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SSC CGL English · Idioms and Phrases

Idioms: Time and Company

Idioms about when and how often things happen, about waiting and acting too soon, and about friendship, making peace and keeping people at a distance.

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, nearly all EASY. Several idioms here were asked more than once (once in a blue moon, through thick and thin, off and on), so learning this short list pays back quickly.

Concept 1 of 2: Time, timing and how often

These idioms answer three questions: how often (once in a blue moon, off and on), how suddenly (out of the blue), and whether the timing was right (jump the gun, miss the boat, let the dust settle). Decide which question the idiom answers and most options fall away.

Definition

The groups:

  • How often: once in a blue moon (very rarely), off and on (now and then), day and night (all the time).
  • Suddenly: out of the blue (unexpectedly).
  • Too soon or too late: jump the gun (act too soon), miss the boat (lose a chance), hang fire (delay a decision).
  • Waiting and beginnings: let the dust settle (wait until things are clear), in the bud (at an early stage).
  • Whatever happens: come rain or shine.
IdiomMeaningAsked in
Once in a blue moonVery rarely2023, 2024
Out of the blueUnexpectedly2023
Miss the boatLose a good opportunity2023
Jump the gunAct too soon, before the right time2024
Let the dust settleWait until a situation becomes clear2024
Off and onNow and then, from time to time2024 (twice)
Day and nightAll the time, around the clock2024
Come rain or shineWhatever happens2024
Hang fireDelay taking action or a decision2025
In the budAt an early, developing stage2025
Raining cats and dogsRaining very heavily2023
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

SSC CGL · 2024 · Tier I, 25 Sep 2024, Shift 3 · Q95Easy

Example 1 · Idioms and Phrases · Idioms: Time and Company

Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom. Let the dust settle

Reading 'out of the blue' as sadness

Blue can suggest sadness, but 'out of the blue' means unexpectedly, like a sudden flash from a clear sky.

Taking 'jump the gun' as speed in general

To jump the gun is to act too early, before the right moment, not simply to act quickly.
Drill 13 more on time, timing and how often

Concept 2 of 2: Company, friendship and making peace

These idioms describe how people stand with each other: close (hand and glove), loyal (through thick and thin), cold (keep at arm's length, cut someone dead, left out in the cold), or making up (break the ice, bury the hatchet).

Definition

The groups:

  • Close or loyal: hand and glove (very closely associated), through thick and thin (in good times and bad).
  • Distant or ignored: keep someone at arm's length, cut someone dead (ignore deliberately), left out in the cold.
  • Easing and making peace: break the ice (make people feel relaxed), bury the hatchet (end a quarrel).
  • Unwanted: play gooseberry (be the unwanted third person with a couple).
  • Proverb: familiarity breeds contempt.
IdiomMeaningAsked in
Through thick and thinIn good times and in bad2023, 2024
Keep someone at arm's lengthAvoid becoming friendly with someone2023
Left out in the coldIgnored, left out2024
Break the iceSay or do something that makes people relax2024
Cut someone deadIgnore someone deliberately2025
Hand and gloveVery closely associated2025
Bury the hatchetMake peace after a quarrel2025
Play gooseberryBe an unwanted third person with a couple2025
Familiarity breeds contemptThe better you know someone, the less you respect them2023
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

SSC CGL · 2025 · Tier I, 14 Sep 2025, Shift 1 · Q77Easy

Example 2 · Idioms and Phrases · Idioms: Time and Company

Choose the correct meaning of idiom: Bury the hatchet

Reading 'cut someone dead' literally

It means to ignore someone on purpose, usually by pretending not to see them. No harm is meant.

Taking 'keep at arm's length' as closeness

An arm's length is a distance kept on purpose: the idiom means avoiding becoming close to someone.
Drill 9 more on company, friendship and making peace

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)

Time, timing and how often11 rows
IdiomMeaningAsked in
Once in a blue moonVery rarely2023, 2024
Out of the blueUnexpectedly2023
Miss the boatLose a good opportunity2023
Jump the gunAct too soon, before the right time2024
Let the dust settleWait until a situation becomes clear2024
Off and onNow and then, from time to time2024 (twice)
Day and nightAll the time, around the clock2024
Come rain or shineWhatever happens2024
Hang fireDelay taking action or a decision2025
In the budAt an early, developing stage2025
Raining cats and dogsRaining very heavily2023
Company, friendship and making peace9 rows
IdiomMeaningAsked in
Through thick and thinIn good times and in bad2023, 2024
Keep someone at arm's lengthAvoid becoming friendly with someone2023
Left out in the coldIgnored, left out2024
Break the iceSay or do something that makes people relax2024
Cut someone deadIgnore someone deliberately2025
Hand and gloveVery closely associated2025
Bury the hatchetMake peace after a quarrel2025
Play gooseberryBe an unwanted third person with a couple2025
Familiarity breeds contemptThe better you know someone, the less you respect them2023

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