CUET English - Vocabulary - Idioms | Free Questions

Q1:

2026: 7 June Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the correct option to complete the given sentence:

The workers _________to keep the factory running.

lived like fighting cocks

became tough nuts

put their shoulder to the wheel

faced the music

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q2:

2026: 7 June Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms given in List-I with the most appropriate meanings given in List-II

List-I	List-II
Idioms	Meanings
(A) With flying colours	(I) To be openly at variance with what is usual or accepted
(B) Fly off the handle	(II) To achieve something with distinction
(C) Fly a kite	(III) To lose one's temper suddenly
(D) Fly in the face of	(IV) To try something to test public opinion

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (III), (B) - (II), (C) - (I), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

(A) - (II), (B) - (III), (C) - (IV), (D) - (I)

Correct Answer

Option 4

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q3:

2026: 7 June Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

Choose the meaning of the idiom used in the following sentence:

The boy had a nice holiday, but the landlord's rebuke took the gilt off the gingerbread.

upset the mood

spoilt the taste of the ginger bread

rendered it more charming

made it brown in colour

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q4:

2026: 6 June Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms given in List-I with their meanings given in List-II

List-I (Idioms)	List-II (Meanings)
(A) Eat one's words	(I) Straightforward
(B) Fair and square	(II) Expressionless
(C) Play with fire	(III) Admit one's mistakes humbly
(D) Poker-faced	(IV) To do something dangerous

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (II), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (III), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (I)

(A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

Correct Answer

Option 4

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q5:

2026: 6 June Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

Fill in the blanks in the sentences given in List-I with the appropriate Idioms given in List-II

List-I (Sentences)	List-II (Idioms)
(A) The persuasive powers of his friends proved successful and he _______.	(I) to live the life of Reilly
(B) After inheriting her family fortunes, she is going ________.	(II) hold your horses
(C) Please __________ and do not jump to unfounded conclusions.	(III) cloud nine
(D) When my brother was selected in the NDA, he was on _________.	(IV) knuckled under

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A) - (IV), (B) - (I), (C) - (II), (D) - (III)

(A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

(A) - (I), (B) - (III), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

(A) - (II), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q6:

2026: 6 June Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms given in List-I with their meanings given in List-II

List-I (Idioms)	List-II (Meanings)
(A) Hands full	(I) Leave in a difficult situation
(B) Hand in glove with	(II) To be busy
(C) grease someone's palm	(III) To be closely associated with
(D) Leave in the lurch	(IV) To bribe someone

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (II), (B) - (I), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (II), (B) - (III), (C) - (IV), (D) - (I)

(A) - (IV), (B) - (I), (C) - (III), (D) - (II)

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q7:

2026: 31 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

Match the idioms given in List-I with their meanings given in List-II

List-I		List-II
A.	Rule the roost	I.	young and not much experience of life
B.	Salad days	II.	perfectly contented with your situation
C.	The salt of the earth	III.	be in complete control
D.	Happy as a sandboy	IV.	a person of great kindness, reliability, or honesty.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A-II, B-I, C-III, D-IV

A-IV, B-II, C-III, D-I

A-I, B-IV, C-II, D-III

A-III, B-I, C-IV, D-II

Correct Answer

Option 4

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q8:

2026: 31 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

Match the proverbs in List-I with their meanings given in List-II

List-I		List-II
A.	Make haste slowly	I.	Kindness should be reciprocal.
B.	Man proposes but god disposes	II.	Even the most gifted are not always at their best.
C.	One good turn deserves another	III.	Man intends one thing, fate another.
D.	Even Homer sometimes nods	IV.	The best way to progress is to proceed with caution.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A-II, B-I, C-III, D-IV

A-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV

A-I, B-IV, C-II, D-III

A-IV, B-III, C-I, D-II

Correct Answer

Option 4

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q9:

2026: 31 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

Match the idioms in List-I with their meanings given in List-II

List-I		List-II
A.	At daggers drawn	I.	To go through a dangerous experience
B.	Die is cast	II.	In a state of bitter enmity
C.	Dead as a dodo	III.	An irrevocable step has been taken
D.	To run the gauntlet	IV.	Obsolete

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A-I, B-III, C-II, D-IV

A-II, B-III, C-IV, D-I

A-III, B-II, C-IV, D-I

A-II, B-III, C-I, D-IV

Correct Answer

Option 2

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q10:

2026: 31 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the appropriate idiom from the options to complete the given sentence:

The patriarch was __________ with the househelp in poisioning the halwa.

in cahoot

in tune

in doldrums

in a tight corner

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q11:

2026: 31 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: A dark horse from the given options:

Someone about whom very little is known

An extraordinarily handsome man

An expensive possession

Somebody who has a thick skin

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q12:

2026: 31 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms /proverbs given in LIST-I with their meanings given in LIST-II

LIST-I (Idiom/Proverb)	LIST-II (Meaning)
A. As clear as mud	I. Cease activity for the rest of the day
B. Wet behind the ears	II. Make wrong assumptions about something
C. Call it a day	III. To be very young and inexperienced
D. Bark up the wrong tree	IV. Impossible to understand

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A - III, B - II, C - IV, D - I

A - II, B - IV, C - I, D - III

A - IV, B - III, C - I, D - II

A - I, B - IV, C - III, D - II

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q13:

2026: 31 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the option which best describes the expression: Banana Republic.

A system of government where only the landowners are allowed to cast vote.

An alternate court wherein commonfolk decide the punishment to be meted out to a criminal.

A small country whose economy is dominated by a single export controlled by foreign capital.

A cashless agrarian economy.

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q14:

2026: 30 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the Proverbs in List I with their meanings in List-II

List I (Proverb)	List-II (Meaning)
(A) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder	(I) Taking precautions beforehand is better than dealing with it later.
(B) Man proposes but God disposes	(II) Think carefully before acting. Beware of making a sudden, rash decision.
(C) Prevention is better than cure	(III) People may make plans, but have no control over the outcome.
(D) Look before you leap	(IV) One person's aesthetic sensibilities may differ from another's.

Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

(A) - (IV), (B) - (III), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

(A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q15:

2026: 30 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms given in List I with the appropriate meanings given in List-II

List I (Idioms)	List-II (Meanings)
(A) Bird's eye view	(I) search with no hope of success.
(B) A wild goose chase	(II) to stop doing something.
(C) Lay hands on	(III) a general view of something.
(D) To call it a day.	(IV) get possession of

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

(A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q16:

2026: 30 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the most appropriate option that best expresses the meaning of the following idiom:

A Red Letter Day.

A dangerous day in one's life.

A sorrowful day in one's life.

A memorable day in one's life.

An insignificant day in one's life.

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q17:

2026: 30 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the correct meaning of the underlined idiom from the options given below.

He has too many irons in the fire.

Is engaged in too many enterprises at the same time

Has many problems.

Has many ideas in his mind

Has a fire burning continuously in his house

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q18:

2026: 30 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms in List-I with their meanings given in List-II

LIST-I (Idioms)		LIST-II (Meanings)
A. Earth shattering		I. Meet complete failure
B. Hornet's nest		II. Extremely traumatic
C. Meet one's Waterloo		III. Under all conditions
D. Through thick and thin		IV. A disputable situation

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A - I, B - III, C - II, D - IV

A - II, B - I, C - III, D - IV

A - III, B - II, C - IV, D - I

A - II, B - IV, C - I, D - III

Correct Answer

Option 4

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q19:

2026: 30 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.

To save her skin, she confessed many details______ the record.

at

of

off

in

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q20:

2026: 29 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms given in List-I with their meanings given in List-II.

	LIST-I (Idioms)		LIST-II (Meanings)
A.	Build castles in the air	I.	The art of speaking
B.	To have the gift of the gab	II.	To keep starvation at bay
C.	Keep the wolf from the door	III.	To make visionary schemes
D.	Lead up the garden path	IV.	To cheat

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A-IV, B-I, C-II, D-III

A-III, B-II, C-IV, D-I

A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV

A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q21:

2026: 29 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank in the given sentence:

The CFO refused the last minute invitation to the meeting of the company as it was not in his character to _______ to the general manager.

play second fiddle

take a leap in the dark

take time by the furlock

play truant

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q22:

2026: 29 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank in the given sentence:

Please think carefully before you sign the contract, once done you will have _______.

crossed the Rubicon

blown the trumpet

ruled the roost

to turn over a new leaf

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q23:

2026: 29 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

From my discourse with Mr. Lloyd, I gathered enough of hope to suffice as a motive for wishing to get well; a change seemed near, - I desired and waited for it in silence. It tarried, however; days and weeks passed: I had regained my normal state of health, but no new allusion was made to the subject over which I brooded. Mrs. Reed surveyed me at times with a severe eye, but seldom addressed me: since my illness, she had drawn a more marked line of separation than ever between me and her own children; appointing me a small closet to sleep in by myself, condemning me to take my meals alone, and pass all my time in the nursery, while my cousins were constantly in the drawing room. Not a hint, however, did she drop about sending me to school: still I felt an instinctive certainty that she would not endure me under the same roof with her; for her glance, when turned on me, expressed an insuperable and rooted aversion.

Eliza and Georgina, evidently acting according to orders, spoke to me as little as possible: John thrust his tongue in his cheek whenever he saw me, and once attempted chastisement; but as I instantly turned against him, he thought it better to desist, and ran from me uttering execrations, vowing I had burst his nose. I heard him in a blubbering tone commence the tale of how "that nasty Jane Eyre" had flown at him like a mad cat: he was stopped rather harshly by his mother, Mrs. Reed-

"Don't talk to me about her, John: I had told you not to go near her; she is not worthy of notice; I do not choose that either you or your sisters should associate with her."

Here, leaning over the banister, I cried out suddenly, and without at all deliberating on my words;

"They are not fit to associate with me."

As per the passage, Jane Eyre responds only when she _______.

has burnt her boats

is driven up the wall

is out of sorts

has to cool her heels

Correct Answer

Option 2

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q24:

2026: 26 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

Which of the following idioms are correct in meaning?

(A). Pay off old scores means to pay the amount back.

(B). Pass the buck means shirk responsibility.

(C). Plough the sands means to work hard.

(D). Play ducks and drakes means to squander money.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:-

(A) and (B) only

(B) and (D) only

(B) and (C) only

(A), (B) and (D) only

Correct Answer

Option 2

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q25:

2026: 26 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the Idioms given in List-I with their meanings given in List-II:-

List-I (Idioms)	List-II (Meanings)
(A) Off and on	(I) A close relative
(B) Hand in glove	(II) Intermittenly
(C) Flesh and blood	(III) Accept humiliation
(D) To eat humble pie	(IV) In close collusion

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:-

(A) - (II), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

(A) - (II), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

(A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

Correct Answer

Option 1

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q26:

2026: 26 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the most appropriate option for the correct meaning of the following phrase:

Don't upset the apple cart by opting out of the project.

put the cart in front of the horse

throw the apples in anger

spoil a well organised plan

get frivolous

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q27:

2026: 25 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Choose the most appropriate idiom out of the given options to complete the following sentence:

The popularity of yesteryears' heroes is _________

in want

in black and white

in cold shelf

on the wane

Correct Answer

Option 4

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q28:

2026: 25 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Medium

Choose the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom:

to put somebody through it

to restrain another's extravagance

to prove to be a serious barrier

to be unpleasantly surprised

to inflict an unpleasant experience

Correct Answer

Option 4

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q29:

2026: 25 May Shift 2

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Select the correct meaning of the idiom from the choices mentioned below:

Yellow journalism

Paid storytelling

Government reports published on yellow-colored papers

Writings in newspapers that try to influence people's opinion by exaggerated and false information

Journalism which agrees completely with the policies of the government and capitalists

Correct Answer

Option 3

Correct Answer

Explanation

Q30:

2026: 25 May Shift 1

Vocabulary

>

Idioms

Easy

Match the idioms given in List I with their meanings given in List II:-

LIST-I (Idioms)	LIST-II (Meanings)
A. To eat humble pie	I. Quite worthless
B. Not worth one's salt	II. To apologize
C. To eat one's words	III. Not to pay attention
D. Turn a deaf ear	IV. Retract your statements

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A - I, B - II, C - III, D-IV

A - II, B - I, C - IV, D- III

A - I, B - III, C - IV,D - II

A - IV, B - I, C - II, D-III

Correct Answer

Option 2

Correct Answer

Explanation

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