Naeem Series By Naeem Akhtar (M.A. English PU, M.

Com PU) 03344185053

Notes
On
Important
Idioms
&
Phrasal verbs

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Naeem Series By Naeem Akhtar (M.A. English PU, M.Com PU) 03344185053
IDIOMS
A bird's eye view (a general view)
A black sheep (a man with a bad repute)
Above board(beyond doubt)
A far cry (a long way)
A dead letter (law not effective)
A white elephant (burden)
A royal road (easy way)
A rainy day (difficult time)
A laughing stock (object of ridicule)
A burning question (a critical matter)
Apple pie order (in complete order)
At sixes and sevens (not in order)
A bird of passage (migratory)
A lion's share (largest part of anything)
A leap in the dark (doubtful attempt)
A maiden speech (first speech)
A red letter day (a momentous day)
A fair weather friend (selfish friend)
A Wild-goose chase (a futile search)
Apple of discord (cause of contention)
A bone of contention (reason of enmity)
A rotten/bad egg (evil man)
At the eleventh hour (at the last moment)
An eye wash (a pretence)
Add insult to injury (to aggravate)
All and sundry (everybody)
Add fuel to the fire (instigate/incite)
At daggers drawn (have bad blood)
At arm’s length (keep away)
A man of parts(leaned)
A blue stocking (a showy woman)
Black sheep (an evil mannered)
Bell the cat (take a risk or dare to act)
Break the news (to give information)
Bury the hatchet (to stop quarrelling)
Birds of a feather (people of same sort)
Blow hot and cold (having no clear view point)He is a fickle. He always blows hot and cold.
Bolt from the blue (God’s act)
Burn midnight oil (work hard)
Burn one’s fingers (to bear loss)
Burn the candle at both ends
Build castle in the air (to boast of)
Bring to book (to call to account)
Broken reed (trustless person)
Better half (wife)
Bring to light (to expose)
Bad blood (feelings of revenge)
By fits and starts (not seriously)
By hook or by crook (by fair or foul way)
Break the ice (to overcome shyness)
Bag and baggage (with all belongings)
By leaps and bounds (rapidly)
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The police had a bird's eye view of the spot.
We call him a black sheep due to bad manners.
His honesty is above board.
It is a far cry from Narowal to Lahore.
This law is only a dead letter in Pakistan.
This old car is a white elephant for him.
There is no royal road to glory.
We should try to save some money for a rainy day.
He always becomes a laughing stock in the class.
Inflation is a burning question of the year.
His room is in apple pie order.
His books are lying at sixes and sevens.
A bird of passage has no permanent address.
He received a lion’s share of his father’s property.
The new plan is only a leap in the dark.
It is his maiden speech.
March 23, is a red letter day for Pakistan.
His companions are fair weather friends.
It is a wild-goose chase to find the lost car.
This car is an apple of discord between two brothers.
This car is a bone of contention between two brothers.
He proved to be a rotten egg for his friends.
Police reached at the eleventh hour and saved his life.
His offer to help is just an eye wash.
His way of talking added insult to my injury.
Give away the sweets among all and sundry.
The opposition parties are adding fuel to the fire.
Both the parties are at daggers drawn.
Keep bad boys at arm’s length.
My teacher is a man of parts
Ayesha is a blue stocking.
Smugglers are the black sheep of the society.
Who will bell the cat by reporting against him?
The Major broke the news of the war.
He buried the hatchet to become friends again.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Flood proved to be a bolt from the blue for me.
He burnt midnight oil to get success.
He burnt his fingers for his misdeeds
He burnt the candle at both ends and ruined.
He builds castles in the air and does nothing.
A criminal was brought to book.
Do not depend upon him as he is a broken reed.
She is my better half.
The murder was brought to light.
There is a bad blood between Ali And Shahid.
He who works by fists and starts seldom succeed.
Ali wants to get the job by hook or by crook.
Naeem broke the ice when every body was silent.
He left his house bag and baggage.
Japan has made progress by leaps and bounds.
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Naeem Series By Naeem Akhtar (M.A. English PU, M.Com PU) 03344185053
By and by (gradually)
Beat about the bush (to talk irrelevantly)
Crocodile tears (hypocritical tears)
Catch at a straw (to get support)
Cock and bull story (fabricated story )
Come to blows ( start quarrel )
Casting vote (decisive vote)
Call a spade a spade (to be truthful)
Call in question (to object)
Call names(to abuse)
Carry the day (to win)
Carry weight (carry importance)
Cat’s paw (to be used as a tool)
Cold war (open enmity with out fighting)
Come to terms (come to agreement)
Cut a sorry figure (to feel shame
Capital punishment (death sentence)
Cry wolf ( to spread rumor)
Curry favour (to praise for benefit)
Dutch courage (courage from being drunk)
Double faced ( hypocrite)
Do a good turn to ( be helpful)
Dance attendance on (to do what one likes)
Dark horse (A person with hidden abilities)
Die in harness (to continue to the last)
Every inch (completely)
End in smoke ( go useless)
Eat one’s words ( to back out)
Flesh and blood (human nature)
Fair play (just dealing)
Fall prey to (become victim of)
Foul play (unfair)
Find fault with (to criticize)
Flog a dead horse (useless effort)
Fish out of water (to be unease at new place)
Face the music (face the result)
Fall in love with (love)
Fall in with (meet)
For want of (running short of)
For good (forever)
Few and far between (rarely)
French leave (to leave without notice)
Feather one's nest (to enrich oneself )
Get rid of (to leave)
Go to the dogs (be ruined)
Go to the walls (to be unsuccessful/fail)
Give oneself airs (to boast of)
Gift of gab (gift of speech)
Hard and fast (strict)
Hit below the belt (treat unfairly)
Hue and cry (raise an alarm)
Hand in glove (very close)
House of cards ( a plan that will fail)
In full swing (to the climax)
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He comes round his wife by and by.
Don’t beat about the bush and come to the point.
The thief sheds crocodile tears before the police.
A drowning man catches at a straw.
I don’t believe in his cock and bull story.
Both abused each other and came to blows.
My vote proved to be a casting vote.
Our leader always calls a spade a spade.
Parents love cannot be called in question.
He has a bad habit of calling names.
After a long struggle, Pakistan carried the day.
His arguments carry weight.
Ali is cat’s paw in the hand s of his manager.
There is a cold war between husband and wife.
At last, they had to come to terms.
He cut a sorry figure at his maiden speech.
The terrorists deserve capital punishment.
Those who cry wolf are never respected.
He always tries to curry favour with his boss.
She does not like his Dutch courage.
I cannot accept your double faced policy.
He always does a good turn to others.
He always dances attendance on his boss.
Ali proved to be a dark horse on getting good marks.
Ali remained busy in work and died in harness.
He is every inch a knave.
His business ended in smoke due to his misdeeds.
An honest man does not eat his words.
It is just flesh and blood to get money.
I believe in fair play.
He fell a prey to a beautiful woman
I don’t believe in foul play.
He is in habit of finding fault in every matter.
It is useless to flog a dead horse.
He feels like a fish out water at his new job.
He has to face the music for his misdeeds.
She has fallen in love with Ali.
I fell in with the manager in the meeting.
His car stopped on the way for want of oil
Ali has left the city for good.
His visits here are few and far between.
He is on french leave today.
The rulers always try to feather their nest.
He should try to get rid of the Americans.
He will go to the dogs for his misdeeds.
He will go to the walls for not working hard.
He gives himself airs for his wealth.
The Quaid had great gift of gab.
There are no hard and fast rules in our society.
The candidate hit below the belt to win the election.
There was a great hue and cry in the meeting.
They are hand in glove with each other.
Our current political system is a house of cards.
Spring season is in full swing.
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Naeem Series By Naeem Akhtar (M.A. English PU, M.Com PU) 03344185053

In short (in brief) In short, I shall stand by you.

In the long run ( in the end) In the long run, our team won the match.
In the teeth of ( besides opposition) We went to meet him in the teeth of heavy rain.
Ins and outs (all the details) I know the ins and out of this matter.
Iron will ( very strong determination) Quaid-e-Azam was a man of iron will.
In the air (spreading of information) It is in the air that you have married.
In a fix (in dilemma, awkward situation) He is in a fix for his misdeeds.
In black and white (to put down) We should get the terms in black and white.
In the nick of time (at the eleventh hour) He shut down the computer in the nick of time.
Keep up appearances(an outward show) He keeps up appearances through thick and thin.
keep at arm's length (to keep others away) He keeps himself at arm's length from others.
Kith and kin(relatives) The innocent Iraqis have lost their kith and kin.
Kick the bucket (pass away) The old man kicked the bucket last night.
Keep abreast of (keeping in touch) We should keep abreast of modern technology.
Let the cat out of bag ( to disclose) In the long run, he let the cat out of bag before me.
Leave no stone unturned (try every means) He left no stone unturned to help his friend.
Leave in the lurch (leave in difficulty) We should never leave bur friends in the lurch.
Lick the dust (lick) After all, the enemy will have to lick the dust.
Look down upon (to hate) We should not look down upon the poor.
Make fun of (to laugh at) Don’t make fun of others.
Make both ends meet (to be in one’s income)A poor man hardly makes both ends meet.
Make a clean breast of (to confess) The accused make clean breast of his crime
Make amends for (to make penance for) He makes amends for his past misdeeds.
Make good (to compensate) The insurance company will make good my loss.
Make one’s mark (to earn fame) He made his mark as a poet
Move heaven and earth (to struggle hard) He moved heaven and earth to get a job
Null and void (cancelled) The old trade laws have become null and void.
Nip in the bud (remove from the beginning) Nip the evil in the bud.
Off hand (with out preparation) He delivered his speech off hand.
Out and out (thoroughly) Jamil is out and out rude.
Off and on (now and then) He visits me off and on. /now and then.
Once in a blue moon (rarely) He visits me once in a blue moon.
Over head and ears (completely in debt) He is in debt over head and ears.
On the eve of (on the occasion of ) He met me on the eve of Eid.
Necessary evil ( an un-avoided evil) War is a necessary evil.
Narrow escape (close shave) He had a narrow escape from accident yesterday.
Part and parcel (inseparable) Man and woman are part and parcel for each other.
Play ducks and drakes ( to spend lavishly) He plays ducks and drakes with his father money.
Prose and cons (favorable & unfavorable) I know the pros and cons of this matter.
Play with fire (dangerous play) It is not good to play with fire.
Pay back in the same coin (tit for tat) He abused me and I paid back him in the same coin.
Pocket an insult (bear insult silently) He pocketed insult and went home.
Poke one’s nose (to interfere) Don’t poke your nose in my affairs.
Poison one’s ears (to make someone against) She poisons her husbands ears
Play truants (to run from school) He often plays truant from school.
Pull a long face (to get sad) He pulled a long face on my refusal to go there.
Pull one ‘s leg (to befool someone) Don’t pull your friends’ leg.
Pay through nose (face the music) You will have to pay through nose for your misdeeds.
Put the cart before horse (to do contrary) It is wrong to put the cart before horse.
Red tape (official delay due to Our officers suffer from red tape.
Read between the lines(to know the hidden) Be prudent and read between the lines
Rank and file(common people) He helps the rank and file.
Small talk (to gossip) After dinner, we made small talk.
Smell a rat (to smell danger) The thief smells a rat and ran away.

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Naeem Series By Naeem Akhtar (M.A. English PU, M.Com PU) 03344185053
Show white feather (show coward-ness)
Scot free (to be free completely)
Split hair (to scrutinize)
Stand on ceremony (to be formal)
Spick and span (neat and tidy)
Spread like wild fire (spread very fast)
See eye to eye with (to get agree)
Take to task (to reprove)
Take ill (to mind)
Tell upon (break down)
Talk shop (talk of one’s own business)
Take one’s heals (run away)
Take to heart (take seriously)
Taken aback (surprised)
Turn over a new leaf(start life afresh)
Turn a deaf ear to (not to listen)
Turn coat (disloyal/traitor)
Turn tail (to run away)
Turn turtle (to upside down)
Through thick and thin(through all sorts)
Throw dust in one’s eyes (to deceive)
Take fancy to (like some one)
To get wind of (to be informed of)
With heart and soul (fully)
Up to the mark (having reasonable)
Under a cloud (to be dishonoured)
Uphill/Herculean task (difficult task)
Wet blanket (discouraging person)
Well off (to be rich)
Wear and tear (depreciation)
Win laurels (to earn fame)
PHRASAL VERBS
1. Bear out ( to confirm/certify)
2. Belong to (come of)
3. Back out (dishonour commitment)
4. Bring home to (to explain)
5. Bring about(cause)
6. Bring up (to rear, to educate)
7. Break down (stop functioning)
8. Break away (to run away)
9. Break out (to spread)
10. Break into (enter violently)
11. Break through (pass through)
12. Call for (demand, need)
13. Call in ( call for help)
14. Call off (to stop something)
15. Call to account (Call for explanation)
16. Carry out (to execute orders)
17. Carry on ( to continue)
18. Come out (to appear)
19. Come off (to happen)
20. Come across (meet by chance)
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Don’t show white feather in fight.
The thief got Scot free.
He is in habit of splitting hair.
Don’t stand on ceremony and feel at home.
She keeps the house spick and span.
The news of row spread like wild fire.
He sees eye to eye with me in this matter.
The student was taken to task by the teacher.
Don’t take my remarks ill.
Hard work fell upon his health.
He always talks shop.
The thief took to his heal as he saw a police man.
He has his failure to heart.
He was taken aback to see me there.
After marriage, she turned over a new leaf.
He turned a deaf ear to my advice.
Don’t believe him as he is a turn coat.
The thief turned tail in darkness.
The bus turned turtle after accident.
I shall stand by you through thick and thin.
Children try to throw dust in their parents’ eyes.
He has taken fancy to that girl.
He got wind of her marriage from his friend..
He does every thing with heart and soul.
His performance in paper is up to the mark.
The middle class always remains Under a cloud
It is not good to play with fire.
He is a wet blanket.
He is well off because his income is very high.
The wear and tear can be seen on this machinery.
Churchill won laurels in English literature.
He bears out my honesty.
She belongs to a noble family.
An honest man does not back out of his words.
My teacher brings home to us all the points
What brought about your failure?
He brought up her only daughter well.
His car broke down on the way.
The thief broke away from the jail.
The fire broke out. Or Cholera broke out in city.
The thief broke into the house.
The thief broke through the crowd.
Success calls for hard work.
The nurse called in the doctor.
The workers called off the strike.
The manager called the clerk to account.
The Government will carry out the new policy.
He carried on working hard.
The new edition of this book has come out.
Our village fair will come off next Sunday.
I came across my old friend in the garden.
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Naeem Series By Naeem Akhtar (M.A. English PU, M.Com PU) 03344185053

21. Come round (to get round) He comes round his wife by arguments.
Comes of (have relation to) Ali comes of a great family.
Cast away ( to throw) He cast away his old books.
Cast down (be unhappy) He was cast down by his failure.
Cut short (be brief) Please cut the matter short as I am busy.
Cut down (to reduce) He cut down his expenditures.
Deal in (to do business) He deals in sugar.
Do away with (eradicate) We should do with injustice.
Die out (disappear) Many old customs are dying out gradually,
30. Drop off (to fall asleep) The patient has just dropped off.
31. Do up (to decorate) He did up his house with beautiful things.
32. Fall in with (happen to meet, agree to) Ali fell in with my views at once.
33. fall through (to fail) Some players are emotional and soon fall out.
34. fall off (to decrease) My income is falling off.
35. Go off (explode) The bomb went off in the Hall.
36. Get through (to succeed) You will get through by hard work.
37. Get at (reach, gain access to) I cannot get at the top position.
38. Get over(forget) Chips could never get over Katherine.
39. Go out (leave the room) Do you often go out riding?
40. Give away (distribute) The principal gave away the prizes.
41. Give in ( to yield) The enemy gave in.
42. Give up (to hand over) You should give bad habits.
43. Keep up with (go forward with You cannot keep with the class.
44. Lay by/put by/set aside ( to save) Lay be something for a rainy day.
45. Look down upon (to hate) We should not look down upon the beggars.
46. Look after ( to take care) He looks after her mother.
47. Look forward to ( to expect eagerly) I look forward to seeing you.
48. Look for (to search) He is looking for his lost book.
49. Make good (to compensate The company will make good our loss.
50. Make up for (Make up) (compensate) Hard work will make up for the loss.
51. Make out ( to understand) He easily made out my point of view.
52. Put off(to postpone) We should not put off any matter.
53. Put up with (endure; tolerate) Mr. Jinnah had to put up with many hardships.
54. Put down (to lower, to suppress) The police put down the crowd.
55. Put on(clothe) The manager put on his hat.
56. pass by ( to ignore) He always passes by my mistakes.
57. pass away(to die) The old man passed away last night.
58. part with (to do with out a thing) He cannot pass with his old car.
59. part from(to do with out a person) He cannot pass from his mother.
60. Set out (to start on a journey) Marco Polo set out for China in 1271.
61. Set off ( to start) We shall set off Lahore tomorrow.
62. Set in (to begin) Spring has set in.
63. Set up (to establish) He set up a new company.
64. See off (to depart with complements) He will see off the guests.
65. See through (to understand) I can see through your problem.
66. Stand out (to look prominent) His performance stands him out from others.
67. Stand for (to represent) He stands for intelligence.
68. Stand by (to support) I shall stand by you in the time of need.
69. Run short of (to fall short of) He ran short of money.
70. Run out (to finish) His money has run out.
71. Run over (knock down) The car ran over a beggar.
72. Send for (ask someone to go and bring) Please send for the doctor.
73. Take down (write) The reporters were taking down the news.
74. Take for (misunderstand) He took me for Ali.
75. Take to (to be accustomed to) He has taken to smoking.

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Naeem Series By Naeem Akhtar (M.A. English PU, M.Com PU) 03344185053

76. Take after (to be similar to) She takes after her mother.
77. Take into account (note, consider) The judge took my views into account.
78. Tell upon(on) (influence adversely) His hard work fell upon his health..
79. Turn down (refuse to consider) My case was turned down by the Board.
80. Turn up (arrive) The chief guest has not yet turned up.
81. Turn out/off ( extinguish) Please put out the light.
82. Write off (to cancel) I wrote off my loan.
83. Work out (to solve) He worked out the problem.

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