Practicing idioms and phrases from past SSC CGL papers helps you understand the type of questions asked in the exam. These are often repeated or asked in similar ways, so knowing them saves time during the test. It also builds your vocabulary and improves your overall English score. Make this part of your regular revision!
Top 50 Idioms and Phrases for SSC CGL (With Meaning & Usage)
If you’re preparing for the SSC CGL exam, mastering English idioms and phrases is essential. These expressions frequently appear in the English section of Tier 1 and Tier 2 papers. Understanding them can help you score well and enhance your language skills. Here’s a curated list of the top 100 idioms and phrases, along with their meanings and example sentences.
Why Learn Idioms for SSC Exams?
- Frequently asked in previous SSC papers
- Helps improve vocabulary and comprehension
- Useful for descriptive writing and interviews
- Saves time in answering English questions quickly
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
| A piece of cake | Very easy | The test was a piece of cake. |
| Beat around the bush | Avoid the main topic | Stop beating around the bush and answer directly. |
| Cry over spilt milk | Worry about something that can’t be changed | There’s no use crying over spilt milk. |
| Hit the nail on the head | Do or say something exactly right | You hit the nail on the head. |
| Break the ice | Start a conversation in a social setting | He told a joke to break the ice. |
| Kill two birds with one stone | Achieve two goals with one effort | I killed two birds with one stone by shopping while commuting. |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely | He visits us once in a blue moon. |
| In hot water | In trouble | She landed in hot water over the comment. |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal a secret | He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise. |
| Under the weather | Feeling sick | I’m a bit under the weather today. |
| The ball is in your court | It’s your decision now | I’ve said everything, now the ball is in your court. |
| Bite the bullet | Accept something unpleasant | You’ll have to bite the bullet and pay the fine. |
| Burn the midnight oil | Work or study late into the night | She burned the midnight oil before the exam. |
| Make a mountain out of a molehill | Exaggerate a small issue | Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. |
| Spill the beans | Disclose a secret | He spilled the beans about the plan. |
| Take it with a grain of salt | Don’t take it too seriously | Take the news with a grain of salt. |
| Add fuel to the fire | Make a situation worse | His comments added fuel to the fire. |
| Hit the sack | Go to sleep | I’m tired. Time to hit the sack. |
| Come clean | Tell the truth | He finally came clean about the theft. |
| Cut corners | Do something poorly to save time or money | Don’t cut corners when building a house. |
| At the drop of a hat | Instantly, without delay | He’s ready to help at the drop of a hat. |
| Back to the drawing board | Start over again | The plan failed, back to the drawing board. |
| Go the extra mile | Do more than required | She always goes the extra mile at work. |
| Throw in the towel | Give up | He threw in the towel after multiple failures. |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Accusing the wrong person | You’re barking up the wrong tree. |
| A blessing in disguise | Something good that seems bad at first | The rejection was a blessing in disguise. |
| Call it a day | Stop working for the day | Let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow. |
| Face the music | Accept the consequences | He must face the music for his actions. |
| Burn bridges | Destroy relationships permanently | Don’t burn bridges with your old boss. |
| On cloud nine | Very happy | She was on cloud nine after the promotion. |
| In the nick of time | Just in time | He reached the station in the nick of time. |
| Pull someone’s leg | Joke or tease someone | Are you pulling my leg? |
| Rome wasn’t built in a day | Big tasks take time | Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day. |
| Sit on the fence | Stay neutral or undecided | Don’t sit on the fence—choose a side. |
| Through thick and thin | In good times and bad | She stood by me through thick and thin. |
| Turn a blind eye | Ignore deliberately | The teacher turned a blind eye to cheating. |
| Bite off more than you can chew | Take on more than you can handle | Don’t bite off more than you can chew. |
| In black and white | In written form | It’s all there in black and white. |
| A penny for your thoughts | Asking what someone is thinking | You’re quiet—a penny for your thoughts? |
| Keep something at bay | Keep away or under control | They managed to keep inflation at bay. |
| Steal someone’s thunder | Take credit for someone else’s idea | He stole her thunder during the meeting. |
| Jump the gun | Act too soon without thinking | Don’t jump the gun—wait for instructions. |
| Like a fish out of water | Uncomfortable in a new situation | I felt like a fish out of water at the party. |
| Zip your lip | Keep a secret or stay silent | Zip your lip and don’t tell anyone. |
| Go down in flames | Fail spectacularly | Their idea went down in flames. |
| Kick the bucket | Die (informal) | The old man finally kicked the bucket. |
| Miss the boat | Miss an opportunity | He missed the boat on that stock investment. |
| Leave no stone unturned | Try everything possible | We’ll leave no stone unturned to find him. |
| Get cold feet | Become nervous or afraid | He got cold feet before the wedding. |
Idioms and Phrases Questions for SSC CGL 2025
Get ready for SSC CGL 2025 with important idioms and phrases. Attempt These are often asked in the English section of both Tier 1 and Tier 2 exams. Practice them now to score better and save time during the test.
Q1. What does “Hit the nail on the head” mean?
(a) Hurt someone badly
(b) Make a mistake
(c) Say something exactly right
(d) Break something
Answer: (c) Say something exactly right
Q2. What does “Burn the midnight oil” mean?
(a) Sleep very late
(b) Work late at night
(c) Use a lot of electricity
(d) Waste time
Answer: (b) Work late at night
Q3. What does “Break the ice” mean?
(a) Make people laugh
(b) Start a conversation
(c) Destroy something
(d) Do something wrong
Answer: (b) Start a conversation
Q4. What does “Cost an arm and a leg” mean?
(a) Be very painful
(b) Be very expensive
(c) Be very risky
(d) Be very cheap
Answer: (b) Be very expensive
Q5. What does “Beat around the bush” mean?
(a) Be straightforward
(b) Avoid the main topic
(c) Hunt in a jungle
(d) Talk rudely
Answer: (b) Avoid the main topic
Q6. What does “Cry over spilt milk” mean?
(a) Complain about a fresh mistake
(b) Worry over past loss
(c) Drink milk quickly
(d) Clean up mess
Answer: (b) Worry over past loss
Q7. What does “Throw in the towel” mean?
(a) Offer help
(b) Clean something
(c) Admit defeat
(d) Begin to argue
Answer: (c) Admit defeat
Q8. What does “Let the cat out of the bag” mean?
(a) Free someone
(b) Reveal a secret
(c) Lose a fight
(d) Make someone angry
Answer: (b) Reveal a secret
Q9. What does “At the drop of a hat” mean?
(a) After thinking a lot
(b) Immediately, without delay
(c) Only when needed
(d) On someone’s signal
Answer: (b) Immediately, without delay
Q10. What does “Bark up the wrong tree” mean?
(a) Choose the wrong person
(b) Complain loudly
(c) Make a false assumption
(d) Get lost
Answer: (c) Make a false assumption
Q11. What does “Add fuel to the fire” mean?
(a) Help in a fire
(b) Make a bad situation worse
(c) Create excitement
(d) Give energy
Answer: (b) Make a bad situation worse
Q12. What does “On cloud nine” mean?
(a) Very confused
(b) Extremely happy
(c) Daydreaming
(d) Suspicious
Answer: (b) Extremely happy
Q13. What does “Cut corners” mean?
(a) Be careful
(b) Save money dishonestly
(c) Take a shortcut and reduce quality
(d) Avoid traffic
Answer: (c) Take a shortcut and reduce quality
Q14. What does “By leaps and bounds” mean?
(a) Rapidly and significantly
(b) Slowly
(c) Secretly
(d) Unsuccessfully
Answer: (a) Rapidly and significantly
Q15. What does “Throw light on” mean?
(a) Start a fire
(b) Reveal something clearly
(c) Make a mistake
(d) Confuse others
Answer: (b) Reveal something clearly
Q16. What does “Back to the drawing board” mean?
(a) Start over from scratch
(b) Return from vacation
(c) Fail again
(d) Take a rest
Answer: (a) Start over from scratch
Q17. What does “Sit on the fence” mean?
(a) Fall in trouble
(b) Be undecided
(c) Watch quietly
(d) Stay silent
Answer: (b) Be undecided
Q18. What does “Make a mountain out of a molehill” mean?
(a) Be creative
(b) Exaggerate small problems
(c) Act smart
(d) Be logical
Answer: (b) Exaggerate small problems
Q19. What does “In the nick of time” mean?
(a) Too early
(b) Perfect timing
(c) At the last possible moment
(d) Out of schedule
Answer: (c) At the last possible moment
Q20. What does “Jump the gun” mean?
(a) Get scared
(b) Start early without permission
(c) Skip a step
(d) React strongly
Answer: (b) Start early without permission
Q21. What does “To blow one’s own trumpet” mean?
(a) Play an instrument
(b) Praise oneself
(c) Spread rumors
(d) Insult others
Answer: (b) Praise oneself
Q22. What does “Take with a grain of salt” mean?
(a) Eat slowly
(b) Don’t believe completely
(c) Agree fully
(d) Argue often
Answer: (b) Don’t believe completely
Q23. What does “On thin ice” mean?
(a) In a risky situation
(b) Walking slowly
(c) Confused state
(d) Cold and angry
Answer: (a) In a risky situation
Q24. What does “Kick the bucket” mean?
(a) Start a journey
(b) Die
(c) Play football
(d) Get angry
Answer: (b) Die
Q25. What does “Take the bull by the horns” mean?
(a) Do something dangerous
(b) Run fast
(c) Face a challenge bravely
(d) Act foolishly
Answer: (c) Face a challenge bravely
Q26. What does “Keep your fingers crossed” mean?
(a) Stay confused
(b) Hope for good luck
(c) Be alert
(d) Be silent
Answer: (b) Hope for good luck
Q27. What does “Pull someone’s leg” mean?
(a) Hurt them
(b) Play a joke
(c) Help them
(d) Slow them down
Answer: (b) Play a joke
Q28. What does “In hot water” mean?
(a) Be in trouble
(b) Enjoy a bath
(c) Go swimming
(d) Get promoted
Answer: (a) Be in trouble
Q29. What does “Turn a blind eye” mean?
(a) Look carefully
(b) Ignore something intentionally
(c) Be honest
(d) Get angry
Answer: (b) Ignore something intentionally
Q30. What does “A dime a dozen” mean?
(a) Costly items
(b) Unique products
(c) Very common
(d) Precious things
Answer: (c) Very common
Q31. What does “A stitch in time saves nine” mean?
(a) Stitch quickly
(b) Solve small problems early
(c) Ask for help
(d) Act in anger
Answer: (b) Solve small problems early
Q32. What does “Call it a day” mean?
(a) Work harder
(b) Stop working for the day
(c) Take leave
(d) Get ready to sleep
Answer: (b) Stop working for the day
Q33. What does “Under the weather” mean?
(a) Feeling unwell
(b) Feeling happy
(c) In a confused state
(d) Angry and loud
Answer: (a) Feeling unwell
Q34. What does “Change of heart” mean?
(a) Heart problem
(b) A change in attitude or decision
(c) Get emotional
(d) Love someone
Answer: (b) A change in attitude or decision
Q35. What does “Face the music” mean?
(a) Sing in public
(b) Accept punishment or criticism
(c) Learn music
(d) Dance freely
Answer: (b) Accept punishment or criticism
Q36. What does “Hit the roof” mean?
(a) Climb the roof
(b) Get extremely angry
(c) Fall asleep
(d) Jump happily
Answer: (b) Get extremely angry
Q37. What does “Apple of one’s eye” mean?
(a) A person you dislike
(b) A favorite person
(c) A curious person
(d) A rude person
Answer: (b) A favorite person
Q38. What does “Bite off more than you can chew” mean?
(a) Eat quickly
(b) Take on too much work
(c) Be silent
(d) Avoid food
Answer: (b) Take on too much work
Q39. What does “Cold feet” mean?
(a) Frozen feet
(b) Sudden fear or hesitation
(c) Walk fast
(d) Anger and pride
Answer: (b) Sudden fear or hesitation
Q40. What does “Go down in flames” mean?
(a) To fail spectacularly
(b) To shine brightly
(c) To succeed quickly
(d) To vanish silently
Answer: (a) To fail spectacularly
What Are the Common Mistakes Students Make in Idioms and Phrases Questions?
Many students lose marks in idioms and phrases because they try to guess meanings without knowing the context. Sometimes, they mix up similar-sounding phrases or rush through the options. Understanding the full meaning is key to choosing the correct answer.
- Learning idioms without understanding their meaning
- Confusing similar idioms (e.g., “spill the beans” vs. “beat around the bush”)
- Ignoring the context in practice questions
- Relying too much on word-to-word translation
- Not revising commonly asked idioms regularly
Idioms and Phrases for SSC CGL – FAQs
Ans. Yes, idioms and phrases are frequently asked in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 English sections of SSC CGL.
Ans. Focus on learning 100–150 commonly asked idioms, especially those from previous years’ SSC papers.
Ans. Use flashcards, create example sentences, and revise them weekly to retain their meanings better.
Ans. Yes, like other Tier 1 questions, idioms and phrases carry negative marking of 0.50 marks for wrong answers.
Ans. Practice 5–10 idioms daily using quizzes, write their meanings, and use them in mock tests for better retention.
- How to Clear SSC CGL in First Attempt 2025? Check Details
- Full SSC CGL Tier-2 Paper-3 Study Plan for 30 days – Check It Out
- Negative Marking Details You Must Know for SSC CGL Exam 2025
- 5 Weak Topics to Fix Before the SSC CGL Exam
- SSC CGL 2025 Exam Postponed To September, New Dates & Full Update
- SSC Selection Posts Phase 13 Answer Key To Be Out, Check Details
Hello, I’m a content writer working at Oliveboard. I focus on creating blogs, articles, and educational content that’s simple, clear, and saves time for readers. I believe in writing that adds real value without overcomplicating things. I also have strong knowledge of banking and government exams, which helps me create content that is both accurate and easy to understand. With experience and consistency, I aim to make preparation smoother for every learner.