The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) stands as a fiercely competitive entrance examination, evaluating the aptitude and skills of students aspiring to secure admission in some of India’s most prestigious law schools. Given its emphasis on language, CLAT necessitates a robust command of English language and comprehension skills.

An area that frequently challenges students is the examination of their familiarity with idioms and phrases. Idioms, characterized by expressions conveying figurative meanings unique to a particular language or culture, play a pivotal role in the CLAT exam. They are often embedded in reading comprehension passages or employed in the logical reasoning section.

This article aims to delve into a selection of widely used idioms and phrases in English, essential for students aiming to excel in the CLAT exam. Each idiom’s meaning will be elucidated, accompanied by examples illustrating their contextual usage.

By acquainting themselves with these idioms, students stand to enhance their understanding of the subtleties inherent in the English language and comprehension. This, in turn, positions them with a distinctive advantage in the fiercely competitive arena of the CLAT exam.

250 Important Idioms and Phrases for CLAT Exam

1. Spill the beans: To reveal a secret.
2. Take a rain check: To decline an invitation, but with the hope or promise to accept it at a later time.
3. The ball is in your court: It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.
4. The devil is in the details: Small, hidden details can cause big problems if they are overlooked.
5. The early bird catches the worm: The person who takes action early has an advantage.
6. The whole nine yards: Everything, all the way.
7. Throw in the towel: To give up or surrender.
8. Through thick and thin: To stick with someone or something through good times and bad.
9. Time flies when you’re having fun: Time seems to pass quickly when you are enjoying yourself.
10. To each their own: People have different tastes and preferences, and that’s okay.
11. Two wrongs don’t make a right: Retaliating with a negative action does not solve the problem.
12. Under the weather: Feeling ill or unwell.
13. Up in arms: Angry and protesting about something.
14. Variety is the spice of life: Having diversity and variety in life makes it more interesting.
15. When it rains, it pours: Misfortunes or problems tend to come all at once.
16. You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs: Achieving something worthwhile often involves making sacrifices or enduring hardships.
17. Your guess is as good as mine: I don’t know either.
18. Zero hour: The critical moment or time when something begins.
19. A stone’s throw away: A very short distance.
20. Bite the bullet: To endure a painful or difficult situation with courage.
21. By the skin of your teeth: Just barely.
22. Cutting corners: Doing something in a quick and easy way that may not be the best or most ethical way.
23. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch: Don’t assume that something will happen until it actually does happen.
24. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater: Don’t discard something good or valuable while getting rid of something else.
25. Every cloud has a silver lining: Even in a difficult or negative situation, there is always something positive to be found.
26. Everything but the kitchen sink: Including everything possible in a situation, even things that may not be necessary.
27. Fish out of water: Feeling uncomfortable in a new or unfamiliar situation.
28. Get a taste of your own medicine: Experiencing the same negative treatment that you have given to others.
29. Head in the clouds: Being unrealistic or impractical.
30. Hit the nail on the head: To be exactly right about something.
31. In hot water: In trouble or facing consequences for one’s actions.
32. Jump on the bandwagon: To join in on a popular trend or opinion.
33. Keep your chin up: To stay positive in a difficult situation.
34. Kill two birds with one stone: To accomplish two things with one action.
35. Like two peas in a pod: Very similar or alike.
36. Make a mountain out of a molehill: To make a minor problem seem much more serious than it actually is.
37. Miss the boat: To miss an opportunity or chance.
38. No pain, no gain: Effort and sacrifice are necessary in order to achieve success or progress.
39. On cloud nine: Feeling very happy and content.
40. On the ball: Alert and ready to act quickly.
41. On the fence: Undecided or neutral on a topic or issue.
42. On the same page: In agreement or understanding.
43. Out of the blue: Unexpectedly.
44. Out of the woods: No longer in a dangerous or difficult situation.
45. Over the moon: Extremely happy and excited.
46. Piece of cake: Something that is very easy to do.
47. Play devil’s advocate: To argue the opposite side of an argument in order to test its strength.
48. Pull someone’s leg: To tease or play a joke on someone.
49. Put your foot in your mouth: To say something that is inappropriate or embarrassing.
50. Rain on someone’s parade: To spoil someone’s plans or happiness.
51. Read between the lines: To understand the hidden or implied meaning of something.
52. Shoot for the stars: To aim for a very high goal or achievement.
53. Skeletons in the closet: Secrets from the past that could be damaging if revealed.
54. Spill the beans: To reveal a secret.
55. Take a rain check: To decline an invitation, but with the hope or promise to accept it at a later time.
56. The ball is in your court: It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.
57. The devil is in the details: Small, hidden details can cause big problems if they are overlooked.
58. The early bird catches the worm: The person who takes action early has an advantage.
59. The whole nine yards: Everything, all the way.
60. Throw in the towel: To give up or surrender.
61. Through thick and thin: To stick with someone or something through good times and bad.
62. Time flies when you’re having fun: Time seems to pass quickly when you are enjoying yourself.
63. To each their own: People have different tastes and preferences, and that’s okay.
64. Two wrongs don’t make a right: Retaliating with a negative action does not solve the problem.
65. Under the weather: Feeling ill or unwell.
66. Up in arms: Angry and protesting about something.
67. Variety is the spice of life: Having diversity and variety in life makes it more interesting.
68. When it rains, it pours: Misfortunes or problems tend to come all at once.
69. You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs: Achieving something worthwhile often involves making sacrifices or enduring hardships.
70. Your guess is as good as mine: I don’t know either.
71. Walk on eggshells: To be cautious and delicate in dealing with a sensitive situation.
72. Wet behind the ears: Inexperienced or naive.
73. When in Rome, do as the Romans do: Adapt to the customs and culture of the place you are in.
74. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: If there are signs of a problem, it is likely that the problem exists.
75. Wild goose chase: A futile and hopeless search or pursuit.
76. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink: You can provide someone with an opportunity, but you can’t force them to take advantage of it.
77. You can’t have your cake and eat it too: You cannot have both of two conflicting things.
78. You can’t judge a book by its cover: You can’t judge someone or something by its outward appearance alone.
79. You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs: Achieving something worthwhile often involves making sacrifices or enduring hardships.
80. Your guess is as good as mine: I don’t know either.
81. A bird’s eye view: A broad perspective of a situation.
82. A bitter pill to swallow: Something unpleasant but necessary to accept.
83. A bull in a china shop: Someone who is careless or clumsy in a delicate situation.
84. A dime for a dozen: Something common and easy to find.
85. A drop in the ocean: A very small and insignificant amount compared to the whole.
86. A flash in the pan: Something that initially shows promise but fails to deliver.
87. A penny for your thoughts: Asking someone what they are thinking.
88. A piece of the pie: A share in the benefits or profits.
89. A shot in the dark: An attempt with little chance of success.
90. A stone’s throw away: A very short distance.
91. A taste of your own medicine: Experiencing the same negative treatment that you have given to others.
92. All ears: Listening eagerly and attentively.
93. All in the same boat: Facing the same challenges or circumstances.
94. All thumbs: Lacking coordination, especially in using one’s hands.
95. An arm and a leg: Very expensive or costly.
96. An axe to grind: Having a personal motive or agenda.
97. Apple of discord: Something that causes strife or discord.
98. At the drop of a hat: Immediately or without hesitation.
99. Back to the drawing board: Starting over because the previous attempt failed.
100. Bite off more than you can chew: Taking on a task that is too big or difficult.
101. Burn the midnight oil: Working late into the night.
102. Bury the hatchet: To make peace or end a conflict.
103. By the book: Following the rules strictly.
104. Caught with your pants down: Being caught in an embarrassing or compromising situation.
105. Chip on your shoulder: Holding a grudge or harboring resentment.
106. Cry over spilled milk: To be upset over something that cannot be changed or undone.
107. Cut to the chase: Getting to the main point without unnecessary details.
108. Diamond in the rough: Someone or something with potential that is not immediately apparent.
109. Don’t cry over spilled milk: Don’t waste time worrying about things that have already happened and cannot be changed.
110. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: Don’t rely on just one thing to succeed or provide for you.
111. Down the drain: Wasted or lost completely.
112. Draw the line: To set a boundary or limit.
113. Dressed to the nines: Dressed very elegantly or formally.
114. Elephant in the room: An obvious problem that everyone is ignoring.
115. Every cloud has a silver lining: Even in a difficult or negative situation, there is always something positive to be found.
116. Face the music: Accepting the consequences, especially for something one has done wrong.
117. Feather in your cap: An achievement or accomplishment to be proud of.
118. Fit as a fiddle: In excellent health and condition.
119. Fly off the handle: Reacting with anger or losing one’s temper suddenly.
120. For the birds: Something that is insignificant or meaningless.
121. Full of beans: Lively, energetic, and in good spirits.
122. Give the cold shoulder: To ignore or treat someone with deliberate coldness.
123. Go out on a limb: Take a risk or put oneself in a vulnerable position.
124. Grasping at straws: Making a desperate attempt to find a solution, even if it is unlikely to succeed.
125. Hit the hay: To go to bed or go to sleep.
126. Hit the nail on the head: To be exactly right about something.
127. In a nutshell: Summarizing something in a brief and concise manner.
128. In the same boat: Facing a common problem or situation with others.
129. Jumping on the bandwagon: Joining a popular trend or adopting a popular opinion.
130. Kick the can down the road: Postponing a decision or action to deal with it later.
131. Kick up a fuss: To create a disturbance or protest loudly.
132. Lend a hand: To help or assist someone.
133. Like a bull in a china shop: Acting without care or caution, often causing damage.
134. Like a moth to a flame: Attracted to something or someone that is dangerous or harmful.
135. Make a mountain out of a molehill: To exaggerate a small problem and make it seem much more serious than it actually is.
136. Nip it in the bud: To stop a problem at an early stage before it becomes more serious.
137. Not all it’s cracked up to be: Not as good or impressive as it was claimed to be.
138. Not playing with a full deck: Someone not mentally sound or intelligent.
139. Off the top of your head: Giving an answer without much thought or consideration.
140. Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Escaping one problem only to find oneself in a worse situation.
141. Paint the town red: To go out and celebrate in a lively and extravagant manner.
142. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes: Deceive or trick someone.
143. Put all your eggs in one basket: Relying on just one thing to succeed or provide for you.
144. Put the cart before the horse: Doing things in the wrong order.
145. Rain cats and dogs: Heavy or torrential rain.
146. Ride the wave: To enjoy success or good fortune.
147. Rule of thumb: A general guideline or principle.
148. Saved by the bell: Rescued from a difficult situation at the last moment.
149. See the light at the end of the tunnel: To see signs of improvement or the end of a difficult situation.
150. Sitting on the fence: Being undecided or neutral on a topic or issue.
151. Kick the bucket: To die.
152. Knock on wood: Touch wood to avoid jinxing something.
153. Last straw: The final small problem that causes one to lose patience.
154. Let the cat out of the bag: To reveal a secret.
155. Like pulling teeth: Something very difficult or requiring great effort.
156. Locked and loaded: Fully prepared and ready to go.
157. Make a long story short: Summarizing a lengthy story.
158. Mum’s the word: To keep a secret or stay silent.
159. Nest egg: Savings set aside for the future.
160. Not a bed of roses: Not an easy or comfortable situation.
161. Not playing with a full deck: Someone not mentally sound or intelligent.
162. Off the beaten path: Away from the usual route or common way.
163. On the back burner: Put aside or delayed for now.
164. Once in a blue moon: Very rarely.
165. Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Escaping one problem only to find oneself in a worse situation.
166. Over the hill: Too old for a particular activity or task.
167. Pay the piper: Face the consequences of one’s actions.
168. Piece of cake: Something that is very easy to do.
169. Play it by ear: Decide on a course of action as events unfold.
170. Pot calling the kettle black: Accusing someone of a fault that one has themselves.
171. Pull someone’s leg: To tease or play a joke on someone.
172. Put all your eggs in one basket: Relying on just one thing to succeed or provide for you.
173. Put the cart before the horse: Doing things in the wrong order.
174. Put your foot in your mouth: To say something inappropriate or embarrassing.
175. Rain on someone’s parade: To spoil someone’s plans or happiness.
176. Read between the lines: To understand the hidden or implied meaning of something.
177. Reinvent the wheel: To unnecessarily create something that already exists.
178. Ride shotgun: To sit in the front passenger seat of a vehicle.
179. Riding on the coattails: Benefiting from someone else’s success or efforts.
180. Rome wasn’t built in a day: Large or complex tasks take time.
181. Rub someone the wrong way: To irritate or annoy someone.
182. Saved by the bell: Rescued from a difficult situation at the last moment.
183. See eye to eye: Agreeing with someone.
184. Shape up or ship out: Improve your behavior or leave.
185. Shoot for the moon: Aim for a very high goal or achievement.
186. Sitting on the fence: Being undecided or neutral on a topic or issue.
187. Six of one, half a dozen of the other: Two options that are essentially the same.
188. Spill the beans: To reveal a secret.
189. Straight from the horse’s mouth: Information from the most reliable source.
190. Take a rain check: Postpone an invitation or offer.
191. Take it with a grain of salt: Don’t take something too seriously or literally.
192. Take the bull by the horns: Confront a difficult situation head-on.
193. The ball is in your court: It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.
194. The devil is in the details: Small, hidden details can cause big problems if overlooked.
195. The early bird catches the worm: Acting early gives one an advantage.
196. The whole nine yards: Everything, all the way.
197. Throw in the towel: To give up or surrender.
198. Throw caution to the wind: Take a risk without worrying about the consequences.
199. Under the weather: Feeling ill or unwell.
200. Variety is the spice of life: Having diversity and variety in life makes it more interesting.
201. A dime a dozen: Very common and easy to obtain.
202. A drop in the ocean: A very small amount compared to the whole.
203. A fool’s errand: A task with no hope of success.
204. A golden handshake: A generous severance agreement when leaving a job.
205. A hidden agenda: A secret motive or purpose.
206. A knight in shining armor: Someone who comes to the rescue in a difficult situation.
207. A level playing field: Fair and equal competition.
208. A little bird told me: I heard a secret from a reliable source.
209. A penny for your thoughts: Asking someone what they are thinking about.
210. A piece of the action: A share in an activity or venture.
211. A stone’s throw away: Very close in distance.
212. Actions speak louder than words: What a person does is more important than what they say.
213. All ears: Listening attentively.
214. All thumbs: Lacking skill or coordination, especially with one’s hands.
215. An arm and a leg: Extremely expensive.
216. At the drop of a hat: Without any hesitation or delay.
217. Back to square one: Starting over from the beginning.
218. Backseat driver: Someone who gives unwanted advice.
219. Bite off more than you can chew: To take on a task that is way too big or beyond one’s capabilities.
220. Burn the midnight oil: To work late into the night.
221. Bury the hatchet: To make peace and resolve a conflict.
222. By the book: Following the rules precisely.
223. Call it a day: To stop working on something for the day.
224. Cast in stone: Something that is fixed and cannot be changed.
225. Caught red-handed: Caught in the act of doing something wrong.
226. Close but no cigar: Almost successful, but not quite there.
227. Cost an arm and a leg: Extremely expensive.
228. Cry over spilled milk: Don’t dwell on past mistakes or misfortunes.
229. Cut to the chase: Skip the preliminaries and get to the main point.
230. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch: Don’t assume that something will happen until it actually does happen.
231. Don’t cry over spilled milk: Don’t dwell on past mistakes or misfortunes.
232. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: Don’t rely on just one thing to succeed or to provide for you.
233. Down to the wire: Coming close to a deadline or end.
234. Elephant in the room: An obvious problem that people are ignoring.
235. Every cloud has a silver lining: Even in a difficult or negative situation, there is always something positive to be found.
236. Fall on deaf ears: Ignored or not listened to.
237. Fish out of water: Feeling uncomfortable in a new or unfamiliar situation.
238. Fit as a fiddle: In good physical condition.
239. From scratch: Starting from the beginning without any previous work.
240. Get a leg up: To receive assistance or an advantage.
241. Get the ball rolling: To start a process or activity.
242. Give someone the cold shoulder: To ignore or treat someone with deliberate coldness.
243. Go down in flames: To fail spectacularly.
244. Go the extra mile: To put in extra effort to achieve something.
245. Haste makes waste: Acting too quickly can lead to mistakes and a loss of time or resources.
246. Have a chip on your shoulder: To be angry or bitter about something.
247. Hit the hay: To go to bed.
248. In a nutshell: Summarizing something in a few words.
249. Jump on the bandwagon: To join in on a popular trend or opinion.
250. Keep your chin up: To stay positive in a difficult situation.

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