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TOEFL Vocab: English Idioms

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. To immediately like something/someone
like the cat that ate the canary
not worth a dime
part and parcel
take a shine to

2. To be the most important or noticeable thing or person
up-to-the-minute
get the sack
to take center stage
throw someone a curveball

3. Dishonestly use your position to get money for yourself

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4. New
know no bounds
up-to-the-minute
to take center stage
like the cat that ate the canary

5. Lose his job
be given/ get his marching order
be beyond the pale
spirit of adventure
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry

6. Stop being lazy (very informal)
to see light
throw someone a curveball
get off your backside
someone is batting a thousand

7. Say something accidentally which upsets or embarrasses someone
be given/ get his marching order
put your foot in it
prick ones ears up
get the sack

8. Accept your low position within society without trying to improve it
to clip someone's wings
know your place
someone drops the ball
grunt work

9. Be dismissed from your job
to see light
grunt work
curl your lip
get the sack

10. Pretend to be in a weaker or stronger position than is really the case
bluff your way
to see light
prick ones ears up
someone is batting a thousand

11. Argue violently all the time
right of the bat
fight like cats and dogs
like the cat that ate the canary
throw someone a curveball

12. Very angry
know your place
take a shine to
be beyond the pale
hopping mad

13. A necessary part of an event or experience which cannot be avoided
get off your backside
part and parcel
not worth a dime
fight like cats and dogs

14. Control something firmly and effectively
run a tight ship
be beyond the pale
sit on the fence
the good old days

15. Delay making a decision when they have to choose between two different options in a dispute
to clip someone's wings
sit on the fence
bluff your way
sink like a stone

16. Failed completely
sink like a stone
put your foot in it
to take center stage
like the cat that ate the canary

17. Something that happens only once
throw someone a curveball
a flash in a pan
cry buckets
get off your backside

18. Doing something extremely well - better than they had hoped
someone is batting a thousand
make a name for
prick ones ears up
to take center stage

19. Understanding the importance of something
cold cash
sink like a stone
to se the point
the frosting on the cake

20. Sleep (informal)

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21. Understand something
see the joke
not worth a dime
throw someone a curveball
catch some z's

22. Something that makes a good thing even better
run its course
debt of honour
not worth a dime
the frosting on the cake

23. Come to a natural end
prick ones ears up
like the cat that ate the canary
catch some z's
run its course

24. Cry a lot (informal)
cry buckets
know your place
going up in the world
to get/ take flak

25. Become sensible/ reasonable
be given/ get his marching order
cold cash
to see reason
run a tight ship

26. Do something careless or stupid
take the cake
like the cat that ate the canary
someone drops the ball
get the sack

27. To sneer; show disrespect
curl your lip
make a name for
like the cat that ate the canary
to get/ take flak

28. Take action to get something into a good condition
is fresh out of
knock into shape
the good old days
take the cake

29. Be extreme
knock into shape
get off your backside
know no bounds
run a tight ship

30. To limit someone's freedom

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31. Recieve strong criticism
take the cake
to get/ take flak
to clip someone's wings
throw someone a curveball

32. A debt that one owes someone for moral rather than financial reason
cry buckets
see the joke
get off your backside
debt of honour

33. Money in form of cash or notes - not a cheque or credit card
the frosting on the cake
see the joke
cold cash
catch some z's

34. Hard - boring work
be given/ get his marching order
be beyond the pale
bluff your way
grunt work

35. People that you don't know or think are not important
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
the frosting on the cake
not worth a dime
know your place

36. Used informally to describe something the speaker finds very annoying
feather one's own nest
the good old days
take the cake
debt of honour

37. Be unacceptable
fight like cats and dogs
throw someone a curveball
be beyond the pale
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry

38. Has little or no value
see the joke
not worth a dime
someone is batting a thousand
hopping mad

39. Enthusiasm for adventurous activities
to see light
spirit of adventure
is fresh out of
debt of honour

40. Remembering the past nostalgically
the good old days
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry
get off your backside
sink like a stone

41. Very pleased with oneself (informal - usually collocates with 'look' - 'grin' or 'smile')
know your place
cry buckets
like the cat that ate the canary
to see light

42. Give something a new start
like the cat that ate the canary
open the door to
take the cake
to se the point

43. Immediately
right of the bat
take the cake
catch some z's
be given/ get his marching order

44. Suddenly understanding something
grunt work
to see light
be beyond the pale
to clip someone's wings

45. Use the power his (manager) position gives him to make them (employees) do something
is fresh out of
take a shine to
to take center stage
to pull rank

46. Has just finished or sold all its supply
curl your lip
the good old days
is fresh out of
debt of honour

47. Gained a better position - or more money - than before
open the door to
know your place
going up in the world
like the cat that ate the canary

48. Start to listen carefully
curl your lip
take a shine to
prick ones ears up
like the cat that ate the canary

49. Become famous or respected for
is fresh out of
run its course
make a name for
every Tom - Dick and/or Harry

50. Surprise them with something difficult or unpleasant to deal with
to clip someone's wings
to pull rank
a flash in a pan
throw someone a curveball