a dime a dozen
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idiom

a dime a dozen

Meaning
very common and not valuable
Example
Those toys are **a dime a dozen** at the market.
idiom

tighten your belt

Meaning
to spend less money; to economize
Example
We’ll have to **tighten our belts** until business improves.
idiom

an old hand

Meaning
someone very experienced at something
Example
She’s **an old hand** at managing big events.
idiom

a man of integrity

Meaning
someone who is honest and morally upright
Example
He is known as **a man of integrity** in the business world.
idiom

tear down

Meaning
to demolish or dismantle something
Example
They plan to **tear down** the old shed this weekend.
idiom

Two heads are better than one

Meaning
Working together gives better results.
Example
**Two heads are better than one**, let’s solve it together.
idiom

talk over

Meaning
to discuss something thoroughly
Example
Let’s **talk over** the proposal before we send it.
idiom

burn your bridges

Meaning
to make a decision that cannot be reversed
Example
Be careful not to **burn your bridges** with your old employer.
idiom

ballpark figure

Meaning
an approximate estimate or number
Example
Can you give me a **ballpark figure** for the project cost?
idiom

to take the law into one’s own hands

Meaning
to punish someone personally instead of letting the authorities handle it
Example
The villagers **took the law into their own hands** when the thief escaped.
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
idiom

let bygones be bygones

Meaning
to forget past disagreements and forgive each other
Example
They decided to **let bygones be bygones** and move forward.
idiom

caught red-handed

Meaning
to be caught in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The thief was **caught red-handed** stealing the wallet.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
idiom

do the right thing

Meaning
to act in a morally or socially responsible way
Example
Even when it’s hard, always **do the right thing**.
idiom

I couldn’t agree more

Meaning
To completely agree with someone
Example
That’s exactly what I was thinking — **I couldn’t agree more**.
idiom

blow the whistle

Meaning
to expose wrongdoing or reveal secret information
Example
He **blew the whistle** on the company’s illegal activities.
idiom

take on board

Meaning
to accept or take responsibility for something
Example
The manager had to **take on board** the new task for the team.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
idiom

bright spark

Meaning
a very clever or talented person
Example
The new intern is a real **bright spark** with great ideas.
idiom

glide through

Meaning
to complete something smoothly and easily
Example
She managed to **glide through** the presentation.
idiom

sugarcoat the truth

Meaning
to make something seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
Example
Don’t try to **sugarcoat the truth**; we need to be honest about the situation.
idiom

Things will get better

Meaning
difficult situations will improve over time
Example
I know you're stressed, but remember, **things will get better**.
idiom

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
idiom

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
idiom

phishing

Meaning
A method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive emails, websites, or other communications.
Example
He received an email that looked legitimate, but it was actually a **phishing** attempt.
idiom

walk with confidence

Meaning
to move or act in a way that shows belief in one's abilities
Example
He always **walks with confidence** during his presentations.
idiom

agree to disagree

Meaning
to accept that you have different opinions and stop arguing
Example
We’ll just **agree to disagree** on this topic.
idiom

keep the ball rolling

Meaning
to keep an activity or process going
Example
Let’s **keep the ball rolling** on this project.
idiom

balance of trade

Meaning
the difference between a country's exports and imports
Example
A negative **balance of trade** can weaken a nation's currency.
idiom

nice to meet you

Meaning
a polite expression used when meeting someone for the first time
Example
It's **nice to meet you**, I've heard a lot about you.
idiom

down time

Meaning
time when one relaxes and does not work
Example
I need some **down time** after this hectic week.
idiom

Dress to kill

Meaning
To wear clothes that attract a lot of attention and admiration.
Example
She always **dresses to kill** when she goes to parties.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
idiom

clean up your act

Meaning
to start behaving more responsibly.
Example
You need to **clean up your act** if you want that promotion.
idiom

give it a shot

Meaning
to try something, even if you are not sure of success
Example
You should **give it a shot**; you might surprise yourself.
idiom

jump the gun

Meaning
to start something too soon
Example
They **jumped the gun** by announcing the news early.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
idiom

the best is yet to come

Meaning
better things are coming in the future
Example
Don’t worry about the past; **the best is yet to come**.
idiom

note down

Meaning
to write something so you remember it
Example
Please **note down** the action items before we leave.
idiom

run circles around someone

Meaning
to be much better than someone at something
Example
She can **run circles around** anyone in the debate team.
idiom

Speak the truth

Meaning
To tell the truth without lying.
Example
She decided to **speak the truth** no matter what the consequences were.
idiom

birds of a feather

Meaning
people with similar interests or characteristics
Example
Tom and Jerry are always together—**birds of a feather**.
idiom

a fork in the road

Meaning
a point where a decision must be made; a choice between two or more options
Example
When you come to **a fork in the road**, you have to choose which way to go.
idiom

make a name for yourself

Meaning
to become well-known or successful in a particular field
Example
She **made a name for herself** in the world of fashion design.
idiom

A hard row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or challenge.
Example
Getting this project done on time is going to be **a hard row to hoe**.
idiom

full of beans

Meaning
very energetic and lively
Example
The kids are **full of beans** this morning.
idiom

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
idiom

scare someone half to death

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That spider **scared me half to death**!
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
idiom

throw one’s hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete or take part, especially in politics
Example
He finally **threw his hat into the ring** for the mayoral election.
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
idiom

in the spotlight

Meaning
receiving public attention
Example
After the award, she’s been **in the spotlight** constantly.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
idiom

Stay on track

Meaning
To continue doing the right thing to reach your goal.
Example
We need to **stay on track** to meet our deadline.
idiom

drama queen

Meaning
a person who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Don’t be such a **drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
idiom

dig out

Meaning
to retrieve something that has been stored or buried
Example
Could you **dig out** last year’s budget notes?
idiom

queue up

Meaning
to line up and wait for your turn
Example
Fans began to **queue up** hours before the show.
idiom

go through the motions

Meaning
to do something without enthusiasm
Example
He’s just **going through the motions** at work.
idiom

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.
idiom

a win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where everyone benefits
Example
Merging the two companies created **a win-win situation** for both parties.
idiom

Out of fashion

Meaning
No longer trendy or popular
Example
Those jeans went **out of fashion** years ago.
idiom

sitting on the fence

Meaning
to avoid taking sides or making a decision
Example
He is **sitting on the fence** about the new policy.
idiom

in the cloud

Meaning
stored or managed on remote servers via the internet
Example
All our data is now **in the cloud**.
idiom

draw attention

Meaning
to make people notice something
Example
The bright colors **draw attention** to the poster.
idiom

The Midas touch

Meaning
The ability to make money or succeed in everything one does.
Example
She seems to have **the Midas touch**—every project she starts becomes a success.
idiom

get a grip

Meaning
to control your emotions and behave sensibly
Example
Stop panicking and **get a grip** on yourself!
idiom

take the law into one's own hands

Meaning
to seek justice personally rather than through legal authorities
Example
The villagers decided to **take the law into their own hands** and punished the thief.
idiom

think big

Meaning
to set ambitious and visionary goals
Example
Entrepreneurs must **think big** to make a real impact.
idiom

feel the strain

Meaning
to feel stress or pressure from a difficult situation
Example
Many employees are starting to **feel the strain** of the workload.
idiom

make your dreams come true

Meaning
to achieve what you have always wanted
Example
She worked hard to **make her dreams come true**.
idiom

to get away with murder

Meaning
to do something wrong and avoid punishment
Example
Rich criminals often **get away with murder** due to influence.
idiom

Build bridges, not walls

Meaning
Make connections and friendships rather than creating barriers
Example
Instead of fighting, let's **build bridges, not walls**.
idiom

button up

Meaning
to finish preparations or close something securely
Example
Let’s **button up** the proposal by Friday.
idiom

bite the byte

Meaning
to deal with a difficult technological challenge
Example
Developers had to **bite the byte** to fix the software issue.
idiom

be responsible for

Meaning
to be in charge of or accountable for something
Example
She is **responsible for** managing the entire department.
idiom

a heart of gold

Meaning
someone who is very kind and caring
Example
She has **a heart of gold**, always helping anyone in need.
idiom

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
idiom

gain the upper hand

Meaning
to get control or advantage over someone
Example
Through smart negotiation, the ambassador **gained the upper hand**.
idiom

down on your luck

Meaning
experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s been **down on his luck** since losing his job.
idiom

a job well done

Meaning
a task completed with great success
Example
The project was completed ahead of schedule, truly **a job well done**.
idiom

true to one's word

Meaning
To do what one has promised.
Example
She was **true to her word** and helped me finish the project.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
idiom

train the brain

Meaning
to improve one’s thinking or problem-solving ability through practice
Example
Developers constantly **train their brains** to create smarter algorithms.
idiom

target audience

Meaning
a specific group of people a campaign is aimed at
Example
You need to know your **target audience** before launching a campaign.
idiom

a match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect couple, very well suited for each other
Example
They are truly **a match made in heaven**.
idiom

shake things up

Meaning
to cause change in a situation to make it better
Example
The manager decided to **shake things up** in the team.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
idiom

take a load off

Meaning
to sit down and relax, especially after working hard
Example
Come in and **take a load off**.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
idiom

cut and dry

Meaning
clear and straightforward; no room for confusion
Example
The decision wasn’t as **cut and dry** as they expected.
idiom

party animal

Meaning
someone who loves going to parties
Example
She’s such a **party animal**, always out on weekends.
idiom

cold case

Meaning
a criminal case that has not been solved for a long time
Example
The detective reopened a **cold case** from 1999.
idiom

jack up on

Meaning
to increase something sharply on a specific item
Example
Vendors **jacked up on** bottled water during the festival.
idiom

the singularity

Meaning
a hypothetical future point when AI surpasses human intelligence
Example
Some experts believe **the singularity** could change humanity forever.
idiom

learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn something through experience, especially through making mistakes
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
idiom

build up your confidence

Meaning
to gradually become more confident
Example
Public speaking can help you **build up your confidence**.
idiom

aim high

Meaning
to set challenging and ambitious goals
Example
Always **aim high** if you want to achieve greatness.
idiom

lose your temper

Meaning
to become angry suddenly
Example
He **lost his temper** when the kids broke the vase.
idiom

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
idiom

hammer home

Meaning
to emphasize something forcefully
Example
The trainer **hammered home** the importance of rest.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
idiom

food for thought

Meaning
something that makes you think seriously
Example
His comment gave me **food for thought**.
idiom

show one's true colors

Meaning
to reveal one's true character or feelings, often after a period of hiding them
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he volunteered at the charity event.
idiom

cry one’s heart out

Meaning
to cry very hard due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after the breakup.
idiom

new kid on the block

Meaning
someone new to a place or situation
Example
He’s the **new kid on the block** in the company.
idiom

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
idiom

snowed under

Meaning
to have too much work to do
Example
I'm **snowed under** with assignments this week.
idiom

narrow down to

Meaning
to reduce choices to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed it down to** three finalists.
idiom

run like clockwork

Meaning
to operate smoothly and efficiently
Example
The production line **runs like clockwork** these days.
idiom

Caught on camera

Meaning
Recorded on video; captured visually
Example
The accident was **caught on camera** by a passerby.
idiom

break the mold

Meaning
to do something differently from tradition
Example
She **broke the mold** by becoming the first female CEO.
idiom

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
idiom

on one’s last legs

Meaning
to be near the end of one’s strength or life
Example
After the long hike, we were all **on our last legs**.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
idiom

moonlight as

Meaning
to work at a second job, especially secretly or part-time
Example
She decided to **moonlight as** a freelance writer to make extra money.