized over others-I know we have a lot to discuss, but first things first, has anyone heard back from the client?
30. Within Earshot
Close enough to something to hear it-As soon as I got within earshot of the music, I decided that I really didn’t belong there.
31. Every Nook And Cranny
Every part of a place-Every nook and cranny of the house was stuffed with souvenirs of their trips abroad.
32. The Jury Is Still Out
A decision has not been reached on someone or something-The jury’s still out on the safety of irradiated food.
33. Pecking Order
A hierarchy of status seen among members of a group of people or animals, originally as observed among hens-He started as a clerk but gradually rose in the pecking order.
34. Dead Ringer
Someone or something that looks very similar to someone or something else-Susie was such a dead ringer for Kate Winslet that sometimes people would ask her for her autograph.
35. Cutting Edge
Very modern, latest and with all the newest features-The new phone is an epitome of cutting-edge design/technology.
36. Chill To The Bone/marrow
To frighten someone very much-This is a film that will chill you to the marrow.
37. Polish The Apple
Try to win favor through flattery-It may help your standing with the boss if you polish the apple.
38. Apples And Oranges
Two unlike things or people-Talking about her current book and her previous bestseller is like comparing apples and oranges.
39. Less Is More
Used to say that it is more effective to give a small amount of detail, information, etc. than a large amount-When it comes to Web design, less is more.
40. Float Somebody’s Boat
To be what someone likes or is interested in-Motor racing doesn’t really float my boat.
41. Take Your Eye Off The Ball
To not give your attention to what you are doing at the time-If you’re a manager, you can’t afford to take your eye off the ball for one minute.
42. Call The Shots
To make the decisions, to decide what is to be done-Mom calls the shots for Thanksgiving dinner, so you better get her approval for any dish you want to bring.
43. Gut-Wrenching
Making you feel very upset or worried-Gut-wrenching scenes of bloodshed.
44. Keep On A Short Leash
To maintain strict or tight control over someone-The boss has kept her assistant on a short leash ever since she hired her.
45. Go Through The Roof
To rise to a very high level-Real estate prices have gone through the roof.
46. Mean Business
To be very serious and determined-The border is sealed by troops who mean business.
47. High Handed
Arrogantly or inconsiderately overbearing-The new boss is unbearably high-handed in dealing with employees.
48. Too Little Too Late
Not enough of something that should have been provided earlier-A spokeswoman described the aid for the refugees as too little, too late.
49. Be Over The Moon
To be very pleased-She was over the moon with her new bike.
50. Chase Rainbows
To constantly pursue things that are unrealistic or unlikely to happen-You can’t chase rainbows your whole life, you need to pick a stable career and start being an adult.
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