For systematic learning, students can include AP Inter 2nd Year English Grammar with Answers and Idioms and Phrases in English Inter 1st Year in their daily study routine.
AP Inter 2nd Year English Idioms and Phrases with Answers
Idioms (Metaphorical) : Expressions whose meanings are different from their literal words and are based on cultural understanding.
Examples: “Piece of cake” (very easy), “Under the weather” (sick)
Phrases (Literal): Groups of words that work together and carry their direct, dictionary meaning but don’t form a complete sentence.
Examples: “In the morning,” “On the table”
Idioms and Phrases with Meanings:
G – 1 : “Hand” Idioms
| Idiom/phrase | Meaning |
| 1. To have a hand in | To be involved in something |
| 2. At hand | Nearby, available |
| 3. Out of hand | Out of control |
| 4. On the other hand | From another point of view |
| 5. Wash one’s hands of | To refuse responsibility |
| 6. Change hands | To pass ownership |
| 7. Hands down | Easily, without doubt |
| 8. Give a hand | To help someone |
| 9. In safe hands | In good care |
| 10. Play into someone’s hands | To do something that benefits the opponent |
G-2: “Heart” Idioms
| Idiom/phrase | Meaning |
| 1. Take to heart | To be deeply affected |
| 2. By heart | Memorize |
| 3. Lost heart | To become discouraged |
| 4. Break one’s heart | To make someone very sad |
| 5. Heart of gold | Very kind |
| 6. Heavy heart | With sadness |
| 7. At heart | In reality, deep down |
| 8. Young at heart | Youthful in spirit |
| 9. Have one’s heart set on | To strongly desire |
| 10. Change of heart | To change opinion |
Common and Everyday Idioms :
1. A piece of cake = Something very easy
Eg: The maths test was a piece of cake because you revised thoroughly.
2. Once in a blue moon = Something that happens rarely.
Eg: He visits his hometown once in a blue moon after moving abroad.
3. On cloud nine = Extremely happy.
Eg: She was on cloud nine when her article got published in an international journal.
4. Keep an eye on = Watch carefully.
Eg: Please keep an eye on the experiment while I attend the meeting.
5. Crocodile tears = Fake show of sadness.
Eg: The politician’s apology sounded like crocodile tears to the public.
6. Let the cat out of the bag = Reveal a secret unintentionally.
Eg: He accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
7. Throw in the towel = To give up.
Eg: After three failed attempts, she refused to throw in the towel and tried again.
8. Burn the candle at both ends = Overwork day and night.
Eg: Preparing for exams while working part-time made him burn the candle at both ends.
9. The ball is in your court = It’s your decision now.
Eg: I’ve explained the proposal; now the ball is in your court.
10. Hit the books = To study hard.
Eg: With finals approaching, it’s time to hit the books seriously.
11. Learn the ropes = To understand how something is done.
Eg: During your internship, you will learn the ropes of academic publishing.
12. Make ends meet; = To survive with limited money.
Eg: They started a small business to make ends meet during difficult times.
13. In hot water = In trouble.
Eg: He found himself in hot water after missing the project deadline.
14. Up in the air = Uncertain, undecided.
Eg: Our travel plans are still up in the air due to uncertain weather.
15. Pull strings = Use influence for advantage.
Eg: She didn’t pull strings; she earned the scholarship on merit.
16. Rule of thumb = A general principle.
Eg: As a rule of thumb, double-check your citations before submission.
17. A hard nut to crack = A difficult problem/person.
Eg: This philosophical text is a hard nut to crack without background knowledge.
18. Go the extra mile = To make more effort.
Eg: She went the extra mile to gather rare archival materials for her thesis.
19. Think outside the box = To think creatively.
Eg: The team solved the issue by thinking outside the box.
20. Put all your eggs in one basket = Depend on only one plan.
Eg: Investing all your savings in one company means putting all your eggs in one basket.
21. Throw light on = Explain clearly.
Eg: The new evidence throws light on the author’s hidden intentions.
22. Grasp at straws = Try anything in desperation.
Eg: Without solid proof, he was merely grasping at straws.
23. On the same page = In agreement.
Eg: Let’s meet tomorrow to ensure we are on the same page about the research design.
24. Pull your weight = Do your fair share of work.
Eg: Every member must pull their weight to complete the group assignment.
25. Keep at bay = Keep something away.
Eg: Regular exercise helps keep stress at bay.
26. At loggerheads = In strong disagreement.
Eg: The two scholars were at loggerheads over their interpretations of the theory.
27. Read between the lines = Understand hidden meaning.
Eg: If you read between the lines, the letter reveals disappointment.
28. In cold blood = Without any emotion or pity.
Eg: The crime was committed in cold blood without any remorse.
29. Bird’s eye view = An overall view.
Eg: The introduction gives a bird’s eye view of the entire study.
30. Fish out of water = Someone uncomfortable in a situation.
Eg: He felt like a fish out of water at the elite conference.
31. At sixes and sevens = In confusion or disorder.
Eg: The office was at sixes and sevens after the sudden policy change.
32. In the nick of time = Just at the last moment.
Eg: She submitted the application in the nick of time.
33. Hit below the belt = To act unfairly.
Eg: Criticizing her personal life was hitting below the belt.
34. Throw dust in someone’s eyes = To mislead or deceive.
Eg: The company tried to throw dust in consumers’ eyes with false advertisements.
35. Have the upper hand = To be in control.
Eg: With more evidence, the defense had the upper hand.
36. Blow one’s own trumpet = To boast.
Eg: He constantly blows his own trumpet about minor achievements.
37. Bear the brunt of = Suffer the worst part of something.
Eg: Small businesses bore the brunt of the economic crisis.
38. Put the cart before the horse = Doing things in the wrong order.
Eg: Starting analysis before collecting data is putting the cart before the horse.
39. Stick to one’s guns = Refuse to change one’s opinion.
Eg: Despite criticism, she stuck to her guns and defended her argument.
40. Eat humble pie = To admit one’s mistake.
Eg: After the results were announced, he had to eat humble pie.
41. A blessing in disguise = Something good that seemed bad at first.
Eg: Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
42. Burn the midnight oil = Work late into the night.
Eg: She burned the midnight oil to finish editing her manuscript.
43. Hit the nail on the head = To say exactly the right thing.
Eg: Your comment hit the nail on the head regarding the core issue.
44. Bite the bullet = To face something unpleasant with courage.
Eg: He decided to bite the bullet and apologize.
45. Break the ice = To start a conversation in a social setting.
Eg: The host told a joke to break the ice at the seminar.
46. Call it a day = Stop working for the day.
Eg: After hours of discussion, they decided to call it a day.
47. Spill the beans = Reveal a secret.
Eg: Who spilled the beans about the confidential meeting?
48. Kick the bucket = To die (informal).
Eg: In the novel, the old landlord suddenly kicks the bucket.
49. Hit the sack = Go to bed/sleep.
Eg: I’m exhausted; I’ll hit the sack early tonight.
50. Miss the boat = To miss an opportunity.
Eg: If you delay your application, you might miss the boat.
Practice
Question 1.
Match the following idioms/phrases with its meaning :
| Idioms/phrases | Meaning of the idiom/phrase |
| 1. A blessing in disguise | a. Get to the point |
| 2. A drop in the ocean | b. Miss an opportunity |
| 3. Cut to the chase | c. Ease initial tension |
| 4. Cost an arm and a leg | d. Contribute (ideas/resources). |
| 5. Hit the sack | e. Accept consequences |
| 6. Miss the boat | f. Very expensive |
| 7. Bring to the table | g. Something that seems bad but is actually good |
| 8. Play evil’s advocate | h. Go to sleep |
| 9. Face the music | i. Argue the opposite to test an idea |
| 10. Break the ice | j. Very small amount compared to what’s needed |
Answer:
| Idioms/phrases | Meaning of the idiom/phrase |
| 1. A blessing in disguise | g. Something that seems bad but is actually good |
| 2. A drop in the ocean | j. Very small amount compared to what’s needed |
| 3. Cut to the chase | a. Get to the point |
| 4. Cost an arm and a leg | f. Very expensive |
| 5. Hit the sack | h. Go to sleep |
| 6. Miss the boat | b. Miss an opportunity |
| 7. Bring to the table | d. Contribute (ideas/resources) |
| 8. Play evil’s advocate | i. Argue the opposite to test an idea |
| 9. Face the music | e. Accept consequences |
| 10. Break the ice | c. Ease initial tension |
Exercise
In each of the following questions, an idiomatic expression/ a phrase/ proverb has been given, choose the one which best expresses the meaning of the given idiom/phrase/ proverb :
Question 1.
A blessing in disguise means:
a) A hidden enemy
b) Something good that seemed bad at first
c) A false promise
Answer:
b) Something good that seemed bad at first
Question 2.
Stick to one’s guns means:
a) Refuse to change one’s opinion
b) Change opinion
c) Argue loudly
Answer:
a) Refuse to change one’s opinion
Question 3.
Hit the nail on the head means:
a) Make a mistake
b) Say exactly the right thing
c) Start a fight
Answer:
b) Say exactly the right thing
Question 4.
Break the ice means:
a) Start a quarrel
b) End a friendship
c) Start a conversation in a social setting
Answer:
c) Start a conversation in a social setting
Question 5.
Throw dust in someone’s eyes means:
a) Help someone
b) Mislead or deceive
c) Protect someone
Answer:
b) Mislead or deceive
Question 6.
Spill the beans means:
a) Cook food
b) Waste money
c) Reveal a secret
Answer:
c) Reveal a secret
Question 7.
Go the extra mile means:
a) Travel far
b) Make extra effort
c) Give up
Answer:
b) Make extra effort
Question 8.
Hit the sack means:
a) Pack luggage
b) Go to bed
c) Leave hometown
Answer:
b) Go to bed
Question 9.
Miss the boat means:
a) Lose luggage
b) Miss an opportunity
c) Arrive early
Answer:
b) Miss an opportunity
Question 10.
A piece of cake means:
a) Very tasty
b) Very easy
c) Very Expensive
Answer:
b) Very easy
Question 11.
Throw light on means:
a) Switch on light
b) Explain clearly
c) Hide facts
Answer:
b) Explain clearly
Question 12.
On cloud nine means:
a) Confused
b) Extremely happy
c) Angry
Answer:
b) Extremely happy
Question 13.
Keep an eye on means:
a) Ignore
b) Watch carefully
c) Criticize
Answer:
b) Watch carefully
Question 14.
In hot water means:
a) Bathing
b) In trouble
c) Relaxing
Answer:
b) In trouble
Question 15.
Let the cat out of the bag means:
a) Free an animal
b) Hide a secret
c) Reveal a secret unintentionally
Answer:
c) Reveal a secret unintentionally
Question 16.
Burn the candle at both ends means:
a) Relax often
b) Overwork day and night
c) Waste time
Answer:
b) Overwork day and night
Question 17.
By the book means:
a) According to rules
b) Without effort
c) Quickly
Answer:
a) According to rules
Question 18.
At the drop of a hat means:
a) Slowly
b) Instantly
c) Rarely
Answer:
b) Instantly
Question 19.
Learn the ropes means:
a) Climb up
b) Understand how something is done
c) Teach someone
Answer:
b) Understand how something is done
Question 20.
Crocodile tears means:
a) Real sadness
b) Fake sadness
c) Deep regret
Answer:
b) Fake sadness
Question 21.
Make ends meet means:
a) Meet friends
b) Manage with limited money
c) Save extra money
Answer:
b) Manage with limited money
Question 22.
The ball is in your court means:
a) Play a game
b) It’s your decision now
c) You lost
Answer:
b) It’s your decision now
Question 23.
Take to task means:
a) Praise
b) Ignore
c) Scold or punish
Answer:
c) Scold or punish
Question 24.
Pull strings means:
a) Play music
b) Use influence for advantage
c) Work hard
Answer:
b) Use influence for advantage
Question 25.
Pull your weight means:
a) Gain weight
b) Relax
c) Do your fair share of work
Answer:
c) Do your fair share of work
Question 26.
A hard nut to crack means:
a) Easy task
b) Sweet person
c) Difficult problem/person
Answer:
c) Difficult problem/person
Question 27.
Read between the lines means:
a) Understand hidden meaning
b) Read carefully
c) Read aloud
Answer:
a) Understand hidden meaning
Question 28.
Hit the books means:
a) Throw books
b) Buy books
c) Study hard
Answer:
c) Study hard
Question 29.
Think outside the box means:
a) Think negatively
b) Think creatively
c) Think simply
Answer:
b) Think creatively
Question 30.
Touch base means:
a) Play baseball
b) Briefly reconnect
c) Argue
Answer:
b) Briefly reconnect
Question 31.
Call it a day means:
a) Plan tomorrow
b) Stop working for the day
c) Celebrate success
Answer:
b) Stop working for the day
Question 32.
Grasp at straws means:
a) Hold firmly
b) Try anything in desperation
c) Work carefully
Answer:
b) Try anything in desperation
Question 33.
Have the upper hand means:
a) Be in control
b) Lose control
c) Ask for help
Answer:
a) Be in control
Question 34.
In black and white means:
a) Colorless
b) Written clearly
c) Old-fashioned
Answer:
b) Written clearly
Question 35.
Rule of thumb means:
a) Strict law
b) General principle
c) Punishment
Answer:
b) General principle
Question 36.
At loggerheads means:
a) Friendly
b) In strong disagreement
c) In celebration
Answer:
b) In strong disagreement
Question 37.
In-cold blood means:
a) Angry
b) Without emotion or pity
c) With fear
Answer:
b) Without emotion or pity
Question 38.
Bite the bullet means:
a) Avoid danger
b) Face something unpleasant with courage
c) Speak angrily
Answer:
b) Face something unpleasant with courage
Question 39.
Bird’s eye view means:
a) Close look
b) Overall view
c) Personal view
Answer:
b) Overall view
Question 40.
Kick the bucket means:
a) Become angry
b) To die (informal)
c) Fall down
Answer:
b) To die (informal)
Question 41.
Fish out of water means
a) Good swimmer
b) Uncomfortable in a situation
c) Happy person
Answer:
b) Uncomfortable in a situation
Question 42.
Bear the brunt of means:
a) Avoid trouble
b) Share happiness
c) Suffer the worst part
Answer:
c) Suffer the worst part
Question 43.
In the nick of time means:
a) Too late
b) Very early
c) Just at the last moment
Answer:
c) Just at the last moment
Question 44.
Once in a blue moon means:
a) Every day
b) Often
c) Very rarely
Answer:
c) Very rarely
Question 45.
Hit below the belt means:
a) Fight fairly
b) Act unfairly
c) Win honestly
Answer:
b) Act unfairly
Question 46.
Blow one’s own trumpet means:
a) Play music
b) Boast
c) Apologize
Answer:
b) Boast
Question 47.
At sixes and sevens means:
a) Ordered
b) In confusion
c) Organized
Answer:
b) In confusion
Question 48.
Put the cart before the horse means:
a) Work fast
b) Do things in the wrong order
c) Finish early
Answer:
b) Do things in the wrong order
Question 49.
Burn the midnight oil means:
a) Waste electricity
b) Sleep late
c) Work late into the night
Answer:
c) Work late into the night
Question 50.
Eat humble pie means:
a) Celebrate
b) Admit one’s mistake
c) Cook food
Answer:
b) Admit one’s mistake