Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'Once bitten twice shy'
Advertisements
Solution
Once bitten twice shy – being cautious after an unpleasant experience
Statement: Walking back on the stage was really difficult for me after my first performance was not well received – once bitten twice shy.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Rearrange the following words / phrases to form meaningful sentences:
(a) more than / are child workers / the Indian population / five per cent of /
(b) engaged / in agriculture / tens of thousands / are chiefly /
(c) work / in urban areas / many / of industries / in a variety /
Rearrange the following words and phrases to form meaningful sentences:
(a) one of / that of reading / known to / is / greatest / the / pleasures / man /
(b) a rich variety / adventure and wisdom / the / world of books / has / of /
(c) own / you / book / convenience / can enjoy / a / at your /
Match the phrases given under Column A with their meanings given under Column B:
| A | B | |
| 1 | Fly a flag | Move quickly/suddenly |
| 2 | Fly into rage | Be successful |
| 3 | Fly along | Display a flag on a long pole |
| 4 | Fly high | Escape from a place |
| 5 | Fly the coop | Become suddenly very angry |
Idioms
Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can you say what each means? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)
-
Our entire class is quaking in its boots. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
Mr Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
Mr Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him.____________________________.
You have read the expression ‘not to lose heart’ in this text. Now find out the meanings of the following expressions using the word ‘heart’. Use each of them in a sentence of your own.
1. break somebody’s heart
2. close/dear to heart
3. from the (bottom of your) heart
4. have a heart
5. have a heart of stone
6. your heart goes out to somebody
Colours are used to describe feelings, moods and emotions. Match the following ‘colour expressions’ with a suggested paraphrase.
| (i) | the Monday morning blues | feel embarrassed / angry / ashamed |
| (ii) | go red in the face | feel very sick, as if about to vomit |
| (iii) | look green | sadness or depression after a weekend of fun |
| (iv) | the red carpet | the sign or permission to begin an action |
| (v) | blue-blooded | a sign of surrender or acceptance of defeat; a wish to stop fighting |
| (vi) | a green belt | in an unlawful act; while doing something wrong |
| (vii) | a blackguard | a photographic print of building plans; a detailed plan or scheme |
| (viii) | a grey area | land around a town or city where construction is prohibited by law |
| (ix) | a white flag | an area of a subject or a situation where matters are not very clear |
| (x) | a blueprint | a dishonest person with no sense of right or wrong |
| (xi) | red-handed | a special welcome |
| (xii | the green light | of noble birth or from a royal family |
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2)
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons’ and fathers’ valour. (para 4)
Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?
(i) tales of _______________
(ii) coastal _______________
(iii) a piece of ______________
(iv) evergreen ______________
(v) _____________ plantations
(vi) _____________bridge
(vii) wild __________________
You may add your own examples to this list.
This text is written in an old-fashioned style, for it reports an incident more than two millennia old. Look for the following words and phrases in the text, and try to rephrase them in more current language, based on how you understand them.
-
give thee medicine for thy child
-
Pray tell me
-
Kisa repaired to the Buddha
-
there was no house but someone had died in it
-
kinsmen
-
Mark!
1. This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play?
Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English expressions that also occur in the play.
3. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to find out their meaning, and then use each in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may take it that
(ii) He seems to be coming round
(iii) My foot’s gone to sleep
The writer carefully builds up an atmosphere of loneliness and grief in the story. Working in groups, pick out words/ phrases from the story that build up the atmosphere. Copy the following table in your notebook and complete it.
| Loneliness | Grief |
| • An old man was walking through the town, now and again drawing his tattered clothes tighter to shield his body from the cold and biting wind • his lonely way |
• the whole town was wrapped in deathly silence |
books / them / only / read / those who / will / love
long term / on / reading / impact / has / a / one’s personality
is / the / it / hobbies / one / best / of
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
The works of Shakespeare are the __________ of English drama.
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
Amitabh has given us awesome movies throughout five decades. But his _______ is his performance in the movie ‘Black’.
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
In her pursuit of success, Radha has distanced herself from her family. Her fame has become a real _______.
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
They threw a wonderful party for me with costumes, games and _______ my favourite kind of ice cream.
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
Medical science has great inventions, but organ transplantation is definitely a ______ for human beings.
Find out the meaning of the following phrase. Use them in your own sentence.
give and take
Find out the meaning of the following phrase. Use them in your own sentence.
a black eye
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'One man army'
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'One up on'
Choose appropriate phrases/expressions from the extract given in the options and fill in the blank appropriately.
Raj ran at a _______ to catch the train.
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
be in the money
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
win lots of money
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
for my money
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
money for old rope
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
put one’s money where one’s mouth is
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
Do not stoop to ______ just to gain something from someone.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
The artist completes his paintings ______.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
When the baby saw its mother it gave an ______ smile.
Read the following incident.
|
Lokesh had always been a class-topper in tests and examinations. However, invariably, he used foul means during exams to gain those high marks. Once, on the day of History examination, Lokesh realized that his classmate and friend Farhan came all prepared for Maths instead of History. Farhan had become desperate. So Lokesh offered to let him copy from his answer-sheet, since Farhan sat just behind him. Farhan refused. He said, ‘‘It’s all right even if I get a zero, but I can call it my own zero. I do not want to score a single mark, unearned. Cheating in exams is for cowards. Not me!’’ These words were a turning point in Lokesh’s life. He gave up cheating for ever. He worked hard for what he desired and never, ever used false measures to acquire anything. |
(a) In the given story, which words/phrases can be replaced by the following ones?
- became aware ......................
- always ......................
- very upset and helpless ......................
- cheating ......................
- without working for it ......................
- a sudden change ......................
- gain/achieve ......................
(b) Summarize the incident in 6 to 8 lines making Lokesh, the narrator:
Begin with: ‘I was always a class topper.
.....................................................
Rewrite the following sentence, inserting the appropriate phrases in their proper form.
(to get out of, to come up, to turn on, to give in, to get into, to come down, to work out, to turn off, to give off, to give out, to work in)
He ______ bed and ______ the living room, to see if the door was closed.
Rewrite the following sentence inserting the appropriate phrases in their proper form.
(to get out of, to come up, to turn on, to give in, to get into, to come down, to work out, to turn off, to give off, to give out, to work in)
To enjoy the music and relax, he ______ the music and ______ the lights.
Rewrite the following sentence inserting the appropriate phrases in their proper form.
(to get out of, to come up, to turn on, to give in, to get into, to come down, to work out, to turn off, to give off, to give out, to work in)
Smita ______ to her desire and ______ her favourite toys to the poor.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
Our school cricket team got ready for the final match against P. Q. R. High School.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
He contributed notably in bringing up the school.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
Our class monitor is a perfect symbol of duty and discipline.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
After the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth took over the control of Scotland.
Write as many phrases as you can using ‘enough’ and use them in your sentences.
Example: good enough
Adding different prepositions to the same action verb changes the meaning of the phrases, thus formed.
For example,
call out - announce
call at - visit
call for - summon
call up - make a telephonic call
call off - cancel
Guess the difference in meanings of the underlined phrases.
- He promised to look into the matter.
- He asked me to look for his lost book.
- I shall look forward to your arrival.
Using a dictionary, find the difference between the following pairs of phrases. Make sentences of your own with each of them.
| Phrases | Meaning | Own Sentences | |
| 1. | cut in | ........................... | ........................... |
| cut out | ........................... | ........................... | |
| 2. | be held by | ........................... | ........................... |
| be held up | ........................... | ........................... | |
| 3. | run away | ........................... | ........................... |
| run for | ........................... | ........................... | |
| 4. | be known as | ........................... | ........................... |
| be known for | ........................... | ........................... | |
| 5. | go with | ........................... | ........................... |
| go after | ........................... | ........................... | |
| 6. | put fire into | ........................... | ........................... |
| put fire out | ........................... | ........................... |
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
drop it
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
drop out
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
stumble on
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
look backward
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
sign off
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
begin a new
Fill in the gap choosing the appropriate idiom.
(drown out, hits in the head with a brick, get one’s affairs in order, connect the dots, begin to dawn, stay hungy)
If you ______ you will realise that crime ultimately leads to poverty.
Fill in the gap choosing the appropriate idiom.
(drown out, hits in the head with a brick, get one’s affairs in order, connect the dots, begin to dawn, stay hungy)
The siren of the ambulance ______ all other traffic noise.
Fill in the gap choosing the appropriate idiom.
(drown out, hits in the head with a brick, get one’s affairs in order, connect the dots, begin to dawn, stay hungy)
When the father learned about his son’s misdeeds, it ______.
Fill in the gap choosing the appropriate idiom.
(drown out, hits in the head with a brick, get one’s affairs in order, connect the dots, begin to dawn, stay hungy)
On reading exactly same essays in both answer sheets, it ______ the examiner, that the students had cheated during exams.
Fill in the blank a word or a phrase given in the brackets in their appropriate form.
The author____________ the guest at the play.
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase in your notebook.
be afraid of
Read the text again. You will find that the text contains many phrases. Match the phrases in ‘A’ and their meanings in ‘B’. After matching their meanings, make sentences of your own.
| ‘A’ Phrases | ‘B’ Meanings |
| 1. run of terrible bad luck | a. hit on a topic |
| 2. draws heavily on | b. without being affected by a particular factor |
| 3. struck a chord | c. endure in difficult circumstances |
| 4. in spite of | d. a period of time when bad things happen |
| 5. holding on | e. makes use of |
Discuss with your partner and find proverbs, idioms, or phrases of similar meaning to the one given and fill them in the stars given below:
Make a meaningful sentence by using the phrase:
‘in front of’
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase:
'pitched in to help'
