Idioms & Phrases for SSC CGL
Idioms and phrases are high-yield vocabulary because the same expressions appear repeatedly across competitive exams.
Learn the meaning, not a literal translation. Then practise MCQs so you can identify the closest option quickly.
| Idiom / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bite the dust | To be defeated or fail |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| A piece of cake | Something very easy |
| Break the ice | To start a conversation |
| Spill the beans | To reveal a secret |
| Hit the nail on the head | To say exactly the right thing |
| Under the weather | Feeling unwell |
| Burn the midnight oil | To work or study late at night |
| Call it a day | To stop working |
| Beat around the bush | To avoid the main point |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Very expensive |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Looking in the wrong place |
| Add fuel to the fire | To make a bad situation worse |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Every bad situation has some good |
| Let the cat out of the bag | To reveal a secret accidentally |
| On cloud nine | Extremely happy |
| Pull someone's leg | To joke or tease someone |
| Take with a pinch of salt | To not fully believe something |
| Through thick and thin | In good and bad times |
| Caught red-handed | Caught while doing wrong |
| By hook or by crook | By any means |
| Keep an eye on | To watch carefully |
| Lose heart | To become discouraged |
| Make both ends meet | To manage expenses with income |
| A hard nut to crack | A difficult problem or person |
| At daggers drawn | In bitter conflict |
| Cry over spilt milk | To regret what cannot be changed |
| Cut a sorry figure | To make a poor impression |
| In a nutshell | In brief |
| A storm in a teacup | A small matter exaggerated |
| Get cold feet | To become nervous before doing something |
| Turn a deaf ear | To ignore |
| Leave no stone unturned | To try every possible way |
| Blow one's own trumpet | To praise oneself |
| Smell a rat | To suspect something wrong |
| A bed of roses | An easy or comfortable situation |
| Apple of one's eye | A very loved person |
| White elephant | A costly but useless possession |
| To turn over a new leaf | To make a fresh start |
Revision Method
How to revise Idioms & Phrases for SSC CGL for SSC CGL without forgetting it
This list has 40 entries for quick SSC CGL revision. Do not read it once and move on. Convert it into recall practice: hide the answer column, speak the answer aloud, then attempt a mixed English or General Awareness quiz where the same facts appear under pressure.
Day 1
Read the full list once, then immediately test yourself without looking at the answers.
Day 3
Revisit only the missed entries. This is where most vocabulary and static GK retention improves.
Mock day
Practise the same area inside a timed mock so recall becomes fast enough for the SSC CGL exam.
Frequently asked questions
- How many idioms should I revise for SSC CGL?
- Start with high-frequency idioms, revise them repeatedly and practise them in MCQ format. Quality of recall matters more than a very large list.