Idioms

Question 1

Complete the idiom:

I almost always cut myself while chopping vegetables. I’m all _____.

{very clumsy with my hands}

Answer 1

all thumbs

to be all thumbs = to be very clumsy with your hands

Question 2

Complete the idiom:

He always beats ____ ____ ____ when I ask about his plans.

{avoids saying something directly}

Answer 2

beats around the bush

to beat around the bush = to avoid saying something directly

Question 3

Complete the idiom:

The team had to bite ____ ____ and work overtime to finish on time.

{bravely face a difficult or unpleasant situation}

Answer 3

bite the bullet

to bite the bullet = to bravely face a difficult or unpleasant situation

Question 4

Complete the idiom:

I buttered ____ ____ by complimenting his cooking before asking for money.

{said nice things to get a favor}

Answer 4

buttered him up

to butter someone up = to say nice things to someone to get a favor

Question 5

Complete the idiom:

She gave him the cold ________ at lunch after their argument.

{treated someone in an unfriendly way}

Answer 5

gave him the cold shoulder

to give someone the cold shoulder = to treat someone in an unfriendly way

Question 6

Complete the idiom:

The rusty bike shone again with some elbow _______.

{hard physical work}

Answer 6

elbow grease

to use elbow grease = to use hard physical work

Question 7

Complete the idiom:

He had to face ____ _____ after being late.

{accept the consequences of his actions}

Answer 7

face the music

to face the music = to accept the consequences of one’s actions

Question 8

Complete the idiom:

It was really bothering me, but I talked to my mom and got it off ____ _____.

{shared a secret or worry to feel relieved}

Answer 8

got it off my chest

to get something off your chest = to share a secret or worry to feel relieved

Question 9

Complete the idiom:

Why are you so grumpy? Did you get up on the _____ ____ ____ _____.

{starting the day in a bad mood}

Answer 9

get up on the wrong side of bed

to get up on the wrong side of bed = to start the day in a bad mood

Note: You may also hear “to wake up on the wrong side of the bed.”

Question 10

Complete the idiom:

I took the rumor with a grain ____ _____.

{didn’t believe it completely}

Answer 10

with a grain of salt

to take something with a grain of salt = to not believe something completely

Question 11

Complete the idiom:

She worked extra jobs to make ____ _____.

{have enough money for basic needs}

Answer 11

make ends meet

to make ends meet = to have enough money for basic needs

Question 12

Complete the idiom:

Choosing the free ticket was a no ________.

{an easy decision to make}

Answer 12

no brainer

to be a no-brainer = to be a decision that is very easy to make

Question 13

Complete the idiom:

We’ll play ____ ____ _____ for the trip, and plan as you go.

{decide as things happen, without a plan}

Answer 13

play it by ear

to play it by ear = to decide as things happen without a plan

Question 14

Complete the idiom:

He popped ____ ________ after dinner. 💍

{proposed marriage}

Answer 14

popped the question

to pop the question = to propose marriage

Question 15

Complete the idiom:

She believed him when he said he won the lottery, but then he admitted that he was just pulling ____ _____.

{joking or teasing with her}

Answer 15

pulling her leg

to pull someone’s leg = to joke or tease someone

Question 16

Complete the idiom:

Water plants weekly: that’s a rule ____ _______.

{simple practical guideline}

Answer 16

rule of thumb

to use a rule of thumb = to use a simple practical guideline

Question 17

Complete the idiom:

I didn’t have time to plan well, and had to wing _____ during the presentation.

{do it without preparation or planning}

Answer 17

wing it

to wing it = to do something without preparation or planning

Question 18

Complete the idiom:

She got her second ______ and finished the essay at 2:00am.

{burst of new energy after tiredness}

Answer 18

second wind

to get a second wind = to get a burst of new energy after tiredness

Question 19

Complete the idiom:

They’ve been sitting ____ ____ _______ about the wedding date.

{avoiding making a decision}

Answer 19

sitting on the fence

to sit on the fence = to avoid making a decision

Question 20

Complete the idiom:

He stole her ________ by sharing her news first.

{took credit for someone’s idea}

Answer 20

stole her thunder

to steal someone’s thunder = to take credit for someone’s idea

Question 21

Complete the idiom:

Wow. Your excuse takes ____ ______.

{is the most surprising or extreme}

Answer 21

takes the cake

to take the cake = to be the most surprising or extreme

Question 22

Complete the idiom:

After losing three rounds, he threw ____ ____ _______.

{quit or gave up}

Answer 22

threw in the towel

to throw in the towel = to quit or give up

Question 23

Complete the idiom:

The surgery was touch ____ _____ but she recovered.

{uncertain or risky}

Answer 23

touch and go

to be touch and go = to be uncertain or risky

Question 24

Complete the idiom:

He got cold ______ before the adventure.

{got nervous and wanted to back out}

Answer 24

got cold feet

to get cold feet = to become nervous and want to back out

Question 25

# Complete the idiom: The thief was **caught ____ _________** with the jewelry. | {discovered doing something wrong}

Answer 25

caught **red-handed** ## Footnote to be caught red-handed = to be discovered doing something wrong

Question 26

# Complete the idiom: Your joke **broke ____ ______** at the party. | {made people feel relaxed and talkative}

Answer 26

broke **the ice** ## Footnote to break the ice = to make people feel relaxed and talkative

Question 27

# Complete the idiom: Good guess! You **hit the _____ on the _______**! | {described it exactly right}

Answer 27

hit the **nail** on the **head** ## Footnote to hit the nail on the head = to describe something exactly right

Question 28

# Complete the idiom: She **let the _____ out of the _______** and ruined the surprise. | {revealed a secret by mistake}

Answer 28

let the **cat** out of the **bag** ## Footnote to let the cat out of the bag = to reveal a secret by mistake

Question 29

# Complete the idiom: We eat out **once ____ ____ _____ _______**. | {rarely}

Answer 29

once **in a blue moon** ## Footnote to happen once in a blue moon = to happen very rarely

Question 30

# Complete the idiom: The test was a **piece ____ _______**. I finished in 30 minutes. | {easy to do}

Answer 30

a piece **of cake** ## Footnote to be a piece of cake = to be very easy to do

Question 31

# Complete the idiom: I've made my offer; **the ball ____ ____ _____ _______**. | {it's your turn to make a decision}

Answer 31

the ball **is in your court** ## Footnote to say the ball is in your court = to say it is someone's turn to make a decision

Question 32

# Complete the idiom: True friends stick together **through ____ and _______**. | {in good times and bad}

Answer 32

through **thick** and **thin** ## Footnote to stay through thick and thin = to stay together in good times and bad

Question 33

# Complete the idiom: I'm feeling **under ____ ________** today. I think I'll stay home. | {slightly ill}

Answer 33

under **the weather** ## Footnote to be under the weather = to be slightly ill

Question 34

# Complete the idiom: Yelling back at him just **added ____ to the _______**. | {made a bad situation worse}

Answer 34

added **fuel** to the **fire** ## Footnote to add fuel to the fire = to make a bad situation worse

Question 35

# Complete the idiom: Quitting your job suddenly might **burn ____ ________**. | {ruin a relationship so you can't go back}

Answer 35

burn **your bridges** ## Footnote to burn your bridges = to ruin a relationship so you cannot go back

Question 36

# Complete the idiom: He **got a ____ of his _____ ______** after teasing them. | {experienced what he did to others}

Answer 36

got a **taste** of his **own medicine** ## Footnote to get a taste of your own medicine = to experience what you did to others

Question 37

# Complete the idiom: She was caught **between a _____ and a _____ _______** when trying to choose a job. | {facing two equally difficult alternatives}

Answer 37

caught between a **rock** and a **hard place** ## Footnote to be caught between a rock and a hard place = to face two equally difficult alternatives

Question 38

# Complete the idiom: He **bit off more ____ ____ _____ _______** with three classes. | {took on too much}

Answer 38

bit off more **than he could chew** ## Footnote to bite off more than you can chew = to take on too much

Question 39

# Complete the idiom: Buying a new phone won't **break ____ _______**. | {be too expensive}

Answer 39

break **the bank** ## Footnote to break the bank = to be too expensive

Question 40

# Complete the idiom: They **cut ________** to save time. | {did it quickly by skipping steps}

Answer 40

cut **corners** ## Footnote to cut corners = to do something quickly by skipping steps

Question 41

# Complete the idiom: He **played the devil's ________** in the debate. | {argued against an idea to test it}

Answer 41

played the devil's **advocate** ## Footnote to be / play the devil's advocate = to argue against an idea to test it

Question 42

# Complete the idiom: The game **went down ____ ____ _______**. It was so exciting! | {continued to the very end}

Answer 42

went down **to the wire** ## Footnote to be down to the wire = to continue until the very end

Question 43

# Complete the idiom: I need to **get my ducks in a _______** before applying. | {get myself organized}

Answer 43

get my ducks in a **row** ## Footnote to get / have your ducks in a row = to get organized

Question 44

# Complete the idiom: The waiter **went the _____ _______** with dessert. | {made an extra effort to help}

Answer 44

went the **extra mile** ## Footnote to go the extra mile = to make an extra effort to help

Question 45

# Complete the idiom: We're all **in the _____ _____** while driving in rush hour. | {sharing the same situation}

Answer 45

in the **same boat** ## Footnote to be in the same boat = to share the same situation

Question 46

# Complete the idiom: He **jumped ____ _______** and started writing the test before given permission to start. | {started too early}

Answer 46

jumped **the gun** ## Footnote to jump the gun = to start something too early

Question 47

# Complete the idiom: By cycling to work, I **kill two _____ ____ ____ _______**. | {solved two problems at once}

Answer 47

kill **two birds with one stone** ## Footnote to kill two birds with one stone = to solve two problems at once

Question 48

# Complete the idiom: The detective was really **on ____ _______**. | {alert and competent}

Answer 48

on **the ball** ## Footnote to be on the ball = to be alert and competent

Question 49

# Complete the idiom: The invitation came **out ____ ____ _______**. I wasn't expecting it at all. | {unexpectedly}

Answer 49

out **of the blue** ## Footnote to happen out of the blue = to happen unexpectedly

Question 50

# Complete the idiom: Buying a dress before getting engaged is **putting the _____ before ____ _______**. | {doing things in the wrong order}

Answer 50

putting the **cart** before **the horse** ## Footnote to put the cart before the horse = to do things in the wrong order

Question 51

# Complete the idiom: She **bit ____ _______** to avoid arguing. | {stopped herself from saying something}

Answer 51

bit **her tongue** ## Footnote to bite your tongue = to stop yourself from saying something

Question 52

# Complete the idiom: I **hit ____ ________** with the perfect job. | {had great luck or success}

Answer 52

hit **the jackpot** ## Footnote to hit the jackpot = to have great luck or success

Question 53

# Complete the idiom: The hike was **off the ______ _____**, so it took us a while to get there. | {not on the usual or common route}

Answer 53

off the **beaten track** ## Footnote to be off the beaten track = to be unusual or not common

Question 54

# Complete the idiom: The plane delay was just the **tip ____ ____ _________**. Things got much worse! | {small part of a larger problem}

Answer 54

tip **of the iceberg** ## Footnote to be the tip of the iceberg = to be a small part of a larger problem

Question 55

# Complete the idiom: She **wears her _____ ____ ____ _______**. | {shows her emotions openly}

Answer 55

wears her **heart on her sleeve** ## Footnote to wear your heart on your sleeve = to show your emotions openly

Question 56

# Complete the idiom: The teacher **turned a _____ _______** to the cheating. | {deliberately ignored something wrong}

Answer 56

turned a **blind eye** ## Footnote to turn a blind eye = to deliberately ignore something wrong

Question 57

# Complete the idiom: The car **cost an _____ and a _______**. | {was very expensive}

Answer 57

cost an **arm** and a **leg** ## Footnote to cost an arm and a leg = to be very expensive

Question 58

# Complete the idiom: You're **barking up ____ ______ _______**. He's not the one who stole your car. | {following the mistaken approach}

Answer 58

barking up **the wrong tree** ## Footnote to bark up the wrong tree = to follow a mistaken approach

Question 59

# Complete the idiom: She **swallowed ____ _______** and apologized. | {accepted something humiliating}

Answer 59

swallowed **her pride** ## Footnote to swallow your pride = to accept something humiliating

Question 60

# Complete the idiom: He went for a run to **blow ____ _______**. | {release his anger}

Answer 60

blow **off steam** ## Footnote to blow off steam = to release anger

Question 61

# Complete the idiom: He was a **bundle ____ _______** before the speech. | {very nervous}

Answer 61

a **bundle of nerves** ## Footnote to be a bundle of nerves = to be very nervous

Question 62

# Complete the idiom: She **burned the ______ _______** to prepare for her exams. | {very busy}

Answer 62

burned **the midnight oil** ## Footnote to burn the midnight oil = to be very busy working late

Question 63

# Complete the idiom: She was **on _____ _______** for several days after the promotion. | {very happy}

Answer 63

on **cloud nine** ## Footnote to be on cloud nine = to be very happy

Question 64

# Complete the idiom: The team **worked like a _____ _______ machine**. | {worked together well}

Answer 64

worked like a **well-oiled** machine ## Footnote to work like a well-oiled machine = to work together well