An idiom is an expression whose meaning is different from the meaning of its constituent words.

IDIOM

Changing for the better

Turn over a new leaf

After Ali was released from prison,he decided to turn over a new leaf and become an honest man.

Pull up one’s socks

To make an effort to improveRajesh scored only forty on his English mid-term exams. He needs to pull up his socks if he wants to do well in his finals.

Burn one’s fingers

Suffer for something that one has done

I will never bet again. I burnt my fingers betting at the race course today.

By hook or by crook

Using any means, fair or foul

There is a cricket match tomorrow. Raj will make sure he gets the day off from office by hook or by crook.

Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth

to be born in a very rich family

Priya was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her father gave her an expensive car on her eighteenth birthday.

No stone unturned

Make all possible efforts

Ramesh has joined two coaching classes. He is leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to get into an engineering college.

Throw in the towel

To accept defeat

I am unable to solve this question. I am ready to throw in the towel.

Hit the nail on the head

Be exect or accurate

Ram is a genius. He hit the nail on the head when he said that the car was overheating because of a leaking radiator.

Let bygones be bygones

Ignore the bad things in the past

We have not spoken to each other since the time we had a fight a few months back. We should let bygones be bygones and become friends again.

Make hay while the sun shines

Make the best of a good situation while it lasts

Mr. Sharma got the big contract to supply machine parts to a big Japanese company. He should make hay while the sun shines.

At loggerheads

To differ strongly

The two brothers can never work together. They are always at loggerheads.

Break the ice

Overcome initial shyness

The teacher asked the students to introduce themselves to each other to break the ice.

Face the music

To face the consequences of one’s action

I lost my father’s pen. I will have to face the music when I reach home.

Take to task

To reprimand someone

Payal was taken to task by her mother when she failed her mathematics exam.

Have second thoughts

Reconsider a decision

Rajiv began to have second thoughts about his decision to study Economics when he realised that he could not even pay attention during the lectures.

Wild goose chase

Futile search

Searching for hidden gold in the village field is nothing but a wild goose chase.

Gift of the gab

The ability to speak well

Pooja was able to keep the audiences amused with her stories. She surely has the gift of the gab.

Hit below the belt

To act in an unfair manner

The candidate of the opposition party spread false rumours about the Minister. People felt that he was hitting below the belt.

Not one’s cup of tea

to indicate something someoneeither don’t like much or can’t

do

I didn’t enjoy the movie. I guess it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

To spill the beans

To reveal a secret to someone who is not supposed to know

The project was top secret but he spilled the beans.

Piece of cake

to refer to a task that is very easy.

Stealing the key was a piece of cake for him.

In a nutshell

In a few words.

We were told in a nutshell that our project would not be considered.

To sell like hotcakes

to refer to an object that is very successful and selling extremely well

The new book by J.K Rowling sold like hotcakes.

To go nuts

to refer to someone who is very excited about something

She’s going nuts because she got a scholarship.

All that glittersIs not gold

appearances can be misleading

I bought the expensive looking watch but it stopped working after a week. I realised that all that glitters is not gold.

Easy money

to refer to money that can be earned without much effort

The task was simple and got him easy money.

To pass with flying coloursTo pass something with flying

colours is to do very well.

I had thought I wouldn’t clear the exams but I passed with flying colours.

Apple of his/her eyes

to refer to something or someone we like a lot.

He was the apple of his teacher’s eyes.

Catch someonered-handed

To get caught doing something wrong, illegal or unlawful.

He was spying on the minister and the police caught him red-handed.