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Noteclass 11 12

Idioms (roz ke, class-safe)

Lesson 65 of 84

B2

Idiom = muhavra: picture-matlab, word-by-word nahi. a piece of cake = easy, cake nahi. Class me safe list. Collocation = 64. Phrasal matlab-change = 52. well / actually = 66. Style / literature extra = 75. Formal letter overload = 69.

1. Kya hai

Idiom = muhavra (picture-matlab). Words change mat karo. a piece of cake theek; a piece of biscuit English me nahi.

This page Not this page
It's raining cats and dogs. (picture = heavy rain) heavy rain (64 collocation, literal words)
a piece of cake = easy make a decision / do homework (64)
break the ice = start talking easily put off / look after (52)

Formal letter me 10 idioms mat bharo (69). Hindi muhavra word-for-word mat utaaro.

2. Feel / weather / cost

Idiom Matlab Example
a piece of cake bahut aasan The form was a piece of cake.
not my cup of tea pasand nahi Late-night queues are not my cup of tea.
under the weather thoda bimar Ravi is under the weather today.
over the moon bahut khush After the result she was over the moon.
it's raining cats and dogs tez barish (picture) We missed the local — it's raining cats and dogs.
once in a blue moon bahut kam Papa takes an auto once in a blue moon.
cost an arm and a leg bahut mehnga That Diwali trip will cost an arm and a leg.
a storm in a teacup chhoti baat, bada shor The queue fight was a storm in a teacup.

3. Study / talk / stop

Idiom Matlab Example
burn the midnight oil raat tak padhna / kaam Before 15 May he burnt the midnight oil.
break the ice pehli baat aasan banana A joke broke the ice in the hall.
beat about the bush seedhi baat nahi Don't beat about the bush — tell Papa.
hit the nail on the head bilkul sahi kaha Mr Khan hit the nail on the head.
call it a day aaj ke liye band At 6 we called it a day.
on the same page same samajh / agree Are we on the same page about the fees?
the ball is in your court ab tumhari bari I sent the form. The ball is in your court.
spill the beans raaz bata dena Don't spill the beans about the surprise.

Extra (same shape): get cold feet = dar ke peeche hatna. British English: beat about the bush (American aksar around). burnt = British V3 of burn (burned bhi chalta hai).

4. Examples

Bold = yeh muhavra.

  1. The form was a piece of cake.
  2. Late metro queues are not my cup of tea.
  3. Ravi is under the weather, so he skipped cricket.
  4. After Diwali she was over the moon.
  5. We waited for an auto — it's raining cats and dogs.
  6. He eats out once in a blue moon.
  7. That hall booking will cost an arm and a leg.
  8. The chai delay was a storm in a teacup.
  9. Before the exam he burnt the midnight oil.
  10. A joke broke the ice before the speech.
  11. Don't beat about the bush — fill the form.
  12. Amma hit the nail on the head about the fees.
  13. At 6 we called it a day and had chai.
  14. Are we on the same page about 15 May?
  15. Don't spill the beans — Papa doesn't know yet.

5. Common mistakes

a piece of biscuit / a piece of bread (for "easy")
a piece of cake
It's raining dogs and cats. / raining heavy cats
It's raining cats and dogs. (64: heavy rain = collocation)
not my cup of coffee (as yeh form) / not my tea cup
not my cup of tea
under the weather = standing in the rain (literal)
under the weather = a bit ill
beat around the bush (British me around nahi) / beat the bush
beat about the bush
make the midnight oil / do a piece of cake
burn the midnight oil / The form was a piece of cake.
Naak kat gayi. → My nose was cut. (Hindi picture word-by-word nahi)
I was embarrassed. Don't copy Hindi muhavra word-for-word.
make a decision (as 65) / put off the meeting (as 65) / Well, actually… (as 65)
64 / 52 / 66. Yahan picture-idiom.
Hindi note. Muhavra = tasveer, har word ka alag matlab nahi. Cake = aasan, cup of tea = pasand, weather = tabiyat, cats and dogs = tez barish, midnight oil = raat padhai. Words yaad rakho. Formal letter me kam (69).

6. Practice

A. 10 MCQ

1. The form was a piece of ______. (easy)
2. Late queues are not my cup of ______.
3. I feel under the ______. (a bit ill)
4. After the result she was over the ______.
5. We can't go out — it's raining ______.
6. Before the exam he ______ the midnight oil.
7. A joke ______ the ice in the hall.
8. Don't beat about the ______. (British)
9. That auto will cost an arm and a ______.
10. At 6 we called it a ______.

B. 5 fill-in

1. The form was a piece of ______. (easy)

2. Cricket is not my cup of ______.

3. I feel under the ______. (ill)

4. He ______ the midnight oil. (British V3)

5. Sahi karo: It's raining dogs and cats.

C. 3 sentences

Model answers neeche. Ek easy, ek pasand nahi, ek barish-picture.

  1. piece of cake: The form was a piece of cake.
  2. cup of tea: Late queues are not my cup of tea.
  3. cats and dogs: It's raining cats and dogs.

7. Answer key

MCQ
  1. a) cake — a piece of cake = easy. bread / tea galat words.
  2. b) tea — not my cup of tea. coffee variant yahan nahi.
  3. b) weather — under the weather = ill, rain nahi.
  4. a) moon — over the moon = very happy. weather = ill.
  5. b) cats and dogs — order yaad rakho. heavy rain = 64, not the idiom.
  6. b) burnt — burn the midnight oil. British V3 burnt.
  7. c) broke — break the ice. make / take ice nahi.
  8. a) bush — beat about the bush. nail = hit the nail…
  9. b) leg — cost an arm and a leg. hand / foot nahi.
  10. b) day — call it a day. night / week nahi.
Fill-in
  1. cake — a piece of cake.
  2. tea — not my cup of tea.
  3. weather — under the weather.
  4. burnt — British V3; burned bhi sunoge, yahan burnt.
  5. It's raining cats and dogs.
Model sentences
  1. The form was a piece of cake.
  2. Late queues are not my cup of tea.
  3. It's raining cats and dogs.

Check: picture-matlab; yeh words; cats then dogs; cup of tea; burnt midnight oil; beat about; collocation yahan nahi (64); phrasal yahan nahi (52); well/actually = 66; formal overload = 69; literature extra = 75.