Idioms & Phrases Quiz for SSC, Banking, Railway Exams.

Idioms Quiz 

English Idioms Practice (1-20)

1. After one's own heart

• (a) Sharing or having one's tastes (पसंद) or views (विचार).
• (b) Infatuation (दीवानगी) with a person which is not reciprocated (बदले में न मिलना).
• (c) Memorise something by heart.
• (d) Don't have the courage (हिम्मत) to do something bad for a good person.

Correct Answer: (a) Sharing or having one's tastes or views.

2. Pull the wool over someone's eyes

• (a) To protect someone.
• (b) To keep oneself warm.
• (c) Deceive (धोखा देना) someone by telling lies.
• (d) To pretend (दिखावा करना) to be blind to the other person's bad behaviour.

Correct Answer: (c) Deceive someone by telling lies.

3. At somebody's expense

• (a) Paid for by someone.
• (b) To blame a crime on someone else.
• (c) The unlucky persons who lose a race.
• (d) If one person benefits (फ़ायदा) it is always at the loss (नुकसान) of another.

Correct Answer: (a) Paid for by someone.

4. Cock and bull story

• (a) An implausible (अविश्वसनीय/झूठी) story used as an explanation or excuse (बहाना).
• (b) A fairy tale told down generations (पीढ़ियों से).
• (c) A story of animals with hidden morals (नैतिक शिक्षा).
• (d) The meek (दब्बू/कमजोर) can defeat the bully by being clever.

Correct Answer: (a) An implausible story used as an explanation or excuse.

5. At large

• (a) A very big opportunity (अवसर).
• (b) A criminal escaped (फरार) or not yet captured (पकड़ा गया).
• (c) To have a big heart.
• (d) A big appetite (भूख).

Correct Answer: (b) A criminal escaped or not yet captured.

6. Head over heels

• (a) To do things exactly opposite of what is expected (उम्मीद).
• (b) Madly in love.
• (c) To do stupid things.
• (d) To unknowingly (अनजाने में) dive into an unpleasant (अप्रिय) situation.

Correct Answer: (b) Madly in love.

7. A walk of life

• (a) An easy comfortable life not necessarily prosperous (समृद्ध).
• (b) The most important day of your life.
• (c) A person's occupation (व्यवसाय) or position within society.
• (d) Walking is the best form of exercise.

Correct Answer: (c) A person's occupation or position within society.

8. Cut to the chase

• (a) Come to the point.
• (b) To run after somebody.
• (c) To cut out the important bits (अंश) of information.
• (d) To take a short cut.

Correct Answer: (a) Come to the point.

9. Be in force

• (a) To enjoy a short period of fame (प्रसिद्धि) or power.
• (b) In great strength (ताकत) or numbers.
• (c) A hateful act done in a haste (जल्दबाजी).
• (d) Be the current winner.

Correct Answer: (b) In great strength or numbers.

10. Make a scene

• (a) To perform beautifully in front of an audience (दर्शक).
• (b) Make a public disturbance (हंगामा) or excited emotional display.
• (c) To narrate (सुनाना) an elaborate false story.
• (d) Describe a scene in so much detail that it comes vivid (जीवंत).

Correct Answer: (b) Make a public disturbance or excited emotional display.

11. Ask for trouble

• (a) Act in a way that is likely to incur (झेलना/पैदा करना) problems or difficulties.
• (b) Be the self-appointed guardian (अभिभावक) of your neighbourhood.
• (c) A clumsy (बेढंगा) person who keeps making mistakes.
• (d) A person who has no work is bound (मजबूर) to create trouble for others.

Correct Answer: (a) Act in a way that is likely to incur problems or difficulties.

12. Drive someone up the wall

• (a) To help someone achieve success.
• (b) To overcome (पार पाना) an obstacle (बाधा) by going over it.
• (c) To close someone's path of escape (बचना).
• (d) Make someone very irritated (चिड़चिड़ा) or angry.

Correct Answer: (d) Make someone very irritated or angry.

13. At the top of your lungs

• (a) Be a habitual (आदतन) smoker.
• (b) Be breathless after an exhausting (थका देने वाला) physical task.
• (c) Feel suffocated (दम घुटना) in a very crowded place.
• (d) Extremely (बेहद) loudly.

Correct Answer: (d) Extremely loudly.

14. The wheels have come off

• (a) To use something so much that it wears out (घिस जाना).
• (b) Things start to fail or go wrong, especially after a period of success.
• (c) To do a shoddy (घटिया) job which is destined (भाग्य में होना) to fail.
• (d) Make an excuse to avoid (बचना) doing a task.

Correct Answer: (b) Things start to fail or go wrong, especially after a period of success.

15. Be left stranded

• (a) Unable to leave somewhere because of a problem (फँस जाना).
• (b) Suffer a bad hair day.
• (c) Having only a single thing to hold on to save yourself.
• (d) To be the last person on whom the blame (दोष) falls on eventually (अंततः).

Correct Answer: (a) Unable to leave somewhere because of a problem.

16. All thumbs

• (a) Permission (अनुमति) from the concerned people to go ahead.
• (b) A crowd cheering (उत्साह बढ़ाना) their favourite team.
• (c) Physically awkward (अनाड़ी/अजीब), especially with respect to the hands.
• (d) An illiterate (अनपढ़) person who cannot sign his name.

Correct Answer: (c) Physically awkward, especially with respect to the hands.

17. A wet blanket

• (a) A safety net of precaution (सावधानी) from fires.
• (b) A person who discourages (हतोत्साहित करना) enjoyment or enthusiasm (उत्साह).
• (c) An extremely uncomfortable (असहज) place to sleep.
• (d) A trick (चाल) to shoo away unwelcome guests.

Correct Answer: (b) A person who discourages enjoyment or enthusiasm.

18. A thorn in the flesh

• (a) To fight despite (के बावजूद) being injured.
• (b) A minor discomfort (असुविधा) which is easily ignored (अनदेखा).
• (c) A source (स्रोत) of continual (लगातार) annoyance (चिढ़) or trouble.
• (d) A person within close family whom you secretly (गुपचुप) hate.

Correct Answer: (c) A source of continual annoyance or trouble.

19. A ray of hope

• (a) Even in a very bad situation one should try to see a good thing.
• (b) Good days are sure to follow difficult ones.
• (c) Be very happy even if the reason is very small.
• (d) Something that provides a small amount of optimism (आशावाद) in a difficult situation.

Correct Answer: (d) Something that provides a small amount of optimism in a difficult situation.

20. Mind your language

• (a) To put a lot of efforts (प्रयास) to understand what the other person is trying to say.
• (b) To speak first and think later.
• (c) Tell someone to speak politely (विनम्रता से).
• (d) To speak grammatically (व्याकरणिक रूप से) incorrect language.

Correct Answer: (c) Tell someone to speak politely.