A

Presenting you all with the idioms starting with A which I like ..
                                     
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Get their act together : need to organize their affairs more effectively.
Usage :
 If the government wants to succeed then it should make its government officials(
babus) to get their acts together.
 The army and air force are doing fine but navy needs to get its act together.



Much ado about nothing : make a lot of fuss about something which is not important.
Usage :
The media made much ado about nothing in case of Shashi Tharoor's English.
India's media has bad habit to make much ado about nothing

Afraid of their own shadow :is very nervous or easily frightened.
Usage :
Post war, even the fall of vessal from the rack made the Afganistanis afraid of their own shadow.

after the fact: it is too late
Usage :
The guy had died ..as usual the police had arrived after the fact !

all ears means that you are listening very attentively.
Usage :
The saint speech was so magnetic that while he spoke the audience was all ears !

To say that all hell broke loose means that there was a sudden angry, noisy reaction to something.
Usage :
The moment you say reservation or women's rightsall hell breaks loose in parliment.

All the rage it has become very popular or trendy.
Usage :
Getting into size zero is all the rage nowadays, thanks to Kareena Kapoor.

alter ego, which in Latin means 'other self'
Usage :
You shouldnt have insulted Karna ..he is Duryodhan's alter ego.

have ants in their pants are very restless or excited about something.
Usage :
"Come on ..you there ...speak up ...you seem to be having ants in your pants" shouted the general to the cadet.


any port in a storm refers to a solution you accept, which in normal circumstances you would find unacceptable
Usage :
I never ate spinach but I was so hungry that any port in a storm was fine for mr that day and I had to eat
corn-spinach

To upset (or to overturn) the applecart means to spoil a satisfactory plan or situation  
Usage :
The sudden leakage in fuel tank of the plane upset the applecart of the terrorists.

 If you argue the toss, you dispute a decision or choice which has already been made.
Usage :
Now if you get up and say Earth is not round then you are arguing the toss boss.

If something costs an arm and a leg, it is very expensive!
Usage :
The maid broke our very expensive vase today but it wasnt right to ask her to pay for it ..as it would have cost her an arm and a leg.

up in arms you are very angry
Usage :
Its not the right time to talk him now..he is up in arms about his transfer to some remote place.

keep someone at arm's length you do not allow yourself to become too friendly with them.
Usage :
Is he a politician ? If yes then keep him at arm's length ...you never know when he'll backstab you.

An armchair critic is someone who gives advice based on theory rather than practice.
Usage :
I feel all the editorial writers are armchair critics..if they know what is to be done ..then why dont they do it.


If you get a rude awakening, you are forced to accept the unpleasant truth.
 Usage :
She dint believe at the score card which she got in her inbox but when she got her score card by post she got a rude awakening.

an axe to grind, you have personal reasons for becoming involved in something or adopting a particular attitude.
Usage :
Hey listen you !!! ..I will poke my nose in between ...I definitely have an axe to grind ...I have also not got my returns.