Learn 100 common idioms and phrases in English with meanings, Bengali meanings, and example sentences, plus 28 practice questions, for SSC, HSC, admission, and job exam preparation in Bangladesh.
Tell a beginner that “it is raining cats and dogs” and they will look up at the sky in alarm. But you know it just means heavy rain. That is the magic and the mischief of an idiom: its meaning is nothing like the words it is made of. Idioms make your English sound natural and lively, and they are asked again and again in SSC, HSC, admission, and job exams. This lesson gives you 100 of the most common idioms and phrases, including the classics that appear in Bangladeshi SSC, HSC, admission, and job exams, each with its meaning, its Bengali meaning, and an example sentence.
কোনো নতুন শিক্ষার্থীকে বলো “it is raining cats and dogs”, সে আঁতকে আকাশের দিকে তাকাবে। কিন্তু তুমি জানো এর মানে শুধু মুষলধারে বৃষ্টি। এটাই একটি idiom এর জাদু ও দুষ্টুমি: এর অর্থ যে শব্দ দিয়ে তৈরি তার সাথে মেলে না। Idiom তোমার ইংরেজিকে স্বাভাবিক ও প্রাণবন্ত করে, আর SSC, HSC, ভর্তি ও চাকরির পরীক্ষায় বারবার আসে। এই পাঠে ১০০টি সবচেয়ে সাধারণ idiom দেওয়া হলো, যার মধ্যে বাংলাদেশের SSC, HSC, ভর্তি ও চাকরির পরীক্ষায় আসা ক্লাসিকগুলোও আছে, প্রতিটির অর্থ, বাংলা অর্থ ও একটি উদাহরণসহ। তাহলে চলো, শুরু করা যাক।
Idiom or Phrase: What is the Difference?
Both are groups of words, but they work differently (দুটোই শব্দগুচ্ছ, তবে আলাদাভাবে কাজ করে)।
An idiom has a figurative meaning, different from its actual words (idiom এর অর্থ শব্দের সরাসরি অর্থ থেকে আলাদা)। “Break the ice” has nothing to do with real ice.
A phrase is a group of words that acts as one unit and usually means just what it says (phrase একটি শব্দগুচ্ছ যা এক ইউনিট হিসেবে কাজ করে)। “In the morning” and “on the table” are phrases. To learn how phrases work in a sentence, see our lesson on analysis of sentences.
In the exam, “idioms and phrases” usually means these figurative expressions, so that is what we focus on here.
পরীক্ষায় “idioms and phrases” বলতে সাধারণত এই রূপক অভিব্যক্তিগুলোই বোঝায়, তাই এখানে আমরা সেগুলোতেই মনোযোগ দিই।
Idioms of Difficulty and Ease
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A piece of cake | very easy (খুব সহজ কাজ) | The maths test was a piece of cake for her. |
| A hard nut to crack | a difficult person or problem (কঠিন সমস্যা বা মানুষ) | This puzzle is a hard nut to crack. |
| Bite the bullet | to face a hard task bravely (সাহসের সাথে কঠিন কাজ মেনে নেওয়া) | He bit the bullet and admitted his fault. |
| By the skin of one’s teeth | barely, only just (কোনোমতে, অল্পের জন্য) | He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth. |
| In hot water | in trouble (বিপদে বা সমস্যায়) | She is in hot water for coming late again. |
| Once in a blue moon | very rarely (কালেভদ্রে) | He calls his old friends once in a blue moon. |
| Break the ice | to start a conversation (আড়ষ্টতা কাটিয়ে কথা শুরু করা) | A small joke helped break the ice. |
| Burn the midnight oil | to study or work late at night (গভীর রাত পর্যন্ত পড়া বা কাজ করা) | She burned the midnight oil before the finals. |
Idioms About Money
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cost an arm and a leg | very expensive (অত্যন্ত দামি) | That laptop cost an arm and a leg. |
| A white elephant | a costly but useless thing (ব্যয়বহুল অথচ অকেজো জিনিস) | The unused bridge became a white elephant. |
| Make ends meet | to manage within one’s income (আয়ের মধ্যে চলা) | It is hard to make ends meet these days. |
| Tighten one’s belt | to spend less than before (খরচ কমানো) | After the loss, we had to tighten our belts. |
| A dime a dozen | very common and cheap (খুবই সাধারণ ও সস্তা) | Cheap plastic toys are a dime a dozen. |
| Bring home the bacon | to earn a living (রোজগার করা) | He works two jobs to bring home the bacon. |
Idioms About Feelings and Health
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Under the weather | slightly ill (শরীর খারাপ) | I am feeling under the weather today. |
| Cold feet | sudden nervousness (হঠাৎ সাহস হারানো) | He got cold feet before the interview. |
| On cloud nine | extremely happy (অত্যন্ত খুশি) | She was on cloud nine after topping the class. |
| Down in the dumps | very sad or low (মনমরা বা বিষণ্ণ) | He has been down in the dumps since the defeat. |
| Butterflies in one’s stomach | nervous excitement (নার্ভাস অনুভূতি) | I had butterflies in my stomach before the speech. |
| A fish out of water | uneasy in a new place (নতুন পরিবেশে অস্বস্তিতে) | At the city school, he felt like a fish out of water. |
| Keep one’s chin up | to stay brave in trouble (কষ্টেও মনোবল রাখা) | Keep your chin up; better days are coming. |
Idioms About Communication and Secrets
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Beat around the bush | to avoid the main point (আসল কথা এড়িয়ে যাওয়া) | Do not beat around the bush; tell me the truth. |
| Let the cat out of the bag | to reveal a secret (গোপন কথা ফাঁস করা) | She let the cat out of the bag about the party. |
| Hit the nail on the head | to say exactly the right thing (সঠিক কথাটি বলা) | Your answer hit the nail on the head. |
| Add fuel to the fire | to make a bad situation worse (আগুনে ঘি ঢালা) | His rude words added fuel to the fire. |
| A slip of the tongue | a small spoken mistake (মুখ ফসকে বলা) | Calling her the wrong name was a slip of the tongue. |
| Spill the beans | to give away a secret (গোপন কথা বলে ফেলা) | Come on, spill the beans about your plan. |
| In a nutshell | in a few words (সংক্ষেপে) | In a nutshell, our team won easily. |
| Turn a deaf ear | to ignore completely (কান না দেওয়া, উপেক্ষা করা) | He turned a deaf ear to all my warnings. |
| Get the wrong end of the stick | to misunderstand something (ভুল বোঝা) | She got the wrong end of the stick and left angry. |
Idioms About Success, Failure and Effort
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Back to the drawing board | to start all over again (নতুন করে শুরু করা) | The plan failed, so it is back to the drawing board. |
| Bite off more than one can chew | to take on too much (সাধ্যের বেশি কাজ নেওয়া) | He bit off more than he could chew with three projects. |
| Pull one’s socks up | to make a serious effort (কোমর বেঁধে চেষ্টা করা) | You must pull your socks up before the test. |
| Move heaven and earth | to try everything possible (আপ্রাণ চেষ্টা করা) | She moved heaven and earth to save the business. |
| A blessing in disguise | a hidden good in a bad event (ছদ্মবেশী আশীর্বাদ) | Missing that bus was a blessing in disguise. |
| Turn over a new leaf | to change for the better (নতুন করে ভালো পথে চলা) | After failing once, he turned over a new leaf. |
| Call it a day | to stop working for now (আজকের মতো কাজ শেষ করা) | We have done enough; let us call it a day. |
| Hit the books | to study hard (মন দিয়ে পড়া শুরু করা) | Exams are near, so it is time to hit the books. |
Idioms About People and Character
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A bookworm | a person who loves reading (গ্রন্থকীট, বইপ্রেমী) | My sister is a real bookworm. |
| The apple of one’s eye | a dearly loved person (নয়নের মণি) | Her youngest child is the apple of her eye. |
| A black sheep | a disgrace to the family (পরিবারের কলঙ্ক, কুলাঙ্গার) | He is the black sheep of an honest family. |
| Wet behind the ears | young and inexperienced (অনভিজ্ঞ, কাঁচা) | The new clerk is still wet behind the ears. |
| A man of his word | one who keeps his promises (কথার মানুষ) | You can trust him; he is a man of his word. |
| Bury the hatchet | to end a quarrel and make peace (বিবাদ মিটিয়ে ফেলা) | The two brothers finally buried the hatchet. |
Idioms About Time and Habit
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| In the nick of time | at the very last moment (ঠিক শেষ মুহূর্তে) | The fireman arrived in the nick of time. |
| Kill time | to pass time idly (অলসভাবে সময় কাটানো) | We played cards to kill time at the station. |
| Better late than never | late is better than not at all (দেরিতে হলেও না হওয়ার চেয়ে ভালো) | He said sorry at last; better late than never. |
| At the drop of a hat | at once, without hesitation (বিনা দ্বিধায়, সঙ্গে সঙ্গে) | She will help anyone at the drop of a hat. |
| Old habits die hard | old habits are hard to change (পুরনো অভ্যাস সহজে যায় না) | He still rises at dawn; old habits die hard. |
| Make hay while the sun shines | to use a chance while it lasts (সুযোগের সদ্ব্যবহার করা) | Study now and make hay while the sun shines. |
Idioms and Phrases About Manner and Degree
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| At a stretch | continuously, without a break (একটানা) | He read for five hours at a stretch. |
| By and by | gradually, little by little (ক্রমে ক্রমে) | By and by, the crowd melted away. |
| By fits and starts | irregularly, not steadily (অনিয়মিতভাবে) | He studies by fits and starts, so he fails. |
| By hook or by crook | by any means, fair or foul (যেভাবেই হোক) | He wants to win by hook or by crook. |
| In cold blood | cruelly and on purpose (ঠান্ডা মাথায়, নির্মমভাবে) | The traveller was killed in cold blood. |
| Tooth and nail | with all one’s might (প্রাণপণে) | They fought tooth and nail for their rights. |
| Through thick and thin | in all conditions, good and bad (সুখে-দুঃখে সব অবস্থায়) | She stood by him through thick and thin. |
| With a high hand | oppressively, by force (জবরদস্তিমূলকভাবে) | The landlord ruled the village with a high hand. |
Idioms and Phrases About People and Relationships
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A bosom friend | a very close friend (অন্তরঙ্গ বন্ধু) | Rahim is my bosom friend from childhood. |
| A fair weather friend | a friend only in good times (সুসময়ের বন্ধু) | Beware of a fair weather friend in trouble. |
| Kith and kin | relatives (আত্মীয়স্বজন) | He invited all his kith and kin to the feast. |
| Flesh and blood | one’s own relatives (আপন রক্তের সম্পর্ক) | She could not turn away her own flesh and blood. |
| A man of letters | a learned man, a scholar (পণ্ডিত ব্যক্তি) | Dr Shahidullah was a great man of letters. |
| All in all | the most important person (সর্বেসর্বা) | The headmaster is all in all in this school. |
| Rank and file | ordinary members or people (সাধারণ মানুষ) | The rank and file supported the new leader. |
| A slow coach | a lazy, slow person (অলস, ধীরগতির লোক) | Do not be a slow coach; finish the task. |
Idioms and Phrases About Truth, Lies and Speech
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Crocodile tears | false tears, insincere sorrow (মায়াকান্না) | The cheat shed crocodile tears in court. |
| A cock and bull story | an absurd, false story (আষাঢ়ে গল্প) | He told a cock and bull story to escape blame. |
| A white lie | a harmless, small lie (নিরীহ মিথ্যা) | She told a white lie to save her friend. |
| In black and white | in writing (লিখিতভাবে) | Put the agreement in black and white. |
| To call a spade a spade | to speak frankly and plainly (স্পষ্ট কথা বলা) | I call a spade a spade, so I told him the truth. |
| The gift of the gab | a natural talent for speaking (বাকপটুতা) | A good leader needs the gift of the gab. |
| Hue and cry | a loud public protest (হইচই, শোরগোল) | The people raised a hue and cry over the price. |
| A maiden speech | one’s first speech (প্রথম ভাষণ) | The new member gave his maiden speech today. |
Idioms and Phrases About Situations and Events
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A bolt from the blue | a sudden, unexpected shock (বিনা মেঘে বজ্রপাত) | His death came as a bolt from the blue. |
| A burning question | an important current issue (জ্বলন্ত সমস্যা) | Unemployment is a burning question today. |
| A red letter day | a happy, memorable day (স্মরণীয় দিন) | Our victory made it a red letter day. |
| A castle in the air | an impossible dream (আকাশকুসুম কল্পনা) | Without hard work, success is a castle in the air. |
| At sixes and sevens | in complete disorder (এলোমেলো অবস্থায়) | After the guests left, the room was at sixes and sevens. |
| To end in smoke | to come to nothing (ব্যর্থ হওয়া) | All his big plans ended in smoke. |
| Null and void | no longer valid (বাতিল) | The old contract is now null and void. |
| Red tape | official delay and formality (লালফিতার দৌরাত্ম্য) | Red tape slowed down the whole project. |
Idioms and Phrases About Effort and Action
| Idiom | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| To bring to book | to bring to justice, to punish (শাস্তির আওতায় আনা) | The thief was at last brought to book. |
| To nip in the bud | to stop something at the very start (অঙ্কুরেই বিনাশ করা) | Nip the bad habit in the bud. |
| To take to task | to scold or rebuke (তিরস্কার করা) | The teacher took him to task for cheating. |
| To make up one’s mind | to decide firmly (মনস্থির করা) | She made up her mind to become a doctor. |
| To get rid of | to become free from (মুক্তি পাওয়া) | I want to get rid of this old furniture. |
| To curry favour | to win favour by flattery (তোষামোদ করে অনুগ্রহ লাভ) | He tries to curry favour with the boss. |
| To cut a sorry figure | to perform poorly (খারাপ করা, হীন প্রতিপন্ন হওয়া) | He cut a sorry figure in the interview. |
| Yeoman’s service | excellent, valuable service (মূল্যবান সেবা) | The volunteers did yeoman’s service in the flood. |
Common Phrases You Must Know
| Phrase | Meaning (অর্থ) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Part and parcel | an essential part (অবিচ্ছেদ্য অংশ) | Hard work is part and parcel of success. |
| The lion’s share | the largest part (সিংহভাগ) | He took the lion’s share of the profit. |
| Pros and cons | the good and bad sides (ভালো-মন্দ দিক) | Weigh the pros and cons before deciding. |
| Ins and outs | the full details (খুঁটিনাটি) | She knows the ins and outs of the business. |
| Round the clock | all day and night (দিনরাত) | Doctors worked round the clock during the flood. |
| Of late | recently (সম্প্রতি) | He has been absent of late. |
| In the long run | in the end, ultimately (পরিণামে) | Honesty pays in the long run. |
| Now and then | occasionally (মাঝে মাঝে) | We meet now and then at the club. |
| To and fro | back and forth (আসা-যাওয়া) | He paced to and fro in worry. |
| Nook and corner | every part of a place (আনাচেকানাচে) | They searched every nook and corner for the ring. |
A Tip to Learn Idioms Fast
Do not try to memorise all hundred in one day, and never learn an idiom by its separate words. Instead, learn each idiom with its meaning and one clear example, then use it in two or three of your own sentences. Say it aloud a few times. Idioms stick when you use them, not when you stare at them. Learn five a day, use them in conversation, and in a few weeks these hundred will be yours.
একদিনে একশোটি মুখস্থ করার চেষ্টা করো না, আর কখনো আলাদা শব্দ ধরে idiom শিখো না। বরং প্রতিটি idiom তার অর্থ ও একটি স্পষ্ট উদাহরণসহ শেখো, তারপর নিজের দুই-তিনটি বাক্যে ব্যবহার করো। কয়েকবার জোরে বলো। Idiom মনে থাকে ব্যবহারে, তাকিয়ে থাকলে নয়। প্রতিদিন পাঁচটি শেখো, কথোপকথনে ব্যবহার করো, কয়েক সপ্তাহে এই একশোটি তোমার হয়ে যাবে।
Practice Exercise with Answers
Choose the correct meaning of the bold idiom in each sentence. This is the exact format used in SSC, admission, and job exams.
প্রতিটি বাক্যে bold করা idiom এর সঠিক অর্থ বাছো। এটি SSC, ভর্তি ও চাকরির পরীক্ষায় ব্যবহৃত হুবহু ফরম্যাট। নিজে চেষ্টা করার পরে উত্তর মিলিয়ে নাও।
- The final question was a piece of cake. (a) very hard (b) very easy (c) very long
- He is in hot water for his mistake. (a) in trouble (b) in the bath (c) in a hurry
- She felt under the weather yesterday. (a) very happy (b) slightly ill (c) very busy
- Stop beating around the bush. (a) speaking clearly (b) avoiding the point (c) cutting plants
- That car cost an arm and a leg. (a) was very cheap (b) was broken (c) was very expensive
- He got cold feet before the exam. (a) became nervous (b) felt cold (c) felt sick
- She was on cloud nine after the result. (a) very sad (b) very tired (c) very happy
- You must pull your socks up. (a) rest more (b) try harder (c) dress well
- He is the black sheep of the family. (a) the eldest (b) a disgrace (c) the richest
- They finally buried the hatchet. (a) made peace (b) dug a hole (c) lost a tool
- The doctor came in the nick of time. (a) too late (b) at the last moment (c) very slowly
- Do not cry over spilled milk. (a) waste food (b) worry about the past (c) clean up
- She let the cat out of the bag. (a) freed an animal (b) told a secret (c) lost a bag
- His remark added fuel to the fire. (a) calmed things (b) made things worse (c) started a fire
- The old machine is a white elephant. (a) a rare animal (b) a useless costly thing (c) a strong tool
- He helps others at the drop of a hat. (a) unwillingly (b) without hesitation (c) for money
- It is time to hit the books. (a) throw books (b) study hard (c) buy books
- Your guess hit the nail on the head. (a) was wrong (b) was exactly right (c) was funny
- The delay was a blessing in disguise. (a) a hidden good (b) a real curse (c) a clear loss
- He is still wet behind the ears. (a) very wise (b) inexperienced (c) very old
- His sudden death was a bolt from the blue. (a) expected (b) a sudden shock (c) a relief
- The minister ruled with a high hand. (a) kindly (b) oppressively (c) wisely
- Put your promise in black and white. (a) in writing (b) in secret (c) in colour
- The office is full of red tape. (a) decorations (b) official delay (c) red cloth
- He shed crocodile tears at the funeral. (a) real grief (b) false tears (c) loud cries
- Honesty pays in the long run. (a) at once (b) in the end (c) never
- The thief was finally brought to book. (a) rewarded (b) brought to justice (c) set free
- He took the lion’s share of the money. (a) a small part (b) the largest part (c) an equal part
Answers
- (b) very easy
- (a) in trouble
- (b) slightly ill
- (b) avoiding the point
- (c) very expensive
- (a) became nervous
- (c) very happy
- (b) try harder
- (b) a disgrace
- (a) made peace
- (b) at the last moment
- (b) worry about the past
- (b) told a secret
- (b) made things worse
- (b) a useless costly thing
- (b) without hesitation
- (b) study hard
- (b) was exactly right
- (a) a hidden good
- (b) inexperienced
- (b) a sudden shock
- (b) oppressively
- (a) in writing
- (b) official delay
- (b) false tears
- (b) in the end
- (b) brought to justice
- (b) the largest part
Related Lessons
Keep building your word power with these lessons:
- 30 Commonly Confused Words in English (with Bengali Meaning)
- 100 Words to Describe a Person’s Character (with Examples)
- Linking Words and Phrases in English (List with Bengali Meaning)
- 100 Important Synonyms and Antonyms for Exams (with Bengali)
- 100 Important Prepositional Phrases for Exams (with Bengali Meaning)
- Analysis of Sentences in English Grammar
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a group of words whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of the words, such as “break the ice”, which means to start a conversation.
What is the difference between an idiom and a phrase?
An idiom has a figurative meaning that differs from its words. A phrase is a group of words that usually means exactly what it says, such as “on the table”.
Are idioms important for exams?
Yes. Idioms and phrases are regularly asked in SSC, HSC, admission, and job exams like BCS and bank exams, usually as multiple-choice meaning questions.
What is the best way to learn idioms?
Learn each idiom with its meaning and one example, then use it in your own sentences. Learn a few a day and use them in conversation, rather than memorising a long list at once.
What does “a blessing in disguise” mean?
It means something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good, such as missing a bus and then avoiding an accident.