Directions(Q.1-28): In the following question, out of four alternatives, select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom.
1. A damp squib
A) Complete failure B) an evasive reply
C) to be passed from one person to another
D) Anything that is common and easy to get
Ans: A
2. At sixes and seven
A) A weak person B) Persons who are having different opinions
C) To avoid talking D) To take on a task that is way too big to handle.
Ans: B
3. Ever and anon
A) Unable to understand B) The hottest day of the summer season
C) Now and then, occasionally D) To act in a frenzied manner, crazily
Ans: C
4. Pay through nose
A) Not on good terms B) On credit
C) Caused destruction D) Pay an extremely high price.
Ans: D
5. Heads will roll
A) Transfers will take place. B) To keep in touch.
C) To reprimand D) To be complacent
Ans: A
6. Make no bones about.
A) Resembles B) Do not have any hesitation in anything.
C) Use imagination D) Make an legitimate living
Ans: B
7. Rest on laurels
A) Run away in fear B) Give out the secret
C) To be complacent D) Very near
Ans: C
8. To eat a humble pie.
A) Narrow shave B) Not regularly
C) In favour with D) To apologize
Ans: D
9. Cut no ice
A) Had no influence B) To die at one's work
C) Something which hurts D) On the brink of
Ans: A
10. Mince matters
A) To reject B) To confuse issues
C) To feel proud in a way D) Neglected
Ans: B
11. To blaze a trail
A) To accept defeat B) To complete with
C) To lead the way as a pioneer D) To meet by chance
Ans: C
12. To face the music
A) To be suspicious B) To grieve over
C) To make utmost efforts D) To bear the consequences
Ans: D
13. Gift of the gab
A) talent of speaking B) help considerably
C) At the very last moment D) Compromise
Ans: A
14. Wears heart on sleeves
A) Proficient in literary arts B) Express feelings openly
C) Agree with someone D) Win everyone's praise
Ans: B
15. Leave in the lurch
A) Clash with each other B) Remain calm
C) To desert someone D) Use personal influence
Ans: C
16. A mile a minute
A) Unrealistic B) Impressive
C) Boastful D) Too fast
Ans: D
17. Monkey business
A) Mischievous or deceitful behaviour B) Making fun of
C) Stealing things D) Adamant
Ans: A
18. Road hog
A) Incredible B) Rash driver
C) To end up D) Drunkard
Ans: B
19. Go out of hand
A) Become a mess B) Wrong verdict
C) Out of control D) Disturbed
Ans: C
20. To play fast and loose
A) To confuse B) To murmur
C) Sudden attack D) To act unreliably
Ans: D
21. Get the ball rolling
A) Start doing something B) Extremely happy
C) Accomplish a lot D) Relatively expensive
Ans: A
22. Sit on a fence
A) a topic with a controversial reputation
B) unsure about something C) To find weak points in something
D) To spend lavishly
Ans: B
23. Swan song
A) A partner who doesn’t do any work
B) Futile chase
C) The last piece of work produced by an artist.
D) Between two dangers that are equally harmful
Ans: C
24. To strain every nerve
A) Courage inspired by alcohol.
B) To something to begin to do something
C) To refuse something specially when you don’t think it is good enough.
D) To try as hard as you can
Ans: D
25. A Bitter pill to swallow
A) a difficult fact to accept. B) person with hidden abilities
C) Irritated/bad mood D) A difficult, hard life
Ans: A
26. At Mare's nest
A) To fight in a very determined manner
B) Something illusory
C) To start thinking about a new way of doing something after a previous plan or Idea has failed.
D) To approach in directly or away from the subject
Ans: B
27. A memory like a sieve
A) Strong memory B) Disturbed
C) A poor memory D) Versatile
Ans: C
28. A red rag to a bull
A) annoying person/thing B) Something very easy to do
C) person who enjoys staying up late D) action, comment, liable to provoke
Ans: D
Explanations
1. A damp squib : Complete failure
Example: The airplane motor has fizzled out like a damp squib.
2. At sixes and seven: Persons who have different opinions.
Example: When the customers arrived we were still at sixes and sevens.
3. Ever and anon: Now and then, occasionally.
Example: She would ever and anon return to take her stand there and gaze upon it.
4. Pay through nose: Pay an extremely high price.
Example: They paid through the nose to get the car fixed.
5. Heads will roll: Transfers will take place.
Example: Heads are going to roll when the manager finds out about the missing items.
6. Make no bones about: Do not have any hesitation in anything.
Example: Ravi made no bones about his plans to cut expenses.
7. Rest on laurels: To be complacent
Example: The college can't just sit back and rest on its laurels.
8. To eat a humble pie: To apologize.
Example: Mona had to eat humble pie when the rumours she was spreading were proved false.
9. Cut no ice: Had no influence.
Example: I have heard his excuses and they cut no ice with me.
10. Mince matters: To confuse issues
Example: My sister and I were taught not to mince matters and come straight to the point.
11. To blaze a trail: To lead the way as a pioneer
Example: The department is blazing a trail in the field of physics.
12. To face the music: To bear the consequences
Example: If you have done something wrong, you have to face the music.
13. Gift of the gab: talent of speaking
Example: He has got the gift of gab.
14. Wears heart on sleeves - Express feelings openly.
Example: I can tell Jayanti is upset; she wears her heart on her sleeve.
15. Leave in the lurch: To desert someone.
Example: Her advisers left her in the lurch when she needed them the most.
16. A mile a minute: Too fast.
Example: Chaitanya was a good kid, though she talked a mile a minute.
17. Monkey business: Mischievous or deceitful behaviour.
Example: The company fired its employees because there was some monkey business going on with the work.
18. Road hog: Rash driver
Example: That lorry driver is such a road hog.
19. Go out of hand: out of control
Example: When the police arrived, they realised the person was getting out of hand.
20. To play fast and loose: to act unreliably.
Example: Stop playing fast and loose with any person's feelings.
21. Get the ball rolling: start doing something.
Example: The air hostess kept the ball rolling, talking to each of the guests in turn.
22. Sit on a fence: unsure about something.
Example: Lalit is sitting on the fence and refusing to commit himself.
23. Swan song: The last piece of work produced by an artist
Example: Football is our swan song so let's win it.
24. To strain every nerve: To try as hard as you can.
Example: Pooja is straining every nerve to get the work finished on time.
25. A Bitter pill to swallow: a difficult fact to accept.
Example: It was a bitter pill for her brother to swallow when he came to know that his father passed away.
26. At Mare’s nest: Something illusory
Example: The announced cure for the disease was merely another mare's-nest.
27. A memory like a sieve: Strong memory.
Example: You have a memory like a sieve.
28. A red rag to a bull: action, comment, liable to provoke.
Example: This sort of information is like a red rag to a bull for the alcohol companies.
