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TOEFL Learning - 50 IDIOMS with their meaning


TOEFL Learning - 50 IDIOMS with their meaning

We have put together some frequently used IDIOMS with their meaning. These idioms prove to be very useful in Reading and Writing sections of TOEFL test.



It can help you to frame your sentences or to better understand the reading passage which otherwise would be difficult.

 1. To add insult to injury     -      To intensify a person.
2. To be born with a silver Spoon in one's mouth - To be born in a rich family.
3. A bolt from the blue       -       An expected disaster
4. To blow one’s own trumpet -   To boast
5. A bone of contention       -      Cause of quarrel
6. To burn one’s fingers       -      To suffer
7. To beat black & blue        -      To beat mercilessly
8. To cast an aspersion        -      To bring discredit
9. To cry over spilled milk    -      To feel sorry for what has happened
10. To cut a sorry figure      -      To make a poor impression
11. To die in harness           -      To die while doing one’s duty
12. To end in smoke            -      To fail
13. To go to the dogs          -       To be ruined
14. To hang in the balance  -       To remain undecided
15. To hit the nail on the head -   To do the right thing at the right time
16. To hold water               -        To sound logical
17. To live no stone upturned -     To try one’s level best
18. To live from hand to mouth -   To live with great difficulty
19. To make up one’s mind   -       To decide
20. To see eye to eye with  -         To Agree
21. To play ducks and drakes    -   To Waste
22. To put the cart before the horse  - To do a thing in a wrong way
23. To have too many irons in the fire-To have too many things in hand
24. To read b/w the lines        -     To try to understand the hidden meaning
25. To turn over a new leaf     -     To change for the better
26. To take the bull by horns   -     To face difficulties boldly
27. To win laurels                   -     To distinguish oneself
28. At daggers drawn              -    At enmity or fighting
29. Blake and white                -    Written
30. By leaps and bounds         -    Very fast
31. In cold blood                    -    Deliberately
32. Laid up with                     -    Confined to bed
33. Ins and outs                     -    Full details
34. A black sheep                   -    Scoundrel; a bad person
35. A cock and bull story         -    An absurd tale
36. A gala day                        -    A day of festivity; a holiday with rejoicing
37. A hard nut to crack            -   A difficult person or problem to deal with
38. A turn coat                        -   One who changes one’s opinion or party
39. A fool’s paradise                -   In a state of happiness founded on vain hopes
40. Beat a retreat                   -   To retire before the enemy
41. To be on the horns of a dilemma - To have a choice b/w two equal evils
42. To beat about the bush      -    Approach a subject in a round about method
43. Bury the hatchet               -    To make peace
44. By fits and starts               -    Irregularly
45. Capital punishment            -    Death sentence
46. By hook or by crook           -    By fair or foul means
47. Eat humble pie                  -    To face humiliation
48. Hit below the belt              -    To act unfairly
49. In apple pie order              -    In perfect order
50. Leave one in lurch             -    To desert in difficulty

Stay tuned for more prep materials...Happy Learning!

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