Idioms and Phrases for SSC:

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1. Like a fish out of water: In a strange situation

2. Smell a rat: Suspect something foul

3. Read between the lines: Understand the hidden meaning

4. Tooth and Nail: With all of one’s power

5. Spread like wild fire: Spread quickly

6. Hit the nail on the head: Do or say the exact thing

7. Burn the midnight Oil: Work or study hard

8. Under his thumb: Under his control

9. With a high hand: Oppressively

10. Gain ground: Become popular

11. By leaps and bounds: Rapidly

12. Make off with: To run away with

13. Pass away: to die

14. To cry for the moon: Ask for the impossible

15. To make a pig of oneself: To over-eat

16. Donkey’s years: Very long time

17. To pull one’s leg: to joke; tease

18. To keep one’s fingers crossed: to hope fervently

19. To eat humble pie: To apologize in a humble manner

20. To fight a losing battle: Struggle without hope of success

21. A deadlock: A position when no progress can be made

22. A daredevil: A person who does not care for any
consequences

23. Once in a blue moon: Very rarely

24. At a premium: Difficult to get or obtain

25. To play the game: To act honestly

26. Be in a tight corner: In a very difficult situation

27. Cock and bull story: Made up story that one should not believe

28. Cat and dog life: Life full of quarrels

29. Like a cat on hot bricks: Very nervous

30. Have a card up one’s sleeve: Have a secret plan in reserve

31. Tell against: To prove adverse to; to go against

32. Run through: To squander or waste

33. Run over: to drive over

34. Alive and kicking: Active and healthy

35. To bell the cat: To face the risk

36. To break the ice: To break the silence

37. To call a spade a spade: To be frank and truthful

38. Behind one’s back: In the absence of

39. At sea: Confused or lost

40. To burn one’s fingers: To lose on account of foolish behavior

41. A cold fish: A person devoid of emotions

42. To cross the Rubicon: To take a decisive step

43. Double-dealing: Deceiving

44. To die hard: Change with great difficulty

45. To die in harness: To work till the last day of one’s life

46. To plough a lonely furrow: To work without help or support

47. Lock stock and barrel: Completely

48. The long and the short: the main point

49. Bring to light: Disclose

50. The bottom line: The final criteria
50. The bottom line: The final criteria
51. To kick one’s heels: To wait with nothing to do
52. Rain cats and dogs: Rain heavily
53. A hard nut to crack: A difficult problem
54. In high spirits: very happy
55. Sitting on the fence: Hesitate between two decisions
56. A brown study: Dreaming
57. A burning question: An important topic
58. To build castles in the air: Make imaginary schemes
59. To burn one’s boats: Go back on a decision
60. An apple of discord: A cause of quarrel
61. At the eleventh hour: At the last moment
62. At arms length: To keep at a distance
63. Above board: Honest and open
64. To call someone names: To abuse someone
65. To turn the tables: To reverse the situation
66. To turn a deaf ear: To ignore
67. To pull a long face: To look sad
68. Chip off the old block: As good as one’s father
69. A close shave: A narrow escape
70. To kill two birds with one stone: To achieve two results with one effort
71. Chew the cud: To discuss matters in a ponderous manner, especially reminiscing
72. Between the devil and the deep blue sea: Between two dangers
73. A snake in the grass: A hidden enemy
74. To call in question: To disprove or doubt
75. To talk through one’s hat: To talk ignorantly
76. To make up one’s mind: To decide
77. To make one’s mouth water: To stimulate one’s appetite
78. By word of mouth: By spoken message
79. To get the better of someone: To take advantage of someone
80. To rub shoulders: To come into close contact
81. To be in a fit of blues: To be in depression
82. An utopian idea: An imaginary idea (too imaginative to be real)
83. To get into a row: To give unwanted advice
84. A small fry: An unimportant thing
85. To lose one’s head: To be embarrassed
86. Egg on: Urge
87. Not fit to hold a candle: be inferior to
88. To pay through the nose: To pay excessively/too much
89. To put the cart before the horse: To do a thing in the wrong way
90. To caste pearls before swine: To offer good things to undeserved people