Idioms and Phrases for SSC Exams

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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