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Idioms and phrases with Hindi meanings

A blessing in disguise

something good that first seemed bad

Hindi: छिपा हुआ वरदान

A piece of cake

very easy

Hindi: बहुत आसान

At the eleventh hour

at the last moment

Hindi: अंतिम क्षण में

Beat around the bush

avoid saying something directly

Hindi: घुमा-फिराकर बात करना

Bite the bullet

face something difficult bravely

Hindi: कठिनाई का साहस से सामना करना

Break the ice

start a conversation in a new group

Hindi: झिझक तोड़ना

Burn the midnight oil

work or study late at night

Hindi: देर रात तक पढ़ना/काम करना

By leaps and bounds

very quickly

Hindi: बहुत तेज़ी से

Call it a day

stop working for the day

Hindi: आज का काम समाप्त करना

Cry over spilt milk

regret what cannot be changed

Hindi: बीती बात पर पछताना

Cut corners

do something cheaply or carelessly

Hindi: लापरवाही से काम करना

Face the music

accept the results of one's actions

Hindi: परिणाम भुगतना

Get cold feet

become nervous before something

Hindi: घबरा जाना

Hit the nail on the head

say exactly the right thing

Hindi: बिल्कुल सही बात कहना

In hot water

in trouble

Hindi: मुसीबत में

Keep one's fingers crossed

hope for good luck

Hindi: अच्छे की उम्मीद करना

Let the cat out of the bag

reveal a secret

Hindi: भेद खोल देना

Miss the boat

lose an opportunity

Hindi: अवसर गँवाना

Once in a blue moon

very rarely

Hindi: बहुत कम

Pull someone's leg

joke with someone

Hindi: मज़ाक करना

Red-letter day

a very important day

Hindi: यादगार दिन

Spill the beans

reveal secret information

Hindi: राज़ खोलना

Take with a pinch of salt

not believe completely

Hindi: पूरी तरह विश्वास न करना

The ball is in your court

it is your decision now

Hindi: अब फ़ैसला आपके हाथ में

Under the weather

slightly ill

Hindi: अस्वस्थ

A hot potato

a difficult, controversial issue

Hindi: विवादास्पद मुद्दा

Add fuel to the fire

make a bad situation worse

Hindi: आग में घी डालना

At sixes and sevens

in confusion

Hindi: अस्त-व्यस्त

Bury the hatchet

make peace

Hindi: दुश्मनी ख़त्म करना

Cat and dog life

a life full of quarrels

Hindi: झगड़ों भरा जीवन

Feather in one's cap

an achievement to be proud of

Hindi: गौरव की बात

Hand in glove

very closely associated

Hindi: घनिष्ठ मिलीभगत

Herculean task

a very difficult task

Hindi: अत्यंत कठिन कार्य

In black and white

in writing

Hindi: लिखित रूप में

Kith and kin

friends and relatives

Hindi: सगे-संबंधी

Lion's share

the largest part

Hindi: सबसे बड़ा हिस्सा

Null and void

having no legal force

Hindi: अमान्य

Through thick and thin

in good times and bad

Hindi: हर परिस्थिति में

To turn a deaf ear

to ignore

Hindi: अनसुना करना

Wild goose chase

a hopeless search

Hindi: व्यर्थ की खोज

A bolt from the blue

a complete surprise

Hindi: अचानक आई ख़बर

A hard nut to crack

a difficult person or problem

Hindi: कठिन समस्या

A stone's throw

a very short distance

Hindi: बहुत पास

Beat about the bush

to avoid the main point

Hindi: बात घुमाना

By hook or by crook

by any means

Hindi: किसी भी तरह

Call a spade a spade

to speak frankly

Hindi: साफ़-साफ़ कहना

Down to earth

practical and humble

Hindi: व्यावहारिक और विनम्र

Fish out of water

uncomfortable in a new situation

Hindi: असहज स्थिति में

Leave no stone unturned

to try every possible way

Hindi: कोई कसर न छोड़ना

Make both ends meet

to manage with little money

Hindi: गुज़ारा करना

Nip in the bud

to stop something at an early stage

Hindi: शुरू में ही ख़त्म करना

Over the moon

extremely happy

Hindi: बहुत ख़ुश

Put all eggs in one basket

to risk everything on one plan

Hindi: सब कुछ एक ही दाँव पर लगाना

See eye to eye

to agree

Hindi: सहमत होना

Throw in the towel

to give up

Hindi: हार मान लेना

Up in arms

very angry and protesting

Hindi: विरोध में खड़ा होना

When pigs fly

something that will never happen

Hindi: कभी नहीं होगा

A drop in the ocean

a very small amount compared to what is needed

Hindi: ऊँट के मुँह में जीरा

A white elephant

a costly thing that is of little use

Hindi: सफ़ेद हाथी (ख़र्चीली बेकार चीज़)

An axe to grind

a selfish motive

Hindi: निजी स्वार्थ

Bad blood

ill feeling between people

Hindi: मनमुटाव

Between the devil and the deep sea

between two equally bad choices

Hindi: दो मुसीबतों के बीच

Blow one's own trumpet

to praise oneself

Hindi: अपने मुँह मियाँ मिट्ठू बनना

Born with a silver spoon

born into a rich family

Hindi: अमीर घर में जन्मा

Cast pearls before swine

to offer something valuable to those who cannot value it

Hindi: बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद

Crocodile tears

false sorrow

Hindi: घड़ियाली आँसू

Cut no ice

to have no effect

Hindi: कोई असर न होना

Dark horse

a little-known competitor who wins

Hindi: छुपा रुस्तम

Fly off the handle

to lose one's temper suddenly

Hindi: अचानक भड़क उठना

Get the sack

to be dismissed from a job

Hindi: नौकरी से निकाला जाना

Hang by a thread

to be in great danger

Hindi: बड़े ख़तरे में होना

Have too many irons in the fire

to be involved in too many activities

Hindi: एक साथ बहुत से काम

Hold one's horses

to wait and be patient

Hindi: धैर्य रखना

Jump on the bandwagon

to follow a popular trend

Hindi: भेड़चाल में शामिल होना

Keep the wolf from the door

to have just enough to survive

Hindi: गुज़ारा चलाना

Make a mountain of a molehill

to exaggerate a small problem

Hindi: राई का पहाड़ बनाना

Man of letters

a scholar or writer

Hindi: विद्वान

Midas touch

ability to make money from everything

Hindi: हर काम में सफलता

Off the cuff

without preparation

Hindi: बिना तैयारी

On cloud nine

extremely happy

Hindi: बहुत प्रसन्न

Out of the blue

unexpectedly

Hindi: अचानक

Pay through the nose

to pay too much

Hindi: बहुत अधिक क़ीमत चुकाना

Rain cats and dogs

to rain heavily

Hindi: मूसलाधार बारिश

Rank and file

ordinary members

Hindi: आम सदस्य

Sit on the fence

to avoid taking sides

Hindi: तटस्थ रहना

Smell a rat

to suspect something wrong

Hindi: गड़बड़ी का शक होना

Steal the show

to attract the most attention

Hindi: सबका ध्यान खींचना

Take the bull by the horns

to face a problem boldly

Hindi: समस्या का डटकर सामना करना

Turn a deaf ear

to ignore

Hindi: अनसुना करना

Turn over a new leaf

to change one's behaviour for the better

Hindi: नई शुरुआत करना