CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "keep the wolf from the door".
A. careful about small amounts but wasteful about larger ones
B. discourage enthusiasm
C. have enough money to avoid hunger or serious poverty
D. make a bad situation worse
Correct Answer: C
"keep the wolf from the door" is an idiomatic expression meaning have enough money to avoid hunger or serious poverty.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "in the same boat".
A. pay an excessively high price
B. in the same difficult situation
C. the advantages and disadvantages
D. avoid or keep well away from
Correct Answer: B
"in the same boat" is an idiomatic expression meaning in the same difficult situation.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "in high spirits".
A. very cheerful
B. something supposedly secret but widely known
C. run away
D. hurt someone's feelings deeply
Correct Answer: A
"in high spirits" is an idiomatic expression meaning very cheerful.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "in cold blood".
A. in a risky or delicate situation
B. leave without permission
C. regardless of circumstances
D. deliberately and without emotion
Correct Answer: D
"in cold blood" is an idiomatic expression meaning deliberately and without emotion.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "in a nutshell".
A. occasionally or intermittently
B. take attention or credit away from someone
C. in a few words
D. make someone realize clearly
Correct Answer: C
"in a nutshell" is an idiomatic expression meaning in a few words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "hold one's tongue".
A. make every possible effort
B. remain silent
C. insist on formal behavior
D. enter into an argument or contest with
Correct Answer: B
"hold one's tongue" is an idiomatic expression meaning remain silent.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "have one's hands full".
A. be extremely busy
B. make a compromise
C. pretended dislike of something one cannot obtain
D. aristocratic birth
Correct Answer: A
"have one's hands full" is an idiomatic expression meaning be extremely busy.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "have a finger in every pie".
A. confess fully
B. suspect that something is wrong
C. a disreputable member of a family or group
D. be involved in many activities, often interfering
Correct Answer: D
"have a finger in every pie" is an idiomatic expression meaning be involved in many activities, often interfering.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "go to the dogs".
A. the largest part
B. show cowardice
C. deteriorate badly
D. unfair or improper
Correct Answer: C
"go to the dogs" is an idiomatic expression meaning deteriorate badly.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "give someone a piece of one's mind".
A. understand the procedures or details of a task
B. speak angrily and frankly to someone
C. escape from danger or punishment
D. misunderstanding each other's intentions
Correct Answer: B
"give someone a piece of one's mind" is an idiomatic expression meaning speak angrily and frankly to someone.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "from pillar to post".
A. from one place or person to another without success
B. achieve two aims with one action
C. make someone's distress worse
D. at a distance, especially to avoid close involvement
Correct Answer: A
"from pillar to post" is an idiomatic expression meaning from one place or person to another without success.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "feather in one's cap".
A. have enough money to avoid hunger or serious poverty
B. perform well when facing a difficult challenge
C. confused and uncertain
D. an achievement to be proud of
Correct Answer: D
"feather in one's cap" is an idiomatic expression meaning an achievement to be proud of.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "eat one's words".
A. in the same difficult situation
B. ordinary members of an organization
C. admit that something one said was wrong
D. honest and open
Correct Answer: C
"eat one's words" is an idiomatic expression meaning admit that something one said was wrong.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "dog in the manger".
A. very cheerful
B. a person who prevents others using something they do not use themselves
C. rain very heavily
D. a secretly treacherous person
Correct Answer: B
"dog in the manger" is an idiomatic expression meaning a person who prevents others using something they do not use themselves.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "dead letter".
A. a rule or law that exists formally but is no longer enforced
B. deliberately and without emotion
C. take a firm stand
D. a scholar or literary person
Correct Answer: A
"dead letter" is an idiomatic expression meaning a rule or law that exists formally but is no longer enforced.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "crocodile tears".
A. in a few words
B. calm a difficult or tense situation
C. a difficult problem or person to deal with
D. insincere expressions of sorrow
Correct Answer: D
"crocodile tears" is an idiomatic expression meaning insincere expressions of sorrow.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "come to grief".
A. remain silent
B. careful about small amounts but wasteful about larger ones
C. meet with disaster or failure
D. a narrow escape from danger
Correct Answer: C
"come to grief" is an idiomatic expression meaning meet with disaster or failure.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "cast pearls before swine".
A. be extremely busy
B. offer something valuable to people unable to appreciate it
C. pay an excessively high price
D. competent and deserving of one's position
Correct Answer: B
"cast pearls before swine" is an idiomatic expression meaning offer something valuable to people unable to appreciate it.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "by hook or by crook".
A. by any possible means
B. be involved in many activities, often interfering
C. something supposedly secret but widely known
D. everything possible or available
Correct Answer: A
"by hook or by crook" is an idiomatic expression meaning by any possible means.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Phrases
Choose the correct meaning of the idiomatic phrase "button one's lip".
A. deteriorate badly
B. in a risky or delicate situation
C. a costly possession that is difficult or useless to maintain
D. remain silent
Correct Answer: D
"button one's lip" is an idiomatic expression meaning remain silent.