Idoms and proverbs.

         

Study carefully the following idiomatic expressions-                                                                      (a)

To add fuel to the fire -to increase the existing excitement. Hig speech only added fuel to the fire.

To give oneself airs- to be conceited or arrogant in behaviour. Now he began to give himself airs.

To keep up appearances- in bad times to appear outwardly the same ag before, as regards wealth or prosperity. Though he lost all his property, he tried to keep up appearances in the circle of his friends.

To have an axe to grind -to have some personal interest to serve. In the first place, let me assure you, gentlemen, that I have no axe of mine to grind.

To turn one’s back upon -to desert; forsake. He turned his back upon the poor orphan who was under his care.

                                                                           (B)

To bear in mind -to remember; recollect. Bear in mind our long-standing friendship.

To bear the brunt of- to face the full fury of. They had to bear the brunt of the king’s anger.

To beat about the bush- to convey one’s meaning in an indirect way. Don? beat about the bush come straight to the point. Say what you have to say. 

To beat the air- to struggle in vain. In trying to defeat Ahmad, you are only beating the air.

To blow hot and cold in the same breath -to praise and to blame at the same time. Don’t take his remarks seriously; he blows hot and cold in the same breath.

To blow one’s own trumpet- to praise oneself loudly; to sing one’s praises. Let him blow his own trumpet if he so pleases; it does not befit my dignity to do so. 

To break the news- to communicate disagreeable news very carefully. At last, I had to break to Aftab the news of his brother’s failure.

To break the ice -to break through reserve or stiffness (in conversation, etc.). All were silent for some time. At last, broke the ice and began the conversation.

To breathe one’s last- to die. He breathed his last on Sunday.

To bring home -to make one thoroughly understand. I tried my best to bring my plan home to my friend.

To bring to a standstill- to cause to stop wholly. The riots in Aligarh have brought business to a standstill.

To bring to the bay- to bring to a difficult position from which escape is impossible. The thief was at last brought to hay by the police.  

To bring to book- to call to account; to accuse of a fault or crime. The accused was brought to book. To bring to light to reveal. All their secret schemes were brought to light by the police. 

To burn the candle at both ends to spend extravagantly. He burnt the candle at both ends, and so came to grief.

 To bury the hatchet -to make peace. Let us bury the hatchet and be friends.

                                                                          (C)

 To hold a candle to anyone -to be in any way comparable with one. There is not one student to hold a candle to him.

 To carry the day to win a victory. In every discussion, Mr. Mehta carried the day.  

To make a clean breast of anything -to take a complete confession. I have made up my mind that if] am questioned again on this point, I will make a clean breast of everything 

To cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth- to regulate one’s expenses by one’s income. Cut your coat according to your cloth (limit your expenses to the size of your income).

 To turn one’s coat- to change to the opposite party. He has again turned his coat (changed side)

. To come to a head- to ripen; to approach completion. The plot was discovered before it came to a head.

 To come to blows- to fight. If we go on talking like this, we will soon come to blows. 

To compare notes- to exchange opinions or views on a subject of interest. We will compare notes as to his guilty conduct after the meeting.

To cry over spilt milk to spend time in useless regret. What’s done can’t be helped; there’s no use crying over spilt milk (indulging in useless regret).

To cut a figure -to make oneself prominent; to do something to attract notice. A youngster of eighteen wants to cut a figure in society! 

To cut a sorry figure- to make a poor show. The speaker cut a sorry figure at the meeting. 

To be cut to the quick to be wounded in feelings. He was cut to the quick when he learnt that his faithful servant had betrayed him. 

                                                                   (D, E) 

 To give the devil his due- allow even the worst man credit for what he does well. He was, though a great rogue, a respecter of women, if we give the devil his due. 

To die in harness- to die while engaged in one’ regular work, not after retiring. It was his constant prayer that he might die in harness.

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