This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Idioms – Set 6”.
1. Identify the meaning of the idiom ‘to make both ends meet’ from the following options.
a) to touch the extremities
b) to work hard
c) to engage in illegal activities
d) to live within income limit
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Explanation: The idiom ‘to make both ends meet’ means to manage the expenditure within the income limit. An example for its usage will be ‘With the nature of my job, it is difficult to make both ends meet’.
2. Select the idiom which means ‘relevant to ’.
a) bear upon
b) bear away
c) bear down
d) bear out
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Explanation: From the options, the idiom ‘bear upon’ means ‘relevant to’. Consider this sentence ‘His project did not bear upon the theme’ meaning that the project was not relevant to the theme.
3. Select a suitable idiom to replace the italicized part of the below sentence.
I hope that the management will agree to our views.
a) come about
b) come round
c) come out
d) come to
View Answer
Explanation: Among the options ‘come round’ is the closest in meaning to agreement. Thus the sentence can be written as ‘I hope that the management will come around to our views’.
4. The meaning of the below idiom is ‘quite worthless’.
Not worth his salt.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Not worth his salt’ is used to refer to a person who is considered to be worthless. For example, ‘He is not worth his salt if he fails again in the semester exams’.
5. What is the meaning of the sentence ‘The accountant was found cooking the accounts’?
a) The accountant was deleting the accounts
b) The accountant was preparing false accounts
c) The accountant was found bribing people
d) The accountant was working hard to achieve success
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Preparing false accounts’ is the meaning of the idiom ‘cooking the accounts’. Thus, the option ‘The accountant was preparing false accounts’ is the correct meaning.
6. Select the option which expresses the meaning of the idiom ‘set his face against’.
a) met with an accident
b) in complete agreement
c) stern opposition
d) exhibiting a subservient nature
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Set his face against’ generally means to exhibit a stern opposition against something. Consider the sentence ‘The leader of the trade union set his face against the management’s orders’.
7. Which of the following idioms means ‘deeply affected by’?
a) in high spirits
b) an axe to grind
c) hoping against hope
d) took to heart
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Explanation: Consider the sentence ‘He took to heart the sudden demise of his best friend’ meaning that he was deeply affected by the sudden death of his friend.
8. Choose the idiom which is closest in meaning to the italicized part.
Many children were killed by the AES disease.
a) carry out
b) carried away
c) carried on
d) carried off
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘carried off’ has the closest meaning to death. The sentence can be rephrased as ‘Many children were carried off by the AES disease’.
9. In his very first speech in the Parliament, the MP won his spurs.
‘The MP overcame his fears to make his first speech in the parliament’ is the meaning of the above sentence.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Won his first spurs’ means to gain reputation. Thus, the sentence says that the speech gave him a good reputation as a politician.
10. The sentence ‘She wanted me to be at her beck and call’ refers to which of the following meanings?
a) She wanted me to be her friend
b) She wanted me to respect her
c) She wanted me to be with her always
d) She wanted me to be under her control
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘at her beck and call’ means under her control. Thus, the sentence indicates that she wanted to exercise absolute control over her.
11. Choose the correct meaning of the idiom ‘plays fast and loose’.
a) play vigorously
b) playing all the time
c) saying one thing and doing another
d) a jovial person
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘plays fast and loose’ is used to refer to a person who has the habit of saying one thing but doing another. For example, ‘It is difficult to trust a man who plays fast and loose’.
12. Find the idiom which means ‘out of favor’.
a) out of spirits
b) in bad books
c) been in the wars
d) in the running
View Answer
Explanation: ‘After that feud over ownership I think I am in his bad books’. Here the idiom ‘in his bad books’ is used to express the fact that the Subject is out of favor with him.
13. From the options, select an idiom to replace the italicized part.
Recently he has been addicted to English movies.
a) taken to
b) taken after
c) taken up
d) taken in
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Taken to’ can be used to refer to ‘being addicted’. The other options ‘taken after’ means resemblance, ‘taken up’ means to occupy, ‘taken in’ means to understand.
14. Identify the idiom in the below sentence and its meaning.
At the Battle of Panipat, Akbar was within an ace of victory.
a) battle of Panipat – the war
b) an ace of – top class
c) within an ace of – on the point of
d) ace of victory – taste of victory
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Explanation: The idiom in the above sentence is ‘within an ace of’. The usage of that idiom in the sentence coveys the meaning that Akbar was nearly victorious.
15. From the options select the meaning of the below sentence.
Close friends need not stand on ceremony.
a) Close friends need not attend each other’s functions
b) Close friends need not apologize
c) Close friends won’t insist on strict rules to be followed
d) Close friends won’t fight over petty things
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘stand on ceremony’ means insisting on strict rules or acting with reserve. Thus, among the options ‘Close friends won’t insist on strict rules to be followed’ is the required answer.
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