1. Above all (mainly, especially)
I like all my friends, but above all, Sahira.

2. Above board (honest, open)
His business with others is above board.

3. Add fuel to fire (increase anger or feeling).
He abused him, and to add fuel to fire, he beat him.

4. After all (in spite of everything; it must be remembered).
She studied little, but passed after all.

5. After one’s own heart (to like someone because of common interests).
Sumaira is after my own heart, we both like Eastern music.

6. All and sundry (all things or people; everybody)
The rich man invited all and study to the party.

7. All in all (on the whole in the controlling position)
We have our joys and problems, all in all we are happy.
The officer is all in all in that department, he can do anything he like.

8. Alpha and Omega (the begging and the end)
Good work is really the Alpha and Omega of life.

9. Apple of discord (any cause of dispute)
They both want to have the house, it is an apple of discord between them.

10. Apple of one’s eyes (somebody or something dearly loved).
Aziz is apple of his father’s eyes.

11. Apple pie order (perfect order)
This place is an apple pie order, you can find all you want.

12. As cool as a cucumber (unexcited).
He is as cool as a cucumber in all conditions.

13. At large (free, at liberty)

The prisoners were freed, they are at large.

14. At length (finally).
We waited, at length the driver came and the bus started.

15. At sixes and sevens (in confusion).
His books were in sixes and sevens, all in disorder.

16. At the conclusion (end of).
At the conclusion of the match, everyone left for home.
17. At the eleventh hour (at the latest possible time).
At the eleventh hour, the medicine reached him, and he was saved.

18. At times (occasionally).
He is good to me, only at times he is angry.

19. Bag and baggage (with all one has).
The owner of the house asked him to leave the house bag and baggage.

20. Beat about the bush (talk in an inexact way about a subject).
Do not beat about the bush, come to the point.

21. Because of (as a result of).
Because of the heavy rains trains are running late.

22. Bed of roses (happy comfortable condition).
An important politician’s work is not a bed of roses as he faces difficulties all the time.

23. Behind the scenes (in secret).
We don’t know what is happening behind the scenes.

24. Bell the cat (do something dangerous in order to save others).
Everyone wants to have the officers removed, but who will bell the cat?

25. Bird’s eye-view (a general view).
This book gives a bird’s eye-view of history.

26. Black sheep (a person showing bad behaviour).
The Government will dismiss all the black sheep in this office.

27. Bone of contention (cause of quarrel).
Property is a bone of contention between them.

28. Break the ice (start a talk when all others are silent).
All the people were silent, to break the ice I started talking about the weather.

29. Break the news (be the first to inform of something).
I cannot break the news of his failure to his mother

30. Bring about (cause of happen).
The new government will bring about important political changes.

31. Burn one’s boats or bridges (do something making it impossible to change one’s plans).
Let us decide to leave this job and burn our boats.

32. Burning question (a very important, urgent problem).
Kashmir is a burning question in this part of the world.
33. Burn the midnight oil (work or study till late at night).
Their examination is near, that is why they burn the midnight oil.

34. By all means (certainly; using every possible way).
Iqbal was by all means a great.

35. By and large (in general).
By and large honest people are liked every where.

36. By fits and starts (not regularly).
They study by fits and starts, and so may fail.

37. By hook or by crook (by any means possible).
He wants to get the job by hook or by crook.

38. By leaps and bounds (rapidly).
The Chinese people have progressed by leaps and bounds.

39. Call a spade a spade (describe facts clearly, without hiding anything).
Call a spade a spade, tell the truth without fear.

40. Call off (decide to stop something).

The workers will soon call off their strike.

41. Call one names (abuse or insult).
Good student should not call anyone names.

42. Catch red-handed (catch in the act of doing something wrong).
See, he is stealing your money, catch him red-handed.

43. Child’s play (something very easily done).
It is not a child’s play to write a book.

44. Cock and bull story (baseless and silly story).
Whatever he says is all wrong, only a cock and bull story.

45. Cold war (open enmity between countries without fighting).
There is still cold war between America and Russia.

46. Come or get to the point (speak about the most important part of the subject).
Now come to the point and do not talk about other matters.

47. Come out (become known).
How did it come out that the enemy was planning to attack us?

48. Come over (come from a distance; change sides or opinion).
She will come over to Lahore from Karachi to stay with her sister.
Some of our enemies may come over to our side.

49. Come round or come around (agree).
Our friend will come round to our way of thinking after some talk.

50. Come to an end (finish).
The match may come to an end late in the afternoon.

51. Crocodile’s tears (tears or sorrow that in insincere).
She is not really sad at your failure, her sorrow is only crocodile’s tears.

52. Cry for moon (demand something impossible).
You want to be rich in a year, you only cry for the moon.

53. Cry over spilt milk (cry over a loss that cannot be repaired).
Do not cry over spilt milk, you cannot get back your lost property.

54. Day after day or day in and day out (continuously).
Day after day (day in and day out) they visit this office with their papers.

55. Do away with (abolish, finish).
We should do away with all our useless laws.

56. Due to (caused).
Good health is due to good food and exercise.

57. Eat one’s words (take back what one has said).
She foolishly spoke against her teacher, later she had to eat her words.

58. End up in smoke (end in nothing).
All their plans may end up in smoke.

59. Fall out (quarrel).
The two sisters may fall out with each other over the division of their father’s property.

60. Fish out of water (uncomfortable in a strange place).
He is new here, and so feels like a fish out of water.

61. Flesh and blood (human nature with its weakness).
It is just flesh and blood to desire money and property.
62. For a rainy day (for a time when money may be needed).
He saves something from his salary each month for a rainy day.

63. For good (for ever).
She left the city for good.

64. For the purpose of (with the intention).
She studied Arabic for the purpose of visiting the Arab countries.


65. From hand to mouth (not saving any money, living with difficulty).
They live from hand to mouth because their income is low.

66. Get in or into hot water (get into trouble).
If you trouble your teacher thus, you will get into hot water.

67. Get rid of (free oneself from something unwanted).
I want to get rid of my useless friends.

68. Get through (adv., to reach someone, especially by telephone…..)
She rang me up several times, but couldn’t get through.

69. Get through (prep come successfully to the end of; finish).
You need to work hard to get through the examination.
I got through the work in the evening.

70. Get up (rise from bed in the morning; leave one’s bed after illness).
I get up early,and go to bed early too.

71. Get up to (reach).

Did you get up to the people walking far ahead of you along the road? (or did you catch up with ……)

72. Give and take (co-operate with each other).
There should be give and take between the people living in a house if they want to live happily.

73. Give way (move back or away).
The crowd had to give way before the police.

74. Give way to (make concession).
We cannot give way to such wrong demands.

75. Go with (to match).
Let us buy some chairs that go with the colour of the walls.

76. Golden age (period of time when art and literature were at their best).
Who can forget our golden age when Haroon Rashid ruled?

77. Golden opportunity (the best chance).
You are getting a job in Dubai, it is a golden opportunity.

78. Good-for-nothing (worthless; worthless person).
He cannot do anything for you, he is good-for-nothing.
He is a good-for-nothing fellow (a useless person).

79. Hard nut to crack (a problem difficult to solve).
To control prices is a hard nut to crack.


80. Heart and soul (completely)
She is in love with him, heart and soul.

81. Here and there (in various places).
Here and there I found flowers and trees in the park.

82. Hold one’s tongue (keep silent, check oneself from speaking).
Hold your tongue when you are in the mosque.

83. Hope against hope (hoping when there is little chance of success).
To think that we can pass without study is to hope against hope.

84. In a fix (not able to think or decide).
He is in a fix, and so cannot decide what to do now.

85. In a nutshell (in the fewest words).
Tell in a nutshell the results of the Second World War.

86. In black and white (in writing).
I have all their plans in black and white.

87. In consequence of (as the result of ).
In consequence of the heavy rains, the rivers are in flood.

88. In short (in brief).
She is good, she is able, she is beautiful, in short she is perfect.

89. In the bad books of (not to be in favour with).
He often fails, he is in the bad books of his teachers.

90. In the good books of (be in favour with).
He often passes, he is in the good books of his teachers.

91. In the long run (in the end).
In the long run, we shall succeed.
92. In time for (about to get).

Ali is in time for the high post.( or will get it soon).

93. In view of (considering).
In view of the good results of our college, the government has given special scholarship to its students.

94. Ins and outs (all the details).
I know all the ins and outs of this scheme, I understand it well.

95. Jack of all trades (one who can do many different kind of work but none so well).
A jack of all trades is master of none.

96. Keep at arm’s length (keep at a distance).
Keep idle people at arm’s length, they waste your time.

97. Keep on (continue to do it).
Keep on trying until you pass the examination well.

98. Keep pace with (go forward together with).
Always keep pace with the good students in class.

99. Kith and kin (friends and relatives).
He left his kith and kin and went to Germany.

100. Learn by heart (commit to memory).
Learn this poem by heart.

101. Leave in the lurch (leave someone in difficulties).
As your true friend, I cannot leave you in the lurch.

102. Let down (fail to help).
He is your best friend, he will never let you down.

103. Lion’s share (the greatest part).
Ali took the lion’s share of the property.

104. Look down upon (consider inferior)
We should not look down upon our poor friends.

105. Look forward to (expect with hope).
We look forward to meeting them as they are arriving soon.

106. Look into (investigate; examine).
The government should look into the records of corrupt officers.

107. Make both ends meet (cover one’s expenses with one’s income).
They are poor and can hardly make both ends meet.

108. Make fun of (ridicule).
You are wearing a strange hat, the boys will make fun of you.

109. More or less (nearly).
They have more or less built the house.

110. Narrow escape (an escape by a slight margins).
He missed hitting the bus by a few inches, for him it was a narrow escape (OR ….. it was a close call or as close shave).

111. Nip in the bud (finish at the start).
The Principal will try to nip the strike in the bud. We should nip the evil of smoking in the bud.

112. Null and void (without force or effect in law).
Those rules are null and void now.

113. Off and on (from time to time, occasionally).
We go to the cinema off and on.

114. On Account of (because of, owing to, on the score of).
We won the battle on account of God’s help and our effort.

115. On behalf of (for him or her).
I Shall sign these letters on behalf of my father.

116. On occasion (from time to time, Occasionally).
It is only on accasion that we travel to other cities.

117. On the air (on the radio or T.V).
Tonight the education minister will be on demand.

118. On the eve of (time just before any thing)
They met their old friends on the eve of their departure for Algeria.

119. On the whole (generally).
It has some weakpoints, but on the whole the film is good.

120. On top of (in addition to).
He comes late to class, and on top of it, he comes without his books.

121. Once in the blue moon (rarely or never).
We see a film once in a blue moon.

122. Out of date of out of fashion (not in fashion or style).
Most air force planes become out of date in jut a few years.

123. Out of the question (impossible).
For me, it is out of the question to help my friend’s enemies.

124. Out-an-out (complete, through).
Ours is an out-and-out success. It is an out-and-out insult.

125. Over and above (besides, in addition to).
She sold her lands over and above her other property.

126. Part and parcel (most important part of).
Religion is a part and parcel of our life.

127. Pass away (die).
My dear friend, Azmar, passed away this year.

128. Play with fire (take great risks).
Understand that to speak against him means to play with fire.

129. Put down (write something down; defeat or control).
Please put down your address on this piece of paper.
The government can easily put down the other political parties.

130. Read between the lines (find a meaning that is not clear).
He writes he is ill, I have read between the lines that he does not want to work.

131. Red carpet (special ceremonial welcome to guest).
We gave the Saudi king a red-carpet treatment. We rolled out the red carpet when the king visited us..

132. Red letter day (a very happy day).

The 14th August is a red letter day for all of us.

133. Red-handed (in the act of doing something wrong).
They caught him red-handed when he was stealing their money.

134. Run down (say unkind words about).
Do not run down your friends before others.

135. Safe and sound (unharmed).

The passengers came out of the plane safe and sound after the force landing.
136. Send for (have one called).
Please send for the doctor as mother is ill. I have sent for the carpenter.

137. Sick of (tired of).
They are really sick of her daily visits to her.

138. So far as (as far as ).
So far as I know him, he is honest.

139. Stand by (support, side with).
As a true friend, he will always stand by you.

140. Take a leap into the dark (do something the result of which cannot be
seen).
Do not go to any other country without getting a job, do not take a leap into the dark.

141. Take after (look and behave like an older relative).
Sharma takes after her mother, looks like her in many ways.

142. Take for (consider; mistake for).
You speak Arabic so well, they may take you for an Arab.

143. Take off (remove the clothes).
We take off our clothes before taking a bath.

144. Take off (rise into the air).
The plane take off early in the morning.

145. Take over (take control of).
Mr. Kamal will take overs as the new Principal.

146. Take to task (speak harshly to someone for a mistake, scold).
The officer will take him to task for his absence from duty.

147. Thanks to (as the result of).
Thanks to the medicine, feel very well now.

148. That is why (for this reason).
We arrived late, that is why we could not attend the class.

149. Through thick and thin (under any kind of conditions).
He will be on your side through thick and thin.

150. Throw (or shed) light on (make clear, explain).
Please throw light on the political conditions of your country.
151. Time and tide (time and chance).
Time and tide wait for none.

152. To and fro (from side to side).
They walked to and fro, without knowing what to do.

153. Turn a deaf ear (refuse to listen).
He is unkind, he may turn a deaf ear to your request.

154. Turn down (not to accept).
He may turn down your request.

155. Turn out (happen to be in the end).
He is sincere, he will turn out to be your great helper.

156. Turn over a new leaf (begin different way of life).

Let us turn over a new leaf and begin living our life in a better way.

157. Up to date (modern, latest).
They are trying to bring their book up to date. (this dictionary is up-to-date).

158. Up to the mark (equal to the required standard).
His new book is surely up to the mark.


159. Ups and downs (good and bad periods).
Life has its ups and downs for everyone.

160. Wear and tear (damage done by use).
It is an old bus, you can see the wear and tear on it.

161. Wet blanket (person who prevents others from enjoying themselves).
He is a wet blanket to us all as he always says that we might fail.

162. White-elephant (costly or troublesome possession).
To us this car is just a white elephant.

163. Wild goose chase (foolishly useless activity).
His search for the lost bicycle is only a wild goose chase.

164. With a view to (with the intention of).
We went to the ground with a view to seeing the match.

165. With open arms (very gladly).
We welcomed our hockey team with open arms.

__________________
["Satisfaction is death of Struggle"]
[Naseer Ahmed Chandio]