IDIOMS AND PHRASES

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A toss-up
A toss-up- A result that is still unclear and can go either
way
Meaning: A result, usually between two
courses of action, which is uncertain and
could go either way.

● Who will win the Premiership this year? It

looks pretty even. I’d say it’s a toss up.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
A wolf in sheep’s clothing- A dangerous person pretending
harmless

Meaning: Someone or something that pretends to be good

or friendly but is actually trying to cause damage, harm or
take advantage of you.

● Ninety percent of car salespeople are wolves in sheep's

clothing.
Can’t cut the mustard
Can’t cut the mustard
Someone who isn’t adequate enough to compete or
participate

Meaning: unable to meet expectation

His friends and siblings helped him through his studies, but
when it came to working, he couldn’t cut the mustard.
Against the clock
Against the clock- Rushed and short on time

Meaning: in a great hurry to finish something before a

particular time

● Staff are working against the clock to meet the deadline.

All along
All along
All the time, from the beginning (without change)

Meaning: from the beginning of a period of time

● He thanked his fans during his victory speech for

supporting him all along.
Play second fiddle
Play second fiddle

Meaning : to be less important or less powerful than

someone else

● Tired of playing second fiddle, she resigned and

started her own company
Pay off old scores
Pay off old scores

Meaning : To take revenge

● His friend beat the boy

to pay off old scores.
Gain Ground
Gain Ground

Meaning: Become popular

● Michael Jackson gained

ground by working hard
Spill the beans
Spill the beans

Meaning : To disclose a secret

● If you spill the beans , you tell

someone something that people have
been trying to keep.
Turn a deaf ear
Turn a deaf ear

Meaning : Disregard / ignore what

one says
● Please do not just turn a deaf ear
to their cries for, you should find
a solution to their problems .
A bosom friend
A bosom friend

Meaning: close friend

● Modi and Obama are
bosom friends.
Tongue in Cheek
Tongue in Cheek

Meaning: to not to take someone

seriously
● If you say something tongue in
cheek, you intend it to be
understood as a joke
 FILLERS QUIZ
1. The company has been -------- on its competitors.
2. The two ladies who were arrested in case of injuring
each other for one man, were ---------- for years.
3. Did you ----------, and tell everyone that I failed my test.
4. We’d better start doing this early rather than wait now
and then race ---------- to meet the deadline.

❖ against the clock ❖ gaining ground

❖ bosom friends ❖ spill the beans
 FILLERS QUIZ
1. After the star guest didn’t turn up, John was chosen to
---------.
2. The police --------- to all the pleas made by the girl’s family.
3. One of the speakers at the business conference gave a
--------- speech about the current economic condition of the
country.
4. When a director reaches a certain age, he just ----------
anymore.

❖ turned a deaf ear ❖ play second fiddle

❖ can't cut the mustard ❖ tongue in cheek
 FILLERS QUIZ
1. Some parts of cooking are really difficult, but I
found that making spaghetti is ---------.
2. The hold of the ship was ---------.
3. The penalties themselves were less than ---------.
4. The final was going to be ------ between two evenly
matched teams, both of which had equal chances
of winning.
❖ a mare's nest ❖ a toss-up
❖ a piece of cake ❖ a slap on the wrist
 FILLERS QUIZ
1. His English is improving -------.
2. Education without the good will and expertise of the
teaching profession is --------.
3. I tried to describe that fantastic sunset and then she
just showed them a photo. You know it’s true -
----------.
4. He keeps saying he is sorry and will never do it again
but he keeps seeing other women. I guess ----------.
❖ a lost cause ❖ by leaps and bounds
❖ a leopard can’t change its ❖ a picture paints a thousand
spots words
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