It looks like you have a solid set of Idioms & Phrases, which is a vital section for the SSC English syllabus.
📚 Idioms & Phrases: Master List (Alphabet A)
Boost your exam preparation with our comprehensive Alphabet "A" series! In today's session, we cover 25 Essential Exam Oriented Idioms & Phrases Questions Analysis.
Idioms: Meanings & Logic Analysis
| No | Idiom | Correct Meaning | Logic / Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A bad patch | A period of difficulty | Refers to a "rough patch" of ground that is hard to travel over. |
| 2 | A beast of burden | An animal that carries luggage | Used for animals like donkeys or oxen that perform heavy labor. |
| 3 | A bee hive | A busy place | Based on the constant movement and "buzzing" activity of bees. |
| 4 | A big draw | Immense attraction | Something that "draws" or pulls a large crowd in. |
| 5 | A bird in the hand... | Secured advantage over risk | Better to keep what you have than risk it for something unsure. |
| 6 | A bird's eye view | All of the above | Includes a general view, aerial view, and overall perspective. |
| 7 | A bite at the cherry | An attempt or opportunity | Refers to getting a chance to try something (usually a second chance). |
| 8 | A blessing in disguise | A hidden favor | Something that seems bad at first but results in something good. |
| 9 | A blue-eyed boy | One who is favorite | Often used for someone favored by an authority figure (e.g., a teacher). |
| 10 | A bolt from the blue | All of the above | A sudden, unexpected surprise or calamity (like lightning). |
| 11 | A bone of contention | Cause of dispute | Like two dogs fighting over a single bone. |
| 12 | A bull in a china shop | Clumsy person in a delicate spot | Describes someone whose behavior is too rough for a situation. |
| 13 | A bull market | Rising stock market prices | Investors are "charging" forward with optimism. |
| 14 | A cake walk | An easy victory | Refers to a task that requires very little effort. |
| 15 | A can of worms | A complicated situation | Once you open it, many new problems crawl out. |
| 16 | Carrot and stick | Reward and punishment | Using a "carrot" (incentive) and a "stick" (discipline) to lead. |
| 17 | A change of heart | A change in opinion | Deciding to feel or think differently about a decision. |
| 18 | A clean slate | Starting again | Erasing past mistakes to begin fresh. |
| 19 | A closed book | A mystery | Something or someone that is impossible to understand. |
| 20 | A close-fisted person | A miser | Someone who keeps their fist "closed" tightly over their money. |
| 21 | A cog in the machine | Small part of a big group | An individual who feels insignificant in a huge organization. |
| 22 | A cold fish | Unfriendly / Emotionless | Someone who lacks warmth or human connection. |
| 23 | A cuckoo in the nest | An unwelcome intruder | Based on the bird that lays its eggs in other birds' nests. |
| 24 | A cut above | Superior to | Being higher in quality or status than others. |
| 25 | A damp squib | A disappointing result | Refers to a firework (squib) that fails to explode because it is wet. |
#10 English Idioms Illustrated: A Visual Guide
Visualizing the Hardest Ones
To help you remember the logic for some of these confusing phrases, here are the visual concepts behind them:
A Bull Market: Think of a bull attacking—it thrusts its horns upward. This represents stock prices going up.
Carrot and Stick: This comes from the idea of motivating a donkey. You put a carrot in front to make it go (reward) and use a stick behind to keep it moving (punishment).
A Cog in the Machine: Imagine a massive clock with thousands of tiny gears. Each gear (cog) is tiny and replaceable, but the clock won't work without them.
A Damp Squib: A "squib" is a type of small firework. If it gets damp (wet), it won't explode properly—it just sizzles and goes out, leading to a major disappointment.
