IDIOMS AND PHRASES SENTENCES

A red letter day. ( an auspicious  day) 14^th August 1947 is the red letter day in the history of Pakistan.

A bed of roses.(a very comfortable existence) The post of President is not a bed of roses.

All in all. ( an all powerful person) The Manager is all in all in the mill.

At the eleventh hour. ( at the last moment) The members were informed about the meeting at the eleventh hour.

A bone of contention. ( cause of dispute) Money was the bone of contention between the two brothers.

To beat about the bush (to talk of here and there) He always beat about the bush but never comes to the point.

                                     

To break the ice (to end the shyness) The teacher broke the ice in the class.

To make the most of (to avail the opportunity) Youth is the best time to make the most of it.

To make both ends meet (to live within one’s income) It is very difficult to

 make both ends meet in these days of dearness.

With heart and soul (with all one’s energy)  She is preparing for her  examination with heart and soul.

By fits and starts (irregularly)  It is not fair to study by fits and starts.

Day in and day out (every day)  He is working hard day in and day out to get first position.

With a high hand (to do something without respecting the feelings of others)  The Prime Minister should not decide matters with a high hand.

To cry over spilt milk (to have useless regret)  It is no use to cry over spilt  milk.

High time (right time)  It is high time to start our studies.

To shed crocodile tears (pretend to have been crying) The beggar is shedding crocodile tears to get charity.

                                              

To nip in the bud (destroy in the beginning) Nip the evil in the bud.

To put into practice (to start acting upon) We must put into practice the  principles of Quaid-e-Azam to make Pakistan a welfare state.

To wind up (to end)  My uncle is winding up his business in Dubai.

In black and white (in written) He has resigned from his post in black and white.

Apple of one’s eye. ( very dear) The baby is the apple of everybody’s eye in the family.

Fits and starts. (irregular) We should work regularly and not by fits and starts.

Narrow escape. ( to escape with the slightest margin) He had a narrow escape in the accident.

To turn a deaf ear. (disregarded) We should not turn a deaf ear on our elders advice.

To turn over a new leaf. ( behave better in future) My friend gave up his bad habits and turned over a new leaf.

To take to task. ( to punish) The bad boys will be taken to task today.

Ups and downs. ( rise and fall) I have experienced my ups and downs in life.

To see eye to eye with someone (to agree with) My friends do not see eye to eye with me.

To turn a deaf ear to (not to listen)  We must turn a deaf ear to rumors.

                                                                      

A black sheep (worthless member of the group) He is a black sheep in his department.

To take to task (to call to account) The Clerk was taken to task for absenting himself from office without permission.

Far and wide ---- My father has traveled far and wide in the country.

 Null and void (non-existent ; ineffective) The Director declared his dismissal orders null and void and ordered his reinstatement.

Once in a blue moon (extremely rare) Only once in a blue moon things

happen as one wishes.

Odds and ends (remnant ; unimportant things) After the picnic we

gathered all the odds and ends.

Get rid of (get free from a thing you wish to be freed) I am trying to get rid of my bad habits.

Hue and cry (a great noise) The man who was robbed raised hue and cry but the pickpocket ran away.    

Kith and kin (near relatives)  My father looks after his poor kith and kin.

A rainy day. ( bad days ) Save something for a rainy day.

To take to heels. ( to run away) Suddenly the Police patrol appeared and the thief took to heels.

To pick holes in. ( to criticize ) Do not pick holes in other’s affairs.