INTRODUCTION
Idioms and phrases are a group of words used for more effective use of language.
These words are not interpreted by their literal meaning but by their indicative meaning. Idioms and phrases are expressions peculiar to the language.
Their effective use brings the command over the language.
Idioms are expressions peculiar to a language. They play an important role in all languages. The English language is rich in phrases and idioms. Nouns and Verbs in English combination with Prepositions, Adverbs and other parts of speech, constantly makes phrases and idioms by means of which finest shades of meanings can be expressed. The more it is increasingly used the better will be one’s command over the language.
Distinction between Idioms and Phrases is not made clear. Add the following line to the sub-topic.
Sometimes a group of words does the work of an Adjective, such a group is called Adjective Phrase, e.g. 1) He lived in a stone house. (Stone=adjective) 2) He lived in a house built of stone (built of stone = adjectival phrase).
LIST OF COMMONLY USED IDIOMS
Bear
1. Satish bore away (won) many prizes at the school sports.
2. In his misfortune God gave him strength to bear up (to keep up spirits, not to despair).
3. The new leader has been able to bear down (overthrow, crush) all oppositions.
4. A religious hope bears up (supports) a man in his trials.
5. I trust you will bear with (have patience with, show forbearance) me few minutes more.
Break
1. He broke down (failed) in the middle of his speech.
2. He broke off (stopped suddenly) in the middle of his story.
3. I gave him no cause to break with (quarrel with) me.
4. The burglars broke into (entered by force) the house.
Bring
1. His folly has brought about (caused) his ruin.
2. Idleness and luxury bring forth (produce, cause) poverty and want.
3. The building brings in (yields as rent) Rs.7000 a month.
4. She brought up (reared) the orphan as her own child.
5. The teacher often tells us a story to bring out (show) the meaning of a lesson.
Call
1. His master called for (demanded) an explanation of his conduct.
2. New responsibilities often call out (draw forth) virtues and abilities unsuspected before.
3. Call in (summon, send for) a doctor immediately.
4. He called on me (paid me a visit) yesterday.
5. The old man could not call up (recollect) past events.
Carry
1. He agreed to carry out (execute) my orders.
2. His passion carried him away (deprived him of self-control).
3. His son carried on (managed) his business in his absence.
4. Many persons were carried off (killed) by plague.
Cast
1. The ship was cast away (wrecked) on the coast of Africa.
2. He was much cast down (depressed) by his loss.
Come
1. How did these things come about (happen)?
2. How did you come by (get) his purse?
3. At last the truth has come out (transpired)?
4. The taxes come to (amount to) a large sum.
5. The question came up (was mooted or raised for discussion) before the Municipal Corporation last week.
6. I hope he will come round (agree) to our views.
Cry
1. Men of dissolute lives cry down (depreciate) religion, because they would not be under the restraints of it.
2. He cried out against (protested against) such injustice.
5. That young author is cried up (extolled) by his friends.
Cut
1. He was cut off (died) in the prime of life.
2. He is cut out for (specially fit to be) a sailor.
3. You must cut down (reduce) your expenditure.
Do
1 I am done for ruined.
2. Having walked twenty miles, he is quite done up (fatigued, exhausted).
Fall
1. At last the rioters fell back (retreated, yielded).
2. The scheme has fallen through (failed for) want of support.
3. I am told the two brothers have fallen out (quarreled).
4. It is said that the standard of efficiency in public service has recently fallen off (deteriorated).
Get
1. His friends expected that he would get off (escape) with a fine.
2. It is hard to get on with (agree or live socially with) a suspicious man.
3. The thief got away (escaped) with my cash-box.
4. The dog tried to get at (attack) me.
5. He has got through (passed) his examination.
6. They were lucky to get out of (escape from) his clutches.
Give
1. We are credibly informed that the murderer has given himself up (surrendered himself) to the police.
2. The doctors have given up (have no) hope of his recovery.
3. The fire gave off (emitted) a dense smoke.
4. The strikers seem determined, and are not likely to give in (submit, yield).
5. It was given out (published, proclaimed) that he was a bankrupt.
6. The rope gave way (broke, snapped) while the workmen were hauling up the iron pillar.
7. Give over (abandon) this foolish attempt.
Go
1. You cannot always go by (judge from) appearance.
2. It is a good rule to go by (to be guided by).
3. He promised to go into (examine, investigate) the matter.
4. The concert went off well.
5. I must first go through the accounts.
6. The auditor went over the balance sheet.
Hold
1. The rebels held out for about a month.
2. He holds out no promise of future prospects.
3. They were held up by robbers.
4. The subject is held over till next meeting.
Keep
1. A few boys were kept in after school-hours.
2. I was kept in by a bad cold.
3. They kept up a long conversation.
4. Little disputes and quarrels are chiefly kept up by those who have nothing else to do.
5. He is trying his best to keep up the reputation of his family.
6. She kept on talking.
Knock
1. He has knocked about the world a great deal.
2. The dressing table was knocked down for fifty rupees.
3. We were greatly knocked up after our steep climb.
Lay
1. The rebels laid down their arms.
2. He had laid out a large sum in railway shares.
3. Foolish people, who do not lay out their money carefully, soon come to grief.
4. He is laid up with fever.
Let
1. I was let into her secret.
2. This being his first offence, he was let off with a fine.
Look
1. His uncle looks after (takes care of) him.
2. He looks down upon (despises) his poor cousins.
3. Look up (search for) the word in the dictionary.
4. The old man is looking forward to (expecting with pleasure) the visit of his grandchildren.
5. I will look into (investigate) the matter.
6. I look on (regard) him as my son.
7. Some look on (rely on) legislation to hasten the progress of social reforms.
8. Look to (be careful about) your manners.
9. Things are looking up (improving).
Make
1. Contentment makes for (conduces to) happiness.
2. I cannot make out (discover) the meaning of this verse.
3. You have failed to make out (decipher, read) your case.
4. Some time ago the two brothers quarreled, but they have now made it up (become reconciled).
Pass
1. He generally passed by (overlooked) the faults of his subordinates.
2. The crew of the boat passed through (underwent) terrible sufferings.
3. He passed himself off as (pretended to be) a nobleman.
4. He passes for (is regarded as) a great Sanskritist.
Pick
1. The Committee picked out (selected) the best players for the team.
2. He lost twenty pounds in sickness, but is now picking up (regaining or recovering health).
Pull
1. Unless we pull together (cooperate, work together in harmony) we cannot succeed.
2. My cousin pulled through (passed with difficulty) the examination.
3. The doctor says the patient will pull through (recover from his illness).
4. It is easier to pull down (demolish) than to build up.
Put
1. He puts on (assumes) an air of dignity.
2. Please put out (extinguish) the light.
3. He was put out (vexed, annoyed) when I refused his request for a loan.
4. He tried to put me off (evade me, satisfy me) with promises.
5. While traveling I had to put up with (endure) a good deal of discomfort.
6. I cannot put up with (tolerate) his insolence.
7. I am sorry to put you to (give you) so much trouble.
8. The measure was put through (passed) without opposition.
Run
1. He always runs down (disparages) his rivals.
2. The lease of our premises has run out (expired, come to an end).
3. He has run through (squandered away) his fortune.
4. He has run into (incurred) debt.
5. While turning corner I ran against (chanced to meet) an old friend).
See
1. I saw through (detected) the trick.
2. It is hard to see into (discern) his motive.
3. His friends were present at the station to see him off (witness his departure).
Set
1. The High Court set aside (annulled) the decree of the lower court).
2. He immediately set about (took steps towards) organizing the department.
3. He set off (started) for Peshwar early this morning.
4. He has set up (started business) as a banker.
5. I have enough capital to set me up (establish myself) in trade.
6. Who set you on (instigated you) to do it?
7. Winter in England sets in (begins) about December.
Speak
1. In Mumbai there is no free library to speak of (worth mentioning).
2. I was determined to speak out (express my opinion freely).
Stand
1. They are determined to stand up for (vindicate, maintain) their rights.
2. Let this matter stand over (be deferred or postponed) for the present.
3. He is always standing up for (championing the cause of) the weak and oppressed.
4. We shall be formidable if we stand by (support) one another.
Strike
1. He is struck down with (attacked by) paralysis.
2. The Medical Council struck off (removed) his name from the register of medical practitioners.
3. While we were planning a family picnic, my sister struck in (interrupted) with the suggestion that we invite our neighbor’s children as well.
Take
1. The piano takes up (occupies) too much room.
2. He takes after (resembles) his father.
3. At present I am reading the Essays of Bacon, but it is sometimes difficult to take in (comprehend, understand) his meaning.
3. Recently he has taken to (become addicted to) opium eating.
Talk
1. We talked over (discussed) the matter for an hour.
2. I hope to talk him over (convince him by talking) to our view.
Tell
1. I am afraid your antecedents will tell against you (ie., prove unfavorable to you).
2. The strain is telling upon (affecting) his health.
Throw
1. My advice was thrown away (wasted) upon him, because he ignored it.
2. The bill was thrown out (rejected) by the Assembly.
3. When he became rich he threw over (abandoned or deserted) all his old friends.
Turn
1. The factory turns out (produces, manufactures) 20,000 lbs of cloth a day.
2. If he’s lazy, why don’t you turn him off (dismiss him).
3. He turned out (proved) to be a sharper.
4. His very friends turned against (became hostile to) him.
5. He promised to come, but never turned up (appeared).
Work
1. We tempted him with many promises, but nothing would work on (influence) him.
2. He worked out (solved) the problem in a few minutes.
3. He is sure to work out (excite) the mob.
4. He worked upon (influenced) the ignorant villagers.
SUMMARY
Slight change in the phrase, often changer the meaning of the idiom. eg. take up means occupy, take after indicates resembles. While take to indicates becoming addicted to.
Thus study of idioms is an altogether different perspective of English Language.
QUESTIONS FOR SELF - STUDY
1. What are idioms?
2. Write any 5 idioms with their meanings.
SUGGESTED READINGS
1. English in Context - Idioms by Betty Kirk Partrick
2. High School English Grammar and Composition - P. C. Wren, H. Martin (Edited by N.D.V. Prasada Rao)
