Link in Comment Section

IDIOMS & PHRASES

OF NDA(I) 2023
ANS: (b)
From Aesop's fable The Lion's Share, in which a lion
claims the full amount of the spoil after hunting with a
number of other beasts. In one version of the fable, the
lion claims three-quarters of the kill rather than the
whole, leaving the three other animals to fight over the
remainder.
ANS: (a)
White beans were used for positive votes, and for
negative votes, black beans or other dark-colored
beans were used. These votes were cast in
secret. so if someone knocked over the beans in the
jar—whether by accident or intentionally—they
“spilled the beans” and revealed the results of the
votes prematurely.
ANS: (c)
when a man called Jan Hus (an early 15th Century
religious reformer) was on his death bed and
proclaimed that the goose would now be cooked.
Supposedly the name Hus translated as 'goose'.
ANS: (d)
Othello is the first time “vanish into air” is ever
recorded. Shakespeare used a similar phrase in
The Tempest a few years later
when Prospero says, “These our actors, as I
foretold you, were all spirits, and are melted into
air, into thin air”
ANS: (a)
Sometimes it takes the form “turn the screws on
someone.” In whatever form, evokes the image
of the thumbscrew. In medieval times, this
instrument of torture was especially useful for
extracting confessions. It inflicted extraordinary
pain without killing the victim.
ANS: (c)
The idiom "to sit on the fence" originates from the
image of literally sitting on a fence and not
committing to one side or the other. Used entirely
figuratively, this saying is common in the political
arena to describe someone who refuses to back a
particular party or motion.
ANS: (d)
The phrase sharp as a tack is most often used to
describe an older person who is surprisingly
mentally alert. The idiom came into use shortly
after the turn of the twentieth century, replacing
an older idiom, sharp as a needle.
ANS: (b)
One theory is that it comes from medieval times
when people were punished by being tied to a
post of some kind and then whipped until they
were moved to a pillar somewhere in town for the
people to view.
ANS: (a)
The name "Heath Robinson" became part of
common parlance in the UK for complex
inventions that achieved absurdly simple results
following its use as services slang during the
1914–1918 First World War.
ANS: (d)
Translated from an 18th-century French saying,
“as thick as thieves” literally means “like thieves
at a fair.” It means being close, secretive, and
complicit with someone, which can have both a
positive and a negative meaning.
SYNONYMS OF
NDA(I) 2023
ANS: (a)
opulent: made with expensive material
solvent: debt free
prosperous: rich and successful
ANS: (d)
aggrieved: angry
melancholic: sadness
doleful: unhappy
mirthful: happy
ANS: (c)
prudence: wise
normalcy: state of being normal
insanity: unsound mind
sanity: sound mind
ANS: (d)
scrupulous: very careful
ANS: (c)
humdrum: boring
dreary: boring
agitating: angry
ANS: (a)
retrieval: bringing back something
forfeiture: loss of rights
corporation: body of persons
desecration: disrespectful
ANS: (a)
amiable: friendly
ANS: (b)
ANS: (c)
anticipation: expectancy
ANS: (b)
temperate: normal
exorbitant: much expensive
moderate: normal
ANTONYMS OF
NDA(I) 2023
ANS: (a)
brace: a metal
ANS: (b)
splendid: great
murky: unpleasant
dazing: shock
fulgent: bright
ANS: (d)
covert: done secretly
sneaky: secretly
ANS: (b)
verdant: green plants, happy
desolate: empty, sad
bare: naked
ANS: (a)
quietude: calmness
uproar: noise
tempest: violent storm
stir: to mix
ANS: (d)
boldness: extrovert
vigour: strong
temerity: confident
ANS: (c)
subsidence: collapse, sinking
ebbing: to be weaker
mitigation: reducing risk
ANS: (c)
rampant: uncontrollable
meager: small in amount
augmented: to increase amount.
ANS: (c)
prudence: wise
sapience: insight knowledge
ANS: (c)
IDIOMS & PHRASES
OF NDA(I) 2022
ANS: (d)
The phrase dates back to the 1300s. It is believed
that it relates to entering a dark forest, in some
places the trees are thick and overgrown while in
other places it is sparse and easy to navigate.
During this time the majority of England was
covered in wooded areas.
ANS: (a)
The origin is speculated to be a part of the ancient
British English language when poultry and animal
farming was a major source of earning an income.
The chicken eggs would not always hatch out and
hence a farmer counting the chicken eggs before
they hatch would be over-estimating his future
profits.
ANS: (b)
The first cakes, though, were made in Neolithic
times, and were often quite similar to bread. It's
safe to say that the first time anyone used the
idiom 'Icing on the cake' was sometime after
1769, when cakes became much more enjoyable
thanks to the addition of fancy toppings.
ANS: (d)
Many theories on the origin. The most popular
being that it originated at sea – when a sail ripped
due to strong winds, it was necessary to sew it up
right away before it became so damaged it was
useless.
ANS: (c)
The origin of this idiom can be traced back to the 14th century
when there was a dispute between the Merchant Taylors (tailors)
and the Skinners Livery Companies (fur makers) about what
position they would be in the Order of Precedence. Both groups
wanted to be in the sixth place. After years of argument, the then
Lord Mayor of London named Sir Robert Billesden decided that
the groups swap between the sixth and seventh place at the feast
of Corpus Christi. Till date, they alternate these positions in the
Order of Precedence..
ANS: (a)
While the exact origin of the phrase is unknown, it
is often traced back to the Cornish beam engines
of the Newcomen era in the 18th century. These
engines could pump 19,000 gallons from a tin
mile. All this from just 12 bushels of coal. In
speech, the phrase means someone who talks
too fast or too much.
ANS: (d)
Under the weather has its roots in maritime
language. When a sailor became ill or seasick,
often because of violent weather conditions, that
sailor was sent below decks to the most stable
part of the ship, which was under the weather rail.
The phrase under the weather rail was shortened
to the idiom under the weather.
ANS: (c)
The idiom "to sit on the fence" originates from the
image of literally sitting on a fence and not
committing to one side or the other. Used entirely
figuratively, this saying is common in the political
arena to describe someone who refuses to back a
particular party or motion.
ANS: (c)
Origin. The concept behind the origination of this
idiom is second but rare appearance of the full
moon in same month. Blue moon is the full moon
that appears second time in same calendar month
and this phenomenon happens only once in 32
months.
ANS: (a)
According to some scholars, John Gower was the first
person to use it in his text 'Confessio Amantis' written in
1390. When you say that two people are like 'chalk and
cheese', you are suggesting that the two are very
different from each other; they have nothing in common.
SYNONYMS OF
NDA(I) 2022
ANS: (a)
admonish: rebuke gently
revile: to attack with abusive language
ANS: (a)
ANS: (a)
inadept: no skill
clumsy: awkward
ANS: (d)
dilly dallying: wandering
procrastinating: to postpone
conscientious: alert
ANS: (d)
expansive: very wide
jolly: happy
withdrawn: reserved
ANS: (a)
callous: indifferent
garrulous: talkative
credulous: trustful
ANS: (d)
introspective: inward looking
generous: kind
chirpy: happy
sullen: bad tempered.
ANS: (c)
enthusiastic: motivated
eager: motivated
ANS: (d)
ANS: (a)
complaisant: Helping Others
covert: done secretly
complacent: satisfied no matter what
conniving: secretly
ANTONYMS OF
NDA(I) 2022
ANS: (b)
coarse: rough
eager: motivated
ANS: (a)
diffidence: no confidence
eager: motivated
ANS: (d)
ANS: (c)
muddled: confusing
malevolent: harmful
ambivalent: mix feeling
ANS: (a)
crude: simple
ANS: (d)
ANS: (b)
cloudburst: heavy rainfall
drought: no rain
drizzle: light rain
deforestation: cutting forest
ANS: (c)
hostility: enmity
ANS: (b)
deviousness: dishonest
ANS: (d)
Tendency: inclination
affinity: liking
IDIOMS & PHRASES
OF NDA(II) 2022
ANS: (a)
Someone who is very strange. Primarily heard in
UK. Everyone could tell he was a queer fish as
soon as he walked into the party with his
mismatched clothing.
ANS: (d)
This simile alludes to the mistaken impression
that birds don't eat much (they actually do,
relative to their size), and dates from the first half
of the 1900s. An antonym is eat like a horse,
dating from the early 1700s, and alluding to the
tendency of horses to eat whatever food is
available.
ANS: (b)
People who have a bone to pick can be said to
lock horns too. The phrase appears in an 1865
poem by Algernon Swinburne to describe the
domestic disagreement of a heifer and her mate
locking horns.
ANS: (d)
Early bird comes from a seventeenth century
English proverb, "The early bird catches the
worm," which means that people who are well
prepared are usually the most successful.
ANS: (a)
The origin of the phrase "in the pink" dates back
to the late 1500s when a version of the saying
appeared in Shakespeare's classic, "Romeo and
Juliet". In Shakespeare's usage, though, it meant
an outstanding example, with no connotation of
health or vitality.
ANS: (c)
The idiom "be in the running" means to be a
candidate or contender in a competition, contest,
or selection process. The exact origin of this idiom
is not well-documented, but it likely originates
from the world of racing, particularly horse racing.
ANS: (b)
The idiom "a sea change" refers to a profound
transformation or shift in something, often
referring to a significant change in attitudes,
beliefs, or circumstances. The origin of this
phrase can be traced back to William
Shakespeare's play "The Tempest," which was
believed to have been written around 1610-1611.
ANS: (c)
The idiom "a pearl of wisdom" refers to a valuable
piece of wise advice or insight. The origin of this
idiom can be traced back to the imagery of pearls
as rare and precious gems, often associated with
wisdom and knowledge. The phrase is used
metaphorically to convey the idea that a valuable
piece of wisdom is as precious and sought-after
as a pearl.
ANS: (d)
The idiom "in seventh heaven" means to be in a
state of extreme happiness, bliss, or euphoria. Its
origin can be traced back to ancient religious and
mystical beliefs, as well as cultural references
throughout history.
ANS: (a)
The idiom "be in the red" is a financial term that
refers to a situation where an individual, business,
or organization has a negative balance or is
operating with a deficit. The origin of this idiom
can be traced back to bookkeeping and
accounting practices.
SYNONYMS OF
NDA(II) 2022
ANS: (b)
benign: kind
slander: false statement about someone
greet: to welcome
ANS: (c)
ANS: (a)
notion: assumption
conceit: arrogant
ANS: (a)
ANS: (c)
ANS: (a)
vacillating: Stubborn and uncertain mind
wily: clever.
ANS: (b)
catastrophic: disastrous
ANS: (c)
ANS: (c)
ANTONYMS OF
NDA(II) 2022
ANS: (b)
complacency: ego
ANS: (c)
murky: unpleasant
vague: not clear
ANS: (d)
enormous: very large
striking: impressive
ANS: (c)
sturdy: healthy
delicate: weak
ANS: (d)
wretched: unlucky
miserable: bad condition
ANS: (c)
ANS: (c)
desiccated: dried food
scorched: to burn
ANS: (a)
ANS: (b)
ample: abundance
plethora: large amount
ANS: (d)
overwhelming: extremely great