100 Best and Commonly Used Idioms: CUET English UG (101)
100 of the best and commonly used idioms in English, tailored for CUET English UG prep or general verbal enhancement. Idioms are a key part of the CUET syllabus under verbal ability and vocabulary, often tested in comprehension or standalone questions. Each idiom is presented with its meaning and an example sentence to clarify usage. These are widely recognized, practical, and likely to appear in educational contexts or everyday communication.
100 Best and Commonly Used Idioms: CUET English UG (101)
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Everyday Life and Behavior
- English: Beat around the bush
Hindi: इधर-उधर की बात करना (Idhar-udhar ki baat karna)
Meaning: To avoid talking about the main point.
Sentence: Instead of giving a clear answer, he kept beating around the bush during the meeting. - English: Spill the beans
Hindi: भेद खोल देना (Bhed khol dena)
Meaning: To reveal a secret.
Sentence: She spilled the beans about the surprise party, ruining the plan. - English: Hit the nail on the head
Hindi: निशाने पर लगाना (Nishane par lagana)
Meaning: To do or say exactly the right thing.
Sentence: His analysis of the problem hit the nail on the head. - English: Barking up the wrong tree
Hindi: गलत पेड़ पर भौंकना (Galat ped par bhaunkna)
Meaning: To approach something the wrong way.
Sentence: If you think I can fix your computer, you’re barking up the wrong tree. - English: Cry over spilled milk
Hindi: रोया हुआ दूध पछताना (Roya hua doodh pachtana)
Meaning: To regret something that cannot be undone.
Sentence: There’s no point crying over spilled milk; let’s focus on the next exam. - English: Burn the midnight oil
Hindi: रात के तेल जलाना (Raat ke tel jalana)
Meaning: To work late into the night.
Sentence: She burned the midnight oil to finish her CUET preparation. - English: Let the cat out of the bag
Hindi: बिल्ली को थैले से बाहर करना (Billi ko thaile se bahar karna)
Meaning: To reveal a secret unintentionally.
Sentence: He let the cat out of the bag about their surprise trip to Goa. - English: Caught red-handed
Hindi: रंगे हाथों पकड़ा जाना (Range haathon pakda jana)
Meaning: To be caught in the act of doing something wrong.
Sentence: The thief was caught red-handed stealing from the shop. - English: Bite the bullet
Hindi: दांतों तले उंगली दबाना (Danton tale ungli dabana)
Meaning: To face a difficult situation bravely.
Sentence: She decided to bite the bullet and confront her fears. - English: Kick the bucket
Hindi: बाल्टी को लात मारना (Balti ko laat marna)
Meaning: To die (informal).
Sentence: The old car finally kicked the bucket after years of use.
Emotions and Reactions
- English: Lose one’s cool
Hindi: आपा खोना (Aapa khona)
Meaning: To lose temper or composure.
Sentence: He lost his cool when the train was delayed again. - English: Jump out of one’s skin
Hindi: खुशी से उछल पड़ना (Khushi se uchhal padna)
Meaning: To be extremely surprised or excited.
Sentence: She nearly jumped out of her skin when she won the prize. - English: On cloud nine
Hindi: नौवें आसमान पर होना (Nauvein aasman par hona)
Meaning: To be very happy.
Sentence: After acing the exam, he was on cloud nine. - English: Down in the dumps
Hindi: उदास होना (Udaas hona)
Meaning: To feel sad or depressed.
Sentence: She’s been down in the dumps since her best friend moved away. - English: Blow one’s top
Hindi: गुस्से से फट पड़ना (Gusse se phat padna)
Meaning: To become very angry.
Sentence: He blew his top when he saw the mess in the kitchen. - English: Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
Hindi: दिल की बात ज़ाहिर करना (Dil ki baat zahir karna)
Meaning: To openly show emotions.
Sentence: She wears her heart on her sleeve, so everyone knows how she feels. - English: Face the music
Hindi: परिणाम भुगतना (Parinaam bhugatna)
Meaning: To accept the consequences of one’s actions.
Sentence: After skipping classes, he had to face the music during the parent-teacher meeting. - English: Keep a stiff upper lip
Hindi: हिम्मत बनाए रखना (Himmat banaye rakhna)
Meaning: To remain brave in adversity.
Sentence: Despite the failure, she kept a stiff upper lip and moved on. - English: Get cold feet
Hindi: पैर ठंडे पड़ना (Pair thande padna)
Meaning: To become nervous or hesitant.
Sentence: He got cold feet just before his speech. - English: Over the moon
Hindi: चाँद पर होना (Chand par hona)
Meaning: To be extremely delighted.
Sentence: She was over the moon when she got into her dream college.
Money and Resources
- English: Penny wise, pound foolish
Hindi: छोटी बचत, बड़ी बर्बादी (Chhoti bachat, badi barbaadi)
Meaning: To save small amounts but waste larger ones.
Sentence: Buying cheap shoes that wear out fast is being penny wise, pound foolish. - English: Make ends meet
Hindi: गुज़ारा करना (Guzara karna)
Meaning: To manage with limited money.
Sentence: With his low salary, he struggles to make ends meet. - English: Burn a hole in one’s pocket
Hindi: जेब में आग लगाना (Jeb mein aag lagana)
Meaning: To have money one is eager to spend.
Sentence: The bonus was burning a hole in his pocket, so he bought a new phone. - English: Break the bank
Hindi: बैंक तोड़ना (Bank todna)
Meaning: To spend more than one can afford.
Sentence: That fancy vacation might break the bank if we’re not careful. - English: Cash cow
Hindi: दूध देने वाली गाय (Doodh dene wali gaay)
Meaning: A reliable source of income.
Sentence: His small business became a cash cow after the product went viral. - English: Dirt cheap
Hindi: मिट्टी के मोल (Mitti ke mol)
Meaning: Very inexpensive.
Sentence: The street vendor sold the clothes dirt cheap during the sale. - English: Rob Peter to pay Paul
Hindi: एक से ले दूसरों को देना (Ek se le doosron ko dena)
Meaning: To solve one problem by creating another.
Sentence: Borrowing from a friend to pay off a loan is like robbing Peter to pay Paul. - English: Tighten one’s belt
Hindi: कमर कसना (Kamar kasna)
Meaning: To reduce spending.
Sentence: After losing his job, he had to tighten his belt. - English: Born with a silver spoon
Hindi: चाँदी का चम्मच लेकर पैदा होना (Chandi ka chammach lekar paida hona)
Meaning: To be born into wealth.
Sentence: She was born with a silver spoon and never knew hardship. - English: Money doesn’t grow on trees
Hindi: पैसे पेड़ पर नहीं उगते (Paise ped par nahi ugte)
Meaning: Money is not easy to come by.
Sentence: Stop wasting cash—money doesn’t grow on trees!
Work and Effort
- English: Put one’s shoulder to the wheel
Hindi: कंधा लगाना (Kandha lagana)
Meaning: To work hard.
Sentence: We need to put our shoulders to the wheel to finish this project on time. - English: Throw in the towel
Hindi: हार मान लेना (Haar maan lena)
Meaning: To give up.
Sentence: After hours of struggle, he threw in the towel on the puzzle. - English: Pull one’s weight
Hindi: अपना वजन उठाना (Apna wazan uthana)
Meaning: To do one’s fair share of work.
Sentence: Everyone in the group needs to pull their weight for success. - English: Burn the candle at both ends
Hindi: दोनों तरफ से मोमबत्ती जलाना (Dono taraf se mombatti jalana)
Meaning: To overwork oneself.
Sentence: She’s burning the candle at both ends with studies and a job. - English: Leave no stone unturned
Hindi: कोई कसर न छोड़ना (Koi kasar na chhodna)
Meaning: To try every possible way.
Sentence: He left no stone unturned to crack the entrance exam. - English: Cut corners
Hindi: रास्ता छोटा करना (Rasta chhota karna)
Meaning: To do something cheaply or quickly.
Sentence: Don’t cut corners on this assignment—it needs to be perfect. - English: Go the extra mile
Hindi: अतिरिक्त मेहनत करना (Atirikt mehnat karna)
Meaning: To make additional effort.
Sentence: She went the extra mile to help her friend prepare. - English: Call it a day
Hindi: दिन खत्म करना (Din khatam karna)
Meaning: To stop working for the day.
Sentence: After hours of revision, they decided to call it a day. - English: Back to square one
Hindi: शुरूआत पर वापस (Shuruaat par wapas)
Meaning: To start over after a failure.
Sentence: The plan failed, so we’re back to square one. - English: Bite off more than one can chew
Hindi: मुँह से बड़ा निवाला लेना (Muh se bada niwala lena)
Meaning: To take on too much.
Sentence: He bit off more than he could chew by taking five subjects.
Relationships and People
- English: Birds of a feather flock together
Hindi: एक जैसे लोग साथ रहते हैं (Ek jaise log saath rehte hain)
Meaning: Similar people tend to associate.
Sentence: They’re always together—birds of a feather flock together. - English: A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Hindi: भेड़ की खाल में भेड़िया (Bhed ki khaal mein bhediya)
Meaning: Someone who hides bad intentions.
Sentence: He seemed kind, but he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. - English: Give someone the cold shoulder
Hindi: ठंडा व्यवहार करना (Thanda vyavahar karna)
Meaning: To ignore or treat coldly.
Sentence: She gave him the cold shoulder after their argument. - English: Two peas in a pod
Hindi: एक ही थैली के चट्टे-बट्टे (Ek hi thaili ke chatte-batte)
Meaning: Very similar people.
Sentence: The twins are like two peas in a pod. - English: Bury the hatchet
Hindi: पुरानी दुश्मनी भूल जाना (Purani dushmani bhool jana)
Meaning: To make peace.
Sentence: They decided to bury the hatchet and work together. - English: Keep someone at arm’s length
Hindi: दूरी बनाए रखना (Doori banaye rakhna)
Meaning: To avoid closeness.
Sentence: She kept her nosy neighbor at arm’s length. - English: The apple of one’s eye
Hindi: आँखों का तारा (Aankhon ka tara)
Meaning: Someone very dear.
Sentence: Her little daughter is the apple of her eye. - English: Rub someone the wrong way
Hindi: किसी को गलत ढंग से परेशान करना (Kisi ko galat dhang se pareshan karna)
Meaning: To irritate someone.
Sentence: His loud comments rubbed her the wrong way. - English: A friend in need is a friend indeed
Hindi: मुसीबत में काम आने वाला दोस्त सच्चा दोस्त (Museebat mein kaam aane wala dost sachcha dost)
Meaning: A true friend helps in tough times.
Sentence: He stood by me during the crisis—a friend in need is a friend indeed. - English: Fair-weather friend
Hindi: अच्छे दिनों का दोस्त (Acche dino ka dost)
Meaning: A friend only in good times.
Sentence: He turned out to be a fair-weather friend when I needed help.
Success and Failure
- English: Make a mountain out of a molehill
Hindi: राई का पहाड़ बनाना (Raai ka pahad banana)
Meaning: To exaggerate a small problem.
Sentence: She made a mountain out of a molehill over a minor delay. - English: Miss the boat
Hindi: मौका चूक जाना (Mauka chook jana)
Meaning: To miss an opportunity.
Sentence: He missed the boat by not applying for the scholarship. - English: Strike while the iron is hot
Hindi: लोहा गरम होने पर हथौड़ा मारना (Loha garam hone par hathauda marna)
Meaning: To act at the right moment.
Sentence: Strike while the iron is hot and submit your project now. - English: Fall flat on one’s face
Hindi: मुँह के बल गिरना (Muh ke bal girna)
Meaning: To fail miserably.
Sentence: His ambitious plan fell flat on his face due to poor execution. - English: Taste of one’s own medicine
Hindi: अपने ही दवा का स्वाद चखना (Apne hi dawa ka swaad chakna)
Meaning: To experience what one inflicts on others.
Sentence: He got a taste of his own medicine when his team ignored him. - English: The ball is in your court
Hindi: गेंद आपके पाले में है (Gend aapke paale mein hai)
Meaning: It’s your turn to act.
Sentence: I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court. - English: Turn the tables
Hindi: पलड़ा पलटना (Palda palatna)
Meaning: To reverse a situation.
Sentence: With a brilliant move, she turned the tables on her opponent. - English: Hit rock bottom
Hindi: सबसे नीचे पहुँचना (Sabse neeche pahunchana)
Meaning: To reach the lowest point.
Sentence: After losing everything, he hit rock bottom. - English: Rise and shine
Hindi: उठो और चमको (Utho aur chamko)
Meaning: To wake up and be energetic.
Sentence: It’s exam day—rise and shine! - English: Steal the show
Hindi: बाजी मार लेना (Baazi maar lena)
Meaning: To attract the most attention.
Sentence: Her performance stole the show at the talent night.
Time and Opportunity
- English: Time and tide wait for none
Hindi: समय और ज्वार किसी का इंतज़ार नहीं करते (Samay aur jwar kisi ka intezar nahi karte)
Meaning: Time doesn’t stop for anyone.
Sentence: Finish your work soon—time and tide wait for none. - English: Once in a blue moon
Hindi: कभी-कभार (Kabhi-kabhar)
Meaning: Very rarely.
Sentence: He visits us once in a blue moon. - English: Kill two birds with one stone
Hindi: एक पत्थर से दो शिकार करना (Ek patthar se do shikar karna)
Meaning: To achieve two things with one action.
Sentence: By studying online, she killed two birds with one stone—saving time and money. - English: The early bird catches the worm
Hindi: सुबह का भूला शाम को घर आए (Subah ka bhoola shaam ko ghar aaye)
Meaning: Success comes to those who act early.
Sentence: He arrived first and got the best seat—the early bird catches the worm. - English: Time flies
Hindi: समय उड़ता है (Samay udta hai)
Meaning: Time passes quickly.
Sentence: Time flies when you’re preparing for exams. - English: In the nick of time
Hindi: आखिरी मौके पर (Aakhiri mauke par)
Meaning: Just in time.
Sentence: She submitted her form in the nick of time before the deadline. - English: Better late than never
Hindi: देर आए, दुरुस्त आए (Der aaye, durust aaye)
Meaning: It’s better to do something late than not at all.
Sentence: He apologized late, but better late than never. - English: Out of the blue
Hindi: अचानक से (Achanak se)
Meaning: Unexpectedly.
Sentence: She called me out of the blue after years. - English: Race against time
Hindi: समय से दौड़ (Samay se daud)
Meaning: To hurry to meet a deadline.
Sentence: Finishing this chapter is a race against time before the test. - English: Eleventh hour
Hindi: आखिरी घड़ी (Aakhiri ghadi)
Meaning: The last moment.
Sentence: He completed the assignment at the eleventh hour.
Appearance and Perception
- English: All that glitters is not gold
Hindi: हर चमकने वाली चीज़ सोना नहीं होती (Har chamakne wali cheez sona nahi hoti)
Meaning: Things aren’t always as good as they seem.
Sentence: The job offer looked great, but all that glitters is not gold. - English: Judge a book by its cover
Hindi: किताब को उसके कवर से मत आंकना (Kitaab ko uske cover se mat aankna)
Meaning: Don’t judge based on appearance.
Sentence: Don’t judge a book by its cover—give him a chance to prove himself. - English: A leopard can’t change its spots
Hindi: तेंदुआ अपने धब्बे नहीं बदल सकता (Tendua apne dhabbe nahi badal sakta)
Meaning: People can’t change their nature.
Sentence: He lied again—a leopard can’t change its spots. - English: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Hindi: सुंदरता देखने वाले की नज़र में होती है (Sundarta dekhne wale ki nazar mein hoti hai)
Meaning: Beauty is subjective.
Sentence: She found the painting stunning—beauty is in the eye of the beholder. - English: Look before you leap
Hindi: छलांग लगाने से पहले देखो (Chhalang lagane se pehle dekho)
Meaning: Think before acting.
Sentence: Look before you leap when choosing your college course. - English: Through rose-tinted glasses
Hindi: गुलाबी चश्मे से देखना (Gulabi chashme se dekhna)
Meaning: To see only the positive side.
Sentence: He views his past through rose-tinted glasses. - English: The grass is always greener on the other side
Hindi: दूसरी तरफ की घास हमेशा हरी होती है (Doosri taraf ki ghaas hamesha hari hoti hai)
Meaning: Others’ situations seem better.
Sentence: She envies her friend’s job, forgetting the grass is always greener on the other side. - English: Out of sight, out of mind
Hindi: नज़र से दूर, दिल से दूर (Nazar se door, dil se door)
Meaning: Forgotten when not seen.
Sentence: Since he moved away, it’s out of sight, out of mind. - English: A picture is worth a thousand words
Hindi: एक तस्वीर हज़ार शब्दों के बराबर (Ek tasveer hazar shabdon ke barabar)
Meaning: Visuals convey more than words.
Sentence: The photo captured her joy—a picture is worth a thousand words. - English: Seeing is believing
Hindi: देखना ही विश्वास है (Dekhna hi vishwas hai)
Meaning: Proof is needed to believe.
Sentence: I doubted it, but seeing is believing.
Miscellaneous and Indian-Specific
- English: Add fuel to the fire
Hindi: आग में घी डालना (Aag mein ghee dalna)
Meaning: To worsen a situation.
Sentence: His harsh words added fuel to the fire during the argument. - English: To have an axe to grind
Hindi: अपना उल्लू सीधा करना (Apna ullu seedha karna)
Meaning: To have a personal motive.
Sentence: He supported the plan because he had an axe to grind. - English: A storm in a teacup
Hindi: चाय की प्याली में तूफान (Chai ki pyali mein toofan)
Meaning: A big fuss over a small matter.
Sentence: Their disagreement was just a storm in a teacup. - English: Every dog has its day
Hindi: हर कुत्ते का दिन आता है (Har kutte ka din aata hai)
Meaning: Everyone gets a chance eventually.
Sentence: He succeeded at last—every dog has its day. - English: Smell a rat
Hindi: कुछ गड़बड़ समझना (Kuch gadbad samajhna)
Meaning: To suspect something wrong.
Sentence: When he avoided the question, I smelled a rat. - English: A drop in the ocean
Hindi: समंदर में बूंद (Samandar mein boond)
Meaning: A very small part of something big.
Sentence: His donation was a drop in the ocean compared to the need. - English: Jack of all trades
Hindi: हरफनमौला (Harfanmaula)
Meaning: Someone skilled in many areas.
Sentence: He fixes cars and cooks—truly a jack of all trades. - English: When in Rome, do as the Romans do
Hindi: जैसा देश, वैसा भेष (Jaisa desh, waisa bhesh)
Meaning: Adapt to local customs.
Sentence: She wore a saree at the wedding—when in Rome, do as the Romans do. - English: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Hindi: अंडे फूटने से पहले मुर्गियाँ मत गिनो (Ande phootne se pehle murgiyan mat gino)
Meaning: Don’t assume success prematurely.
Sentence: Wait for the results—don’t count your chickens before they hatch. - English: The pot calling the kettle black
Hindi: उल्टा चोर कोतवाल को डांटे (Ulta chor kotwal ko dante)
Meaning: Criticizing others for one’s own faults.
Sentence: He accused her of lying, but it’s the pot calling the kettle black.
Indian-Specific Idioms
- English: To show the lamp to the sun
Hindi: सूरज को दीया दिखाना (Sooraj ko diya dikhana)
Meaning: To do something unnecessary.
Sentence: Explaining this to him is like showing the lamp to the sun. - English: To make a cow out of a calf
Hindi: बछड़े को गाय बनाना (Bachhde ko gaay banana)
Meaning: To exaggerate a small issue.
Sentence: She made a cow out of a calf over a tiny mistake. - English: To ride two boats at once
Hindi: दो नावों पर सवारी करना (Do naavon par sawari karna)
Meaning: To try managing two conflicting things.
Sentence: He’s riding two boats at once by working and studying full-time. - English: To put oil in one’s ears
Hindi: कान में तेल डालना (Kaan mein tel dalna)
Meaning: To ignore deliberately.
Sentence: He put oil in his ears when I warned him about the risk. - English: To eat one’s head
Hindi: सिर खाना (Sir khana)
Meaning: To annoy or nag someone.
Sentence: Stop eating my head with your constant complaints. - English: To throw water on one’s plans
Hindi: पानी फेर देना (Paani pher dena)
Meaning: To ruin someone’s plans.
Sentence: The rain threw water on our picnic plans. - English: To have a snake in one’s sleeve
Hindi: आस्तीन का साँप (Aasteen ka saanp)
Meaning: A hidden traitor.
Sentence: He betrayed us—he’s a snake in our sleeve. - English: To break one’s horns
Hindi: सींग तोड़ना (Seeng todna)
Meaning: To humble someone arrogant.
Sentence: His defeat broke his horns after all that boasting. - English: To dance on someone’s head
Hindi: सिर पर नाचना (Sir par nachna)
Meaning: To dominate or trouble someone.
Sentence: The kids dance on her head when she’s tired. - English: To light a lamp in the storm
Hindi: तूफान में दीया जलाना (Toofan mein diya jalana)
Meaning: To attempt something impossible.
Sentence: Starting a business now is like lighting a lamp in the storm.
Relevance for CUET 2025
- Vocabulary Section: Idioms like “hit the nail on the head” or “bury the hatchet” have appeared in CUET papers (e.g., CUET 2023c Q49).
- Indian Context: Hindi idioms translated into English (e.g., “to eat one’s head,” “to ride two boats”) reflect India-specific usage, often tested in comprehension or cloze tests.
- Preparation Tip: Learn meanings and practice framing sentences to understand contextual usage, as CUET may ask for meanings, synonyms, or sentence completion.
- English: Beat around the bush
Notes for CUET English UG
- Relevance: Idioms are often tested in CUET for meaning identification, context usage, or analogy questions (e.g., matching idioms to situations).
- Prep Tip: Memorize meanings and practice spotting them in sentences or MCQs.
