List of 50 Important Idioms & Phrases
Idioms and phrases are an important topic that often appears in various competitive exams. Having a strong grasp of idioms and phrases can greatly improve one’s performance in these exams and increase the chances of success. This list of 50 important idioms and phrases has been curated specifically to help students and job aspirants prepare for their upcoming exams. Each idiom and phrase in this list has been carefully selected based on its frequency of occurrence and importance in everyday communication. By mastering these idioms and phrases, candidates can boost their language skills and improve their chances of success in exams, interviews, and professional communication. Let’s get started!
| S.No. | Idiom | Meaning |
| 1 | Hand to mouth | Live on only basic necessities |
| 2 | Make a face | To show dislike or disappointment through facial expressions |
| 3 | It’s Greek to me | Something that is not understandable |
| 4 | To pour oil on troubled waters | To make peace |
| 5 | Don’t put all your eggs in one basket | Do not put all your resources in one basket (in one place or thing) |
| 6 | To put in a nutshell | To say in a few words or to make something concise |
| 7 | Back out | To withdraw from a promise or contract |
| 8 | Blow up | To explode |
| 9 | Back Up | To support and sustain |
| 10 | Back Upon | To be relevant |
| 11 | Break Down | Failure in something |
| 12 | Break off | To end or discontinue |
| 13 | Break Up | To disperse / dissolve |
| 14 | Bring up | To rear |
| 15 | Call forth | To provoke |
| 16 | Call out | To shout |
| 17 | Call upon | To order |
| 18 | Carry on | To continue |
| 19 | Cast away | To throw aside |
| 20 | Catch up with | To overtake |
| 21 | Come off | To take place |
| 22 | Cry Down | To make little of |
| 23 | Catch up with | To overtake |
| 24 | Cry out against | To complain loudly against |
| 25 | Cut out | Designed for |
| 26 | Drop in | To Visit Casually |
| 27 | Drop out | To fall |
| 28 | Fall back | To Recede; To Retreat |
| 29 | Fall down | From a higher position to a lower one |
| 30 | Fall off | To Withdraw; To Drop Off |
| 31 | Fall under | To come under |
| 32 | Get along | To Prosper; To Progress; To Proceed |
| 33 | Get on with | To Live Pleasantly Together; To Progress |
| 34 | Get into | To be involved in |
| 35 | Give in | To Surrender; To Yield |
| 36 | Give over | Not to do any longer |
| 37 | Go after | To Follow; To Pursue |
| 38 | Go Down | To be accepted |
| 39 | Go without | To remain without |
| 40 | Go by | To follow |
| 41 | Hang about | To Loiter near a place |
| 42 | Hang upon | To depend upon |
| 43 | Hold out | To Endure; To Refuse to yield; To continue; To offer |
| 44 | Hold to | Abide By |
| 45 | Keep off | To ward off |
| 46 | Keep up with | To keep pace with |
| 47 | Knock out | To win by hitting another one |
| 48 | It takes two to tango | Both people involved in a bad situation are responsible for it |
| 49 | Last straw | The final problem in a series of problems |
| 50 | Keep something at bay | Keep something away |
How to Prepare English language For all Competitive Exams
