Idioms & Phrases – MBA CET questions with solutions

Approach: Idiom meaning — from the fable 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'.

Solution: 'To cry wolf' = to raise a false alarm. The shepherd boy kept shouting 'Wolf!' when there was none, so no one believed him when the wolf really came.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: To listen eagerly — 'be all ears'.
C: To turn pale — unrelated.
D: To keep off starvation — 'keep the wolf from the door'.
E: To take a difficult task — unrelated.

Cetking shortcut: Don't confuse 'cry wolf' (false alarm) with 'keep the wolf from the door' (avoid hunger).

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning — knights' custom.

Solution: 'Throw down the gauntlet' = to issue a challenge. A medieval knight threw his gauntlet (armoured glove) on the ground to challenge an opponent; picking it up meant accepting.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: To refer to — unrelated.
C: To raise objections — not a challenge to compete.
D: To be discussed — 'be on the table'.
E: To put someone at ease — opposite in spirit.

Cetking shortcut: Throw down = challenge; take up the gauntlet = accept the challenge.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: 'A black sheep' = a member of a family or group who is regarded as odd, a disgrace, or disreputable compared with the rest.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: An unlucky person — 'jinx'.
C: An ugly person — literal misreading.
D: A partner taking no profits — 'sleeping partner' is close but different.
E: A worthy fellow — opposite.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: 'To smell a rat' = to suspect that something is wrong — trickery, deceit or foul dealing.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B: Literal readings about rats/plague.
D: To be in a bad mood — unrelated.
E: To teach someone a lesson — unrelated.

Cetking shortcut: Literal options in idiom questions are almost always traps.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: 'To hit the nail (right) on the head' = to say or do exactly the right thing; to describe a situation or cause precisely. Among the options, 'to do the right thing' carries this sense.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: To destroy one's reputation — unrelated.
C: To announce fixed views — 'lay down the law'.
D: To look steadily — 'stare'.
E: To judge by appearance — unrelated.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning — match the idiom to 'accept a challenging assignment'.

Solution: 'Bite the bullet' = to force oneself to face a difficult situation bravely. 'She decided to bite the bullet and accept the challenging assignment' — fits perfectly (A).

Why the other options are wrong:
B: 'Bite the dust' = to die/fail — wrong.
C: 'Hit the nail on the head' (incomplete here) = to be exactly right — wrong.
D: 'Break the ice' = ease social tension — wrong.
E: 'Face the music' = face criticism/punishment for one's own mistakes — wrong context.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning — the sentence describes a bold, irreversible decision despite criticism.

Solution: 'Cross the Rubicon' (from Julius Caesar) = to pass a point of no return. 'Despite criticism, he decided to cross the Rubicon and launch his startup' — a decisive, irreversible step: A.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: 'Kick the bucket' = to die.
C: 'Spill the beans' = reveal a secret.
D: 'Break the ice' = ease initial awkwardness.
E: 'Beat around the bush' = avoid the main point.

Answer: A

Approach: Same idiom in every option — find the means that matches its meaning.

Solution: 'Sweep the issue under the carpet' = conceal or ignore a problem hoping it goes unnoticed. Only 'by ignoring it completely' (C) describes that.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Appointing an independent inquiry brings the issue out — contradiction.
B: Openly addressing it is the opposite.
D: Exposing corruption is the opposite.
E: Bringing media attention is the opposite.

Cetking shortcut: When the idiom is fixed, test only the 'by…' ending — four endings expose, one hides.

Answer: C

Approach: Same idiom in every option — find the ending that matches its meaning.

Solution: 'Let the cat out of the bag' = disclose a secret carelessly or prematurely. 'By accidentally revealing the merger details' (A) is exactly that.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: Safeguarding information is the opposite.
C: Refusing to comment reveals nothing.
D: Misleading reporters is deception, not revealing a secret.
E: Delaying an announcement reveals nothing.

Answer: A

Approach: Same idiom in every option — match the 'by…' ending.

Solution: 'Moving the goalposts' = changing the criteria/conditions mid-way so the other side cannot succeed. 'By changing conditions repeatedly' (B) fits exactly.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Demanding clarity does not change the rules.
C: Agreeing to fixed terms is the opposite.
D: Reaching a compromise is cooperation, not shifting terms.
E: Concluding talks early is unrelated.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning, supported by context.

Solution: Wolf in sheep's clothing = a dangerous person or thing pretending to be harmless. Scams 'promising rewards while stealing information' fit exactly — they are imposters.

Why the other options are wrong:
A Funny, B Sensitive, C Strange, D Quarrelsome — none conveys deception or false appearance.

Answer: E

Approach: Idiom meaning; 'dismissed as' signals a negative sense.

Solution: Whistling in the dark = acting confident to keep one's courage up when actually afraid or unsure. The CEO's claim was dismissed because it was baseless bravado, i.e. pretending confidence to hide fear or uncertainty.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, E — 'based on data/grounded in experience' contradicts the baseless sense.
B — ignores the fear that the idiom implies.
D — about defiance, not false confidence.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning, checked against the context.

Solution: Neither fish nor fowl = not clearly one thing or another; hard to classify. A versatile player with no clear role under the new coach is ambiguous, unable to assert himself.

Why the other options are wrong:
A Clear — the opposite.
B Useless — too strong; the idiom is about lack of a clear identity.
D Closed, E Introvert — unrelated to the idiom.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning: picture the literal image.

Solution: A hornet's nest is full of angry, stinging insects; disturbing it brings trouble. Figuratively, 'a hornet's nest' = an unpleasant, troublesome situation full of hostility.

Why the other options are wrong:
A A comfortable position / C Among roses / E Keeping the peace: all pleasant, opposite meaning.
D A dilemma: a choice between two bad options; the idiom is about trouble and anger, not choosing.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning from its origin.

Solution: A will-o'-the-wisp is a flickering light seen over marshes at night; travellers who followed it got lost. Figuratively it means anything that deludes, deceives or keeps escaping one's grasp, i.e. 'anything which eludes or deceives'.

Why the other options are wrong:
B / C: acting childishly or foolishly is not the meaning.
D Desires unbacked by efforts: that is 'wishful thinking', a different idea.
E Verity: means truth, the opposite of deception.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning: the first man had only one drink.

Solution: Adam, the first man, had nothing to drink but water. So 'Adam's ale' (also 'Adam's wine') = WATER.

Why the other options are wrong:
A Grace / B Pleasure: abstract qualities, not drinks.
D Juice / E Brew: real drinks, but the word 'ale' is a trap; the phrase means plain water.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: 'French leave' comes from the 18th-century custom of leaving a party without saying goodbye to the host. It now means being absent from work or duty WITHOUT PERMISSION.

Why the other options are wrong:
A Long absence: length is not the point; lack of permission is.
B Leave on the pretext of illness: that is a false excuse, but permission is still sought.
C Casual leave: an official, sanctioned leave.
E Holiday: an approved break.

Answer: D

Approach: Idiom meaning: picture a storm inside a tiny cup.

Solution: A storm is huge, a teacup is tiny. So 'a storm in a teacup' = a big fuss or much excitement over something trivial.

Why the other options are wrong:
A Unexpected event / E Expected event: the idiom is not about timing.
B A danger signal: no warning meaning.
D A great noise: captures the fuss but not the triviality of the cause.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: Above board = done openly and honestly, with nothing hidden (from card players keeping hands above the table). E.g. 'The deal was completely above board.'

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B: secretive/dishonest — opposites.
D, E: careless/confusing — unrelated.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: All agog = in a state of eager excitement or curiosity. E.g. 'The children were all agog at the circus.'

Why the other options are wrong:
A, E: angry / afraid — wrong emotion.
B, C: bored / calm — opposite of excitement.

Answer: D

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: (Make) one's hair stand on end = to cause great fear, horror or shock. E.g. 'The ghost story made my hair stand on end.'

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, E: happiness, confidence, pride — positive feelings; wrong.
C: laziness — unrelated.

Answer: D

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: Throw in the towel (from boxing, where a towel thrown into the ring signals surrender) = to give up, admit defeat.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: start a new journey — unrelated.
C: criticise harshly — unrelated.
D: celebrate victory — opposite.
E: hide feelings — unrelated.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning recall.

Solution: In boxing, a trainer throws a towel into the ring to concede the fight.
So 'throw in the towel' = admit defeat, give up.

Why the other options are wrong:
A — temptation is unrelated.
C — too narrow; it is not about jobs.
D — sacrifice is a different idea.
E — literal reading.

Cetking shortcut: Literal options (E) are almost never the meaning of an idiom.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning recall.

Solution: 'Break the ice' = do or say something to relieve tension and get people talking, especially at a first meeting.
→ to overcome social awkwardness.

Why the other options are wrong:
A — starting a fight is the opposite.
B — problem-solving is 'crack the problem'.
C — clearing misunderstanding is 'clear the air'.
D — literal reading.

Cetking shortcut: Pair it with its cousins: 'clear the air' (misunderstanding) vs 'break the ice' (awkwardness).

Answer: E

Approach: Idiom meaning recall.

Solution: Devil's advocate = someone who takes the opposing view for the sake of argument or to test the strength of an idea.
→ option E.

Why the other options are wrong:
A — that is 'calm before the storm'.
B — that is 'hear through the grapevine'.
C — that is 'jump on the bandwagon'.
D — literal reading of 'advocate'.

Cetking shortcut: Options A–C are definitions of other well-known idioms — eliminate them quickly.

Answer: E

Approach: Idiom meaning — "play hardball".

Solution: "play hardball" means to act in a tough, aggressive, uncompromising way to get what you want. A lawyer seeking a better settlement after weeks of talks turns tough — he used aggressive tactics.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: Lenient is the opposite.
C: Avoiding confrontation is the opposite.
D: Nothing is postponed.
E: Revealing secrets is unrelated.

Cetking shortcut: Context "to get a better settlement" already points to a forceful move — only A is forceful.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning — "beat around the bush".

Solution: "beat around the bush" means to avoid talking about the main point directly. "instead of giving a straight answer" confirms it: he avoided giving a direct answer.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: Clear and direct answer is the opposite.
C: Playing aggressively is "play hardball", not this idiom.
D: No secret is revealed.
E: No decision is made.

Cetking shortcut: The sentence itself contrasts the idiom with "a straight answer" — pick its opposite.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning — "pull one's socks up".

Solution: "pull one's socks up" means to make a greater effort and improve one's performance. A manager says it to a team before a deadline — work harder.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: Relax is the opposite.
C: Slow down is the opposite.
D: Taking a break is the opposite.
E: Quit is unrelated.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning — "take the bull by the horns".

Solution: "take the bull by the horns" means to face a difficult situation boldly and directly. "address the controversial issue directly" confirms: confront the issue boldly.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Avoiding is the opposite.
C: Complaining is not confronting.
D: Delaying is the opposite.
E: Ignoring is the opposite.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning — "rest on one's laurels".

Solution: "rest on one's laurels" means to be satisfied with past success and stop trying, i.e. become complacent. "Not to rest on their laurels" after a success = avoid becoming complacent.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: Stopping work immediately is too literal.
C: Relaxing and enjoying success is what resting on laurels is — the CEO warns against it.
D: Competing is unrelated.
E: Boasting is a different idea.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: 'Work against the clock' = work very fast to finish something before a deadline. So 'work in great hurry'.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: working late at night is not implied.
C: 'against all problems' — takes 'against' literally.
D, E: concentration / dedication may accompany it but are not the meaning — the core is time pressure.

Cetking shortcut: 'Clock' = time pressure → hurry.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: To make a clean breast of something = to confess it fully and frankly — "to confess without reserve" (option C).

Why the other options are wrong:
A To gain prominence / B To praise oneself / D To destroy before it blooms / E To appreciate someone: none relate to confessing.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: To catch a tartar = to tackle someone who turns out to be far too strong for you; to meet more than your match. That is option D, "To deal with a person who is more than one's match".

Why the other options are wrong:
A To trap wanted criminal with great difficulty / B To catch a dangerous person: literal readings of "catch"; the idiom is about the catcher being overpowered.
C To meet with disaster: too general.
E To meet an old friend: unrelated.

Cetking shortcut: Story behind it: a soldier shouts he has caught a Tartar, but the Tartar will not let him go — the captor is the one trapped.

Answer: D

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: To have an axe to grind = to have a private, selfish motive behind what one does — "a private end to serve" (option D).

Why the other options are wrong:
A To fail to arouse interest / B To have no result: unrelated.
C To work for both sides: that is double-dealing.
E To be unbiased: the opposite — an axe to grind means bias.

Answer: D

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: To pick holes (in something) = to find faults, to criticise — "to criticise someone" (option C).

Why the other options are wrong:
A To find some reason to quarrel: "pick a quarrel", a different idiom.
B To destroy something / D To cut some part of an item: literal readings.
E To find escape routes: unrelated.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: To look a gift horse in the mouth = to find fault with or be ungrateful about something received as a gift (from checking a gifted horse's teeth to judge its age). Option B.

Why the other options are wrong:
A Welcome a gift: the opposite.
C Be fastidious: too general.
D To be kind: unrelated.
E Examine a gift carefully: the literal action; the idiom stresses ungrateful fault-finding.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: Bone of contention = the cause of a quarrel or disagreement (like a bone that two dogs fight over).

Why the other options are wrong:
B. Reason for connection — the opposite idea.
C. Reason for a relationship — unrelated.
D. Reason for a friendship — opposite.
E. Reason of duty — unrelated.

Cetking shortcut: 'Contention' = dispute; only A has a quarrel.

Answer: A

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: Forty winks = a short sleep or nap, usually in the daytime — the same as a siesta (short afternoon rest).

Why the other options are wrong:
A. A long sleep — opposite; forty winks is short.
C. Disquiet — anxiety.
D. Toil — hard work.
E. Bustle — busy activity.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: Knit one's brow = draw the eyebrows together, i.e. frown — a sign of displeasure or anger. Among the options, 'to get angry' fits.

Why the other options are wrong:
A. To be happy — a frown is not happiness.
B. To enjoy — opposite.
D. To get hungry — unrelated.
E. To get thirsty — unrelated.

Answer: C

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: At daggers drawn (with) = bitterly hostile, ready to fight — i.e. enmity.

Why the other options are wrong:
A. To be friends — opposite.
B. On good terms — opposite.
C. Compatible — opposite.
E. In accordance — means in agreement.

Cetking shortcut: Four options mean 'friendly/agreeing' — the lone hostile one is the answer.

Answer: D

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: To catch a tartar = to take on someone or something that turns out far tougher or harder to handle than expected. So it means to deal with someone or something difficult to handle.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: 'tricky path' describes a situation, not a tough opponent.
C: reputation is not involved.
D: the literal reading; the idiom is about unexpected difficulty, not danger.
E: being stuck is too general and misses the idea of a formidable opponent.

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning (British informal).

Solution: (As) thick as two short planks = very stupid. 'Thick' means dull-witted, and a short plank is thick for its length. So it means having a lack of intelligence. Example: 'He's a skilled footballer, but he's as thick as two short planks.'

Why the other options are wrong:
A: trouble is not implied.
C, D: unrelated.
E: 'thick with someone' (close friends) is a different idiom.

Cetking shortcut: 'Thick' in idioms usually means stupid ('thick-headed').

Answer: B

Approach: Idiom meaning.

Solution: On the breadline = extremely poor, with barely enough money to live (from queues for free bread). So it means being in a condition of poverty.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, D: diet or weight puns on 'bread'.
B: a risky position is 'on the line' or 'on thin ice'.
C: boredom is unrelated.

Answer: E