This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Idioms – Set 4”.
1. Select the idiom which means ‘a foolish search’.
a) yeoman service
b) tread on their toes
c) wild goose chase
d) the sinews of war
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Explanation: From the options, the idiom ‘wild goose chase’ means ‘a foolish and futile search’. Consider this sentence ‘I think he lied about losing his key to put us on a wild goose chase’.
2. Identify the meaning of the idiom ‘at his wit’s end’ from the following options.
a) listen carefully
b) found everywhere
c) state of happiness
d) be puzzled
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Explanation: The idiom ‘at his wit’s end’ means to be puzzled or be in a state of oblivion not knowing how to act. An example for its usage will be ‘The theme of the conference made him be at his wit’s end’.
3. Select a suitable idiom to replace the italicized part of the below sentence.
He always belittles his colleagues.
a) runs into
b) runs down
c) runs through
d) runs up
View Answer
Explanation: Among the options ‘runs down’ is the closest in meaning to belittling or disparaging. Thus the sentence can be written as ‘He always runs down his colleagues’.
4. What is the meaning of the sentence ‘My father is well off’?
a) My father is out of town
b) My father is retired
c) My father is in a comfortable position right now
d) My father is not available at the moment
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Explanation: ‘To be in a comfortable circumstance’ is the meaning of the idiom ‘well off’. Thus, the option ‘My father is in a comfortable position right now’ is the correct meaning.
5. The meaning of the below idiom is ‘having good prospects in the competition’.
In the running.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘In the running’ is used to refer to someone in a competition having a good chance at winning. For example, ‘The rival leader is campaigning extensively and is in the running’.
6. Which of the following idioms means ‘passed the danger’?
a) turned the corner
b) rubbed shoulders
c) square meal
d) to the backbone
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Explanation: Consider the sentence ‘The patient admitted to the Emergency ward has turned the corner’ meaning that he is no longer in danger.
7. Select the option which expresses the meaning of the idiom ‘showing his teeth’.
a) smile heartily
b) adopting a threatening attitude
c) ridicule others
d) be in a state of pain
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Showing his teeth’ generally means having a threatening attitude. Consider the sentence ‘Now that I’m not his manager anymore, he is showing his teeth’.
8. Choose the idiom which is closest in meaning to the italicized part.
It’s hard to judge his motives behind that unscrupulous act.
a) see into
b) see through
c) see him off
d) see on
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘see into’ has the closest meaning to judge or discern something. The sentence can be rephrased as ‘It’s hard to see into his motives behind that unscrupulous act’.
9. The sentence ‘The prep talk given by the coach to the players went home to them’ refers to which of the following meanings?
a) The players were disappointed with the talk
b) The players got afraid after the talk
c) The talk deeply appealed to the players
d) The players went home after the talk
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Explanation: The given sentence refers to the meaning that the talk served its purpose and the players were deeply appealed to them.
10. Kamlesh has hit the nail on the head.
Kamlesh has hurt someone so badly.
a) True
b) False
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Explanation: ‘Hit the nail on the head’ means did the exact right thing. Thus, the sentence means that Kamlesh has said or done the right thing.
11. Find the idiom which means ‘under the influence of’.
a) in the teeth of
b) caught a tartar
c) on tenterhooks
d) under the thumb of
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Thus far he has been completely under the thumb of his project manager’. Here the idiom ‘under the thumb of’ is used to convey the meaning that he has been under the influence of his manager.
12. Choose the correct meaning of the idiom ‘born with a silver spoon’.
a) born with a disease
b) born on an inauspicious day
c) born in a luxurious family
d) being adopted
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘born with a silver spoon’ generally refers to people born in luxurious families. For example, ‘Hrithik was born with a silver spoon’.
13. From the options, select an idiom to replace the italicized part.
The workers are determined to maintain their demands in spite of the pay cut.
a) stand over
b) stand by
c) stand up for
d) stand it out
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Stand up for’ can be used to refer to ‘maintain’. The other options ‘stand over’ means postponed, ‘stand by’ means support, ‘stand it out’ means endure without yielding.
14. From the options select the meaning of the below sentence.
Let us have your research proposal in black and white.
a) The research proposal should not include any pictures
b) The research proposal should not be in color
c) The research proposal should be appealing
d) The research proposal should be in written format
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Explanation: The idiom ‘black and white’ means in writing. Thus, among the options ‘The research proposal should be in written format’ is the required answer.
15. Identify the idiom in the below sentence and its meaning.
His hefty donations to the charity speak volumes for his munificence and kind heartedness.
a) hefty donations – hearty sum
b) munificence and kind heartedness – generosity
c) speak volumes for – serves as a strong testimony
d) speak volumes for – boring verbosity
View Answer
Explanation: The only idiom in the above sentence is ‘speak volumes for’. Its usage in the sentence conveys the meaning that his donation serves as an irrefutable proof for his generosity.
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