List-25
1.The Dole
Meaning: –money given in charity, and also allowances to the unemployed
Use:-The dole granted to the war widow is not sufficient.
2. To dole out
Meaning: –to give out in small quantities
Use:- A very small amount of money is being doled out to the flood victim. The government has doled out a small amount of money to be spent on education.
3. To darken one’s door
Meaning: –to pay a visit to one’s house
Use:-Yesterday, one of my old friends darkened my door.
4. Ups and downs
Meaning: –varying fortunes; changes and chances of life
Use:-Life is full of ups and downs.
5. Down and out
Meaning: –penniless, ruined
Use:-After loss in business, he is down and out.
6. Draconian legislation
Meaning: –very severe laws
Use:-The government passed Draconian legislation during the emergency.
7. To draw the longbow
Meaning: –to relate fantastic stories
Use:-He draws the long bow about his visit to America.
8. To draw the line at
Meaning: – to refuse to go beyond a certain limit
Use:- I have drawn the line and will not give you any more money.
9. To throw dust in one’s eyes
Meaning: – to try to deceive someone
Use:- He threw dust in the police’s eyes and ran away.
10. Dutch courage
Meaning: –bravery induced by alcoholic liquors
Use:-His Dutch courage has been of no use to him.
11. Eagle-eye
Meaning: –quick to discover; very discerning
Use:- Nothing can escape Mohan’s eagle-eye.
12. To set by the ears
Meaning: –to cause strife or incite to quarrel
Use:-The clever wife set her husband by the ears against his own brother.
13. To eat one’s words
Meaning: –to apologise; to take back what one has said
Use:-He spoke without thinking and had to eat his words later.
14. A bad egg
Meaning: –a worthless person
Use:-Satvinder is a bad egg in the whole class.
15. To egg on
Meaning: –to spur on to further action
Use:-He egged me on to talk to the officer, but I was hesitant.
16. Do not put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: –Do not stake all your money on a single industry; Spread your resources over a variety of transactions
Use:-By purchasing the shares of one company, he has put all his eggs in one basket.
17. A white elephant
Meaning: –a useless possession which is extremely expensive to keep
Use:-His imported car is a white elephant for him.
18. At the eleventh hour
Meaning: –at the last moment
Use:- I reached the railway station at the eleventh hour and caught the train.
19. Give him an inch he’ll take an ell
Meaning: –He will abuse his privilege and take great liberties
Use:-Don’t give him any concession, for if you give him an inch, he’ll take an all.
20. Elysian happiness
Meaning: –a state of perfect bliss
Use:-The period of a few months after marriage was Elysian happiness for him.
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