More Exam Vocabulary:

Descriptive Idioms and Phrases

From May/June 2016 IGCSE English
0500 Examination
 What is an idiom?
• Definition: A group of words that, taken
together, have a meaning different from the
individual words
• Examples:
“Cross your fingers”
“Get cold feet”
“Have a change of heart”
“Raining cats and dogs”
 “swam before my eyes”
• Definition: Blurred or clouded vision, usually
as a result of a shock
• Sentence: “An instant earlier, the world swam
before my eyes.”
 a piece of cake
• Definition: very easy
• Sentence: “The chemistry exam was a piece of
cake.”
 “teeth chattering”
• Definition: Due to fear or shivering from
intense cold, one’s teeth knocked together.
• Sentence: “When I saw the assignment, my
teeth were chattering.”
 “the very marrow in my bones”
• Definition: to one’s innermost being; literally,
to the tissue inside one’s bones.
• Sentence: “The damp was chilling the very
marrow in my bones.”
 “bite the bullet”
• Definition: to get something over with
because it is inevitable (going to happen
anyway)
• Sentence: “Knowing that I was in trouble, I bit
the bullet and went to see my dad.”
 “call it a day”
• Definition: stop working on something
• Sentence: “After all the misadventures with
my project, I decided to call it a day.”
 “a blessing in disguise”
• Definition: A bad thing that turns out to be
good
• Sentence: “The lockdown turned out
to be a blessing in disguise
because we got to spend
more time with our father.”
 “beat around the bush”
• Definition: To avoid saying something, usually
because it is uncomfortable
• Sentence: “Say it straight, don’t beat around
the bush!”
 “get out of hand”
• Definition: get out of control
• Sentence: “The children got so excited about
the quiz game, it got out of hand.”
 “at the mercy of”
• Definition: under the control of; unable to
protect oneself
• Sentence: “I alone was at the mercy of the
rain-soaked night.”
 “give the benefit of the doubt”
• Definition: Trust what someone is saying
• Sentence: “When she explained what she had
been doing, I gave her the benefit of the
doubt.”
 “go back to the drawing board”
• Definition: start over
• Sentence: “I tried my best to pass the
competitive exam, but now I have to go back
to the drawing board.”
 “go unrewarded”
• Definition: fail to achieve what one is trying to
achieve
• Sentence: “Even if I told what I had seen, I
would probably go unrewarded”.
 “let someone off the hook”
• Definition: to excuse someone from
responsibility
• Sentence: “He made the mess but I let him off
the hook.”
 “let the cat out of the bag”
• Definition: revealed a secret
• Sentence: “It was supposed to be a surprise
but my little brother let the cat out of the
bag.”
 “to raise the alarm”
• Definition: to warn others
• Sentence: “With danger coming, I was just
about to raise the alarm.”
 “betray me”
• Definition: reveal my presence; go against me
• Sentence: “My dog did not betray me – not
even by the slightest sound.”
 “the last straw”
• Definition: the final blow
• Sentence: “After mocking me and exposing my
mistake, telling all my friends was the last
straw.”
• Variation: “the straw that broke the camel’s
back”
 “jump through hoops”
• Definition: put someone to a lot of effort;
make him or her go through obstacles
• Sentence: “The new boss made him jump
through the hoops.”
• Variation: “go
through the paces”
 “paint yourself into a corner”
• Definition: By your own actions, you leave
yourself no way of escape.
• Sentence: By volunteering to do more work in
the office, Rajesh has painted himself into a
corner.
 “under the weather”
• Definition: sick
• Sentence: Roshna isn’t coming to school
because she is under the weather.
 “cross that bridge
when we come to it”
• Definition: Meet that challenge later when it
arises
• Sentence: For now, let’s dry off, and as for
your Mom’s scolding, we’ll cross that bridge
when we come to it.
 “to make a long story short”
• Definition: to tell a complicated situation in a
few words
• Sentence: “To make a long story short, I was
left stranded in the desert.”
 “add insult to injury”
• Definition: make a bad situation worse
• Sentence: “First I wrecked my dad’s car, then,
to add insult to injury, I had to walk home.”