top 300 idioms and phrases part 1 |  previous years english exam papers | @NANIRRBNTPC
Channel: NANI RRB NTPC
Date: 2021-09-09

1. A man of letters: Scholar
EXPLANATION:  A man of letters is a person who is an expert in arts and literature.
EXAMPLE:  Our English professor was man of letters. He could speak hours on Milton.

2. Leave no stone unturned: To try every possible way.
Origin 
This phrase in its present form originated in the mid 1500s. It is from an ancient Greek legend about a general who buried his large treasure after being defeated. Those searching for the treasure consulted the Oracle of Delphi, who advised them to look under every stone. 
EXPLANATION: When you try every possible way to achieve something, you are leaving no stone unturned. 
EXAMPLE: The student left no stone unturned to achieve 90% marks in the final examination.
 
3. Feather in one's cap:-
A new and additional distinction (It symbolizes honor and integrity of an achievement) 
Origin
It is believed that the Native American soldiers would add a feather to the head dress of the warriors who have been brave. Hungarians would also add a feather in their caps each time when they have killed an enemy Turk. The more number of feather suggested bravery and nationalism. In literature the phrase has been first known to be used in 1599, by Richard Hansard in his book Description of Hungary. 
EXPLANATION: If someone has achieved a feather in his cap, he can be proud of it.
EXAMPLE: It's a real feather in one's cap to be playing for the country. 
 
4. By leaps and bounds: Rapidly
Origin
The English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) first documented the idiom in his poem titled Metrical Feet (1807) – it reads: 
“Iambics march from short to long;
With a leap and a bound, the swift Anapaests throng.”
 EXPLANATION: Very quickly
EXAMPLE: The price of tea is growing by leaps and bounds.

5. Capital Punishment: Death sentence "Death penalty", and "Execution"
EXPLANATION: Punishment by death for a serious crime.
EXAMPLE: The person was given capital punishment for cold blooded murder. 
 
6. Cock and bull stories: Absurd and Unlikely stories 
EXPLANATION: A not believable story used as an explanation or excuse
EXAMPLE: None believes your cock and bull story about the incident. 

7. In a nutshell and concisely:-  Briefly 
Origin 
The first time this phrase was used was quite literal. Around the 1st century AD, in his text titled Pliny’s Natural History, Pliny tells a tale of how his friend, Cicero told him that he saw a copy of Homer’s famous poem, Iliad being made in a miniature form so that the whole poem written on a parchment can fit into the shell of a walnut. Therefore, the phrase in a nutshell came to be used to refer to reducing something so large to being simple and brief.
 EXPLANATION: To briefly describe something.
EXAMPLE: In a nutshell this “Nani tech and videos” helps you to learn idioms and phrases.
  
8. Break the ice:- Start conversation. 
Origin 
The old and original meaning of the phrase “break the ice” is to clear a blocked path and make way for others and also related to boat navigation by breaking the ice.
 EXPLANATION: Do or say something to get conversation going in a tensed situation.
EXAMPLE: We should play a trick to break the ice between them.
 
9.Face the music:-To receive punishment or criticism.
Origin
it originated in the military, where disgraced officers were dismissed to the beating of drums and band music. Another theory is it comes from theatre, where the actors have to face the orchestra pit. The phrase originated in America in the mid 1800s. 
 EXPLANATION: To accept criticism or punishment for your wrongdoing.
EXAMPLE: If you do something wrong, your will face the music.
 
10.Blow one's own trumpet:- To talk boastfully about one's achievements. 
 Origin 
The origin of this phrase could be either of the two stated below: 
Important men in the medieval times would have a herald share stories of their greatness. The process would start by the blowing of a horn, which has over time converted to a trumpet. 
The act of blowing a trumpet makes a lot of noise and draws attention to one’s self. That is where it could have originated from.
EXPLANATION: To talk about one's achievements in a way that it shows one is proud of oneself 
EXAMPLE: He refused to blow his own trumpet and went away.

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