12. Idioms (Day 12)

Here are another 10 idioms commonly used in the competitive exam, along with their meanings and examples:

1. No avail:(कोई फ़ायदा नहीं) something has not produced the desired result or has been ineffective.

Example: Despite his best efforts to fix the broken computer, his troubleshooting skills were of no avail, and the device remained non-functional.

2. Wee hours: (सुबह के पहले घंटे) the early hours of the morning, specifically the hours shortly before dawn.

Example: After staying up all night to finish the project, she finally went to bed in the wee hours of the morning, just as the first light of dawn was beginning to break.

3. Scores brace:( दो गोल दर्ज करना) a situation in sports, particularly in soccer (football), where a player scores two goals in a single match. In this context, "brace" means a pair or two similar things together.

Example: In yesterday's soccer match, Emma led her team to victory as she scored a brace, netting two incredible goals and securing a 2-1 win against their rival team.

In this sentence, "scores a brace" indicates that Emma scored two goals during the match, which significantly contributed to her team's success.

4. Lock horns:("टकराना" या "सीधे मुक़ाबले में आना") to engage in a conflict or argument, often with a sense of strong opposition or disagreement. It's often used to describe two individuals or groups who are in a heated dispute or confrontation.

Example: The two political leaders locked horns during the debate, each passionately defending their stance on the controversial issue of healthcare reform.

In this sentence, "locked horns" emphasizes the intense and adversarial nature of the disagreement between the political leaders during the debate.

 

5. Blow out of the water: ("बिल्कुल हराना" या "अप्रत्याशित रूप से मात देना") to defeat or surpass someone or something decisively and unexpectedly. It often implies a significant level of superiority or achievement. 

Example: The underdog team's exceptional performance in the championship match blew the favored opponents out of the water, leaving everyone stunned by their remarkable victory.

In this sentence, "blew out of the water" conveys the idea that the underdog team's victory was so impressive and unexpected that it completely surpassed the performance and expectations of the favored opponents.

6. Changing of the guard: A formal transition of authority or leadership from one group or individual to another. It often implies a shift in power, responsibility, or control.

Example: The retirement of the company's founder marked a significant changing of the guard, as a new generation of leaders stepped up to guide the company into its next phase of growth.

In this sentence, "changing of the guard" emphasizes the notable transition from the old leadership to the new, and the metaphor of a guard change underscores the shift in authority within the company.

7. Whisker away:( "बाल-बाल बच जाना" या "अत्यधिक संकट से मुक्त होना") to narrowly escape from a difficult or dangerous situation. It implies that the person or thing was very close to facing the situation but managed to avoid it at the last moment.

Example: The hiker was whisker away from falling off the cliff, but he managed to grab onto a small rock and pull himself to safety.

8. Fag end:("आख़िरी हिस्सा" or "अंतिम भाग.") the very last part or the tail end of something. It's often used to describe the final, often insignificant or unimportant, portion of a time period, event, object, or situation. The term can be used both literally and metaphorically.

Example: I stayed at the party until the fag end, even though most people had already left.

In this sentence, "whisker away" emphasizes the close call the hiker had with danger, highlighting how he narrowly avoided a potentially life-threatening situation.

9. Up in arms:("गुस्से में होना" or "क्रोधित होना.") When someone is "up in arms," it means they are extremely angry, outraged, or agitated about something. This phrase is often used to describe a situation where people are strongly protesting or expressing their discontent about a particular issue.

Example: The citizens were up in arms against the government's decision to raise taxes.

10. Keep on rolling:("जारी रखना" or "आगे बढ़ते रहना.") to continue moving forward or progressing, often in a steady and persistent manner. It can be used in various contexts to encourage someone to maintain their efforts or activities without stopping.

Example: Despite the challenges, we need to keep on rolling with our project until it's completed.

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