Idioms & Proverbs — GK Questions with Answers

1. The meaning of the underlined idiom is: Let us now bury the hatchet and work for the advancement of the country.
   1. to be on inimical terms
   2. keep our promise
   3. cease fighting, make peace
   4. hide one’s treasure
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   Answer: (C) cease fighting, make peace

   Bury the hatchet means to stop quarrelling and make peace.

2. Choose the correct meaning of the underlined word: I am quite at sea.
   1. confident
   2. perplexed
   3. convinced
   4. sure
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   Answer: (B) perplexed

   At sea means lost or perplexed.

3. Choose the correct option: I’m told that your cousin is in hot water over that speech.
   1. At loggerheads
   2. Under the influence of
   3. In a pleasant situation
   4. In trouble
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   Answer: (D) In trouble

   In hot water means in trouble.

4. What does the underlined idiom mean: I was at my wit’s end.
   1. desperate
   2. foolish
   3. simple
   4. wise
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   Answer: (A) desperate

   It means having run out of ideas — desperate.

5. What does the underlined idiom mean: English courses are two a penny these days.
   1. Very rare
   2. Very difficult
   3. Very expensive
   4. Very common
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   Answer: (D) Very common

   Two a penny means cheap and very common.

6. "Once in a blue Moon" means —
   1. ghostly
   2. rarely
   3. unfairly
   4. queerly
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   Answer: (B) rarely

   A blue moon is a very unusual event, so the idiom means rarely.

7. "She was as cool as a cucumber during the interview" means she was —
   1. hungry
   2. calm and unworried
   3. quick to respond
   4. restless
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   Answer: (B) calm and unworried

   The idiom describes complete calm under pressure.

8. "To meet one’s Waterloo" means —
   1. to be poor and needy
   2. to lose a decisive contest
   3. to loose a chance
   4. suffering some misfortune
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   Answer: (B) to lose a decisive contest

   Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo gives the idiom its meaning.

9. The expression "through thick and thin" means —
   1. exercising for good health
   2. cooking with different curries
   3. in day or night
   4. in good times and bad
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   Answer: (D) in good times and bad

   It means standing by someone whatever happens.

10. "Spill the beans" means —
    1. spoil a dish while cooking
    2. to give away a secret
    3. make a culinary mess
    4. to fail a trade settlement
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    Answer: (B) to give away a secret

    The idiom means to reveal a secret.

11. Fill in the blank: In the family business, I ______ to my elder brother.
    1. play second fiddle
    2. second-rate
    3. second-class man
    4. see double
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    Answer: (A) play second fiddle

    Play second fiddle means to take a subordinate position.

12. Select the idiom which best fits: The Indian democracy has survived many a crisis.
    1. a utopian ideal
    2. thrown cold water on
    3. weathered many storms
    4. a wet blanket
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    Answer: (C) weathered many storms

    Weathered many storms means survived many difficult periods.

13. What does the proverb "The early bird catches the worm" mean?
    1. It is important to be a bird watcher.
    2. Getting up early in the morning leads to success.
    3. Someone will have an advantage if they do something before other people do it.
    4. Birds eat worms early in the morning.
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    Answer: (C) Someone will have an advantage if they do something before other people do it.

    The general lesson is about acting before others, not literally about birds or early rising.

14. "A wet blanket" refers to a person who —
    1. is always cold
    2. spoils the enjoyment of others
    3. cannot be trusted
    4. works very slowly
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    Answer: (B) spoils the enjoyment of others

    A wet blanket smothers a fire — and such a person smothers other people’s fun.

15. "A white elephant" means —
    1. a rare animal
    2. a costly and useless possession
    3. a symbol of good luck
    4. a powerful leader
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    Answer: (B) a costly and useless possession

    It is something expensive to keep and of no use.

16. "To burn the midnight oil" means —
    1. to waste money
    2. to work late into the night
    3. to set something on fire
    4. to celebrate
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    Answer: (B) to work late into the night

    To study or work far into the night.

17. "To beat about the bush" means —
    1. to search carefully
    2. to avoid coming to the point
    3. to attack somebody
    4. to work in a garden
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    Answer: (B) to avoid coming to the point

    To talk round a subject instead of addressing it.

18. "A white elephant" is —
    1. a rare animal
    2. a costly and useless possession
    3. a lucky sign
    4. a large building
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    Answer: (B) a costly and useless possession

    Something expensive to keep and of no use.

19. "A wet blanket" refers to a person who —
    1. is always ill
    2. spoils other people’s pleasure
    3. cannot be trusted
    4. works very slowly
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    Answer: (B) spoils other people’s pleasure

    One whose presence dampens everyone’s enjoyment.

20. "To bury the hatchet" means —
    1. to hide a weapon
    2. to make peace
    3. to plan revenge
    4. to forget an appointment
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    Answer: (B) to make peace

    To end a quarrel and become friends again.

21. "At the eleventh hour" means —
    1. very early
    2. at the last possible moment
    3. at eleven o’clock
    4. too late
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    Answer: (B) at the last possible moment

    Just in time, at the final moment.

22. "A bolt from the blue" means —
    1. a welcome gift
    2. a complete and sudden shock
    3. a flash of inspiration
    4. a storm
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    Answer: (B) a complete and sudden shock

    Something unexpected and startling.

23. "On the horns of a dilemma" means —
    1. in great pain
    2. faced with two equally bad choices
    3. in a dangerous place
    4. confused about directions
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    Answer: (B) faced with two equally bad choices

    Either course leads to trouble.

24. "Empty vessels make the most noise" means —
    1. silence is golden
    2. those who know least talk most
    3. noise travels far
    4. poverty is loud
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    Answer: (B) those who know least talk most

    The least able people are the loudest.

25. "Cut your coat according to your cloth" advises you to —
    1. dress well
    2. live within your means
    3. learn tailoring
    4. be practical about clothes
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    Answer: (B) live within your means

    Spend only what you have.

26. "To make both ends meet" means —
    1. to finish a task
    2. to live within one’s income
    3. to join two parties
    4. to reconcile enemies
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    Answer: (B) to live within one’s income

    To manage on what one earns.

27. "To be at daggers drawn" means to be —
    1. armed
    2. bitterly hostile
    3. ready for work
    4. in great danger
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    Answer: (B) bitterly hostile

    In open and bitter enmity.

More chapters in this subject

• Degrees of Comparison15 questions
• Direct & Indirect Speech27 questions
• Error Detection & Sentence Improvement26 questions
• Words Often Misspelt & Confused27 questions
• Modal Auxiliaries20 questions
• Non-Finite Verbs — Infinitive, Gerund & Participle26 questions