English Idioms in CSS Past Papers since 1971.
| # | Idiom | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | To break the ice | 2020 |
| 2 | Nip in the bud | 2020 |
| 3 | See eye to eye with | 2020 |
| 4 | For good | 2020 |
| 5 | Tamper with | 2020 |
| 6 | The small hours | 2020 |
| 7 | Keep up appearance | 2020 |
| 8 | Prima facie | 2020 |
| 9 | To cast pearls before swine | 2019 |
| 10 | To step into one's shoes | 2019 |
| 11 | Stuff and nonsense | 2019 |
| 12 | A wild goose chase | 2019 |
| 13 | To be ill at ease | 2019 |
| 14 | Sit on the fence | 2019 |
| 15 | In a jiffy | 2019 |
| 16 | To preen oneself | 2019 |
| 17 | Show and tell | 2018 |
| 18 | Helter-skelter | 2018 |
| 19 | To the death | 2018 |
| 20 | Tilt at windmills | 2018 |
| 21 | Het up | 2018 |
| 22 | The whole ball of was | 2018 |
| 23 | It's about time | 2018 |
| 24 | Punch up | 2018 |
| 25 | Spirit away | 2017 |
| 26 | Plough back | 2017 |
| 27 | Eager beaver | 2017 |
| 28 | Ring a bell | 2017 |
| 29 | Be left holding the baby | 2017 |
| 30 | Cap in hand | 2017 |
| 31 | Hold out a carrot | 2017 |
| 32 | Over the moon | 2017 |
| 33 | Smash hit | 2016 |
| 34 | Murphy’s law | 2016 |
| 35 | Place in the Sun | 2016 |
| 36 | Wooden spoon | 2016 |
| 37 | Go bananas | 2016 |
| 38 | Beard the Lion in his den | 2016 |
| 39 | Groan inwardly | 2016 |
| 40 | Chicken out | 2016 |
| 41 | Itching palm | 2015 |
| 42 | The primrose path | 2015 |
| 43 | Break one's fall | 2015 |
| 44 | Wash one's hands of | 2015 |
| 45 | To become reconciled to | 2015 |
| 46 | To militate against | 2015 |
| 47 | To be cognizant of | 2015 |
| 48 | Wages of sin | 2015 |
| 49 | To bring grist to the mill | 2014 |
| 50 | To keep one’s fingers crossed | 2014 |
| 51 | With one’s tongue in one’s cheek | 2014 |
| 52 | A storm in a teacup | 2014 |
| 53 | To talk through one’s hat | 2014 |
| 54 | Hum and Haw | 2014 |
| 55 | To let the grass grow under one’s feet | 2014 |
| 56 | Penny wise and pound foolish | 2014 |
| 57 | The milk of human kindness | 2013 |
| 58 | A rule of thumb | 2013 |
| 59 | Out and out | 2013 |
| 60 | To wash one's dirty linen in public | 2013 |
| 61 | To pay through the nose | 2013 |
| 62 | To lose face | 2013 |
| 63 | Wool gathering | 2012 |
| 64 | Under the harrow | 2012 |
| 65 | Cold comfort | 2012 |
| 66 | A gold digger | 2012 |
| 67 | Walk with God | 2012 |
| 68 | On the thin ice | 2012 |
| 69 | A queer fish | 2012 |
| 70 | Unearthly hour | 2012 |
| 71 | To eat one's words | 2011 |
| 72 | Dog in the manger | 2011 |
| 73 | A close shave | 2011 |
| 74 | A Freudian slip | 2011 |
| 75 | A Gordian knot | 2011 |
| 76 | A cog in the machine | 2011 |
| 77 | A sugar daddy | 2011 |
| 78 | A wet blanket | 2011 |
| 79 | Make for | 2010 |
| 80 | Yeoman’s service | 2010 |
| 81 | Discretion is the better part of valour | 2010 |
| 82 | A casting vote | 2010 |
| 83 | Look down upon | 2010 |
| 84 | Iconoclast | 2010 |
| 85 | Out of the wood | 2010 |
| 86 | A swan song | 2010 |
| 87 | Leave in the lurch | 2009 |
| 88 | Hard and fast | 2009 |
| 89 | Weather the storm | 2009 |
| 90 | Bear the brunt | 2009 |
| 91 | Meet halfway | 2009 |
| 92 | Turncoat | 2009 |
| 93 | Where the shoe pinches | 2009 |
| 94 | Blow one’s top | 2008 |
| 95 | A cock and bull story | 2008 |
| 96 | Find one’s feet | 2008 |
| 97 | Call it a night | 2008 |
| 98 | The tip of the iceberg | 2008 |
| 99 | Below par | 2008 |
| 100 | From pillar to post | 2008 |
| 101 | Hang up | 2008 |
| 102 | Turn someone in | 2008 |
| 103 | By and by | 2008 |
| 104 | Twiddle with | 2006 |
| 105 | Vamp up | 2006 |
| 106 | Whittle away | 2006 |
| 107 | Winkle out | 2006 |
| 108 | Give someone the bum’s rush | 2006 |
| 109 | Loom large | 2006 |
| 110 | Besetting sin | 2006 |
| 111 | To hang fire | 2006 |
| 112 | Keep one’s nose to the grindstone | 2005 |
| 113 | Throw someone for a loop | 2005 |
| 114 | Letter perfect | 2005 |
| 115 | Off the wall | 2005 |
| 116 | Out to lunch | 2005 |
| 117 | Salt something away | 2005 |
| 118 | Take someone to the cleaners | 2005 |
| 119 | Wear the pants in the family | 2005 |
| 120 | To bring grist to the mill | 2004 |
| 121 | Set one’s cap at | 2004 |
| 122 | To draw the long bow | 2004 |
| 123 | To send a person to Coventry | 2004 |
| 124 | Beer and skittles | 2004 |
| 125 | The acid test | 2004 |
| 126 | A skeleton in the cupboard | 2004 |
| 127 | To discover a mare’s nest | 2004 |
| 128 | Kick the bucket | 2003 |
| 129 | Bolt from the blue | 2003 |
| 130 | Put your foot down | 2003 |
| 131 | Worth your salt | 2003 |
| 132 | Down the drain | 2003 |
| 133 | All cars | 2003 |
| 134 | Swan song | 2003 |
| 135 | Cheek by Jowl | 2003 |
| 136 | In a nutshell | 2003 |
| 137 | Give me five | 2003 |
| 138 | Take aback | 2002 |
| 139 | Take after | 2002 |
| 140 | Take for | 2002 |
| 141 | Take ill | 2002 |
| 142 | Take off | 2002 |
| 143 | Take over | 2002 |
| 144 | Take to | 2002 |
| 145 | Take to task | 2002 |
| 146 | Take to One's heels | 2002 |
| 147 | Take with a grain or pinch of salt | 2002 |
| 148 | The teaming meanings | 2001 |
| 149 | To kick the bucket | 2001 |
| 150 | To push to the walls | 2001 |
| 151 | To read between the lines | 2001 |
| 152 | To be at daggers drawn | 2001 |
| 153 | To throw down the gauntlet | 2001 |
| 154 | To be a Greek | 2001 |
| 155 | To stand on ceremony | 2001 |
| 156 | From the horse’s mouth | 2001 |
| 157 | To carry the cross | 2001 |
| 158 | Blow one’s top | 2000 |
| 159 | A cock-and-bull story | 2000 |
| 160 | Find one’s feet | 2000 |
| 161 | Call it a night | 2000 |
| 162 | The tip of the iceberg | 2000 |
| 163 | Below par | 2000 |
| 164 | From pillar to post | 2000 |
| 165 | Hang up | 2000 |
| 166 | Turn someone in | 2000 |
| 167 | By and by | 2000 |
| 168 | Keep regular hours | 2000 |
| 169 | An unearthly hour | 2000 |
| 170 | The small hours | 2000 |
| 171 | A night owl | 2000 |
| 172 | Have a night out | 2000 |
| 173 | At any moment | 2000 |
| 174 | Have one’s moments | 2000 |
| 175 | Have a minute to all one’s own | 2000 |
| 176 | A night on the town | 2000 |
| 177 | On the spur of the moment | 2000 |
| 178 | A jaundiced eye | 1999 |
| 179 | A left handed compliment | 1999 |
| 180 | The ruling passion | 1999 |
| 181 | Tower of strength | 1999 |
| 182 | Steal a march on someone | 1999 |
| 183 | In one's bones | 1999 |
| 184 | Hang in the balance | 1999 |
| 185 | Fly in the ointment | 1999 |
| 186 | Close-fisted | 1999 |
| 187 | The tricks of the trade | 1998 |
| 188 | The blessing in disguise | 1998 |
| 189 | His own man | 1998 |
| 190 | The gift of the gab | 1998 |
| 191 | The pillar of society | 1998 |
| 192 | Another cup of tea | 1998 |
| 193 | A mug's game | 1998 |
| 194 | A piece of cake | 1998 |
| 195 | A feather in his cap | 1998 |
| 196 | The rank and file | 1998 |
| 197 | To beat the air | 1997 |
| 198 | To beggar description | 1997 |
| 199 | To bring to mind | 1997 |
| 200 | To call in question | 1997 |
| 201 | To cap it all | 1997 |
| 202 | To clip one's wings | 1997 |
| 203 | To cross the Rubicon | 1997 |
| 204 | To feel the pulse | 1997 |
| 205 | To fly in the face of | 1997 |
| 206 | To rise like a phoenix from its ashes | 1997 |
| 207 | Bear out | 1996 |
| 208 | Back out | 1996 |
| 209 | Carry over | 1996 |
| 210 | Come off | 1996 |
| 211 | Fall back | 1996 |
| 212 | Figure out | 1996 |
| 213 | Live with | 1996 |
| 214 | Set in | 1996 |
| 215 | Cover up | 1996 |
| 216 | Iron out | 1996 |
| 217 | Between Scylla and Charybidis | 1994 |
| 218 | Hobson’s choice | 1994 |
| 219 | Sting in the tail | 1994 |
| 220 | With open arms | 1994 |
| 221 | Wash one’s hand of (To) | 1994 |
| 222 | Count one’s chickens (To) | 1994 |
| 223 | Burn midnight oil (To) | 1994 |
| 224 | Play truant | 1993 |
| 225 | Play down | 1993 |
| 226 | Turn turtle | 1993 |
| 227 | Turn the corner | 1993 |
| 228 | A fair weather friend | 1993 |
| 229 | Under a cloud | 1993 |
| 230 | Burn one’s boats | 1993 |
| 231 | Horse-trading | 1993 |
| 232 | Between the devil and the deep sea | 1992 |
| 233 | A wild goose chase | 1992 |
| 234 | Over head and ears | 1992 |
| 235 | Time and tide | 1992 |
| 236 | To live from hand to mouth | 1992 |
| 237 | To beat about the bush | 1992 |
| 238 | To fish in troubled waters | 1992 |
| 239 | A bird’s eye-view | 1992 |
| 240 | Damocles’ sword | 1991 |
| 241 | Every inch | 1991 |
| 242 | Spade a spade | 1991 |
| 243 | On the sky | 1991 |
| 244 | Palm off | 1991 |
| 245 | Lip service | 1991 |
| 246 | A turncoat | 1991 |
| 247 | A wild goose chase | 1991 |
| 248 | White elephant | 1990 |
| 249 | Blue Blood | 1990 |
| 250 | Cleanse the Augean stable | 1990 |
| 251 | Apple of discord | 1990 |
| 252 | In good books | 1990 |
| 253 | Between the devil and the deep sea | 1990 |
| 254 | Stare in the face | 1990 |
| 255 | Make off with | 1990 |
| 256 | Account for | 1989 |
| 257 | Carry weight | 1989 |
| 258 | To fall back upon | 1989 |
| 259 | To be taken aback | 1989 |
| 260 | A wild goose chase | 1989 |
| 261 | By leaps and bounds | 1989 |
| 262 | As cool as a cucumber | 1989 |
| 263 | To burn the midnight oil | 1989 |
| 264 | As cool as a cucumber | 1988 |
| 265 | Have your cake and eat too | 1988 |
| 266 | In a Pickle | 1988 |
| 267 | Take a cake | 1988 |
| 268 | Sell like hot cakes | 1988 |
| 269 | As flat as a Pancake | 1988 |
| 270 | Take something with a grain of salt | 1988 |
| 271 | Like two peas in a pod | 1988 |
| 272 | To back out | 1987 |
| 273 | To keep out of | 1987 |
| 274 | Bang into | 1987 |
| 275 | To smell a rat | 1987 |
| 276 | To burn one's fingers | 1987 |
| 277 | Null and void | 1987 |
| 278 | To catch up with | 1987 |
| 279 | To stand up for | 1987 |
| 280 | To skim through | 1987 |
| 281 | To narrow down | 1987 |
| 282 | By and by | 1985 |
| 283 | The lion's share | 1985 |
| 284 | In black and white | 1985 |
| 285 | To bring to book | 1985 |
| 286 | To read between the lines | 1985 |
| 287 | To stick to one's guns | 1985 |
| 288 | To be under a cloud | 1985 |
| 289 | By fits and starts | 1985 |
| 290 | To look a gift horse in the mouth | 1984 |
| 291 | To have an axe to grind | 1984 |
| 292 | To wash one's dirty linen in public | 1984 |
| 293 | To pocket an insult | 1984 |
| 294 | To take to one's heels | 1984 |
| 295 | To win laurels | 1984 |
| 296 | A gentleman at large | 1984 |
| 297 | (i) Much __________ about nothing | 1983 |
| 298 | (ii) __________ is the last refuge of the Scoundrel. | 1983 |
| 299 | (iii) To put the __________ before the __________. | 1983 |
| 300 | (iv) __________ of the same __________ flock together. | 1983 |
| 301 | (v) A __________ in time saves __________. | 1983 |
| 302 | (vi) __________ dogs seldom __________. | 1983 |
| 303 | (vii) Sweets are the uses of __________. | 1983 |
| 304 | (viii) Eternal __________ is the price of __________. | 1983 |
| 305 | (ix) A __________ child __________ the fire. | 1983 |
| 306 | (x) One man's __________ is another man's __________. | 1983 |
| 307 | To come to a dead end | 1982 |
| 308 | To turn a deaf ear | 1982 |
| 309 | Every dark cloud has a silver lining | 1982 |
| 310 | Blowing hot and cold together | 1982 |
| 311 | To let the cat out of the bag | 1982 |
| 312 | To put the cart before the horse | 1982 |
| 313 | To sail in the same boat | 1982 |
| 314 | A Swan Song | 1982 |
| 315 | To have your cake and eat it too | 1981 |
| 316 | Between the devil and the deep blue sea | 1981 |
| 317 | To be in hot water | 1981 |
| 318 | To be on the carpet | 1981 |
| 319 | It never rains but it pours | 1981 |
| 320 | A miss is as good as a mile | 1981 |
| 321 | To give oneself airs | 1981 |
| 322 | To have the courage of one's convictions | 1981 |
| 323 | The onlooker sees most of the game | 1981 |
| 324 | Out of sight out of mind | 1981 |
| 325 | Pocket the affront | 1980 |
| 326 | Thin end of the wedge | 1980 |
| 327 | Flash in the pan | 1980 |
| 328 | To keep at a respectful distance | 1980 |
| 329 | At one's beck and call | 1980 |
| 330 | Go against the grain | 1980 |
| 331 | Bring grist to the mill | 1980 |
| 332 | Upset the apple cart | 1980 |
| 333 | Hoist on one's own petard | 1980 |
| 334 | Live on the fat of the land | 1980 |
| 335 | Take down a peg | 1979 |
| 336 | To monkey with | 1979 |
| 337 | In hot water | 1979 |
| 338 | Petticoat Government | 1979 |
| 339 | To pull oneself together | 1979 |
| 340 | To rise from the ranks | 1979 |
| 341 | To rub shoulders | 1979 |
| 342 | The acid test | 1978 |
| 343 | A bad hat | 1978 |
| 344 | In a blue funk | 1978 |
| 345 | Set one's cap | 1978 |
| 346 | Down at heel | 1978 |
| 347 | To die in harness | 1978 |
| 348 | Dead as a doornail | 1978 |
| 349 | To raise coin | 1978 |
| 350 | To strike one's colours | 1978 |
| 351 | To carry the day | 1978 |
| 352 | To bear the brunt of | 1977 |
| 353 | To call a spade a spade | 1977 |
| 354 | To fight shy of | 1977 |
| 355 | To cry over spilt milk | 1977 |
| 356 | To burn the candle at both ends | 1977 |
| 357 | To rob peter to pay Paul | 1977 |
| 358 | To take the bull by the horns | 1977 |
| 359 | Playing to the gallery | 1977 |
| 360 | Holding out the olive branch | 1977 |
| 361 | To make out | 1977 |
| 362 | Trudge along | 1976 |
| 363 | Point-blank | 1976 |
| 364 | In the doldrums | 1976 |
| 365 | Dole out | 1976 |
| 366 | At cross purposes | 1976 |
| 367 | Cheek by jowl | 1976 |
| 368 | Succinctly | 1976 |
| 369 | Hilarious | 1976 |
| 370 | Detract from | 1976 |
| 371 | Plain-sailing | 1976 |
| 372 | To sow one's wild oats | 1975 |
| 373 | Storm in a teacup | 1975 |
| 374 | To keep late hours | 1975 |
| 375 | To throw cold water on | 1975 |
| 376 | A cock-and-bull story | 1975 |
| 377 | To bear the brunt of | 1975 |
| 378 | Tied to apron-strings of | 1975 |
| 379 | To move heaven and earth | 1975 |
| 380 | To blow one's own trumpet | 1975 |
| 381 | To rest on one's laurels | 1975 |
| 382 | When all is said and done | 1974 |
| 383 | An axe to grind | 1974 |
| 384 | Turn over a new leaf | 1974 |
| 385 | Burn the candle at both ends | 1974 |
| 386 | Leave in the lurch | 1974 |
| 387 | Goes with saying | 1974 |
| 388 | Like a red rag to a bull | 1974 |
| 389 | Not a leg to stand on | 1974 |
| 390 | Under the thumb of | 1974 |
| 391 | The writing on the wall | 1974 |
| 392 | Turn to account | 1973 |
| 393 | To beat the air | 1973 |
| 394 | To break a lance with | 1973 |
| 395 | To foul of | 1973 |
| 396 | To keep an open door | 1973 |
| 397 | To put out of countenance | 1973 |
| 398 | Got up to kill | 1973 |
| 399 | To have a finger in the pie | 1973 |
| 400 | To fall back on something | 1972 |
| 401 | To fall through | 1972 |
| 402 | On right earnest | 1972 |
| 403 | Vested interests | 1972 |
| 404 | Meaningful Dialogue | 1972 |
| 405 | Carry out | 1971 |
| 406 | Taken over | 1971 |
| 407 | Bring about | 1971 |
| 408 | Beat out | 1971 |
| 409 | Bear with | 1971 |
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