CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2020
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) To break the ice: When meeting new colleagues, telling a joke helped break the ice and ease the tension in the room.
(ii) Nip in the bud: Recognizing the early signs of conflict, the manager intervened swiftly to nip the issue in the bud before it escalated.
(iii) See eye to eye with: Despite their differences, they found common ground and started to see eye to eye on the importance of teamwork.
(iv) For good: After years of moving from place to place, they finally settled down in their hometown for good.
(v) Tamper with: It’s crucial not to tamper with the settings unless you’re certain about how the machine operates.
(vi) The small hours: The writer found solitude and inspiration in the small hours of the night, often writing until dawn.
(vii) Keep up appearances: Despite feeling unwell, she tried her best to keep up appearances and smile during the event.
(viii) Prima facie: The evidence presented was prima facie enough to warrant further investigation into the alleged fraud.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2019
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) To cast pearls before swine: He felt like sharing his profound thoughts in a room full of people only interested in gossip, as if he were casting pearls before swine.
(ii) To step into one’s shoes: After the retirement of the longtime CEO, it was challenging for the new leader to step into his predecessor’s shoes and earn the same level of respect.
(iii) Stuff and nonsense: The excuse he gave for being late was nothing but stuff and nonsense; no one believed his absurd explanation.
(iv) A wild goose chase: Searching for the legendary lost treasure turned out to be a wild goose chase as there was no evidence it ever existed.
(v) To be ill at ease: Despite her attempts to appear calm, her fidgeting indicated that she was ill at ease during the interview.
(vi) Sit on the fence: He preferred to sit on the fence rather than take a side in the heated debate, not wanting to offend either party.
(vii) In a jiffy: With the new express delivery service, packages could be delivered across the country in a jiffy.
(viii) To preen oneself: After receiving compliments on his presentation, he couldn’t help but preen himself in front of the mirror, pleased with his performance.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2018
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) Show and tell: During the school’s show and tell session, the children enthusiastically shared their favorite toys and stories with their classmates.
(ii) Helter-skelter: After the announcement of the fire alarm, the students evacuated helter-skelter, causing a bit of chaos in the corridors.
(iii) To the death: The rivalry between the two teams was intense; they played the game as if it were a battle to the death, giving their all on the field.
(iv) Tilt at windmills: Despite warnings from friends, he continued to tilt at windmills, pursuing unrealistic dreams that seemed impossible to achieve.
(v) Het up: She got all het up about the upcoming presentation, feeling nervous and anxious about speaking in front of a large audience.
(vi) The whole ball of wax: When discussing the project, they considered every aspect—the budget, timeline, and resources—the whole ball of wax to ensure a comprehensive plan.
(vii) It’s about time: After waiting for hours at the airport, it’s about time the delayed flight finally arrived.
(viii) Punch-up: The disagreement between the two colleagues escalated into a punch-up, causing a disturbance in the office.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2017
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) Spirit away: The magician performed a trick where he seemed to spirit away a coin from one hand to the other, leaving the audience amazed.
(ii) Plough back: Successful businesses often plough back their profits into research and development to improve their products.
(iii) Eager beaver: She’s always the first to arrive at work and the last to leave—an eager beaver who’s incredibly dedicated to her job.
(iv) Ring a bell: The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it until you mentioned his profession—it finally rang a bell.
(v) Be left holding the baby: After the team project fell apart, he was left holding the baby, responsible for picking up the pieces and finishing the work alone.
(vi) Cap in hand: He approached his boss cap in hand, asking for a day off due to a family emergency.
(vii) Hold out a carrot: The manager decided to hold out a carrot, offering bonuses as an incentive for the employees to meet the tight deadline.
(viii) Over the moon: She was over the moon when she received the acceptance letter from her dream university.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2016
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) Smash hit: The new movie became a smash hit, breaking box office records within its first weekend.
(ii) Murphy’s law: According to Murphy’s law, if something can go wrong, it will go wrong—often at the worst possible moment.
(iii) Place in the Sun: After years of hard work, she finally achieved her place in the sun as the CEO of a successful company.
(iv) Wooden spoon: Despite their efforts, the team ended the tournament with the wooden spoon, signifying they came last.
(v) Go bananas: The crowd at the concert began to go bananas as soon as the band started playing their favorite song.
(vi) Beard the Lion in his den: He decided to beard the lion in his den by confronting the boss about the unfair treatment of employees.
(vii) Groan inwardly: When she heard the same old joke for the tenth time, she couldn’t help but groan inwardly, though she kept a polite smile on her face.
(viii) Chicken out: Despite his initial bravado, he eventually chickened out of the dare to bungee jump off the bridge.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2013
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) The milk of human kindness: Even in challenging situations, she always showed the milk of human kindness, offering help and compassion to those in need.
(ii) A rule of thumb: As a rule of thumb, he advised newcomers to save at least 20% of their income for emergencies.
(iii) Out and out: His actions were an out and out display of dedication and commitment to the cause.
(iv) To wash one’s dirty linen in public: It was uncomfortable to watch the couple argue and wash their dirty linen in public during the family gathering.
(v) To pay through the nose: He had to pay through the nose for the rare collectible item, as it was in high demand and difficult to find.
(vi) To lose face: After the embarrassing mistake at the presentation, he felt he had lost face in front of his colleagues and superiors.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2012
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) Wool gathering: While in a meeting, he was often caught wool gathering, lost in his thoughts rather than focusing on the discussion.
(ii) Under the harrow: Going through a tough time during the project deadline, she felt like she was under the harrow, dealing with immense pressure.
(iii) Cold comfort: After the loss, receiving condolences was cold comfort; it didn’t ease the pain but served as a reminder of the absence.
(iv) A gold digger: She was often perceived as a gold digger due to her habit of dating wealthy individuals for their money rather than genuine connection.
(v) Walk with God: His peaceful demeanor and kind nature made many believe he walked with God, embodying virtues of kindness and compassion.
(vi) On thin ice: After missing the deadline twice, he knew he was on thin ice and had to deliver exceptional work to avoid repercussions.
(vii) A queer fish: He was considered a bit of a queer fish among his peers due to his eccentric behavior and unusual interests.
(viii) Unearthly hour: They scheduled the meeting for an unearthly hour, causing inconvenience for those attending due to its extremely early or late timing.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2011
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) To eat one’s words: After confidently making a prediction that turned out to be completely wrong, he had to eat his words and acknowledge his mistake.
(ii) Dog in the manger: She was being a dog in the manger, refusing to share the workspace even though she wasn’t using it herself.
(iii) A close shave: That car nearly hit me! It was a close shave; I narrowly avoided being in an accident.
(iv) A Freudian slip: During the speech, his Freudian ship was evident when he accidentally used the wrong name, revealing his true feelings.
(v) A Gordian knot: The complexity of the issue was like a Gordian knot, nearly impossible to untangle without a drastic solution.
(vi) A cog in the machine: As a mere employee, he felt like a cog in the machine, a small and replaceable part of a larger system.
(vii) A sugar daddy: She’s dating a much older man who lavishes her with gifts and pays for everything—a classic example of a sugar daddy relationship.
(viii) A wet blanket: Whenever they planned something exciting, she would always find a reason to cancel or discourage them—a real wet blanket.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2010
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) Make for: The dark clouds on the horizon made for a gloomy afternoon.
(ii) Yeoman’s service: He provided yeoman’s service during the charity event, going above and beyond to assist wherever needed.
(iii) Discretion is the better part of valor: Realizing the potential danger, he decided that discretion was the better part of valor and chose not to confront the aggressive individual.
(iv) A casting vote: The chairman had to use his casting vote to break the tie and make the final decision during the meeting.
(v) Look down upon: Some people tend to look down upon those who come from different socio-economic backgrounds, which is unfortunate.
(vi) Iconoclast: She was known as an iconoclast for challenging traditional beliefs and advocating for radical change.
(vii) Out of the wood: After a long illness, she finally emerged out of the wood and started feeling healthy again.
(viii) A swan song: The retiring professor delivered his last lecture, giving it the emotional weight of a swan song, bidding farewell to his academic career.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2009
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) Leave in the lurch: When the project lead unexpectedly resigned, the team felt abandoned, left in the lurch without guidance.
(ii) Hard and fast: There are no hard and fast rules in creative endeavors; sometimes, flexibility is key.
(iii) Weather the storm: Despite the challenges, the company managed to weather the storm and come out stronger after the economic downturn.
(iv) Bear the brunt: During the restructuring, the junior employees bore the brunt of the workload as the senior staff focused on strategic planning.
(v) Meet halfway: In negotiations, it’s essential for both parties to compromise and meet halfway to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
(vi) Turncoat: He was labeled a turncoat for switching political parties unexpectedly, leaving his former colleagues surprised and disappointed.
(vii) Where the shoe pinches: Understanding where the shoe pinches is crucial for addressing issues effectively; identifying the root cause of problems leads to better solutions.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2008
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
i. Blow one’s top: After hearing the news of the delayed project deadline, the manager blew their top in frustration.
ii. A cock and bull story: His explanation for being late was nothing but a cock and bull story about alien abductions.
iii. Find one’s feet: After a few weeks in the new job, she finally started to find her feet and become comfortable with her responsibilities.
iv. Call it a night: Feeling exhausted after the long day, they decided to call it a night and head home.
v. The tip of the iceberg: The financial discrepancies discovered were just the tip of the iceberg,
hinting at deeper underlying issues within the company.
vi. Below par: His performance during the match was below par compared to his usual standards.
vii. From pillar to post: After the sudden job loss, he had to go from pillar to post searching for new opportunities.
viii. Hang up: She had a hang-up about public speaking, which made it difficult for her to address large audiences.
ix. Turn someone in: He decided to turn someone in after witnessing a crime, feeling it was the right thing to do.
x. By and by: She hoped that by and by, things would get better and the situation would improve with time.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2006
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(1) Twiddle with: She couldn’t resist the urge to twiddle with her pen during the boring meeting, fidgeting with it absentmindedly.
(2) Vamp up: The company decided to vamp up their marketing strategy to attract a younger audience, incorporating trendy designs and social media campaigns.
(3) Whittle away: His savings slowly whittled away due to frequent unnecessary expenses, leaving him in a precarious financial situation.
(4) Winkle out: The detective managed to winkle out the truth from the suspect after hours of interrogation.
(5) Give someone the bum’s rush: The unruly customer causing a disturbance was given the bum’s rush by the bouncers and promptly escorted out of the club.
(6) Loom large: The threat of layoffs loomed large over the employees as rumors about downsizing circulated through the office.
(7) Besetting sin: Procrastination had become her besetting sin, preventing her from achieving her goals despite her potential.
(8) To hang fire: The decision to start the new project hung fire as they awaited approval from the higher-ups.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2005
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
Keep one’s nose to the grindstone: Despite distractions, she managed to keep her nose to the grindstone, focusing diligently on completing the project.
Throw someone for a loop: The unexpected question during the interview threw her for a loop, momentarily stunning her.
Letter perfect: His presentation was letter perfect, meticulously prepared and flawlessly executed.
Off the wall: Her idea for the new marketing campaign seemed a bit off the wall at first, but it turned out to be innovative and successful.
Out to lunch: His bizarre theories about aliens made him seem completely out to lunch to his colleagues.
Salt something away: She made it a habit to salt away a portion of her income into savings every month for future emergencies.
Take someone to the cleaners: The lawyer managed to take the opposing party to the cleaners during the settlement, securing a favorable outcome for his client.
Wear the pants in the family: Although traditionally, men were expected to wear the pants in the family, nowadays, it’s more about equal partnership and shared responsibilities.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2004
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
To bring grist to the mill: Her innovative ideas brought grist to the mill, contributing significantly to the company’s success.
Set one’s cap at: Despite numerous attempts, she refused to set her cap at any particular person, preferring to focus on her career.
To draw the long bow: His story about meeting a celebrity seemed to draw the long bow, appearing exaggerated and unlikely.
To send a person to Coventry: After the argument, his colleagues decided to send him to Coventry, avoiding any communication or interaction with him.
Beer and skittles: Life in the city wasn’t all beer and skittles as she had anticipated; it was more challenging than she had imagined.
The acid test: The presentation became the acid test for his skills, determining whether he was ready for a promotion.
A skeleton in the cupboard: She had a difficult past, and the family tried to keep her history—a skeleton in the cupboard—a secret.
To discover a mare’s nest: His theory turned out to be a mare’s nest, an idea that seemed promising but was actually baseless upon closer inspection.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2003
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
Kick the bucket: He always joked that he wanted to do something adventurous before he kicked the bucket.
Bolt from the blue: The sudden job offer came as a bolt from the blue, completely unexpected but very welcome.
Put your foot down: Concerned about safety, the teacher had to put her foot down and enforce the no-running rule in the school corridors.
Worth your salt: As a chef, he proved that he was worth his salt by consistently creating delicious and innovative dishes.
Down the drain: After the unexpected turn of events, all their efforts seemed to go down the drain, leaving them back at square one.
All ears: When it comes to learning new things, she’s all ears, eager to absorb as much information as possible.
Swan song: His farewell speech had the emotional resonance of a swan song, bidding goodbye to his career in a heartfelt manner.
Cheek by jowl: Due to the high demand for housing, people lived cheek by jowl in the crowded city, with houses built extremely close to one another.
In a nutshell: To explain it in a nutshell, the project aims to streamline operations and increase efficiency.
Give me five: As a sign of celebration, they high-fived each other, saying, “Give me five!”
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2002
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
Take aback: The unexpected news took her aback, leaving her momentarily stunned.
Take after: She takes after her mother in terms of her artistic talent; they both have a knack for painting.
Take for: His peculiar outfit made people take him for someone famous, leading to many mistaken identities.
Take ill: She suddenly took ill at the party and had to leave early due to a sudden headache.
Take off: The fashion trend of ripped jeans began to take off in popularity among the younger generation.
Take over: The new CEO will take over the company’s leadership next month, assuming control of its operations.
Take to: He took to playing the guitar after his trip to Nashville, discovering a newfound passion for music.
Take to task: The manager decided to take the underperforming employee to task for repeatedly missing deadlines.
Take to one’s heels: Upon hearing the police siren, the thief decided to take to his heels, running away as fast as he could.
Take with a grain or pinch of salt: Considering his tendency to exaggerate, it’s best to take his stories with a grain or pinch of salt rather than accepting them as entirely factual.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2001
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) The teeming meanings: The poem was beautifully complex, teeming with layers of meanings that required careful analysis to understand fully.
(ii) To kick the bucket: He always joked about wanting to visit every continent before he kicked the bucket.
(iii) To push to the walls: The competition in the market pushed the small businesses to the walls, making survival challenging.
(iv) To read between the lines: Her cryptic message required me to read between the lines to grasp the underlying meaning.
(v) To be at daggers drawn: The siblings were always at daggers drawn, constantly arguing over trivial matters.
(vi) To throw down the gauntlet: He threw down the gauntlet by challenging his colleague to a debate on the controversial topic.
(vii) To be a Greek: The complex instructions might as well have been a Greek to him; he couldn’t understand a word.
(viii) To stand on ceremony: She didn’t like to stand on ceremony; she preferred casual and relaxed gatherings to formal events.
(ix) From the horse’s mouth: I heard the news from the horse’s mouth, directly from the person involved.
(x) To carry the cross: She accepted the responsibility and decided to carry the cross, facing the challenges that came with it.
CSS – PRECIS AND COMPOSITION PAPER 2000
USE THE FOLLOWING WORDS IN THE SENTENCES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THEIR MEANING
(i) Blow one’s top: After the news of the unexpected expenses, he blew his top, expressing frustration and anger.
(ii) A cock-and-bull story: His explanation about the UFO sighting seemed like a cock-and-bull story, quite unbelievable.
(iii) Find one’s feet: After a few weeks in the new job, she finally found her feet and became comfortable with her responsibilities.
(iv) Call it a night: Feeling exhausted after the long day, they decided to call it a night and head home.
(v) The tip of the iceberg: The problems they faced were just the tip of the iceberg, suggesting deeper, underlying issues.
(vi) Below par: Her performance during the presentation was below par compared to her usual standards.
(vii) From pillar to post: After the sudden job loss, he had to go from pillar to post searching for new opportunities.
(viii) Hang up: She had a hang-up about public speaking, which made it challenging for her to address large audiences.
(ix) Turn someone in: He decided to turn someone in after witnessing a crime, feeling it was the right thing to do.
(x) By and by: She hoped that by and by, things would get better and the situation would improve with time.