Idioms and Phrases
Test your knowledge of common English idioms and phrases by choosing the correct meaning for each underlined expression.
Questions
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
His attempt to make a new robot proved a damp squib.
- that which fails
- fizzles out
- be unsuccessful
- meet with disaster
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Today's kids have become a couch potato as they watch TV a lot.
- lazy person
- idle person
- sluggish person
- lethargic person
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a cut above the rest of his other tragedy plays.
- the best
- the foremost
- the leading
- the supreme
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
It was a close shave as two trains were about to collide on the tracks.
- a narrow escape
- a very small margin
- by a whisker
- a very limited space
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
The quota system is a painful chapter of accidents which is a victimization of society.
- unfortunate blunders
- an adverse blunders
- a regrettable blunder
- a disadvantages situation
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
It's a catch 22 situation when one needs experience to get a job.
- a hopeless situation
- a desperate situation
- a wretched situation
- a dejected situation
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
As a musician, Sudha is a class by herself.
- matchless
- incomparable
- without equal
- peerless
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Mac is similar to his grandfather, after all he is a chip off the same block.
- akin to each other
- a very similar characteristics
- persons of the same family
- display the same features
Directions: Choose the correct option which is nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options.
Alex could easily defeat Alan in extempore, as he knew the chinks in Alan's armour.
- a weak spot
- a delicate spot
- a fragile spot
- a frail spot
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
The teacher felt that teaching mathematics to Peter was like a blind leading the blind.
- as ignorant as the other
- as uneducated as the other
- as untrained as the other
- as illiterate as the other
Directions: Choose the correct option which is nearest in meaning for the underlined from the given options.
When I entered her room which was decorated with exquisite crystal pieces, I felt like a bull in the china shop.
- a clumsy creature
- wild and reckless
- graceless
- unskillful
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Inheriting the farm became a bone of contention among brothers.
- cause of disagreement
- cause of fight
- cause of dispute
- cause of quarrel
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
When the shine shines after a rainfall, it is like a breath of fresh air.
- be different
- off beat
- interesting
- most striking
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
When the subsidy was abolished, it was like a bolt from the blue for the farmers.
- least prepared
- least expected
- least welcome
- least arranged
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
It indeed was a blessing in disguise for me to miss the bus as it had met with an accident.
- fortunate
- good effect
- happy
- lucky
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Sherlock insisted on having a blow-by-blow account of the party where murder took place.
- exhaustive account
- chronological account
- complete narrative
- not omitting anything
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Johnny's father says that a bird in hand is worth two in a bush with regard to his job.
- something in hand is valuable
- something one has
- something one has secured
- something one already has
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Victor's club has lately degenerated into a den of vice and iniquity.
- a place where undesirable activities take place
- a place where unpleasant activities take place
- a place where nasty activities take place
- a place where dreadful activities take place
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Do not think that this assignment is going to be a bed of Roses.
- an easy work
- comfortable work
- pleasant work
- wonderful work
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Jose is a dog in the manger as he cannot ride a horse and will not allow others to ride.
- deny others to use
- refuse to others to use
- reject others to use
- decline others to use
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
Since Fanny is such a doormat, her husband always shouts at her.
- coward
- spineless
- timid
- fearful
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
When Usha won the sprint race, she felt her dream come true.
- something unexpected
- something unanticipated
- something unpredicted
- something sudden
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
A small amount of water in the jar is like a drop in an ocean.
- something insignificant
- something unimportant
- something trivial
- something negligible
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
By winning the match in the games, they added a feather in their cap.
- accomplishment
- achievement
- talent
- expertise
Directions: Choose the correct, nearest meaning for the underlined from the given options:
In Chennai we can get a dime a dozen of software professionals.
- absolutely cheap
- absolutely low-cost
- absolutely economical
- absolutely rock-bottom