Idioms By Sir Kazim For CSS PMS Aspirants

The following is the list of commonly used idioms. Sir Syed Kazim Ali sets the list to help his students build extraordinary expressions to score the maximum marks.

1	A Bad Egg
Meaning	A worthless fellow or friend
Ex.	A bad egg never helps in difficult times.
2	A Beast of Burden
Meaning	An animal used for carrying heavy loads or pulling heavy equipment, such as a donkey, mule, or ox.
Ex.	In the villages, bulls are still used as beasts of burden in the fields.
3	A Bed of Roses
Meaning	An easy life; A pleasant place to work or stay
Ex.	One should work hard to make his life a bed of roses.
4	A Bed of Thorns
Meaning	Full of difficulties and troubles
Ex.	It is a person’s incompetency that makes his life a bed of thorns.
5	A Bird of Prey
Meaning	A bird that kills and eats other creatures
Ex.	Vultures are the bird of prey, living in every part of the world except Australia and Antarctica.
6	A Bird’s Eye View
Meaning	A brief survey of something
Ex.	The investigation team has taken a bird’s eye view of the tax report and estimated the tax evasion.
7	A Black Sheep
Meaning	The odd or bad member of the group
Ex.	The company detected the black sheep in the team and fired him to maintain positive decorum.
8	A Blank Cheque
Meaning	Permission to do what one feels necessary with complete freedom
Ex.	The British rulers never gave the then Indian Muslims a blank cheque in the form of self-government in the Indian Council Act, 1909.
9	A Blue Stocking
Meaning	A woman who prides herself on her learning
Ex.	At present, the world needs bluestockings instead of women with materialistic mindsets.
10	A Bone of Contention
Meaning	A cause of dispute
Ex.	The Kashmir dispute has always been a bone of contention between Pakistan and India since 1947.
11	A Bookworm
Meaning	A person who reads a lot
Ex.	Parents should focus on their kids so that they would grow up into bookworms instead of social media influencers.
12	A Bosom Friend
Meaning	A very intimate friend
Ex.	It is very difficult to find a bosom friend in today’s fake world.
13	A Brainwave
Meaning	A sudden good idea
Ex.	A brainwave about reading a novel popped up in her mind, which changed her spoiled mood.
14	A Breathing-Space
Meaning	A short time in which one can have a rest
Ex.	There should be a breathing space between at least two classes.
15	A Bright Spark
Meaning	A very lively, cheerful person
Ex.	Having a bright spark as a friend is nothing but a blessing of God.
16	A Broken Reed
Meaning	An unreliable person or thing
Ex.	One broken reed could lead the whole team towards failure.
17	A Bull’s Eye
Meaning	The inner disk of a target, surrounded by rings of increasing magnitude
Ex.	The archer won five thousand rupees as an award for getting full points after hitting the bull’s eye.
18	A Burning Question
Meaning	A question eagerly discussed by many people
Ex.	Political polarization has become a burning question nowadays amid the country’s political instability.
19	A Burnt Offering
Meaning	A meal or part of the meat, which has been burnt
Ex.	She has to cook food again because she cannot serve the guests a burnt offering.
20	A Busman’s Holiday
Meaning	A holiday spent doing something similar to what one does in one’s job
Ex.	Amna works at the restaurant and enjoys a busman’s holiday cooking food for her family.
21	A Cock and Bull Story
Meaning	An absurd tale
Ex.	She told her family a cock and bull story about the trip.
22	A Cry in the Wilderness
Meaning	A Voice of protest heeded by no one
Ex.	The masses’ pleas for basic rights are a cry in the wilderness amid the politico-economic chaos in a country.
23	A Dark Horse
Meaning	A competitor whose chance of winning the world knows nothing
Ex.	He is a dark horse; we had no idea that he had learnt the whole task.
24	A Dead Letter
Meaning	An issue, law, or matter that is no longer important or that no longer has force or power
Ex.	She keeps trying to raise the slogan of gender equality, but it is a dead letter now.
25	A Dead-Head
Meaning	A person who obtains entrance into entertainment without paying; a Sponger
Ex.	There were a lot of dead heads in the last night’s show due to the extreme rush.
26	A Dog in the Manger
Meaning	A person who prevents others from enjoying what he cannot
Ex.	Ali is a dog in the manger; he would never lend his story books to other children even after growing up.
27	A Double Entendre
Meaning	A remark covering a concealed meaning, usually having a questionable reference
Ex.	She always gave me double entendre comments on my dressing.
28	A Fancy Price
Meaning	A very high price
Ex.	You have to pay a fancy price to buy the watch.
29	A Far Cry
Meaning	Very different; A long distance
Ex.	Imparting justice to the masses is a far cry in a politically polarized country.
30	A Feather in One’s Cap
Meaning	An honour
Ex.	Her job approval in the government sector has added a feather to her cap.
31	A Fish out of Water
Meaning	Appearing to be completely out of place; In a very awkward manner
Ex.	Ayesha looked like a fish out of water in the meeting, so the boss did not allow her any task.
32	A Fool’s Paradise
Meaning	Dreamworld
Ex.	You must be in a fool’s paradise if you are thinking about health reforms in such an economic state of the country.
33	A Ghost of a Chance
Meaning	Even the slightest chance
Ex.	There is no ghost of a chance that Ali would win the polo competition today.
34	A Herculean Task
Meaning	A task requiring tremendous effort
Ex.	It is a herculean task to put a rapid end to the anathema of corruption in the country.
35	A Jail Bird
Meaning	One who is jailed regularly
Ex.	Akram is famous as a jailbird minister in his colony.
36	A Laughing Stock
Meaning	An object of fun and ridicule
Ex.	Sana has become a laughing stock in her office due to her stupid activities.
37	A Lump Sum
Meaning	A sum given at one time to cover several smaller payments
Ex.	The lump sum pension of her father was not enough for covering all the study expenses.
38	A Man of Letters
Meaning	A scholar
Ex.	A developing nation needs men of letters instead of mere degree holders to progress in the competitive world.
39	A Man of Straw
Meaning	A weak person; A dummy; An unreal person
Ex.	It’s unworthy to discuss an important issue related to any field with a man of straw.
40	A Narrow Escape or Shave
Meaning	To escape by a little margin
Ex.	The police arrived at the location on time, and the family had a narrow escape from the kidnapping.
41	A Queer Fish
Meaning	A strange person
Ex.	He seems a queer fish to me, so I suggest you stay away from him.
42	A Rainy Day
Meaning	Time of trouble and difficulty
Ex.	She has saved a lot of money in the bank for the rainy days.
43	A Red Letter Day
Meaning	An auspicious or happy day
Ex.	The convocation day is always a red letter day for the graduates.
44	Hum and Haw
Meaning	Be indecisive
Ex.	She began to hum and haw when I asked about her fiancé.
45	A Shooting Pain
Meaning	A sharp and recurring pain; A sharp pain constant for a certain duration
Ex.	Her leg injury is cured, but she still feels a shooting pain at regular intervals.
46	A Slip of the Pen
Meaning	A slight error in writing
Ex.	A slip of the pen has changed the meaning of her answer.
47	A Snail’s Pace
Meaning	Very slowly
Ex.	She does grab all the concepts but at a snail’s pace.
48	A Square Deal
Meaning	A fair agreement
Ex.	They could not make a square deal in their business, which led them to bankruptcy.
49	A Stick-in-the-Mud
Meaning	A slow person who is whole without the spirit of enterprise or adventure
Ex.	Faiza is a stick in the mud and that is why no one is interested in inviting her to parties.
50	A Wet Blanket
Meaning	A person who spoils the enjoyment
Ex.	You could win a wet blanket award because of your overthinking habit.
51	A White Lie
Meaning	A minor or acceptable lie
Ex.	She told you a white lie, for she does not want to spoil your excitement related to the vacations.
52	A Wild Goose Chase
Meaning	To try to do something impossible
Ex.	It is a wild goose chase to find the right direction without the internet.
53	A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Meaning	A hypocrite
Ex.	We must recognize and be aware of the wolves in sheep’s clothing in our surroundings.
54	A. B. C.
Meaning	The elementary or basic knowledge of something
Ex.	Atiqa is a social sciences student; therefore, she does not know the A.B.C. of medical science.
55	Above all
Meaning	Something of the greatest importance
Ex.	A person’s education, above all, is the only tool for him to bring a positive change in society.
56	Above Board
Meaning	Legitimate; Honest
Ex.	You should always be above board in every matter of your life if you want to be successful.
57	Acquit Oneself
Meaning	To achieve a distinction with one’s efforts
Ex.	Ali’s management group acquitted itself well throughout the food festival event.
58	Across the Board
Meaning	Applying in all cases
Ex.	The government should formulate pragmatic policies across the board to uplift the social, political, and economic structure of the country.
59	After All
Meaning	Essentially; Ultimately
Ex.	I could never hurt her by my words. After all, she is my friend.
60	Aid and Abet
Meaning	To assist someone in doing something illegal
Ex.	To aid and abet somebody in criminal acts is not what a good friend does.
61	Air One’s Grievances
Meaning	To openly express one’s complaints
Ex.	The proper functionality of the local government would provide the masses with a platform to air their grievances regarding prevailing social issues.
62	Aladdin’s Lamp
Meaning	A lamp that grant’s its owner’s wishes
Ex.	You must work hard to succeed in the examination. There is no Aladdin’s lamp that can help you in this case.
63	All and Sundry
Meaning	Each and everyone
Ex.	All and sundry are going to attend the wedding ceremony of their cousin.
64	All at Once
Meaning	Suddenly
Ex.	The government announced to the adoption of a strict lockdown policy all at once when the COVID-19 mortality rate rose.
65	All in All
Meaning	Of the most importance; All-powerful
Ex.	Every branch of the government is all in all in its nature; however, they are accountable to each other too.
66	All is Fish That Comes to His Net
Meaning	Describes someone’s ability to utilize anything available
Ex.	The best quality of Chef Amna is that she cooks delicious food with all the available ingredients, showing that all is fish that comes to her net.
67	Alpha and Omega
Meaning	The beginning and the end
Ex.	I do not even know the alpha and omega of any social sciences subject.
68	An Act of God
Meaning	An unexpected natural event
Ex.	The abrupt change in weather is an act of god for the students appearing in exams next year.
69	An Angel of Mercy
Meaning	Someone who brings help when needed the most
Ex.	Always try to become an angel of mercy for others.
70	An Axe to Grind
Meaning	Something done for one’s selfish interest
Ex.	He offered a lot of jobs to the locals for the development of society, and he has no political axes to grind.
71	Answer back
Meaning	To respond rudely (usually to a request, instruction, or rebuke)
Ex.	She answered back to her parents when they scolded her last night for coming home late from the party.
72	Any Old How
Meaning	Untidily; Without any special care
Ex.	She throws all her dresses and books into her room any old how.
73	Apple of Discord
Meaning	A cause of dispute
Ex.	Water dispute is the apple of discord between Pakistan and India since their inception.
74	Apple of One’s Eye
Meaning	A treasured possession or person
Ex.	Salma is the apple of her mother’s eye; that is why she never lets her daughter go anywhere without her.
75	Arm in Arm
Meaning	Walking with linked arms (in a friendly manner)
Ex.	Both friends were crossing the corridor arm in arm, chatting with each other.
76	As A Matter of Course
Meaning	Used to say that something will happen as usual
Ex.	It is a matter of course that her father would pay the bill for the restaurant after dinner.
77	As Bold as Brass
Meaning	Having no modesty
Ex.	Pakistan’s army prepared its soldiers as bold as brass for the tough defence competition at the borders.
78	As Different as Chalk from Cheese
Meaning	Very different
Ex.	Her method of delivering the lecture is as different as chalk from cheese.
79	As Dull as Ditchwater
Meaning	Uninteresting
Ex.	The movie in the theatre was as dull as ditchwater last night.
80	As the Crow Flies
Meaning	Directly; Without stopping or deviation
Ex.	After having left Naran early in the morning, we reached Lahore late at night just as the crow flies.
81	At a Loss
Meaning	Uncertain
Ex.	Bisma got so excited after the publication of her work that she was at a loss for words.
82	At a Stone’s Throw
Meaning	Very near
Ex.	There is a pond at a stone’s throw from her house, yet she is not allowed to go there alone.
83	At a Stretch
Meaning	Continuously
Ex.	She has been working in the kitchen at a stretch since morning.
84	At All Costs or Any Cost
Meaning	No matter the price or effort involved
Ex.	The aspirants have to follow a strict routine at all costs to complete their daily tasks for better exam preparation.
85	At All Events
Meaning	In any case.
Ex.	The country’s government should formulate and implement pragmatic policies at official levels to curb the menace of corruption prevalent in the country.
86	At Arm’s Length
Meaning	Avoid being very friendly with someone or something.
Ex.	Due to her trust issues, she keeps everyone at arm’s length.
87	At Bay
Meaning	Keep someone at a distance; Be defensive
Ex.	Pakistan’s army always kept the Indian attackers at bay.
88	At Best
Meaning	Taking an optimistic view; The best estimate
Ex.	At best, the basic commodities’ price would not hike in the market this year.
89	At Crack of Dawn
Meaning	Early in the morning
Ex.	She goes for a walk after reciting the Holy Quran at crack of dawn every day.
90	At Dagger’s Drawn
Meaning	In hostility
Ex.	Russia and Ukraine were at daggers drawn for many years, which has now resulted in a full-scale war.
91	At Death’s Door
Meaning	Close to dying
Ex.	The opponents gave him poison, which led him to death’s door. But luckily, he is safe and healthy now.
92	At Home
Meaning	Comfortable
Ex.	She would feel at home after some days in her new city.
93	At Large
Meaning	Free; On the loose
Ex.	Many criminals are at large due to the lack of accountability in the country.
94	At Length
Meaning	In detail
Ex.	She delivered the lecture at length to the whole class.
95	At Random
Meaning	Unsystematically
Ex.	Kashifa piled up all her books at random on the desk.
96	At Sea
Meaning	Confused
Ex.	I was at sea when confronted with the Current Affairs question paper, for I have never studied the subject.
97	At Sixes and Sevens
Meaning	A state of confusion
Ex.	Go to sleep. You will be unable to work when you are sleep deprived and at sixes and sevens.
98	At Stake
Meaning	At risk
Ex.	Sahir’s life was at stake, but he ran after the thief to get the money back from the latter.
99	At the Eleventh Hour
Meaning	At the last moment
Ex.	Please don’t submit your work at the eleventh hour. Anything can go wrong with technology, leading you to a loss.
100	Bad Blood
Meaning	Animosity
Ex.	The bad blood between the two families brought about the tragic end of Romeo and Juliet.
101	Bad Debts
Meaning	Debts that are not expected to be paid by the customer
Ex.	A business went bankrupt due to significant bad debts.
102	Bad Shot
Meaning	A wrong guess at something
Ex.	When Sandy hit a bad shot, he immediately tries to cover up.
103	Bag and Baggage
Meaning	Belongings
Ex.	I took my bag and baggage and left for Hunza.
104	Balance of Mind
Meaning	Mental health
Ex.	Amna has lost her balance of mind due to severe depression.
105	Be All Over (Someone)
Meaning	To treat someone with care and affection
Ex.	I hate Milli being all over me because she irritates me a lot.
106	Be at the Bottom of
Meaning	To cause something (usually bad)
Ex.	The lust for power is at the bottom of all the ongoing political turmoil in Pakistan.
107	Be Staring (Someone) in the Face
Meaning	Obviously visible to someone
Ex.	I stared my boss in the face and threw my resignation paper towards him.
108	Bear Fruit
Meaning	To give positive results
Ex.	I strongly believe his tireless hard work would bear fruit.
109	Bear the Brunt
Meaning	Bear the burden of something
Ex.	I had to bear the brunt of the carelessness of my teammate after losing the game.
110	Beat about the Bush
Meaning	To talk vaguely, rather than to the point
Ex.	I am fed up with his habit of beating around the bush instead of answering my questions.
111	Beauty and the Beast
Meaning	A beautiful woman with an ugly male partner
Ex.	The couple is famous for the beauty and the beast, but the wife finds her husband the most handsome man in the world.
112	Beck and Call
Meaning	Ready to obey someone’s orders
Ex.	She is always at her husband’s beck and calls without questioning him.
113	Behind One’s Back
Meaning	Without someone’s knowledge or consent
Ex.	Aly’s team member left no stone unturned to convince the organizers to replace her in the match behind her back.
114	Behind the Scene
Meaning	Secretly
Ex.	The people who help others behind the scenes are real heroes.
115	Below the Belt
Meaning	Immoral
Ex.	Marry made a joke about Ken’s obesity in public, which was below the belt.
116	Better Half
Meaning	Partner; Spouse
Ex.	He introduced his better half at the party last night for the first time after his marriage.
117	Beyond Question
Meaning	Obvious; Certain
Ex.	The way Ahmed has taken the business to its peak in no time, his hard work and passion are beyond question.
118	Bird of a Passage
Meaning	Traveller
Ex.	Since he is a landscape photographer, being a bird of passage is the compulsion of his profession.
119	Bird-Eye View
Meaning	An aerial view; A general view
Ex.	On our Photowalk with Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab, we got a chance to have a bird’s eye view of the whole walled city of Lahore through Minar-e-Pakistan.
120	Birds of a Feather
Meaning	People of similar interests
Ex.	After noticing the two friends doing everything together, I started believing the fact that the birds of a feather flock together.
121	Bide One’s Time
Meaning	To wait for a good opportunity
Ex.	Iqra has wasted two years biding her time, but she could not find a good job.
122	Bite One’s Tongue Off
Meaning	To regret having said something
Ex.	Politicians often have to bite their tongues off after making false accusations.
123	Bite the Bullet
Meaning	To decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over
Ex.	My children decided to bite the bullet and clean their rooms so they could go to the park.
124	Black and White
Meaning	Used to indicate something written
Ex.	Please send me the application in black and white. I cannot accept any verbal request.
125	Black Someone’s Eye
Meaning	To bruise someone’s eye
Ex.	Arif punched Aslam so hard that he blacked his eye.
126	Blaze the Trail
Meaning	To work hard to promote a cause
Ex.	Elon Musk has blazed the trail in the advancement of technology.
127	Bleed One White
Meaning	To take all of the money someone has
Ex.	The contractor would have bled the department white, but, fortunately, he was apprehended in time.
128	Blessing in Disguise
Meaning	Something negative unexpectedly gives a positive outcome
Ex.	The Congress Ministries of 1937-1939 proved a blessing in disguise for the Muslims of the sub-continent.
129	Blind Alley
Meaning	A wrong or fruitless direction
Ex.	The CID turned out to be in a blind alley in its investigation of the labyrinth crime.
130	Blind Date
Meaning	Meeting of two people who have not previously met
Ex.	Milli had a blind date with her fiance; therefore, she was very nervous.
131	Blood and Iron
Meaning	Military compulsion; The force of armies
Ex.	The boot marks in the dust smelt of blood and iron.
132	Blood is Thicker Than Water
Meaning	Family relationships and loyalties are the strongest and most important ones
Ex.	Although blood is thicker than water, I supported my brother’s opponent because he was right.
133	Blow Hot and Cold
Meaning	Constantly change one’s mood from one of enthusiasm to one of apathy
Ex.	The media, meanwhile, has blown hot and cold on the affair.
134	Blow One’s Own Trumpet
Meaning	To praise oneself
Ex.	He just doesn’t stop blowing his own trumpet about being a professional and world-famous guitarist.
135	Blue Blood
Meaning	Aristocratic descent
Ex.	The princess’ blue blood did not stop her from having a soft corner for her slaves.
136	Bolt from the Blue
Meaning	An unexpected and surprising event
Ex.	His failure was a bolt from the blue for him as he had never seen a failure in his life.
137	Bone Idle
Meaning	Very lazy
Ex.	Her sister is bone idle. She never even gets up to get a glass of water for herself.
138	Bread and Butter
Meaning	Material welfare; What sustains life
Ex.	His bread and butter depend upon his going to the factory every day.
139	Break the Ice
Meaning	Put people at ease with each other
Ex.	She is very good at breaking the ice at new committee meetings because of her friendly and engaging nature.
140	Break the News
Meaning	Announce the news (usually bad news)
Ex.	The doctors broke the news of their son’s illness to them.
141	Bring Home
Meaning	Make one realise something
Ex.	Her misconduct was brought home to her; however, she started playing the victim card to steer clear of the situation.
142	Burn Midnight Oil
Meaning	To work hard or study until late at night
Ex.	CSS aspirants burn the midnight oil for months before exams.
143	Burn the Candle at Both Ends
Meaning	Work all day and far into the night
Ex.	He is burning the candle at both ends just to become capable enough of supporting his family.
144	By and By
Meaning	Soon; After a short while
Ex.	By and by, the couple started to get used to living with each other without fighting all the time.
145	By Dint of
Meaning	As a result of
Ex.	By dint of hard work, Samina landed the job of her dreams.
146	By Fits and Starts
Meaning	Irregularly
Ex.	If you work by fits and starts, you are not going to reach anywhere in life.
147	By Hook or by Crook
Meaning	By fair means or fouls
Ex.	They decided to flee the country by hook or by crook.
148	By Means of
Meaning	By using something
Ex.	By means of power, he can do whatever he wants in his life.
149	By Return of Post
Meaning	By the very next post
Ex.	You should have informed your boss of your absence by the return of post.
150	By the Order of the Day
Meaning	Something which happens frequently or commonly
Ex.	Using sunblock and goggles is the order of the day if you are going on snowy mountains.
151	By Word of Mouth
Meaning	Orally
Ex.	The news of their leader’s death has, yet, spread by word of mouth, but it has to be confirmed.
152	Call a Spade a Spade
Meaning	Speak plainly; Say precisely what one means
Ex.	To some, her quality of calling a spade a spade might be annoying, but to others, it is something quite praiseworthy.
153	Call Attention to
Meaning	Draw attention to
Ex.	I have to call the Prime Minister’s attention to the topic of climate change, for it is one of the most discussed and crucial problems of the day.
154	Call to Account
Meaning	Demand an explanation
Ex.	The boss called the whole team to account, and – in the end – the culprit was caught.
155	Carried Away
Meaning	Overcome by emotion
Ex.	I get carried away whenever I see his interviews where he has told his painful journey to success.
156	Carry Weight
Meaning	Influence; Strength
Ex.	Her argument does carry weight, for she is well-read in the subject.
157	Cast Pearls before Swine
Meaning	Offer valuable things to people who do not appreciate them
Ex.	To ask her to study is to cast pearls before swine. She is way too occupied with flaunting her father’s money.
158	Chain Smoker
Meaning	A person who smokes continuously
Ex.	He used to be a chain smoker, but – thankfully – he has been making improvements in his lifestyle now.
159	Change One’s Tunes
Meaning	Adopt a different attitude
Ex.	The way she changes her tune with her boss is so deceptive because all I have seen her do is misbehave.
160	Cheek by Jowl
Meaning	In close proximity
Ex.	The two planes flew by cheek and jowl and made the ground control scared of a collision.
161	Child’s Play
Meaning	Something very easy
Ex.	After months of practice, writing has become a child’s play for her.
162	Close One’s Eyes to (Something)
Meaning	To ignore something, especially something blameworthy
Ex.	The boss has closed her eyes to Rameen’s bad behaviour.
163	Cold Reception
Meaning	Lacking in warmth and affection
Ex.	She is a babysitter, so she needs to be affectionate. I don’t understand how she might manage her job with her cold reception.
164	Cold War
Meaning	Unfriendly relationship between two nations but with no military engagement
Ex.	The US is in a cold war with many countries around the globe.
165	Come into Line
Meaning	Agree
Ex.	It is not important that all team members always come into line while making a decision. They might often disagree, but they do it respectfully.
166	Come to Light
Meaning	Be Discovered
Ex.	Her misconduct has come to light after months of her mentally torturing her teammates.
167	Come to the Point
Meaning	Speak directly
Ex.	Please come to the point and do not waste the committee’s time.
168	Crocodile Tears
Meaning	Hypocritical tears shed by an unfeeling person
Ex.	I cannot explain in words how much her crocodile tears annoy us all.
169	Cupboard Love
Meaning	Affection springing from an interested motive
Ex.	Rohail’s cupboard love for Imad springs from the former’s ill motives. He wants to gain fame by befriending Imad.
170	Curtain Lectures
Meaning	Private admonitions were given by a wife to her husband
Ex.	The husband had to give his wife curtain lectures for misbehaving at the party.
171	Cut One’s Own Throat
Meaning	Act so as to ruin oneself
Ex.	Her bad attitude doesn’t hurt others as much as it cuts her own throat. She just has not realized it yet.
172	Dirt Cheap
Meaning	At an excessively low price
Ex.	It was surprising that their house was dirt cheap.
173	Dispose of
Meaning	To get rid of
Ex.	Please dispose of the used syringes.
174	Do (someone’s) Heart Good
Meaning	To give (someone) a feeling of pleasure
Ex.	I love doing someone’s heart good in these testing times.
175	Dog Cheap
Meaning	Very cheap
Ex.	Substandard clothes are dog-cheap in the market.
176	Dog One’s Footsteps
Meaning	Constantly follow one, as a dog follows close to its master’s heels
Ex.	Fame has been dogging her footsteps wherever she goes in the world.
177	Dot and Carry One
Meaning	Irregularly
Ex.	His pulse went dot and carry one after listening to the death news of his father.
178	Double-Dealing
Meaning	Duplicity; Trickery
Ex.	I am sick of Rida’s double-dealing; she would always play the victim card after doing bad with others.
179	Draw the Line at
Meaning	Set limits
Ex.	She has to draw a line at her attitude, or it will get her in trouble one day.
180	Drop a Line
Meaning	Send a brief letter or note
Ex.	Please drop my boss a line that I would not be able to attend the conference.
181	Drop in the Ocean
Meaning	A meagre, negligible contribution when a huge amount is needed
Ex.	His sister’s contribution, although was a drop in the ocean for the loan he had to pay back, meant a lot to him.
182	Dutch Courage
Meaning	Courage that results from indulgence in strong drink
Ex.	Dutch courage will not stay long. It will be over as soon as you are sober.
183	Eat One’s Heart Out
Meaning	To make oneself ill by being unhappy by longing for something one cannot have
Ex.	Her rejection of the Fulbright scholarship has made her eat her heart out.
184	Every Dog Has His Day
Meaning	The period of enjoyment allowed to any creature is a short one
Ex.	Don’t be sad at your rejection, for every dog has his day.
185	Every Now and Then
Meaning	Frequently
Ex.	Every now and then, I go visit my grandparents in Lahore.
186	Eye Wash
Meaning	Deceit
Ex.	The whole interview process is nothing but an eye-wash. Selected candidates have already been informed of their selection.
187	Eye-Opener
Meaning	Circumstances, etc. that bring enlightenment and surprise
Ex.	His bank’s going bankrupt was an eye-opener for him, for he started working hard afterwards.
188	Face the Music
Meaning	Face trouble or unpleasant consequences of one’s conduct
Ex.	I asked you to stay away from cheating in the exams. Now that you have been caught, face the music.
189	Fair and Square
Meaning	Honest
Ex.	Let’s have a fair and square deal and involve no third parties who could deceive us.
190	Family Tree
Meaning	A chart showing someone’s ancestry
Ex.	The family tree of humanity starts from the Prophet Adam PBUH.
191	Far from
Meaning	Not at all; By no means
Ex.	Do not, in any circumstances, believe her. All she says is far from the truth.
192	Feel in One’s Bones
Meaning	To know by intuition without having any proof
Ex.	The mother felt it in her bones when her child in America was shot.
193	Feel Run Down
Meaning	Feel depressed or exhausted
Ex.	I am feeling run down after coming back from the tour.
194	Flesh and Blood
Meaning	Human nature
Ex.	Although she was not his flesh and blood, Mr. Abdul Quddoos loved Alia like his real daughter.
195	Flog a Dead Horse
Meaning	Waste one’s efforts on something that is already decided
Ex.	Stop flogging a dead horse. This plan has already been decided.
196	Fly off at a Tangent
Meaning	Suddenly introduce a new or irrelevant topic into the discussion
Ex.	She is so uninterested in the meeting that she keeps flying off at a tangent.
197	Follow in Someone’s Footsteps
Meaning	Do as someone else did before
Ex.	We should follow in the Sahaba’s footsteps if we are to gain success in this life and the hereafter.
198	For Better Or Worse
Meaning	Whatever the result may be
Ex.	We have already spent a month travelling to find the agent; now, for better or for worse, we have to continue our journey.
199	For Good
Meaning	Forever
Ex.	After getting deceived by his brothers, Aslam left his house for good.
200	For Nothing
Meaning	No real purpose
Ex.	The company they are working for does not even exist, so all their efforts are for nothing.
201	For the Sake of
Meaning	For someone
Ex.	I do not give donations to get fame; I just help the poor for the sake of humanity.
202	From the Bottom of One’s Heart
Meaning	Sincerely
Ex.	Ali wants to thank you from the bottom of his heart for helping him get through hard times.
203	Generation Gap
Meaning	The difference between the attitudes of young and old people
Ex.	Lack of communication and interaction widens the generation gap.
204	Get (Something) Across
Meaning	To be or make (something) understood
Ex.	I have to try harder to get the idea across to my students that they are responsible for their own learning.
205	Get off the Track
Meaning	Be diverted from the main subject of discussion
Ex.	Do not get off track; we are looking at CSS past papers not guess papers.
206	Get on Someone’s Nerves
Meaning	Irritate someone
Ex.	Alia’s husband got on her nerves all the time.
207	Get the Better of
Meaning	Overcome
Ex.	Alina refuses to let circumstances get the better of her.
208	Get to the Bottom of
Meaning	To discover the explanation of the real facts of (a mystery, etc.)
Ex.	Police can get to the bottom of a case for me.
209	Get to the Core of Something
Meaning	Examine thoroughly
Ex.	Scientists have been trying to get to the core of the changing magnetic field of the planet.
210	Give (Someone) the Benefit of the Doubt
Meaning	To assume that (someone) is innocent or is telling the truth because there is not enough evidence to be sure that he is not
Ex.	The captain gave him the benefit of the doubt.
211	Give Birth to
Meaning	Bring into the world; Produce
Ex.	My sister has just given birth to a daughter.
212	Give Ears to
Meaning	Pay attention
Ex.	Ali should give ear to what his father has to say.
213	Give Rise to
Meaning	Cause to happen
Ex.	Unemployment is possibly the single greatest factor that increases the crime rate and public discontentment.
214	Give the Game Away
Meaning	Reveal someone’s plans
Ex.	Sherlock is so smart that he would never give the game away even under extreme pressure.
215	Give up the Ghost
Meaning	To die
Ex.	My old air cooler has finally given up the ghost.
216	Go All Lengths
Meaning	Use every effort
Ex.	Mona goes to all lengths to avoid doing work.
217	Go by the Book
Meaning	Follow or administer rules strictly
Ex.	My friend is often careful about going by the book when it comes to practising English writing.
218	Go Like a Bird
Meaning	Usually without resistance, difficulty
Ex.	With persistence and hard work, she went through all difficulties like a bird and achieved her goals.
219	Go Like a Bomb
Meaning	To move very fast; To sell extremely well; To be very successful
Ex.	The wedding ceremony went like a bomb, and everybody enjoyed themselves.
220	Go of the Deep End
Meaning	Lose one’s temper
Ex.	Zahid does not go off the deep end even when his childhood friend deceived him.
221	Go Out of One’s Way
Meaning	Take extra pain or unnecessary trouble
Ex.	Zaineb frequently goes out of her way to help people in need.
222	Go with the Crowd
Meaning	Follow the popular opinion or fashion
Ex.	Minahil was never one to follow the crowd, so we were not surprised when she dropped out of college to start her own cosmetics business.
223	Go Wrong
Meaning	Malfunction
Ex.	The medical project failed, but I do not know what went wrong.
224	Good Wine Needs No Bush
Meaning	A good thing requires no advertisement, it commends itself
Ex.	The project Sir Syed Kazim Ali has initiated is so excellent that it needs no ad campaign, just as good wine needs no bush.
225	Hang One’s Head
Meaning	To look ashamed or embarrassed
Ex.	Hamza hung his head in shame over his failure.
226	Hard and Fast
Meaning	Rigid
Ex.	There is no hard and fast rule to joining the basic grammar session.
227	Have a Bone to Pick
Meaning	Have a cause of complaint
Ex.	I have a bone to pick with you, Ania; I heard how you spoke ill about me at the ceremony last night.
228	Have a Face Like a Fiddle
Meaning	Not to look cheerful or happy
Ex.	Sohail had a face as long as a fiddle after learning he had failed his CSS exam.
229	Have a Knack for
Meaning	Special ability or cleverness to do something skilful
Ex.	Ali has a knack for making girlfriends.
230	Have Bats in the Belfry
Meaning	To be lightly (but harmlessly) insane
Ex.	Ahsan must have bats in the belfry if he thinks he can convince his father to let him get a tattoo for his birthday.
231	Have Butterflies (in One’s Stomach)
Meaning	To feel a fluttering sensation in one’s insides as a result of nervousness
Ex.	I used to get butterflies in my stomach before organic chemistry tests.
232	Have One’s Back to the Wall
Meaning	To be in a very difficult or desperate situation
Ex.	Mani finds himself with his back to the wall now that lenders are coming after him for more money than he makes.
233	Have the Best of Both Worlds
Meaning	To benefit from the best features of two different sets of circumstances
Ex.	Shams had the best of both worlds; he worked as an ordinary member of the industry but spent a lot of time with the managers.
234	Have the Brass Neck to Do Something
Meaning	To be sufficiently shameless and impudent (to do something unacceptable)
Ex.	My in-laws have got a brass neck to ask me to get a day off when I am so busy.
235	Head Or Tail
Meaning	Any sense
Ex.	Aliha’s handwriting was so bad that we could not make head or tail out of it.
236	Heave in Sight
Meaning	To appear
Ex.	All the friends had been walking for hours in the barren desert when finally a small town heaved in sight.
237	High and Dry
Meaning	In a dry place; Safe
Ex.	When Fatima missed the last bus home, she was left high and dry and had to walk home in the rain.
238	Hold No Brief for
Meaning	Not to have any reason to support or speak in favour of
Ex.	This website holds no brief for a coach that has done nothing to distinguish himself in the past.
239	Hold out a Carrot
Meaning	To encourage someone to do something by promising a reward
Ex.	Universities hold out a carrot in the name of scholarships to entice students.
240	Hue and Cry
Meaning	Noise
Ex.	A terrific hue and cry were raised against the new curriculum policies.
241	Hush Money
Meaning	Money paid to hush up some matter so that it does not become public
Ex.	He claimed that the minister had offered him hush money to keep their corruption a secret.
242	In a Body
Meaning	All together
Ex.	The cops moved swiftly in a body towards the building.
243	In a Nutshell
Meaning	In brief; In a word
Ex.	I am sorry to interrupt you, but could you please give me your project summary?
244	In the State of Nature
Meaning	Naked
Ex.	The spa is located in a suburb of the state so that guests can enjoy their vacation in a state of nature.
245	In Cold Blood
Meaning	Planned and done without exciting passion
Ex.	This case involved a twelve-year-old girl shot in cold blood as she sat alone at the roadside.
246	In Consequence of
Meaning	As a result of
Ex.	Hamid lost a lot of money as a consequence of some risky business deals and investments.
247	In Deep Water
Meaning	In difficulties or trouble
Ex.	Having lost his child’s passport, he is now in deep water.
248	In Full Swing
Meaning	At its busiest; Busy and thronged
Ex.	The wedding ceremony was in full swing by the time he arrived.
249	In Good Faith
Meaning	Trusting
Ex.	Hania was acting in good faith for her patients.
250	In One’s Favor
Meaning	For one’s benefit
Ex.	I hope the final decision of the court will be in my favour.
251	In Quest of
Meaning	In search of
Ex.	The geologists went on a quest for minerals and metals.
252	In the Air
Meaning	Being talked about
Ex.	Everything is up in the air, but the final decision seems nowhere in sight.
253	In the Long Run
Meaning	In the end
Ex.	All my hard work will be worth it in the long run once I have qualified for the CSS exams.
254	In the Nick of Time
Meaning	Just in time
Ex.	The cops arrived in the nick of time to arrest the murderer.
255	In the Same Boat
Meaning	In the same, usually difficult position or circumstances
Ex.	My dear friend, do not despair; you are one of the millions in the same boat of poverty.
256	In the Seventh Heaven
Meaning	Extremely happy
Ex.	Iqra was in seventh heaven when she received the acceptance letter to the Civil Services Academy.
257	In the Twinkling of an Eye
Meaning	In an instant
Ex.	Zain was back from the market in the twinkling of an eye.
258	In the Wake of
Meaning	Following close upon
Ex.	The jury was set up in the wake of the investigation of a murder case.
259	Jump the Queue
Meaning	Push oneself in front of a queue, in order to get on to a vehicle or to get served with goods before one’s turn
Ex.	Hadi jumped the queue at the ticket counter to buy tickets for an old lady.
260	Keep a Secret
Meaning	Not tell anyone else
Ex.	Everyone knows that Nimra can not keep a secret.
261	Keep an Eye (on)
Meaning	To watch over
Ex.	You need to keep your eye on the milk so that it does not bubble over.
262	Keep Hold of
Meaning	Not let go
Ex.	The mother told her kid to keep hold of her hand while they visited the market.
263	Keep One’s Ear to the Ground
Meaning	To pay attention to all that is happening around one
Ex.	I know Zain is keeping his ear to the ground in case word got out about the property papers.
264	Keep One’s Temper
Meaning	Not get angry
Ex.	Amna is so humble, but it is hard to keep her temper with the kids after being kept awake by them all night long.
265	Keep One’s Word
Meaning	Abide by promises one has made
Ex.	Bazil always keeps his word, so if he has promised to help you move, he will be there.
266	Kick up (a Row, a Fuss, etc.)
Meaning	Make a noise or a fuss
Ex.	At Metro stores, if you kick up a fuss about a product that did not meet your expectations, you will almost definitely get a refund.
267	Kith and Kin
Meaning	Friends and relations
Ex.	We are gathered here with kith and kin to celebrate our son’s wedding dinner.
268	Know All Answers
Meaning	To be in complete command of a situation and perfectly able to deal with any developments, especially if too proud of this ability
Ex.	Ali thinks he knows all the answers to every situation.
269	Lame Excuse
Meaning	Unsatisfactory reasons given to defend one’s conduct
Ex.	When the manager asked him why he was late, he just gave lame excuses about his alarm clock not going off.
270	Lay One’s Cards on the Table
Meaning	Reveal one’s true intentions
Ex.	Sherlock would never lay his cards on the table. You could be his best friend and not know what he is up to when a case comes along.
271	Lay the Corner Stone
Meaning	To make a regular beginning
Ex.	The chancellor held a ceremony to lay the cornerstone for a new library.
272	Learn One’s Lesson
Meaning	Reform after experiencing the consequences of mistakes
Ex.	I have certainly learned my lesson about buying from daraz online store.
273	Lend One’s Name to
Meaning	Allow it to be quoted in support or in favour of
Ex.	My company lends its name to one of the biggest poultry seminars in the country.
274	Let the Cat out of the Bag
Meaning	To explain a mystery
Ex.	How did the manager find out we were planning a surprise party for him? Who let the cat out of the bag?
275	Lick Someone’s Boots
Meaning	To flatter (someone) and do everything he or she wants
Ex.	Ali is just the manager’s assistant; there is no need to lick his boots.
276	Like a Ton of Bricks
Meaning	Immediately and heavily
Ex.	The sudden unemployment and rent increase hit him like a ton of bricks.
277	Like Clockwork
Meaning	Very smoothly and without faults or problems
Ex.	Everything is going like clockwork, so we should be ready to start the project by the end of the year.
278	Like Getting Blood out of a Stone
Meaning	(Usually of obtaining something) very difficult
Ex.	It is like getting blood out of a stone to get money back after returning online shopped items.
279	Like One’s Bread Buttered on Both Sides
Meaning	To want to live etc. in great comfort or luxury
Ex.	The manager wants his bread buttered on both sides, secretly investing in fast food companies while publicly backing poultry production initiatives to gain popular support.
280	Like the Back End of a Bus
Meaning	Very unattractive
Ex.	Aina looks like the back end of a bus, but she is really kind, sweet, and intelligent.
281	Long Hours
Meaning	The hours like ten, eleven, and twelve, which require the greatest number of strokes of the clock
Ex.	Our teacher is used to working long hours.
282	Look Blue
Meaning	Be sad or depressed
Ex.	My brother looked blue when he saw a thief before him.
283	Look on the Bright Side
Meaning	To be optimistic
Ex.	Your mother is very sick right now, but try to look on the bright side; she can be treated with medicine.
284	Lose Heart
Meaning	To become discouraged
Ex.	We should never lose heart, even in the face of adversity.
285	Lose One’s Marbles
Meaning	To become insane
Ex.	When he started ranting about how the government was out to get him, I thought he’d lost his marbles.
286	Maiden Speech
Meaning	One’s first speech
Ex.	The new young senator from Sindh was about to make her maiden speech and had invited journalists to interview her.
287	Make a Bolt For It
Meaning	Run away suddenly
Ex.	Ali’s brother kept a tight grip on his collar, in case he should make a bolt for the door.
288	Make a Clean Breast of
Meaning	To make a full confession
Ex.	Zain will feel better if he makes a clean breast of his theft.
289	Make a Clean Sweep
Meaning	To get rid of everything unnecessary or unwanted
Ex.	In an effort to clean the store room, we need to make a clean sweep and throw all the junk out.
290	Make a Fool of
Meaning	Trick him
Ex.	My mother advised me not to let him make a fool of me.
291	Make a Hit
Meaning	Score; Make a success
Ex.	The whole band started working on the second album with the sole intention of making a hit.
292	Make a Mouth (at)
Meaning	Make a wry face as in contempt
Ex.	When he saw the child puke in the van, he made a mouth at him.
293	Make a Noise about
Meaning	Talk or complain in order to attention
Ex.	She knows how to make a noise and claim police harassment.
294	Make a Scene
Meaning	Create an embarrassing situation by displaying emotion
Ex.	My parents always make a scene with their fighting wherever we go for a trip.
295	Make Allowances for (Someone)
Meaning	To judge (someone) less severely, or require (them) to do less well than other people
Ex.	The company makes allowances for the new employees’ lack of experience.
296	Make Amends
Meaning	To do something to improve the situation after doing something wrong, stupid, etc.
Ex.	Hashir wanted to make amends for causing his marriage to fail.
297	Make Eyes at
Meaning	Look lovingly at
Ex.	Ali was making eyes at her from across the room.
298	Make One’s Mark
Meaning	Become distinguished
Ex.	Anum set out to make her mark as a CSP officer.
299	Make One’s Point
Meaning	Present opinions convincingly
Ex.	Dr. Iqra studied one-hundred migraine patients aged eighteen to sixty to prove her point.
300	Make Someone’s Blood Boil
Meaning	To make (someone) very angry
Ex.	The opposition’s hate-filled speeches make the government’s blood boil.
301	Make Someone’s Blood Run Cold
Meaning	To frighten or horrify (someone) very much
Ex.	The rage in his eyes made her blood cold.
302	Make up One’s Mind
Meaning	Decide
Ex.	She made up her mind to become a doctor.
303	Make Time
Meaning	To schedule time to see someone or do something
Ex.	He made time in his busy schedule and decided to visit his students on their insistence.
304	Mean Business
Meaning	Be in earnest
Ex.	He is working very hard and really means business when he says he is going to get the office organized.
305	Meet Halfway
Meaning	Compromise
Ex.	He is very stubborn; thus, he is never willing to meet his friends halfway.
306	Neat as a Pin
Meaning	Very neat and tidy
Ex.	She keeps her house as neat as pin.
307	Neck and Neck
Meaning	Keen and close
Ex.	The two teams were neck and neck in the race to win the national championship.
308	Never Say Die
Meaning	Don’t despair
Ex.	It doesn’t look good for the team, but never say die.
309	Now and Then
Meaning	Occasionally
Ex.	He likes to go to that restaurant now and then.
310	Null and Void
Meaning	Ineffective
Ex.	The order was therefore held null and void.
311	Of Late
Meaning	Recently
Ex.	He has been feeling unwell of late, so we have advised him to take a break from work and spend some time with his family.
312	Of No Avail
Meaning	Of no use
Ex.	We tried to keep him alive but of no avail.
313	Of One’s Own Accord
Meaning	Of one’s free will
Ex.	I wish that Sally would choose to do a job of her own accord, rather than due to her husband’s insistence.
314	Off and On
Meaning	Irregularly
Ex.	He`s been seeing the woman off and on but I don`t think that their relationship is very serious.
315	On the Contrary
Meaning	On the other hand
Ex.	It wasn’t a good thing; on the contrary, it was a huge mistake.
316	On the Eve Of
Meaning	The day before
Ex.	I felt sick on the eve of the race.
317	On the Horns of a Dilemma
Meaning	In a critical situation
Ex.	Joe found himself on the horns of dilemma.
318	On the Verge Of
Meaning	Very nearly
Ex.	The company was on the verge of going bankrupt due to corrupt employees.
319	Once for All
Meaning	Finally
Ex.	Of all the things she felt, she feared he’d reject her once and for all.
320	Open Secret
Meaning	Supposedly secret fact known to many people
Ex.	It’s an open secret that the security service bugged telephones.
321	Out and Out
Meaning	Completely
Ex.	The whole project was out an out disaster.
322	Out of Bounds
Meaning	Outside the permitted area or limits
Ex.	when the ball would be hit out of bounds by my side, I could not move past the lines to go get it.
323	Out of Date
Meaning	Obsolete
Ex.	My supplements are out of date, I’ll have to go buy a new ones.
324	Out of One’s Mind
Meaning	Insane
Ex.	She was out of her mind in sorrow.
325	Out of Order
Meaning	Not in a working condition
Ex.	This coffee machine is out of order, so don’t put coins in it.
326	Out of Sorts
Meaning	Unwell
Ex.	I’ve been feeling tired and generally out of sorts.
327	Out of Stock
Meaning	Not available for sale
Ex.	The is a fast-selling item and can go out of stock quickly.
328	Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire
Meaning	From a bad position into a worse one
Ex.	I have changed schools due to a toxic environment, but going to this one is like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.
329	Out of the Question
Meaning	Impossible; Not to be discussed at all
Ex.	Wearing a stained blouse to dinner was the out of question.
330	Over and Above
Meaning	Besides
Ex.	I’ll need another twenty dollars over and above the amount you have already given me.
331	Over and Over Again
Meaning	Repeatedly
Ex.	I have told him over and over again that I would not be going, but he won’t listen.
332	Over Head and Ears
Meaning	Completely
Ex.	They were overhead and ears in debt, so they decided to flee the country.
333	Pass Away
Meaning	Die
Ex.	The director of the company passed away last week.
334	Pave the Way
Meaning	Make conditions easy
Ex.	The discovery of the X-ray machine paved the way for the development of new effective treatments.
335	Pay Through the Nose
Meaning	Pay very dearly
Ex.	If you visit any major city these days, you better be prepared to pay through the nose for a hotel room.
336	Plain Sailing
Meaning	A trouble-free course of action
Ex.	The first few months were difficult, but I think it’s plain sailing from here on.
337	Play with Fire
Meaning	To do something dangerous or risky
Ex.	You would play with fire if you try to cheat on the test.
338	Pluck Up Courage
Meaning	Become brave
Ex.	He finally plucked up the courage to ask her out on a date.
339	Point Blank
Meaning	Bluntly; At close range
Ex.	He fired the gun from point-blank range.
340	Presence of Mind
Meaning	Ability to think calmly in a crisis
Ex.	The child showed great presence of mind by grabbing the falling baby.
341	Pull One’s Legs
Meaning	Impose upon; Try for a joke; To make someone believe something that is untrue
Ex.	I panicked when he said the test was tomorrow, but then I realized he was just pulling my leg.
342	Pull the Strings
Meaning	Do something from behind; Be the hidden cause of something
Ex.	It turned out that his brother was the person pulling the strings behind the operation.
343	Put an End To
Meaning	Stop; Abolish
Ex.	The new mayor vowed to put an end to the violence.
344	Put One Across On (Someone)
Meaning	To deceive or play a trick on (someone)
Ex.	These two guys might think themselves smart, but they would have to get up very early in the morning to put one across to him
345	Put Somebody in the Picture
Meaning	Keep someone informed
Ex.	I’ll put you in the picture as soon as a final decision has been made.
346	Rank and File
Meaning	The important as well as the humble people
Ex.	The party’s rank and file began to question the prime minister’s choice of advisers.
347	Rat Race
Meaning	Competitive struggle in work
Ex.	Paul got caught up in the rat race and was never at home.
348	Rear Its Ugly Head
Meaning	Used of something unpleasant or unwelcome
Ex.	I knew that the leak we patched would eventually raise its ugly head.
349	Red Tape
Meaning	Official formality and delays
Ex.	She could have finished the project last week, but it was impossible to cut through all the red tape.
350	Road Test
Meaning	The roadworthiness of a vehicle
Ex.	They are road-testing the car tomorrow.
351	Round the Clock
Meaning	The whole day and the whole night
Ex.	The nanny has been working round the clock.
352	Rub Shoulders (With)
Meaning	Be associated with
Ex.	The awards dinner gave me the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of today’s greatest American poets.
353	Run Riot
Meaning	Act without restraint
Ex.	I dread them coming here because they let their kids run riot.
354	See with Half an Eye
Meaning	To see without difficulty
Ex.	Susan has a keen eye for detail, so each dress is beautifully finished off.
355	Serve One’s Needs
Meaning	Meet one’s requirements
Ex.	The library serves the needs of the community.
356	Serve One’s Time
Meaning	To work as an apprentice for an agreed number of years
Ex.	The library serves the needs of the community.
357	Set an Example
Meaning	To establish a model
Ex.	Dad was always telling Bill to set a good example for his younger brother.
358	Set Measure To
Meaning	Limit
Ex.	However, with few exceptions, the cottages are styled within the vernacular revival idiom
359	Set Ones Heart On (Something)
Meaning	To want (something) very much
Ex.	Jane set her heart on going to London.
360	Show One’s Face
Meaning	Appear in public
Ex.	Louis stayed in his Harlem apartment for three days after his defeat, too ashamed to show his face.
361	Show Oneself in True Colors
Meaning	To show or express one’s reality
Ex.	He pretends to be very generous but he showed himself in his true colours when he refused to give money to charity.
362	Sick at Heart
Meaning	Very sorrowful and unhappy
Ex.	I rise to speak, sick at heart about the dispute
363	Sit On the Fence
Meaning	Remain uncommitted
Ex.	It would be good if you stop sitting on the fence and choose whose side you are on.
364	Smell a Rat
Meaning	Suspect something fishy
Ex.	If I will don’t send a picture, he will smell like a rat.
365	Snake in a Grass
Meaning	A treacherous person
Ex.	While pretending to be your friend he was slandering you behind your back.
366	Sour Grapes
Meaning	Disappointment
Ex.	She said that she and her husband didn’t want to join the club anyway, but it was clearly sour grapes.
367	Sow Ones Wild Cats
Meaning	Enjoy a life of pleasure while young
Ex.	You can’t sow your wild oats forever! Soon, you’ll want a wife and a house.
368	Speak Daggers
Meaning	Express hatred or anger in words or facial expressions
Ex.	She’s always speaking daggers because she’s so miserable.
369	Speak One’s Mind
Meaning	Reveal one’s views frankly
Ex.	Jenni is very shy, so she does not speak her mind.
370	Split Hairs
Meaning	Serve as a strong testimony to
Ex.	Although we both agreed to divorce, my husband is splitting hairs about our settlement.
371	Start from Scratch
Meaning	Start from the beginning
Ex.	We don’t have a lot of money so we’re going to have to start from scratch.
372	Steal a March on Somebody
Meaning	Do something before somebody else, and so gain an advantage
Ex.	Our rival company managed to steal a march on us by bringing out their software ahead of ours.
373	Step into Someone’s Shoes
Meaning	Succeed someone
Ex.	No one will be able to fill her shoes after she retires.
374	Stir Up Trouble
Meaning	Cause trouble
Ex.	He has been warned about stirring up trouble on Twitter.
375	Storm in a Tea Cup
Meaning	An exaggerated incident
Ex.	This seems to me to be rather a storm in a teacup.
376	Sweep the Board
Meaning	To win everything
Ex.	Spain swept the board in boys’ team competitions.
377	Take (Someone’s) Mind Off (Something)
Meaning	Help someone stop thinking about something
Ex.	The good thing about running is that it takes my mind off any problems I have.
378	Take a Leaf Out of Someone’s Book
Meaning	Follow someone’s example
Ex.	She is taking a leaf out of her husband’s book by going into television.
379	Take Aback
Meaning	To surprise or astonish
Ex.	When I told him my answer, he seemed taken aback.
380	Take One’s Time
Meaning	To use as much time (to do something) as one wants
Ex.	Take your time and plan your career, rather than haphazardly doing whatever comes your way.
381	With One’s Tongue in One’s Cheek
Meaning	Speaking or writing in an ironic or insincere way
Ex.	He said that he was a huge fan of Imran Khan although I suspect it was tongue in cheek
382	Take/Carry Coals to Newcastle
Meaning	To take something to a place where there is already a great deal of it
Ex.	You are taking or giving something to someone, which he does not really need. Perhaps, he already has a lot of it. Giving Kohli a bat on his birthday is like carrying coals to Newcastle.
383	Talk the Hind Leg Off a Donkey
Meaning	To talk a great deal and for a long time
Ex.	She rarely spoke, but her brother could talk the hind legs off a donkey.
384	Tell Apart
Meaning	To distinguish
Ex.	The twins were identical, and we couldn’t tell them apart.
385	Thank One’s Stars
Meaning	Be lucky
Ex.	I thank my lucky stars every day for my wonderful husband.
386	The Breath of One’s Nostrils
Meaning	Something as valuable as life itself
Ex.	He hailed this week’s arms agreement but in the same breath expressed suspicion about the motivations of the United States.
387	The End of the Line/Road
Meaning	The point beyond which one can no longer continue or survive
Ex.	If one has liquidated all his holdings and spent all that money, he has come to the end of the line concerning his finances.
388	The Gift of the Gab
Meaning	Fluency
Ex.	She’s got the gift of the gab; she should work in sales and marketing.
389	The Last Straw
Meaning	In addition to a task that makes it intolerable
Ex.	She has been unhappy with him for a long time, but when he crashed her car, it was the last straw.
390	The Lion’s Share
Meaning	The largest portion of anything
Ex.	My sister grabbed the lion’s share of the pizza.
391	The Long and the Short
Meaning	Summary
Ex.	I could give you a lot of reasons for my decision, but the long and short of it is that I just don’t want to go.
392	The Man in the Street
Meaning	A common man
Ex.	It was the man on the street who suffered as the value of the currency fell.
393	The Salt of the Earth
Meaning	The wholesome portion of a community
Ex.	Radio is indeed the salt of the earth; life seems dull without it once you get used to it.
394	The Small Hours
Meaning	The morning hours after midnight
Ex.	He left for Lahore in the small hours.
395	Throw Cold Water (On)
Meaning	Discourage, To temper the excitement or enthusiasm someone feels about something
Ex.	Ann always throws cold water on her brother’s idea of initiating a new business.
396	Tip of the Iceberg
Meaning	A small evident part or aspect of something largely hidden
Ex.	After the party, the messy kitchen was the tip of the iceberg; the rest of the house was in an even bigger mess.
397	To Add Fuel to the Fire
Meaning	To make matters worse
Ex.	Don’t add fuel to the fire by telling his parents about his smoking; they are already very angry at him for stealing money.
398	To All Appearances
Meaning	Seemingly
Ex.	The giant corporation was, to all appearances, doing quite well, but just last week it filed for bankruptcy.
399	To and Fro
Meaning	In opposite directions
Ex.	The boat was rocking gently to and fro in the water.
400	To Be at One’s Wits End
Meaning	To be too puzzled to know what to do
Ex.	I’ve tried every possible source without success, and now I’m at my wit’s end.
401	To Be Caught Napping
Meaning	To be caught unaware
Ex.	The security personnel were caught napping when the thieves broke in, so the whole staff was fired.
402	To Be Caught Red-Handed
Meaning	Caught while doing something wrong
Ex.	The child was caught red-handed while stealing sweets from the cupboard; his mother grounded him for a week.
403	To Be Dead Certain
Meaning	To be very sure
Ex.	I am dead certain you would never get past level 4 because it has a glitch.
404	To Be On the Wane
Meaning	Declining
Ex.	The moon is on the wane after the 14th of the Lunar calendar.
405	To Be On One’s Last Legs
Meaning	To be about to fall, end, or, collapse
Ex.	The government is on its last legs due to severe political instability in Pakistan.
406	To Be Run Over
Meaning	To be crushed
Ex.	The poor cat was run over by a fast car on the highway.
407	To Be Under a Cloud
Meaning	Under suspicion
Ex.	Zuckerberg is under a cloud ever since allegations of privacy breach against Facebook.
408	To Be Up and Doing
Meaning	To be active
Ex.	I am glad to see her up and doing after the long days and sleepless nights of depression.
409	To Be Well-to-Do
Meaning	To be wealthy
Ex.	The well-to-do family is always found on the go; one day they are in Dubai and the next day, in Turkey.
410	To Be Wide Awake
Meaning	To be quite alert
Ex.	I am wide awake now because I have slept continuously for 14 hours.
411	To Be Worth While
Meaning	Worth the time or trouble involved
Ex.	Preparing for the CSS exams is worthwhile, given the perks and privileges coming with the service.
412	To Bear in Mind
Meaning	To remember
Ex.	Please bear in mind to wear your seat belts at all times to avoid any injuries resulting from air turbulence.
413	To Bear With
Meaning	To be patient with someone
Ex.	Please bear with me unless I finish my speech so that we can go for lunch together.
414	To Beat a Retreat
Meaning	To retire
Ex.	I had to beat a retreat when I saw my class fellow in the mall, for I do not like interacting with people from school anywhere.
415	To Beat the Air
Meaning	To struggle in vain
Ex.	Everybody used to tell him that he was beating the air, but he stayed resilient; now, he is running the biggest LMS in the country.
416	To Beggar Description
Meaning	Difficult to describe
Ex.	My love for historical places and hilly areas beggars description; I can sit there all day gazing at the scenery and – yet – not get tired.
417	To Bell the Cat
Meaning	To do something risky or dangerous
Ex.	We pushed Sarah to bell the cat by asking her to hand over three applications for leave to our stern boss.
418	To Bid Fair
Meaning	Promises
Ex.	The tour plan bids fare to be full of fun.
419	To Bid One’s Time
Meaning	Waiting for a favourable opportunity
Ex.	The thief was bidding his time until he got an opportunity to steal my parrot when there was nobody around the cage.
420	To Bite the Dust
Meaning	To fall in battle
Ex.	Every enemy of Islam has had to bite the dust, for none can win against Almighty Allah.
421	Go Bananas
Meaning	To become extremely angry or excited
Ex.	Whenever I see Sally, I just go bananas! She’s fantastic.
422	To Break Down
Meaning	To begin to cry
Ex.	The 8-year-old broke down in front of his class when a student made fun of his speech.
423	To Break Into
Meaning	To make a forced entry
Ex.	Thieves broke into the empty house only to find out that they were surrounded by police and had nowhere to run.
424	To Break the Ice
Meaning	To start a discussion
Ex.	To break the ice and start working on the plan, the newly formed team decided to play a team game and get to know one another.
425	To Break the News
Meaning	To disclose the news
Ex.	News channels always strive to break the news before one another, often times compromising on the facts.
426	To Breathe One’s Last
Meaning	To die
Ex.	Mr. Chips breathed his last surrounded by his beloved students and colleagues.
427	To Bring to Book
Meaning	Legally punish or summon someone to account for their actions
Ex.	The courts bring criminals to book and make sure that the writ of the state reigns supreme.
428	To Bring Up
Meaning	To look after one’s family
Ex.	In our society, it is the male counterparts’ duty to bring up the family and provide for all its needs.
429	To Build Castles in The Air
Meaning	To think of imaginary schemes
Ex.	Building castles in the air will not get you anywhere. You have to work hard for whatever you want to achieve.
430	To Burn One’s Boats
Meaning	To leave no means of retreat
Ex.	Tariq bin Ziad burnt his boats after entering the Iberian Peninsula for invasion so that he and his forces would either conquer the land or get killed.
431	To Bury the Hatchet
Meaning	To cease fighting
Ex.	America has decided to bury the hatchet after decades of fighting in Afghanistan.
432	To Call a Spade a Spade
Meaning	To speak bluntly or exactly as one thinks
Ex.	He is often considered rude for calling a spade a spade, but someone has to say the truth out loud.
433	To Call in Question
Meaning	To doubt or question
Ex.	A great amount of contamination in the Petri dishes calls into question the workers’ compliance with the lab safety protocols.
434	To Call Names
Meaning	To speak disrespectfully to or of a person
Ex.	You should not have called her names due to her disability; it is rude.
435	To Carry One’s Point
Meaning	To succeed in one’s aim
Ex.	America, after failing to carry its point in the Afghan war, has made a hasty escape from the land.
436	To Carry Out
Meaning	To put into action
Ex.	Please carry out the task according to the instruction manual, and do not try anything new.
437	To Carry the Day
Meaning	To win a victory; To prove superior
Ex.	At last, Jim carried the day with his resilience and hard work; no one could beat him in any of the races in the triathlon.
438	To Check or Nip in the Bud
Meaning	To destroy at an early age; To lose no time in suppressing
Ex.	Evil should be nipped in the bud. If it is allowed to grow, it may destroy a society.
439	To Chop Up
Meaning	To cut something into smaller slices
Ex.	While chopping up onions, he couldn’t cry.
440	To Come into Force
Meaning	Of law or regulation to begin to be enforced
Ex.	New laws regarding road safety have come into force after the recent highway accidents.
441	To Come of Age
Meaning	To reach the age of twenty-one, when the law permits a man to manage his own affairs
Ex.	After coming of age, one realizes the realities and responsibilities of life.
442	To Come to a Head
Meaning	Reach a critical point
Ex.	The political situation of the country has come to a head. If pragmatic steps are not taken immediately, the country might face a horrible collapse.
443	To Come to Grief
Meaning	To be ruined; To fall completely
Ex.	Sri Lanka has come to grief as political and economic chaos cripples the island
444	To Cry for The Moon
Meaning	To ask for something impossible
Ex.	Children often cry for the moon, not understanding what their parents can afford and what they cannot.
445	To Cry Over Spilt Milk
Meaning	To spend time in useless regrets
Ex.	I told you to work hard, but you never paid heed to my advice. Now that you have failed, it is no use crying over spilt milk.
446	To Cry Wolf
Meaning	To raise a false alarm
Ex.	Don’t believe her; she always cries wolf just so we would do all the work for her.
447	To Curry Favor
Meaning	To seek to gain an advantage by means of flattery and hypocrisy
Ex.	Ministers often curry favour to win the support of those in power.
448	To Cut a Figure
Meaning	Present oneself or appear in a particular way
Ex.	Celebrities cut a figure for award shows; they are not who they seem to be.
449	To Cut Dead
Meaning	To totally ignore someone, usually out of anger or displeasure
Ex.	After I had a fight with her, I cut her dead when I saw her in the market.
450	To Dance Upon Nothing
Meaning	To get hanged
Ex.	The serial killer had to, finally, dance upon nothing.
451	To Deal With
Meaning	To treat
Ex.	I can’t believe I have to deal with the never-ending queries of juveniles.
452	To Dispense With
Meaning	To give away; To do without
Ex.	The school has dispensed with its routine timing owing to the poor law and order situation in the country, so the students are allowed on the premises even after 8 AM.
453	To Dispose Of
Meaning	To sell-off
Ex.	Please dispose of the used gloves, masks, and other personal protective gear after a single use.
454	To Drag in by the Head and Shoulders
Meaning	To drag one by force or violently
Ex.	He who drags you in fights by the head and shoulders is not your friend. Rather, he is your worst enemy.
455	To Draw Up
Meaning	To make a plan
Ex.	He drew up a plan to go around the world in 120 days, covering all the major historical cities.
456	To Eat Dirt
Meaning	To submit to insult
Ex.	Pakistani films often have to eat dirt because of their poor storylines.
457	To Eat One’s Mutton
Meaning	To dine
Ex.	We planned to eat our mutton after the meeting in the restaurant down the lane.
458	To Eat One’s Words
Meaning	To withdraw all that one has said
Ex.	Politicians, after making promises to the public, often eat their words once they come into power.
459	To End in Smoke
Meaning	To end without being fulfilled
Ex.	Imran Khan’s plan of a long march ended in smoke because the government put a lot of hurdles in the way of the caravan.
460	To Fall Flat
Meaning	To have no effect
Ex.	Half of the stand-up comedian’s jokes fell flat because he was not well-prepared, and his comic timing was not good.
461	To Fall Foul Of
Meaning	To get annoyed; Come into conflict with
Ex.	After getting foul of the group, she was unsure how to work on the group project.
462	To Fall in Love With
Meaning	To become enamoured of
Ex.	I immediately fell in love with my new parrots the moment I saw them.
463	To Fall On One’s Feet
Meaning	To meet with unexpected good-luck
Ex.	He was devastated after losing his 15-year-old job, but he fell on his feet when he was hired by a multinational company.
464	To Fall Short
Meaning	To be less; To decrease
Ex.	Your resume has fallen short of the required skill set, so you will not be getting the job.
465	To Fan the Flame
Meaning	To make angrier
Ex.	Do not fan the flame by discussing the conflict; he is already very angry.
466	To Feather One’s Own Nest
Meaning	To make oneself rich or strong in a position
Ex.	Politicians keep feathering their own nest, rather than working for the betterment of the people of their country.
467	To Fight Shy of
Meaning	To avoid
Ex.	He always fights shy of conflicts owing to his friendly and peaceful personality.
468	To Find Fault with
Meaning	To find things wrong with someone or something
Ex.	The jury could not find fault with Amna’s arguments; hence, she won the debate competition.
469	To Get Rid of
Meaning	To dispose of
Ex.	Please get rid of all the worn-out clothes because you don’t wear them anymore.
470	To Give the Back
Meaning	To leave or quit
Ex.	He would not have given us the back during the project if he were honest with his job, but he never wanted to work in the first place.
471	To Go Back on a Person
Meaning	To not do something one said one would do
Ex.	It is no surprise that the politicians go back on the countrymen after coming into power.
472	To Go to the Bad
Meaning	To sink into poverty and disgrace
Ex.	The horrible economic situation has further worsened the common man’s situation,  and a majority has – hence – gone to the bad.
473	To Go to the Dogs
Meaning	Deteriorate very badly, used of persons, organizations, institutions, etc.
Ex.	Ever since Mr. Ali left the business, the whole organisation has gone to the dogs.
474	To Grease the Palm
Meaning	To bribe
Ex.	It is very easy for an outlaw to get his way by greasing the palm of the law and order departments in third-world countries.
475	To Have All One’s Eggs in One Basket
Meaning	To risk all one’s goods in the same venture
Ex.	Don’t invest all that you have earned in a single project. Rather, divide it into smaller investments so that you don’t have all your eggs in one basket.
476	To Have Many Irons in the Fire
Meaning	To have many projects carrying on at one time
Ex.	He has many irons in the fire; Android and iOS applications, online classes, and a side business to earn.
477	To Have No Backbone
Meaning	To lack strength of character
Ex.	Having no backbone, Jim was rejected as an aspiring member of the school discipline committee.
478	To Hold Good
Meaning	To be valid
Ex.	Other than biological laws, the majority of the scientific laws have held good and stood the test of time.
479	To Hold One’s Own
Meaning	To maintain what one is struggling for
Ex.	No matter the circumstances, he always holds his own and never gets distracted from his goal.
480	To Hold One’s Tongue
Meaning	To keep quiet
Ex.	Please hold your tongue while the teacher speaks.
481	To Hold out
Meaning	To offer resistance
Ex.	Undoubtedly, the unarmed Palestinians have been holding out the Israeli forces for decades.
482	To Hold Water
Meaning	To be correct, valid, sound, or reasonable
Ex.	Your theory does hold water when we do not consider gravity, but I wonder if it would still be valid if we include the effects of gravity on matter.
483	To Keep Another in the Dark
Meaning	To keep someone in ignorance of an event
Ex.	It is not good to keep your parents in the dark about your activities. You should always share your whereabouts with them.
484	To Keep Body and Soul Together
Meaning	To sustain life
Ex.	It is difficult to keep body and soul together in this era of socio-economic chaos.
485	To Keep Dark about Anything
Meaning	To preserve secrecy about anything
Ex.	I suggest you keep dark about your plans unless you achieve your target, or your enemies will try to pull you down.
486	To Keep the Wolf from the Door
Meaning	To be in a position to get two meals a day
Ex.	He had to resort to illegal means to earn enough to keep the wolf from the door.
487	Keep Up Appearances
Meaning	To keep oneself looking calm despite serious problems
Ex.	Even with all the trouble, Sadia was having at home with her husband, she managed to keep up appearances.
488	To Kick the Bucket
Meaning	To die
Ex.	Mr. Chips kicked the bucket while remembering his beloved late wife Kathy.
489	To Know No Bounds
Meaning	To be without any limits or end
Ex.	Corruption knows no bounds among the political elite of the country.
490	To Lay Heads Together
Meaning	To consult together
Ex.	If both of them lay their heads together to look for a solution, there is no issue in the world they cannot resolve.
491	To Lead a Dog’s Life
Meaning	To pass a miserable existence
Ex.	The poor man, after losing his only possession – a bicycle – had to lead a dog’s life.
492	To Lead a Person a Dance
Meaning	To cause someone unnecessary trouble
Ex.	Rather than leading us dance, you should have told us earlier that the investment was not going to be fruitful.
493	To Leave No Stone Unturned
Meaning	To do all in one’s power
Ex.	Quaid e Azam left no stone unturned in uniting the Muslims of the Subcontinent under the flag of the Muslim League.
494	To Let Bygones Be Bygones
Meaning	To ignore the past
Ex.	I have had a few fights with my friend over the years, but now that we have grown up, we have let the bygones be bygones.
495	Chicken Out
Meaning	To decide not to do something because one is afraid
Ex.	Jane was going to go parachuting with us, but she chickened out at the last minute.
496	To Lick the Dust
Meaning	To fall in battle
Ex.	Under the great commander Erwin, we shall not rest until those traitors have licked the dust.
497	To Lie with Any One
Meaning	To be the duty of anyone
Ex.	Choosing my career path lies in what my family prefers for me.
498	To Live a Cat and Dog Life
Meaning	Of spouses or romantic partners, a life together is typified by arguments, fights, and disagreement
Ex.	The couple lives a cat and dog life ever since the issue of property arose.
499	To Look Daggers
Meaning	To look angrily
Ex.	Don’t look daggers at me; I haven’t done anything wrong.
500	To Look for
Meaning	To search for
Ex.	Can you please help me look for my glasses? I had put them on the table, but they are not there now.
501	Ring A Bell
Meaning	To arouse a response
Ex.	Whenever I see a bee, it rings a bell. I remember when I was stung by one.
502	To Make Both Ends Meet
Meaning	To have two square meals a day
Ex.	Despite his meagre income, he tried to make ends meet by working extra hours.
503	To Make Faces
Meaning	To make a distorted, silly, or humorous facial expression at someone
Ex.	Emily made faces and struck out her tongue to make the baby laugh.
504	To Make Fun of
Meaning	To ridicule
Ex.	Although you did not mean to hurt him, he is angry because you made fun of him.
505	To Make Oneself at Home
Meaning	To feel as if one were in one’s own house
Ex.	I really make myself at home when I visit my friend.
506	To Make out
Meaning	To understand
Ex.	If John could not make out with me, he would have asked me for more help.
507	To Move Heaven and Earth
Meaning	To try one’s utmost
Ex.	I had moved heaven and earth to pay for my college bills.
508	Helter-Skelter
Meaning	In disorderly haste or confusion, chaotic, haphazard, disordered, etc.
Ex.	My books, notes, and papers are always scattered on the desk in a helter-skelter manner.
509	To One’s Heart’s Content
Meaning	As much as one wishes
Ex.	Iqra prefers buffet over à la carte so that she can eat to her heart’s content.
510	To Pass for
Meaning	To appear; To pretend to look like
Ex.	The suspect was arrested when he tried to pass for a student.
511	To Pick a Quarrel
Meaning	To start a quarrel
Ex.	Mill intended to pick up a quarrel with his brother about his stolen chocolate.
512	To Pick One’s Pocket
Meaning	To steal money or other valuables out of one’s pocket, purse, backpack, etc.
Ex.	I already advised you to be conscious of your belongings in this mall as anyone could pick your pocket here, and it happened.
513	To Play the Game
Meaning	To play one’s part fairly
Ex.	If you want to qualify for the competitive exams, you must play the game and study smartly.
514	To Play Truant
Meaning	To keep away from school without the knowledge of one’s parents
Ex.	He fell with the bad company and began to play truant for a useless hockey match.
515	To Put in
Meaning	Contribute
Ex.	The volunteers put in their time towards cleaning up the town.
516	To Put off
Meaning	To postpone
Ex.	I have to put off my plan to take exams this year since I am not yet prepared for them.
517	To Put out
Meaning	To extinguish
Ex.	Her mother told her to put out the fire before leaving the house.
518	To Put the Cart before the Horse
Meaning	To put the wrong thing first
Ex.	John always puts the cart before the horse; thus, he fails to submit most of his projects on time.
519	To Put to the Proof
Meaning	To test
Ex.	His dedication was put to the proof even after years of efficient performance.
520	To Rain Cats and Dogs
Meaning	To rain heavily
Ex.	You must consult the weather forecast before going out in that storm. It is raining cats and dogs.
521	To Run down
Meaning	To blame; To condemn
Ex.	Do not run down my friends. If you do not know the truth, better be silent
522	To Run Over
Meaning	To check
Ex.	She ran over her belongings before leaving the hotel.
523	To Say Grace
Meaning	To ask the divine blessing before commencing a meal
Ex.	I love the way my grandfather says grace before iftars in Ramadan.
524	To Show a Clean Pair of Heels
Meaning	To escape
Ex.	The thief showed a clean pair of heels when he saw the police.
525	To Stare in the Face
Meaning	To threaten; To be ready to overwhelm
Ex.	She stared him in the face and said that she never wanted to see him again.
526	To Steal a March on
Meaning	To go ahead
Ex.	Misha got the contract because she had the potential to steal a march on her competitors.
527	To Steer Clear of
Meaning	To keep away safely
Ex.	I always advise my brother to steer clear of bad company.
528	To Strike While the Iron is Hot
Meaning	To act decisively and take an opportunity when it arises
Ex.	My brother got a promotion today, so I asked him to buy me a cellphone. I thought I would better strike while the iron was hot.
529	To Take Affect
Meaning	To operate; To act as intended
Ex.	Fortunately, the medicine toot affect, and the patient felt relieved.
530	To Take by Storm
Meaning	To capture after a sudden
Ex.	The locusts swarm attacked from the south and took the village by storm.
531	To Take French Leave
Meaning	To go off secretly, without notice
Ex.	Emily just got married. So, she took a french leave from work to spend time with her husband.
532	To Take the Bull by the Horns
Meaning	To attack something formidable in a bold and direct fashion
Ex.	The matter is not going to be resolved by itself. We have to take the bull by the horns to settle it.
533	To Take Time Or Occasion by the Forelock
Meaning	To avoid delay; To be on the alert for every available opportunity
Ex.	Time flies here with such a frightful rapidity that I am compelled to seize occasion by the forelock.
534	To Take to One’s Heels
Meaning	To run away
Ex.	The thief took to his heels when he saw the police.
535	To Talk Shop
Meaning	To talk about one’s business
Ex.	Mrs. Shilpa threw a dinner for all her business partners to talk shop.
536	To Tell Upon
Meaning	To ruin
Ex.	My sister told me about my gravy chicken by adding extra salt to it while I was on call.
537	To the Backbone
Meaning	Thoroughly; Essentially; Staunchly
Ex.	He revised all the important topics to the backbone a day before the exam.
538	To Throw Cold Water upon
Meaning	To discourage, to prevent something from being done
Ex.	Our teacher threw cold water upon our plan to visit Naran.
539	To Throw Daylight upon
Meaning	To reveal; To display to view
Ex.	The fluency in her speech throws daylight upon her intelligence.
540	To Throw Dust in a Man’s Eyes
Meaning	To try to lead someone astray
Ex.	Marry could mislead everyone, but she failed to throw dust in my eyes.
541	To Throw Mud at
Meaning	To abuse; To speak evil of
Ex.	You, being a renowned politician of the country, must be prepared to have more mud thrown at you than an ordinary woman.
542	To Tread upon the Heels
Meaning	To follow closely
Ex.	Ali treads upon the heels of his father in every matter.
543	To Try One’s Luck
Meaning	To see if one would get success
Ex.	Mr. Shams decided to open a branch of his restaurant in California to try his luck.
544	To Turn One’s Back upon
Meaning	To desert; To forsake
Ex.	Misha has a tendency to turn his back on serious problems.
545	To Turn One’s Coat
Meaning	To change to the opposite party
Ex.	It is not the first time that Sheikh Rasheed has turned his coat.
546	To Turn over a New Leaf
Meaning	To change for the better
Ex.	After a minor accident, Mill decided to turn over a new leaf and drive more carefully.
547	To Turn the Tables
Meaning	Reverse a situation and gain the upper hand
Ex.	I planned a surprise dinner for my sister, but she turned the table by surprising me when I reached home.
548	To Weather the Storm
Meaning	To face a difficulty successfully
Ex.	Pakistan has successfully weathered many political and economic storms.
549	Tread on Someone’s Corns
Meaning	To hurt someone’s feelings
Ex.	Alina is very arrogant; she always treads on other people’s corns.
550	Turn a Blind Eye (to Something)
Meaning	To pretend not to see or notice something
Ex.	The kind shopkeeper turned a blind eye to the little boy who secretly picked chocolate from his store.
551	Turn a Deaf Ear to
Meaning	To refuse to listen to
Ex.	The international world has turned a deaf ear to the cries of the innocent Palestinians for food and shelter.
552	Turn One’s Nose at
Meaning	Scorn at; Treat with contempt
Ex.	I never turn up my nose at dessert, no matter what it is.
553	Turn over a New Leaf
Meaning	To commence a new course of life; To improve in conduct
Ex.	After a minor accident, Mill decided to turn over a new leaf and drive more carefully.
554	Turn Tail
Meaning	Run away in a cowardly way
Ex.	The robber turned tail when he accidentally saw a gun hanging on the wall of the house.
555	Turn Turtle
Meaning	To capsize
Ex.	The bus ran off the road and turned turtle in the ditch. Fortunately, all passengers were saved.
556	Under a Cloud
Meaning	In disgrace
Ex.	Although James was not a tyrant, he should not come here since his name is under a cloud these days.
557	Under Fire
Meaning	To do something dangerous or risky
Ex.	I appreciate her courage, for she can easily withstand fire
558	Under Lock and Key
Meaning	Safely locked away
Ex.	My father has kept all our documents under lock and key.
559	Under One’s Thumb
Meaning	Under one’s complete control
Ex.	Ann has got her husband under her thumb. He does exactly what Ann says.
560	Up to One’s Eyes in (Something)
Meaning	Deeply involved in something
Ex.	I cannot join you at the lunch because I am up to my eyes on my project.
561	Up to
Meaning	Scheming something; Engaging in mischievous behaviour
Ex.	I cannot say what those children are now up to.
562	Ups and Downs
Meaning	Changes in fortune
Ex.	Pakistan’s economy has been facing many ups and downs since the country’s inception.
563	Upset the Applecart
Meaning	To spoil plans; To obstruct progress
Ex.	Tom really cannot keep secrets; he always upset the apple cart before time.
564	Upsides with (a Person)
Meaning	To Be Even with
Ex.	Although he managed to be upsides with his enemy by breaking his arm, he had to go to jail.
565	Vicious Circle
Meaning	A sequence of reciprocal cause and effect, in which two or more elements intensify and aggravate each other, leading inexorably to a worsening of the situation
Ex.	The vicious circle of corruption is badly hitting the country’s economy.
566	Wash Dirty Linen in Public
Meaning	Discuss personal matters of a scandalous or unpleasant nature before strangers
Ex.	Listen, our relationship may have real problems, but it’s unfortunate that you have chosen to wash our dirty linen in public.
567	What the Doctor Ordered
Meaning	The very thing that is needed
Ex.	A cold glass of water would be just what the doctor ordered.
568	When All is Said and Done
Meaning	Considering all the facts
Ex.	When all is said and done, I believe I had a very enjoyable time on my vacation
569	When the Balloon Goes up
Meaning	When the trouble starts
Ex.	He is always getting us into trouble, but he is never here when the balloon goes up.
570	White Elephant
Meaning	A rare, expensive possession that is a financial burden to maintain
Ex.	The antique vases I bought from an auction are white elephants. I could not get them clean from anywhere.
571	Win One’s Laurels
Meaning	Win honour
Ex.	It takes a lot of struggle to win laurels in this field, and your achievements here always make me feel proud.
572	Wishful Thinking
Meaning	Unrealistic thinking based on hopes, rather than facts
Ex.	Hoping for a camera as a birthday gift is just wishful thinking as your parents are already fed up with your hobby of photography.
573	With a View to
Meaning	In order to
Ex.	Safa inaugurated this school with a view to providing quality education to all.
574	With Flying Colors
Meaning	Honourably
Ex.	Sally deserves a party because he has passed his final exams with flying colours.
575	With High Hand
Meaning	Arrogantly; Imperiously
Ex.	You cannot win others’ hearts with high hands; you need to be more polite and patient.
576	With One Foot in the Grave
Meaning	Having but a very short time to live
Ex.	Her uncle has one foot in the grave and would die if he won’t able to receive treatment soon.
577	With One’s Eyes Open
Meaning	With full awareness of what one is doing
Ex.	I always keep my eyes open for a mid-season sale on winter coats.
578	With Open Arms
Meaning	Warmly; Affectionately
Ex.	When I visited my old friend after years, her whole family welcomed me with open arms.
579	Within an Ace of
Meaning	Very near to
Ex.	I came within an ace of going into the army, but I could not be selected because of my weak eyesight.
580	You Can’t Both Have Your Cake and Eat it
Meaning	There are two options that someone wants, but they can’t have both because the options conflict with each other, so they can only pick one
Ex.	If you want to buy a house, you will have to cut down on your expenses, for you can’t both have your cake and eat it too.
581	Tilt at Windmills
Meaning	To waste time-fighting enemies or trying to resolve issues, which don’t even exist (Imaginary)
Ex.	It is time for the government to stop tilting at windmills and start fighting against the real enemy, unemployment.
582	To Harp On the Same String
Meaning	To repeatedly talk about a subject in an annoying manner
Ex.	Nobody likes to sit in his company; he always harps on the same string about how to become a billionaire in a month.
Ex.	It is no use harping on the same string if you are not going to do anything about your health issues.
583	At Cross Purposes
Meaning	To be in conflict with somebody or something
Ex.	Their marriage could not work for long because they were at cross purposes with each other.
Ex.	Her being at cross purposes with her teammates led the whole team to lose the football match.
584	Out of Pocket
Meaning	Lack of enough money; Something paid for with one’s personal money
Ex.	The constant dinner parties hosted for his friends left Aslam out of pocket.
Ex.	It is illegal for the laboratory to ask me to pay for the lab chemicals out of pocket.
585	Put On the Market
Meaning	To put something out for purchase
Ex.	With a heavy heart, they had to put their only possession, a motorcycle, on the market to pay their son’s hospital bills.
Ex.	If something is out on the market, especially on e-commerce websites, you should do proper quality assurance before buying it.
586	To Rough It
Meaning	To live in uncomfortable situations where no usual amenities are available, e.g. hiking tour.
Ex.	James and Milly had nowhere to live; thus, they had to rough it in a shade till they found some safe place.
Ex.	The hikers roughed it in a hut with no running water.
587	To Speak Of
Meaning	To talk about something, something worth mentioning
Ex.	There is nothing to speak of as of yet; we will talk later.
Ex.	The doctors told Jeremy’s family there was nothing to speak of in terms of his health improvement.
588	All The Rage
Meaning	To be very popular currently
Ex.	Wearing a waist chain instead of a belt is all the rage nowadays.
Ex.	Online meetings are all the rage now; thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, nobody has to go to in-person office meet-ups anymore.
589	Shake in One’s Shoes
Meaning	To be very frightened/nervous
Ex.	When police were investigating the crime, every suspect seemed shaken in their shoes.
Ex.	Stop shaking in your shoes, Maria. The manager is not going to fire you.
590	The Whole Ball of Wax
Meaning	The whole thing or the whole matter or affair
Ex.	There’s nothing more to tell you about my affair. That’s the whole ball of wax.
Ex.
591	Cut Someone Dead
Meaning	To ignore someone
Ex.	The millionaire was so arrogant he would cut people dead while they served him all day.
Ex.	One should not adopt a child only to cut him dead.
592	Beside The Mark
Meaning	Something irrelevant or unrelated
Ex.	He could not score a single point on the quiz, for all his answers were beside the mark.
Ex.	My fondness for the apartment is beside the mark because I do not afford to live there.
593	Once in A Blue Moon
Meaning	Something that happens very rarely
Ex.	After the death of his family in a plane crash, he visits his hometown once in a blue moon.
Ex.	He is so diet-conscious that he only eats fast food once in a blue moon.
594	A Piece of Cake
Meaning	Some easy-to-accomplish task
Ex.	Securing the first position in the board exams was a piece of cake for her because she was the brightest student in her city.
Ex.	You might think doing a job is a piece of cake, but once you begin your career, you will surely experience hardships.
595	Het Up
Meaning	Highly worried or angry (Not calm); Indignant; Irate
Ex.	I was really het up about the new corporate tax.
Ex.	You should not get so het up about a few scratches on your car.
596	Kill Two Birds with One Stone
Meaning	To do a single action resulting in the solution of two problems
Ex.	My friend has decided to kill two birds with one stone – visit Lahore to get her documents as well as meet her friends.
Ex.	Cycling allows you to kill two birds with one stone by cutting your fuel costs and helping you lead a healthier lifestyle.
597	Eager Beaver
Meaning	A hardworking and eager person
Ex.	New volunteers are always eager beavers.
Ex.	I know she is an eager beaver right now. Wait till she has worked here for a couple of months, and you will see the change in her personality.
598	Get Out of Hand
Meaning	To get chaotic or unmanageable
Ex.	The men had a small fight initially, but as more and more people began to join in, the situation got out of hand.
Ex.	Inflation is getting out of hand as Dollar rates keep soaring.
599	Comparing Apples to Oranges
Meaning	To make a comparison between two completely different things or persons
Ex.	Comparing the steel and textile industries is comparing apples to oranges.
Ex.	Being an entrepreneur allows you to define your journey; don’t compare apples with oranges by saying entrepreneurship and a job are similar things.
600	Stuff and Nonsense
Meaning	Rubbish or Nonsense
Ex.	Competitive aspirants don’t understand the qualifiers’ lectures. The lectures are all stuff and nonsense.
Ex.
601	Hit The Nail On the Head
Meaning	To be accurate or precise
Ex.	The pressure was intense; it was his last chance to get the answer right, and he, surprisingly, hit the nail on the head and won the competition.
Ex.	You had really hit the nail on the head when you guessed that Sahir was scheming against our business.
602	Burn The Midnight Oil
Meaning	To stay up late to work on something important
Ex.	How could she not have won the competition after burning the midnight oil while working on her speech?
Ex.	CSS aspirants burn the midnight oil for months before appearing in the exams.
603	Make A Long Story Short
Meaning	To cut extra details and get to the necessary point
Ex.	The introductory and conclusion paragraphs only require you to summarize your answers, to make the long story short.
Ex.	Please make the long story short; I do not have much time to stop by and listen to how you ran into your friend at the mall.
604	Wag One’s Chin
Meaning	To talk too much
Ex.	She is always seen wagging her chin, and this is exactly why her friends get annoyed with her.
Ex.	When the friends hold a meet-up every month, they can’t wait to wag their chins, play games, and have fun.
605	Sail Against the Wind
Meaning	To work for something while facing great opposition
Ex.	Sir Syed Ahmed Khan sailed against the wind and managed to get the then Muslims out of their grave situation.
Ex.	It is good to define your path and choose a different journey for yourself, but sailing against the wind is not always appreciated.
606	Keep One’s Eye On the Ball
Meaning	To remain alert to the surrounding events
Ex.	Amelia would do better in her classes if she would keep her eye on the ball.
Ex.	If he wants to get along in this office, he should have to keep his eye on the ball.
607	Explode The Myth
Meaning	To prove that something people believed for a long time is wrong.
Ex.	The frequent up-gradation of Photoshop has exploded the myth of photography as a tool of reality.
Ex.	The recent stats exploded the myth that global warming is the problem only for rich countries.
608	Yoke Around Someone’s Neck
Meaning	Something that oppresses people; a burden.
Ex.	Ali’s greedy kids are a yoke around his neck.
Ex.	His high-interest debts have now become a yoke around their neck.
609	Tamper with (Something)
Meaning	To try to change something, to attempt to alter something
Ex.	I think somebody has tampered with my door lock.
Ex.	Please don’t tamper with electrical appliances with your bare hands. You might hurt yourself critically.
610	Be A Cold Fish
Meaning	A person who is distant and insensitive
Ex.	He hardly ever speaks to anyone. He is a cold fish.
Ex.	He is a lovely person, but his wife is a bit of a cold fish.
611	A Watched Pot Never Boils
Meaning	Time seems to move very slow when one is waiting for something to occur.
Ex.	She kept reloading the university’s website to check her result all morning, but the HOD has not published it yet as a watched pot never boils.
Ex.	She has been waiting for that henna to dry for two hours now. It is like a watched pot never boils.
612	To Call Shots
Meaning	To be in charge of how something should happen
Ex.	He has been showing low grades in his studies; thus, he is now not in a position to call the shots.
Ex.	The principal calls the shots, and nothing happens in the school without his approval.
613	Dead Wood
Meaning	People or things that are no more productive or effective because they have been used for a long time
Ex.	The manager cleared away the deadwood in his revised duty roster.
Ex.	I think it is time to cut the deadwood from our team so that we can work more efficiently.
614	Waiting in The Wings
Meaning	Ready to do anything to take over someone else’s job or position
Ex.	Mrs. Aisha is going to be retired next year, and his junior manager Mr. Mill is just waiting in the wings.
Ex.	He was waiting in the wings, hoping that a member of the cricket team would drop out and he would get a place on the team.
615	Lump in (One’s) Throat
Meaning	To have the feeling of something as if one were going to cry.
Ex.	The national anthem is something that makes anybody feel like having a lump in his throat.
Ex.	I had a lump in my throat as I watched the final scene of the movie.
616	A Chip On Your Shoulder
Meaning	To have an unpleasant attitude or way of behaving to seem willing to instigate conflict.
Ex.	Mia has had a chip on her shoulder ever since she could not get the promotion she was expecting.
Ex.	I do not understand what is his problem. He always seems to have a chip on his shoulder.
617	At The Drop of a Hat
Meaning	Immediately; Without any delay
Ex.	She is always ready to go camping at the drop of a hat.
Ex.	I call John whenever I am in trouble because he can come at the drop of a hat to help me.
618	Upset The Apple Cart
Meaning	To mess up or ruin something
Ex.	He upset the apple cart by telling his sister the truth about Jane.
Ex.	Shifa always upsets the apple cart by never agreeing with anybody on the team.
619	Take (Something) With a Pinch of Salt
Meaning	To listen to a story or explanation with considerable doubt
Ex.	She must take anything her ex-husband says with a pinch of salt.
Ex.	The committee took the guilty student’s explanation with a pinch of salt. I am sure no one believed him.
620	Think of The Devil
Meaning	Used when a person someone is talking about suddenly appears
Ex.	Think of the devil! We were just planning to call you over
Ex.
621	Method in Madness
Meaning	To have a purpose behind one’s actions even though it seems mad.
Ex.	My project may look strange, but there is a method to my madness
Ex.	Though his staff is often confused by the way he runs the office, I believe there is a method in his madness.
622	A Square Peg in A Round Hole
Meaning	A person in the misfit situation
Ex.	I think he is not a square peg in a round hole. It is just that no one understands him.
Ex.	I felt like a square peg in a round hole in my new class until I made some new friends.
623	A Stick in The Mud
Meaning	A person who is dull and old-fashioned
Ex.	Tipu is such a stick in the mud; thus, he never goes to any fun events at school.
Ex.	My father is such a stick in the mud. He never allows us to try anything new.
624	(Be) Labor The Point
Meaning	To spend too much time on a certain point of conversation.
Ex.	I do not want to belabour the point, but we should get things settled as soon as possible.
Ex.	If the attorney would agree not to belabour the point further, we would place it on the agenda for the next session.
625	The Salt of the Earth
Meaning	A very good and honest person
Ex.	Mrs. James is always the first to help anyone in trouble. She is the salt of the earth.
Ex.	Annie’s mother is the salt of the earth. She has five children of her own and yet fosters three others.
626	See Eye to Eye With
Meaning	To agree fully with someone; To have the same views about something
Ex.	My wife sees eye to eye with me about the arrangements.
Ex.	She is looking for a new job as she does not see eye to eye with her manager.
627	On Thin Ice
Meaning	In an uncertain and risky situation
Ex.	If you do not want to find yourself on thin ice, you must prepare yourself in time.
Ex.	My sister was already on thin ice with the trainer when she injured her knee.
628	Draw A Blank
Meaning	To get no response; To fail to remember
Ex.	I looked in the files for two hours, but I drew a blank.
Ex.	I tried to remember his address but I drew a blank.
629	A Step in The Right Direction
Meaning	To move toward success
Ex.	Yoga cannot solve all health problems, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.
Ex.	We are hopeful that the new economic policy is a step in the right direction for the sustainable growth of the country.
630	Give Away
Meaning	To distribute
Ex.	What we achieve without effort we give away without regret.
Ex.	John decided to give away everything he had and become ascetic.
631	The Acid Test
Meaning	A decisive test that proves the effectiveness and skillfulness of someone or something
Ex.	Marry has had an easy contest so far, but the next round would be her real acid test.
Ex.	The acid test of a good doctor is how he deals with his patients in an emergency.
632	At a Cross Roads
Meaning	To be at a stage in your life when an important decision has to be made
Ex.	After his graduation, he is at a crossroads about choosing his first job.
Ex.	Emily is at a crossroads in her career. She is confused about whether she should accept her new job or not.
633	Keep One’s Nose to The Grindstone
Meaning	To work hard for a long period of time without stopping
Ex.	The boss told me to keep my nose to the grindstone or be fired.
Ex.
634	Knock/Throw Someone for A Loop
Meaning	To sock or surprise someone
Ex.	Finding about the company being sold out to its competitors knocked everyone for a loop.
Ex.
635	Letter Perfect
Meaning	Correct in all detail
Ex.	His memory is so strong that his narration of our Kashmir tour in 2015 was letter-perfect.
636	Off The Wall
Meaning	Unusual
Ex.	He has made an off-the-wall investment; we doubt the board of directors would agree with him.
637	Out to Lunch
Meaning	Crazy; Out of touch with the real world
Ex.	I’m sorry, I was out to lunch. Could you please repeat what you said earlier?
638	Salt Something Away
Meaning	Save something for the future, secretly and usually dishonestly
Ex.	Mary salted some extra candy away for use during the holidays.
639	Take Someone to The Cleaners
Meaning	To defeat someone completely
Ex.	There was a real rough guy there who threatened to take me to the cleaners if I didn’t cooperate.
640	Wear The Pants
Meaning	To be the dominant partner in a relationship
Ex.	Nowadays, it is becoming common for both partners to wear pants in a relationship; they tend to make decisions by discussing matters with each other.
641	Twiddle Your Thumbs
Meaning	To do nothing
Ex.	Don’t sit around twiddling your thumbs. Get busy!
642	Vamp Up
Meaning	Repair and improve something
Ex.	After getting registered for the desert rally, he vamped up his car and got ready to win the race.
643	Whittle Something Away
Meaning	To make something gradually decrease in value or amount
Ex.	Aslam got scolded because he whittled the soap away by carving it into animal shapes.
644	Winkle Out
Meaning	To get something out of place or position
Ex.	The police often winkle confessions out of suspects by using coercive means.
645	Give Someone the Bum’s Rush
Meaning	To eject (or be ejected) forcibly
Ex.	The doorman gave Bill the bum’s rush at the restaurant because Bill did not have a tie on.
646	Loom Large
Meaning	To be worrying or frightening and seem hard to avoid
Ex.	The exams were looming large on the horizon.
647	Besetting Sin
Meaning	A fault to which a person or institution is especially prone
Ex.	You have to be careful of what you say. Getting offended easily is her besetting sin.
648	To Hang Fire
Meaning	Delay
Ex.	Our plans have to hang fire until we get planning permission.
649	To Put the Lid on
Meaning	To keep something under control
Ex.	It is high time we put the lid on the sectarian conflicts in the country and start living with more inclusiveness and tolerance.
650	Flavour of The Month
Meaning	Temporarily popular
Ex.	You have changed your majors thrice already. Are you sure Sociology is also not just your flavour of the month?
651	Zero Hour
Meaning	A time when a crucial decision or essential action must be taken
Ex.	The Prime Minister called for a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff at zero hours because of the critical security situation.
652	Gloom and Doom
Meaning	The feeling that a situation is bad and is not likely to improve
Ex.	She is always full of gloom and doom, for she has never seen a happy moment in her life.
653	To Pig Out
Meaning	Eat ravenously
Ex.	I don’t go out for lunch with you because your pigging out annoys and embarrasses me a lot.
654	Bag People
Meaning	Homeless people
Ex.	Bad weather doesn’t affect people living in homes as much and as severely as it affects bag people with not even a roof for shelter.
655	Compassion Fatigue
Meaning	The physical, emotional, and psychological impact of helping others
Ex.	His constant charity and social services have made him reach a point of compassion fatigue, for he is there for all, but no one is there for him.
666	Blow One’s Top
Meaning	Lose one’s temper
Ex.	He annoyed me so much that I blew my top and stormed out of the room.
657	Find One’s Feet
Meaning	To grow in confidence in a new situation as one gains experience
Ex.	It takes time to learn the office routine, but you will gradually find your feet.
658	Call It a Night
Meaning	To go to bed to sleep
Ex.	Guest after guest called it a night, and at last, we were alone.
659	The Tip of the Iceberg
Meaning	Only a small part of a much larger problem
Ex.	The lost tickets were just the tip of the iceberg; the main problem was awaiting them ahead.
670	Below Par
Meaning	Average or normal amount, degree, health or condition
Ex.	I feel a little below par today. I think I am getting a cold.
671	From Pillar to Post
Meaning	To and fro
Ex.	My father was in the army, and we moved from pillar to post year after year.
672	In A Jiffy
Meaning	In an instant, very soon, or very fast
Ex.	Hey, just wait a minute. I will be there in a jiffy.
673	Leave in The Lurch
Meaning	Abandon or desert someone in difficult straits
Ex.	True friends would never leave you in the lurch; rather, they stick by you through thick and thin
674	It Is About Time
Meaning	Used to emphasize that something should have occurred a long time ago, but the expected thing didn’t happen in the past
Ex.	It’s about time he got a job. His parents are getting too old to earn for him.
675	Out of The Wood
Meaning	Free from difficulties
Ex.	When the patient got out of the woods, everyone relaxed.
676	Punch-up
Meaning	A fist-fight
Ex.	Modi was involved in a punch-up with his wife’s former lover.
677	A Close Shave
Meaning	A narrow escape from danger
Ex.	What a close shave I had! I nearly fell off the roof when I was working there.
678	To Step into (Someone’s) Shoes
Meaning	To take over a job or to fill someone’s position
Ex.	I tell you, I wouldn’t want to step into Mr. Aslam’s shoes. Sure, the pay would be better, but I don’t want all that stress!
679	Cold Comfort
Meaning	Slight consolation or encouragement
Ex.	She knows there are others worse off than she is, but that’s cold comfort.
680	A Rule of Thumb
Meaning	A practical method of doing or measuring something, usually based on past experience rather than on exact measurement
Ex.	It’s the rule of thumb that the bus will be late whenever I’m in a hurry.
681	To Militate Against
Meaning	To make it difficult for something to happen
Ex.	His unfriendly attitude militates against him making friends.
682	To Be Cognizant Of
Meaning	Having knowledge or awareness
Ex.	Students doubt their teachers being cognizant of their misconduct in class.
683	Wages of Sin
Meaning	The results or consequences of evil-doing
Ex.	You cannot avoid the wages of sin – If you eat unhealthy food, you are bound to become ill.
684	Smash Hit
Meaning	A song, play, or movie, that is very popular
Ex.	Pakistani Films are so substandard that any Hollywood movie released here, instantly, becomes a smash hit.
685	Murphy’s Law
Meaning	Humorous axiom stating that anything that can go wrong will go wrong
Ex.	I am always on time in class; however, today, as I am late, the attendance will be marked earlier, and this is Murphys’s law.
686	Place in The Sun
Meaning	A dominant or favourable position or situation
Ex.	To find your place in the sun, you will have to work hard day and night.
687	Wooden Spoon
Meaning	An imaginary prize given to the person or team if they finish last in a race or competition
Ex.	It doesn’t matter even if you get a wooden spoon in the competition. What matters the most is that you enjoy the games.
688	Beard The Lion in His Den
Meaning	To visit an important person in order to tell or ask them something unpleasant
Ex.	It has been a week since I have been trying to get in touch with the CEO; I think I will now have to beard the lion in his den.
689	Groan Inwardly
Meaning	Feel dismayed by something but remain silent
Ex.	Although I groaned inwardly at his attitude, I didn’t say anything out loud because of the crucial situation at home.
690	Plough Back
Meaning	To put profits made by a business back into it
Ex.	He ploughs back all the profits earned by his project to further make improvements in it.
691	Be Left Holding the Baby
Meaning	Be left with an unwelcome responsibility
Ex.	The whole family decided to go to the mall for Eid shopping, while I was left holding the baby by being asked to decorate the house.
692	Cap in Hand
Meaning	In a respectful; Humble manner
Ex.	He came to receive his friend’s family with a cap in hand. This down-to-earth attitude of Ammar is loved by all.
693	Show and Tell
Meaning	A public display or demonstration or a visual presentation accompanied by an oral explanation
Ex.	I decided to take my parrots to the show and tell at school. The students loved learning about my pets.
694	To The Death
Meaning	Until death or until someone is dead
Ex.	Some people in underdeveloped areas fight to the death for the sake of not getting their children vaccinated.
695	To Be Ill at Ease
Meaning	Nervous; Uneasy; Anxious
Ex.	I was ill at ease when she made inappropriate jokes.
696	To Preen Oneself
Meaning	To pride oneself on an achievement, personal quality
Ex.	Although the government has not done much for the general public, it is preening itself on its so-called achievements.
697	Prima Facie
Meaning	Based on the first impression
Ex.	The prima facie evidence points towards Jim’s murder attempt by Alex. However, the police think this might not be the case.
698	Break One’s Fall
Meaning	Interrupt a tumble or descent
Ex.	To break the economy’s fall, the government has decided to take a loan from the IMF.
699	Wash One’s Hand Of
Meaning	Disclaim responsibility for
Ex.	After having misled the team, he washed his hands of the team’s failure by saying that nobody was bound to work according to his suggestions.
700	To Become Reconcile To
Meaning	To accept or be resigned to something not desired
Ex.	Parents often have to become reconciled to their children’s wishes for the latter’s happiness.
701	Itching Palm
Meaning	A desire for money; Greed
Ex.	Your itching palm will undoubtedly get you into trouble one day. Stop running after money, and, rather, focus on your goal.
702	Not to Mince Matters
Meaning	To say what one means clearly and directly, even if it upset others
Ex.	My sister taught me not to mince matters and talk to the point.
703	Hang Up
Meaning	To end a telephone call
Ex.	While I face signal issues on a phone call, I always apologize before I hang up.
704	Turn Someone In
Meaning	To create feelings of dislike, repulsion, disgust, etc.
Ex.	Tom has a lot of problems; please do not turn him in because he does not deserve misconduct.
705	Turncoat
Meaning	Traitor
Ex.	Although everyone knew Emily was a turncoat, her daughter had a hard time believing it.
706	Where the Shoe Pinches
Meaning	Source of trouble, grief, difficulty, etc.
Ex.	I have been through such a situation after my father’s death, so I know where the shoe pinches.
707	Make for
Meaning	Cause of
Ex.	The incident is going to make for a better understanding between the two brothers.
708	Yeoman’s Service
Meaning	Efficient or useful help in need
Ex.	Iqra’s team has done yeoman’s service in raising money for the organization.
709	Discretion Is the Better Part of Valor
Meaning	It is better to avoid a dangerous situation than to confront it
Ex.	My father has always taught me that discretion is the greater part of valour.
710	A Casting Vote
Meaning	The vote that gives one group a majority when the other votes are equally divided
Ex.	The speaker used his casting vote in the favor of the majority.
711	Look Down Upon
Meaning	Regard someone with a feeling of superiority
Ex.	We must not look down upon the poor.
712	To Let the Grass Grow under One’s Feet
Meaning	Waste time by delaying doing something
Ex.	If you keep letting the grass grow under your feet and not work on the project, mark my words, you will face severe repercussions.
713	Penny Wise and Pound Foolish
Meaning	Not willing to spend small amounts of money; Careful and economical in small matters while being wasteful or extravagant in large ones
Ex.	I don’t get people who are penny wise and pound foolish. What use is saving money on a flower yet buying a whole extravagant bouquet?
714	The Primrose Path
Meaning	The path of pleasure, self-indulgence, etc.
Ex.	Having won the lottery, he started walking the primrose path.
715	Iconoclast
Meaning	A breaker or destroyer of images esp. religious
Ex.	Sania is an iconoclast because she refused to be bound by tradition.
716	A Swan Song
Meaning	Final achievement or public appearance
Ex.	Marry is resigning tomorrow; this project was her swan song.
717	A Freudian Slip
Meaning	An unintentional error that seems to reveal subconscious feelings
Ex.	It seems that was a Freudian slip because she was not willing to expose their secret.
718	A Gordian Knot
Meaning	An exceedingly complicated problem or deadlock
Ex.	Although Pakistan, according to GPI, is now ranked 152 among 172 peaceful countries in the world, terrorism is still a guardian knot of the country
719	A Cog in The Machine
Meaning	A small or insignificant member of a larger organization or system
Ex.	I am going to start my own business because I am tired of just being a cog in the machine
720	A Sugar Daddy
Meaning	A rich, older, man who supports or spends lavishly on a usually much younger girlfriend
Ex.	Better be careful of your boss. He is sort of a sugar daddy.
721	Wool Gathering
Meaning	To be daydreaming; Not concentrating
Ex.	Lost in her fantasies, the girl spent most of her day woolgathering and building castles in the air.
722	Under the Harrow
Meaning	In distress, upset, troubled
Ex.	Many families are under the harrow because of the economic recession.
723	A Gold Digger
Meaning	A woman who associates with or marries a man chiefly for material gain
Ex.	Better be careful, she is a sort of gold digger
724	Walk with God
Meaning	To live in obedience to His commands, and have communion with Him
Ex.	Every Muslim should try to walk with God in his daily routine.
725	On The Thin Ice
Meaning	In a risky situation, endangered
Ex.	After failing the exam fourth time, he was on thin ice with his father.
726	Unearthly Hour
Meaning	Absurdly early or inconvenient
Ex.	I love to call my sister at unearthly hours only for my inner satisfaction.
727	The Milk Human Kindness
Meaning	Kind behaviour, is considered to be natural to human beings
Ex.	You are selfish; you do not have milk of human kindness
728	To Pay Through the Nose
Meaning	To pay too much money for something
Ex.	We paid through the nose to stay in a five-star hotel in Turkey.
729	To Lose Face
Meaning	To look stupid
Ex.	One must not do such things that he has to lose face.
730	To Bring Grist to The Mill
Meaning	Something that is useful to someone for a particular purpose
Ex.	As a novelist, I feel that any experience, good or bad, will bring grist to my mill.
731	To Keep One’s Fingers Crossed
Meaning	To hope that things will happen in the way that you want them to
Ex.	I am keeping my fingers crossed that my sister clears the written test for the job.

CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers

The following are the CSS 2022 Pakistan Affairs solved past papers questions. These questions have been evaluated and checked by Pakistan’s top Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs coaches, who are either lecturers or officers and scored the highest marks in this paper. They include Miss Saba Baloch (CSS-2021), Miss Aimeen Mirza (CSS 2018), Miss Nirmal Hasni (DD NAB), Sir Rameez Ch. (Lecturer & Deputy Director), and Miss Zaineb Azam (the highest scorer – 76). Moreover, these questions have been attempted on the same pattern taught by Sir Syed Kazim Ali to his students who have been scoring the highest marks for years.

Q.1	Discuss The Issues And Mistrust In US-Pakistan Relations After The Withdrawal Of The U.S. Troops From Afghanistan.
Q.2	What Is The Volume Of The Grants, Aids And Loans In Pakistan’s Economy In The Last Ten Years To Stimulate Growth? Discuss
Q.3	Why Did Pakistan Join Western Defense Pacts? What Cost It Had To Pay For It. Explain
Q.4	Every State Designs Its Foreign Policy On National Interests Rejecting Feelings And Emotions. Why Did Pakistan Prefer Emotions, Feelings, And Ideology In Its Foreign Policy? Also, Analyze Its Impacts
Q.5	Evaluate The Factional Politics Of The Early Years (1947-58) And Their Impact On The Democratic Process Of Pakistan.
Q.6	Discuss The Federal Structure Of 1973 Constitution Of Pakistan After 18th Amendment. Why criticism On 18th Amendment Started Recently?
Q.7	Discuss The Role Of Regional And Nationalist Political Parties In Pakistani Politics? How Far These Parties Are Necessary For The Political System?

CSS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs Questions

Q.2	Enumerate the measures adopted by Pakistan to spotlight on the plight of Kashmiri people in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir after 5th August 2019.
Q.3	Now Outdated Question
Q.4	How CPEC phase II will galvanize industrialization and employment in Pakistan?
Q.5	Discuss the Significance of Renewable Energy Resources for Pakistan.
Q.6	How Pakistan should combat the 5th generation war?
Q.7	Political Stability is mandatory for economic prosperity in Pakistan. Elaborate.
Q.8	Critically Evaluate the Evolution of Muslim Separate Identity in the Sub-Continent.

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