Idiomatic and Phrasal Expressions Flashcards

What does the expression 'burn the midnight oil' mean? (A) To destroy classified documents (B) To work or study late into the night (C) To waste fuel carelessly (D) To signal distress with a flare

Answer: To work or study late into the night

'Burn the midnight oil' is an idiom meaning to work or study very late at night. It originates from the era when people used oil lamps and burned oil to work after dark.

Choose the best meaning for 'get the ball rolling.' (A) To play a sport during free time (B) To begin an activity or process (C) To lose control of a situation (D) To pass responsibility to someone else

Answer: To begin an activity or process

'Get the ball rolling' means to start or initiate something. It is used when encouraging someone to begin a task or project.

What is the meaning of 'hit the nail on the head'? (A) To injure someone accidentally (B) To damage equipment during construction (C) To say or do something exactly right (D) To strike first in a conflict

Answer: To say or do something exactly right

'Hit the nail on the head' means to describe something exactly or to identify the precise cause of a problem. It comes from the literal act of striking a nail accurately.

The captain said, 'Let's cross that bridge when we come to it.' This means: (A) We should plan the route carefully before moving (B) We should not worry about a problem until it actually occurs (C) We need to repair the bridge before continuing the mission (D) We should avoid dangerous crossings at all costs

Answer: We should not worry about a problem until it actually occurs

'Cross that bridge when we come to it' means to deal with a problem only when it actually arises, rather than worrying about it in advance.

What does 'pull someone's leg' mean? (A) To physically assist someone who has fallen (B) To joke with or tease someone (C) To drag someone from a dangerous situation (D) To request extra effort from a team member

Answer: To joke with or tease someone

'Pull someone's leg' is an idiom meaning to tease or joke with someone, often by telling them something untrue in a light-hearted way.

Choose the correct meaning of 'once in a blue moon.' (A) During night operations (B) At a specific scheduled time (C) Very rarely (D) Under special atmospheric conditions

Answer: Very rarely

'Once in a blue moon' means something that happens very rarely. A 'blue moon' is the second full moon in a calendar month, which is an infrequent astronomical event.