Idioms and Phrases 91

1. sack cloth and ashes: penitence.

• On account of the death of her young husband she is seen in the sack cloth and ashes these days.

2. (between the) Scylla and Charybdis: between two dangers.

• The position of India was just like of being between the Scylla and Charybdis when she was between the two parts of Pakistan.

3. salt of the earth: good persons of the world.

• Despite so much villainy and sins in the modern world there is the purifying influence by the salt of the earth.

4. (in) season and out of season: at all times.

• An extravagant person continues to make demands of money in season and out of season.

5. (in the) seventh heaven: extremely happy condition.

• After the marriage both bride and bridegroom feel that they are living in the seventh heaven.

6. ship of the desert: a camel.

• A camel is popularly known as the ship of the desert.

7. the signal of distress: the sign of danger.

• The hosting of a red flag is the signal of distress only when there is some real danger.

8. shoulder to shoulder: with combined efforts.

• Our leaders assert time and again and all countrymen should work hard shoulder to shoulder for real progress.

9. (at) sixes and sevens: in confusion.

• The thieves stole all the cash and jewellery from the house and left all things at sixes and sevens.

10. slap in the face: direct insult.

• The Pakistani attack on India was like slap in the face which the brave soldiers of India checked well.

11. a ship of pen: a slight mistake in writing.

• A slip of pen should not be taken very seriously and it can be corrected in the next edition.

12. a slip of tongue: a slight mistake in speech.

• Those who talk very hastily are liable to commit several slips of tongue.

13. at a snail’s pace: very slowly.

• India’s progress in science has been only at a snail’s pace in comparison to the world's progress in science.

14. a snake in the grass: hidden enemy.

• Kaikeyi proved to be a snake in the grass for Rama who was exiled for fourteen years.

15. a son of Mars: a soldier.

• Napoleon may be termed as a heroic son of Mars.

16. a son of Belial: a villain.

• Iago, the villain in “The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare was the son of Belial.

17. a son of the soil: a permanent farmer.

• The sons of the soil work hard day and night and grow food for all men and women of India.

18. on the spur of the moment: at the right occasion.

• It was a good lick and pleasure of all that he returned from America on the spur of the moment and joined the marriage.

19. a stab in the back: a treacherous attack.

• A stab in the back is discarded when there is a fair fight by two heroic parties.

20. standing invitation: special invitation.

• The Chairman of the Board was awarded a standing invitation.

21. from start to finish: from the beginning to the end.

• Columbus never lost his heart in his journey from the start to finish.

22. step by step: gradually.

• This country has been making progress step by step in economic field.

23. stick in the mud: an unprogressive person.

• An orthodox Indian farmer may be compared with a stick in the mud.

24. a stich in time saves nine: a timely action is highly profitable.

• There are some persons who always do their work punctually and regularly because they always keep in mind that a stich in time saves nine.

25. stock and stones: lazy persons.

• The prosperity of the world is not those who are confirmed stocks and stones.

26. at a stone’s throw: near.

• My school is at a stone’s throw from my house.

27. a storm in a tea cup: a great quarrel over a trifling matter.

• We can compare the quarrels of children in a family with a storm in a tea-cup.

28. a stroke of luck: sudden good luck.

• It was a stroke of luck that he found a golden pot when he was ploughing his field. 

29. (lost) substance for shadow: did an insignificant thing after giving up an important thing.

• There are some persons who do such things that they lose the substance for shadow.

30. sum and substance: the most essential part of a thing.

• The sum and substance of the Prime Minister’s speech was that the people should work hard.

31. the sun is set: the time of prosperity is over.

• In extreme old age the sum of a man’s life is often set.

32. sweat of one’s brow: toil.

• The real prosperity of a man depends upon the sweat of his brow.

33. sweeping victory: absolute victory.

• Janta Party got sweeping victory against all other parties in the General Elections of 1977.

34. the sweets of success: happiness and satisfaction out of success.

• The sweet of success are received by those who work hardest to achieve their aim of life.

35. the sword of Damocles: an imminent danger.

• The sword of Damocles continues to hang over the head of a confirmed and notorious dacoit.