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1- Carry out
Accomplish, bring to a conclusion
They carried out the mission successfully.
2- Taken over
Assume control, management, or possession of
The pilot told his copilot to take over the controls.
3- Bring about
cause
She hopes to bring about a change in his attitude.
4- Beat out
Knock into shape by beating
She managed to beat out all the dents in the screen
5-Beat out of
Cheat someone of something
He was always trying to beat the conductor out of the full train fare.
6- Bear with
to tolerate
I cannot bear with a statement like that of yours
7-To fall back on something / fall back upon
Rely on, have recourse to
I fall back on old friends in time of need.
8- To fall through
Fail, miscarry
I hope our plans won't fall through. [Late 1700s]
9- On right earnest
seriously; Concerned authorities should take up the matter of modernization and upgradation of the facilities in Museum on right earnest.
10- Vested interests
A personal stake in something
She has a vested interest in keeping the house in her name.
11- Meaningful dialogue (useful discussion) The global summit will encourage meaningful
dialogue on the issue
12-turn something to good account
to use something in such a way that it is to one's advantage; to make good use of a situation,
experience, etc. Pam turned her illness to good account and did a lot of reading

13-To beat the air / beat the wind


Continue to make futile attempts, fight to no purpose, to strive in vain
We did not beat the air for the freedom of our country
14- To break a lance with
To engage in a tilt or contest

There are a few people in our country who are still willing to break a lance for
sovereignty and legitimate authority
15- To foul of, (foul play)
Unfair or treacherous action, especially involving violence
The police suspected he had met with foul play.
16- To keep open house
To entertain friends at all times, to be hospitable

They keep open house for artists and writers.


17- To put out of countenance

visibly disconcerted; abashed:


He was somewhat out of countenance at the prospect of an apology.
18- To have a finger in the pie
to have a role in something; to be involved in something.
Tess wants to have a finger in the pie. She doesn't think we can do it by ourselves.
19-if winter comes, can spring be far behind.
Do not be depressed failure is part of life, if winter comes, can spring be far behind.
20-Oily tongue-Flattering words
I have seen many people who fell prey to her oily tongue.

21-Loaves and Fishes Materialist wealth


Now a days everyone wants to get loaves and fishes from job.
22-play truant-- To be absent from school without permission
Lets play truant and go to see the movie
23-Pocket an insultBear an insult

He did not retaliate and pocketed an insult when his friend called him by names

24-Hard shoulder
(A paved strip beside a motorway for stopping in emergencies) You're not supposed to park
on the hard shoulder except in an emergency.
25-Detract from
(to make something seem less good) One mistake is not going to detract from your
achievement.
26-Laconic speech
(using few words, very concise or terse) I have claimed an affinity for laconic speech/ The
speech was laconic but still very effective
27-Monkey with
(to adjust something) It seems like any time they monkey with taxes, wealthy people
benefit the most.
28-On the sky
(On the rise) His reputation for being a good schemer is on the sky now-a-days.
29-Petticoat Government
(government by women, whether in politics or domestic affairs.)
Modern Romeos prefer to live under petticoat government
30-Pocket the affront
(to receive an affront without open resentment, or without seeking redress.) The remark
was a rude one but the man chose to pocket the affront.
31-Point blank
(refuse completely and not to change decision)
Journalists were infuriated by her point-blank refusal to discuss their divorce.
32-Push to the walls
(to place in a desperate or extreme position) When two persons fight, the weaker must push
to the wall.
33-Ruling passion
(a controlling desire) He has the ruling passion that is why he cleared exam with flying
colors.
34-Strike ones colours
(keep strongly to ones opinion, decisions etc) Even when they know that they are wrong,
they stick to their colours in discussion.
35-Look your age
(to seem as old as you really are and not younger or older) She barely looks her age.
36-Out to lunch
(Not in touch with the real world, crazy; inattentive.) She was so out to lunch that she didn't
hear a word.

37-Over head and ears


(completely; wholly) He was over head and ears in debts.
38-Pecuniary aid
(monetary aid) She denies obtaining a pecuniary aid by deception.
39-Pith and marrow
(The essence as a source of strength; the best part)The more business he got, the greater
his power seemed to grow of getting at its pith and marrow.
40-Set ones cap
(to choose the man as a potential husband)
She was trying to set her cap on Akram but failed to do so because Akram is a sophisticated
man.
41-Down at heel
(Shabbily dressed because of poverty) When I first met her she was down-at-heel but still
respectable.
42-Succinctly
(precise expression in few words; concise and terse) Please state your case as succinctly as
possible
43- When all is said and done / After all is said and done
In the end, nevertheless
When all's said and done, the doctors did what they could for Gordon, but he was too ill to
survive.
44- Turn over new leaf
Make a fresh start, change one's conduct or attitude for the better
He promised the teacher he would turn over a new leaf and behave himself in class.

Apparently he's turned over a new leaf and he's not drinking any more.
45- An axe to grind
to have a selfish reason for saying or doing something The best reporting is done by people who don't
have an ax to grind.
46- Burn the candle at both ends
Exhaust one's energies or resources by leading a hectic life
to work very hard and stay up very late at night.

She'd been burning the candle at both ends studying for her exams and made herself ill.
47- Goes without saying
Be self-evident, a matter of course
It goes without saying that success is the product of hard work.
This expression is a translation of the French cela va sans dire. [Second half of 1800s]

48- Like a red rag to a bull


if a statement or an action is like a red rag to a bull, it makes someone very angry
For Claire, the suggestion of a women-only committee was like a red rag to a bull.
49- Not a leg to stand on
With no chance of success

My lawyer said I didn't have a leg to stand on, so I shouldn't sue the company.
50- Under the thumb of
Controlled or dominated by someone
He's been under his mother's thumb for years.
51- The writing on the wall / handwriting on the wall
If the writing's on the wall for something, it is doomed to fail. A warning or danger
The Company was losing money, and seeing the handwriting on the wall, she started to look
for another job.
52- Storm in a tea cup
If someone exaggerates a problem
I think it's all a storm in a teacup - there's probably no danger to public health at all.
53- To sow one's wild oats
Behave foolishly, immoderately or promiscuously when young
Brad has spent the last couple of years sowing his wild oats, but now he seems ready to
settle down.
54- To keep late hours
Stay awake until late at night
Never call Ethel before noon; she keeps late hours and sleeps all morning.
55- To throw cold water on
to discourage, to remove hope, deter
Steve wanted to expand the business into China, but his boss threw cold water on the idea,
and told him to focus on the domestic business.
56- Tied to apron-strings of
if someone, usually a man, is tied to their mother's apron strings, they still need their mother and cannot
think or act independently He's 30 but he's still tied to his mother's apron strings.
57- To move heaven and earth
Exert the utmost effort
I'd move heaven and earth to get an apartment here.
This hyperbolic expression was first recorded in 1792.
58- To blow ones own trumpet / blow one's trumpet

Vast in a boastful, self-promoting manner , brag about oneself


to tell other people how good and successful you are Anyone will tell you she's one of the best journalists
we've got, although she'd never blow her own horn/ trumpet.
59- To rest on one's laurels
Rely on one's past achievements, especially as a way of avoiding the work needed to
advance one's status.
Now that Julian's in his eighties, he's decided to rest on his laurels and let some of the
younger agents do the work.
60- Trudge along
to plod along on foot. As we trudged along, we forgot how cold it was.
61- Point-blank
Close enough to go directly to a targetvery close He fired at her at point-blank range.
62- In the doldrums
Depressed, dull and listless
He was in doldrums after the death of his father
Maybe inviting him to dinner will get him out of the doldrums.
63- Dole out / on the dole
to distribute something to someone. Please dole out the candy bars, one to a customer.
She doled it out fairly.
64- At cross purposes
When people are at cross purposes, they misunderstand each other or have different or
opposing objectives
With aims or goals that conflict or interfere with one another
I'm afraid the two departments are working at cross purposes.
65- Cheek by jowl
in close intimacy, side by side
:a row of houses cheek by jowl
side by side; close together. The pedestrians had to walk cheek by jowl along the narrow streets. The two
families lived cheek by jowl in one house.
66- Plain sailing
Easy going; straightforward, unobstructed progress
The first few months were difficult, but I think it's plain sailing from here on.

67-Its "All ears":(very attentive) When someone speaks to you, be all ears.
68-To carry the cross:(an unpleasant situation or responsibility that you must accept
because you cannot change it) I can't help you with it. You'll just have to carry your own cross.
69-On the sky: (On the rise) His reputation for being a good schemer is on the sky now-adays.
70-To monkey with: (to adjust something) It seems like any time they monkey with
taxes, wealthy people benefit the most.
71-Pocket the affront: (to receive an affront without open resentment, or without

seeking redress.) The remark was a rude one but the man chose to pocket the
affront.
72- Raise Cain to make a lot of trouble; to raise hell. Fred was really raising Cain about the
whole matter.
73- Win Laurels: to get accolades; Dr Abdul Qadir win laurels in the field of science.
74- a sting in the tail ;an unpleasant end to something that began pleasantly, especially a
story or suggestion
At the start, it's humorous and light but like most of her short stories, there's a sting in the
tail.

75-fill someone shoes---to take the place


She felt that no stepmother could ever hope to fill her late mothers shoe
76- In someone shoes---in a similar position
I wouldnt like to be in her shoes
77.the shoe is on the other foot, the circumstances are reversed;
Now that we are rich and they are poor the shoe is on the otherfoot.
1. make for
to help to bring about
your cooperation will make for the success of our project
2. Yeoman's service
loyal or useful service
He has done yeomans service for the governor
3. Discretion is the better part of valor
:something that you say which means that it is better to be careful and think before you
act than it is to be brave and take risks
She decided not to oppose the Chairman's remarks. Perhaps discretion was the better
part of valor
4. Out of the woods
past a critical phase; out of the unknown.
When the patient got out of the woods, everyone relaxed.

5. A casting vote
decisive vote
The speaker used his casting vote in the favour of proposition
6. Look down upon
to consider someone lesser
Do not look down upon the poors
7. Iconoclast
One who attacks and seeks to overthrow traditional or popular ideas or institutions.
One who destroys sacred religious images.
He was an iconoclast who refused to be bound by tradition.
8. A swan song
A farewell or final appearance, action, or work.
I'm resigning tomorrow; this project was my swan song
9. Leave in the lurch
Abandon or desert someone in difficult straits
Where were you Karman, you really left me in the lurch
10. Hard and fast
Defined, fixed, invariable
There is no hard and fast rule to start a computer
11. Weather the storm
Survive difficulties

Bob lost his job, but somehow his family weathered the storm.
12. Bear the brunt
Put up with the worst of some bad circumstance
It was the secretary who had to bear the brunt of the doctor's anger.
13. Meet halfway
If you meet someone halfway, you accept some of their ideas and make concessions.
If you want to settle the issues you have to meet me halfway
14. Turncoat
traitor

The turn-coats are responsible for the failure of democracy in our country
15. Where the shoe pinches
The source of trouble, grief, difficulty, etc.

She's sure the public transport system works perfectly, but she'll find out where
the shoe pinches when she starts using it!
16-To fight shy of
to try to avoid something. Ellen fights shy of parties - she hates crowds.
17- To cry over the spilt milk
You're just crying over spilt milk, get on with life!
18- To rob peter to pay Paul
to take or borrow from one in order to give or pay something owed to another
If you rob Peter to pay Paul, you try to solve one problem,
but create another in doing so, often through short-term planning
There's no point in robbing Peter to pay Paul. You will still be in debt.
18- To take the bull by the horns
To confront a problem head-on and deal with it openly. It's time to take the bull by the horns and get
this job done.

19- Playing to the gallery


If someone plays to the gallery, they say or do things that will make them popular at
the expense of more important issues
Politicians these days are more interested in playing to the gallery than exercising real influence on world
events
20- Holding out the olive branch
An olive branch is traditionally a symbol of peace.
He held out an olive branch to the opposition by releasing 42 political prisoners.
21- To make out
Manage, get along
How did you make out with the accountant?
This usage was first recorded in 1820.
Understand
I can't make out what she is trying to say.

22- The acid test


a test which will really prove the value, quality, or truth of something The acid test for the product will be
whether people actually buy it.
23- A bad hat
a bad or worthless person
I knew her husband was a bad hat long before he was sent to prison
23- In a blue funk
In a state of dejection, sad
Anne has been in a blue funk since her dog died.
24- Down at heel
Also, on someone's heels. Immediately behind, in close pursuit.
Although his company dominated the technology, he always felt that his competitors were
on his heels.
25- To die in harness/ with boots on
Expire while working, keep working to the end

He'll never retirehe'll die with his boots on.


She knows she'll never get promoted, but she wants to die in harness.
26- Dead as doornail / dead as a dodo or herring
Totally or assuredly dead; also finished
The cop announced that the body in the dumpster was dead as a doornail.
27- To raise coin
Raise Cain to make a lot of trouble; to raise hell. Fred was really raising Cain about the
whole matter.
28. To carry the day
Win, prevail
At auctions the wealthiest bidders usually carry the day.
29- Taken down at peg
If someone is taken down a peg (or taken down a peg or two), they lose status in the eyes
of others because of something they have done wrong or badly.
to reprimand someone who is acting too arrogant. The teacher's scolding took Bob down a peg
30- To monkey with
(to adjust something) It seems like any time they monkey with taxes, wealthy people
benefit the most
31- In hot water
in trouble
John got himself into hot water by being late.
32- To pull oneself together
Regain one's composure or self-control
After that frightening episode, it took her a while to pull herself together.

33- To rise from the ranks / come up through the ranks


Work one's way to the top
He's risen through the ranks, starting as a copy boy and ending up as senior editor.

34- To rub shoulders

If you rub shoulders with people, you meet and spend time with them, especially when they
are powerful or famous.
He's Hollywood's most popular hairdresser and regularly rubs shoulders with top movie star
35- Thin end of the wedge
The thin end of the wedge is something small and seemingly unimportant that will lead to
something much bigger and more serious.
the start of a harmful development There are those who see the closure of the hospital as the thin end of
the wedge.
36- Flash in the pan
Something that happens only once or for a short time and will not be repeated We're hoping that this is a
long-term opportunity, and not just a flash in the pan.
37- To keep at
Persevere or persist at doing something.
If you keep at your Math, you'll soon master it.
38-Keep at someone
Nag, harass, or annoy someone
You have to keep at Carl if you want him to do the work.
39- At one's beck and call
Always ready to carry out someone's wishes He has servants at his beck and call
Ready to comply with any wish or command
40- Go against the grain
A person who does things in an unconventional manner, especially if their methods are not
generally approved of, is said to go against the grain. Such an individual can be called a
maverick.It goes against the grain for William to admit that he's wrong.
41- Bring grist to the mill
Something that you can use to your advantage is grist for the mill.
As an actor, all experience is grist to the mill.
42- Upset the apple cart
Spoil carefully laid plans
Now don't upset the apple cart by revealing where we're going.
9- Hoist on one's own petard

If you are hoist with your own petard, you get into trouble or caught in a trap that you had
set for someone else.

The most enjoyable moment in any action film occurswhen the villain is hoist with his own petar
d
43- Live on the fat of the land
The best or richest of anything
The tiny upper class lived off the fat of the land while many of the poor were starving.
44- To have your cake and eat it too
If someone wants to have their cake and eat it too, they want everything their way,
especially when their wishes are contradictory.
Don't buy a car if you want to walk and stay healthy. You can't eat yourcake and have it too.
45- To be on the carpet

to be in trouble with someone in authority He's going to be on the carpet for his rudeness.
46- It never rains but it pours
when things go wrong, they go very wrong.
First of all it was the car breaking down, then the fire in the kitchen and now Mike's accident. It never rain
s but it pours!
47- A miss is as good as a mile
Coming close to success but failing is no better than failing by a lot
He was beaten by just one vote, but a miss is as good as a mile.
48- To give oneself airs
Airs here means a manner of superiority.
I'm sick of Claire and the way she puts on airs.
49- To have the courage of ones convictions
to have enough courage and determination to carry out one's goals.
Jane was successful because she had the courage of her convictions.
50- The onlooker sees most of the game
51- Out of sight out of mind

something that you say which means if you do not hear about or see someone or something for
a period of time, you stop thinkingabout them You'll soon forget about him after he leaves out of
sight, out of mind.
52- To come to a dead end
A passage that has no exit
This street's a dead end, so turn back.

An impasse or blind alley, allowing no progress to be made


This job is a dead end; I'll never be able to advance.
53- To turn a deaf ear
If someone turns a deaf ear to you, they don't listen to you.

The Supreme Court said there was a need for action, but Congress has turned a deaf ear to the
Court.
54- Every dark cloud has a silver lining

An element of hope or a redeeming quality in an otherwise bad situation


I'm sorry your business is going badly, but don't despair. Every cloud has a silver lining.
55- Blowing hot and cold together
Change one's mind, vacillate
Jean's been blowing hot and cold about taking a winter vacation.
56- To let the cat out of the bag
If you accidentally reveal a secret, you let the cat out of the bag, Give away a secret
Mom let the cat out of the bag and told us Karen was engaged.
57- To put the cart before the horse
Reverse the proper order of things or event/ to have things in wrong order

You're eating your dessert first!You've put the cart before the horse.
58- To sail in the same boat
If people are in the same boat, they are in the same predicament or trouble.
Suddenly Paul was in the same boat as any other worker who had lost a job.
59- A Swan Song
A final accomplishment or performance, one's last work.
I'm resigning tomorrow; this project was my swan song.
60- To look a gift horse in the mouth
Be critical or suspicious of something received at no cost
Dad's old car is full of dents, but we shouldnt look a gift horse in the mouth.
61-To have an axe to grind

to have a selfish reason for saying or doing something The best reporting is done by people wh

o don't have an ax to grind.


62- To wash ones dirty linen in public / air one's dirty linen or laundry
Expose private matters to public view, especially unsavory secrets

She will talk to anyone about herproblems. Why does she wash her dirty linen in public?
63) To take to one's heels
Run away
When the burglar alarm went off they took to their heels.
64) To win laurels-to win honor
He is a very hardworking boy, he is sure to win laurels in life
65) A gentleman at large
Free, unconfined, especially not confined in prison
To our distress, the housebreakers were still at large.
66) By and by
After a while, soon
She'll be along by and by/ by a by a man appeared
67) The lion's share
The greater part or most of something
As usual, Uncle Bob took the lion's share of the cake.
This expression alludes to Aesop's fable about a lion, who got all of a kill because its fellow
hunters, an ass, fox, and wolf, were afraid to claim their share.
68) In black and white

in written or printed form. Your offer sounds good, but I want you to put it in black and white.
69) To bring to book
Call to account, investigate
He was acquitted, but one day soon he'll be brought to book.
70) To read between the lines

Perceive or detect a hidden meaning


Don't believe everything you read literally. Learn to read between the lines.
71) To stick to one's guns

Hold fast to a statement, opinion, or course of action


David's family were against him becoming an actor but he stuck to his guns
72) To be under a cloud

If someone is suspected of having done something wrong, they are under a cloud.
Someone stole some money at work, and now everyone is under a cloud of suspicion. Even the
manager is under a cloud.
73) By fits and starts / in fits and starts
With irregular intervals of action and inaction, spasmodically
The campaign is proceeding by fits and starts.
i. Blow one's top
To be very angry, Explode in anger, lose one's temper, go into a rage

When my dad found out I had failed the exams, he just blew his top.
ii. A cock and bull story
An unbelievable tale that is intended to deceive; a tall tale
Jack told us some cock and bull story about getting lost.
iii. Find one's feet

to become familiar with a new place or situation New students need a little time to find their feet.
iv. Call it a night

to end what one is doing at night and go [home] to bed. At midnight, I called it a night and went t
o bed.
v. The tip of the iceberg

A small evident part or aspect of something largely hidden: afraid that these few reported cases
of the disease might only be the tipof the iceberg.
vi. Below par
Less than average, less than normal

not as good as average or normal. I feel a little below par today. I think I am getting a cold
vii. From pillar to post
From one place or thing to another in rapid succession

My father was in the army, and we moved from pillar to post year after year.
viii. Hang up
a machine or a computer to grind to a halt; to stop because of some internal complication. I was afraid
that my computer would hang up permanently.
ix. Turn some one in
To hand someone in to police.
Tell me the truth about robbery or I will turn you in
(i) Leave in the lurch
Abandon or desert someone in difficult straits
Jane was angry enough to quit without giving notice, leaving her boss in the lurch.
Where were you Karman, you really left me in the lurch
(ii) Hard and fast
Defined, fixed, invariable
We have hard and fast rules for this procedure.
There is no hard and fast rule to start a computer
(iii) Weather the storm
Survive difficulties

Bob lost his job, but somehow his family weathered the storm.
(iv) Bear the brunt

to get the greater amount or larger part of something bad


Ordinary citizens will bear the brunt of higher taxes.
It was the secretary who had to bear the brunt of the doctor's anger.
(v) Meet halfway
If you meet someone halfway, you accept some of their ideas and make concessions.
If you want to settle the issues you have to meet me halfway
(vi) Turncoat
one who goes to work / fight / play for the opposing side, traitor
Ahmed is Turncoat and we should not relied upon him

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