IDIOMS FOR SSC ENGLISH - ALL SSC PYQS UPTO 2025 - PART 1

ALL SSC PYQ IDIOMS - PART 1

Sr. No.	Idiom	Meaning	Actual Place or Situation of Usage	Example
1	Goes hard	To be difficult.	When describing a person or situation that is challenging to deal with.	He goes hard with one and all.
2	Keep body and soul together	To get enough food and money to survive.	Used when talking about financial struggles and the difficulty of affording basic necessities.	It has made it difficult to keep body and soul together.
3	Up against the wall	In a critical position where failure seems imminent.	Describing a situation where someone or an organization is in serious trouble with very few options left.	Unless sales improve next month, the company will be up against the wall.
4	Your guess is as good as mine	To have no idea of the answer.	When someone asks a question and you don't know the answer, implying their guess is just as valid as yours.	I asked him when the train would arrive, and he replied that his guess was as good as mine.
5	Loose cannon	Someone who is unpredictable and liable to cause problems.	Describing an uncontrollable or unpredictable person whose actions might cause trouble.	The new manager is a loose cannon. He makes sudden decisions without consulting anyone.
6	Diamond in the rough	An unsophisticated person with potential.	Used to describe someone who has hidden talents or positive qualities despite a rough or unpolished exterior.	Despite his lack of formal training, Jake is a diamond in the rough with exceptional artistic talent.
7	Armed to the teeth	Well-equipped or prepared.	When describing someone being heavily armed with weapons or thoroughly prepared for a situation.	The sergeant ordered the soldiers to be armed to the teeth as he expected it to be a tough fight.
8	Head and shoulders above	Much better than others.	To express that someone or something is far superior to the competition.	The winner's performance was head and shoulders above all other participants'.
9	Made his mark	To distinguish himself.	When someone achieves something significant that makes them famous or recognized.	She made her mark in the art world with her unique and captivating painting style.
10	Milk of human kindness	Compassion.	To describe a person's caring and compassionate nature, especially towards those in need.	Despite her struggles, she showed the milk of human kindness by helping the homeless in her community.
11	Food for thought	A lot to think about.	When an idea or suggestion is interesting and makes you think seriously.	Today's managers' meeting has given me a lot of food for thought.
12	Stumbling block	An obstacle.	To describe a problem or difficulty that stops you from achieving something.	Lack of funds is the main stumbling block for the company's growth.
13	Call it a day	Stop working on something.	Used at the end of a work session to decide that enough work has been done for the day.	After finishing the last report, Sarah decided to call it a day and head home early.
14	To show the white feather	To act cowardly.	To describe someone behaving in a cowardly manner, especially by avoiding a challenge or danger.	He showed the white feather by backing out of the challenge at the last minute.
15	Eats like a horse	Eats in large quantity.	To describe someone who has a very large appetite.	Bheem has been shown in the popular culture as someone who eats like a horse.
16	In stitches	Laughing uncontrollably.	When a joke or situation is so funny that it makes people laugh a lot.	The comedian's jokes were so funny that the audience was in stitches.
17	Blue in the face	Exhausted.	To describe someone being extremely tired or worn out, often from physical exertion.	Sushant looked blue in the face after the marathon.
18	Like a bat out of hell	Very fast and wildly.	To describe moving with great speed and recklessness.	He ran out of the building like a bat out of hell when the alarm went off.
19	Straight from the horse's mouth	Directly from the person involved or an authoritative source.	When you receive information from the most reliable or original source.	I need to confirm if this is true by hearing it straight from the horse's mouth.
20	In the same boat	Facing the same problem.	When two or more people are in the same difficult or unpleasant situation.	Most women are in the same boat when it comes to job satisfaction because of pay parity.
21	Hold someone's feet to the fire	Insist that someone fulfil their promises or obligations.	To pressure someone to do what they have promised or are responsible for.	The voters are holding the politician's feet to the fire to deliver on his campaign promises.
22	Ivory tower	A place or situation separated from the practical problems of normal life.	To describe a place or state of being where people are out of touch with everyday realities.	We hear the judges from their ivory tower that only CNG buses should run in Delhi.
23	Like a dying duck in a thunderstorm	Dejected or hopeless.	To describe someone looking extremely sad, depressed, or without hope.	After losing the match, the team walked off the field like a dying duck in a thunderstorm.
24	A square peg in a round hole	A person who does not fit the job or situation.	To describe someone who is unsuited for their position or environment.	John is a square peg in a round hole as a quiet person in a sales job.
25	Baker's dozen	One unit extra with one dozen (thirteen).	When a shopkeeper gives an extra item for free when a dozen are bought.	The shopkeeper smiled and added an extra egg to make it a baker's dozen.
26	Hanging by a thread	Perilously close to failing, dying, or a bad outcome.	To describe a very precarious or dangerous situation that could fail at any moment.	The company is losing money and is hanging by a thread.
27	Neck of the woods	A particular part of a town or country.	An informal way to refer to a specific area or neighborhood.	I have never been to that particular neck of the woods before.
28	To look black	To seem unfavourable.	When a situation appears very bad or without hope.	Things looked black for the team after they lost their best player to injury.
29	End of her rope	At the limit of one's patience or endurance.	When someone has no more patience or energy to deal with a difficult situation.	Sarah felt like she was at the end of her rope.
30	Under your thumb	Completely under your influence or control.	To describe someone being completely dominated or controlled by another person.	That's great! You keep everything under your thumb.
31	Drop a line	To send a brief letter or note.	A casual way to suggest someone should write a short message or letter.	If they had any questions, they could drop a line.
32	To have bigger fish to fry	To have more important things to do.	Used as a reason for not dealing with something considered less important at the moment.	I can't worry about that small project right now. I have bigger fish to fry.
33	Break a leg	To wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.	A superstitious way to wish a performer good luck without saying "good luck," which is considered bad luck.	You're going to do great in the play tonight. Break a leg!
34	A blessing in disguise	Something that seems bad at first but results in something good later.	To describe a situation that initially appeared negative but had positive outcomes.	Raju's job seemed bad at first... but resulted in a blessing in disguise.
35	At her wits' end	So worried, confused, or annoyed that one does not know what to do next.	When someone is extremely frustrated and has exhausted all possible solutions to a problem.	Fatima was at her wits' end trying to decide on a serene place for spending the holidays.
36	Five-finger discount	To steal from a shop; shoplifting.	A slang term for theft.	He got caught trying to use a five-finger discount at the electronics store.
37	On the ball	Aware of changes and quick to react to them.	To describe someone who is alert, knowledgeable, and responds quickly to situations.	The manager is really on the ball. She noticed the issues before they became major problems.
38	On the fence	Unable to decide something.	Used when someone is undecided or neutral about a choice or issue.	I'm on the fence about whether to accept the job offer or continue freelancing.
39	Cooked your goose	To interfere with, disrupt, or ruin something for someone.	When someone's actions have ensured another person's failure or downfall.	Your so-called friend has cooked your goose.
40	Care a hang	Showing no interest.	To express complete indifference or lack of concern about something.	She doesn't care a hang about the latest fashion trends.
41	Spill the beans	To tell secret information.	When someone reveals a secret, often unintentionally.	To tell others secret information only for enjoyment is not a good practice; don't spill the beans.
42	Moved heaven and earth	To try very hard.	To describe making a great effort to achieve something.	The doctors moved heaven and earth to save his mother but they were unsuccessful.
43	Hit the nail on the head	To accurately identify or explain something.	When someone's statement or description is perfectly correct.	When she said the project failed due to poor planning, she really hit the nail on the head.
44	To read between the lines	To understand the hidden meaning or what is implied rather than explicitly stated.	When you infer the real meaning from hints and suggestions in a text or conversation.	He didn't say he was upset, but you could read between the lines and sense his frustration.
45	Jump the gun	To do something too soon and too quickly.	To describe acting prematurely, before the proper time.	He jumped the gun by announcing the promotion before it was officially confirmed.
46	A dime a dozen	Something common and not special.	To describe things that are very common, easily available, and therefore not valuable.	In big cities, coffee shops are a dime a dozen.
47	Nobody's fool	Not easily deceived.	To describe a person who is intelligent and shrewd, and cannot be easily tricked.	He's nobody's fool and won't fall for that scam.
48	Beside the mark	Irrelevant or not to the point.	When an argument or comment is not relevant to the main subject of discussion.	No one was interested in the book as the arguments presented were beside the mark.
49	Fish out of water	Uncomfortable in a particular situation.	To describe feeling awkward or out of place because you are in an unfamiliar environment.	In my new office, all employees were different, so I felt like a fish out of water.
50	When life gives you lemons, make lemonade	To make the best out of difficult situations.	An optimistic saying that encourages a positive attitude and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.	Anand personally believes in the motto, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

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