200+ Useful Idioms And Phrases With Their Meaning and Example

Idioms and Phrases Meaning in English


  • At A Stretch: Non-Stop

Example- I study English at a stretch.

  • At An arm’s length: To Avoid

Example- We should keep at arm’s length a wicked person.

  • At All Cost: under any condition

Example- I have to be a gold medallist at my University at all costs.

  • At All Events: Anyway

Example- All the events I will go and fight the battle.

  • At Dagger Drawn With: Enemy

Example- That man is at dagger drawn with me.

  • At Daggers Drawn: About To Ready To Fight

Example- The two neighboring countries have several times been at daggers drawn over extraction of the natural resources from the ocean.

  • At Hand: Near

Example- Our examination is at hand.

  • At Home In: Knowledge or Familiar

Example- You are not at home in English.

  • At Issue: Dispute or Controversy

Example- The problem at issue is a matter of seriousness.

  • At Large: Free

Example- The prisoner is still at large.

  • At Random: Aimlessly Without Any Purpose

Example- This man speaks at random.

  • At Sixes And Sevenths: Confused or difficult situation

Example- Mrs. Smith is at sixes and sevenths since the death of her husband.

  • At Stake: In danger

Example- My life is at stake.

  • At The Eleventh Hour: At the last

Example- He changed his mind at the eleventh floor.

  • At Times: Occasionally

Example- At times I drink a lot.

  • Back Out: To Withdraw From A Promise Or Commitment

Example- It is foolish to back out.

  • Bad Blood: Enmity

Example- He was a bad blood.

  • Bag And Baggage: Completely

Example- India became free when the English left bag and baggage.

  • Bear Down: To Crush

Example- You have to bear down your enemy.

  • Bear Out: To Confirm

Example- What I say is true, you can bear out it.

  • Bear With: To Have Patient

Example- Hari is only a child, you should bear with him.

  • Between The Devil & Deep Sea: Having On Two Unpleasant Choices or Unacceptable choices

Example- Trying to please both his boss and his wife puts him between the devil and the deep blue sea.

  • Beyond Question: Doubtless

Example- Your honesty is beyond question.

  • Bread & Butter: needs to live

Example- Nobody can live without bread and butter.

  • Bury The Hatchet: To Make Peace

Example- Let’s stop arguing and bury the hatchet.

  • By & By: Immediately

Example- I reached the police station by & by.

  • By & Large: Considering Everything

Example- By & large this book is the best book on this subject.

  • By All Means: Certainly

Example- He helped me by all means.

  • By Far: Match Less

Example- Pandit Nehru was by far the greatest man in India.

  • By Hook or By Crook: In any way

Example- I am bound to get the highest mark by hook or by crook.

  • By Leaps and Bound: Development or rapid growth

Example- My country is making progress by leaps and bound.

  • Capital Punishment: Punishment Of Death

Example- The judge avoided the killer capital punishment.

  • Cast Down: A Sad Man

Example- Today you look very cast down.

  • Casting Vote: Final Vote

Example- Gandhi ji gave his casting vote to Hindi.

  • Crocodile Tears: False Tears

Example- That lady was dropping crocodile tears.

  • Damocles’ Sword: A Fear Every Moment

Example- A Damocles sword is hanging on my head.

  • Dog Tired: Very Tired

Example- Today I am dog tired.

  • Enough And To Spare: In Abundance

Example- I have money enough to spare.

  • Eye Wash: Deception

Example- Your promise is on eye wash.

  • Face To Face: Personally

Example- I have spoken to him face to face.

  • Fair Play: Honesty

Example- We depend upon your fair play.

  • Far & Few: Rare

Example- Nowadays your visits are far & few.

  • Fire & Sword: To Destroy

Example- Babur carried fire & sword with him in India.

  • Flesh And Blood: Human Nature

Example- Nobody can change flesh and blood.

  • From Hand To Mouth: A Poor Condition

Example- Many people live from hand to mouth in India.

  • From Pillar To Post: From Place To Place

Example- Nowadays from pillar to post there are schools.

  • Hand And Glove With: Very Close, Thick

Example- John is really hand in glove with Emma.

  • Hard Up: Shortage Of Money

Example- Nowadays I am hard up.

  • Helter Skelter: Scatter

Example- I found everything helter-skelter in my house.

  • High Time: Correct Time

Example- This is high time to do a job.

  • Hobson’s choice: No Choice

Example- We had a Hobson’s choice.

  • Hole And Corner: Secret

Example- I hate a policy of holes and corners.

  • Hue and Cry: Disapproval

Example- People raise a hue and cry.

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