65 Most Important Idioms | for CSS, PMS and all Competitive Exams – Page 3 of 3

English MCQs Honesty is the best policy — English MCQs by CSSMCQs

have a change of heart means “change a previous decision”
Example: I thought I would change jobs, but now that my boss is treating me with more respect, I’ve had a change of heart.

have mixed feelings about something means “to be uncertain”
Example: I have mixed feelings about Joe. He’s a very good teacher, but he has a very strange sense of humor!

head out for means “to start on a long trip” (but it could be within a big city)
Example: We’re heading out for the countryside to pick some apples. Would you like to join us?

How come? means “Why?”
Example: How come we don’t go to the movies anymore? I guess we’re too busy to enjoy ourselves these days.

keep in touch (or “stay in touch”) means “do not stop communicating – send letters or call sometimes”
Example: Don’t forget to keep in touch. I want to know how you’re doing while you’re away.

be kidding means “to joke or tease someone in a playful way”
Example: No, I don’t really have three wives – I was just kidding!

look down on means “think somone or something is not good enough”
Example: We shouldn’t look down on people just because they don’t have as much money as we do.

make ends meet (often used negatively) means “to have enough money to buy everything we need”
Example: Even though I make more money than last year, we just can’t seem to make ends meet.

miss the boat means “to miss an opportunity”
Example: The sale ends today at noon. If we don’t hurry, we’re going to miss the boat!

next to nothing means “to cost very little”
Example: I went to the new discount store and bought these new shoes for only five dollars. That’s next to nothing!

as easy as pie means “very easy” (same as “a piece of cake”)
Example: He said it is a difficult problem, but I don’t agree. It seems as easy as pie to me!

be sick and tired of means “I hate” (also “can’t stand”)
Example: I’m sick and tired of doing nothing but work. Let’s go out tonight and have fun.

bend over backwards means “try very hard” (maybe too much!)
Example: He bent over backwards to please his new wife, but she never seemed satisfied.

bite off more than one can chew means “take responsibility for more than one can manage”
Example: John is so far behind in his studies. Besides classes, he plays sports and works at a part.time job. It seems he has bitten off more than he can chew.

broke means “to have no money”
Example: I have to borrow some money from my Dad. Right now, I’m broke.

change one’s mind means “decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier”
Example: I was planning to work late tonight, but I changed my mind. I’ll do extra work on the weekend instead.

cut it out! means “stop doing something bad”
Example: That noise is really annoying. Cut it out!

drop someone a line means “send a letter or email to someone”
Example: It was good to meet you and I hope we can see each other again. Drop me a line when you have time.

figure something out means “come to understand a problem”
Example: I don’t understand how to do this problem. Take a look at it. Maybe you can figure it out.

fill in for someone means “do their work while they are away”
Example: While I was away from the store, my brother filled in for me.

in ages means “for a very long time”
Example: Have you seen Joe recently? I haven’t seen him in ages.

give someone a hand means “help”
Example: I want to move this desk to the next room. Can you give me a hand?

hit the hay means “go to bed” (also “hit the sack”)
Example: It’s after 12 o’clock. I think it’s time to hit the hay.

in the black means “the business is making money, it is profitable”
Example: Our business is really improving. We’ve been in the black all year.

in the red means “the business is losing money, it is unprofitable”
Example: Business is really going poorly these days. We’ve been in the red for the past three months.

So remember these 65 Most Important Idioms for CSS, PMS and all Competitive Exams.

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