100 Idioms You Must Know 51-75

51. Off the record
Meaning: Not made as an official or attributable statement; unofficial; confidential
Example: He accepted his fault off the record and hence it could not be used by the prosecutor in the court.

52. Oldest trick in the book
Meaning: A well known and much used trick/method
Example: Oldest trick in the book to treat cold and cough is drinking turmeric milk.

53. Off the cuff
Meaning: Without preparation; spontaneous
Example: She has a reputation of handling off the cuff interviews very well.

54. Old habits die hard
Meaning: People find it difficult to change their accustomed behavior.
Example: She retired last month, but still gets up at the same time in the morning.
Old habits die hard.

55. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Very rarely
Example: Jill has a very rocky relationship with her father. She speaks to him once in a blue moon.

56. Open the floodgates
Meaning: Release something that was previously under control
Example: Economists fear that relaxing price control will open the floodgates to inflation.

57. Out of the blue
Meaning: Happen unexpectedly
Example: She had given up all hope when out of the blue she got a call from Harvard.

58. Out on a limb
Meaning: Do something risky or something that others do not support (leaving the doer in a difficult situation)
Example: She was out on a limb with her project — nobody supported her idea.

59. Over the top
Meaning: Totally excessive and not suitable for the occasion.
Example: Her sari was way over the top for a somber occasion like this.

60. Pen is mightier than the sword
Meaning: Words and communication have a greater effect than war
Example: A simple handwritten note put an end to their week long cold war — pen is mightier than the sword.

61. Push one’s luck
Meaning: Trying to obtain more than what one has (risk spoiling the current situation)
Example: You have my permission to go to your friends’ place but don’t push your luck by planning a night out.

62. Raining cats and dogs
Meaning: Raining heavily
Example: We’ll have to cancel the trip, it’s raining cats and dogs here.

63. Reap the harvest
Meaning: Benefit or suffer as a direct result of past actions.
Example: When he cleared IIT-JEE, he reaped the harvest of all his hard work.

64. Roll up one’s sleeves
Meaning: Get ready for hard work
Example: My brother said he would roll up his sleeves and do whatever it takes to support the family.

65. See eye to eye
Meaning: To be in agreement with
Example: She was glad her roommate saw eye to eye on the choice of the flat.

66. Shot in the dark
Meaning: A complete guess (may or may not be close to the truth)
Example: He didn’t know too much about programming, so answering the interviewer’s question was merely a shot in thedark.

67. Sink your teeth into
Meaning: Do something with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
Example: Robin immediately sank his teeth into his new job.

68. Skating on thin ice
Meaning: Do or say something risky or something that could cause trouble.
Example: Don’t say anything that hurts her self esteem or you could be skating on thin ice.

69. Stand in a goodstead
Meaning: To be useful or be of good service to someone.
Example: Being fluent in German will stand you in a good stead when applying for an MS in Germany.

70. Strike while the iron is hot
Meaning: To act at the right time
Example: The price of gold is at a 10 year low, strike while the iron is hot and invest in it right away.

71. Take a back seat
Meaning: Choose to be less important in a role
Example: He finally decided to take a back seat and let his son run the family business.

72. Take with a grain/pinch of salt
Meaning: To doubt the accuracy of information
Example: A lot is said about the celebrities in media, but that information should be taken with a grain of salt.

73. Take a nosedive
Meaning: Rapid drop or decrease in value
Example: The share prices took a nosedive when there were rumors of the company’s CEO resigning.

74. Take the plunge
Meaning: Venture into something of one’s interest despite the risks involved
Example: Jack finally took the plunge and opened a restaurant.

75. Taste of one’s own medicine
Meaning: Treat people the same (unpleasant) way they treated you
Example: People who often disregard others should be given a taste of their own medicine.