| Throw down the gauntlet | To challenge |
| Eat humble pie | To be forced to admit that you are wrong |
| Hullabaloo | A very noisy and confused situation |
| All eyes | Watching very closely |
| Write off | To regard or concede to be lost |
| Bosom friends | Close friends |
| Hook, line and sinker | Completely, without hesitation |
| Ridicule | To deride |
| Iron-willed | Of strong determination |
| Rise to the occasion | To meet the challenge of an event |
| Steady | Stable, uniform |
| Catch eyes of | To attract attention |
| Fast and furious | Swiftly, intensely and energetically |
| Down to earth | Humble |
| A far cry | Notably different |
| Every Tom, Dick and Harry | Everyone without discrimination |
| Seal the fate | End in failure |
| Get the flak | To receive criticism |
| To receive with open arms | To welcome |
| Here to stay | Set to remain for a long period |
| Change the gear | Change one's approach in handling a problem |
| Go great guns | Progress very well |
| Under the gun | Under pressure to do something |
| Once bitten twice shy | Taking precautions after a bad experience |
| Pick up the pieces | To repair damage done to life |
| Plain sailing | Easy progress over an unobstructed course |
| Sweat of the brow | Hard labour |
| Ubiquitous | Universal |
| Pan India | Present throughout India |
| Paedophilic | One who has sexual desires with children |
| Sadist | One who derives pleasure from others’ pain |
| Aggravation | To worsen |
| Fabian policy | Policy of delaying decisions |
| Fly in the face of | To defy |
| Speak volumes of | To show clearly |
| Heinous | Very bad or evil |
| Abominable | Fit to be hated |
| Snap fingers at | To show contempt |
| Toil and moil | Hard labour |
| At a loose end | Idle/unoccupied |
| Back breaking | Physically demanding |
| Keep the wolves away from the door | To avoid starvation |
| Futile | Fruitless |
| At close quarters | Close examination |
| Dead broke | Penniless |
| Down and out | Poor and ruined |
| Great hand | Expert |
| Fight to the finish | Fight till the end |
| Fool’s errand | Useless undertaking |
| Square meals | Sufficient nourishing food |
| Small fry | Not important person |
| Green horns | Inexperienced |
| Grease the palm | To bribe |
| Good Samaritan | One who helps strangers |
| Give a wide berth | To avoid |
| Big fish | Influential people |
| Spill the beans | To reveal a secret |
| Take up the cudgels | To support or defend |
| Necessary evil | Something wrong but essential |
| Pass the buck | To blame others |
| Play the gallery | To gain cheap popularity |
| Turn a hair | Show reaction |
| Elite | High class |
| Wash hands of | To have nothing to do |
| Rampant | Widespread |
| Deep rooted | Existing for a long time and difficult to change |
| Rank and file | Ordinary people |
| Run short of | Lack |
| A shot in the arm | To encourage |
| Uphill task | Difficult task |
| Clear writing on the wall | A warning |
| Steer clear of | To avoid |
