Most Common Idioms with Their Meanings in Urdu

Learning English idioms with their meanings in Urdu is an effective way to improve your English speaking skills. Idioms are expressions that convey meanings beyond the literal words, adding variety and richness to your language. Understanding these phrases helps you communicate more naturally and effectively in everyday conversations.

This guide focuses on common idioms and their Urdu meanings to help learners enhance their comprehension and usage. Incorporating idioms into your speech can boost fluency and confidence, making your communication more engaging and expressive. It’s a practical step toward mastering English language skills.

Contents

1 Idioms with Their Meanings in Urdu
2 Images for Common English Idioms in Urdu
3 Download PDF for English Idioms in Urdu

Idioms with Their Meanings in Urdu

Idiom	Definition	Sentences
Above all سب سے بڑھ کراہم	Most important of all	Ali is wise, hard-working and above all honest.
After all بہرحال	In spite of what has been said/done	You should help Asad, after all he is your friend.
Beneath one’s dignity شان کےخلاف	Below one’s worth	It is below your dignity to disobey your teacher.
Better half جیون ساتھی	Husband or wife	His better half is a good housekeeper.
A bird’s eye view سرسرینظر	A view seen from above	We got a bird’s eye view of city from the top of the tower.
Birds of a feather ہم مزاج لوگ	People with similar tastes, interests	He will get on well with Adil, they are birds of a feather.
To the bitter end آخری انجام تک	Until the end even though this is difficult	The workers vowed to fight to the bitter end for their rights.
Below the belt نامناسب	Unfair , cruel	You know, it is below the belt to cheat a friend.
Broken reed نا قابل اعتبارشخص	A person who has become untrustworthy	I cannot trust him as he is a broken reed.
Bring something to light سامنے لانا	Make something known	New facts about the war have been brought to light.
Build castles in the air خیالی پلاؤ پکانا	Day-dream	To pass examination without hard work is like to build castles in the air.
A close-fisted man کنجوس شخص	A miserly person	He does not spend any money as he is a close-fisted man.
Come to terms/make terms سمجھوتا کر لینا	To make an agreement	At last they had to come to terms.
Come to grief نا کام ہوجانا	To fail	Their plan came to grief in the end.
Come to an end ختم ہونا	To finish	The war came to an end at last.
Be at daggers drawn ایک دوسرے کے سخت مخالف ہونا	Be hostile	She is at daggers drawn with her husband.
Cut something short مختصر کر دینا	To stop doing something earlier than you planned	His glittering career was cut short by a heart attack.
A dog’s life ذلت کی زندگی	Disgraceful life	Death is better than a dog’s life.
Fair or square deal منصفانہ سلوک	Fair treatment	Most of the workers do not think that they are getting a square deal.
Find fault with عیب نکالنا	To criticize somebody or something often unfairly	Do not try to find faults with others, mend yourself first.
Go up in smoke تباہ ہوجانا	Be destroyed	Her dream of becoming doctor went in smoke when she could not get admission to a medical college.
Be at hand قریب ہونا	Near ,close by	I am working hard as the examination is at hand.
Be hard up غریب,تنگی میں ہونا	Not having enough money	He is too hard up to enjoy even a single meal a day.
hard and fast قائم ،معین	Fixed and not able to be changed	We will have to follow the hard and fast rules of this office.
Hair-breath escape/ narrow escape بال بال بچنا	Just to avoid danger	Adeel had a narrow escape from drowning((ڈوبنے سے.
Good-for-nothing بے کارشخص / چیز	Someone who never does anything useful	The Government should get rid(چھٹکارا پانا) of those departments which are good-for-nothing.
Golden age سنہری دور	A period of success	The Muslims remember golden age of their forefathers.
Green horn نا تجربہ کار شخص	One who lacks experience	The man can easily be tricked as he is a green horn.
Golden opportunity سنہری موقع	A very good chance to do or achieve something	Wise men avail themselves of golden opportunities.
Heart and soul دل و جان سے	Completely	She loves her son heart and soul.
High and mighty مغرور	Proud	People dislike him as he always tries to be high and mighty .
In black and white تحریری	Written	Saleem makes every agreement in black and white.
In a nutshell مختصرََ	In a short , clear way	To put it in a nutshell, the show was very exciting.
Hold one’s tongue بکواس بند کرو	To angrily tell someone to stop speaking	Hold your tongue and do not abuse him like that.
Hold one’s head high/up سربُلند ہونا	To be very confident and proud	Those who do noble deeds can hold their heads high.
Hold one’s own ڈٹے رہنا	To defend yourself in a difficult situation	Although he is new in this race, he seems to be holding his own.
Hue and cry شوروغوغا	A great noise	There was a great hue and cry in the battle field.
Hold no brief for حما یت نہ کرنا	To not support or be in favour of	You should hold no brief for this criminal.
Be at large آ زاد ہونا	Be free	The two robbers are still at large.
Lead somebody astray گمراہ کرنا	To encourage someone to do immoral things	Ali was led astray by some of his friends.
Leave in lurch مصیبت میں ساتھ چھو ڑنا	Leave in crisis	Do not leave your friends in the lurch.
Lame excuse جھوٹا بہانا	False excuse	You cannot win her favour by lame excuses.
In the teeth of مشکلات کے با وجود	Despite something such as problems or difficulties	The bill was passed in the teeth of strong opposition.
Jack of all trades ہرفن مولا	Someone who can do many types of work	Naeem is jack of all trades but master of none.
Keep an eye on نگہداشت کرنا	To look after someone or something	Please keep an eye on things here until I get back.
Keep at arm’s length فاصلے پررکھنا	To avoid becoming too friendly with someone	The teachers should keep the students at arm’s length.
Keep something dark رازرکھنا	To keep something secret	They kept their meeting dark.
Keep one’s temper غصے پرقابورکھنا	Not to show anger	He could not keep his temper when Ali abused him.
Keep open house مہمان نوازی کو تیار رہنا	Be ready to entertain anyone who comes	He keeps open house for his guests.
Keep pace with قدم بقدم	To move as fast as someone or something else	Incomes have failed to keep pace with ever increasing dearness.
Maiden speech پہلی تقریر	First speech	She impressed us with her maiden speech.
Make the best of it نا کامی کو کامیابی میں بدلنا	To try fully to turn failure into success	The job was against her taste, but she made the best of it.
Make both ends meet مشکل سے گزر بسرکرنا	To live within one’s income	It is very difficult for the poor to make both ends meet.
Make a mountain of a molehill بتنگڑ بنانا /رائ کا پہاڑ بنانا	To exaggerate the seriousness of a problem	Our boss made mountain of a molehill when he fired Ahmad for making a little mistake.