SUBJECTS
|
BROWSE
|
CAREER CENTER
|
POPULAR
|
JOIN
|
LOGIN
Business Skills
|
Soft Skills
|
Basic Literacy
|
Certifications
About
|
Help
|
Privacy
|
Terms
|
Email
Search
Test your basic knowledge |
TOEFL Vocab: English Idioms
Start Test
Study First
Subjects
:
toefl
,
english
,
vocabulary
Instructions:
Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can
study here
.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.
This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Come to a natural end
catch some z's
put your foot in it
like the cat that ate the canary
run its course
2. Be unacceptable
to clip someone's wings
someone is batting a thousand
to pull rank
be beyond the pale
3. Recieve strong criticism
the frosting on the cake
make a name for
know your place
to get/ take flak
4. To limit someone's freedom
5. Remembering the past nostalgically
to clip someone's wings
take a shine to
cold cash
the good old days
6. Gained a better position - or more money - than before
going up in the world
debt of honour
right of the bat
hopping mad
7. Do something careless or stupid
the frosting on the cake
to see reason
someone drops the ball
grunt work
8. Delay making a decision when they have to choose between two different options in a dispute
sit on the fence
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
a flash in a pan
hopping mad
9. People that you don't know or think are not important
catch some z's
hopping mad
not worth a dime
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
10. New
hopping mad
going up in the world
take a shine to
up-to-the-minute
11. Cry a lot (informal)
not worth a dime
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
debt of honour
cry buckets
12. Take action to get something into a good condition
knock into shape
going up in the world
catch some z's
put your foot in it
13. Understand something
run its course
curl your lip
get the sack
see the joke
14. Has just finished or sold all its supply
to clip someone's wings
know no bounds
curl your lip
is fresh out of
15. Surprise them with something difficult or unpleasant to deal with
throw someone a curveball
not worth a dime
prick ones ears up
catch some z's
16. Immediately
feather one's own nest
be given/ get his marching order
right of the bat
spirit of adventure
17. Argue violently all the time
open the door to
fight like cats and dogs
sit on the fence
hopping mad
18. Doing something extremely well - better than they had hoped
curl your lip
to take center stage
grunt work
someone is batting a thousand
19. Money in form of cash or notes - not a cheque or credit card
sink like a stone
bluff your way
know no bounds
cold cash
20. Hard - boring work
going up in the world
fight like cats and dogs
grunt work
to pull rank
21. Very pleased with oneself (informal - usually collocates with 'look' - 'grin' or 'smile')
not worth a dime
debt of honour
like the cat that ate the canary
going up in the world
22. Give something a new start
run its course
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
open the door to
hopping mad
23. Start to listen carefully
prick ones ears up
make a name for
curl your lip
get the sack
24. Dishonestly use your position to get money for yourself
25. Be extreme
catch some z's
bluff your way
know no bounds
get the sack
26. Sleep (informal)
27. To be the most important or noticeable thing or person
be given/ get his marching order
to take center stage
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
curl your lip
28. Pretend to be in a weaker or stronger position than is really the case
get the sack
right of the bat
bluff your way
hopping mad
29. Use the power his (manager) position gives him to make them (employees) do something
feather one's own nest
to pull rank
to see reason
is fresh out of
30. To sneer; show disrespect
is fresh out of
prick ones ears up
cry buckets
curl your lip
31. Enthusiasm for adventurous activities
fight like cats and dogs
to get/ take flak
cold cash
spirit of adventure
32. To immediately like something/someone
spirit of adventure
cold cash
the frosting on the cake
take a shine to
33. Become sensible/ reasonable
see the joke
take a shine to
to see reason
take the cake
34. Accept your low position within society without trying to improve it
sit on the fence
prick ones ears up
right of the bat
know your place
35. Failed completely
prick ones ears up
sink like a stone
grunt work
to see reason
36. Something that happens only once
a flash in a pan
spirit of adventure
to see reason
sink like a stone
37. Lose his job
prick ones ears up
take a shine to
up-to-the-minute
be given/ get his marching order
38. Control something firmly and effectively
to pull rank
run a tight ship
be given/ get his marching order
debt of honour
39. Very angry
not worth a dime
hopping mad
be given/ get his marching order
put your foot in it
40. Understanding the importance of something
hopping mad
to se the point
know your place
sit on the fence
41. A necessary part of an event or experience which cannot be avoided
part and parcel
knock into shape
run a tight ship
the frosting on the cake
42. Become famous or respected for
make a name for
be given/ get his marching order
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
fight like cats and dogs
43. Something that makes a good thing even better
sink like a stone
the frosting on the cake
someone drops the ball
put your foot in it
44. Has little or no value
get off your backside
not worth a dime
the good old days
open the door to
45. Used informally to describe something the speaker finds very annoying
to take center stage
is fresh out of
take the cake
to see light
46. Say something accidentally which upsets or embarrasses someone
going up in the world
bluff your way
put your foot in it
cold cash
47. Suddenly understanding something
take a shine to
right of the bat
to see light
bluff your way
48. Stop being lazy (very informal)
be given/ get his marching order
like the cat that ate the canary
get off your backside
a flash in a pan
49. Be dismissed from your job
to get/ take flak
put your foot in it
get the sack
know no bounds
50. A debt that one owes someone for moral rather than financial reason
know no bounds
see the joke
debt of honour
is fresh out of