How idiom questions are asked
- Meaning — choose the meaning of the idiom shown in bold.
- Substitution — replace a phrase in a sentence with the right idiom.
- Fill in the blank — complete the idiom ("to ___ the beans").
50 high-frequency idioms
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A bolt from the blue | A complete surprise |
| A blessing in disguise | Something that seems bad but turns out good |
| A hot potato | A controversial issue |
| At the eleventh hour | At the last possible moment |
| Beat about the bush | Avoid coming to the point |
| Bell the cat | Take on a dangerous task for the good of others |
| Break the ice | Start a conversation in an awkward situation |
| Burn the midnight oil | Work or study late into the night |
| By leaps and bounds | Very rapidly |
| Call a spade a spade | Speak plainly and honestly |
| Cry over spilt milk | Regret what cannot be undone |
| Cut corners | Do something cheaply or carelessly |
| Feather in one's cap | An achievement to be proud of |
| Fish out of water | Uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings |
| Get cold feet | Become nervous and back out |
| Hit the nail on the head | Describe exactly what is right |
| In a nutshell | In brief |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Keep one's fingers crossed | Hope for a good outcome |
| Leave no stone unturned | Try every possible way |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal a secret |
| Make both ends meet | Live within one's income |
| Nip in the bud | Stop something at an early stage |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| Out of the blue | Unexpectedly |
| Play second fiddle | Take a less important role |
| Pull one's leg | Tease or joke with someone |
| Put the cart before the horse | Do things in the wrong order |
| Rain cats and dogs | Rain heavily |
| Red-letter day | A memorable, important day |
| Red tape | Excessive official formality |
| See eye to eye | Agree completely |
| Spill the beans | Reveal secret information |
| Steal the show | Attract the most attention |
| Take the bull by the horns | Face a difficulty boldly |
| The apple of one's eye | Someone very dear |
| Throw in the towel | Admit defeat |
| Turn a blind eye | Deliberately ignore |
| Under the weather | Slightly unwell |
| Up in arms | Strongly protesting |
| White elephant | A costly possession that is of little use |
| Wild goose chase | A hopeless or pointless search |
| A storm in a teacup | Great anger over a small matter |
| Achilles' heel | A weak point |
| Add fuel to the fire | Make a bad situation worse |
| At daggers drawn | Bitterly hostile |
| Blow one's own trumpet | Boast about oneself |
| Bury the hatchet | Make peace |
| Face the music | Accept the consequences of one's actions |
| Hang by a thread | Be in a very risky state |
Idioms in sentences
✓The news of his transfer came as **a bolt from the blue**.
A complete surprise — nobody expected it.
✓The two neighbours finally decided to **bury the hatchet**.
To make peace after a quarrel.
✓The new flyover turned out to be a **white elephant** — expensive to maintain and hardly used.
A costly possession of little use.
How to make idioms stick
- Ten a day, not fifty. A long list read once is forgotten within weeks.
- Picture it. "Bell the cat" — the mouse that must tie a bell on the cat. A picture is a memory hook.
- Write one sentence of your own for each idiom.
- Revise on day 1, 3, 7 and 21. Spaced revision is what moves a word into long-term memory.
- Keep a list of the ones you get wrong and revise that list twice as often.
Frequently asked questions
How many idioms should I learn for SSC CGL?
Around 300–400 idioms drawn from previous SSC papers covers most of what is asked. Learn them ten a day with spaced revision rather than in one long session.
What is the meaning of 'bell the cat'?
To take on a dangerous or difficult task for the benefit of others — from the fable in which mice agree a bell should be tied on the cat, but none will do it.
What is the meaning of 'white elephant'?
A possession that costs a lot to keep but is of little use.