English (Precis and Composition) English Grammar

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

English Grammar for CSS, English Idioms meaning, Idioms and Phrases, Idioms and Phrases "B"

Bad Blood:
(Enmity) – Misunderstanding caused much bad blood between the two friends.

Bad debts:
(Debts of which there is no hope that will ever be paid) – Among his assets he had included a number of bad debts.

Bag and Baggage:
(With all one’s belongings) – He has left Karachi with bag and baggage, as he intends to settle down in Islamabad.

Bear the Brunt:
Bear the main stress or burden (of a task, contest, etc.) – The Prime Minister will have to bear the brunt of the Opposition attack on the policy of the Government.

Beat about the bush:
(Talk around the point, instead of coming direct to a subject) – We should understand you better if you said exactly what you meant, instead of beating about the bush.

Beck and call:
(Always ready and waiting to carry out (someone’s) order or wishes) – She always has plenty of men at her beck and call.

Behind one’s back:
(Without someone’s knowledge or permission) – He sometimes bullies his sister behind his mother’s back.

Behind the scene:
(Not in public) – Much was done behind the scene before an agreement could be signed between the two parties.

Below the belt:
(Of a method of fighting, attacking, competing etc. unfair; not following the accepted rules of behaviour) – I know Faraz is jealous of Jamil, but I think it was a hit below the belt to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend.

Better Half:
(A man’s wife; a complementary term for a married woman) – “Polly heard it,” said Toodle, jerking his hat over his shoulder in the direction of the door, with an air of perfect confidence in his better half.

Between the devil and the deep sea:
(Subject to a double attack; a position of peculiar danger in warfare) – Poor Dawson is between devil and the deep sea; if he chastise the child, its mother scolds him; and if he lets it off, its grandmother comes down on him.

Bird of a passage:
(One who shifts from place to place) – Amjad deals in cutlery and moves from one city to another he is real bird of passage.

Bird-Eye view:
(A general view) – The statue of the happy prince was fixed on a tall column of a city from where he had a bird-eye view of his city.

Birds of a Feather:
(Persons of like tastes) – Birds of a feather flock together.

Black and blue:
(Black and blue marks on the body resulting from beating or hitting) – The thief was caught by the people and beaten black and blue.

Black and white:
(In writing) – Rohail gave his statement in black and white.

Blood is thicker than water:
(One should have more loyalty to people who are related to one than to other people) – I would prefer to give the money to my friend rather than to my brother but blood is thicker than water.

Blow hot and cold:
(Constantly change one’s mood from one of enthusiasm or interest to one of apathy or indifference) – Even if she is in favour of the proposal now we can’t rely on her support; she is the kind of person who blows hot and cold.

Blow one’s own trumpet:
(Boast of one’s own achievements or merits; praise oneself) – He spent almost half an hour telling us about himself, and what he had done. – Yes, he’s pretty good at blowing his own trumpet.

Blue blood:
(Aristocratic descent) – It is the duty of the men of blue blood to ensure the uplift of the masses.

Bolt from the blue:
(An unexpected and surprising event) – 1. The information that I have been selected for a fellowship in UK was a bolt from the blue. 2. The news of her father’s death was a bolt from the blue.

Bread and butter:
(Material welfare; what sustains life) – Former pride was too strong for present prudence, and the question of bread and butter was thrown to the winds in revolt at the shape of the platter in which it was offered.

Break the ice:
(overcome reserve: put people at ease with each other) – There was an embarrassing silence, until one of the men broke the ice by offering the other a cigarette.

Break the news:
(announce the news, usually used only of bad or unwelcome news) – No-one was anxious to break the news of the accident to the injured person’s family.

Burn midnight oil:
(To work or study until late at night) – You must have been burning the midnight oil to get the essay finished.

Burn the candle at both ends:
(Work all day and far into the night) I am not surprised that he has had a breakdown. What can you expect if you burn the candle at both ends?

By and by:
(Soon, after a short while) – By and by the situation was normal again.

By dint of:
(As a result of) – He has reached his eminent position by dint of hard and honest work.

By fits and starts:
(Irregularly) – If you work by fits and starts, you will not succeed.

By hook or by crook:
(By some means or other; through some device) – Our politicians have made a lot of wealth by hook or by crook.

By means of:
(By using something) – Thieves entered the house by means of a rope ladder.

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.

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