Category: IELTS Vocabulary

Go out and work hard for IELTS, don’t let George do it. Read more and learn some of the exciting idioms for IELTS.

GIVE SOMEONE GRIEF

SENTENCE-: If you cannot help someone, don’t even give them grief.
MEANING-: prove to be nuisance for someone

RUN FOUL OF

SENTENCE-: The world is running foul of terrorism.
MEANING-: to go against it

RULE OF THUMB

SENTENCE-: Speaking less is a rule of thumb for maintaining good workplace relationships.
MEANING-: an accurate rule or principle based on practice and experience rather than theory.

WITHOUT TEARS

SENTENCE-: Our math teacher teaches us math without tears.
MEANING-: to present something in a manner that it could be easily learnt.

A GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT

SENTENCE-: Earlier people only had gentleman’s agreement.
MEANING-: an agreement based on the trust of the parties involved rather than any legal boundations

LET GEORGE DO IT

SENTENCE-: Don’t waste your entire time doing that stupid thing, let George do it.
MEANING-: handle over the responsibility to someone else

THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

SENTENCE-: There are so many people who pretend to be mean but are straight and narrow.
MEANING-: morally correct behavior

KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE

SENTENCE-: Even though she has achieved so much, she manages to keep a straight face.
MEANING-: to not show any amusement or expression

PLACE IN THE SUN

SENTENCE-: She has got her place in the sun after lot of hard work.
MEANING-: a position of advantage

ON CLOUD NINE

SENTENCE-: I was on cloud nine after she told me that I have been selected for Harvard Business School.
MEANING-: to be extremely happy

IELTSBAND7

You can always be the jewel in the crown, just remember, the higher you want to climb, the harder work you need to do.

WITHOUT FAIL

SENTENCE-: The sun is going to rise without fail.
MEANING-: something that can be easily predicted

KEEP SOMEONE IN THE DARK

SENTENCE-: I never thought, you will keep in dark about this matter.
MEANING-: to keep someone in a state of ignorance about something

BE UNDER THE ILLUSION

SENTENCE-: She has been under the illusion that he is going to come back.
MEANING-: wrongly believe something

THE JEWEL IN CROWN

SENTENCE-: She has been the jewel in the crown of our project.
MEANING-: the most attractive part of something

KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

SENTENCE-: It is quite difficult to kill two birds with one stone.
MEANING-: to achieve two aims at once

ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS

SENTENCE-: You really understand life on the wrong side of the tracks.
MEANING-: the poor or less prestigious part of town

FIT THE BILL

SENTENCE-: I fit the bill of being an entrepreneur.
MEANING-: to be suitable for a particular position

THE END OF THE ROAD

SENTENCE-: The day I will reach the end of the road, I will take the leap of faith and jump.
MEANING-: the point after which survival is not possible

TEAR YOUR HAIR OUT

SENTENCE-: We will get the contract any ways, you need not to tear your hair out.
MEANING-: to show extreme desperation

SO HELP ME

SENTENCE-: I am in real trouble. So, help me.
MEANING-: to emphasize on the fact that you mean what you say

GIVE SOMEONE HELL

SENTENCE-: Hitler gave hell to millions of Jews.
MEANING-: to reprimand someone severely

IELTSBAND7

Have you ever got someone’s wick or have you ever tried something with a will? Well, if you understood what I said, congos, if not, go and read more to find out what I am talking about.

GET ON SOMEONE’S WICK

SENTENCE-: don’t try to get on my wick, you will have to face the consequences.
MEANING-: annoy someone

WIGS ON THE GREEN

SENTENCE-: every development must be welcomed unless it is wigs on the green.
MEANING-: violent or unpleasant development

WITH A WILL

SENTENCE-: If you really want to be successful in life, do whatever you do with a will.
MEANING-: energetically and resolutely

WEAR THE GREEN WILLOW

SENTENCE-: Don’t say anything to her, she is wearing the green willow.
MEANING-: suffer the loss of a loved on

WIN YOUR SPURS

SENTENCE-: I hope I will soon win my spurs
MEANING-: gain your first distinction or honors

BETWEEN WIND AND WATER

SENTENCE-: I don’t know anything anymore, I am stuck between wind and water.
MEANING-: at a vulnerable point

GET WIND OF

SENTENCE-: we need to stop the plan, she has got wind of it.
MEANING-: to suspect that something is happening

IT’S AN ILL WIND

SENTENCE-: Try and avoid the ill wind.
MEANING-: something’s are so bad that no one profits from them.

GONE WITH THE WIND

SENTENCE-: The story of “the man eater” has gone with the wind.
MEANING-: gone completely without any trace left behind

PUT THE WIND UP

SENTENCE-: Put the wind up, we are in danger now.
MEANING-: alarm or frighten

IELTSBAND7

When you lead your life, make sure you are the only pebble on the beach. Read more, learn more and score more.

NOT TURN A HAIR

SENTENCE-: Your opinion about me will not turn a hair.
MEANING-: remain unmoved or unaffected

AN ARMY MARCHES ON ITS STOMACH

SENTENCE-: I want my company to have the best food, after all an army marches on its stomach.
MEANING-: soldiers or workers can only fight back or work properly if they have been fed properly.

DIALOGUE OF THE DEAF

SENTENCE-: the India lok Sabha looks like dialogue of the deaf
MEANING-: a conversation in which each party is unresponsive of what other’s have to say

GIVE SOMEONE FURIOUSLY TO THINK

SENTENCE-: The machine he made gave me furiously to think.
MEANING-: give someone a reason to think hard

HEARTH AND HOME

SENTENCE-: I can only find hearth and home in Almora.
MEANING-: home and its comforts

CALL THE SHOTS

SENTENCE-: The world needs people who know how to call the shots.
MEANING-: take an initiative on how something should be done.

SHOW YOUR HANDS

SENTENCE-: It is over now, you can show your hands.
MEANING-: to disclose your plans

COME UNDER THE HAMMER

SENTENCE-: The house has finally come under the hammer.
MEANING-: to be sold in an auction

STICK TO YOUR GUNS

SENTENCE-: The ones who stick to their guns are the ones who are successful.
MEANING-: refuse to compromise or change

NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH

SENTENCE-: Don’t try to play smart with me, you are not the only pebble on the beach.
MEANING-: not the only person to be considered

IELTSBAND7