Common Admission Test (CAT) is an all India level examination organized by the Indian Institute of Management based on the policy of rotation.

The exam comprised in the verbal ability, quantitative ability, logical reasoning and data interpretation.

CAT Eligibility:

Those who have graduation degree in any discipline are eligible to apply CAT 2016

Candidates who want to appear in CAT 2016 should have attained minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. For reserved categories the percentage is reduced to 45%.

Below I am providing you list of some Idioms For CAT MBA:

1. A penny for your thoughts
Meaning: used as a way of asking someone what they are thinking about
Usage: The boss asked them a penny for their thoughts on the new project

2. Miss the boat
Meaning: For someone to have missed their chance at something
Usage: Being unmarried at 45, Radha felt like she had missed the boat

3. Add insult to injury
Meaning: Making a bad situation, even worse
Usage: After dumping James just before the New year’s eve, Evita added insult to the injury by asking him why did he come alone to the party.

4. A hot potato
Meaning: A current topic of interest
Usage: Discussions on GMO food is such a hot potato nowadays.

5. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Used for occurrences which happen rarely
Usage: His father would show up at their doorstep once in a bluemoon.

Below check the complete list of CAT Idioms:

CAT Idioms List

Food idioms idiom
Meaning
Example sentence
Apple of one's eye
A person that is adored by someone
Baby Jessica is the apple of her father's eye.
(Have a) bun in the oven
Be pregnant
I don't think Jan will come to the bar because she has a bun in the oven.
Bad egg
A person who is often in trouble
I don't want my little brother hanging around with the bad eggs on the street.
Big cheese
Very important person (vim)
I thought I was just going to interview the secretary, but they let me talk to the big cheese himself.
Bread and butter
Necessities, the main thing
Just explain the bread and butter of your report. You don't have to go into details.
Bring home the bacon
Earn the income
My husband has had to bring home the bacon ever since I broke my leg.
Butter someone up
Be extra nice to someone (usually for selfish reasons)
We'll have to butter angle up before we tell her the news about the broken vase.
(Have ones) cake and eat it too
Want more than your fair share or need
Rick wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to be single but he doesn't want me to date anyone else.
Carrot top
Person with red or orange hair
Simon is the first carrot top I’ve ever gone out with.
Cheesy
Silly
I love reading cheesy romance novels because I don't have to think.
Cool as a cucumber
Very relaxed
I thought I was afraid of flying, but I was cool as a cucumber all the way to England.
Cream of the crop
The best
We hired the cream of the crop to entertain us at the Christmas party.
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(Don’t) cry over spilled milk
Get upset over something that has happened and cannot be changed
The mirror is broken and we can't fix it. There's no need to cry over spilled milk.
Cup of Joe
Cup of coffee
Let's stop for a cup of Joe before we head to work.
(Not my) cup of tea
Something you enjoy (usually used negatively)
Opera isn't exactly my cup of tea.
Egg someone on
Urge someone to do something
The gang tried to egg us on but we didn't want to fight.
Freeze one's buns off
Be very cold
I froze my buns off at the ice rink.
Full of beans
Have a lot of (silly) energy
The kids were full of beans after the circus.
Gravy train
Extremely good pay for minimal work
The unionized grocers have been enjoying the gravy train for twenty years.
(Have something) handed to someone on a silver platter
Receive without working for something
The professor's daughter had her college diploma handed to her on a silver platter.
Hard nut to crack
Difficult to understand (often a person)
Angelo is a hard nut to crack when something is bothering him like this.
Hot potato
A controversial or difficult subject
Choosing a location for our new store is a hot potato right now.
In a nutshell
Simply
In a nutshell, I’m having a bad day.
Nuts about something, someone
Like a lot
I’m nuts about classical music these days.
Out to lunch
Crazy or mad
Harry has been out to lunch ever since he lost his job.
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One smart cookie
A very intelligent person
Your daughter is one smart cookie. She reads much higher than her grade level.
Peach fuzz
Small amount of hair growth
Except for a bit of peach fuzz, the baby came out bald.
Piece of cake
Very easy
The exam was a piece of cake.
Put all of one’s eggs in one basket
Rely on one single thing
Even though I’m majoring in art, I’m taking a maths course because my dad says i shouldn't put all of my eggs in one
basket.
Souped up
Made more powerful or stylish
The car was souped up with shiny rims and a loud stereo.
Sell like hot cakes
Bought by many people
The new harry potter books sold like hot cakes.
Spice things up
Make something more exciting
I wanted to spice things up in the office, so i bought some red and gold paint.
Spill the beans
Reveal the truth
On Monday, I’m going to spill the beans about my travel plans.
Take something with a pinch (grain) of salt
Don't consider something 100% accurate
Take Mandy’s advice with a pinch of salt. She doesn't always do her research.
Use your noodle
Use your brain
You're going to have to really use your noodle on this crossword puzzle. It's an extra difficult one.
Animal idioms
Idiom
Meaning
Example sentence
Ants in one's pants
Unable to sit still or remain calm out of nervousness or excitement
Lisa had ants in her pants the day before her interview.
(the) birds and the bees
Sex education
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I learned about the birds and the bees when my baby brother was born.
Cat nap
A short sleep
I’m going to have a cat nap while you're cooking dinner.
Cat's got one's tongue
Said about someone who doesn't speak (usually due to shyness)
It looks like the cat's got your tongue, lucy. Are you always this quiet?
Chicken out
To decide not to do something out of fear (usually just before)
I was going to take a ride on Geoff’s motorcycle, but i chickened out when he gave me a helmet to wear.
Clam up
Become quiet suddenly
Arthur clammed up when i asked him about his family.
Copy cat
A person who does the same thing as someone else
My sister is such a copy cat. First she bought the same car as me, and now she's applying to my school.
Dog days
Very hot days
I sleep in the basement during the dog days of august.
Dropping like flies
Dying/giving up quickly
My roses are dropping like flies in this early frost.
Eager beaver
A person who is excited about doing certain work
Ever since he got his new drill set my husband has been an eager beaver around the house.
Fishy
Odd, suspicious
I knew something fishy was going on when i saw all of my friends' cars in my mom's driveway.
Have a cow
Get extremely upset (often over something minor)
My teacher had a cow when she realized nobody had done the homework.
Hold your horses
Wait and be patient
Hold your horses! I'll be done in the washroom in a minute.
Holy cow!
Wow, I’m surprised!
Holy cow! I can't believe you ate everything on your plate.
Horse around
Play roughly
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If you're going to horse around, please go outside.
Get the lion's share
Get the greatest percentage
My aunt got the lion's share of the inheritance.
In the dog house
In trouble with another person
I don't think Marsha is coming out tonight. She's still in the dog house for forgetting aaron's birthday.
Kill two birds with one stone
Get two things done at once
If you pick the groceries up when you drop George off for his shift, you will kill two birds with one stone.
Kitty corner
Diagonal direction
The gas station is kitty corner to the library.
Let the cat out of the bag
Reveal a secret
Who let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party?
(a) little bird told me
I heard something (usually secretive or unknown) from someone (not named)
A little bird told me that you are thinking of quitting your job.
Make a beeline
Go straight for something
My grandma made a beeline for the smoking room as soon as she got off the airplane.
Monkey see, monkey do
Silly/unintelligent people tend to copy each other's actions
Our one-year-old is saying bad words now. I told my husband, "monkey see, monkey do!"
Nest egg
Money saved for the future
We have a nest egg that we might have to use if jim goes on sick leave.
Pig out
Eat a lot of something
I pigged out on pancakes so i don't have room for lunch.
Raining cats and dogs
Raining heavily
I forgot my umbrella, and it was raining cats and dogs.
Rat race
Fierce, competitive struggle for power, position etc
I’m ready to leave this rat race and retire in Mexico.
Smell a rat
Begin to suspect trickery etc
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I asked my brothers not to tell my parents that i went out, but i could smell a rat as soon as i opened the door.
Straight from the horse's mouth
Directly from the original source
I know jenny is pregnant, because i heard it straight from the horse's mouth.
Take the bull by the horns
Face a challenge or danger boldly
If you really think you deserve a promotion, you'll have to take the bull by the horns.
Until the cows come home
For a very long time
I could eat pizza and ice-cream until the cows come home.
Body idioms
Idiom
Meaning
Example sentence
All ears
Fully listening
Give me a minute to finish my work and then i'll be all ears to hear about your project.
Break a leg
Good-luck
Today's the big game, eh? Break a leg!
Cold feet
Nervous just before a big event
My sister didn't get cold feet until she put her wedding gown on.
Cost an arm and a leg
Be very expensive
These cakes are delicious, but they cost an arm and a leg.
Cry your heart out
Cry very hard
I cried my heart out when my best friend moved away.
Face the music
Meet, stand up to unpleasant consequences, for example criticism or punishment
I stayed out all night. When i eventually got home i had to face the music from my wife.
(my) Flesh and blood
Relative
I have to hire mia. She's my own flesh and blood.
Get something off one's chest
Tell someone your problems
Thanks for listening to me complain about my boss. I just needed to get this off my chest.
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Give a hand, lend a hand
Help (someone) do something
I can give you a hand when you move if you like.
Have one's head in the clouds
Be unaware or unrealistic about something
Amy has her head in the clouds if she thinks she's going to pass her exams without studying.
Head over heels
Deeply in love
My brother is head over heels for his new girlfriend.
Head start
An earlier start
The kids gave Anthony a head start in the bicycle race because he was the youngest.
In over one's head
Taking on a task that you can't handle
I was in over my head when i agreed to babysit the triplets and the dogs.
Keep an eye on
Take care of, watch in order to protect
I'll keep an eye on the dinner while you're on the phone.
Keep one's chin up
Try to be cheerful
Keep your chin up. I’m sure you'll make some friends soon.
Learn by heart, know by heart
Memorize
I learned my multiplication tables by heart in the fourth grade.
Let one's hair down
Relax, have fun
Go to the cottage and let your hair down this weekend.
(my) Lips are sealed
Promise to keep a secret
Don't worry, i won't tell your mother how much you spent. My lips are sealed.
Makes my blood boil
Makes me very angry
It makes my blood boil when people don't tie up their dogs.
Neck of the woods
Nearby location or region
I heard that they might be opening a post office in our neck of the woods soon.
(an) old hand
An experienced person
My uncle's an old hand at car repair. He'll know what the problem is.
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Over my dead body
Not unless I’m dead and can't stop you
My daughter wants a tatoo. I told her she'd get one over my dead body.
Pat on the back
Recognition or a thank-you
The party organizers deserve a pat on the back for a job well done.
Play something by ear
Do something without a plan
We don't know if the weather will be good enough for camping. We'll have to play it by ear.
Pull one's leg
Joke or tease someone
I was just pulling your leg. I’m not really a police officer.
Rule of thumb
Basic rule (not always followed)
The rule of thumb is that the students wear black pants and white shirts.
See eye to eye
Agree
The couple doesn’t see eye to eye on how to train their pets.
(By the) skin of one's teeth
Just barely
I passed my exam by the skin of my teeth.
Stick your neck out
Help someone a lot, with possible bad consequences for oneself
I stuck my neck out for bessie when she was thrown out of her house.
Sweet tooth
A love of sugar or sweet things
I need three spoonfuls of sugar in my tea. I have a sweet tooth.
Thick in the head
Not very intelligent
I’m a bit thick in the head when it comes to reading a map.
Wash one's hands of something
Stop dealing with an issue or problem
I’m washing my hands of Mary’s addiction. She is going to have to get some professional help.
(have) egg on your face
You have egg on your face if you've said or done something wrong, and it's made you feel embarrassed or stupid.
(your) hands are tied
You can say your hands are tied if you're prevented from doing something that you'd normally have the power or the authority to
do.
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(your) heart goes out to (someone)
If your heart goes out to someone, you feel great sympathy for them.
(your) heart is in the right place
If your heart is in the right place, you try to do the right thing, even if things don't always work out for the best.
(your) heart isn't in it
If your heart isn't in something you're doing, you don't really want to do it.
A bad hair day
If you're having a bad hair day, everything seems to be going wrong for you.
A gut feeling
If you have a gut feeling, you sense something about a person or a situation, without knowing why, but you're sure what
You sense is true.
A head start
If you have a head start, you start something ahead of others or with an advantage over others.
A kick in the teeth
If you get a kick in the teeth, something bad happens to you or you feel that you've been treated poorly.
A knuckle sandwich
If you give someone a knuckle sandwich, you punch them.
A pain in the neck
You can say someone is a pain in the neck if they annoy you, or something is a pain in the neck if you don't like doing it.
A pat on the back
You've given someone a pat on the back if you've told them they've done something well, or done a good job.
A shot in the arm
You can say something is a shot in the arm if it gives a person or an organisation renewed energy or enthusiasm.
A sight for sore eyes
If something or someone is a sight for sore eyes, you are glad to see them.
A skeleton in the cupboard | closet
If you have a skeleton in the cupboard, or in the closet, you have a secret in your past which could damage you if it became
known.
A slap on the wrist
If someone gives you a slap on the wrist, they give you a mild punishment for making a mistake or doing something wrong.
A slip of the tongue
If you make a slip of the tongue, you make a small mistake when speaking.
A weight off your shoulders
You can say a weight is off your shoulders if you no longer have to worry about something or deal with something difficult.
Achilles' heel
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An Achilles’ heel is a weakness that could result in failure.
An eye-opener
You can say something's an eye-opener if it's made you realize something you hadn't been aware of before.
Behind someone's back
If you do something behind someone's back, you do it without letting them know about it.
Bite your tongue | hold your tongue
If you bite your tongue, or hold your tongue, you force yourself not to say something you really want to to say.
Break your heart
If someone breaks your heart, they cause you a lot of emotional pain by ending a romantic relationship, or by deeply hurting you in
some other way.
By word of mouth
If something becomes well-known by word of mouth, it becomes well-known because people are telling each other about it, and
not because of advertising or other marketing tools.
Caught red-handed
If someone is caught red-handed, they are caught in the act of doing something wrong such as cheating or stealing.
Come to your senses
If you come to your senses, you see things clearly and begin to act sensibly after a period of confusion and unwise behaviour.
Dig your heels in
If you dig your heels in, you stubbornly resist something or refuse to change.
Drag your feet | drag your heels
If you drag your feet, or drag your heels, you do something slowly because you don't really want to do it.
Ear to the ground
If you have your ear to the ground, you know what's really going on in a situation.
Easy on the eye
If something is easy on the eye, it is pleasant to look at.
Elbow grease
If something needs elbow grease, it needs a lot of hard physical work.
Eyes like a hawk
If someone has eyes like a hawk, they have very good eyesight and they notice everything.
Face to face
If people meet face to face, they meet in person in the real world.
Feel the pinch
If you are feeling the pinch, you're finding it harder to survive on your income.
Find your feet
If you're still finding you're feet, you're still adjusting to a new place or a new situation.
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Get it off your chest
If you get it off your chest, you tell somebody about something that's been bothering you and you've been thinking about a lot.
Get off on the wrong foot
If you get off on the wrong foot, you start something poorly, or begin with a mistake.
Go over your head
If someone goes over your head, they go to someone with more authority than you in order to get something that you would
normally grant, possibly because they think you won't give it to them.
Grease someone's palm
If you grease someone's palm, you pay them a bribe.
Hard to swallow
Something that someone has said is hard to swallow if it's difficult to believe.
Have a heart-to-heart
If you have a heart-to-heart with someone, you have an honest talk and share your feelings with each other.
Have your hands full
If you have your hands full, you're busy.
Have your head in the clouds
If someone has their head in the clouds, they are out of touch with the everyday world and can be unrealistic or naive as a result.
Heads will roll
You can say "heads will roll" if people are going to lose their jobs after making a mistake.
Hold your head high | hold your head up high
You can hold your head high, or hold your head up high, if you feel proud of something.
It's written all over your face.
If you say "it's written all over your face", you're saying that the expression on someone's face is showing their true feelings or
thoughts.
Itchy feet
If you have itchy feet, you feel the need to go somewhere different or do something different.
Joined at the hip
If two people or things are joined at the hip, they're so closely linked as to be almost inseparable.
Jump down your throat | jump all over you
If someone jumps down your throat, or jumps all over you, they strongly criticise you or scold you.
Jump out of your skin
You jump out of your skin when something suddenly shocks you and your whole body jumps.
Keep an eye on
If you keep an eye on someone, you make sure you know what they're doing.
Keep your nose clean
If you keep your nose clean, you stay out of trouble by making sure you don't do anything wrong.
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Lend someone a hand
If you lend someone a hand, you help them.
Let your hair down
If you let your hair down, you enjoy yourself by doing whatever you feel like doing and not worrying about what other people might
think.
Lose face
If you lose face, your status falls and you aren't respected as much as you were.
Lose your head
If you lose your head, you become very angry about something.
More than meets the eye
You can say there's more to something than meets the eye if it's more complex, more important or more interesting than it seems
at first.
Music to your ears
If something is music to your ears, it's just what you want to hear.
Neck and neck
If two competitors are running neck and neck in a race, they are almost level.
Nerves of steel
If you have nerves of steel, you are very brave and not many things make you scared or nervous.
Off the top of your head
If you give someone information off the top of your head, you do so from memory, without checking beforehand.
On the one hand | on the other hand
You can say "on the one hand" before describing one of two contrasting ideas, options, or opinions, and then say "on the other
hand" before describing the other one.
On your last legs | on its last legs
If you say you're on your last legs, it can mean you're close to exhaustion, or it can mean you're close to death. If a thing is on its
last legs, it's close to breaking or wearing out.
Pay through the nose
If you pay through the nose for something, you pay more than the usual price for it.
Pick somebody's brains
If you pick somebody's brains, you ask them for detailed information or ideas about something.
Play it by ear
If you play it by ear, you don't plan ahead but you do whatever seems best at the time depending on the situation.
Pull someone's leg
If you pull someone's leg, you play a joke on them by saying something that isn't true.
Put someone's nose out of joint
If you put someone's nose out of joint, you upset them by not treating them with as much respect or consideration as they think
they deserve.
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Put your foot in it
If you put your foot in it you say or do the wrong thing and usually make matters worse.
Put your foot in your mouth
If you put your foot in your mouth you say or do the wrong thing and usually make matters worse.
Rack your brains | rack you brain
If you rack your brains, or rack you brain, you try hard to remember something or think of a solution to a problem or a puzzle.
See eye to eye
If you see eye to eye with someone, you totally agree with them about something.
Shoot yourself in the foot
If you shoot youself in the foot, you harm yourself in some way by doing something stupid or making a silly mistake.
Stick out like a sore thumb | stand out like a sore thumb
If someone sticks out like a sore thumb, or stands out like a sore thumb, everyone notices them because they're not the same as
the people around them.
Teething problems | teething troubles
If someone or something is having teething problems, or teething troubles, they're having problems during the early stages of
something.
The gift of the gab | the gift of gab
If you've got the gift of the gab, or the gift of gab, you have the natural ability to talk in a way that people find entertaining or
persuasive.
The upper hand
If you have the upper hand, you have the advantage or you're in the stronger position in a contest or a conflict.
Up in arms
If you are up in arms, you are angry about something that you think is unfair or wrong.
Up to your neck | up to your eyeballs
If you're up to your neck in something, or up to your eyeballs in something, you've got too much of it and it's become a problem.
Vent your spleen
If you vent your spleen, you express your anger.
Vote with your feet
If you vote with your feet, you show your opinion of something by acting in a certain way, such as by buying something if you like
it, or by not buying it if you don't like it.
Warts and all
If you show something warts and all, you show it exactly as it is without trying to hide any of its faults or weaknesses.
Wash your hands of something
If you wash your hands of something that you were involved in, you decide to stop being involved in it after losing your interest or
belief in it.
Weak at the knees
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If you go weak at the knees, you feel an emotion so strongly that it makes you feel unstable on your feet.
Wear your heart on your sleeve
If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you show your emotions openly and you don't try to hide your feelings.
Wet behind the ears
If someone is wet behind the ears, they don't have much experience of life.
Work your socks off | work your tail off
If you work your socks off, or work your tail off, you work very hard.
Yellow-bellied
If someone is yellow-bellied, they are not brave, or they are cowardly.
Young at heart
Someone is young at heart if they still feel young even though they're getting old.
Young blood
If you say "young blood", you mean young people who have fresh, new ideas and lots of energy.
Color idioms
Idiom
Meaning
Example sentence
Beet red
Dark red (usually to describe face)
My sister's face turned beet red when i caught her singing in front of a mirror.
Black and blue