Real questions: TNPSC previous year questions (Group 2 2022, Group 2 2024, Group 2/2A Prelims 2025 and Group 4 2025 as marked in the PYQ bank; 2025 official tentative key). Meanings, word lists and practice questions: ArivArk Academy, checked against standard dictionaries (Oxford Learner's, Cambridge, Merriam-Webster).
The basics
Idiom = a group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the single words. It rains cats and dogs has no cats and no dogs in it: it means it rains very heavily.
Phrase (in these questions) = a short fixed group of words with its own meaning, like at large (free, not caught) or given to (in the habit of).
Phrasal verb = a verb + a small word (up, in, off, out, after, into ...). The small word changes the meaning: give up = stop doing something, give in = stop resisting and agree.
The one-line rule: never translate an idiom or a phrasal verb word by word. Learn it as one unit, with one example sentence.
How often does this come? Recent TNPSC papers asked 13 questions on idioms, phrases and phrasal verbs (all printed in this PDF): 4 on idioms, 4 on the meaning of a phrase and 5 on phrasal verbs. Most are "choose the meaning", "match" or "fill the blank".
Study plan: learn the PYQ items first (marked PYQ in the tables), then one table a day. Say each one aloud in your own sentence.
Idioms from real papers
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| rain cats and dogs PYQ | rain very heavily | It rained cats and dogs all night. |
| browbeat (someone) PYQ | frighten or bully someone with stern words or looks | He browbeat the clerk into signing. |
| knit the brow (knit your brows) PYQ | frown, in worry or anger | She knit her brows over the hard sum. |
| at large PYQ | (of a criminal or a dangerous animal) free, not caught | The thief is still at large. |
| pass the buck PYQ | shift the responsibility or blame to someone else | Do not pass the buck; own your mistake. |
| sleep like a log PYQ | sleep very deeply | After the long trip, he slept like a log. |
| upset the apple cart PYQ | spoil a plan or an arrangement | One late payment upset the apple cart. |
| a kettle of fish PYQ | a difficult or awkward situation; "a different kettle of fish" = a completely different matter | Speaking is a different kettle of fish from writing. |
More idioms to know
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a piece of cake | something very easy | The test was a piece of cake. |
| once in a blue moon | very rarely | He visits us once in a blue moon. |
| break the ice | start a conversation in a shy or tense group | A joke broke the ice. |
| bite the bullet | face something unpleasant bravely | She bit the bullet and told the truth. |
| hit the nail on the head | say exactly the right thing | You hit the nail on the head. |
| burn the midnight oil | work or study late into the night | Before the exam, he burnt the midnight oil. |
| in hot water | in trouble | He is in hot water for coming late. |
| spill the beans / let the cat out of the bag | tell a secret (often by mistake) | Who spilled the beans? |
| cry over spilt milk | be sad about something that cannot be changed | It is no use crying over spilt milk. |
| a blessing in disguise | something that seems bad but turns out good | Missing the bus was a blessing in disguise. |
| add fuel to the fire | make an angry situation worse | His remark added fuel to the fire. |
| turn a deaf ear | refuse to listen | He turned a deaf ear to our advice. |
Phrases from real papers
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cast down PYQ | sad, dejected | She was cast down by the result. |
| given to PYQ | in the habit of, accustomed to | He is given to telling long stories. |
| reconcile (yourself) to PYQ | accept something unpleasant that you cannot change | He reconciled himself to the loss. |
| at large PYQ | free, not caught | The tiger is still at large. |
| in the context of time: run out PYQ | have no time left; be used up completely | Time ran out before I finished. |
Phrasal verbs: one verb, a small word, a new meaning
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| give up | stop doing or having something | He gave up smoking. |
| give in | stop resisting; agree to what someone wants | The child cried, and his mother gave in. |
| put off | postpone | The meeting was put off. |
| put up with | tolerate | I can't put up with this noise. |
| put out | stop a fire or a light burning | They put out the fire. |
| call off | cancel | The match was called off because of rain. |
| carry out | do, perform (a plan, an order, a test) | The doctors carried out tests. |
| bring up | raise a child; mention a subject | She was brought up by her aunt. |
| turn down | refuse (an offer or a request) | He turned down the job. |
| take off PYQ | (of a plane) leave the ground | The plane took off on time. |
| ring (someone) up PYQ | telephone someone | You'd better ring her up. |
| drop in PYQ | make a short, casual visit | Drop in any time. |
| do without PYQ | manage without something | If you can't afford it, do without it. |
| try out PYQ | test something to see how good it is | Try the car out on the road first. |
| get along with PYQ | have a friendly relationship with | She gets along with everyone. |
| come across PYQ | meet or find by chance | I came across an old friend. |
| run out (of) PYQ | be used up completely; have none left | We have run out of milk. |
| go away PYQ | leave a place | Please go away. |
The FALL family
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| fall out (with) PYQ | quarrel | The brothers fell out over land. |
| fall for PYQ | be attracted to, be charmed by; also, be tricked by | She fell for the city. |
| fall flat PYQ | fail completely to have the effect you wanted | His joke fell flat. |
| fall foul of PYQ | come into conflict with (a rule, a person) | He fell foul of the law. |
The LOOK family
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| look after PYQ | take care of | She looks after her mother. |
| look into PYQ | investigate | The officer will look into the matter. |
| look up to PYQ | respect, admire | Children look up to their teachers. |
| look up PYQ | search for a word or a fact in a dictionary or a book | Look up the word in a dictionary. |
| look out PYQ | be careful (used as a warning) | Look out! A car is coming. |
| look for | try to find | I am looking for my keys. |
| look forward to | wait for something with pleasure | I look forward to the holidays. |
| look down on | think you are better than someone | Never look down on anyone. |
How to solve these questions
Step 1. Read the whole sentence first. The sentence tells you which meaning fits.
Step 2. Ask: what fits here? Put each option in place of the idiom and read the sentence again. Only one makes sense.
Step 3. Drop the word-by-word option. The examiners always add an option that translates the words literally (cats and dogs = animals; fall flat = fall on the floor). An idiom always has a hidden meaning.
For a match: fix the pairs you are sure of first, then look for the one code that has them. Often two sure pairs are enough.
Common mistakes
| Do not mix up | The difference |
|---|---|
| fall flat | NOT "fall on the floor": it means fail completely (a plan, a joke, a speech). |
| look after vs look into | look after = take care of (a person, a thing); look into = investigate (a matter, a complaint). |
| give up vs give in | give up = stop doing something (a habit, a try); give in = stop resisting and agree. |
| look up vs look up to | look up a word = search for it; look up to a person = respect them. One small word changes the meaning. |
| put off vs put out | put off = postpone; put out = stop a fire or a light. |
| at large | NOT "big" or "in general" in these questions: a criminal at large is free, not caught. |
| pass the buck | NOT money: it means shifting the blame or the duty to someone else. |
TNPSC PYQs: all 13 questions with answers
It rains cats and dogs.
Answer: (B) Heavily. It rains cats and dogs = it rains very heavily. The paper calls it a collocation; it is a standard idiom. (The opening question of the video.)
1. To browbeat, bully 2. To be at large, to blame each other 3. To knit the brow, to frown 4. To pass the buck, free
Answer: (B) 2 and 4. The meanings of 2 and 4 are swapped: at large = free; pass the buck = shift the blame to someone else. Pairs 1 and 3 are correct.
(a) Fall out (b) Fall for (c) Fall flat (d) Fall foul of
1. to collapse 2. to come into collision 3. yield to its charms 4. to quarrel
Answer: (A) 4 3 1 2. fall out = quarrel (4), fall for = be charmed by (3), fall flat = fail, "collapse" (1), fall foul of = come into conflict (2).
Answer: (D) Take care of. look after = take care of. "Investigate the matter" is look into; "watch out" is look out.
Answer: (D) 4 3 2 1 (official tentative key). Our copy has only the four verbs and the key, not the meanings column or the codes. Learn the meanings: look out = be careful; look into = investigate; look up to = respect; look up = search for a word or fact.
Answer: (B) 3 4 1 2 (official tentative key). Our copy has only the idioms and the key; the fourth idiom could not be read clearly in our copy, so it is not printed. Learn the meanings: sleep like a log = sleep very deeply; a kettle of fish = a difficult situation (a different kettle of fish = a different matter); upset the apple cart = spoil a plan.
1. You'd better ring her ____ and tell her you'll be late. 2. I invited her to drop ____ any time she was passing for a cup of tea. 3. If you can't afford it, you'll have to do ____ it. 4. He won't buy the car without trying it ____ on the road first.
(a) out (b) in (c) up (d) without
Answer: (D) 1-(c) 2-(b) 3-(d) 4-(a). ring her up (telephone), drop in (a short visit), do without (manage without), try it out (test it).
Answer: (C) take off. take off = the moment a plane leaves the ground.
Answer: (B) Dejected. cast down = sad, dejected. (This is the question from the end of the video.)
Answer: (B) Accustomed to. given to = in the habit of, accustomed to: He is given to exaggeration.
Answer: (B) Accept half heartedly. The answer marked in the PYQ bank. Note: a dictionary gives "reconcile yourself to" = accept something unpleasant that you cannot change; "half heartedly" is the paper's own wording. (B) is still the only option close to "accept".
(a) Friendly relationship (b) Meet by chance (c) Use completely (d) Leave from the place
1. ran out 2. get along with 3. go away 4. come across
Answer: (C) 2 4 3 1. The answer marked in the PYQ bank. Note: by dictionary meaning the match is 2 4 1 3 (friendly relationship = get along with, meet by chance = come across, use completely = ran out, leave = go away), which is none of the four codes. (C) has the first two pairs right. Check the official key when it is published.
Answer: (C) Exceed the allotted time. The answer marked in the PYQ bank. Note: a dictionary gives "run out (of time)" = have no time left, which is closer to (B). Learn both, and check the official key.
Practice MCQs
Why? Short explanations
| No. | Why | No. | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (A) | give up = stop a habit. | 11 (C) | sleep like a log = sleep very deeply. |
| 2 (B) | give in (to) = stop resisting and agree. | 12 (D) | It spoils a plan or an arrangement. |
| 3 (C) | put off = postpone; tolerate is put up with. | 13 (A) | fall out = quarrel. |
| 4 (D) | put up with = tolerate. | 14 (B) | fall flat = fail to have the effect you wanted. |
| 5 (A) | look into a matter = investigate it. | 15 (C) | call off = cancel. |
| 6 (B) | look up to = respect. | 16 (D) | run out of = have none left. |
| 7 (C) | look out = be careful, a warning. | 17 (A) | The test was a piece of cake: very easy. |
| 8 (D) | at large = free, not caught. | 18 (B) | Very rarely, not never. |
| 9 (A) | buck = the responsibility, not money. | 19 (C) | put out = stop a fire burning. |
| 10 (B) | The brows pull together in a frown. | 20 (D) | come across = find by chance. |
Your question from the video: Choose the correct meaning of the phrase "Cast Down": (A) Release (B) Dejected (C) Continue (D) Appeal. Answer: (B) Dejected. Cast down = sad, low in spirit.
More practice: search IDIOM on arivark.com for this PDF, and follow t.me/arivarkacademy for daily questions.
