A phrase is a group of words in English grammatical part which has a figurative meaning. It may short or long but cannot include subject and object. So it cannot give a complete meaning.
What is a Phrase?
Phrases and idioms are English ornaments. To understand English Idioms well, and to use them properly, it’s important. In Idioms, the literary meaning is not found in the meaning of the word, therefore it must be mastered by memorizing them. Due to differences in the meaning of words, the Idioms must be kept in mind exactly.
Phrase Example
Phrases:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Meaning
At home:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Efficient
Blue blood:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Elite
Dead letter:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Invalid
Give a hand:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Help
Greek to:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Unknown
An idiom is a phrase but it is dissimilar from other phrases in that you can’t realize its meaning from the words it is prepared from.
Example of Idioms and Phrases with Details
Here you will get details meaning of phrase and idioms examples. That will enrich your English. The phrase makes a sentence worthwhile.
ABC:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Primary knowledge
He not know even the ABC of music.
Above all                          more than anything else
Above all, be careful of your health.
Above board:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â beyond doubt
His activities are open and above board.
Achilles’ heel                      week point
Hankering for votes is the Achilles’ heel of the so-called leaders of our country.
After all:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â in spite of everything
After all, he is a patriot.
All at once:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â suddenly
All at once a tiger comes out of the forest.
All on (of) a sudden:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â suddenly
All on (of) a sudden a tiger came out of the bush.
All but:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â nearly
The poor villagers are all but ruined.
All in all                           supreme
Mr. Sen is all in all in his office.
Apple of discord                    matter of dispute
The paternal property has become an apple of discord between the three brothers and two sisters.
As if:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â as it would be
She swims so beautifully as if she is the water-fairy.
As it were:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â like
The moon is, as it were, the beauty of the night.
As usual:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â habitually
He is late as usual.
At a loss:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â puzzled
He was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.
At all                             primarily
He doesn’t know French at all.
At all events:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â in all cases
I shall stand by him at all events.
At a low ebb:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â declining
His fame is at a low ebb now.
At arm’s length                     at a distance
Try to keep the bad girls at arm’s length.
At a stretch:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â without a break
He can run ten miles at a stretch.
At bay:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â in a tight corner
The tiger was at bay in the bush.
At one’s finger ends:                 ready at hand
All these facts are at his fingers end.
At daggers drawn:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at enmity
The two brothers at daggers drawn now.
At home:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â skilled, comfortable
He is at home in Mathematics.
At large:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â free
The anti-socials are still at large.
At last:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â in the long run
I got my missing note at last.
At least:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at the lowest
At least one hundred girls will come to school today.
At one’s wit’s end:                   puzzled
He was at one’s wit’s end and didn’t know what to do.
At random:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â without any aim
He hit the basketball at random.
At sixes and sevens                  scattered
All the books on the table were at sixes and sevens.
At stake:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â in danger
His life is at stake today.
At one’s back and call:                obedient
He is always at my beck and call.
At one’s own sweet will:              according to his wishes
Her sister still does it at his own sweet will.
Bad blood:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ill feeling
Now there is bad blood between two brothers.
Bag and baggage:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â with all belongings
He left the place bag and baggage.
Beat about the bush:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â talk irrelevantly
Write the right thing without beating about the bush.
Bed of roses:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â comfortable condition
Life is not a bed of roses.
Birds of a feather:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â persons of similar nature
Birds of a feather flock together.
Beat black and blue:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â beat severely
They beat the thief black and blue.
Black sheep:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â the person of bad character
He is a black sheep in his family.
Beggar description:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â cannot be the description
The beauty of Taj baggers description.
By all means                        in all possible ways
Try to do it by all means.
By and by                          soon
He will come here by and by.
By the bye                         in the course of talking
By the by I came to know that he got a private job.
By chance                          by accident
I met him on the way by chance.
By fits and starts                    irregularly
He works by fits and starts.
By no means                       in no way
I shall by no means call on him.
By far                             in all respects
He is by far the best intelligent boy in the class.
By leaps and bounds                very rapidly
The cost of rice in India is increasing by leaps and bounds.
By and large                        mostly
People in our country are by and large educated.
Bid fair                            have the possibility of prospering
He bids fair to be a good doctor.
Big gun                            a leading man
He is a big gun of our locality.
Bird’s eye view                       a rough idea
He took a bird’s eye view of the flood-stricken area from an airplane.
The bone of contention                  matter of dispute
The paternal property is the bone of connection between the two brothers.
Book worm                         one who always reads books only
Don’t be a book worm.
Bosom friend                        intimate friend
Maisha is my bosom friend.
Bring to light                        make open
At least all the facts were brought to light.
Bring to book                        punish
He should be brought to book for his misconduct.
Build castles in the air                 indulge in idle vision
Build castles in the air is a waste of time.
Burning question                    matter of strong debate
The problem of dowry system is the burning question of the day.
Breathe one’s last                   die
The old man breathes his last on Monday last.
Call to mind                        remember
I cannot call to mind your name.
Call in question                     doubt
No one can call his honesty in question.
Call a spade                        to speak plainly
I have no hesitation to call a spade.
Carry the day                       win victory
Amal, the best player in his school, carried the day in the annual sports.
Catch red-handed                   catch with the stolen articles
The thief was caught red-handed.
Cats and dogs                      verb heavily
It was raining cats and dogs.
Chip of the old block                a worthy son of a worthy father
Mr. S. P. Mukherjee is a chip off the old block.
Crying need                        urgent need
Mass education is the crying need of every country.
Crocodile tears                     pretended cry
He shed crocodile tears at our misery.
Come to light                       become known
The main thief of the village come to light today.
Come off with flying colors:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Win a victory
Our school team came off with flying colors
Curry favor                        be favorite through flattery
He knows how to curry favour with officers.
Cut a sorry figure                   make bad results
He cuts a sorry figure in the examination.
Cut to the quick                    be hurt
I was cut to the quick by his word.
Dead against                       bitterly against
I am dead against his proposal.
Dead of night                       midnight
The robbers broke into the locker of the bank at dead of night.
Die in harness                      die while in service
Dr. Sen die in harness.
Do yeoman’s service                 render valuable service
Raja Rammohan Ray has done yeoman’s service to our country.
End in smoke                       fail
All his planes ended in smoke.
Fall flat                            has no effect
My advice feels flat on him.
Fight shy                          avoid
Why do you fight shy of your teacher?
Fish out of water                    in an uneasy situation
When he came to our house, I felt like a fish out of water.
Fish in troubled water                take advantage of disturbed water
Maximum people nowadays made a lot of money by fishing in troubled water.
Far and wide                        everywhere
His fame as a speaker spread far and wide.
Flesh and blood                     human body
Flesh and blood cannot bear with such insults.
For good                           forever
He left the country for good.
From hand to mouth                 live by hard labour
The poor man lives from hand to mouth.
From A to ZÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â from the begging to end
The statement is true from A to Z.
Gala day                           a day of festivity
Eid is the gala day for every Muslim.
Get rid of                           be free from
Try to get rid of that rogue.
Gift of the gab                      power of delivering the speech
Every advocate should have the gift of the gab.
Hard and fast                       rigid
There is no such hard and fast.
Hard nut to crack                   a difficult problem
The rapid growth of the population of a country is really a hard nut to crack.
Head and ears                      complete
He is over head and ears in debt.
Heart and soul                      with all energy
Try heart and soul and you will succeed.
Hold water                         be effective
Every student needs to hold water in every situation.
Hold good                         apply
This rule will not hold good here.
Hue and cry                        a noise
The villager’s raised a hue and cry to see the thief.
Hush money                       bribe money
He offered hush money for his job.
Household word                    familiar name
Every student needs to know about the household word.
In a fix                            in a difficult position
We need to be strong in a fix.
In fine                             in conclusion
In fine, he declared his plan.
In full swing                         in full activity
The school is now in full swing.
In time                             in proper time
He reached the station in time.
In order to                         with the object of
He came here in order to meet my brother.
In lieu of                           instead of
Give this pen in lieu of that.
In black and white                    in writing
Put down the statement in black and white.
In cold blood                        without provocation
They committed this murder in cold blood.
In no time                          soon
He will finish the work in no time.
In the nick of time                    in right time
The player team arrived in the nick of time in the field.
Ins and outs                        full details
I know the ins and outs of the matter.
In vogue                           in fashion
This custom is not in vogue now.
In force                            in activity
This law is in force now.
In a nut shell                        very briefly
Tell the story in a nut shell.
In a hurry                           very quickly
Don’t do the work in a hurry.
In the meantime                      in the time between
Liza will come here to night. In the mean time, you should get her guest house.
In one’s teens                       between thirteen and nineteen years of age
She is yet in her teens.
In the long run                      ultimately
They will have to suffer in the long run.
In vain                             fruitless
All his attempts were in vain.
Irony of fate                         by bad luck
He could not succeed by irony of fate.
Lion’s share                         major part
He took the lion’s share of the profit.
Lame excuse                         the bad plea
Lame excuse is a bad habit.
Kith and kin                         near relatives
He has no good relation with his kith and kin.
Maiden speech                       first speech
His maiden speech fell flat on the audience.
Man of letters                        a scholar
Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was a man of letters.
Man of straw                        worthless man
Don’t be a man of straw.
Make both ends meet                 live within means
He cannot make both ends meet with my little income.
Moot point                          an undecided matter
Dowry system is still a moot point in West Bengal.
Nip in the bud                        destroy in the initial
All her hopes were nipped in the bud.
Null and void                         invalid
The deed has been null and void now.
Now and then                        occasionally
He comes here now and then.
Of course                            certainly
Of course, you know what that means.
On the contrary                       just opposite
He do not hate me; on the contrary, he loves me.
On the wane                         declining
His fame is on the wane now.
On the whole                         generally speaking
On the whole, his conduct is good.
Out of date                          out of fashion
The fashion is now out of date.
Out of the wood                      free from danger
He is not yet out of the wood.
Out of doors                         out side
It is rather cold out of doors.
Out of sorts                          not well
He is out of sports.
Out of order                         defective
This car is out of orders.
Out of temper                       angry
She is out of temper now.
Part and parcel                       an integral part
Discipline is part and parcel of administration.
Pros and cons                        details
You should consider the pros and cons of the system.
Rank and file                         common men
They should pay attention to the rank and file of the world.
Red letter day                        memorable day
Every person has a red letter day in their life.
Red tape                            official formalities
Red tapism causes delay in official work.
Read between and lines                              understand and significance
Student should need to read between and lines of their books.
Round the clock                     twenty-four hours
He is working round the clock.
Set free                            liberate
The prisoners were set free.
Slow coach                             one who is lazy
You cannot expect much from a slow coach like me.
Slip of the tongue                       a slight mistake in speaking
This is the sleep of the tongue; don’t lay much stress on it.
Square meal                           full meal
He is too poor to have a square meal for his family.
Steer clear of                           avoid
You steer clear of evil company.
Stone’s throw                          within a very short distance
Our university is at a stone’s throw from our house.
Take to heart                           cut to the quick
She took his remark to heart.
Take to one’s heels                      to run away
The robbers took to their heels to see the rab
Three R’s                             elementary education
Everybody in a country needs three R’s.
To and fro                            hither and thither
The thief runs to and fro seeing the police.
Take one to task                       rebuke
You should take one to task if you negligence of duty.
Tooth and nail                         strongly
He fought tooth and nail against his enemy.
Through thick and thin                   through all difficulties
Sita followed her husband through thick and thin.
To the backbone                        to the core
The boy is wicked to the backbone.
To the contrary                         against what someone had said
In the court they said nothing to the contrary.
To the letter                            in all details
My little brother followed my advice to the letter.
Turn over a new leaf                     begin a new phase of life
After their failure they turned over a new leaf.
Turn downs                            refuse
He turned down my proposal.
Up and doing                           active
Be up and doing and then one will succeed in life.
Up and downs                          rise and fall
There are ups and downs in one’s life.
White elephant                          a costly unprofitable undertaking
At last our math department proved to be a white elephant.
Weal and woe                           joy and sorrow
Human life is full of weal and wave.
Wild goose chase                        useless pursuit
Do not waste time in wild and wave.
Read more English Grammer and Learning post
12 Basic Tense Examples with details
Prepositional Phrase Definition and examples
List of Proverbs with examples
Prepositions types with examples
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