CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Cut someone to the quick”?
A. to hurt someone's feelings deeply
B. readily available or easily accessible
C. to take a dangerous risk
D. aristocratic or noble birth
Correct Answer: A
“Cut someone to the quick” means to hurt someone's feelings deeply. Example: Her harsh criticism cut him to the quick.
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Idioms
In the sentence “The two lawyers crossed swords during the hearing.”, what does the idiom “Cross swords” mean?
A. to compromise with someone
B. to argue or disagree strongly
C. think carefully before taking action
D. suddenly and without advance planning
Correct Answer: B
“Cross swords” means to argue or disagree strongly. Example: The two lawyers crossed swords during the hearing.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Cool one's heels”?
A. an excellent chance to achieve something
B. to do something innovative or pioneering
C. to wait for a long time
D. in a difficult situation without help
Correct Answer: C
“Cool one's heels” means to wait for a long time. Example: We cooled our heels outside the office for two hours.
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Idioms
Which idiom means “to have influence or importance”?
A. Go against the grain
B. Have one's heart in one's mouth
C. Once and for all
D. Carry weight
Correct Answer: D
“Carry weight” means to have influence or importance. Example: His opinion carries a lot of weight in the committee.
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Idioms
In the sentence “As project head, she calls the shots.”, what does the idiom “Call the shots” mean?
A. to be the person who makes the important decisions
B. trouble or conflict appears likely to happen soon
C. a very small amount compared with what is needed
D. a small problem that spoils an otherwise good situation
Correct Answer: A
“Call the shots” means to be the person who makes the important decisions. Example: As project head, she calls the shots.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Burn a hole in one's pocket”?
A. to refuse to change one's position or opinion
B. to make someone eager to spend money they have
C. to be recovering from an illness or difficult situation
D. to create a complicated set of new problems
Correct Answer: B
“Burn a hole in one's pocket” means to make someone eager to spend money they have. Example: His bonus was burning a hole in his pocket.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Bring someone to book”?
A. to fail to remember or find an answer
B. to become less active or less important
C. to punish or hold someone accountable for wrongdoing
D. caught between two equally difficult or unpleasant choices
Correct Answer: C
“Bring someone to book” means to punish or hold someone accountable for wrongdoing. Example: The investigators promised to bring the culprits to book.
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Idioms
In the sentence “Finishing the research has broken the back of the project.”, what does the idiom “Break the back of” mean?
A. in a state of low spirits, inactivity, or poor performance
B. trouble or conflict appears likely to happen soon
C. a strict rule that cannot easily be changed
D. to complete the most difficult part of a task
Correct Answer: D
“Break the back of” means to complete the most difficult part of a task. Example: Finishing the research has broken the back of the project.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Blow one's own trumpet”?
A. to boast about one's own achievements
B. to continue working until one's death
C. to wait for a long time
D. to be logical, reasonable, or valid
Correct Answer: A
“Blow one's own trumpet” means to boast about one's own achievements. Example: He is always blowing his own trumpet.
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Idioms
Which idiom means “caught between two equally difficult or unpleasant choices”?
A. Give someone a piece of one's mind
B. Between the devil and the deep blue sea
C. Beside oneself
D. In cold blood
Correct Answer: B
“Between the devil and the deep blue sea” means caught between two equally difficult or unpleasant choices. Example: He was between the devil and the deep blue sea when both options involved heavy losses.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Be up in arms”?
A. to pass from one owner to another
B. kept secretly in reserve for possible use
C. to be very angry and strongly protesting
D. forced to choose between two difficult alternatives
Correct Answer: C
“Be up in arms” means to be very angry and strongly protesting. Example: Residents were up in arms about the proposed tax.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “She is on the mend after the operation.”, what does the idiom “Be on the mend” mean?
A. to create a complicated set of new problems
B. to discuss private family or organizational problems openly in public
C. to unite in support or defense against criticism or attack
D. to be recovering from an illness or difficult situation
Correct Answer: D
“Be on the mend” means to be recovering from an illness or difficult situation. Example: She is on the mend after the operation.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Be all thumbs”?
A. to be clumsy with one's hands
B. to be logical, reasonable, or valid
C. to be regarded favorably by someone
D. to tolerate an insult without reacting
Correct Answer: A
“Be all thumbs” means to be clumsy with one's hands. Example: I am all thumbs when it comes to repairing watches.
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Idioms
Which idiom means “in a state of bitter hostility”?
A. Lay one's cards on the table
B. At daggers drawn
C. Hand in glove
D. Give someone a hand
Correct Answer: B
“At daggers drawn” means in a state of bitter hostility. Example: The two political rivals are at daggers drawn.
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Idioms
In the sentence “After a day's rest, he felt as right as rain.”, what does the idiom “As right as rain” mean?
A. to work hard and continuously
B. to take a dangerous risk
C. completely well or healthy again
D. to dishonestly alter financial records
Correct Answer: C
“As right as rain” means completely well or healthy again. Example: After a day's rest, he felt as right as rain.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “An old hand”?
A. to be the person who makes the important decisions
B. a disreputable or troublesome member of a group or family
C. to be common among members of the same family
D. a person with a lot of experience in a particular activity
Correct Answer: D
“An old hand” means a person with a lot of experience in a particular activity. Example: Ask Sana; she is an old hand at organizing conferences.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “A square peg in a round hole”?
A. a person unsuited to a particular role or environment
B. to work hard and make a determined effort
C. to begin dealing seriously with a difficult problem
D. in a difficult situation with very few options
Correct Answer: A
“A square peg in a round hole” means a person unsuited to a particular role or environment. Example: He felt like a square peg in a round hole in the sales department.
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Idioms
In the sentence “The only fly in the ointment was the high maintenance cost.”, what does the idiom “A fly in the ointment” mean?
A. to use influence or connections to achieve something
B. a small problem that spoils an otherwise good situation
C. in a difficult situation with very few options
D. in a situation too difficult for one's knowledge or ability
Correct Answer: B
“A fly in the ointment” means a small problem that spoils an otherwise good situation. Example: The only fly in the ointment was the high maintenance cost.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “A drop in the ocean”?
A. to discuss private family or organizational problems openly in public
B. to speak foolishly or without knowing the facts
C. a very small amount compared with what is needed
D. criticizing someone for a fault that one also has
Correct Answer: C
“A drop in the ocean” means a very small amount compared with what is needed. Example: The aid was only a drop in the ocean compared with the losses.
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Idioms
Which idiom means “competent and deserving of one's position or pay”?
A. Strike while the iron is hot
B. In a fix
C. As cool as a cucumber
D. Worth one's salt
Correct Answer: D
“Worth one's salt” means competent and deserving of one's position or pay. Example: Any manager worth his salt would prepare for such risks.