Idioms & Phrases MCQs with Answers – Solved from Past Papers

To be at loggerheads means to be in strong disagreement or dispute with someone. Example: The two ministers have been at loggerheads over the new policy.

To have an axe to grind means to have a selfish or private motive for doing something. Example: He praises the boss only because he has an axe to grind.

To bury the hatchet means to make peace and end a quarrel. Example: After years of feuding, the two families finally buried the hatchet.

To make a clean breast of something means to confess everything without reserve. Example: He made a clean breast of his role in the theft.

A litmus test is a decisively indicative test of a single factor. Example: The election is a litmus test of the government's popularity.

To get your goat means to irritate or annoy you. Example: His constant humming really gets my goat.

An Achilles' heel is a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength. Example: Poor spelling is his Achilles' heel.

To be tipped off means to be given advance information or a warning. Example: The thieves were tipped off about the raid.

To have an axe to grind means to have a private or selfish end to serve. Example: He supports the plan because he has an axe to grind.

Alter ego means an intimate friend or a second self. Example: His brother is his alter ego.

To beat about the bush means to avoid getting to the main topic. Example: Stop beating about the bush and tell me what happened.

Up to the hilt means completely or to the maximum extent. Example: He is busy up to the hilt with his new project.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned means no anger is worse than that of a rejected woman. Example: He learned the hard way that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

A cock and bull story means an unbelievable, far-fetched tale. Example: He gave some cock and bull story about missing the bus.

Icing on the cake means an attractive but inessential addition or enhancement. Example: Winning the bonus was the icing on the cake.

To drop a dime means to inform on someone, typically to the police. Example: Someone dropped a dime on the gang.

An ace in the hole is a hidden or secret advantage kept in reserve. Example: The lawyer had an ace in the hole with a surprise witness.

To set one's face against means to oppose something with determination. Example: She set her face against the proposal.

To make a clean breast of means to confess fully without reserve. Example: He made a clean breast of his mistakes.

To egg on means to urge or encourage someone to do something. Example: The crowd egged him on to jump.

Spick and span means spotlessly clean and neat. Example: Her kitchen is always spick and span.

All hours means at irregular or unusually late times. Example: He keeps calling me at all hours.

De jure is a Latin phrase meaning by law or according to law. Example: He is the de jure ruler though not in practice.

To turn heads means to attract a lot of attention. Example: Her red dress turned heads at the party.

When pigs fly means something that will never happen. Example: He'll apologize when pigs fly.

To chew the fat means to chat idly or waste time talking. Example: We sat chewing the fat for hours.

A hot potato is a controversial issue that is awkward or unpleasant to deal with. Example: Immigration is a political hot potato.

To hit the nail on the head means to say something exactly right. Example: You've hit the nail on the head with that comment.

A hornet's nest means a violent or troublesome situation. Example: His remarks stirred up a hornet's nest.

Mala fide is a Latin phrase meaning in bad faith or with bad intention. Example: The contract was signed mala fide.

A novel is a long fictional prose narrative with many characters. Example: Pride and Prejudice is a classic novel.

A slap on the wrist means a mild warning or small punishment. Example: He got only a slap on the wrist for the offence.

To tie the knot means to get married. Example: They tied the knot last summer.

A couch potato is a lazy person who spends much time sitting and watching TV. Example: Don't be a couch potato — go exercise.

Raining cats and dogs means raining very heavily. Example: We can't go out; it's raining cats and dogs.

A bird brain is a person who is not too smart and acts stupid. Example: Don't be such a bird brain about it.

A bitter pill is an unpleasant fact or situation that must be accepted. Example: Losing the election was a bitter pill to swallow.

To smell a rat means to suspect foul dealings or deception. Example: When I saw the figures, I smelled a rat.

Never-never land refers to an ideal or imaginary place. Example: He lives in a never-never land of his own.

Weal and woe means joys and sorrows, or good and bad times. Example: They shared each other's weal and woe.

A short story is a short prose fiction narrative. Example: 'The Gift of the Magi' is a famous short story.

To cut a long story short means to come to the point quickly. Example: To cut a long story short, we lost the game.

Petticoat government refers to a government or household ruled by women. Example: The village ran under a petticoat government.

At sea means puzzled, bewildered or confused. Example: He was all at sea in his new job.

To keep at bay means to keep something at a distance or prevent it from approaching. Example: Exercise helps keep illness at bay.

Best of both worlds means enjoying the advantages of two different opportunities simultaneously. Example: Working from home gives her the best of both worlds.

A man of straw is a person of no substance or one lacking real influence. Example: In negotiations he proved a man of straw.

To cap it all means to finish or complete something, often as a final blow. Example: To cap it all, our car broke down.

To ride the high horse means to behave in a superior or arrogant manner. Example: Stop riding the high horse and admit you were wrong.

To jazz up means to make something more exciting or attractive. Example: Let's jazz up this room with some new paint.

De novo is a Latin phrase meaning anew or from the beginning. Example: The case was heard de novo.

A one-trick pony is a person with only one special talent or area of expertise. Example: The comedian proved to be a one-trick pony.

Off and on means occasionally or intermittently. Example: It rained off and on all day.

Beating a dead horse means to uselessly dwell on a subject long past its resolution. Example: Arguing about it now is just beating a dead horse.

To put a spoke in someone's wheel means to thwart or obstruct their plans. Example: His interference put a spoke in our wheel.

To leave someone in the lurch means to desert them in a difficult situation. Example: Don't leave me in the lurch at the last minute.

To pull one's socks up means to make an effort to improve one's performance. Example: You'd better pull your socks up before the exam.

To eat someone's salt means to be a guest of or accept hospitality from them. Example: Having eaten his salt, I cannot betray him.

Rank and file refers to the ordinary members of an organization, not its leaders. Example: The rank and file support the strike.

Inter alia is Latin for 'among other things'. Example: The report mentioned, inter alia, poor safety standards.

In apple-pie order means arranged neatly and tidily. Example: She keeps her books in apple-pie order.

To feel blue means to feel sad or depressed. Example: He's been feeling blue since his friend left.

Your guess is as good as mine means I have no idea, the same as you. Example: When will he arrive? Your guess is as good as mine.

A basket case is one made powerless or ineffective by nerves, panic or stress. Example: Before the exam I was a complete basket case.

To blow one's own trumpet means to praise oneself boastfully. Example: He's always blowing his own trumpet about his salary.

To pick holes means to find faults or criticize someone. Example: She kept picking holes in my argument.

To let the grass grow under one's feet means to loiter or delay taking action. Example: Don't let the grass grow under your feet — apply now.

The salt of the earth refers to kind, honest and reliable people. Example: The villagers are the salt of the earth.

A swan song is a person's final work or performance before death or retirement. Example: The novel proved to be the author's swan song.

En route is a French phrase meaning on the way. Example: We stopped for lunch en route to Paris.

Hold your horses means be patient and wait. Example: Hold your horses — I'm coming.

A fender bender is a minor car accident with little damage. Example: He had a fender bender in the parking lot.

A far cry from something means very different from it. Example: This town is a far cry from where I grew up.

Apple of discord means anything causing trouble, dispute or jealousy. Example: The inheritance became the apple of discord in the family.

To die in harness means to die while still working or on active duty. Example: The old soldier wished to die in harness.

To put one's hand to the plough means to take up a difficult task and commit to it. Example: Having put his hand to the plough, he refused to turn back.

To face the music means to accept and bear the consequences of one's actions. Example: After the scandal, he had to face the music.

A clique is a small exclusive group of people. Example: She was excluded from their clique.

To make amends for something means to compensate for damage or wrongdoing. Example: He tried to make amends for his rudeness.

To give someone the cold shoulder means to ignore or deliberately snub them. Example: She gave me the cold shoulder at the party.

To go Dutch means to share the cost of something, especially a meal, equally. Example: Let's go Dutch on dinner tonight.

A wild goose chase is a foolish and hopeless pursuit of something unattainable. Example: The false tip sent police on a wild goose chase.

An arm and a leg means a very high price or large amount of money. Example: That handbag cost her an arm and a leg.

To pass oneself off as means to pretend to be someone or something one is not. Example: He passed himself off as a doctor.

Rule of thumb means a rough, practical estimate based on experience. Example: As a rule of thumb, allow two hours for the journey.

Prosaic means dull, ordinary and lacking imagination. Example: His writing style is rather prosaic.

Brain drain means the emigration of skilled or intellectual people to other countries. Example: The country suffers a serious brain drain of doctors.

To beat someone black and blue means to bruise them all over. Example: The thugs beat him black and blue.