English (Precis and Composition) English Grammar

English Grammar: Idioms And Phrases (“Set-C”) | for CSS, PMS, PCS, NTS

English Grammar: Idioms And Phrases

Call a spade a spade:
(Speak plainly: say precisely what one means) – He was the kind of person who always calls a spade a spade.

Call to account:
(Take to task, demand explanation) – The cashier was called to account for the shortage in the cash balance.

Carry weight:
(Have influence with) – What he says carries weight with the management.

Cast pearls before swine:
(offer or express something valuable before an unappreciative audience) It didn’t take me long to note that they were not the lovers of poetry, and my talk about poetry was like casting pearls before swine.

Child’s play:
(Something very easy; work demanding no effort) – It’s not a child’s play to pass competitive examinations.

Close shave:
(narrow escape from danger or misfortune) – She had a close shave today. She stepped into the road and was nearly killed by a truck.

Cold war:
(Unfriendly relationship between nations but with no military engagement) – The cold war between China and Russia reached its peak during the period of the Cultural Revolution of Mao.

Come to the point:
(Speak plainly or directly, avoid circumlocution) – May I request you not to beat about the bush and come to the point?

Crocodile tears:
(hypocritical tears shed by an unfeeling person) – He laid all the blame of the Fraser’s rising upon his son, saying, with crocodile tears, that he was not the first who had an undutiful son.

Cut one’s own throat:
(act so as to ruin oneself) – When she signed the agreement, she didn’t know she was cutting her own throat.

Cut the Gordian knot:
(Solve a difficult problem by disregarding conditions) – She sought a divorce from her husband, and thus cut the Gordian knot.

About the author

Doctor Madiha Fatima

Dr Madiha Fatima have completed her BDs from De Montmorency College and Pharm-D from University of Lahore.
There is an amazing power of "getting to know your own learning skills and how to use it", her journey didn't stop here. She attempted Civil Superior Services (CSS) and Provincial Management Service (PMS).
Meanwhile she discovered that she have come too far to quit now, and decided that "this is the moment", she should start guiding the graduate's about CSS/PMS studies. From there her journey started as a teacher/mentor/motivator but not a money maker and Aafreen institute for CSS and PMS came into being.
Now she is a teacher, it's how she define herself. A good teacher isn't someone who gives the answers out to their students but to understand the needs, challenges and gives tools to help them succeed further.

Leave a Comment