380. The following phrases which are used in everyday speech and writing :-
(*) Above board :-- open(ly) ; without trickery
" He is always open and above board in his dealings with everyone."
(*) All and sundry :- everyone without distinction.
" He invited all and sundry to participate in the celebrations."
(*) As a matter of fact :- in reality.
" He promised to stand by me in need, but, as a matter of fact,he gave me no help."
(*) All in all :- supreme ; all powerful ; of the first importance.
" The then Vice-Chancellor was all in all at Cambridge."
(*) As a rule :- usually.
" A sensible leader, as a rule, cares much for public opinion."
(*) At all costs :- whatever may be the cost or sacrifice.
" India is determined to exterminate the terrorists at all costs."
(*) At all events :- whatever may happen ; in any case.
" Elections in the United States will be held at all events."
(*) At arm's length :- avoiding too much familiarity.
" The President kept some of the old ministers at arm's length."
(*) At daggers drawn :- at open enmity.
" The two brothers are at daggers drawn with each other ever since the division
of property."
(*) At home in :- familiar with.
" He is equally at home in German and French."
(*) At issue :- in controversy ; disputed.
" The point at issue is whether he accepted the bribe or not."
(*) At large :- free ; at liberty.
" You are at large to talk in such an irresponsible manner."
" The escaped prisoner is still at large."
(*) At a loss :- puzzled.
" I am quite at a loss to think who could have stolen my fountain-pen."
(*) At one's finger-tips :- ready and thorough knowledge of.
" He had the names of the voters at his finger-tips."
(*) At random :- without any aim or purpose.
" The whole night she talked at random."
(*) At sixes and sevens :- in disorder.
" I found the whole furniture lying at sixes and sevens."
(*) At stake :- in danger.
" When honour is at stake,it is greatness to find a quarrel in a straw."
(*) At the eleventh hour :- at the very last moment.
" He changed his mind at the eleventh hour."
(*) At times :- occasionally.
" At times he gets drunk."
(*) At variance with :- in disagreement with.
" His actions are at variance with his principles."
(*) Bag and baggage :- completely ; leaving nothing behind.
" The army left the place bag and baggage."
(*) Beck and call :- " She had fifty servants at her beck and call."
(*) Below the mark :- less than the required standard.
" His speech was below the mark."
(*) Between you and me ( or between ourselves ) :- speaking confidentially.
" Between you and me he is a thief."
(*) Beyond question :- undoubtedly.
" She is beyond question the ablest woman India has ever produced."
(*) By and by :- slowly and gradually.
" You will become acquainted with the state of affairs by and by."
(*) By dint of :- by force or means of.
" He won the first prize in English by dint of hard work."
(*) By fits and starts :- without steady application.
" He works by fits and starts, and will not apply himself."
(*) By fair means or foul :- by any means, good or bad.
" I shall achieve my object by fair means or foul."
(*) By hook or by crook :- by any means,direct and indirect.
" I must win the first prize in French, by hook or by crook."
(*) By leaps and bounds :- by a series of sudden and rapid advances.
" India is making progress by leaps and bounds."
(*) By virtue of :- on account of .
" He occupied the chair at the meeting by virtue of seniority."
(*) Fair and square :- upright ; honest.
" You should be fair and square in your dealings."
(*) Fair play :- equal conditions for all.
" All political parties want fair play in elections."
(*) Fair field and no favour :- equal conditions in contest.
" The competitors wanted a fair field and no favour."
(*) Few and far between :- rare.
" Her visits ,like angel's visits ,were few and far between."
(*) Fire and sword :- destruction.
"Hitler carried fire and sword wherever he went."
(*) Flesh and blood :- human body ; human nature.
"He bore all the troubles that flesh and blood is heir to."
(*) For ever and a day :- for ever.
" Fortune wheeled away with scornful laughter for ever and a day."
(*) For good :- For ever.
" He left his native country for good."
(*) For good and all :-permanently ; finally ; definetly.
" They have left this business for good and all."
(*) From hand to mouth :- *) without making any provision for the tomorrow ;
*) consuming everyday what is earned.
" The general mass of mankind in India live from hand to mouth."
(*) Hand and glove :- on very intimate terms.
" John and Sam are hand and glove with each other."
(*) Head and ears :- completely.
" He is over head and ears in debt."
" You are over head and ears in love with her."
(*) Heart and soul :- with all one's energy.
" He threw himself heart and soul into the cause of the poor and the downtrodden."
(*) Hole and corner :- secret.
" I do not believe in adopting a hole and corner policy."
(*) In a fix :- in a difficult position.
" I was in a fix how to convince her of my innocence."
(*) In a roundabout way :- in an indirect way.
" She told us in a roundabout way that she had fled from her father's house."
(*) In or on behalf of :- " He petitioned to the Government on behalf of the
homeless orphans."
(*) In black and white :- In writing .
" She gave us her statement in black and white ."
(*) In cold blood :- deliberately.
" He murdered the poor widow in cold blood."
(*) In consequence of :- owing to.
" In consequence of my resignation, a new man was appointed."
(*) In defiance of :- without caring for.
" He played bridge in defiance of the orders of the Supreintendent."
(*) In favour of :- " He spoke in favour of the caste system."
(*) In favour with :- Loved by.
" He is not in favour with his superior officers these days."
(*) In force :- valid.
" This law is no longer in force."
(*) In full swing :- very busy ; working busily.
" The share market was in full swing."
(*) In good faith :- in honest belief.
" He did this in good faith."
(*) In keeping with :- consistent with.
" His actions are not in keeping with his statements in public life."
(*) In name :- nominally ; not really.
" He is a king only in name."
(*) In no time :- very soon.
" He will finish his work in no time."
(*) In no way :- by no means.
" He is in no way inferior to you."
(*) In one's teens :- between 13 and 19 years of age.
" Although he is yet in his teens, he has made a name for himself."
(*) In quest of :- in search of.
" He wandered from one country to another in quest of peace."
(*) In round numbers :- approximately.
" This building can be said to have cost Rs.1,50,000,in round numbers."
(*) In season and out of season :- at all times without selection.
" His remarks uttered in season and out of season,made him many enemies."
(*) Ins and outs :- the details of anything.
" I am not at all conversant with the ins and outs of the matter."
(*) In the air :- spreading about.
" He knew that the scheme he wanted to adopt was already in the air."
(*) In the ascendant :- supreme ; dominating.
" His star is in the ascendant these days."
(*) In the background :- in a position of obscurity.
" The Prime Minister, though he keeps himself in the background,is the real King."
(*) In the dark :- quite ignorant.
" I am in the dark about his move."
(*) In the face of :- against ; despite.
" He pursued his ambition in the face of innumerable difficulties."
(*) In the long run :- eventually.
" Virtue must triumph over vice in the long run."
(*) In the nick of time :- just at the right moment.
" He reached the station in the nick of time to catch the train."
(*) In the prime of life :- in the best period of life.
" He was cut off in the prime of life."
(*) In the teeth of :- in the face of.
" He carried out his scheme in the teeth of all opposition."
(*) In the twinkling of an eye :- in the briefest possible time.
" The lion was upon me in the twinkling of an eye."
(*) In time :- not late ; early enough.
" We reached the station in time to catch the train."
(*) In the wind :- being secretly prepared or plotted.
" It is in the wind that he is soon going to be sacked."
(*) In vogue :- in fashion.
" This type of dress is not much in vogue these days."
(*) Kith and kin :- blood relations.
" All his kith and kin deserted him in time of need."
(*) Milk and water :- tasteless. ; feeble or mawkish.
" What a milk and water discourse he delievered."
(*) Nook and corner :- every possible place.
" Every nook and corner of the city will be flooded with cheap electric light."
(*) Null and void :- of no effect ; not binding.
" This strange incident has rendered the will null and void."
(*) Odds and ends :- stray articles ; casual pieces of information.
" A few more odds and ends.
" The room had nothing in it except a few odds and ends."
(*) Off and on :- occasionally.
" She comes to see me off and on."
(*) Of one's own accord :- voluntarily.
" He resigned the post of his own accord."
(*) Of no avail :- useless.
" It is of no avail to lament the dead past."
(*) Of the first water :- of finest quality.
" He is a genius of the first water."
(*) Off one's guard :- heedless ; unprepared.
" Put this question to him only when you find him off his guard."
(*) On all hands :- everywhere.
" It is now admitted on all hands that modern young men care little for virtue."
(*) On one's guard :- watchful ; prepared against attack.
" One should always be on one's guard ."
(*) On one's last legs :- about to perish ; ready to fall.
" Their business is now on its last legs."
(*) On the contrary :- on the other hand instead.
" He does not hate you as you think; on the contrary he loves you to a fault."
(*) On the eve of :- just a little while before .
" He was given a farewell party on the eve of his retirement."
(*) On the face of it :- obviously.
" This proposal seems absurd on the face of it."
(*) On the spur of the moment :- on a momentary impulse.
" He made a speech on the spur of the moment."
(*) On the wane :- declining.
" His reputation is now on the wane."
(*) Out and out :- thorouhgly.
" He is an out and out reactionary."
(*) Out of one's wits :- confused ; puzzled.
" He is out of his wits and cannot give you any useful advice."
(*) Out of the question :- impracticable ; unworthy of discussion.
" Friendship between John and me is out of the question."
(*) Out of the way :- remote and obscure.
" He found the sage in an out of the way village."
(*) Pros and cons :- arguments for and against.
" Have you thought of the pros and cons of the new scheme?"
(*) Rank and file :- ordinary , undistinguished people ; common soldiers.
" The rank and file could not appreciate his services."
" The rank and file of the army were dispirited by defeat."
(*) Stuff and nonsense :- rubbish ; meaningless talk.
" Enough of your stuff and nonsense."
(*) Right and left :- on all sides.
" Finding himself surrounded by his enemies,he struck right and left."
(*) Stone's throw :- a short distance.
" The school is at a stone's throw from my house."
(*) The three R's :- reading. (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic.
" The peasants must be taught at least the three R's."
(*) Through thick and thin :- through all obstacles and difficulties.
" A true friend is one who stands by you through thick and thin."
(*) To all intents and purposes :- " A man having no control over his
passions is,to all intents and purposes ( practically ), a beast."
(*) To the backbone :- thoroughly.
" His is a staunch conservative to the backbone."
(*) To the letter :- literally and strictly.
" I will carry out your orders to the letter."
(*) To one's heart's contents :- fully.
" He enjoyed the scenery of the mountains to his heart's content."
(*) To the utmost :- in the highest degree.
" His patience has been strained to the utmost ."
(*) Under one's nose :- before the very eyes of.
" This incident happened under his very nose."
(*) Ups and downs :- prosperity and adversity ; successive rises and falls.
" He is a man who has seen the ups and downs of life."
(*) Wear and tear :- damage resulting from constant use and from
occasional accidents.
" The castle walls have stood the wear and tear of centuries."
" This material will stand any amount of wear and tear(is very strong)."
(*) Well off :- rich.
" These people are very well off."
(*) Well up in :- proficient ; well-versed in.
" I am not well up in Physics."
(*) Weal and woe :- good and bad fortune.
" They are linked together in weal and woe."
(*) With a high hand :- arrogantly ; imperiously.
" The King now carried things with a high hand and punished his nobles by
depriving them of all their rights and privileges."
(*) With one voice :- together ; un animously.
" They all shouted with one voice."
(*) Without rhyme or reason :- quite unaccountably.
" He insulted the poor beggar without rhyme or reason."
(*) By and by :- slowly and gradually.
" You will become acquainted with the state of affairs by and by."
(*) By dint of :- by force or means of.
" He won the first prize in English by dint of hard work."
(*) By fits and starts :- without steady application.
" He works by fits and starts, and will not apply himself."
(*) By fair means or foul :- by any means, good or bad.
" I shall achieve my object by fair means or foul."
(*) By hook or by crook :- by any means,direct and indirect.
" I must win the first prize in French, by hook or by crook."
(*) By leaps and bounds :- by a series of sudden and rapid advances.
" India is making progress by leaps and bounds."
(*) By virtue of :- on account of .
" He occupied the chair at the meeting by virtue of seniority."
(*) Fair and square :- upright ; honest.
" You should be fair and square in your dealings."
(*) Fair play :- equal conditions for all.
" All political parties want fair play in elections."
(*) Fair field and no favour :- equal conditions in contest.
" The competitors wanted a fair field and no favour."
(*) Few and far between :- rare.
" Her visits ,like angel's visits ,were few and far between."
(*) Fire and sword :- destruction.
"Hitler carried fire and sword wherever he went."
(*) Flesh and blood :- human body ; human nature.
"He bore all the troubles that flesh and blood is heir to."
(*) For ever and a day :- for ever.
" Fortune wheeled away with scornful laughter for ever and a day."
(*) For good :- For ever.
" He left his native country for good."
(*) For good and all :-permanently ; finally ; definetly.
" They have left this business for good and all."
(*) From hand to mouth :- *) without making any provision for the tomorrow ;
*) consuming everyday what is earned.
" The general mass of mankind in India live from hand to mouth."
(*) Hand and glove :- on very intimate terms.
" John and Sam are hand and glove with each other."
(*) Head and ears :- completely.
" He is over head and ears in debt."
" You are over head and ears in love with her."
(*) Heart and soul :- with all one's energy.
" He threw himself heart and soul into the cause of the poor and the downtrodden."
(*) Hole and corner :- secret.
" I do not believe in adopting a hole and corner policy."
(*) In a fix :- in a difficult position.
" I was in a fix how to convince her of my innocence."
(*) In a roundabout way :- in an indirect way.
" She told us in a roundabout way that she had fled from her father's house."
(*) In or on behalf of :- " He petitioned to the Government on behalf of the
homeless orphans."
(*) In black and white :- In writing .
" She gave us her statement in black and white ."
(*) In cold blood :- deliberately.
" He murdered the poor widow in cold blood."
(*) In consequence of :- owing to.
" In consequence of my resignation, a new man was appointed."
(*) In defiance of :- without caring for.
" He played bridge in defiance of the orders of the Supreintendent."
(*) In favour of :- " He spoke in favour of the caste system."
(*) In favour with :- Loved by.
" He is not in favour with his superior officers these days."
(*) In force :- valid.
" This law is no longer in force."
(*) In full swing :- very busy ; working busily.
" The share market was in full swing."
(*) In good faith :- in honest belief.
" He did this in good faith."
(*) In keeping with :- consistent with.
" His actions are not in keeping with his statements in public life."
(*) In name :- nominally ; not really.
" He is a king only in name."
(*) In no time :- very soon.
" He will finish his work in no time."
(*) In no way :- by no means.
" He is in no way inferior to you."
(*) In one's teens :- between 13 and 19 years of age.
" Although he is yet in his teens, he has made a name for himself."
(*) In quest of :- in search of.
" He wandered from one country to another in quest of peace."
(*) In round numbers :- approximately.
" This building can be said to have cost Rs.1,50,000,in round numbers."
(*) In season and out of season :- at all times without selection.
" His remarks uttered in season and out of season,made him many enemies."
(*) Ins and outs :- the details of anything.
" I am not at all conversant with the ins and outs of the matter."
(*) In the air :- spreading about.
" He knew that the scheme he wanted to adopt was already in the air."
(*) In the ascendant :- supreme ; dominating.
" His star is in the ascendant these days."
(*) In the background :- in a position of obscurity.
" The Prime Minister, though he keeps himself in the background,is the real King."
(*) In the dark :- quite ignorant.
" I am in the dark about his move."
(*) In the face of :- against ; despite.
" He pursued his ambition in the face of innumerable difficulties."
(*) In the long run :- eventually.
" Virtue must triumph over vice in the long run."
(*) In the nick of time :- just at the right moment.
" He reached the station in the nick of time to catch the train."
(*) In the prime of life :- in the best period of life.
" He was cut off in the prime of life."
(*) In the teeth of :- in the face of.
" He carried out his scheme in the teeth of all opposition."
(*) In the twinkling of an eye :- in the briefest possible time.
" The lion was upon me in the twinkling of an eye."
(*) In time :- not late ; early enough.
" We reached the station in time to catch the train."
(*) In the wind :- being secretly prepared or plotted.
" It is in the wind that he is soon going to be sacked."
(*) In vogue :- in fashion.
" This type of dress is not much in vogue these days."
(*) Kith and kin :- blood relations.
" All his kith and kin deserted him in time of need."
(*) Milk and water :- tasteless. ; feeble or mawkish.
" What a milk and water discourse he delievered."
(*) Nook and corner :- every possible place.
" Every nook and corner of the city will be flooded with cheap electric light."
(*) Null and void :- of no effect ; not binding.
" This strange incident has rendered the will null and void."
(*) Odds and ends :- stray articles ; casual pieces of information.
" A few more odds and ends.
" The room had nothing in it except a few odds and ends."
(*) Off and on :- occasionally.
" She comes to see me off and on."
(*) Of one's own accord :- voluntarily.
" He resigned the post of his own accord."
(*) Of no avail :- useless.
" It is of no avail to lament the dead past."
(*) Of the first water :- of finest quality.
" He is a genius of the first water."
(*) Off one's guard :- heedless ; unprepared.
" Put this question to him only when you find him off his guard."
(*) On all hands :- everywhere.
" It is now admitted on all hands that modern young men care little for virtue."
(*) On one's guard :- watchful ; prepared against attack.
" One should always be on one's guard ."
(*) On one's last legs :- about to perish ; ready to fall.
" Their business is now on its last legs."
(*) On the contrary :- on the other hand instead.
" He does not hate you as you think; on the contrary he loves you to a fault."
(*) On the eve of :- just a little while before .
" He was given a farewell party on the eve of his retirement."
(*) On the face of it :- obviously.
" This proposal seems absurd on the face of it."
(*) On the spur of the moment :- on a momentary impulse.
" He made a speech on the spur of the moment."
(*) On the wane :- declining.
" His reputation is now on the wane."
(*) Out and out :- thorouhgly.
" He is an out and out reactionary."
(*) Out of one's wits :- confused ; puzzled.
" He is out of his wits and cannot give you any useful advice."
(*) Out of the question :- impracticable ; unworthy of discussion.
" Friendship between John and me is out of the question."
(*) Out of the way :- remote and obscure.
" He found the sage in an out of the way village."
(*) Pros and cons :- arguments for and against.
" Have you thought of the pros and cons of the new scheme?"
(*) Rank and file :- ordinary , undistinguished people ; common soldiers.
" The rank and file could not appreciate his services."
" The rank and file of the army were dispirited by defeat."
(*) Stuff and nonsense :- rubbish ; meaningless talk.
" Enough of your stuff and nonsense."
(*) Right and left :- on all sides.
" Finding himself surrounded by his enemies,he struck right and left."
(*) Stone's throw :- a short distance.
" The school is at a stone's throw from my house."
(*) The three R's :- reading. (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic.
" The peasants must be taught at least the three R's."
(*) Through thick and thin :- through all obstacles and difficulties.
" A true friend is one who stands by you through thick and thin."
(*) To all intents and purposes :- " A man having no control over his
passions is,to all intents and purposes ( practically ), a beast."
(*) To the backbone :- thoroughly.
" His is a staunch conservative to the backbone."
(*) To the letter :- literally and strictly.
" I will carry out your orders to the letter."
(*) To one's heart's contents :- fully.
" He enjoyed the scenery of the mountains to his heart's content."
(*) To the utmost :- in the highest degree.
" His patience has been strained to the utmost ."
(*) Under one's nose :- before the very eyes of.
" This incident happened under his very nose."
(*) Ups and downs :- prosperity and adversity ; successive rises and falls.
" He is a man who has seen the ups and downs of life."
(*) Wear and tear :- damage resulting from constant use and from
occasional accidents.
" The castle walls have stood the wear and tear of centuries."
" This material will stand any amount of wear and tear(is very strong)."
(*) Well off :- rich.
" These people are very well off."
(*) Well up in :- proficient ; well-versed in.
" I am not well up in Physics."
(*) Weal and woe :- good and bad fortune.
" They are linked together in weal and woe."
(*) With a high hand :- arrogantly ; imperiously.
" The King now carried things with a high hand and punished his nobles by
depriving them of all their rights and privileges."
(*) With one voice :- together ; un animously.
" They all shouted with one voice."
(*) Without rhyme or reason :- quite unaccountably.
" He insulted the poor beggar without rhyme or reason."
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