& testbook.com Idioms and Phrases for SSC CGL PDF - Download For Free! Questions related to idioms and phrases are common in the English section of various SSC exams. As per the analysis, SSC CGL includes at least 4-5 idioms questions. Keeping this in mind, we are providing over 100 important idioms and phrases for SSC CGL. These can also be revised for other SSC exams, Since idioms can be difficult to decipher and memorize, we have shared some tips to help you remember them longer. We have also provided a PDF with SSC CGL idioms and phrases that can be downloaded below. Mastering idioms and phrases for SSC CGL is important because: ‘The Commission routinely includes 4-5 idioms questions worth 1-2 marks each. Assessing your familiarity with common English idioms and ability to infer their meanings. Many idioms repeat across years, so memorizing high-frequency ones can earn quick marks. The provided PDF covers frequently tested idioms for SSC CGL like: shoulder the responsibility, at cross purposes, lose heart, etc. Revising these along with sample questions and using memory tools will help you prepare for actual idioms questions on the SSC CGL exam. Download Idioms and Phrases for ‘L. PDF Now! Idioms and Phrases for SSC CGL PDF - Top 100 Words List The provided list covers the top 100 most important idioms for SSC CGL that frequently appear in past exam papers Revising these idioms and practicing with sample questions will help you prepare well to gain maximum marks from idiom questions on the actual SSC CGL exam. Memorizing idioms on this list can quickly earn you valuable marks since many repeat across exam years. have to think about what to do next. Know how to prepare effectively for SSC CGL English section here. Idioms and Phrases Meaning Usage in Sentence 1. Apiece of cake Something that is easy to understand or | Completing the assignment was a piece do of cake for him. T T 2. Beat around the bush | To avoid the main topic Stop beating around the bush and get to the point. 3. Cry over spilt milk To complain about a loss in the past There's no use crying over spilt milk. We4. Don't count your chickens before they hatch Don't plan anything that depends ona good thing you expect to happen in the future He's already planning to buy a car with his bonus, but I told him not to count his chickens before they hatch. 5. Every cloud has a silver lining Every bad situation has some good aspect Even though I lost my job, I believe that every cloud has a silver lining. Maybe I'l get a better one. 6. Feel a bit under the weather Feeling slightly ill I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. 7. Get out of hand To lose control The situation got out of hand and the police had to be called. 8, Hit the nail on the head Do or say something exactly right ‘You've really hit the nail on the head with that answer. 9. In the heat of the moment Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment In the heat of the moment, he said things he later regretted, 10, Jump on the bandwagon Join a popular activity When e-commerce started booming, many businesses jumped on the bandwagon. 11. Keep something at bay Keep something away The vaccine has helped to keep the virus at bay. 12. Lose one’s touch Not be able to do something as well as, before He's lost his touch in playing piano. 13. Make a long story short Tell something briefly To make a long story short, we won the game.14, No pain, no gain You can't achieve anything without effort You have to study hard for your exams, No pain, no gain. 15, Out of the blue Unexpectedly He arrived out of the blue after two years of silence. 16, Put something on ice Postpone something for later Welll have to put our plans on ice due to the pandemic. 17. Queer the pitch Spoil a plan He queered the pitch by revealing the surprise. 18, Rain on someone's parade Ruin someone's plans or mood Don't rain on her parade by criticising her achievements. 19. Spill the beans Reveal secret information, She spilled the beans about the surprise party. 20. Take with a grain of salt Not to take something too seriously Take his advice with a grain of salt; he's not always right. 21. Up inarms Very angry The residents are up in arms over the proposed demolition of the library. 22. Vanish into thin air | Disappear completely The magician made the rabbit vanish into thin air, 23. Wear one’s heart on one's sleeve Show one’s emotions openly She always wears her heart on her sleeve, you can tell when she's upset24, X marks the spot Used to indicate a precise location In the treasure map, X marks the spot where the treasure is buried. 25. You can't judge a book by its cover Don't judge someone or something by appearance alone He seems quiet, but you can't judge a book by its cover. 26. Zero in on Focus closely on The police have zeroed in on a suspect. 27. Break a leg Good luck Break a leg in your performance tonight. 28. Cool as a cucumber Very calm and composed he is as cool as a 29. Down in the dumps Feeling depressed He's been down in the dumps since his girlfriend broke up with him 30. Elephant in the An obvious problem that people avoid ‘We need to address the elephant in the room, discussing room and talk about our financial problems. 31. Fit as a fiddle In good health After a week in the hospital, she's as fit as a fiddle now. 32. Go the extra mile Make more effort than is expected of you He always goes the extra mile to ensure his customers are satisfied 33. Hit the books Start studying seriously With exams next week, I need to hit the books.34. Ina pickle Ina difficult situation He's in a pickle now that his lie has been exposed. 35. Just what the doctor ordered Exactly what was needed This vacation is just what the doctor ordered. 36. Kick the bucket 37. Let the cat out of the bag Die Reveal a secret He lived a long life before he kicked the bucket. I et the cat out of the bag about their wedding plans. 38. Miss the boat Miss an opportunity He missed the boat on that deal. 39. Not playing with a full deck 40. Once ina blue moon Someone who lacks intelligence Very rarely I think he's not playing with a full deck: We only see each other once in a blue moon. 41. Put all your eggs in one basket Risk everything by investing all in one plan Don't put all your eggs in one basket; you should diversify your investments. 42. Quiet as a mouse 43. Rule of thumb, Very quiet A broadly accurate guide or principle Be as quiet as a mouse while I put the baby to sleep. Asa rule of thumb, I don't eat after 8 pm. 44, Smell a rat Start to suspect trickery or deception I smell a rat; they are being unusually nice to me.45, Take it with a pinch of salt Consider something to be not completely true or right ‘You must take everything he says with a pinch of salt. 46. Under the weather Feeling ill or sick I'm feeling a bit under the weather, I think I have a cold. 47. Variety is the spice of life Changes and new experiences make life more enjoyable I love to travel, variety is the spice of life. 48. When pigs fly Something that will never happen He'll tidy up his room when pigs fly. 49. You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs It's impossible to achieve anything significant without causing some harm Well have to cut costs somewhere; you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. 30. Zip your lip Keep quiet Zip your lip, I'm trying to concentrate. 51. Barking up the wrong tree Make a wrong assumption about something He's barking up the wrong tree if he thinks I stole his wallet. I have an alibi. 52. Bite the bullet Face a difficult or unpleasant situation, with courage T know the surgery will be tough, but I'm ready to bite the bullet and get it over with, 53. Cry wolf Give a false alarm or exaggerate a situation He's always crying wolf about his problems. I don't believe him anymore. 54, Devil's advocate Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument Tl play devil's advocate and present the opposing viewpoint.33, Easy as pie Very easy Don't worry, the task is easy as pie, 56. Fish out of water Feeling uncomfortable or out of place in a particular situation ‘Asan introvert, attending parties makes me feel like a fish out of water 57. Golden opportunity A great chance or opportunity Don't miss this golden opportunity to showcase your talent. 58. Hit the ground running Start a project or task quickly and energetically Thad to hit the ground running on my first day at the new job. 59. Ignorance is bliss ‘Not knowing about a problem or situation allows one to be happier She chose not to know about the gossip because ignorance is bliss. 60. Jack of all trades Someone who can do many different tasks or jobs He's a jack of all trades; he can fix a car, paint a house, and cook a gourmet meal. 61. Keep your chin up Remain cheerful and optimistic in difficult times Things may be tough right now, but keep your chin up. I'l get better. 62. Leave no stone unturned Do everything possible to find a solution or get information Welll leave no stone unturned untill we find the missing keys. 63. Monkey business Silly or foolish behavior Stop the monkey business and focus on the task at hand. 64. Nip in the bud Deal with a problem or situation at an early stage He addressed the issue immediately, trying to nip it in the bud,65. On cloud nine Feeling extreme happiness or joy ‘Afier winning the championship, she was on cloud nine. 66, Play it by ear Decide or act spontaneously based on the situation ‘We don't have a specifie plan; let's just play it by ear. 67. Quick as a flash Very fast or quickly He responded quick as a flash when the alarm went off. 68. Rome wasn't built inaday Great things take time to achieve Don't expect immediate results. Rome wasn't built in a day. 69, Shake a leg Hurry up or move quickly ‘We need to leave soon; shake a leg! 70. Taste of your own medicine Experience the same negative treatment you have given to others He had always been mean to his colleagues, and now he's getting a taste of his own medicine. 71. Up for grabs Available for anyone to take or win The last ticket to the concert is up for grabs. 72. Vanishing point A point in the distance where something disappears from view The road seemed to stretch to the vanishing point. 73. Whole nine yards The complete or full extent of something She went all out and decorated the whole house for the party, the whole nine yards. 74, X-factor A special quality or factor that sets someone or something apart Her confidence and charisma are her x- factor.75. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours Help each other mutually Ifyou cover my shift today, I'l cover yours next week. You scratch my back, Till scratch yours. 76. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush It's better to have something certain or available now than to expect something better in the future I'm not quitting my job without a new one lined up. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 77. Back to the drawing board Starting over or going back to the beginning because the previous attempt failed The project didn't meet the expectations, so we have to go back to the drawing board. 78. Caught between a rock and a hard place Being ina situation where there are no ‘good options She was caught between a rock and a hard place, having to choose between her job and her family. 79, Diamond in the rough Someone or something with potential, but needs polishing or development He may be a bit rough around the edges, but he's a diamond in the rough. 80. Early bird catches the worm ‘The person who starts or arrives early has an advantage Talways wake up early to study. The early bird catches the worm. 81. Face the music Accept the consequences of one's actions He knew he had to face the music and apologize for his mistake. 82. Go down the rabbit hole To delve into a confusing or complex situation or topic I started researching about quantum, physics and went down the rabbit hole of scientific theories. 83, Haste makes waste When you rush and don't do things carefully, you're likely to make mistakes Take your time with the project. Remember, haste makes waste.84, In hot water In trouble or facing difficulties He's in hot water after missing the deadline. 85, Jack of all trades, master of none Someone who is competent in many things but doesn't excel in any particular skill He can do a bit of everything, but he's a jack of all trades, master of none. 86. Keep your fingers crossed Hope for good luck or success Thave a job interview tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me. 87. Let sleeping dogs lie Avoid stirring up trouble or reopening old conflicts It's best to let sleeping dogs lie and not bring up past issues. 88. Make hay while the sun shines Take advantage of an opportunity while it's available The store is offering a discount. Let's make hay while the sun shines and buy what we need. 89, Nota hair out of place Immaculately neat and tidy She always looks perfect, not a hair out of place. 90. On thin ice Ina risky or precarious situation He's on thin ice with his boss after making that mistake 91. Penny for your thoughts Asking someone what they're thinking about ‘You look lost in thought. Penny for your thoughts? 92. Quick on the draw Reacting or responding quickly He's known for being quick on the draw and always having a clever comeback. 93. Rain or shine Regardless of the weather conditions The event will take place, rain or shine.94, See eye to eye Agree or have the same opinion as someone else They rarely see eye to eye on political matter 95, Taste of vietory The feeling of success or accomplishment After months of training, she finally had a taste of vietory. 96. Up a creek without a paddle In a difficult or challenging situation without any means of help or solution We're up a creek without a paddle if the car breaks down and we're in the middle of nowhere, 97. Variety is the spice of life Changes and new experiences make life more enjoyable I love trying different cuisines. Variety is the spice of life. 98. When in Rome, do as the Romans do Adapt to the customs and behaviors of the place you're in When visiting a foreign country, i's best to observe local customs and do as the Romans do. 99, Year in, year out Happening consistently or repeatedly every year They have been celebrating the festival year in, year out. 100. Zero hour ‘The exact time when an event is scheduled to begin We need to be at the venue by zero hour for the concert. Idioms and Phrases for SSC CGL Quiz Questions Below are multiple-choice questions based on idioms and phrases for an SSC CGL: "To ery over spilt milk" means: Bene a) To complain about a loss in the past b) To express joy over a recent accomplishment ©) To avoid a difficult situation 4d) To appreciate a good deed Correct answer: a) To complain about a loss in the past "To hit the nail on the head" means: a) To miss the target completely 3, b) To break something accidentallya 4, d) Todo or say something exactly right Correct answer: d) To do or say something exactly "To keep something at bay" means: a) To keep something away b) To hide something from others ¢) To delay making a decision 4, & To exaggerate the importance of something wee Correct answer: a) To keep something away "To let the cat out of the bag" means: a) To buy a cat as a pet 1 3, b) To reveal a secret 3. ©) Tosolve a difficult problem 4. @Totake a risk Correct answer: b) To reveal a secret "To take with a grain of salt” means: a) To take something very seriously 1 5, b) To ignore or doubt something to some extent 3. ©) To share something with others 4, & Totake immediate action Correct answer: b) To ignore or doubt something to some extent "To be up in arms" means: a) To be physically fit b) To be extremely angry or outraged c) To be confused or lost 4. & Tobe financially stable Correct answer: b) To be extremely angry or outraged "To kick the bucket" means: a) To kick a bucket as a sport b) To give up oma task ©) To die 4 & To break a bucket accidentally wpe Correct answer: ¢) To die "To have a chip on one's shoulder" means: a) To be angry about something b) To carry a bag of chips €) To have a friendly attitude 4) To be proud of one’s achievements Sone Correct answer: a) To be angry about something "To let sleeping dogs lie" means: a) To wake up early in the morning b) To avoid bringing up old issues or conflicts ©) To keep dogs as pets eeeooo Correct answer: b) To avoid bringing up old issues or conflicts "To be on thin ice” means: a) To have a thin ice cream cone b) To be ina dangerous or risky situation c) To be an excellent skater 4. @ To have a cold temperature Correct answer: b) To be in a dangerous or risky situation Download SSC CGL Previous Year Papers Now! How to prepare idioms and phrases for SSC CGL? Below are some tips to prepare idioms and phrases for the SSC CGL exam: Make flashcards. Create physical or digital flashcards with the idiom, meaning and example sentence. Go through the flashcards frequently for revision. Group by meaning. Organize idioms into categories based on similar meanings. For example, you could have groups for idioms related to trouble, ones related to failure, related to luck, etc. This will help with memory recall Create stories. Make up stories or jokes to associate idioms with their meanings. The more ereative, the better for memory fixation. Practice examples. Say the idiom and then give your own example sentence to internalize its usage. Example sentences on flashcards can also help with recall Refer to PDF lists. Study the idioms and phrases PDF lists provided for SSC CGL. Revise frequently and test your recall over time. Solve previous papers. Attempt previous year question papers that have idiom-based questions. Analyze which idioms repeat frequently. Use social media. Read idioms used in social media posts, comments, pages, etc. This exposes you to their usage in real contexts. Learn antonyms. Try to remember the antonym of the idiom to reinforce its meaning. Contrasting memories can strengthen each other. Hopefully, this article on the SSC CGL Idioms and Phrases was informative to you. For better preparation assistance of SSC CGL and other Govt. competitive exams, the candidates can download the Testbook App. Here you get online classes, test series and previous year’s papers all at one place. Diestbook The Complete Exam Preparation alt) Ay