Q1. What does the idiom 'a piece of cake' mean?
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Answer: A. Very easy
'A piece of cake' means something very easy to do.
Idioms and Phrases Questions for SSC CGL (with Answers)
76 Idioms and Phrases MCQs from the English Comprehension section, with answers and short explanations.
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Q2. What does 'to break the ice' mean?
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Answer: A. To start a conversation
'Break the ice' means to do or say something to relieve tension and start a conversation.
Q3. What does 'at the eleventh hour' mean?
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Answer: D. At the last moment
'At the eleventh hour' means at the latest possible moment.
Q4. What does the idiom 'to turn a deaf ear' mean?
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Answer: B. To ignore a request or advice
'To turn a deaf ear' means to refuse to listen or pay attention.
Q5. What does the idiom 'to add fuel to the fire' mean?
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Answer: A. To make a bad situation worse
'To add fuel to the fire' means to make an already bad situation worse.
Q6. What does the idiom 'to let the cat out of the bag' mean?
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Answer: A. To reveal a secret
'To let the cat out of the bag' means to reveal a secret, often by mistake.
Q7. What does the idiom 'to beat about the bush' mean?
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Answer: C. To avoid coming to the main point
'To beat about the bush' means to avoid talking directly about the main point.
Q8. What does the idiom 'to see eye to eye' mean?
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Answer: A. To agree fully
'To see eye to eye' means to agree completely with someone.
Q9. What does the idiom 'to be in hot water' mean?
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Answer: D. To be in trouble
'To be in hot water' means to be in trouble or difficulty.
Q10. What does the idiom 'once in a blue moon' mean?
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Answer: D. Very rarely
'Once in a blue moon' means very rarely.
Q11. What does the idiom 'under the weather' mean?
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Answer: B. Feeling unwell
'Under the weather' means feeling slightly ill.
Q12. What does the idiom 'to keep one's fingers crossed' mean?
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Answer: D. To hope for a good result
'To keep one's fingers crossed' means to hope that things will turn out well.
Q13. What does the phrase 'by hook or by crook' mean?
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Answer: B. By any means, fair or unfair
'By hook or by crook' means by any possible method, whether fair or unfair.
Q14. What does the idiom 'to cry over spilt milk' mean?
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Answer: D. To regret something that cannot be undone
'To cry over spilt milk' means to be upset about something that has happened and cannot be changed.
Q15. What does the idiom 'a bolt from the blue' mean?
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Answer: B. A sudden, unexpected event
'A bolt from the blue' is something completely unexpected, usually a shock.
Q16. What does the idiom 'to call it a day' mean?
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Answer: A. To stop working for the day
'To call it a day' means to decide to stop the work one is doing.
Q17. What does the idiom 'to turn over a new leaf' mean?
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Answer: A. To change one's behaviour for the better
'To turn over a new leaf' means to make a fresh start and improve one's conduct.
Q18. What does the idiom 'to face the music' mean?
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Answer: C. To accept criticism or punishment for one's actions
'To face the music' means to accept the unpleasant results of what one has done.
Q19. What does the idiom 'to keep an eye on' mean?
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Answer: C. To watch carefully
'To keep an eye on' something means to watch or guard it carefully.
Q20. What does the idiom 'to hit the sack' mean?
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Answer: C. To go to bed
'To hit the sack' is an informal way of saying to go to bed.
Q21. What does the idiom 'in the same boat' mean?
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Answer: D. In the same difficult situation
To be 'in the same boat' means to face the same problem as others.
Q22. What does the idiom 'a drop in the ocean' mean?
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Answer: C. A very small amount compared with what is needed
'A drop in the ocean' is an amount too small to make any real difference.
Q23. What does the idiom 'to be over the moon' mean?
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Answer: B. To be extremely happy
'To be over the moon' means to be delighted or extremely happy.
Q24. What does the idiom 'a hot potato' mean?
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Answer: C. A controversial issue that is difficult to handle
'A hot potato' is a sensitive issue that people find awkward to deal with.
Q25. What does the idiom 'to take to one's heels' mean?
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Answer: D. To run away
'To take to one's heels' means to run away quickly.
Q26. What does the idiom 'to be all ears' mean?
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Answer: D. To listen eagerly and attentively
'To be all ears' means to be listening with full attention.
Q27. What does the idiom 'to cost an arm and a leg' mean?
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Answer: D. To be very expensive
If something 'costs an arm and a leg', it is extremely expensive.
Q28. What does the idiom 'to pull someone's leg' mean?
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Answer: B. To tease or joke with someone
'To pull someone's leg' means to tease them playfully, often by telling them something untrue.
Q29. What does the idiom 'to make ends meet' mean?
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Answer: D. To earn just enough money to live on
'To make ends meet' means to manage to pay for basic needs with the money one has.
Q30. What does 'to burn the midnight oil' mean?
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Answer: D. To work late into the night
It means to study or work late at night.
Q31. What does 'to hit the nail on the head' mean?
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Answer: B. To describe exactly what is right
It means to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
Q32. What does 'a blessing in disguise' mean?
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Answer: A. A good thing that seemed bad at first
It means an apparent misfortune that eventually has good results.
Q33. What does 'to throw in the towel' mean?
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Answer: C. To give up
It means to admit defeat or give up.
Q34. What does the idiom 'to bury the hatchet' mean?
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Answer: C. To make peace
'To bury the hatchet' means to end a quarrel and make peace.
Q35. What does the idiom 'to smell a rat' mean?
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Answer: C. To suspect that something is wrong
'To smell a rat' means to suspect trickery or that something is not right.
Q36. What does the idiom 'to take the bull by the horns' mean?
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Answer: B. To face a difficulty boldly
'To take the bull by the horns' means to deal with a difficult situation directly and confidently.
Q37. What does the idiom 'a red-letter day' mean?
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Answer: B. A memorable or important day
'A red-letter day' is a day that is pleasantly memorable or especially significant.
Q38. What does the idiom 'hand in glove' mean?
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Answer: B. In close, often secret, cooperation
'Hand in glove' means working very closely together, often for a dishonest purpose.
Q39. What does the idiom 'a white elephant' mean?
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Answer: C. A costly possession that is of little use
'A white elephant' is a possession whose cost of upkeep is out of proportion to its usefulness.
Q40. What does the idiom 'to hold out an olive branch' mean?
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Answer: B. To make a peace offer
'To hold out an olive branch' means to make an offer of reconciliation or peace.
Q41. What does the idiom 'a wet blanket' mean?
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Answer: A. A person who spoils others' enjoyment
'A wet blanket' is someone who dampens the enthusiasm or fun of others.
Q42. What does the idiom 'to be at daggers drawn' mean?
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Answer: D. To be bitter enemies
'To be at daggers drawn' means to be in a state of bitter hostility with someone.
Q43. What does the idiom 'to get cold feet' mean?
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Answer: B. To become nervous and back out
'To get cold feet' means to lose courage and hesitate or withdraw at the last moment.
Q44. What does the idiom 'a feather in one's cap' mean?
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Answer: B. An achievement to be proud of
'A feather in one's cap' is an achievement or honour that one can be proud of.
Q45. What does the idiom 'to put the cart before the horse' mean?
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Answer: C. To do things in the wrong order
'To put the cart before the horse' means to do things in the wrong order, for example planning a celebration before the result is known.
Q46. What does the idiom 'to play second fiddle' mean?
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Answer: B. To take a less important role than someone else
'To play second fiddle' means to be in a subordinate position to another person.
Q47. What does the idiom 'to take something with a pinch of salt' mean?
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Answer: B. To not believe it completely
'To take something with a pinch of salt' means to regard it with doubt and not accept it as entirely true.
Q48. What does the idiom 'like a fish out of water' mean?
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Answer: C. Uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation
'Like a fish out of water' describes someone who feels awkward because the surroundings are unfamiliar.
Q49. What does the idiom 'to have an axe to grind' mean?
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Answer: C. To have a private or selfish motive
'To have an axe to grind' means to have a personal interest or selfish reason for doing something.
Q50. What does the idiom 'to spill the beans' mean?
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Answer: B. To reveal a secret
'To spill the beans' means to reveal secret information, often by accident.
Q51. What does the idiom 'to let sleeping dogs lie' mean?
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Answer: A. To avoid stirring up an old problem
'To let sleeping dogs lie' means to avoid raising an issue that could cause trouble if disturbed.
Q52. What does the idiom 'to be on cloud nine' mean?
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Answer: D. To be extremely happy
'To be on cloud nine' means to be extremely happy or delighted.
Q53. What does the idiom 'to cut corners' mean?
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Answer: A. To do something cheaply or carelessly to save time or money
'To cut corners' means to do something in the easiest, cheapest or quickest way, often by ignoring rules or quality.
Q54. What does 'to bell the cat' mean?
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Answer: D. To take a risky task for the common good
It means to undertake a dangerous task for the benefit of the group.
Q55. What does 'a wild goose chase' mean?
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Answer: B. A hopeless search
It means a foolish and hopeless search for something unattainable.
Q56. What does 'to call a spade a spade' mean?
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Answer: A. To speak plainly
It means to speak frankly and directly.
Q57. What does 'to pour oil on troubled waters' mean?
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Answer: B. To calm a quarrel or tense situation
'To pour oil on troubled waters' means to try to soothe a dispute. Making a quarrel worse would be 'adding fuel to the fire'.
Q58. What does the idiom 'to carry coals to Newcastle' mean?
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Answer: B. To take something to a place where it is already plentiful
'To carry coals to Newcastle' means to do something superfluous, such as supplying a thing to a place that already has plenty of it.
Q59. What does the idiom 'to show the white feather' mean?
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Answer: C. To display cowardice
'To show the white feather' means to behave in a cowardly manner.
Q60. What does the idiom 'to cut the Gordian knot' mean?
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Answer: A. To solve a complicated problem by a bold, direct action
'To cut the Gordian knot' means to resolve a complex problem decisively instead of dealing with its intricacies.
Q61. What is meant by 'a damp squib'?
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Answer: A. An event that proves far less impressive than expected
'A damp squib' is something that turns out to be a disappointing anticlimax. A person who spoils fun is a 'wet blanket'.
Q62. What does 'Achilles' heel' mean?
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Answer: D. A small but fatal weakness
An 'Achilles' heel' is a vulnerable point in someone otherwise strong, just as the hero Achilles could be wounded only in his heel.
Q63. What is meant by 'a sop to Cerberus'?
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Answer: C. Something given to pacify a troublesome person
'A sop to Cerberus' is a bribe or concession offered to quieten or appease a troublesome person.
Q64. What is meant by 'a Pyrrhic victory'?
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Answer: A. A victory won at so great a cost that it is almost a defeat
A 'Pyrrhic victory' is one achieved with such heavy losses that it is hardly worth winning.
Q65. What does the phrase 'to be on the horns of a dilemma' mean?
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Answer: B. To face a choice between two equally unpleasant alternatives
Being 'on the horns of a dilemma' means having to choose between two options that are both undesirable.
Q66. What does the idiom 'to steal someone's thunder' mean?
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Answer: A. To win the attention or praise meant for someone by doing or saying what they planned first
'To steal someone's thunder' means to pre-empt someone and take the credit or attention that should have been theirs.
Q67. What does the idiom 'to cut one's coat according to one's cloth' mean?
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Answer: B. To live within one's means
'To cut one's coat according to one's cloth' means to adjust one's spending or plans to the resources available, i.e. to live within one's means.
Q68. What does the idiom 'to be in the doldrums' mean?
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Answer: C. To be in low spirits or in a state of stagnation
'To be in the doldrums' means to be depressed, listless, or in a period of inactivity. The Doldrums are equatorial waters where ships were often becalmed.
Q69. What does the idiom 'to fish in troubled waters' mean?
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Answer: B. To take advantage of a confused or disturbed situation for personal gain
'To fish in troubled waters' means to exploit a situation of disorder or trouble for one's own benefit.
Q70. What does the idiom 'to throw down the gauntlet' mean?
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Answer: B. To issue a challenge
'To throw down the gauntlet' means to issue a challenge. Knights threw down a glove as a challenge to combat; picking it up signified acceptance.
Q71. What does the idiom 'to keep the wolf from the door' mean?
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Answer: D. To earn just enough to avoid hunger and want
'To keep the wolf from the door' means to have enough money or food to avoid starvation or extreme poverty.
Q72. What does the idiom 'to sail close to the wind' mean?
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Answer: C. To behave in a way that is almost illegal or improper
'To sail close to the wind' means to take risks by acting in a way that is nearly dishonest, illegal or dangerous.
Q73. What does the idiom 'to rest on one's laurels' mean?
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Answer: C. To be content with past achievements and make no further effort
'To rest on one's laurels' means to be satisfied with what one has already achieved and stop striving for more.
Q74. What does the idiom 'a storm in a teacup' mean?
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Answer: A. Great excitement or anger over a trivial matter
'A storm in a teacup' refers to a great fuss or commotion about something unimportant.
Q75. What does the idiom 'a flash in the pan' mean?
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Answer: B. A sudden success that is not repeated or sustained
'A flash in the pan' is something that promises great success at first but fails to last, from old flintlock guns whose powder flashed in the pan without firing the charge.
Q76. What does the idiom 'to take the wind out of someone's sails' mean?
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Answer: D. To deflate someone's confidence by saying or doing something unexpected
'To take the wind out of someone's sails' means to make someone lose confidence or momentum, typically by anticipating their action or saying something unexpected.