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SSC CGL English · Idioms and Phrases

Idioms: Feelings and States of Mind

Idioms for joy, sadness, anger and contempt, and for states of mind such as confusion, doubt and deep thought.

All Idioms and Phrases notes

Why this matters

Twenty-four questions in the bank, 8 from the 2023 shifts, 10 from the 2024 shifts and 6 from the 2025 shifts. Each idiom names one feeling, so placing it as happy, sad, angry or confused is usually enough to choose.

Concept 1 of 2: Joy, sadness, anger and contempt

These idioms name a feeling, and each has a clear direction: delighted (walking on air, on cloud nine), low (a long face, at a low ebb, in the doldrums), angry (hit the roof, fly off the handle) or scornful (turn up one's nose at).

Definition

The groups:

  • Joy: walking on air, on cloud nine.
  • Sadness and low spirits: a long face, at a low ebb, in the doldrums, get up on the wrong side of the bed (be in a bad mood all day).
  • Anger and irritation: hit the roof, get on someone's nerves, in high dudgeon (offended and indignant).
  • Scorn and ill feeling: turn up one's nose at, bad blood (bitter feeling between people), care a hang (not care at all).
  • Disappointing someone: take the wind out of someone's sails.
IdiomMeaningAsked in
Walking on airVery happy2023
Get on someone's nervesIrritate someone2023
Bad bloodBitter feeling between people2023
Take the wind out of someone's sailsSpoil someone's confidence or plans2023
On cloud nineVery delighted2024
Hit the roofBecome very angry2024
At a low ebbIn a weak or low state2024
Pull a long faceLook sad2024
Turn up one's nose atTreat with contempt2024
In the doldrumsIn low spirits or inactive2025
In high dudgeonOffended and indignant2025
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

SSC CGL · 2025 · Tier I, 12 Sep 2025, Shift 3 · Q78Easy

Example 1 · Idioms and Phrases · Idioms: Feelings and States of Mind

Choose the correct meaning of idiom: Fly off the handle

Reading 'at a low ebb' as calm

Ebb is the tide going out; at a low ebb means weak or in low spirits, not peaceful.

Taking 'walking on air' as dreaming

It means feeling very happy, as if too light to touch the ground.
Drill 15 more on joy, sadness, anger and contempt

Concept 2 of 2: Confusion, doubt and deep thought

These idioms describe the state of a person's mind rather than a feeling: confused (at sea, at one's wits' end), undecided (in two minds, on the fence), out of place (a fish out of water), lost in thought (chew the cud) or hoping for the impossible (a pipe dream).

Definition

The groups:

  • Confused or desperate: at sea, at one's wits' end.
  • Undecided: in two minds, on the fence.
  • Uncomfortable: like a fish out of water.
  • Thinking: chew the cud (think over carefully).
  • Unreal hopes: a pipe dream.
IdiomMeaningAsked in
A pipe dreamA hope that will never come true2023
Chew the cudThink something over carefully2023, 2025
In two mindsUnable to decide2023
At one's wits' endSo worried that one does not know what to do2024
On the fenceUndecided between two choices2024
Like a fish out of waterUncomfortable in a strange place2024
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

SSC CGL · 2025 · Tier I, 24 Sep 2025, Shift 1 · Q84Easy

Example 2 · Idioms and Phrases · Idioms: Feelings and States of Mind

Choose the correct meaning of idiom: At sea

Reading 'at sea' as being on holiday

At sea here means confused or lost, not on a voyage.

Taking 'chew the cud' as eating

Cows chew the cud slowly over and over; for people it means thinking something over carefully.
Drill 7 more on confusion, doubt and deep thought

Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance

A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.

Reference tables (2)

Joy, sadness, anger and contempt11 rows
IdiomMeaningAsked in
Walking on airVery happy2023
Get on someone's nervesIrritate someone2023
Bad bloodBitter feeling between people2023
Take the wind out of someone's sailsSpoil someone's confidence or plans2023
On cloud nineVery delighted2024
Hit the roofBecome very angry2024
At a low ebbIn a weak or low state2024
Pull a long faceLook sad2024
Turn up one's nose atTreat with contempt2024
In the doldrumsIn low spirits or inactive2025
In high dudgeonOffended and indignant2025
Confusion, doubt and deep thought6 rows
IdiomMeaningAsked in
A pipe dreamA hope that will never come true2023
Chew the cudThink something over carefully2023, 2025
In two mindsUnable to decide2023
At one's wits' endSo worried that one does not know what to do2024
On the fenceUndecided between two choices2024
Like a fish out of waterUncomfortable in a strange place2024

Watch out for (4)

Test yourself on Idioms and Phrases

20 past SSC CGL questions from this chapter, timed at 12 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.

Take the Idioms and Phrases chapter testDrill all 24 questions