Notes - Idioms & Phrases - NDA English

Idioms and Phrases

An idiom is an expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions of the words it contains. The NDA English section usually contains 10 questions on Idioms and Phrases, making it a highly scoring (but occasionally tricky) section.

Pro Tip: Never select an option that provides the literal meaning of the idiom's words. For example, "To spill the beans" has nothing to do with actual beans or spilling; it means to reveal a secret. The literal translation is almost always a trap option set by the examiner!

How to Tackle Idioms in NDA

Visualize the Origin: Many idioms have historical or logical origins. "Bite the bullet" comes from soldiers biting on lead bullets during surgery without anesthesia (meaning: to endure pain/face a difficult situation).
Use the Context (If given): Sometimes idioms are asked within a sentence. Use the surrounding sentence structure to guess the tone (positive, negative, happy, angry).
Look for Themes: Group idioms by themes (e.g., Color idioms: 'out of the blue', 'red tape'; Animal idioms: 'let the cat out of the bag', 'dark horse').

Top High-Frequency Idioms for NDA

Memorize these frequently asked idioms, their exact meanings, and how they are used in sentences.

1. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: An event that happens very rarely.
Example: Because my brother lives in Canada, I get to see him only once in a blue moon.
2. To beat about the bush
Meaning: To avoid coming to the main point; talking in a roundabout manner.
Example: Stop beating about the bush and tell me exactly what happened to the car.
3. A dark horse
Meaning: An unexpected winner; a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds.
Example: He proved to be a dark horse in the elections, defeating the veteran politicians.
4. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling slightly ill, sick, or depressed.
Example: I won't be able to attend the party tonight as I am feeling a bit under the weather.
5. To make castles in the air
Meaning: To create visionary but unrealistic schemes or dreams; daydreaming.
Example: Instead of preparing for his exams, he is busy making castles in the air.
6. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake.
Example: We wanted to throw a surprise party for her, but John let the cat out of the bag.
7. To add fuel to the fire/flames
Meaning: To make a bad situation even worse; to worsen an existing argument.
Example: Criticizing him when he is already upset is just adding fuel to the fire.
8. Through thick and thin
Meaning: Under all circumstances, no matter how difficult; in good times and bad.
Example: True friends stand by you through thick and thin.
9. A piece of cake
Meaning: A task that is very easy or simple to accomplish.
Example: The Mathematics paper was a piece of cake for those who had practiced well.
10. To turn a deaf ear
Meaning: To completely ignore what someone is saying; to refuse to listen.
Example: The manager turned a deaf ear to the complaints of the workers.
11. A blessing in disguise
Meaning: A good thing that seemed bad or unfortunate initially.
Example: Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he started his own successful business.
12. At the eleventh hour
Meaning: At the very last moment possible; just in time before it is too late.
Example: The government cancelled the controversial order at the eleventh hour.
13. To nip in the bud
Meaning: To stop or destroy something at an early stage before it can develop into something worse.
Example: Bad habits in children should be nipped in the bud.
14. Apple of one's eye
Meaning: A person or thing that is greatly loved, treasured, or adored.
Example: Being the youngest child, she is the apple of her father's eye.
15. To burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To read, study, or work late into the night.
Example: NDA aspirants have to burn the midnight oil to crack the difficult exam.

Practice Questions - Idioms & Phrases - NDA English

Practice Questions: Idioms & Phrases

Directions: Given below are some idioms/phrases followed by four alternative meanings to each. Choose the response (a), (b), (c) or (d) which is the most appropriate expression and effectively expresses the meaning of the given idiom/phrase.

Practice Set (20 Questions)

1. To smell a rat

(a) To detect bad smell
(b) To suspect a trick or deceit
(c) To misunderstand heavily
(d) To see hidden meaning

Answer: (b) To suspect a trick or deceit

'To smell a rat' means to begin to suspect trickery, deception, or something fishy happening. Usage: When he offered to sell the car for such a low price, I started to smell a rat.

2. To cry wolf

(a) To listen eagerly
(b) To give false alarm
(c) To turn pale
(d) To keep off starvation

Answer: (b) To give false alarm

'To cry wolf' means to ask for help when you do not need it, or to give a false alarm. It comes from the fable of the boy who cried wolf just to trick the villagers.

3. A hard nut to crack

(a) A foolish search
(b) A difficult problem
(c) An easy question
(d) Expensive thing

Answer: (b) A difficult problem

'A hard nut to crack' refers to a problem that is difficult to solve or a person who is difficult to understand.

4. To read between the lines

(a) To concentrate deeply
(b) To read carefully
(c) To suspect
(d) To understand the hidden meaning

Answer: (d) To understand the hidden meaning

'To read between the lines' means to look for or discover a meaning that is hidden or implied rather than explicitly stated.

5. To bite the dust

(a) To be defeated or ruined
(b) To eat roots
(c) To attack rapidly
(d) To fall on the ground

Answer: (a) To be defeated or ruined

'To bite the dust' means to be killed, broken, defeated, or completely ruined. Usage: Our team performed well but eventually had to bite the dust against the champions.

6. A bolt from the blue

(a) Striking like lightning
(b) A complete surprise
(c) Informing suddenly
(d) No idea left

Answer: (b) A complete surprise

'A bolt from the blue' means an unexpected and usually unpleasant event or piece of news that comes as a complete surprise.

7. To bury the hatchet

(a) To end a quarrel and make peace
(b) To hide a weapon underground
(c) To start fighting again
(d) To ignore an insult

Answer: (a) To end a quarrel and make peace

'To bury the hatchet' comes from a Native American tradition of literally burying weapons to signal peace. It means to settle differences and become friends again.

8. To flog a dead horse

(a) To do an impossible task
(b) To waste time on a useless effort
(c) To kill an enemy slowly
(d) To revive old memories

Answer: (b) To waste time on a useless effort

'To flog a dead horse' means to waste effort on something when there is no chance of succeeding.

9. To have a chip on one's shoulder

(a) To have a piece of wood on one's uniform
(b) To hold a grudge or be easily angered
(c) To act brave in front of others
(d) To carry a heavy burden

Answer: (b) To hold a grudge or be easily angered

'To have a chip on one's shoulder' describes a person who feels resentful about something that happened in the past and is prone to picking fights.

10. To let the grass grow under one's feet

(a) To remain idle or do nothing
(b) To sit comfortably
(c) To nurture nature
(d) To proceed slowly but surely

Answer: (a) To remain idle or do nothing

'To let the grass grow under one's feet' means to delay doing something or to stay inactive/idle for too long.

11. To call a spade a spade

(a) To act foolishly
(b) To play cards well
(c) To speak plainly and directly
(d) To lie convincingly

Answer: (c) To speak plainly and directly

'To call a spade a spade' means to speak plainly and frankly about something, even if it is unpleasant or embarrassing.

12. A drop in the ocean

(a) Very tiny compared to what is needed
(b) An impossible search
(c) Adding water to the sea
(d) A major contribution

Answer: (a) Very tiny compared to what is needed

'A drop in the ocean' (or a drop in the bucket) means a very small amount that is insignificant compared to what is needed or expected.

13. By leaps and bounds

(a) Jumping happily
(b) Very slowly
(c) Rapidly or quickly
(d) By sheer luck

Answer: (c) Rapidly or quickly

'By leaps and bounds' means with startlingly rapid progress or development. Usage: India's economy is growing by leaps and bounds.

14. To face the music

(a) To attend a concert
(b) To be greeted warmly
(c) To face the harsh consequences
(d) To accept a reward

Answer: (c) To face the harsh consequences

'To face the music' means to accept the unpleasant consequences of one's own actions or mistakes.

15. To give someone the cold shoulder

(a) To offer a cold drink
(b) To ignore or show indifference intentionally
(c) To stand in the cold and talk
(d) To make someone uncomfortable

Answer: (b) To ignore or show indifference intentionally

'To give the cold shoulder' means to intentionally ignore someone or to be unfriendly towards them.

16. A white elephant

(a) A rare animal
(b) A costly but useless possession
(c) An expensive gift
(d) A sign of wealth

Answer: (b) A costly but useless possession

'A white elephant' refers to a possession that is completely useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain.

17. To miss the boat

(a) To fail to catch a ship
(b) To miss an opportunity
(c) To lose an argument
(d) To act cowardly

Answer: (b) To miss an opportunity

'To miss the boat' means to lose an opportunity to do something by being slow to act.

18. To see eye to eye

(a) To stare intensely
(b) To agree fully with someone
(c) To fight physically
(d) To look clearly

Answer: (b) To agree fully with someone

'To see eye to eye' means to be in complete agreement with someone.

19. Under a cloud

(a) Experiencing rainy weather
(b) Under suspicion or in disgrace
(c) Enjoying the shade
(d) Feeling extremely happy

Answer: (b) Under suspicion or in disgrace

'Under a cloud' means temporarily out of favor or under suspicion of having done something wrong.

20. To pass the buck

(a) To exchange money
(b) To give credit away
(c) To shift the blame or responsibility to someone else
(d) To win a bet easily

Answer: (c) To shift the blame or responsibility to someone else

'To pass the buck' means to evade responsibility and blame someone else instead.

Previous Year Questions - Idioms & Phrases - NDA English

Idioms & Phrases (Previous Year Questions)

Directions: The following 20 questions are compiled from previous years' NDA English question papers. These highlight the actual difficulty level and the exact idioms tested by UPSC repeatedly.

Important PYQs

NDA 2023 (II)

1. To have an axe to grind

(a) To fail to arouse interest
(b) To have no result
(c) To work for both sides
(d) To have a private reason for doing something

Answer: (d) To have a private reason for doing something

'To have an axe to grind' means to have a strong personal (often selfish) reason for getting involved in something.

NDA 2023 (I)

2. To bite the dust

(a) To eat voraciously
(b) To have nothing to eat
(c) To eat roots
(d) To fail or die

Answer: (d) To fail or die

'To bite the dust' means to be killed, broken, defeated, or to fail completely.

NDA 2022 (II)

3. A piece of cake

(a) A task that can be accomplished very easily
(b) A great party
(c) Something sweet and delicious
(d) A sudden reward

Answer: (a) A task that can be accomplished very easily

'A piece of cake' is a common idiom meaning something that is very simple to do.

NDA 2022 (I)

4. Let the grass grow under one's feet

(a) To stay idle
(b) To be observant
(c) To ignore the surroundings
(d) To engage in hard work

Answer: (a) To stay idle

'To let the grass grow under your feet' means to do nothing; to be inactive or slow to act.

NDA 2021 (II)

5. To rule the roost

(a) To blindly follow others
(b) To be frequently sick
(c) To be in charge or control
(d) To manage a poultry farm

Answer: (c) To be in charge or control

'To rule the roost' means to be the person who makes all the decisions in a group and exerts control over others.

NDA 2021 (I)

6. A red letter day

(a) A dangerous day
(b) A sorrowful day
(c) An important and joyful occasion in one's life
(d) A day filled with blood

Answer: (c) An important and joyful occasion in one's life

Historically, important feast days were marked in red ink on calendars. It means a very significant and memorable day.

NDA 2020 (I & II)

7. By fits and starts

(a) Consistently
(b) In short periods, not regularly
(c) Very quickly and excitedly
(d) After intense preparation

Answer: (b) In short periods, not regularly

'By fits and starts' means doing something with irregular bursts of activity, not continuously.

NDA 2019 (II)

8. To weather the storm

(a) To survive a difficult situation
(b) To predict the weather accurately
(c) To cause a dispute
(d) To go out in bad weather

Answer: (a) To survive a difficult situation

'To weather the storm' means to successfully deal with a very difficult problem or situation without being destroyed by it.

NDA 2019 (I)

9. To sit on the fence

(a) To watch a match over a wall
(b) To remain neutral or undecided
(c) To hide from one's enemies
(d) To rest comfortably

Answer: (b) To remain neutral or undecided

'To sit on the fence' means avoiding making a decision or taking a side in an argument.

NDA 2018 (II)

10. A wild goose chase

(a) A profitable adventure
(b) Hunting for birds
(c) A foolish and hopeless search
(d) Going on a long journey

Answer: (c) A foolish and hopeless search

'A wild goose chase' means a pursuit of something unattainable or a completely useless effort.

NDA 2018 (I)

11. To leave no stone unturned

(a) To behave aggressively
(b) To try every possible course of action in order to achieve something
(c) To damage the surroundings
(d) To build something grand

Answer: (b) To try every possible course of action in order to achieve something

It literally comes from a Greek legend of looking for buried treasure. It means to make every possible effort.

NDA 2017 (II)

12. To make up one's mind

(a) To be highly creative
(b) To decide completely
(c) To be confused
(d) To memorize something

Answer: (b) To decide completely

'To make up your mind' means to make a final decision about something.

NDA 2017 (I)

13. Spick and span

(a) Ready to fight
(b) Very costly items
(c) Neat, clean, and well looked after
(d) Old and torn

Answer: (c) Neat, clean, and well looked after

'Spick and span' perfectly describes a place that is completely neat and clean.

NDA 2016 (II)

14. To nip in the bud

(a) To destroy a flower
(b) To cut off an alliance
(c) To stop something at an early stage
(d) To plant a seed

Answer: (c) To stop something at an early stage

'To nip in the bud' means to stop a bad situation, habit, or problem right from the beginning before it becomes worse.

NDA 2016 (I)

15. Out of the blue

(a) Suddenly and unexpectedly
(b) From the deep ocean
(c) Falling from the sky
(d) Very angrily

Answer: (a) Suddenly and unexpectedly

'Out of the blue' refers to something happening completely unexpectedly, like a lightning bolt from a clear blue sky.

NDA 2015 (II)

16. To turn over a new leaf

(a) To change one's behavior for the better
(b) To read a new book
(c) To hide one's face
(d) To accept defeat

Answer: (a) To change one's behavior for the better

'To turn over a new leaf' means to start behaving in a better and more responsible way, leaving bad habits behind.

NDA 2015 (I)

17. To draw the line

(a) To sketch perfectly
(b) To set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept
(c) To challenge someone to a duel
(d) To divide property equally

Answer: (b) To set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept

'To draw the line' means to establish a limit that you will not step beyond.

NDA 2014 (II)

18. To catch a tartar

(a) To catch a dangerous person
(b) To deal with a person who is more than one's match
(c) To meet with a severe disaster
(d) To discover hidden wealth

Answer: (b) To deal with a person who is more than one's match

'To catch a tartar' means to deal with someone who proves to be unexpectedly powerful, fierce, or difficult to control.

NDA 2014 (I)

19. To read between the lines (Repeated)

(a) To read carefully
(b) To read only printed lines
(c) To understand the hidden meaning
(d) To read poetry

Answer: (c) To understand the hidden meaning

'To read between the lines' means to discover a meaning that is not stated outright.

NDA 2013 (II)

20. To pour oil on troubled waters

(a) To increase the anger
(b) To try to settle a disagreement or calm a situation
(c) To incite violence
(d) To ruin someone's business

Answer: (b) To try to settle a disagreement or calm a situation

Since oil floats on water and has a calming effect on waves, this idiom means to soothe a heated argument or to pacify a troubled situation.

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