Important idioms and phrases which start with the letter ‘C’
Cast a slur
Meaning: Bring discredit to.
Example: Don’t indulge in corrupt means to acquire wealth. It shall cast a slur to your reputation.
Cast down
Meaning: Throw down.
Example: The cowardly king’s soldiers cast down their weapons and surrendered before the enemy.
Cast pearls before swine
Meaning: Give what is precious to those who are unable to understand its value.
Example: To teach Reiki to those, who don’t understand its worth is to cast pearls before swine.
Catch on
Meaning: (i) Become popular.
Example: In the past, everything that the queens used to wear would catch on.
(ii) Catch.
Example: Please catch on the ball, lest it may hit someone.
(iii) Understand.
Example: The boss was not able to catch on what the employee said, thus he requested him to repeat it again.
Catch one’s breath
Meaning: To hold one’s breath in excitement or fear.
Example: The game was so much interesting that it caught the people’s breath.
Catch sight of
Meaning: Notice.
Example: The wife caught sight of her divorced husband in the market.
Catch up
Meaning: Involved.
Example: The politician seeked forgiveness after getting caught up in the corruption scandal.
Cave-in
Meaning: Collapse, Fall in.
Example: The historical building may cave in anytime, if the government does not renovate it.
Chain Smoker
Meaning: One who smokes continuously.
Example: He has been a chain smoker for years, that is why cancer had struck upon him.
Chalk up
Meaning: Gain, win.
Example: The Indian hockey team chalked up the victory in an international hockey match.
Change hands
Meaning: Pass to different owner.
Example: This hotel no more belongs to your friend. It has changed hands.
Change one’s mind
Meaning: To alter one’s decision or opinion.
Example: Her father said that he would take her for a ride, but later on he changed his mind.
Check in
Meaning: Arrive and register, report one’s arrival.
Example: Now that you have arrived on the airport, you must check in for the flight.
Check on
Meaning: Inspect.
Example: Please check on the work of the new customer care executive.
Check out
Meaning: Leave.
Example: The lady checked out without informing anyone.
Check ones
Meaning: Inspect carefully.
Example: The teacher checked the papers and gave them to the headmistress.
Check up
Meaning: Examine.
Example: The doctor checked up the patient’s pulse and found it normal.
Cheek by foul
Meaning: Close together.
Example: The advocates sat cheek by foul to go through the books in the library.
Cheer up
Meaning: Raise the spirits of.
Example: When his wife suffered from depression due to the loss of his son in the tragic accident, he consoled and cheered her up by various means.
Chew the cud
Meaning: Recall past memories.
Example: The poet chew the cud of childhood memories and wrote a beautiful poem on them.
Chew up
Meaning: Masticate fully.
Example: The little boy’s elder sister gave him a chocolate to eat and told him to chew it up.
Chicken-hearted
Meaning: Cowardly.
Example: Don’t be a chicken hearted fellow. Face the situation bravely.
Chop up
Meaning: Cut up with sharp strokes.
Example: She chopped up the onions with the knife to cook the vegetable.
Clean down
Meaning: Clean thoroughly.
Example: The truck-driver cleaned down the truck with water.
Clean off
Meaning: Remove (dirt).
Example: Please clean off the dirt from the mirror.
Clean out
Meaning: (i) Clean thoroughly.
Example: The teacher told the sweeper to clean out the classroom.
(ii) Eliminate from an organisation.
The corrupt employee was cleaned out from the organisation.
Clean up
Meaning: Clean thoroughly.
Example: The warden told the students that they must clean up their rooms daily.
The servant cleaned up the utensils and kept them on the kitchen shelves.
Clear off
Meaning: (i) Pass away or disappear from the sky.
Example: John began his journey to Delhi, when the dark clouds have cleared off.
(ii) Go away.
How dare you say like that to me? Clear off from here.
Clear the air
Meaning: To remove tension, doubt, anger, questions etc. by talking.
Example: Please don’t behave in such a manner. Clear the air through frank discussion.
Clear up
Meaning: (i) To solve.
Example: The brilliant boy cleared up the complicated sum within a few minutes.
(ii) Cure.
His disease got cleared up through a spiritual process called ‘Reiki’.
(iii) (The weather) becomes clear.
Fortunately, the weather became clear, when I was about to pay a visit to my friend’s place.
A close-fisted man
Meaning: A miser.
Example: Rammohan is a close-fisted man himself but wants others to spend money lavishly on him.
Close in
Meaning: Come in closer from all sides.
Example: The British army closed in to attack the queen of Jhansi, Laxmi Bai.
Close one’s eyes
Meaning: Ignore, not pay attention to.
Example: Never close your eyes to the wrongdoings of your children.
Come into operation
Meaning: Become effective.
Example: When shall the new law against dowry come into operation?