Idioms and Phrases Exercise No- 12

Exercise-12

Directions: In each of the following questions, choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase printed in bold type.

1.To set the Thames on fire

(a) To do something remarkable

 (b) To try to do the impossible

 (c) To burn something to ashes

(d) To fling ironical remarks

2. To cast pearls before a swine

(a) To offer someone a thing which he cannot appreciate?

(b) To bring something good before the eyes of a greedy person

 (c) To spend recklessly on a useless fellow

(d) To indulge in fruitless endeavours

3. To bear the palm

(a) To win

(b) To accept a challenge

(c) To accept defeat

(d) To endure something

4. To change colour

(a) To change appearance

(b) To shift allegiance to

 (c) To favour the wrong person

 (d) None of these

5. To cut the Gordian knot

(a) To solve a difficult problem

(b) To be victorious

(c) To break ties with someone

 (d) To defeat a powerful person

6. To wrangle over an ass’s shadow

(a) To act in a foolish way

(b) To do something funny

(c) To quarrel over trifles

(d) To quarrel over the possession of an ass

7. To have one’s heart in one’s boots

(a) To be deeply depressed

(b) To be frightened

(c) To get angry

(d) To keep a secret

8. To strike one’s colours

(a) To fight vigorously

 (b) To work hard

(c) To surrender

 (d) To make a rude gesture

9. To cry wolf

(a) To grieve over something which cannot be recovered?

(b) To cry from grief, inconsolably

(c) To raise a false alarm

 (d) To announce to one arid all

10. To give one’s ears

(a) To make almost any sacrifice

(b) To listen carefully

 (c) To refuse to listen

 (d) To invite someone

11. To hang up one’s hat

(a) To challenge

(b) To surrender

 (c) To Postpone

(d) To make oneself comfortable another person’s home

12. To get the hang of a thing

(a) To know a secret

(b) To understand the meaning of it

(c) To find the cause of something

(d) None of these

13. To make a shot

 (a) To retaliate

(b) To hit someone

 (c) To make a guess

(d) To achieve one’s objective

14. A man of weight

(a) A fat person

 (b) To a truthful and trustworthy man

(c) A man of importance

(d) A notorious man

15. Pell-mell

(a) In hurried disorder

(b) Gaiety and excitement

(c) Extremely worried

(d) None of these

ANSWERS

1.(b)         2. (a)

3. (a)        4. (b)

5. (a)        6. (c)

7. (a)        8. (c)

9. (c)        10. (a)

11. (d)      12. (b)

13. (c)      14. (c)

15. (a)

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