Use of Idioms - 11

catch (someone) red-handed

- witness someone in the middle of doing something improper

He caught the thief red-handed as he was stealing all the jewels.

caught short

- not having something enough(specially money)

She went for shopping and was caught short while paying the bill.

cave in

- to collapse or admit defeat

The Boxer hit the other so hard that he caved in.

chalk up

- score or credit

Brazilian team chalked up enough goals to defeat England team.

change horses in midstream

- change plans or choose a new leader in an inappropriate time

We changed our horses in midstream and moved our car towards Las vegas.

change (one's) mind

- change earlier decision

He changed his mind and decided to go for a walk.

change (one's) tune

- change one’s opinion or attitude

She has changed her tune about him and is thinking seriously for a relationship.

(in) charge of something

- be responsible for

He is in charge of the institute of Army training.

cheat on (someone)

- to be unfaithful in relationship

He was caught cheating on his wife.

cheek by jowl

- in close contact, side by side

She and her boyfriend live cheek by jowl each other.

chew the fat

- chat

Ladies like to sit around and chew the fat.

chew out (someone)

- scold badly

Mom will chew out for not having the dinner properly.

Use of Idioms - 10

carry (something) out

- bring to a conclusion, accomplish

He worked very hard and carried out excellent results.

carry over

- store for some other time or situation

The firm carried over the older machines for a new factory.

carry the ball

- take leading role in an action or business

It is not sure who is going to carry the ball during this election polls.

carry the day

- to win or succeed

He is the racer who carried the day in this year’s race.

carry through

- put a plan into action

The company carried through with their plan to layoff 300 workers.

cash cow

- a dependable source of money

The new mobile model is the Nokia company’s cash cow.

cast pearls before swine

- give something valuable on someone who won’t appreciate it

It was like casting pearls before swine giving him a luxury car.

castles in the air

- daydreams, dreams about future success

He is very unrealistic and always builds castles in the air.

cat burglar

- a burglar who is skilled at undetected entry in building.

My mother lost all her jewels to some cat burglar in house.

cat gets one's tongue

- can't talk due to shyness

It looks like a cat has got the child’s tongue as he is sitting quite and not saying anything.

catch on

- to understand, become popular

It is not easy to catch on the generation gap between parents and children but it exists.

catch one's eye

- to attract one's notice

He was trying to catch her eye but she didn’t notice.

Use of Idioms - 9

call of nature

- the need to urinate

I have to answer the call of nature before it gets too late.

call off

- take away, cancel

The performance was called off because of rain..

call on

- visit someone, to ask

She called on me to assist her in project.

call someone's bluff

- challenge someone to prove what they say is true

He always said he would quit, so we finally called his bluff.

call the shots

- be in charge, give orders

He is now calling the shots and is in control of the company.

call up

- telephone someone, Cause to remember

These stories call up old times.

calm down

- relax

Boss has calmed down after the meeting.

cancel out

- neutralize the effect of something

The benefits of his good diet cancel out with his drinking habits.

can of worms

- a complex unexpected problem or situation

He and his wife were happy when his wife opened up a can of worms in their marriage.

card up one's sleeve

- a hidden secret or advantage kept back to be produced if needed

She certainly has a card up his sleeves therefore she is not worried about the situation at all.

carrot and stick

- reward and threat of punishment in persuasive measure at the same time

Father has taken the carrot and stick approach to make him study.

carry on

- continue, maintain

The authority has permitted to carry on the construction work.

Use of Idioms - 8

buy a pig in a poke

- buy something without seeing

I have not seen that bike at all. I do not want to buy a pig in a poke.

by and large

- considering everything, generally speaking

By and large it was a nice weekend.

by and by

- in a short time

We will reach Miami by and by.

by far

- greatly, very much

He is by far the best driver of the racing cars.

by fits and starts

- at irregular interval, with many stops and starts

My television works by fits and starts.

by hook or by crook

- by any way

He says that he will get this work done by hook or by crook.

by the way

- incidentally

By the way, he is a very good friend of mine.

by the skin of one's teeth

- by a narrow margin, just barely

He won the horse race by the skin on his teeth..

by the sweat of one's brow

- by hard work

The only way one can succeed is by the sweat of his brow.

calculated risk

- an action, the probability of which is estimated before some action is taken

She took a calculated risk by getting married to billy but their marriage seems successful.

call a spade a spade

- speak plainly

To call a spade a spade, he is a loser in life.

call it quits

- to stop an activity(temporarily)

They called it quits for the day and started packing their equipments.

Use of Idioms - 7

Go Broke

- to go bankrupt

He invested all his money without analyzing the market and now he has gone broke.

Brush up on something

- review something one has already learned

I am going to brush up on my English before my trip to London.

Brush with the law

- a brief encounter or experience with the police because of a crime

He had a brush with the law when he was young but now he is totally honest.

Bull in a china shop

- an awkward or clumsy person

He was like a bull in a china shop when I saw mat in the party.

Bundle up

- to dress warmly

You must bundle up before going out in the cold.

Burn a hole in one's pocket

- money that you spend quickly

Your bad habits are burning a hole in your pocket.

Burn down

- Completely consume by fire (used for buildings mostly)

Their house burnt down completely during the night.

Burn the candle at both ends

- to work too hard without enough rest

Tina became sick because she had been burning the candle at both ends by working and

Burn up

- completely consume by fire (things not buildings mostly)

His bike was burned up in fire as revenge.

Bury the hatchet

- stop quarreling and become reunited

He decided to bury the hatchet with his friend.

Butter someone up

- To praise someone excessively

He was buttering her up excessively in order to convince her for marriage.

Use of Idioms - 6

Break fresh ground

- deal with something in a new way

The researchers were able to break fresh ground in their search for a cancer cure.

Break the bank

- win all the money at a casino gambling table

He didn't really break the bank but he did win a lot of money.

Break the ice

- relax and start a conversation in a formal situation

Nobody was enjoying the party until the host finally was able to break the ice.

Break the news

- tell some information first

He is planning to break the news to her about his transfer tomorrow.

Break up (with someone)

- stop a relationship

This week I broke up with my girlfrined.

Bring someone into line

- make someone agree with you

He brought his partners into line about his new proposal.

Bring something on

- cause to develop rapidly

Lets work harder from today to bring on some more business.

Bring the house down

- much laughter and high applause in the audience

David Beckham brought down the house with his golden goal.

Bring to mind

- something to be remembered

His perfectly toned body brought to mind the body of Arnold Schwarzenneger.

Bring up

- mention for attention

He brought up an idea for change when everybody else had accepted the circumstances.

Bring up

- raise or care for a child

My parents brought me up in Miami.

Bring up the rear

- to be last in the line

My brother brought up the rear in exam results in his school.

Use of Idioms - 5

Blind leading the blind

- someone who doesn't understand something trying to explain it to others

My mom is teaching me in economics, dad feels it like a blind leading the blind.

Blow it (something)

- spoil something

I was a good opportunity but I blew it.

Blow one's own horn

- boast about oneself

Tim is always blowing his own horns.

Blow over

- calm down or to be forgotten

In our society ever scam of politicians is blown over by the people in some time.

Blue in the face

- endlessly, exhausted in anger

I reminded him about it till I was blue in the face

Bone of contention

- Main issue of a disagreement, the subject of a fight

The property has always been the bone of contention between my dad and uncle.

Boot out

- get rid of someone

Bill was booted out of his company for not working honestly.

Brand new

- entirely new

Your daddy has just bought a brand new bike for you.

Break down

- to lose control, become ineffective, mechanical failure or physical or mental collapse

After a heavy exercise session he suddenly broke down.

Break down

- analyze

You should break down market before investing money.

Use of Idioms - 4

Behind the times

- old fashioned

Bob is a little behind the times.

Be to blame

- be responsible for something bad or unfortunate

His teacher may be to blame for his bad score in economics.

Beside one's self

- very upset or excited about something

He was beside himself with grief of his wife’s death.

Beside the point

- Irrelevant, off the subject

Whether you had insurance is beside the point; the accident is your fault

Bet on the wrong horse

- Guess wrongly, misread the future

Counting on the price of IBM to rise sharply was betting on the wrong horse.

Better off

- in better circumstances than before

I would be better off in my new job than old one.

Beyond the pale

- beyond or way acceptable behavior

You are doing a work which is completely beyond the pale .

Bide one's time

- waiting for a favorable opportunity

He wanted to ask for a raise, but bided his time.

Big shot

- an influential or powerful person

She loved being the big shot of her company.

Birthday suit

- completely naked, no clothes on

They were sunbathing in their birthday suits.

Bite the bullet

- face a difficult situation

We'll just have to bite the bullet and pay higher taxes.

Bite the dust

- be killed, break down, be defeated

You have finally bitten the dust of him.

Use of Idioms - 3

At the end of one's rope

- at the limit of one's ability to cope

They are at the end of my rope about their financial losses and sinking business.

Attend to someone

- take care or deal with someone

My friend attended to my boss before talking to me.

Back on one's feet

- return to good financial or physical health

She is now back on her feet after a week of bed rest.

Back out

- withdraw from an agreement or promise

The film producer backed out of the commitment to offer me a role.

Back to the drawing board

- back to the original or an earlier stage of planning or development

Our plan didn't work out so it's back to the drawing board.

Bail someone or something out

- help or rescue

The police are trying to bail out the hostages.

Bank on

- be sure of, count on

I can bank on him to be the topper of the university.

Bark up the wrong tree

- make a wrong assumption about something

She is barking up the wrong tree in suspecting her husband.

Beat around the bush

- delay in speaking a subject directly or speaking indirectly

Stop beating around the bush and come to the point.

Beat someone to the punch (draw)

- do something before others

I wanted to have the new car but Sally beat me to the punch.

(have a) Bee in one's bonnet

- have an idea that continually occupies one's thoughts.

Bill's got a bee in his bonnet about burglars; he's always imagining strange noises.

(do something) Behind someone's back

- without someone's knowledge

I am very upset because my family went to the mall behind my back.

Use of Idioms - 2

Ask After

- To ask about the health of a person

He went to his friend’s house to ask after him.

Ask for a Moon

- Make an unreasonable demand

He was unable to fulfill the wish of her wife as she was asking for a moon.

As usual

- In the habitual way, most of the time, as is the custom

As usual, he lost his mobile somewhere.

As well as

- Equally, To the same extent, in addition to

She as well his brother is honest.

Managers as well as the workers are working overtime.

Her mother is very beautiful as well as intelligent

As yet

- Until now, up to the present

As yet, he has not completed his project.

At fault

- Be responsible or to blame for something

We are unable to find who is at fault.

At first

- At the beginning

At first my parents refused then agreed to my demand.

At heart

- Basically, fundamentally

Most of the people are good at heart.

At last

- Finally

At last she agreed to go with me on dating.

As Good As

- Equivalent, in effect

This second hand car is as good as new.

At loggerheads

- Having a quarrel

They have been at loggerheads over this issue.

At odds

- In disagreement

He was at odds with his boss over yearly increment in the salary.

Use of Idioms - 1

About to do something

- On the point of doing something

My sister was about to leave when the guests came.

Absent-minded

- Often lost in thoughts, forgetful

You are often absent-minded, and don’t pay attention to what I say.

Ahead of time

- Early

They left for the function ahead of time.

All in all

- In summary, after considering everything

All in all his health is improving fast.

All of a sudden

- Suddenly, without advance warning

All of a sudden they came for inspection

All at once

- Suddenly

All at once it started raining.

- All at the same time

You can’t be served all at once, so keep patience.

All right

- satisfactory, very well, ok

I am feeling all right now.

Your performance was all right.

All the time

- continually

They are ignoring their studies and listen to music all the time.

Apple of one's eyes

- One's favorite

This child is apple of its parents’ eyes.

As a rule

- Usually, as a habit

As a rule he opens his office at 8:00 AM everyday.

As far as

- To the extent or degree that

As far as I know he is the director of this firm.

as long as

- Provided that, on condition that

As long as you are punctual you won’t be fined.